(Missouri Independent) – It was just after 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10, when the forms arrived from the state treasurer’s office. Without warning, and with little explanation, school superintendents discovered they were now required to certify their district had complied with Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s demands to drop all COVID-19 mitigation measures, such as […]
Tag: effect
Missouri State Highway Patrol announces retirement of Sergeant Christopher Cerroni
Captain Erik A. Gottman, commanding officer of Troop B, Macon, announces that effective April 1, 2022, Sergeant Christopher L. Cerroni will retire with over 29 years of dedicated service. Cerroni was appointed to the Patrol on January 1, 1993, as a member of the 65th Recruit Class. After graduating from the Patrol Academy, he was […]
White House wants $10 billion for Ukraine aid, $22.5 billion for more COVID help
(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration is asking Congress to provide $10 billion in assistance to Ukraine and $22.5 billion in COVID-19 funding on a fast timeline — within the next week. White House acting budget director Shalanda Young wrote in a letter to lawmakers that this likely won’t be the last emergency funding request for either […]
Missouri State Auditor begins audit of Texas County
State Auditor Nicole Galloway today announced that her office has begun a regularly scheduled audit of Texas County, located in south-central Missouri. The most recent audit of Texas County was completed in November 2017 and gave the county an overall performance rating of “poor,” the lowest possible. “My office will conduct an independent review of government operations […]
Biden OKs release of 30 million barrels of oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve
(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden authorized on Tuesday the release of 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, part of an international boost to the global oil supply that has been disrupted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The reserve is a complex of four sites with deep underground storage caverns in salt […]
USDA announces March 2022 lending rates for agricultural producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced loan interest rates for March 2022, which are effective March 1, 2022. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment, and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs. Operating, Ownership, and Emergency Loans FSA […]
Governor Parson announces Paula Nickelson to lead Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
During a press conference at the State Capitol, Governor Mike Parson announced that he has selected Paula Nickelson to serve as the Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, effective March 1, 2022. “Today, we are excited to announce Paula Nickelson as the new DHSS Acting Director,” Governor Parson said. “Paula was a […]
Amount of copper and lead in water lines to have significant impact on operation of Trenton Municipal Utilities
At Monday night’s meeting of the Trenton City Council, Utility Director Ron Urton presented information that he says will have a significant future impact on Trenton Municipal Utilities, particularly with operations, projects, and funding. Urton said he’s been viewing webinars on the new EPA lead and copper rule regarding underground mains. Urton indicated an inventory […]
The National Superintendent of the Year, Curtis Cain, is from Missouri
Curtis Cain, superintendent of Wentzville School District, in Wentzville, Mo., has been named the 2022 AASA National Superintendent of the Year. The announcement came at the National Conference on Education, hosted by AASA, The School Superintendents Association. The other National Superintendent of the Year® finalists were: Quincy Natay, Chinle Unified School District No. 24, Chinle, Ariz. Kamela Patton, Collier County […]
Vilsack: Fertilizer prices are biggest worry for farmers after Russian invasion
(Missouri Independent) – The Russian invasion of Ukraine this week might drive up the costs of farm fertilizers globally — which nearly quadrupled last year in price in the United States and remain high — and presents an opportunity for unscrupulous companies to artificially inflate those prices further, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “That’s […]
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 […]
Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain David Striegel to retire April 1
The superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces the retirement of Captain David K. Striegel effective April 1, 2022. Striegel was appointed to the Patrol on January 1, 1996, as a member of the 71st Recruit Class. After graduating from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy, his first assignment was to Troop E, Zone 8, […]
Missouri Senate passes $4.6B spending bill with pay raises, federal school funds
(Missouri Independent) – With a deadline looming that could cost Missouri almost $2 billion in federal education aid, the bill to distribute the money passed the state Senate on Wednesday after Democrats slammed a zero-dollar funding line as a partisan attack on Planned Parenthood. The $4.6 billion spending bill approved on a 25-7 vote is the first legislation requiring […]
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 […]
North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees hear reports, work continues on former US Bank building
Multiple reports were given at the North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees meeting February 22nd. Vice President of Student Affairs Doctor Kristen Alley reported NCMC’s graduation rate is 42%, and the withdrawal rate is 39%. NCMC is the only community college in the state to have a higher graduation rate than a withdrawal rate. […]
State judges across the U.S. face growing GOP pushback against rulings in election cases
Missouri Independent) – In mid-December, Texas’ highest criminal court revoked the state attorney general’s ability to use his office to prosecute election-related cases without the request of a district or county attorney. In an 8-1 opinion, the all-Republican court weakened Attorney General Ken Paxton’s power to independently go after perpetrators of voter fraud, a problem he says […]
Experts say federal funds for lead pipe replacement needed in Missouri
Missouri has roughly 330,000 lead service lines, the pipes connecting water mains to buildings including people’s homes, and federal funding could help speed up the process of removing and replacing them. The bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by Congress last year includes $15 billion for lead-pipe replacement, building on funds from the American Rescue Plan. Erik D. Olson, senior strategic director at […]
Missouri takes months to process Medicaid applications — longer than law allows
(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published by Kaiser Health News. Aneka French applied for Medicaid in October, not long after Missouri became the 38th state to expand eligibility for the program. But her application sat for months in a backlog with tens of thousands of others. While she waited, French, 45, an uninsured medical […]
Gallatin Board of Education approves calendar for 2022-2023; board accepts superintendent’s resignation
The Gallatin R-5 Board of Education on February 16th voted to offer the superintendent position to the current Gallatin Middle School principal. Doctor Justin Collins was offered the position with a three-year contract, beginning July 1st. The board accepted the resignation of current Superintendent Doctor Bryan Copple in December. His resignation will become effective June […]