Missouri’s average teacher salary is roughly $42,000 – ranking it about 42nd in the nation. The state’s starting teacher pay of $25,000 has not been changed in 15 years. State Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven (van-DEE-ven) tells Missourinet boosting pay for K-12 educators remains a top priority for her department. Vandeven says her agency […]
The Grundy County Commission will meet with a representative of the Howe Company regarding bridge projects. John Dwiggins is scheduled to be at the courthouse in Trenton on the morning of January 5th at 11 o’clock. The commission will also work on the annual budget. It was previously reported the commission will meet to prepare […]
The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) released new statewide employer survey results to correspond with its 2020 Missouri Economic & Workforce Report, which was published earlier this fall. The Economic & Workforce Report tracks the state’s economy and workforce by fiscal year (July 2019 – June 2020). The corresponding employer survey results focus […]
State Senator Jill Schupp wants the full report released about the COVID-19-related deaths within Missouri’s veterans’ homes. An independent, external investigation was launched in October into the roughly 154 veterans who have died so far from the coronavirus. Investigators from Armstrong Teasdale law firm were charged with reviewing what COVID-19 safety measures have […]
The Grundy County Commission approved an employee classification change and accepted a resignation involving Grundy County Ambulance on December 29th. The employee classification change involved Sarah Crosson. She completed her paramedic training/certification to allow for the change. The resignation was from Emergency Medical Technician Lilly Simmons. Ambulance Director Steve Tracy and Billing Clerk Beth Leeper […]
The struggle is real for Missouri when it comes to a constant shortage of K-12 public school teachers. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) wants to ramp up its teacher workforce by seizing the opportunity in a relevant setting. Dr. Paul Katnik, the assistant commissioner of the Office of Educator Quality, says […]
(Missouri Independent) – A Cole County judge on Monday threw out a lawsuit alleging limitations on the number of medical marijuana licenses issued by the state were unconstitutional. Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce ruled that the regulations at the heart of the lawsuit were “properly promulgated and are in compliance with Missouri’s laws and Constitution.” She […]
The Fixing Access to Rural Missouri Bridge Program will replace 41 bridges primarily in Northern Missouri. The $26 million design-build project was enabled by receipt of a $20.7 million federal grant under the Competitive Highway Bridge Program. The Missouri Department of Transportation reports design-build is a delivery method that includes hiring one contracting team to […]
Missouri’s first elk-hunting season ended Sunday with all five of the hunters selected for permits harvesting bull elk during the firearms portion December 12-20. An archery portion ran October 17-25 with no harvests. The five Missouri hunters were selected for elk-hunting permits through a random drawing of more than 19,215 permit applications, including 33 for […]
The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees heard various reports the evening of December 22nd. Multiple reports involved information on the COVID-19 pandemic. Dean of Instruction Mitch Holder filled in for Vice President of Academic Affairs Doctor Tristan Londre. Holder reported students were appreciative of the on-campus experience during the fall semester. He is […]
Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services signed the standing order for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine administration after final review of recommendations made earlier today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “The first week of vaccinations among health care workers in Missouri went extremely well,” said Williams. “We […]
Daviess County Health Department Administrator Cheryl Alexander, Daviess County Commissioners, and Emergency Management Director David Roll have issued a public health mask advisory. All persons at least two years old are advised to wear masks when in contact with others who are not household members. The advisory will begin on December 20th and be reviewed […]
The chief executive officer of a California-based medical device company was indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud investors by making false and misleading statements about the purported development of a new COVID-19 test, leading to millions of dollars in investor losses. Keith Berman, 67, the CEO of […]
Third Judicial Circuit Judge Thomas Alley is to swear in Grundy County elected officers in the courthouse in Trenton. The ceremony will be in the third-floor courtroom on the morning of December 29th at 9 o’clock. Officers elected in November’s General Election include Don Sager as First District Commissioner; Brad Chumbley, Second District Commissioner; Rodney […]
The Missouri Public Service Commission has opened a case at the request of the Public Service Commission to assist staff regarding an order from the Federal Communications Commission requiring ten-digit local dialing in four of Missouri’s six area codes by July 15, 2022. The change to ten-digit local dialing is necessary to allow for the […]
A corporate executive has been ordered to serve 20 years in prison after his conviction related to falsely telling thousands of patients with long-term incurable diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, they had less than six months to live and subsequently enrolling them in hospice programs. A federal jury in McAllen, Texas, convicted Rodney […]
The Grundy County Commission and COVID-19 Relief Fund Task Force have distributed the $1.15 million in CARES Act funding the county received in early May. Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray reports the funds were distributed to entities impacted by COVID-19 based on a formula that utilized assessed valuation and accounted for the portion of each taxable […]
A Minnesota man accused of unlawfully going onto property and entering a house in Daviess County on December 14th entered a plea of not guilty on December 15th. Forty-one-year-old Greg Bryan Ortega of Saint Peter, Minnesota has been charged with felony burglary in the first degree, misdemeanor property damage in the second degree, and an […]
The Grundy County Commission has approved a contract agreement regarding audits with McBride, Lock, and Associates for $18,500. The agreement involves a financial audit for the years 2019-2020 as well as a single audit for 2020 to be conducted in 2021. Grundy County Clerk Betty Spickard notes McBride, Lock, and Associates have previously done audits […]
The Grundy County Commission approved COVID-19 fund allocations on December 15th and received several fiscal year 2021 budget proposals. COVID-19 Relief Fund approved expenses included for the Jewett Norris Library of $6,122.44, Grundy County $19,052.42, the Senior Tax Board $432.37, the Families and Friends of the Developmentally Disabled $9,181.97, the Sunnyview Nursing Home of $103,605.56, […]
