Network cables (RJ45 ) connected to a switch

USDA to make up to $1.15 billion available to help people living in rural communities access high-speed internet

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a significant expansion of access to high-speed internet, health care, and educational services for millions of rural Americans nationwide. Today’s announcement continues to move forward President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda by prioritizing economic growth in rural America and investing in the backbone of our country […]

Veteran's Generic Graphic

Increasing access to counseling services for military families is goal of new bill by lawmakers

U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) introduced the bipartisan COMFORT Act to solve the current shortage of Military and Family Life Counselors (MFLCs) and increase access to counseling services on military installations. The senators’ bill allows for license portability for MFLCs, so counselors can work outside of the state in which they are licensed. “Families […]

NCRS Website

NRCS announces november 19, 2021 application deadline for financial assistance

The Missouri USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced November 19, 2021, as the cut-off date to apply for the Fiscal Year 2022 funds through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program. EQIP allows farmers, ranchers, forestland managers, and landowners an opportunity to conserve natural resources by making available financial assistance to improve soil, water, air, plants, animals, […]

Federal Bureau of Investigation

FBI releases 2020 statistics for law enforcement officers assaulted in the line of duty

According to statistics reported to the FBI, 60,105 law enforcement officers were assaulted while performing their duties in 2020. These assaults were reported to the FBI by 9,895 law enforcement agencies. Based on these reports, there were 4,071 more officers assaulted in 2020 than the 56,034 assaults reported in 2019. Data regarding these assaults were […]

Governor Mike Parson (Photo courtesy Missouri Governor's office

Missouri governor vows criminal prosecution of reporter who found flaw in state website

(Missouri Independent) – On Tuesday, a reporter with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch alerted the state that Social Security numbers of school teachers and administrators were vulnerable to public exposure due to flaws on a website maintained by Missouri’s department of education. The newspaper agreed to hold off publishing any story while the department fixed the problem and […]

Power Plant via Unsplash

Missouri Attorney General joins 19 state coalition urging Congress to reject legislation that increases energy fees

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a 19-state coalition urging Congress to reject burdensome legislation that would increase fees on energy producers and hit American consumers with even greater price hikes. The two bills in question are the Methane Emissions Reduction Act in the Senate and a provision of the Build Back Better Act in […]

COVID-19 or Coronaviru testing

Missouri students can now ‘test to stay’ to remain in classroom after COVID exposure

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri students and teachers identified as being exposed to a coronavirus case in school may now be permitted to remain in class if they continue to test negative for the virus and properly wear a mask. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) updated its school reopening guidance Friday to include the new […]

Drought Resources news graphic

Online tool now available for drought-stricken farms to estimate compensation for feed transportation costs

An online tool is now available to help ranchers document and estimate payments to cover feed transportation costs caused by drought, which are now covered by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated the program this year to include feed transportation costs as well as […]