(Missouri Independent) – Attorney General Eric Schmitt has determined his office cannot investigate an alleged violation of Missouri’s open records laws by the governor’s office, an interpretation of state law that has transparency advocates alarmed. Missouri’s attorney general’s office is in charge of enforcing the Sunshine Law, which requires meetings, records, votes, actions, and deliberations […]
Tag: FEC
Missouri lawmakers passed a host of reforms aimed at keeping kids out of jail
(Missouri Independent) – Retired St. Louis Judge Evelyn Baker once sentenced a 16-year-old Black boy to 241 years in prison for two armed robberies. No one was seriously injured in the robberies, but the boy “didn’t express any remorse,” Baker said, remembering the sentencing hearing. Now, when she thinks back, Baker deeply regrets the sentence […]
Report urges strong eviction moratoriums, robust rental aid
A new study of eviction filings in St. Louis during the pandemic found people within protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, communities of color, women-led households, and families with children are impacted at higher rates than others. The Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council’s report noted even though moratoriums have kept many people unable to […]
Audio: Missouri’s Governor to sign Second Amendment Preservation Act on Saturday
Legislation establishing a Second Amendment Preservation Act will be signed into law Saturday afternoon by Missouri’s governor, in the Kansas City suburb of Lee’s Summit. Governor Mike Parson will sign SAPA Saturday at 2 p.m. at Frontier Justice. House Bill 85 is sponsored by State Rep. Jered Taylor (R-Nixa) and State Sen. Eric Burlison (R-Battlefield). They say […]
Missouri State Auditor launches audit of Harrison County
State Auditor Nicole Galloway announced today that her office has begun a regularly scheduled audit of Harrison County, located in northwest Missouri. The county received a rating of “fair” from the most recent state audit, issued in November 2015. “Audits can help local officials take steps to make government more efficient and effective for taxpayers,” Auditor […]
Hy-Vee and Google Cloud partner to enhance digital capabilities
Hy-Vee, Inc. has signed a multi-year partnership with Google Cloud to stay on the cutting edge of digital technology and drive new and unique innovation for its customers – both in-store and online. The company is utilizing a suite of services powered by Google Cloud to make online shopping easier for customers who use its […]
Daviess County Health Department reports surge in COVID-19 cases
The Daviess County Health Department reports the county is seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases, with 10 new cases in one week. Daviess County is now considered a hot spot in the state due to its positivity rate, which is 20% for the past seven days. One of the new cases was a breakthrough case, […]
Lawmakers release bipartisan report investigating January 6 Capitol attack
U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Ranking Member and Chairwoman of the Committee on Rules and Administration, and Gary Peters (Mich.) and Rob Portman (Ohio), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a bipartisan report on the security, planning, and response failures related to the violent […]
Filibusted: Experts say the time has come to end Senate practice
(Missouri Independent) – Even the stuffy, florid name of the procedure, “filibuster” sounds like something conceived around a table of wig-wearing Founding Fathers. While the name has its roots in the 18th Century (with pirates nonetheless), the concept and practice in the United States Senate is much younger, not being implemented in a modern form until […]
Missouri, Kansas utilities may use loophole to charge customers for fossil fuel lobbying
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri and Kansas residents’ utility bills may be helping to bankroll the energy sector lobbying against policies aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Federal and state rules prohibit utility companies from passing their lobbying costs on to customers through bills. But in both Kansas and Missouri, utilities like Evergy, Ameren, and Spire […]
Plain language guide on COVID-19 and vaccine for those with disabilities now available
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, along with the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council, released a new resource, the “Missouri Plain Language Guide for People with Disabilities, their Families and Caregivers,” on COVID-19 and the vaccine. Through this partnership, the new guide will ensure that important information related to COVID-19 and vaccine access is more […]
47 participate in “Cops and Bobbers” event
Even with other events in the area but with near-perfect weather on Saturday, the Trenton Police Department hosted 47 local children at the 9th Annual Cops ‘N Bobbers fishing event. Numerous fish were caught as area kids spent the morning of June 5th, 2021, fishing with the men and women of the Trenton Police Department […]
Audio: Missouri’s Governor to sign prescription drug monitoring program on Capitol lawn in Jefferson City
The governor will sign prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) legislation into law Monday (today) in Jefferson City, making Missouri the 50th and final state to have the PDMP program. Governor Mike Parson (R) plans to sign bipartisan PDMP legislation from State Sen. Holly Rehder (R-Scott City) and State Rep. Travis Smith (R-Dora) Monday afternoon, on the Missouri Capitol lawn […]
COVID-19 detected in wastewater from Linn County sewershed
Results from community sewershed surveillance in Brookfield indicate possible increases in COVID-19 transmission. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services saw increasing and elevated trends of concentrations of COVID-19 genetic fragments in wastewater from the Brookfield (Linn County) sewershed during the weeks of May 17th and 24th. During the week of May 17th, the […]
Trenton Municipal Utilities issues boil advisory for several communities
Trenton Municipal Utilities has issued a boil advisory due to loss of water pressure due to an automatic valve failure. The advisory affects Trenton, Grundy County Public Water Supply District Number 1, Galt, and Spickard. The advisory remains in place until June 5 at 10:30 pm. Water Plant Supervisor Steve Reid reports all valves have […]
Governor Mike Parson appoints fifteen to various boards and commissions
Governor Mike Parson announced fifteen appointments to various boards and commissions. Bryan Atkins, of Rea, was appointed to the Board of Probation and Parole. Mr. Atkins served as the Sheriff of Andrew County from 2009 until his retirement in 2020. Prior to being elected sheriff, he served as a Deputy Sheriff for Andrew County. He also formerly […]
Evergy files application to adjust charge on customer bills
Evergy Missouri West and Evergy Metro have filed applications with the Missouri Public Service Commission to adjust the demand-side investment mechanism charge on customer bills. The charge appears as a separate line item on customer bills. It allows Every Missouri West and Evergy Missouri Metro to recover demand-side management program costs and incentives under the […]
Sullivan County Public Water Supply District issues boil order
Sullivan County Public Water Supply District Number 1 has issued a precautionary boil advisory until further notice. The advisory affects customers on Vermont Road west of Bell Drive, Thorn Road, Vapor Road, April Drive, Aster Road, Apple Road, Vale Road, Village Road, Tulip Road, Windgate Road, and Highway 139 south of Humphreys.