North Mercer School District Website V1

North Mercer R-3 Board of Education approves contracts to non-certified staff; resignations accepted

The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education approved offering contracts to non-certified staff members on April 12th. Non-certified staff will receive a two-point-five percent salary increase. The supplemental pay schedule was accepted for 2021-2022. Resignations were accepted from Lisa Prichard with the library, Katie Crabtree for business, and Dana Smith for math. Nine staff members […]

Veterans Affairs website

Missouri veterans homes open for new admissions

The Missouri Veterans Commission announces all seven Veteran Homes are taking applications for new admissions. The homes are located in Cameron, Cape Girardeau, Mexico, Mount Vernon, St. James, St. Louis, and Warrensburg. At full capacity, the homes have a total of 1,238 beds that provide long-term skilled nursing care. “We are excited to be taking […]

Missouri 4-H Website

Missouri 4-H career-readiness programs get $75,000 boost

Missouri 4-H has received $75,000 from Healthy Blue’s affiliated Foundation to help young people across the state explore colleges and careers. The 4-H Youth Futures College Within Reach program, developed by the University of Missouri Extension and Lincoln University Cooperative Extension, is a college orientation program that includes ongoing local mentoring, campus visits, and a […]

Medicaid

Audio: Will the Missouri Senate back the House’s attempt to defund Medicaid expansion? Senate President Dave Schatz weighs in

The Missouri House has passed the next state operating budget – without funding voter-approved Medicaid expansion. The $34.1 billion budget plan is now in the hands of the Republican-controlled Senate. Missouri Senate President Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, gives his thoughts to Missourinet affiliate KTUI in Sullivan about whether he expects the upper chamber to fund the expansion.   […]

Budget news graphic

Audio: Jesus’ name invoked by both parties as Missouri House approves $34 billion budget, without Medicaid expansion

After a heated floor debate that included numerous biblical references, the Missouri House voted Thursday afternoon to give final approval to a $34.1 billion state operating budget. The House budget does not contain funding for Medicaid expansion. The operating budget now heads to the Missouri Senate, and Medicaid expansion supporters hope senators will include the […]

VISA application form

Hawley calls for Biden to extend freeze on foreign worker visas

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to extend President Donald Trump’s executive order freezing visas for certain temporary foreign workers, which will expire today, March 31, 2021, unless President Biden acts. Senator Hawley writes that the temporary freeze, issued to protect American workers during the pandemic, should be extended […]

Fraud

Man pleads guilty to $244 million ghost-cattle scam

A Washington man pleaded guilty to defrauding Tyson Foods Inc. (Tyson) and another company (Company 1) out of more than $244 million by charging them under various agreements for the purported costs of purchasing and feeding hundreds of thousands of cattle that did not actually exist. According to court documents, Cody Allen Easterday, 49, of […]

Medicaid Expansion

Audio: Governor Parson responds to House’s effort to block Medicaid expansion funding

The Republican-controlled Missouri House has given initial approval to defunding a Medicaid expansion effort approved by voters last year. The chamber could vote to use the governor’s one-point-nine billion dollar budget request for the expansion to instead help seniors in nursing homes, the developmentally disabled, and expand mental health programs, among other things. Here is […]

(L-R): Abigail Neill, Morrissa Henley and Calvin Basham

NCMC students earn recognition at National Professional Agriculture Student Conference

Three agriculture students from North Central Missouri College participated in the National Professional Agriculture Student Organization Conference March 15-19.  The conference was hosted virtually this year.  Over 300 agriculture students from across the country competed in career program areas and participated in leadership workshops.  NCMC students who participated in the conference were:  Calvin Basham, Cowgill; […]

Hands holding U.S. Flag and sparkler

Lawmakers introduce legislation to close loophole in Child Citizenship Act preventing citizenship from those raised by American parents

U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.), Mazie K. Hirono (Hawaii), Susan Collins (Maine), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) announced that they have introduced the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2021. The bipartisan bill would close a loophole in the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA), which has prevented internationally-adopted children, who are […]

Lawsuit news Graphic

Attorney generals from 13 states file suit against Biden administration for ban on future oil and gas leasing, drilling on federal land

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a coalition of thirteen states in filing suit against the Biden Administration for imposing a moratorium on future oil and gas leasing and drilling permits on federal land. The lawsuit contends that the moratorium on leasing through the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and the Mineral Leasing Act […]

Charges Filed

Brookfield man charged with property damage and escape

A Brookfield man has been charged with felony first-degree property damage after a police officer responded to a call about lights being on on a vehicle. Fifty-three-year-old Todd Aaron Boh has also been charged with felony escape or attempted escape from custody while under arrest for a felony and misdemeanor assault—fourth degree. Boh pleaded not […]

Disability Awareness Month

Audio: Governor decrees March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness month as Missourians with disabilities lobby for caregiver funding

Gov. Parson officially proclaimed March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in the State of Missouri, as more than 300 people with disabilities rallied virtually with Capitol lawmakers.     He told the rally he has a niece who is autistic and he has learned some of the challenges. Missourians with disabilities are lobbying for more […]