Jimmy Ishmael large (Daviess Dekalb Jail)

Gallatin man facing felony charges of child molestation, statutory sodomy and deviate sexual intercourse with two children

A Gallatin man faces multiple felonies after allegedly sexually exploiting girls. Seventy-one-year-old Jimmy Ishmael has been charged with fourth-degree child molestation involving a child less than 17 years of age, first-degree harassment, and two counts of first-degree statutory sodomy involving deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 14 years old. He has also been […]

Planned Parenthood

Missouri state health agency seeks control of Title X funds that go to Planned Parenthood

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s state health department has applied to oversee federal family planning funds, a move reproductive health advocates fear would give the state power to cut off funding for providers who refer patients for abortion services. During his confirmation hearing late last month, former Department of Health and Senior Services Director Donald Kauerauf’s […]

Donald Kauerauf, the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks during a press conference at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on July 21, 2021

Before ouster, Missouri health director drafted a letter to senators that was never sent

(Missouri Independent) – On the Friday before a drawn-out confirmation battle ended with his ouster from office, Missouri state Health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote an impassioned letter meant to convince conservative legislators who were on the fence about his appointment.  The message: While he believed in vaccines and data and science, he didn’t believe in vaccine […]

Medical Marijuana

Criticism of Missouri medical marijuana system seeps into initiative petition debate

(Missouri Independent) – A handful of Republican lawmakers lashed out at the state’s medical marijuana industry Thursday, lobbing accusations of corruption into a Missouri House debate over whether to make it harder to amend the state’s Constitution.  On a mostly party-line 98-53 vote, the Missouri House signed off on legislation Thursday that would require a two-thirds […]

Medical Marijuana Dispensary

Missouri Supreme Court: Medical marijuana application info must be disclosed in appeals

(Missouri Independent) – In a unanimous decision Tuesday, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that a lower court was justified in ordering the state health department to disclose medical marijuana application info that it had argued was confidential. The Department of Health and Senior Services refused to provide applications of businesses that were awarded licenses to […]

Trenton R-9 School District

Trenton Board of Education hears presentation from Trenton Teachers Association on 4-day school week

Joel Hultman with the Trenton Teachers Association presented preliminary research regarding a four-day school week during the Trenton R-9 Board of Education meeting on February 8th. The board took no action on the matter. Hultman reported a survey of teachers showed many wanted more information on a four-day school week. None of the questions specifically […]

Meth with police banner

Four defendants plead guilty to conspiracy involving 112 pounds of meth near elementary school

Four defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a conspiracy that converted large amounts of liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine at a rented house within 1,000 feet of George Melcher Elementary School in Kansas City, Missouri. Jose Vieyra-Lopez, 37, a citizen of Mexico; Megan Eubanks, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., and […]