Mentally disabled woman and nurse or caretaker wearing a surgica

Missouri launches apprenticeships for direct-support professionals

Missouri is launching an apprenticeship program to expand talent pipelines for Direct Support Professionals, who work with people with developmental disabilities. The Show-Me State, like many others, is facing a serious direct-care workforce shortage. To answer the need, the program Missouri Talent Pathways was recently approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Duane Shumate, the state coordinator […]

Court News graphic

Court news for Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court on Thursday, April 14, 2022

Forty-third Circuit Court Judge Ryan Horsman of Chillicothe presided when several cases were processed Thursday in Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court. Evidence was heard during a hearing and the judge found Josy Simmons of Trenton had violated the terms of her probation. The probation was revoked and a previous stay of execution was […]

Candidates Forum

Audio: Candidates for Trenton R-9 School Board answer questions from the public during forum on Wednesday

Three candidates for the Trenton R-9 Board of Education participated in a forum in the Rissler Elementary School Library on March 30th. Incumbent Dorothy Taul, Toby Havens, and Jeff Spencer are running for two three-year terms. The forum was relocated after the evacuation of Trenton High School, where the event was originally to be held. […]

Mental Health First Aid Missouri Website

Audio: Free mental health first aid training is being offered to Missouri K-12 schools

State Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven says students, teachers, and school staff are experiencing increased mental health challenges and stressors right now. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is teaming up with Mental Health First Aid Missouri to offer free mental health first aid training to K-12 schools across the state. Amy Bartels, with […]

Emily Hartley photo courtesy Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council

Emily Hartley appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Advisory Committee for Missouri

Emily Hartley, Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council Deputy Director, was appointed to the Missouri Advisory Committee by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, effective Feb. 18, 2022.   Advisory Committees have recently examined water affordability, school discipline disparities, policing practices, mental health and the criminal justice system, legal financial obligations, fair housing, hate crimes, voting rights, maternal […]

Dr Jennifer Blacksmith speaker at NCMC 2022

North Central Missouri College to host mental health speaker

North Central Missouri College will welcome Dr. Jennifer Blacksmith to speak on several topics regarding mental health and healthy coping skills. Dr. Blacksmith will speak on Friday, March 25, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. in Cross Hall, room 207 about mental health, trauma, and brain development while adding in healthy coping skills and […]

Farm and farmland news graphic

Audio: Missouri farmers deal with stress on a daily basis

Missouri farmers and ranchers deal with stress on a daily basis but when natural disasters strike the mental stresses mount. In this Managing for Profit on Brownfield, Rachel Jones, Manager of Trauma-Informed Care with the Department of Mental health, recaps our series. Jones says rural resiliency is very important in overcoming the mental health effects […]

Court News graphic

Court news for Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court on Thursday, March 10, 2022

Among cases Thursday, March 10, 2022, in Division One of the Grundy County Circuit Court: Trenton resident Kyle Ray Graves pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance/synthetic cannabinoid. Two other counts were dismissed. Graves was sentenced to seven years with the Department of Corrections with the term to be consecutive to any other […]

Investigation with magnifying glass

Missouri Attorney General joins nationwide investigation into TikTok

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a nationwide investigation into TikTok for providing and promoting its social media platform to children and young adults while use is associated with physical and mental health harms. Attorneys General nationwide are examining whether the company violated state consumer protection laws that put the public at risk. Attorney General […]

Parson signing new legislation

Governor Parson makes appointments to seven boards and commissions

Governor Mike Parson announced seven appointments to various boards and commissions. Sheriff Jim Arnott, of Springfield, was appointed to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.  Sheriff Arnott has served as the Greene County Sheriff since 2008. He has also simultaneously served as the Interim Chief of the Fair Grove Police Department and Ash Grove Police […]

Senator Roy Blunt Addresses Missouri State Representatives

Video: U.S. Senator Roy Blunt tells Missouri lawmakers what’s important

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt addressed Missouri’s state representatives Wednesday morning. The Missouri Republican covered topics ranging from the economy to mental health and infrastructure to education. He also told a story with a line that some could interpret as referencing the recent stand-off in the state senate regarding redistricting.     The full speech to […]

Gallery View of Missouri Senate

Missouri Senate passes $4.6B spending bill with pay raises, federal school funds

(Missouri Independent) – With a deadline looming that could cost Missouri almost $2 billion in federal education aid, the bill to distribute the money passed the state Senate on Wednesday after Democrats slammed a zero-dollar funding line as a partisan attack on Planned Parenthood. The $4.6 billion spending bill approved on a 25-7 vote is the first legislation requiring […]

EPA or Environmental Protection Agency website

EPA announces availability of $20 million to reduce lead in drinking water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $20 million in available grant funding to assist communities and schools with removing sources of lead in drinking water. This grant funding, and additional funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help make rapid progress on the goal of addressing lead and removing lead pipes across the country. “A […]

(photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Missouri House refuses to accept Governor Parson’s plan for $15 base pay for state jobs

(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri House approved a $4.6 billion supplemental spending bill Wednesday that would give all state workers a pay raise.  But lawmakers refused to go along with Gov. Mike Parson’s plan for a $15 an hour base wage for all state employees, instead offering that salary only to select workers.  The bill would also […]

Missouri House of Representatives

House committee scales back governor’s pay raise plan for Missouri state workers

(Missouri Independent) – Hundreds of custodians, clerks, and cooks working for state agencies would not get the raises Missouri Gov. Mike Parson promised in December under a spending bill approved Monday by the House Budget Committee. On a party-line vote, with Republicans supporting the bill and Democrats opposed, the committee approved a spending bill that sets […]

Jamey Griffin Updated photo courtesy Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail

November trial date set for case involving shooting of Trenton police officer Jasmine Diab

At the joint request of attorneys representing Daviess County and a defendant, new dates have been set for 41-year-old Jamey Griffin of Trenton to go on trial in connection with the shooting of a Trenton police officer on June 14, 2019. Circuit Court Judge Ryan Horsman on Thursday rescheduled the trial for the week of […]