The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced that the Missouri Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is up and running for the summer. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services, the SFMNP assists low-income seniors in obtaining fresh, Missouri Grown produce and generates more than $200,000 for the farmers’ market community. Through the […]
A couple was sentenced to prison for their participation in a scheme to file four fraudulent loan applications seeking more than $1.1 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Latoya Stanley, 38, […]
The Attorney General’s Office is warning of a scam targeting potential clients of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. The Attorney General’s Office was notified by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri yesterday of a scam letter received by a client purporting to be from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri seeking a “retainer fee” of $3500. Legal […]
(Missouri Independent) – The lawsuit seeking to force Missouri to expand Medicaid coverage under a voter-approved constitutional amendment will go to trial June 18 in Cole County. On Wednesday morning, Circuit Judge Jon Beetem met in a conference call with Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office and attorneys for the three people suing for coverage. In an online notation with […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency published the first notice of funding availability announcing loan payments for eligible borrowers with qualifying direct farm loans under the American Rescue Plan Act Section 1005. The official NOFA will be published in the Federal Register early next week and USDA expects payments to begin in early […]
The North Central Missouri Board of Trustees received a consolidated budget update on May 25, 2021. The 2021-2022 budget projection includes total operating revenue of $11,111,547. With auxiliary operations of $12,151,045, the total consolidated income is projected at $13,262,592. Revenues include $7,433,078 for tuition and fees and $2,939,169 in state appropriations. The budget projection also […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missourians voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2018. But under federal law, growing, transporting, or selling marijuana remains a crime. Unsurprisingly, that dynamic has created a lot of headaches for the fledgling industry. One notable example: Unlike every other legal business in the state, marijuana companies are prohibited from deducting business expenses […]
Trenton city sales tax receipts for May are up compared to May of 2020. The increases include general purposes by more than $9,600, capital projects over $4,800, and parks by $5,500. Receipts from the sales tax for fire department needs are up nearly $2,800 this month compared to May 2020. Income from the transportation sales […]
A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of three people who would become eligible for government-funded healthcare on July 1. It seeks an order for the state Department of Social Services to allow them to enroll and receive the same coverage as Missourians currently enrolled in the program. The lawsuit argues there is no legal […]
In response to catastrophic aquaculture losses due to major winter storms that hit states along the U.S. Gulf Coast in February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced a policy change that makes food fish, and other aquatic species eligible for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised […]
The next state budget does not include funding to expand Medicaid healthcare coverage to another 275-thousand low-income Missouri adults. The Republican-controlled Missouri Legislature refused to fund the expansion – setting up an expected court battle. John Rizzo, the top Democrat in the Missouri Senate, says the GOP is more concerned about their next office. […]
(Missouri Independent) – Republicans in the Missouri Senate should move to shut off debate if a filibuster blocks anti-abortion lawmakers from putting their stamp on provider taxes that fund Medicaid, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said in an interview with The Independent this week. The advice was not, however, well received by the Senate’s Republican or […]
(Missouri Independent) – As the case counts of the novel coronavirus began to tick up last March across Missouri, providers who offer tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) found their resources were being pulled in two directions. Swabs were in short supply as they became needed for COVID-19 testing. Contact tracers, who reach out to […]
Eleven public high schools in Missouri are being recognized for helping students plan financially for higher education. In an effort to promote completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid among high school seniors, the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development launched the Show-Me FAFSA Challenge in October 2020. The competition ended […]
(Missouri Independent) – The pathway to renewing provider taxes essential to funding Medicaid before Missouri lawmakers adjourn for the year became much narrower when issues raised by abortion opponents forced removal of the taxes from a health care bill. When a conference committee met to work out differences between the House and Senate on the bill, […]
Another session of the Missouri Legislature has come and gone. Of the 1,559 House bills and 689 Senate bills filed this time around, 69 bills will make it to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. Here are some key bills left up to the governor to sign or veto: Missouri lawmakers vote to pump up […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri will not expand Medicaid coverage to working-age adults on July 1 because lawmakers refused to include funding for the health care program in the state budget, Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday. In a news release, Parson said the state was withdrawing documents submitted to the federal government necessary to add the approximately 275,000 […]
Missouri is close to requiring out-of-state companies to collect sales taxes from Missouri residents buying from them online. The state House has sent back to the Senate a bill that would include income tax cuts to help offset the expected revenue increase. Representative J. Eggleston of northwest Missouri’s Maysville, carried the bill in the House. […]
The Federal Communications Commission announced a new Emergency Broadband Benefit program. This temporary benefit program will lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The $3.2B Emergency Broadband Benefit program provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 […]
Missouri’s GOP-controlled Legislature has refused to provide money to add more people to the state’s Medicaid program, but the governor seems to be preparing for the voter-approved expansion. The St. Louis Post Dispatch says in a proposed rule change filed with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, the Department of Social Services is […]
