U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will make up to $800 million available to support biofuel producers and infrastructure. The announcement includes $700 million to provide economic relief to biofuel producers and restore renewable fuel markets affected by the pandemic. The Department will make the funds available through the new Biofuel Producer […]
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Controversial bill would have aided Orscheln Products LLC, under scrutiny for contamination
(Missouri Independent) – Two years ago, a company led by an influential Republican businessman faced off with the state’s environmental regulators over whether it needed to do additional testing for a chemical that health officials worried could pose a cancer risk to the company’s workers. The Moberly manufacturing facility, Orscheln Products LLC, is owned by […]
Women would sign up for the military draft under defense bill in Congress
(Missouri Independent) – As the Senate works to finalize a major annual defense measure, there is a bipartisan push to include a requirement that all young Americans — including women — for the first time register for the military draft. The $777.9 billion measure, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, also would allocate millions to […]
Governor Parson recommends wage increase for all state employees
Governor Mike Parson announced that he will recommend a 5.5 percent Cost of Living Adjustment and $15.00 per hour minimum base pay standard for all state employees across state government. “With many positions across state government facing turnover rates anywhere from 10-100 percent and vacancy rates from 30-100 percent, it is past time for us […]
Two defendants indicted in Missouri during nationwide ‘Money Mule Initiative’
Defendants involved in a romance fraud scheme that victimized a Taney County, Missouri, woman and an email hacking scheme that targeted a program at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., were indicted in federal court in the Western District of Missouri as part of the Department of Justice’s fourth annual Money Mule Initiative. The Money Mule Initiative […]
Audio: Proud Boys member sentenced to 7 years in prison on firearms charges
After admitting to illegally having several thousands of rounds of ammunition in Missouri, among other crimes, a member of the Proud Boys extremist group is set to serve 87 months (7.25 years) in prison. Jonathan Cuney of New York state said he bought the ammunition at a Columbia, Missouri firearms store through a […]
Audio: Missouri Department of Health watching progress of Omicron variant
Officials with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services say they’re keeping an eye on the spread of the latest Covid-19 variant. So far, the Omicron variant has not made it to Missouri, but the first case in the United States has been detected in a man who flew into California from […]
U.S. Supreme Court considers new limits on abortions in Mississippi case
(Missouri Independent) – The Supreme Court is weighing potentially sweeping changes to the right to an abortion, after two hours of arguments Wednesday morning on a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The court’s conservatives, who hold a 6-3 majority, appeared through their questions to be sympathetic to Mississippi’s arguments […]
Advocates say Build Back Better Act could improve health outcomes for Missouri children
Health advocates are pressing the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act after it passed the House last month. The bill would improve Medicaid and CHIP, the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program, by offering 12 months of continuous coverage to children who qualify and making federal CHIP funding permanent. Casey Hanson, director of outreach and […]
Federal vaccine mandate for health care workers in 10 states blocked by judge
(Missouri Independent) – Enforcement of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for millions of health care workers was blocked in 10 states on Monday, after a ruling by a federal judge in Missouri. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp affects the states involved in the lawsuit, including Missouri. The others are Iowa, Kansas, New […]
NCMC hosts legislative forum with four state representatives, one senator, two representatives for federal legislators and president of MCCA
Four state representatives, one state senator, two representatives for federal legislators, and the president of the Missouri Community College Association spoke at a forum in Trenton November 29th. The legislative forum was in Cross Hall on the campus of North Central Missouri College. The speakers were asked to answer one question: What is your perspective […]
Patrol reports nine fatalities; no drownings or boating crashes over 2021 Thanksgiving holiday
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports nine people died in traffic crashes during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period–from 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 24, 2021, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 28, 2021. There were no boating crashes or drownings. During the Thanksgiving holiday counting period, troopers report the following traffic statistics for 2021 (preliminary): Crashes ─ 457 […]
USDA accepting applications for loans and Grants to assist those in rural areas in obtaining high-speed internet access
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Department has begun accepting applications for up to $1.15 billion in loans and grants to help people in rural areas get access to high-speed internet. This announcement comes on the heels of the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides another nearly $2 billion in additional […]
Smithfield Foods settlement with feds can’t be used in COVID lawsuits
(Missouri Independent) – Smithfield Foods agreed this week to pay the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration $13,494 to settle a citation for failing to protect its meatpacking employees in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, from exposure to the coronavirus last year, but the company didn’t admit it did anything wrong. As such, the settlement can’t […]
Missouri state library partners with Gale to offer high school completion program for adults
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced that the Missouri State Library will partner with Gale, part of the Cengage Group, to offer adult residents in Missouri the opportunity to earn a high school diploma through participating libraries in the state. The state library has subscribed to “Gale Presents: Excel Adult High School,” an online accredited […]
Chillicothe Rotary Club to hold 100th anniversary celebration on December 4
The Chillicothe Rotary Club has scheduled its 100th-anniversary event for December 4, 2021. It will include music, dinner, and a celebration with events to be held at Bishop Hogan Memorial School at 1114 Trenton Road in Chillicothe. Rotary International Trustee Larry Lunsford of Kansas City will be the master of ceremonies. Past Rotary International President […]
Authorities conducting investigation after human remains found in Union Star; Two arrested on unrelated charges
Northwest Missouri authorities are investigating a possible homicide after discovering a body this week at Union Star in DeKalb County. Sheriff Kasey Keesaman reports his office received information Monday from an outside agency regarding a death that occurred on South 7th Street in Union Star. Since that lead, Keesaman said law enforcement has executed several […]
Climate funds in infrastructure bill aimed at drought, wildfires, floods
(Missouri Independent) – The recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill isn’t just about roads and bridges — it also spends billions to address wildfire, drought, flooding, and other effects from climate change, Interior Department officials said Wednesday. The $1.2 trillion measure, which is awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature after the House cleared it last week, includes pay […]
Audio: North Central Missouri College participates in National Roll Call to honor Veterans
North Central Missouri College joined colleges and universities across the country in the National Roll Call on November 11, 2021, for Veterans Day. During NCMC’s roll call event on the campus in Trenton, 11 individuals read the names of 451 veterans and active duty members with ties to NCMC, Trenton Junior College, and/or the local community. […]
White House says “Easing of supply chain problems to start with backed-up seaports”
(Missouri Independent) – The first seaport to improve its facilities following passage of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill could be in Savannah, Ga., a senior Biden administration official said Tuesday. President Joe Biden has yet to sign the measure, which Congress sent to Biden’s desk late last week, funding improvements in highways, transit, ports, waterways, airports, […]