Mentally disabled woman and nurse or caretaker wearing a surgica

Missouri launches apprenticeships for direct-support professionals

Missouri is launching an apprenticeship program to expand talent pipelines for Direct Support Professionals, who work with people with developmental disabilities. The Show-Me State, like many others, is facing a serious direct-care workforce shortage. To answer the need, the program Missouri Talent Pathways was recently approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Duane Shumate, the state coordinator […]

Jobs Report

Missouri unemployment rate drops to 3.6% in March

Missouri non-farm payroll employment decreased slightly from February 2022 to March 2022, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, decreased by 200 jobs over the month. Private industry employment increased by 600 jobs, while government employment declined by 800 jobs. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate […]

Pleasant View R-6 School

Pleasant View R-6 Board of Education addresses concerns over mold at Tuesday meeting

Mold concerns were addressed at the Pleasant View R-6 Board of Education meeting on April 12th. Megan Devorss, Emily Cox, and Tiffany Haffner spoke during a public comments portion of the meeting about their concern there was mold in the third, fourth, and fifth-grade classrooms. They and Jennifer Roberts also voiced support for the reconsideration […]

Grundy County R-5 School District website

Grundy R-5 Board of Education approve base salary of $32,800, approve insurance plan from Missouri Educators Trust

The Grundy County R-5 Board of Education on April 12th approved steps for experience and a five percent increase to the base salary for next school year. The new base will be $32,800. A revised extra duty pay schedule was also approved based upon a percentage of the base salary. The board approved an insurance […]

City of Chillicothe Website

Chillicothe City Auditor resigns, applications being taken to fill position

Chillicothe City Auditor Hannah Fletcher has submitted her resignation effective the first week of June. City Clerk Roze Frampton reports the city is currently seeking applications to fill the position. The full-time position is to be appointed until the position is filled by a vote of the people in April 2023. The candidate must be […]

Trenton R-9 School District

Trenton R-9 Board of Education address full agenda at meeting on Tuesday

At the Trenton R-9 Board of Education meeting on April 12th, Superintendent Mike Stegman discussed the school district’s bomb threat on March 30th. He said a threat came into the Trenton Police Department regarding a suspicious package at the high school, and the police informed the school district. Trenton Middle School and High School were […]

Prison Sentence

Former Missouri corrections officer sentenced to prison for smuggling contraband into jail

A former corrections officer at the Jackson County Detention Center was sentenced in federal court for taking bribes to smuggle illegal drugs to inmates of the facility. Daniel Coach, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one year and two months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Coach […]

Moberly Park Swimming Pool

Trenton Park Board approves pay scale for Trenton Aquatic Center employees

The Trenton Park Board approved pool staff pay on April 11th. The pay was set at $10 per hour for first-year certified lifeguards. That is $1 per hour more than last year. Employees returning for their second year, including those who were non-certified staff members last year, will receive $10.25 per hour. Returning employees will […]

Rotary Service Above Self Graphic

North Central Missouri College Dean of Instruction gives presentation on “The Values of Higher Education” at Trenton Rotary meeting

The North Central Missouri College Dean of Instruction spoke at the Trenton Rotary Club meeting on April 7th. Mitch Holder discussed the values of higher education and how NCMC can meet those needs. Holder said the college prepares students for their “next step” once they leave NCMC, and the college does that at an affordable […]

Guilty Verdict News Graphic

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, […]

Crystal Bupp New City Administrator Milan 2022 final

Crystal Bupp named as new City Administrator in Milan

The Milan City Council voted on Monday, April 4, 2022, to authorize an employment agreement with Crystal Bupp as the city’s next city administrator, effective April 6, 2022. “The City of Milan welcomes Crystal as our next city administrator,” said Mayor Andy Herington. “Crystal’s institutional knowledge of our community, experience, and diverse skill set will […]

Guilty Plea

Woman pleads guilty to racketeering conspiracy involving the forced labor of Mexican agricultural workers

A woman in Florida pleaded guilty to a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized Mexican agricultural workers admitted into the United States under the H-2A temporary visa program. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. According […]

Mendy Loja 2021 WMH Employee of the year

Mendy Loja named Wright Memorial Hospital 2021 Employee of the Year

Wright Memorial Hospital recently announced its 2021 Employee of the Year. Mendy Loja, a medical laboratory scientist coordinator at Wright Memorial Hospital, was presented with the award at a ceremony held in her honor on March 31. The other finalists for the award were 2021 Employee of the Quarter recipients Maryke Willis, Kari Smith, and […]