(Missouri Independent) – When news broke that an LGBTQ history exhibit was suddenly and without warning removed from the Missouri Capitol, Gov. Mike Parson contended the reason was that it didn’t get pre-approval from a board he chairs, but at that board’s first meeting in more than a year on Monday, neither the exhibit nor the […]
Tag: decline
Judge orders no change – for now – in Missouri’s prisoner health care contractor
(Missouri Independent) – Work to bring a new contractor for prisoner health care services online in Missouri can continue, but the actual transition from Corizon, the current provider, won’t occur until at least early November, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ordered Tuesday. Green issued a temporary restraining order blocking the state from canceling its […]
Supreme Court bows out, White House wades into Texas abortion battle
President Joe Biden stepped into the abortion battle in Texas Thursday, tasking federal agencies to see what steps can be taken to, in his words, “ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions.” The law, which took effect Wednesday, bans most abortions after six weeks before most women know they are […]
COVID cases among children rising as Missouri Delta variant wave enters fifth month
(Missouri Independent) – Clay LaRue, superintendent of the Van Buren R-1 School District, made a tough decision Sunday. With COVID-19 cases spiking in Carter County in southeast Missouri, and many of those infections among very young children, LaRue shut down the district’s pre-kindergarten program for two weeks. He had previously directed faculty, staff, and students […]
Lawsuit filed over $1.4 billion contract for Missouri prison healthcare
(Missouri Independent) – The dispute over the $1.4 billion contract to provide prisoner health care in Missouri is moving into the courts. Corizon Health, which has held the Department of Corrections contract since 1992, filed a lawsuit Monday in Cole County alleging that unfair treatment and improper scoring gave the contract to Centurion Health, a Virginia subsidiary of […]
Talking and trusting are key to easing back-to-school stress for teenagers
With new teachers, classmates, and expectations, back to school is full of uncertainties and anxieties. Stressful transitions increase the chances that a teen will turn to drugs or alcohol to cope. Geena Crosby, prevention coordinator for youth and young adult services with the Prevention Action Alliance, said there are many ways to support teens during […]
Missouri ICUs filling as Delta variant wave moves into northeast, southeast regions
(Missouri Independent) – New cases from the Delta variant wave that has killed more than 1,150 Missourians since June 1 have plateaued, but hospital ICUs continue to fill — and small, rural hospitals are among the hardest hit. There were 690 patients in ICU beds across the state on Tuesday, the most recent day reported by the state Department of Health […]
Attorneys argue Missouri is violating federal law, courts on Medicaid expansion delays
(Missouri Independent) – Attorneys who successfully sued to force Missouri to enact voter-approved Medicaid expansion argued in a letter to state officials Thursday that delays in implementation violate not only the court order but also federal law. The plaintiffs’ attorneys, Chuck Hatfield and Lowell Pearson joined with Joel Ferber, director of advocacy for Legal Services […]
Schools to continue mask rules despite legal challenge from Missouri Attorney General
(Missouri Independent) – The schools in Gov. Mike Parson’s hometown will continue to require students, teachers, and staff to wear masks indoors despite a lawsuit filed by the Missouri attorney general challenging public school mask mandates across the state. The Bolivar R-1 Board of Education in Polk County voted in a special meeting this month to […]
Three injured in crash west of Hamilton
Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash early Wednesday evening in Caldwell County, four miles west of Hamilton. A Pleasant Hill couple received moderate injuries and were taken by ambulance to Cameron Regional Medical Center. A Hamilton resident, 83-year-old Wayne Vincent, received moderate injuries but declined treatment at the scene. The Vincent car was […]
Trenton R-9 School District begins new school year with 1031 students
Classes began for the Trenton R-9 School District on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. Opening day enrollment is 1,031 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, which is a decline of one student from the 2020 first-day enrollment. Student totals include 401 students in kindergarten through fourth grade who attend Rissler Elementary School, 297 in fifth through […]
Jamesport Board of Education approves property tax levy
The Jamesport Tri-County Board of Education has approved a property tax levy totaling nearly 4.33 cents on the 100 dollars of assessed valuation, which is a decline of slightly over 23 cents on the 100 dollars compared to 2020. The breakdown of this year’s levy shows the regular rate at nearly 4.08 on the 100 […]
Audio: Missouri Public Defender System on track to have largest staffing increase since 1989
The state Public Defender System is on track to have its largest staffing increase since 1989. The Missouri Legislature passed a state budget this year that includes hiring a total of 53 new public defenders statewide. The Missouri Public Defender System has already filled 32 of those positions. The System has been understaffed […]
Missouri payrolls add 15,000 jobs in month after Parson stopped federal unemployment aid
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri payrolls added exactly 15,000 non-farm jobs in July as the unemployment rate ticked down 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted data from the federal Bureau of Labor Standards shows. The state’s labor force of 3.08 million, however, declined by 177, and overall employment, which includes self-employed people and farm labor, grew by 4,462 […]
Driver of vehicle involved in crash west of Trenton dies in Kansas City hospital
A driver who was involved in a three-vehicle accident on Highway 6, near Fourth Street in Trenton on Monday, August 16, has died of their injuries in a Kansas City area hospital. Police Chief Rex Ross reports 76-year-old Gary Raymond Randolph of Trenton was originally taken by ambulance to Wright Memorial Hospital in Trenton; however, […]
Three-vehicle crash on Highway 6 west of Trenton sends two to hospital
The Trenton Police Department reports two area residents were taken to the hospital by ambulance following a three-vehicle crash on Highway 6 near Fourth Street on Monday afternoon, August 16, 2021. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Department reported that Highway 6 was closed at the Thompson River Bridge for about 30 minutes due to the injury […]
Plans continue for the annual Trenton High School Alumni Reunion
Plans continue for the annual Trenton High School Alumni Reunion, and the 2021 edition of the “Alumni News” is now in the mail to hundreds of alums. Board members of the Association/Foundation Trust for THS have voted to continue with plans on hosting a Friday night hospitality meet and greet, a Saturday Open House, and […]
2020 Census data shows Livingston County growing in population, while other Green Hills counties decline
County population totals have been released from the 2020 Census. The only Green Hills county to gain population since 2010 was Livingston. It grew by 1.26% and had a population in 2020 of 15,319. Sullivan County had the largest decrease in population in the Green Hills since 2010. It was down 13.89% and had a […]
Judge orders state to immediately allow Missourians to enroll in expanded Medicaid
(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri Department of Social Services must allow newly eligible residents that qualify for benefits under voter-approved Medicaid expansion to enroll and cannot impose greater restrictions on them, a Cole County judge ruled Tuesday. Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem sided with the plaintiffs who urged him to allow Medicaid expansion to take […]
North Central Missouri Fair officials announce results of Beef Show
Officials have announced the results of the Beef Show at the North Central Missouri Fair in Trenton. Makenzie Epperson of Laredo exhibited the Champion bull, and Braxton Switzer of Bucklin showed the Reserve Champion bull. Jenna Reeter of Trenton had the Supreme Champion female, and Vivie McGaugh of Carrollton showed the Reserve Champion female. Thane […]