Webmasters note: This article is a commentary by Tim Gibbons of the Missouri Independent. Tim Gibbons is communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, a statewide farm and rural organization dedicated to preserving family farms and promoting stewardship of the land and environmental integrity. The comments in the article are those of the author, […]
Tag: letter
Senator Hawley calls for emergency Senate hearing on Biden administration’s handling of southern border crisis
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent letters to President Joe Biden and Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, calling for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to testify at a full Senate hearing, to be scheduled as soon as possible on the growing crisis at […]
Princeton City Council hears from Rapid Removal regarding trash pick up
The Princeton City Council heard from Jim Watje from Rapid Removal on March 8th regarding combining trash pick up to one day for the city. City Clerk Corey Willett reports the council was okay with the company doing that. In three to four weeks, trash pick up will be moved to Tuesday for Princeton. The […]
State agriculture officials recommend enhancements to USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to support the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers to Families Food Box program and recommend adjustments to improve the program’s effectiveness. “The Farmers to Families Food Box program has been a critical tool during the COVID-19 pandemic […]
North Central Missouri Development Alliance announces qualifications for next Director
Qualifications have been announced for the next director of the North Central Missouri Development Alliance. The alliance is seeking a community/economic developer who is self-motivated. The person taking the full-time position should be capable of working independently as well as cooperatively with city and county governments, a board of directors, and regional, community, and county-based […]
After outrage over unused vaccines at rural clinics, Parson vows more KC, STL events
(Missouri Independent) – Last week, multiple mass vaccination events in rural areas neared the end of the day with hundreds of doses still on hand — prompting health departments to take to social media and encourage anyone to come for fear doses would be wasted. “We have ample vaccine still available that needs to be […]
Superintendent of Spickard school submits letter of resignation to Board of Education
The Spickard R-2 Board of Education has accepted a letter of resignation from the superintendent; however, no reason was given for Kristi Weldon’s resignation. Weldon says the board will begin the process of looking for another superintendent. The board hired her in June. The board also approved the 2021-2022 school calendar. No specific calendar dates […]
Farm Bureau asks for more time to apply for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
American Farm Bureau is asking USDA to extend the February 26th deadline to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. In a letter to new Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, AFBF President Zippy Duvall says suspending CFAP3 pending regulatory review has created confusion for farmers and ranchers with respect to eligibility and the application process. The […]
Audio: Next phase of COVID-19 plan, beginning March 15, includes teachers, faculty and staff in Missouri schools
The next tier of Missouri’s coronavirus vaccination plan will be activated on March 15. That means all teachers, faculty, and staff in public, private, and nonprofit pre-K-12 will become eligible. So will state-licensed childcare center workers, some food production employees, as well as grocery and convenience stores workers. Missouri is currently vaccinating residents in Phase […]
Bill increasing penalties for protesters wins initial approval in Missouri Senate
(Missouri Independent) – Republican state Senators advanced sweeping legislation early Tuesday morning aimed at penalizing protestors who block streets, while also providing further protections for law enforcement under investigation for misconduct or excessive force. The bill also aims to prevent municipalities from decreasing the budgets for law enforcement agencies in Missouri by more than 12 percent over […]
Trenton City Council table “right of way” agreement with MoDOT, discuss generation of power at Monday meeting
The Trenton City Council on Monday night tabled an ordinance, approved a resolution, accepted a bid, and agreed to buy a riding lawnmower locally. More details also were presented on TMU’s use of diesel generators during the cold weather. The council voted to table a “right of way” agreement between the city of Trenton and […]
Brutal weather leads to early pothole season on Missouri roads
Missouri Department of Transportation crews are focusing on pothole repair through April. When you see a MoDOT crew making repairs, motorists should slow down and move over a lane to give them room to work. Crews started working to address the pesky potholes as soon as there was a break in the weather last week. […]
Audio: Missouri Teacher of the Year award winners co-author letter urging immediate vaccination of Missouri educators
Most Missouri K-12 public schools have been offering in-person classes at least partially for several months, yet most teachers are not eligible to get a coronavirus vaccination. They will all be eligible in the next phase but that could be a couple of months away. Darbie Valenti-Huff, with the St. Joseph School District in northwest […]
Hawley, members of Missouri delegation ask for review of natural gas supply
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and members of the Missouri Congressional Delegation sent a letter to the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asking for a review of the natural gas supply in light of electricity outages, rolling blackouts, and controlled service interruptions across Missouri and the Midwest during extreme winter weather. “Due to […]
Missouri House committee votes to forgive federal unemployment debts
(Missouri Independent) – Thousands of Missourians facing repayment of mistakenly paid unemployment benefits would get some relief under legislation passed with a bipartisan vote Wednesday in a Missouri House committee. The bill, which will likely be debated on the House floor next week, would forgive debts due to overpayments from federal coronavirus relief programs but would not […]
Maysville man hospitalized after crashing on Route A
A Maysville man was taken to a hospital after the vehicle he was driving failed to negotiate a curve and ran off a lettered route last night in DeKalb County. The highway patrol listed injuries as moderate for 62-year-old Richard Churchill who was taken by another vehicle to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. The […]
Gallatin Board of Aldermen approve purchase of utility mapping system
The Gallatin Board of Aldermen approved an ordinance the evening of February 8th regarding a master project agreement for an advanced metering infrastructure system. City Clerk Hattie Rains reported the agreement establishes a partnership with Core and Main LP. The board authorized Administrator Lance Rains and Public Works Director Mark Morey to purchase a utility […]
Missouri Attorney General joins coalition calling on President Biden to reinstate Keystone XL pipeline permit
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and a coalition of 13 other attorneys general urged President Biden to reconsider his unilateral revocation of the 2019 Presidential Permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and advised him that the states that signed on to the letter are reviewing available legal options to protect their citizens and interests. “The […]