A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for carjacking. Robert J. Rule, 38, of Grandview, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Rule to pay $500 in restitution to his victim. On July 9, 2021, Rule pleaded guilty to one count […]
A Missouri woman who was arrested with 19 firearms and quantities of illegal drugs in her home was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm. Robin A. Graham, 38, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole. On June 22, 2021, Graham […]
The following is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in Northern Missouri for the week of January 24 – 30. All road closures and planned roadwork may be viewed on the Traveler Information Map. Inclement weather may cause schedule changes in some of the planned […]
(Missouri Independent) – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack faced questions on how his agency is doling out emergency pandemic aid and fostering collaboration with historically Black colleges during a Thursday hearing before the House Agriculture Committee. Committee Chairman David Scott, a Georgia Democrat, asked Vilsack for “critical updates on the implementation of pandemic relief programs, including […]
Senator Josh Hawley wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers on the agency’s Climate Change Professionals Program and why they are focusing on woke partisan government programs while ignoring the crisis at our southern border. Senator Hawley wrote, “In a press release, you said, ’The Climate Change Professionals Program will be instrumental in […]
The Grundy County Health Department reports another COVID-19-related death. That brings the total to 62 since the pandemic began. There have also been 78 new cases added since January 13th, raising that total to 2,181. Seventy-eight cases are active. The Grundy County Health Department asks residents who test positive for COVID-19 with a home test […]
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine to distribute when officers found large amounts of illegal drugs in his room at a Camdenton, Mo., hotel. Anthony Martinez Harris, 49, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison without […]
A former Kansas man pleaded guilty in federal court to embezzling $3.1 million from his employer and failing to pay nearly $1 million in taxes owed to the federal government and the state of Kansas. Richard Scott Simkins, 56, now residing in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty […]
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for growing marijuana and illegally possessing dozens of firearms. Darrin Dale Smithee, 56, of Auxvasse, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 31, 2021, Smithee pleaded guilty to one count of manufacturing marijuana and one […]
A Kansas man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a heroin trafficking conspiracy. Solomon B. Hawthorne, 31, of Kansas City, Kansas was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 12 years and one month in federal prison without parole. The sentence includes a term of two years for violating his federal […]
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. Jason A. Hamann, 48, Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years and five months in federal prison without parole. On June 23, 2020, Hamann pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri is continuing to see record daily coronavirus infections, near-peak COVID-19 caseloads in hospitals, and threats from Attorney General Eric Schmitt that he will sue school districts that require masks or send students home when they are infected or exposed to the virus. In a statement issued Tuesday morning, Schmitt said school mask rules […]
A Missouri House committee has released its report about ways to boost broadband internet access across the state. The Special Interim Committee on Broadband Development says 2020 FCC data shows about 400-thousand Missourians do not have access to broadband internet access. The committee report says Missouri is ranked 32nd in the nation in […]
Congressman Sam Graves and Congressman Jared Huffman introduced the bipartisan Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act to rescue rural hospitals on the brink of bankruptcy and help put these critical care providers back on solid ground. “This isn’t a new problem. Our rural hospitals have been struggling to keep their doors open to patients for years,” said […]
Missouri’s 2021-2022 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15 with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reporting a preliminary total deer harvest for the season of 293,670. Of the deer harvested, 143,049 were antlered bucks, 26,599 were button bucks, and 124,022 were does. Top harvest counties for the overall deer season were Franklin with 6,392 deer harvested, […]
Community leaders in six northwest Missouri counties were part of Maximize Northwest Missouri’s 2021 Regional Learning Collaborative that wrapped up late last summer. “Some of the keywords that participants used to describe their learning experience include: enlightening, motivating, empowering, informative, inspiring, insightful, and team-building,” shared Mary Hinde, president of The Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri. […]
We’re hearing a lot about “The Great Resignation” – an unemployment trend seen as the cause of labor shortages and business shutdowns. Government reports show a record monthly high of 4.5 million Americans quitting their jobs this past November alone. University of Missouri economist and labor specialist Peter Muesser says the nickname for the trend […]
The woman once called the “Hollywood Madam” is moving to Missouri. In the mid-90s, Heidi Fleiss made international news when she was accused of running a prostitution ring for Hollywood “A listers” and other wealthy and powerful people. Her new nickname is “Nanny,” a title she coined being a caretaker for dozens of macaws that […]
(Missouri Independent) – Kansas and Missouri logged their warmest average December temperatures on record last month, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Average temperatures over the last half of 2021 were higher than they’ve ever been in either state — and across the country. Meanwhile, despite a devastating cold snap that forced […]
A resident of Weatherby was flown this morning to the hospital in St. Joseph following a single-vehicle rollover accident three miles north of Maysville in DeKalb County. The highway patrol listed injuries as serious for 33-year-old Derik Buckles of Weatherby who was taken to Mosiac Life Care in St. Joseph. The state patrol said Buckles […]
