(Missouri Independent) – In the first test of a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, drug middlemen last week argued that federal law gives them a right to limit which pharmacies patients with health insurance can use — or at least make it more expensive if patients get their medicine at a shop that isn’t preferred […]
Tag: fact
New report indicates pandemic will cause Social Security funding shortage
The pandemic presents some future funding challenges to benefits for older Americans, according to the 2021 Social Security and Medicare Trustees’ Reports. Walt Dawson, assistant professor in the School of Public Health at Oregon Health and Science University, said the programs are foundational to Americans’ health and economic security as they age. While the reports are […]
November trial set for lawsuit challenging $1.4 billion Missouri prison health care contract
(Missouri Independent) – A trial will be held in early November to determine whether a subsidiary of St. Louis-based Centene will take over the contract for prison health care in the Missouri Department of Corrections. In a hearing Thursday, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green set Nov. 3 as the first day in the trial where current […]
Child Passenger Safety Week is September 15 through 21
The Missouri State Highway Patrol joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Safety Council, Safe Kids Worldwide, and other safety advocates to commemorate National Child Passenger Safety Week which is September 15-21, 2021. The primary goal of this program is to remind all parents and other adults responsible for children traveling in motor […]
Former Missouri contractor pleads guilty to seven felony counts of deceptive business practices
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that Christopher Meagher, proprietor of “Metro Restoration,” has pled guilty to seven counts of felony deceptive business practices in Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties. Through Metro Restoration, Meagher transacted with numerous consumers in the Kansas City area to provide home repair and renovation services. Upon taking consumers’ upfront payments, […]
Daviess County Library to participate in 9/11 Memorial and Education Exhibit
Daviess County Library announces its participation in September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World, a downloadable educational exhibition that presents the history of 9/11, its origins, and its ongoing implications through the personal stories of those who witnessed and survived the attacks. Told across 14 posters, this exhibition includes archival photographs and images […]
Shortage of bus drivers creating difficulties for Trenton R-9 School District
Trenton R-9 Director of Supportive Services Kris Ockenfels reports the school district and Apple Bus Company are experiencing difficulty providing drivers for all bus routes. The difficultly is due to multiple factors, the most prominent of which is an area-wide driver shortage for public school transportation. Ockenfels asks patrons to bear with the district and […]
Wright Memorial Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions speaks about the importance of talking about suicide
September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness month. Wright Memorial Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions program is working to raise awareness and educate the community on the risk factors and warning signs of suicide. Talk of suicide should never be dismissed. If you, or someone you know, are thinking of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention […]
USDA updates pandemic assistance for livestock, poultry contract producers and specialty crop growers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is updating the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) for contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry and producers of specialty crops and other sales-based commodities. CFAP 2, which assists producers who faced market disruptions in 2020 due to COVID-19, is part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers […]
Missouri man pleads guilty to marijuana grow operation and dozens of illegal firearms
A Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court to growing marijuana and illegally possessing dozens of firearms. Darrin Dale Smithee, 55, of Auxvasse, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps Jr. to one count of manufacturing marijuana and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Sept. 21, 2018, […]
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 […]
Missouri man pleads guilty to shooting female Z-Trip driver 26 times during robbery
A man pleaded guilty in federal court to the armed robbery of a female Z-Trip driver whom he shot approximately 26 times with a rifle from the back seat. Derron D. Nevels, 20, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of robbery and one count of […]
Dream Factory Volunteer Ron Dougan presents program to Trenton Rotary
Dream Factory Volunteer Ron Dougan presented information on the organization to the Trenton Rotary Club on August 26th. The Dream Factory grants wishes to serious and chronically ill children. Dougan has volunteered with the organization since 1990 and currently works with fundraising and organizing “dreams” for area children. He said when he first got involved, […]
Vaccinated Missourians win $10,000 in first round of state’s vaccine incentive program drawings
Governor Mike Parson announced the winners of the first drawing of the MO VIP. At the time of the August 13 drawing, a total of 495,296 MO VIP entries were received. The MO VIP incentivizes vaccination for those who have not yet been vaccinated, as well as provides an opportunity for rewards for the more […]
Missouri man sentenced prison for tax evasion
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for tax evasion. Duane Dixon, 59, of Sedalia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to three years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Dixon to pay $639,733 in restitution to the IRS. On Feb. 2, 2021, Dixon pleaded guilty to one […]
Missouri Attorney General files class action lawsuit against school districts forcing masks on kids
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt today filed a class-action lawsuit against school districts forcing a mask mandate on schoolchildren and teachers. The lawsuit, which is a reverse class action that was filed earlier this morning, names Columbia Public Schools, the Board of Education for the School District of Columbia and their board members, and the […]
Trenton Building and Nuisance Board takes action on three properties, hears reports on others
Trenton’s Building and Nuisance Board last night took action on three properties and heard reports on other locations of concern. The fire-damaged house at 208 East 10th Court was advanced to a public hearing, and 604 Linn Street was moved to the next category called findings of fact. 511 East 9th Court was removed from […]
USDA accepts 2.8 million acres for the Conservation Reserve Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has accepted 2.8 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment into the Conservation Reserve Program in 2021. This year, almost 1.9 million acres in offers have been accepted through the General CRP Signup, and USDA’s Farm Service Agency has accepted over 897,000 acres for enrollment […]
Missouri Attorney General joins 20 state coalition fighting unlawful rewrite of federal gun laws
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a 20-state coalition led by West Virginia and Arizona in arguing against the Biden administration’s proposed regulation of firearm parts. In addition to joining the coalition’s comment letter, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office filed a separate, but similar, comment letter. The coalition’s comment letter can be found at this […]