U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement today after voting against Democrats’ nearly $2 trillion budget reconciliation bill. The far-reaching legislation includes $1,400 stimulus checks, $300-per-week jobless benefits through the summer, a child allowance of up to $3,600 for one year, $350 billion for state aid, $34 billion to expand the Affordable Care Act subsidies, and $14 billion for vaccine distribution. […]
A corrections officer at the Jackson County Detention Center was charged in federal court for taking bribes to smuggle illegal drugs to inmates of the facility. Daniel Coach, 26, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. The complaint charges Coach with one count of using a […]
The Caldwell County Health Department invites residents to respond to a Maternal Child Health Needs Survey. Residents are asked to rate several issues from most to least important to help the health department determine where it should concentrate its efforts. Questions involve the importance of reducing childhood and adolescent obesity, health care for children, improving […]
Remedial education rates continue to decline at Missouri’s public colleges and universities, potentially reducing the amount of time and money it takes for many students to earn a degree. According to the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development’s (MDHEWD) annual Missouri High School Graduates Report, the number of public high school graduates taking […]
A Missouri state lawmaker is calling for a state investigation of potential price-fixing in the cattle market. Representative David Gregory, a Republican from St. Louis, is chair of the House Special Committee on Government Accountability, “There’s some pretty strong circumstantial evidence that the meatpackers are coordinating efforts to suppress the price of fed cattle. And […]
Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced that he is an original cosponsor of the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2021. The bill, introduced by U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), would enable Congress to approve – or block – any administration effort to suspend or terminate U.S. sanctions […]
Last year, at the 2020 FFA National Convention (held virtually), the Braymer FFA chapter was named a top 10 chapter in the Model of Excellence division. Braymer was one of three Missouri chapters, along with Ashland and Troy, to earn the honor, which recognizes the top 10 chapters in the nation. Paityn Hall, a senior […]
(Missouri Independent) – Last week, multiple mass vaccination events in rural areas neared the end of the day with hundreds of doses still on hand — prompting health departments to take to social media and encourage anyone to come for fear doses would be wasted. “We have ample vaccine still available that needs to be […]
U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Ben Cardin (Md.) have introduced a measure to permanently extend the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC), which has created jobs and driven investment in neighborhoods with high poverty and unemployment rates. The New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act (S.456) will permanently authorize a 39 percent federal tax credit for […]
One year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, people have stepped up to address the emotional needs of families reeling from the coronavirus and 2020’s record-breaking disasters. For nearly 80 years, U.S. presidents have proclaimed March as Red Cross Month to recognize people giving back through its lifesaving mission — which is […]
COVID-19 presented considerable challenges to Missouri schools, staff, and students in 2020, including closures, cancellations, remote learning, and more. The pandemic also presented challenges to schools and instructors teaching the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) hunter education courses. “Many schools were closed for much of the year, which reduced the number of kids who could […]
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (Kan.) and Deb Fischer (Neb.) in introducing the Kelsey Smith Act. The bill, named for 18-year-old Kelsey Smith who was abducted and murdered in 2007, would strengthen law enforcement’s ability to lawfully and quickly access cell phone location information, or ping information when a person […]
(Missouri Independent) – The eyes of the nation turned to U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley over the holidays when he became the first senator to announce an objection to the certification of presidential electors. But the eyes of local politicos turned instead to his home-state colleague, Missouri’s senior senator. How would Roy Blunt — up for […]
Joshlin and Addie Yoder of Leonard, Missouri, located in Shelby County have been selected as the recipients of the 2020 Missouri Leopold Conservation Award®. The award, named for renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, recognizes farmers, ranchers, and foresters who inspire others with their dedication to land, water, and wildlife habitat management on private land. In Missouri, the $10,000 award […]
Prince Bixler, 41, of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Wier to 36 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $333,100 in restitution to three sex trafficking victims. In September 2020, a federal jury convicted Bixler of 15 federal felonies related to his […]
Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, a major broiler chicken producer based in Greeley, Colorado, has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to pay approximately $107 million in criminal fines for its participation in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products, the Department of Justice announced today. According to the plea agreement entered […]
The city of Princeton reports natural gas customers can resume their usage at normal levels. The city previously requested during the recent extreme cold weather, that customers conserve on natural gas usage. The city of Princeton wants to thank customers for their energy conservation efforts. Governor Mike Parson says his office has been contacted by […]
A Tennessee resident with German citizenship was removed to Germany for participating in Nazi-sponsored acts of persecution while serving as an armed guard at a Nazi concentration camp in 1945. In February 2020, Friedrich Karl Berger, 95, was ordered removed from the U.S. based on his participation in Nazi-sponsored persecution while serving in Nazi Germany […]
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and members of the Missouri Congressional Delegation sent a letter to the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asking for a review of the natural gas supply in light of electricity outages, rolling blackouts, and controlled service interruptions across Missouri and the Midwest during extreme winter weather. “Due to […]
Evergy has resumed normal operations after severe weather created stress on the regional power grid for most of the week. The company was asked to implement controlled, temporary emergency electricity reductions Monday and Tuesday. The Southwest Power Pool has returned to “Conservative Operations,” which means customer requests for conservation are no longer needed. Evergy continues […]
