(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration Wednesday announced its plans to extend the pause on federal student loan repayments until the end of August. “I recognized in recently extending the COVID-19 national emergency, we are still recovering from the pandemic and the unprecedented economic disruption it caused,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “If loan […]
Tag: help
Trenton Park Board members talk slow-pitch softball, but no action taken due to lack of a quorum
The Trenton Park Board did not have a quorum at its meeting on April 6th. The three members present heard from Matt Foster, who was a spokesperson for slow pitch softball. Foster said it was difficult to find fields available in Trenton to hold a benefit or tournament due to half fences on fields. He […]
Crowder State Park to hold breakfast and workday to celebrate Earth Day
Crowder State Park west of Trenton will have breakfast and workday to celebrate the 52nd Earth Day. Volunteers should meet at the Camp Grand River Dining Hall on April 22nd at 6 am for breakfast and to sign in and receive project assignments. Volunteers will help with projects such as litter cleanup, trail work, group […]
University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine tracking the spread of bird flu, one test at a time
Throughout the country, an extremely infectious disease called highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been circulating rapidly among flocks of chicken and turkeys. While the disease poses little risk to humans, it presents a serious threat to infected birds as well as the nation’s poultry industry, which is already facing supply chain disruptions. At the […]
Missouri House signs off on $46.2 billion budget, leaves most of huge state surplus untouched
(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri House gave first-round approval Tuesday to a package of budget bills spending $46.2 billion, with Republicans defeating repeated Democratic efforts to tap the state’s record surplus. The budget includes boosts to higher education funding, both for institutions and scholarships, as well as funding one of last year’s most controversial issues, Medicaid […]
Former state health department official hired to oversee creation of Missouri’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
(Missouri Independent) – A Missouri task force assigned with overseeing the creation of a statewide prescription drug monitoring program has hired a former state health department veteran to serve as the program’s executive director. Dean Linneman, the former director of the Department of Health and Senior Services Division of Regulation and Licensure, was hired on […]
Democrats block Hawley’s bill to get tough on child sex offenders
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) went to the Senate Floor on Tuesday to call for unanimous consent to pass his “Protect Act of 2022” which protects children from sexual exploitation by enhancing the penalties for possessing child pornography and preventing judges from sentencing offenders below federal guidelines. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) objected and blocked the […]
Women within Missouri GOP speak out against Eric Greitens as party remains silent
(Missouri Independent) – In just two weeks since allegations of domestic violence surfaced, Eric Greitens’ campaign for the U.S. Senate has been under siege from fellow Republicans urging him to drop out of the race. With one notable exception. The state party, which in recent years has denounced several candidates running under the GOP banner for […]
Missouri State Treasurer kicks off Financial Literacy Month with new resources for Missourians
Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick recognized April as Financial Literacy Month, a month dedicated to promoting the importance of financial literacy and financial education. The Treasurer kicked off the month by announcing that new free resources for Missourians are now available on the Financial Literacy Portal. These engaging resources include helpful and concise articles on […]
University of Missouri School of Law to offer free virtual legal consultation for veterans
Veterans in several area counties are eligible to receive assistance from The University of Missouri School of Law Veterans Clinic, through its Tigers for Troops program. Virtual legal consultation is offered for veterans regarding United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits, discharge upgrades, and VA healthcare. The service on Friday, April 22nd from 8 […]
Career, college readiness program in Missouri expands statewide
An increasing number of jobs across Missouri require some level of training or education beyond high school, but rural students are less likely than their urban or suburban peers to enroll in and finish college. The rootEd Alliance wants to change it, by bringing career counselors into school districts to complement the work guidance counselors are already […]
Audio: Missouri funding has come up short to help improve underperforming school districts
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says it has been asking for millions to help improve academically struggling K-12 school districts. That funding has come up short over the years – by several million in many instances. What this means is that some underperforming schools are getting help and some are […]
Control of Title X federal family planning funds remains with Missouri nonprofit
(Missouri Independent) – Despite facing competition from the state health department, the nonprofit Missouri Family Health Council Inc. will continue to administer federal Title X family planning funds. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded more than $250 million in Title X funding this week, including $5.3 million to Missouri. That money helps pay […]
U.S. House votes to decriminalize marijuana in federal law
(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. House passed legislation Friday to legalize marijuana nationally, but its future is much less clear in the Senate. The House voted 220-204 to approve the measure, which would fix the split between federal law and 19 states where recreational marijuana is legal. Three Republicans joined all but two Democrats in approving the measure. […]
USDA offers CLEAR30 option for producers to enroll land with expiring conservation contracts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is announcing the signup period for its Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers initiative (CLEAR30) — a nationwide opportunity for certain landowners and agricultural producers currently implementing water quality practices through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to enroll in 30-year contracts, extending the lifespan and strengthening the benefits of important water quality […]
North Central Missouri College Academic Excellence Winner named
Gracey Gordon from Green Castle, MO, has been chosen as this year’s NCMC Arts and Sciences Academic Excellence Award winner. Gracey will graduate in May from NCMC with her Associate in Arts degree. After graduating, Gracey plans to transfer her associate’s degree to continue to study political science and then go to law school. Gracey […]
Grundy County Clerk reports 63 absentee ballots returned, 26 requested for the April 5th Municipal Election
Sixty-three absentee ballots for the April 5 Municipal Election had been returned to the Grundy County Clerk’s Office as of 10:30 am Friday, April 1st. Another 26 ballots had been requested but not yet returned to the county clerk’s office. The Grundy County Clerk’s Office at the courthouse in Trenton will be open on April […]
Biden OKs release of 1 million barrels of oil a day from reserve, calls for supply boost
(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden called Thursday for U.S. energy companies to do their part in lowering gasoline prices by boosting supplies of oil, saying the industry should plow record profits back into increased production. Biden also said he would release 1 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve daily for the […]
Preferred Family Healthcare to pay more than $8 million in fines related to embezzlement, bribery investigation
Springfield, Missouri-based nonprofit Preferred Family Healthcare will pay more than $8 million in forfeiture and restitution to the federal government and the state of Arkansas under the terms of a non-prosecution agreement announced, which acknowledges the criminal conduct of its former officers and employees. “Preferred Family Healthcare must relinquish the illegal profits it garnered from […]