Planned Parenthood

Missouri state health agency seeks control of Title X funds that go to Planned Parenthood

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s state health department has applied to oversee federal family planning funds, a move reproductive health advocates fear would give the state power to cut off funding for providers who refer patients for abortion services. During his confirmation hearing late last month, former Department of Health and Senior Services Director Donald Kauerauf’s […]

Medical Marijuana

Criticism of Missouri medical marijuana system seeps into initiative petition debate

(Missouri Independent) – A handful of Republican lawmakers lashed out at the state’s medical marijuana industry Thursday, lobbing accusations of corruption into a Missouri House debate over whether to make it harder to amend the state’s Constitution.  On a mostly party-line 98-53 vote, the Missouri House signed off on legislation Thursday that would require a two-thirds […]

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt

Missouri Attorney General statement on school districts continuing to enforce mask mandates, quarantine orders

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt released the following statement addressing school districts that continue to illegally enforce mask mandates and quarantine orders despite the recent Cole County ruling.     “School districts have never been given the authority by the legislature to enact public health orders like mask mandates or quarantine orders – the recent […]

A partially melted tire hangs on a tree near Paradise, Kansas. The surrounding land was scorched by a wildfire in December 2021

December 2021 was the warmest on record in Missouri and Kansas – by a long shot

(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 […]

Trenton R-9 School District

Trenton Board of Education hears evaluation reports on multiple programs at Tuesday meeting

The Trenton R-9 Board of Education heard evaluation reports on multiple programs on January 11th. Trenton Middle School Principal Daniel Gott presented the Health Services Evaluation Report, which was submitted by school nurses Tasha McCall and Tyann Cox. Gott said health office visits for the 2020-2021 school year included 33 for preschool, 4,237 for kindergarten […]

United States Supreme Court (Phot credit Laura Olson - States Newsroom)

Supreme Court appears wary of Biden vaccine-or-test employer mandate

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared unconvinced Friday of the Biden administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-test mandate on private businesses, casting doubt on a key piece of the White House COVID-19 response. The justices seemed potentially more comfortable with another Biden administration rule to fight the virus that requires certain […]

Scott Fitzpatrick

Missouri schools must comply with COVID ruling to win treasurer approval of bond deals

(Missouri Independent) – If school districts want to take advantage of a lower interest rate on bonds, Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick is requiring them to certify compliance with a recent court ruling targeting local health orders before his office will approve of the deal. Fitzpatrick detailed the decision he described as “unprecedented” in an interview Wednesday […]

Mask Mandate News Graphic

Audio: Missouri counties challenging judge’s ruling that mask mandates are unconstitutional

St. Louis and County and Jackson County are returning legal fire after Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt sued to have the mask mandates effectively outlawed.     A Missouri judge last month invalidated many orders, including mask mandates, from the state Department of Health and Senior Services. The counties are appealing the ruling. If an […]

SafeDefend Website

Trenton R-9 Board of Education hears presentation on implementation of SafeDefend system

The Trenton R-9 Board of Education on December 14th heard about the implementation of the SafeDefend system for the district. Superintendent Mike Stegman reported employee training for the system was December 6th. Law enforcement and fire and rescue members were also invited to participate. On-site employees were fingerprinted into the system, and it is now […]