The State of Missouri has created and made available spending toolkits to help local governments identify allowable uses for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) local funds. “We want to assist our local partners in making strategic, responsible investments that will serve Missourians for generations to come,” Governor Mike Parson said. “Our first priority is to ensure taxpayer […]
Tag: government
Gracey Gordon selected as NCMC’s Outstanding Student for October
Gracey Gordon from Green Castle, Missouri, has been selected as North Central Missouri College’s Outstanding Student for October. Gracey, an A+ student, is a sophomore working toward her Associate in Arts transfer degree. After graduating in May from NCMC, Gracey plans to transfer her associate’s degree to Truman State University to study political science and […]
Missouri State Auditor finds in follow-up report of Edgar Springs community that serious concerns remain
A report from State Auditor Nicole Galloway finds that the city of Edgar Springs in Phelps County has implemented some recommendations from her 2020 audit, but that other concerns remain. The November 2020 audit of Edgar Springs was initiated through a petition of city residents. That audit highlighted numerous problems with the city’s accounting controls and […]
Phone scammers manipulate Caller ID, making phone calls appear to come from Missouri Capitol Police
Missouri Capitol Police learned on Thursday afternoon that scammers had begun manipulating Caller ID so phone calls appeared to be coming from Missouri Capitol Police. This is a scam known as “spoofing” and can be used to try to obtain personal information from you. Do not fall for this scam. More than two dozen people […]
Missouri State Treasurer says he will not comply with invasive Biden IRS proposals
Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced that should proposals pass requiring financial institutions to turn over private citizens’ personal bank account information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) if they exceed $600 of inflows or outflows from the account, he will not comply. “As Treasurer, I have an obligation to the nearly 200,000 MOST 529 and MO ABLE […]
FBI to investigate threats made against school board members, teachers
(Missouri Independent) – The Department of Justice has directed the FBI to meet with local governments and law enforcement to discuss strategies for dealing with increasing threats to teachers and school board members spurred by a conservative backlash against discussions of race in public schools. “Threats against public servants are not only illegal, they run counter to […]
Missouri Attorney General slams Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney General for attempting to intimidate parents
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt today sent a letter to the Department of Justice and Attorney General Garland slamming their decision to publish a memo that directs the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice to work with federal prosecutors to investigate and potentially prosecute parents who show up to school board meetings to […]
Democrats’ vision for free community college would boost undocumented students
(Missouri Independent) – The massive economic policy package Democrats are trying to muscle through Congress could open the door to free community college for undocumented immigrants. But that lifeline for many people now denied access to higher education could also reignite controversies in Republican-leaning states over immigration and federal overreach. The provision on immigrants was […]
Schuyler County receives rating of “good” in audit from Missouri State Auditor
State Auditor Nicole Galloway released today her regularly scheduled audit of Schuyler County, located in northern Missouri. Schuyler County received an overall rating of “good” in the audit, which matches the “good” rating received by the county in a 2015 audit. “My audit recommended several areas for improvement that county government officials have shown a willingness […]
Congress passes bill to prevent government shutdown, Blunt only Missouri Republican in support
(Missouri Independent) – Congress made a last-minute dash to avert a government shutdown on Thursday, with the U.S. Senate and House approving a short-term spending bill just hours ahead of a midnight deadline. Every Democratic and independent senator and 15 Republicans supported the bill in the 65-35 vote. The GOP senators in the “aye” tally included […]
Governor Mike Parson grants pardons to 12 individuals
On Monday, September 27, 2021, Governor Mike Parson granted 12 pardons according to Article IV, Section 7 of the Constitution of the State of Missouri. Official documents have been filed with the appropriate government agencies and are being sent to the individuals. Pardons: Stacy Brake Scott Nelson Jason Schwermer Matt Musselman Patrick Laughlin Timothy Smith […]
Missouri State Auditor’s office files lawsuit in Cole County against the State Board of Accountancy
the Missouri State Auditor’s Office filed a lawsuit in Cole County Circuit Court against the Missouri State Board of Accountancy to block the Board from misapplying a state statute in a way that could bar the Auditor – current or future – from publically disclosing facts and findings of government inefficiencies, waste, fraud, and abuse. […]
‘A nightmare’: Missouri schools adapt as labor shortages upend school meal supply chain
(Missouri Independent) – Shawndra Taylor had just 12 hours notice when the first truck canceled. The truck contained food to help prepare the 3,000 meals served each day in her school district in Eldon — including items she needed to make dinner for students. Her supplier, Kohl Wholesale in Quincy, Illinois, was too short-staffed. Taylor, […]
Audio: International Institute preparing for influx of Afghanistan refugees to Missouri
The International Institute of St. Louis is one of 19 sites selected across the U.S. to receive refugees from Afghanistan, after the fall of that country now that U.S. troops have pulled out. The organization has dealt with refugee needs for many decades, but this case is much more demanding says Arrey Obenson the president […]
Missouri Attorney General files comment letter opposing Environmental Protection Agency’s overreach
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a comment letter opposing the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to use “interim values” of the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases to regulate light-duty vehicles through emission standards. “The Biden Administration’s attempts to impose massive federal regulations on Missouri’s farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers could have vast negative impacts. Now, the […]
Senate GOP torpedoes U.S. government funding bill, raising odds of federal fiscal crises
(Missouri Independent) – U.S. Senate Republicans blocked an attempt by Democrats on Monday evening to begin debate on a broad bill that would avert multiple looming fiscal crises for the federal government. The measure to briefly keep the government operating past the end of the fiscal year on Thursday, as well as to increase the […]
Biden administration rolls out new rule to bolster DACA as lawsuit continues
(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration on Monday unveiled a proposed new rule that would strengthen the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to protect undocumented people in the program from legal challenges. The proposed rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security, would “preserve and fortify” the DACA program, an Obama administration-era initiative that protects […]
Missouri State Auditor gives McDonald County a rating of “Good” in latest audit
State Auditor Nicole Galloway released today her regularly scheduled audit of McDonald County, located in southwest Missouri. The audit report, which makes several recommendations to improve the efficiency of county government, gave a rating of “good.” A prior audit of McDonald County, issued in September 2016, issued an overall rating of “fair.” “My audit identified several areas for […]
Missouri’s unemployment rate drops by two-tenths to four percent in August, 2021
Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased from July 2021 to August 2021, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 7,300 jobs over the month, with job gains in both goods-producing and service-providing industries. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.0 percent in August 2021, […]
Department of Justice announces Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Grants awarded to Missouri in 2021
The Department of Justice announced that the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the department’s Office of Justice Programs, has awarded almost $187 million to support state, local, and tribal public safety and community justice activities. The awards, from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, are going to all 50 states, […]