(Missouri Independent) – Senate Democrats and immigration advocates are pushing the White House to end a controversial Trump-era immigration policy enacted during the pandemic that allowed U.S. officials to expel migrants and asylum seekers at the border. “I continue to be disappointed, deeply disappointed, in the administration’s response,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York […]
Tag: decide
House Republicans renew calls for the Biden administration to drop “Waters of the United States” expansion
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member David Rouzer (R-NC), and Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (R-WA) are leading 201 House Republicans in renewing calls for the Biden administration to drop its plan to expand the scope of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). House […]
Audio: Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet to have a Casino Night theme.
The Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Banquet will have a Casino Night theme. The event at the Ketcham Community Center of Trenton on March 18th will include social time at 5:30 in the evening, a dinner catered by Hy-Vee at 6 o’clock, awards at 7:30, and the entertainment at 8 o’clock. Chamber Member Crystal […]
Trenton City Council investigating possibility of full-time prosecuting attorney
The Trenton City Council is requesting more information before it can decide whether to give an endorsement allowing a public vote to make the Grundy County Prosecuting Attorney position full-time instead of the current part-time. Kelly Puckett is the Prosecuting Attorney and prosecutes cases investigated by Trenton Police that result in felony charges. That’s in […]
Children’s book by Missouri’s 11 women senators aims to promote literacy
The 11 women in the Missouri Senate have written a new book called “You Can, Too!” to promote literacy across the state and encourage more young people to get civically engaged. It was not until 1972 a woman was first elected to the Missouri Senate, and in the state’s 200-year history, while there have been more […]
How the Ukraine invasion could affect you: Higher food, gas prices, risk of recession
(Missouri Independent) – Americans may be tempted to view the war in Ukraine as an unfortunate, but far away, crisis. As an economist, I know the world is too connected for the U.S. to go unaffected. On Feb. 22, 2022, President Joe Biden warned Americans that a Russian invasion of Ukraine – and U.S. efforts to thwart or […]
North Central Missouri College scholarship recipients recognized at reception
The 2021-2022 North Central Missouri College Scholarship Reception was held on Wednesday, February 16th, in the Jeanette Hoffman Robison Auditorium at the Ketcham Community Center. Over 260 students were recognized for receiving an NCMC Foundation, Athletic, SSS, or other institutional scholarships. The North Central Missouri College Foundation hosts this annual event. Phyllis Jackson, NCMC Foundation […]
Wright Memorial Hospital Foundation seeking donations for charity auction
The Wright Memorial Hospital Foundation will be hosting their second annual virtual charity auction, with proceeds going to support the Oncology Nurse Navigator Program, as well as the Foundation’s general fund, which supports Wright Memorial Hospital in a variety of ways. The event is scheduled to take place from May 4 through May 16, with […]
Misinformation fuels false belief that Missouri COVID death figures are being inflated
(Missouri Independent) – On a recent Tuesday evening in southeastern Missouri, John Freeze stood in front of yet another angry group of constituents. Some here believe the number of COVID-19 deaths are being purposefully inflated for financial gain. Among the culprits, in their mistaken view: Hospitals seeking Medicare reimbursements; The federal government, led by Dr. Anthony […]
New dates announced for Mercer Homecoming
New dates have been announced for the Mercer Homecoming celebration this year. The Mercer Homecoming Committee has decided to move away from Labor Day weekend and hold the Homecoming events the last weekend in July. This year, those dates are July 28th through the 30th. According to Jeff Girdner, the change occurred because the committee […]
Audio: North Central Missouri College Scholarship Reception, held on Wednesday evening, featured speakers from staff and students
North Central Missouri College employees spoke at the scholarship reception on the campus in Trenton February 16th. Student Support Services Assistant Director Tocarra Williams talked about intangible things that scare us, like being the first person in a family to attend college. Williams, herself, was a first generation college student, and she attended NCMC. Student […]
Audio: Missouri voters could be asked to let Legislature decide whether to fund Medicaid expansion
Missouri voters could be asked in November to let the Legislature decide whether to fund Medicaid expansion. The Missouri House has given initial approval to the proposed ballot measure. Last year, the Legislature attempted to defund the expansion population, but the Missouri Supreme Court ruled against that move. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith says […]
American Farm Bureau Federation claims it’s the ‘voice of agriculture,’ Others beg to differ
(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published as a collaboration between Investigate Midwest and Watchdog Writers Group. The American Farm Bureau Federation calls itself the “voice of agriculture,” a slogan it trademarked in 2007. But as the divide between agribusiness and small farmers has grown in recent decades, a unified voice of agriculture has become harder to […]
North Mercer Board of Education adopts 2022-2023 calendar; district will switch insurance companies
The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education adopted a 2022-2023 school calendar on February 14th. The start date will be August 23rd, and the last day of school is scheduled for May 17th, 2023. North Mercer has decided to switch insurance companies effective March 1st. Missouri United Educators Health Plan will provide services until July […]
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 […]
CDC preps guidance for governors on relaxing COVID rules, but states forge ahead
(Missouri Independent) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing guidance for governors about when to relax masking and other measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 but doesn’t want to release those instructions just yet. Director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday that it’s too soon to begin rolling backmasking and other public […]
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 […]
Missouri man pleads guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl
United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk accepted a plea of guilty from Jarvis L. Fields for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri previously indicted Fields in December 2020. Judge Pitlyk set sentencing for May 3, 2022. According to the plea agreement, on April 10, […]
Missouri bills would offer incentives for grocery stores, urban farms to eliminate food deserts
(Missouri Independent) – The closure of Save A Lot in Pagedale left a hole in northern St. Louis County. Beyond Housing, a community-building group that serves about two dozen cities in the area had worked through the Great Recession to bring a grocery store closer to low-income residents in a part of the St. Louis area dotted with […]