Hospital Bed (Photo by Frederic Köberl on Unsplash)

Legislators weigh blocking COVID visitor restrictions at Missouri hospitals, nursing homes

(Missouri Independent) – State Rep. Ed Lewis had just hours to say goodbye. In March 2020, his 89-year-old mother had to go to the hospital after suffering from a fall. Lewis’ sister was their mother’s primary caregiver, but in the pandemic’s first days as hospitals restricted visitors, family members weren’t allowed to stay with her. Lewis […]

John Boyd photo courtesy of John Boyd Junior

Democrats file suit to keep two-time Republican candidate off ballot for Missouri House seat

(Missouri Independent) – Democrats want to kick a candidate off the ballot in the race for a Kansas City-area Missouri House seat, claiming the Grandview man who filed in the 36th District contest is actually “a longtime Republican and vocal opponent of the Democratic Party.” John D. Boyd Jr. filed for the seat on Feb. […]

Judge gavel and money on brown wooden table. Many hundred dollar bills under judge malice on court desk. Judgement and bribe

Missouri Attorney General obtains judgment and full restitution for victims in “Lantern Fest” lawsuit

Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced the entry of a consent judgment against Happy Fun Events, LLC, Owen Spencer Hunn, and Martha Hunn. The Hunns owned Happy Fun Events, a Utah-based company, that put on “Lantern Fest” events around the country. Happy Fun Events had scheduled an event in Jefferson County for November 2018 that it […]

Indictment graphic with gavel and file folder

Three separate indictments handed down in Harrison County involving murder, assault and sex crimes involving a child

Grand jury indictments were filed in Harrison County this week on three men. Forty-one-year-old Travis William Gilliland of Ridgeway has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Bail was set at $250,000 for all counts. A probable cause affidavit accused Gilliland of shooting and killing Lynn Trammell in March. Fifty-eight-year-old Stephen Marshall of […]

Guilty Verdict

Jury convicts University of Kansas researcher for hiding ties to Chinese government

A former University of Kansas (KU) professor was convicted by a federal jury on three counts of wire fraud and one count of false statements after he deliberately concealed that he was also employed by a government-affiliated university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while working on U.S. government-funded research at KU. Feng Tao, […]

Mercer County Courthouse Princeton

Governor to make appointment to fill vacant seat on Mercer County Commission

Due to the death of Mercer County First District Commissioner Thomas Shane Grooms on April 4, Mercer County Clerk, Judy Hamilton, reports that, by statute, the governor will appoint someone to serve in the position until the next election and to finish the term in December 2024. The commissioners also have an option of appointing an […]

Jobs Report

Missouri jobs report shows unemployment drops to 3.7% in February

Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased from January 2022 to February 2022, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 9,200 jobs over the month, with job gains in both goods-producing and service-providing industries. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in February 2022, […]

Generic Missouri Livestock Symposium Kirksville

Missouri Livestock Symposium accepting applications for Missouri Livestock Achievement Award

The Missouri Livestock Symposium is currently accepting nominations for the new Missouri Livestock Achievement Award. The award recognizes an individual or organization demonstrating outstanding achievements and distinguished contributions to the livestock industry. Eligible applicants can be producers of livestock, agribusiness personnel, agency personnel, or agriculture educators in the state of Missouri. Other parties who have […]

Demonstrators stand outside of the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City (Photo by Tessa Weinberg - Missouri Independent).

Medicaid enrollment backlog persists as advocates say Missouri could be doing more

(Missouri Independent) – Applying for health insurance through Medicaid expansion took Raven Cole just 10 minutes. But the wait to see if she’s approved has dragged on for months. The 23-year-old legal assistant applied for coverage, “well over two to three months ago.” “And I haven’t heard anything back,” Cole said. Cole is one of […]

Ryleah Ishmael and Parker Whitacre (Booking photos courtesy Trenton Police Department)

Two area residents arrested on drug-related offenses

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of two area residents on March 15th on drug-related charges. Twenty-year-old Ryleah Rayven Ishmael of Tindall has been charged with the felonies of possession of a controlled substance and delivery or possession of a controlled substance at a county or private jail or correctional center except with […]

Prison Sentence

Missouri man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography

United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Scott Reinhardt II, age 36, to 25 years in federal prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release for the production of child pornography.  Reinhardt previously pleaded guilty in December 2021.  According to the plea agreement, between the dates of February 1, 2020, and […]

Audit Graphic

Missouri State Auditor gives Clay County Commission’s office rating of “Poor”; details how commissioners obstructed audit process

Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today issued her office’s audit of the Clay County Commission, which was initiated by a citizen petition in 2018. The report follows repeated but ultimately unsuccessful efforts by former county commissioners to impede the completion of the audit. The report, which gave a rating of “poor” – the lowest possible […]

Jobs Report or unemployment

January 2022 Missouri jobs report shows a drop in unemployment to 3.8%

Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased from December 2021 to January 2022, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 9,100 jobs over the month, with job gains in both goods-producing and service-providing industries. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in January 2022, […]

Aaron Zackary Wolf-Moffett booking photo

Trenton man faces weapons charge after allegedly shooting individual in the leg

A Trenton man faces multiple felonies after he allegedly shot someone in the leg at a residence in Brimson on February 11th. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports 32-year-old Aaron Zackary Wolf-Moffett has been charged with second-degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm by a dangerous felon, and two counts of first-degree […]

Notice of Eviction

Missourians can now apply for mortgage assistance via federal COVID-relief funds

(Missouri Independent) – Missourians who experienced financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic and are struggling to pay their mortgage can now apply for help through the State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR) program. Starting March 1, the federally-funded SAFHR for Homeowners program will begin to provide nearly $140 million in assistance to homeowners to pay past-due mortgage […]

Department of Homeland Security website

Coalition of 13 attorneys general call for resignation of Alejandro Mayorkas’ at Department of Homeland Security

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, along with 13 other attorneys general are calling for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ resignation. In a letter, citing the continued failure to enforce federal law and secure the southwest border, the coalition of 14 state attorneys general is demanding that Secretary Mayorkas leave office as his […]