It was a somewhat complicated weather story in the month of May. Trenton officially had measurable rainfall on 17 of the 31 days including 14 straight days from May 15th through May 28. The amount of precipitation on several of those dates was very little or relatively small. As a result, rainfall for the entire […]
Tag: Mall
Despite high voter turnout, women hold only 30% of political offices
Women account for a majority of the U.S. population, but a new report shows they make up less than one-third of high-level government leadership at the local, state, and national levels. A first-of-its-kind study by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University found women hold just over 30% of positions in mayoral […]
COVID-19 surge in north Missouri creates worries for summer as vaccinations decline
(Missouri Independent) – In the last week of April, the Linn County Health Department signaled that the COVID-19 pandemic had cooled enough that it could discontinue weekly reports on new cases. With only three active cases on April 21, the urgency for frequent updates seemed to have passed. But the coronavirus came roaring back this […]
Four charged in Daviess County in case regarding theft of a skid steer from Altamont
Four individuals have been charged in Daviess County after the sheriff’s office received a report of a skid steer being stolen from Altamont on May 27th. Online court information shows 35-year-old Patrick Michael Wright of Kansas City, 38-year-old Patience Destinie Giersdorf of Kansas City, 32-year-old John Dale Mackey of Kansas City, and 40-year-old George David […]
Gallatin Board of Aldermen approve setting electric rates
The Gallatin Board of Aldermen this week approved an ordinance and resolution regarding the setting of electric rates. City Clerk Hattie Rains reports the ordinance authorized the city, going forward, to use a resolution instead of an ordinance to set electric rates. The resolution changed the electric rates for citizens and businesses. The rates will […]
Missouri Governor says federal unemployment programs have given public incentive to stay out of the workforce
Saying that there’s a labor shortage across Missouri, Governor Mike Parson (R) has issued a directive to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to end all federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits. Missouri’s House Democratic Leader is blasting the decision. Governor Parson made the announcement during a Tuesday afternoon briefing at the Statehouse in Jefferson […]
Firefighters respond to Hy-Vee Store in Bethany
Minor damage was reported from a fire in the facade of the Hy-Vee of Bethany on May 26th. Harrison County Sheriff Trevor Place says the Bethany Fire Department responded the morning of May 26th in reference to a small fire on the outside of the building behind an electric sign. The New Hampton Fire Department […]
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Service partners with agencies to ensure vaccine for the homebound
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced a partnership between the Area Agencies on Aging, local public health agencies, and Emergency Medical Services to ensure homebound adults have a streamlined and accessible vaccination experience across the state. Understanding that various communities have already developed a plan for vaccinating homebound individuals in their area, […]
Missouri medical marijuana companies win tax relief from state lawmakers
(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 […]
Audio: With a rich history of improving the downtown area, the Trenton Downtown Improvement Association turns 30
May 16th marked the 30th anniversary of the start of the Trenton Downtown Improvement Association. TDIA Board Member Cathie Smith says the organization began as a partnership between a group of businessmen and the City of Trenton to get a Neighborhood Assistance Program credit grant to redo sidewalks. She considers one highlight of the group […]
Spickard Board of Education approves addition to handbook pertaining to out-of-school suspension
The Spickard R-2 Board of Education on May 17 approved an addition to the 2021-2022 student handbook involving out-of-school suspension. The addition says that when a student has OSS as a consequence, he or she is not eligible for any after-school events on the same day as the OSS. The student must remain off of school […]
Hamilton man charged with domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon after threatening family members
A Hamilton man has been charged with two felonies after he allegedly threatened family members with a knife on May 18th. Thirty-year-old Grant Austin Smith faces domestic assault—third degree and unlawful use of a weapon—exhibiting. He has also been charged with misdemeanor property damage—second degree. Bond was set at $25,000 cash only with special conditions […]
National FFA announces in-person convention with a virtual program for 2021
The National FFA Organization announced that they would hold their annual in-person convention this fall in the city of Indianapolis. The event, which traditionally brings more than 65,000 attendees, will take place Oct. 27-30. Expected in-person events during the convention include the American FFA Degree Ceremony; Career Success Tours; competitive events; delegate business sessions; entertainment; […]
Missouri eases rules for building CAFOs despite outcry about potential pollution
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri regulators on Tuesday eased the rules governing the design of massive industrial hog facilities in a move critics claim was meant to help one controversial facility. The state’s Clean Water Commission voted 5-1 to narrow the definition of groundwater in the state’s rules governing the construction of “concentrated animal feeding operations” […]
Audio: Missouri feral hog bill sponsor is hopeful Governor Parson will sign bill
Bipartisan legislation toughening penalties on residents who KNOWINGLY release feral hogs in Missouri is now on the governor’s desk. The Missouri House voted 150-1 to give final approval to the bill from Speed State Representative Tim Taylor, before Friday’s adjournment. Under Taylor’s bill, repeat offenders would be charged with a felony for each feral swine […]
Advocates fear homeless crisis with federal eviction moratorium on shaky legal ground
(Missouri Independent) – At least once a day, housing advocate Melissa Pashia speaks to someone living in a car. Once the situation gets to this point, it’s hard to get people back into stable housing, said Pashia, a housing resource specialist for the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council. “Landlords don’t want to […]
Audio: Key bills passed in the final day or days of the Missouri Legislature’s session
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 […]
State of Missouri withdraws State Plan Amendments for expansion of MO HealthNet
The Missouri Department of Social Services submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services formally withdrawing its State Plan Amendments for MO HealthNet expansion. On August 4, 2020, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment expanding MO HealthNet eligibility to individuals between 100 and 138 percent of the federal poverty level. However, the […]
Missouri’s Governor Parson abandons plans to implement voter-approved Medicaid expansion
(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 […]