Donald Kauerauf, the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks during a press conference at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on July 21, 2021

Before ouster, Missouri health director drafted a letter to senators that was never sent

(Missouri Independent) – On the Friday before a drawn-out confirmation battle ended with his ouster from office, Missouri state Health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote an impassioned letter meant to convince conservative legislators who were on the fence about his appointment.  The message: While he believed in vaccines and data and science, he didn’t believe in vaccine […]

Courts News Graphic

Four waive preliminary hearings and are bound over to Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court

Preliminary hearings were waived by four defendants on Tuesday in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court with each defendant having their cases bound over to Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court for appearances on Thursday. Lynnsey Marie Betz of Trenton is charged with the January 6th possession of a controlled substance/synthetic cannabinoid […]

Meth with police banner

Four defendants plead guilty to conspiracy involving 112 pounds of meth near elementary school

Four defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a conspiracy that converted large amounts of liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine at a rented house within 1,000 feet of George Melcher Elementary School in Kansas City, Missouri. Jose Vieyra-Lopez, 37, a citizen of Mexico; Megan Eubanks, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., and […]

City of Chillicothe Website

Two meetings in Chillicothe postponed

The Chillicothe Historic Preservation Commission meeting scheduled for January 18th has been canceled due to illness. City Clerk Roze Frampton reports the meeting will be rescheduled for a later date. Nuisance hearings scheduled for January 19th have been postponed until the February 16th hearing date. Notices of the change will be mailed this week.

Court News graphic

News in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court for Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Three defendants waived preliminary hearings on Tuesday in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. Trenton resident Travis Vasey is charged with driving while intoxicated, serious physical injury, and driving in a careless and imprudent manner involving an accident on September 14. Vasey is scheduled for Division One of the circuit court on February […]

Court News graphic

Court news from the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court for Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Three defendants have waived preliminary hearings on felony charges and were bound over to the January session of Grundy County Circuit Court. Robert Joe Singer of Hale is charged with a November 5th arrest for driving while intoxicated chronic offender, misdemeanor possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, no insurance, and […]

Orscheln Headquarters Moberly (Photo by Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

Controversial bill would have aided Orscheln Products LLC, under scrutiny for contamination

(Missouri Independent) – Two years ago, a company led by an influential Republican businessman faced off with the state’s environmental regulators over whether it needed to do additional testing for a chemical that health officials worried could pose a cancer risk to the company’s workers.  The Moberly manufacturing facility, Orscheln Products LLC, is owned by […]

Drug Raid

Drug raid by Brookfield authorities results in three arrests after months long investigation

A multi-month narcotics investigation resulted in the arrest of a 60-year-old man, 57-year-old man, and 37-year-old woman, all of Brookfield on Wednesday, December 1st. The Brookfield Police Department reports a search warrant was executed at a Brookfield residence where approximately 30 fentanyl capsules, five grams of methamphetamine, 43 xtampza pills, (extended-release oxycodone) 10 tramadol/hydrochloride pills, […]

Patrick McKenna Director of the Missouri Department of Transportation

Billions headed to Missouri transportation fund from gas tax hike, infrastructure bill

(Missouri Independent) – With $6.5 billion on the way from the federal infrastructure bill and a newly increased gas tax, Missouri is ready to take a big bite out of $4.5 billion in unfunded highway needs, Patrick McKenna, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, said this week. But that doesn’t mean the state is ready to tackle […]

Division One of Circuit Court News Graphic

Court news for Thursday, November 4, 2021 in Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court

Prison sentences were issued on four defendants Thursday in Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court. At a probation violation hearing, evidence was presented and the court found that Juan Gallegos of Spickard had violated conditions of probation. Gallegos was sentenced to eight years with the Missouri Department of Corrections on each of two counts […]

Planning and zoning

Trenton Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustment approve billboard, grant conditional use permit

The Trenton Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment on November 1 approved requests regarding putting up a billboard at 1909 East Ninth Street. The requests were from Wayne Rorebeck and Miranda Callihan in care of the sign company Robinson Outdoor LLC. The request approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission was for a conditional […]

Jeremiah Horton and Tehya Kelley Booking Photo

Two charged in connection with death of Chillicothe teenager plead “Not Guilty” in first court appearance

Two Chillicothe residents entered pleas of not guilty October 19th after they were charged following a suspicious death investigation involving a 17-year-old girl. The court denied requests for bond change for 23-year-old Tehya Renae Kelley and 32-year-old Jeremiah Tremaine Horton. No bond was allowed previously. Bond hearings are set for October 27th. Kelley has been […]