(Missouri Independent) – Last spring, as Missouri businesses shed hundreds of thousands of jobs, Gov. Mike Parson warned that the state was headed for the worst financial crunch since the 2008 recession. Ten months later, Parson presented a budget plan that anticipates a $1.1 billion surplus on July 1, the biggest in state history. And if the $1.9 trillion pandemic […]
The Sullivan County Health Department vaccinated 56 residents with their second dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the North Central Missouri Electric Cooperative in Milan on Wednesday morning, February 18th. The participants met Phase 1A and Phase 1B Tiers 1 and 2 descriptions, were previously registered, and vaccinated with the first dose on January 22nd. […]
North Central Missouri College has earned the 2021-2022 Military Friendly ® School designation. Institutions earning the Military Friendly ® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 1,200 schools participated in the 2021-2022 survey with 747 earning the designation. The 2021-2022 Military Friendly® Schools list will be […]
The City of Mercer is asking residents to conserve energy due to what it calls an “energy emergency” for gas and electricity. Residents are asked to lower their thermostats and take other measures to help prevent Grundy Electric from starting rolling outages. Residents are asked to check on elderly neighbors during this time of cold […]
Bipartisan legislation aimed at improving safety on duck boats and other amphibious passenger vessels was unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate on Thursday. It was one of the first bills filed by U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) after he was sworn into office in January 2019. Hawley’s bill is very similar to one filed by former […]
You could be voting in 2022 on a proposed constitutional amendment in Missouri, requiring health insurers to cover preexisting conditions. The proposal is sponsored by GOP House Majority Floor Leader Dean Plocher of Des Peres, who thinks the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the Affordable Care Act this year, Plocher describes his proposal […]
Missouri could allow robots to deliver goods to your home. A bill sponsored by state Senator Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, aims to let robots cruise mainly along sidewalks and crosswalks to deliver items around the state. During a state Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee hearing today, Hough says the effort is a work in […]
The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says an adult in northeast Missouri’s Marion County has the state’s first confirmed case of a COVID-19 variation initially detected in the United Kingdom. A press release from DHSS says the version, known as B.1.1.7, was identified in a sample from the individual. The […]
The Sullivan County Health Department administered 100 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to residents at the North Central Rural Electric Coop in Milan on February 5th. The residents vaccinated were previously registered and met Phase 1A and Phase 1B Tiers 1 and 2 descriptions. The Moderna vaccine requires a second dose after 28 days […]
Forage producers can learn to improve pastures, beef herds, and profits at upcoming schools hosted by the University of Missouri Extension. MU Extension specialists will join other experts from across the country to tell how to renovate Kentucky 31 toxic tall fescue pastures at an in-person school in Mount Vernon. The one-day school is 8:45 […]
Missouri Senate President Dave Schatz wants drivers to pay a little more when they get fuel. A Missouri Senate committee is considering whether to ask voters to increase the fee by two cents per year over a five-year period. During a public hearing, Schatz says an increase is necessary to pay for repairs to the […]
Governor Parson has fired off a three-page letter criticizing House Republican leadership for disrupting his plans to hold last week’s State of the State address in the lower chamber. Parson, a fellow Republican, said four hours before the start of his speech, the House Leader informed him the address could only be given […]
The Missouri Senate could debate this week a wide-ranging education package. Senate Bill 55, sponsored by Republican Cindy O’Laughlin of northeast Missouri’s Shelbina, is a controversial measure that could change the landscape of K-12 public education. The plan could expand charter schools to any Missouri city with a population greater than 30,000 people. […]
The Missouri House has unanimously approved today designating 324 million dollars in federal emergency aid for renters and landlords. The plan could help with some rent and utility costs. Under the bill, renters and landlords could apply for funds through the Missouri Housing Development Commission. The measure, House Bill 16, heads to the Senate for […]
Missouri U.S. Senator Roy Blunt asserts the effort to impeach former President Donald Trump is unconstitutional. Blunt was one of the 45 Republican senators who voted for a measure declaring the House effort to impeach Trump fell outside of its constitutional powers. Five Republicans joined the 50 Democrats in the US Senate to […]
State Senator Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, wants to make it a Class E felony for any protester who interferes with or blocks a public road. Drivers would not be held liable for injuring the demonstrators who block traffic. A provision in the bill says the driver is still liable if they are found to be using […]
The Sullivan County Health Department administered COVID-19 vaccines to 56 residents at American Legion Post 228 in Milan on January 22nd. The individuals were previously registered and met Phase 1A and Phase 1B Tier 1 descriptions, according to the Department of Health and Senior Services. The COVID website indicates those groups include long-term care facility […]
The Missouri Senate Education Committee has sent to the full Senate a comprehensive school choice package. Senate Bill 55 would allow charter schools in any school district located within a charter county as well as in any Missouri city with a population greater than 30,000 people. It would let parents use tax credits […]
The Grundy County Commission has approved placing a question on the April ballot asking if the county should enforce brush control adjacent to county roads. The measure involves a Missouri statute, which states the “brush shall be cut, burned, or otherwise destroyed as often as necessary in order to keep such lands accessible for purposes […]
Sen. Josh Hawley said Tuesday that he would block a procedural move to bypass full committee consideration of the nomination of Alejandro Mayorkas to lead DHS. “Mr. Mayorkas has not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given President-elect Biden’s promise to roll back major enforcement and […]
