State Representative Rusty Black

Audio: Seventh District State Representative Rusty Black on legislation, vaccine mandates and schools

Seventh District State Representative Rusty Black is finishing his fifth year in the legislature. He says he has gotten into a niche with a group of people who work with him on legislation. He is on the Missouri State Employee Retirement System Board of Trustees. He reports there is a piece of legislation he has […]

Simple Internet Tricks That You May Not Know

Missouri’s governor continues attack on reporter who found security flaw in state website

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri Gov. Mike Parson once again on Sunday took aim at a reporter who notified the state of a security flaw in one of its websites, questioning the journalist’s motives and noting he’d support the prosecution of any state employee found to have assisted the reporter. In a TV interview with Scott Faughn, […]

Governor Parson photo courtesy Governor's office

Governor Parson doubles down on push to prosecute reporter who found security flaw in state site

(Missouri Independent) – Gov. Mike Parson escalated his war with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday when his political operation published a video doubling down on his attack against a reporter who informed the state that a state website revealed teacher Social Security numbers. The video is produced by Uniting Missouri, a political action committee created by […]

Cybersecurity graphic

Lawmaker urges Missouri governor to finally appoint cybersecurity commission

(Missouri Independent) – A day after Missouri Gov. Mike Parson garnered national criticism for his push to prosecute a newspaper reporter who discovered a security flaw in a state website, a Democratic lawmaker is urging the governor to appoint members of a cybersecurity commission created by a bill he signed in July. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch informed […]

Governor Mike Parson (Photo courtesy Missouri Governor's office

Missouri governor vows criminal prosecution of reporter who found flaw in state website

(Missouri Independent) – On Tuesday, a reporter with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch alerted the state that Social Security numbers of school teachers and administrators were vulnerable to public exposure due to flaws on a website maintained by Missouri’s department of education. The newspaper agreed to hold off publishing any story while the department fixed the problem and […]

Bridge Work

Route B north of Meadville in Linn County to close as bridge over Smokey Branch is replaced

The first bridge to be replaced under the FARM (Fixing Access to Rural Missouri) Bridge Program is Route B over Smokey Branch in Linn County, just west of Missouri Route 139 and north of Meadville.  The road will close on Monday, October 25, 2021, for construction and will remain closed until the end of February […]

Moberly Park Trenton Missouri

Trenton Park Board approves of Trenton VFW fundraiser, repair of parking lot at upper Moberly

The Trenton Park Board on October 6, 2021, approved allowing Trenton VFW Post 919 to put memorial bricks at the war memorial in Moberly Park. VFW Commander Tony Ralston spoke before the vote was taken and said the VFW Post is getting ready to renovate its building. The building was built in the 1930s. He noted […]

Trenton Missouri Police Department (TPD)

Trenton police report unknown vehicle crashes into street sign and knocks down utility pole

Trenton Police say an unknown motor vehicle knocked down a utility pole and street sign Sunday morning at the intersection of West 13th Court and Normal Street. A police officer’s report indicates the vehicle, which appeared to be westbound on West 13th Court, traveled off the south side of the street before leaving the scene. […]

as pumps with gas tax text

Audio: Starting Friday, drivers will pay a little bit more to fill up at the gas pump in Missouri

Starting Friday, drivers will pay a little bit more to fill up at the gas pump in Missouri.     The Missouri Legislature passed this year and Governor Parson signed a bill into law that would increase the fuel tax by two-and-a-half cents annually over the next five years. The law includes a rebate option […]

Amtrak Missouri River Runner train#313 pulling into Kirkwood Missouri Amtrak Station

U.S. House Democrats add more mass transit, high-speed rail into infrastructure bill

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. House transportation panel early Wednesday passed along party lines the panel’s $60 billion slice of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget plan, adding nearly $20 billion for a new transit program and high-speed rail development in the states. Chairman Peter A. DeFazio of Oregon had considered these and other items underfunded in […]

Grundy R-5 School

Grundy R-5 Board of Education sets graduation date, approves paying for flu shots

The Grundy County R-5 Board of Education on September 13th approved paying for seasonal flu shots and set the graduation date. The district will pay for flu shots for all staff members who wish to participate. The cost will be $18 per staff member. Graduation is scheduled for May 21st, 2022. The fifth-grade graduation will […]

Construction workers installing solar panels

USDA invests $464 million in renewable energy infrastructure to help rural communities, businesses and ag producers reduce energy costs

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the Department is investing $464 million to build or improve renewable energy infrastructure and help rural communities, agricultural producers, and businesses lower energy costs in 48 states and Puerto Rico. “USDA continues to prioritize climate-smart infrastructure to help rural America build back better, stronger and more […]

Amaren Missouri

“Simply unconscionable”: Advocates push Ameren to keep electric bills low during pandemic

(Missouri Independent) – Ameren Missouri should not increase its electrical rates for its customers as they struggle to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout, a coalition of environmental, veterans, and tenants advocates said Wednesday.  The St. Louis-based utility filed with regulators in March seeking a rate increase worth nearly $300 million per year to pay […]

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 […]

Moberly Park Trenton Missouri

Trenton Park Board discusses installation of permanent cornhole boards

The Trenton Park Board September 1st discussed the possibility of concrete cornhole boards being installed at Eastside Park. Park Superintendent David Shockley said he had received several requests for cornhole boards. Park Board President Curtis Crawford said cornhole is a popular game, and boards could be put near the horse shoe pitching area at Eastside […]