Senator Hawley: DOJ’s lenient sentencing for BLM rioters exposes “Toxic ideology of critical race theory”

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland this week demanding answers on the Department of Justice’s decision to pursue a lenient sentence for a BLM rioter because of what he was protesting. Last year, Montez Terriel Lee, Jr. broke into the Max It Pawn Shop in Minneapolis, Minn., and poured fire accelerant throughout the store. […]

Environmental Protection Agency EPA

EPA renews Enlist product registrations with new control measures, providing growers with certainty for the 2022 growing season

The EPA is issuing seven-year registrations for two herbicide products, Enlist Duo and Enlist One, to ensure growers have access to effective pesticide tools for the 2022 growing season. The new product labels, which incorporate robust control measures to protect non-target plants and animals, meet Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act standards and comply with […]

Scott Fitzpatrick

Missouri schools must comply with COVID ruling to win treasurer approval of bond deals

(Missouri Independent) – If school districts want to take advantage of a lower interest rate on bonds, Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick is requiring them to certify compliance with a recent court ruling targeting local health orders before his office will approve of the deal. Fitzpatrick detailed the decision he described as “unprecedented” in an interview Wednesday […]

School buses wait Tuesday outside Thomas Hart Benton Elementary School in Columbia (Photo Credit Rudi Keller Missouri Independent

Confusion around COVID ruling swirls as two Missouri school districts end semester early

(Missouri Independent) – As a growing number of Missouri school districts drop COVID mitigation measures under threat from Attorney General Eric Schmitt, at least two closed the doors on their fall semester early due to large numbers of staff and students out sick. Meanwhile, local public health departments said Tuesday they still have not heard […]

Princeton Missouri School District Website

Princeton Board of Education approves insurance renewal, reviews “Return to Learn” plan and receives update on baseball fields

The Princeton R-5 Board of Education approved the renewal of liability and property insurance December 13th. The insurance is through CPSK and the Missouri Public Entity Risk Management Fund for $77,762 total. That is an increase of $4,275 from the previous year. The board approved the annual auditor’s reports from Conrad and Higgins. A revised […]

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (Photo Courtesy Missouri AG Office)

Missouri’s largest counties seek to appeal ruling overturning local health orders

(Missouri Independent) – Jackson and St. Louis Counties requested Monday that they be permitted to intervene and appeal a recent court ruling that they argue has “upended the longstanding public health framework” in Missouri. In a filing submitted Monday afternoon and obtained by The Independent, the two counties asked Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel […]

Coronavirus or COVID-19 Death

Four health departments report on new cases of COVID-19; Grundy County Health Department reports two COVID-related deaths

The Grundy County Health Department reports two additional COVID-19-related deaths. That brings the total to 56. Fifty-seven cases have been added since December 1st, making that total 1,904. There are 44 active cases. The Putnam County Health Department reports it has been made aware of 17 new COVID-19 cases since December 2nd. Two of those […]

South Harrison School

South Harrison R-2 School District issues notice regarding COVID-19 protocols and quarantining of students

The South Harrison R-2 School District issued a notice on December 7, 2021, regarding protocols for quarantining students due to COVID-19. The district reported that effective immediately, staff will contact trace a positive student upon being notified of the positive case, and district personnel will call parents and guardians about the possible exposure. Parents and […]

Orscheln Headquarters Moberly (Photo by Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

Controversial bill would have aided Orscheln Products LLC, under scrutiny for contamination

(Missouri Independent) – Two years ago, a company led by an influential Republican businessman faced off with the state’s environmental regulators over whether it needed to do additional testing for a chemical that health officials worried could pose a cancer risk to the company’s workers.  The Moberly manufacturing facility, Orscheln Products LLC, is owned by […]

Missouri Ag Awards Recipients 2021

Missouri agriculture awards presented during 49th Governor’s Conference on agriculture

Six agriculture leaders from across Missouri were recognized by Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe and Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn during the 49th Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture. The award recipients were honored at the Missouri Agriculture Awards Luncheon for their commitment, service, and impact on Missouri agriculture. “It is a privilege to recognize these individuals […]

Fire Safety News Graphic

Thanksgiving begins a period of higher fire risk as friends and relatives gather to celebrate the holidays

More Missourians are expected to travel and gather together this year for larger Thanksgiving and holiday celebrations after a quieter holiday season in 2020 because of COVID-19. State Fire Marshal Tim Bean is advising folks to reduce the risk of fires as we enter the five-week period of elevated fire hazards. “Thanksgiving begins a five-week […]