(Missouri Independent) – The eyes of the nation turned to U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley over the holidays when he became the first senator to announce an objection to the certification of presidential electors. But the eyes of local politicos turned instead to his home-state colleague, Missouri’s senior senator. How would Roy Blunt — up for […]
Tag: Nature
Missouri Republicans look to reinstate voter ID requirement
(Missouri Independent) – About 137,700 registered voters in Missouri did not have a state-issued identification in 2017, according to an analysis from the Secretary of State’s Office. Another 140,000 voters had expired IDs, and 2,000 more voters had forfeited their driver’s licenses. Under a bill passed Wednesday in the Missouri House, those registered voters would either have to […]
Joshlin and Addie Yoder receive Missouri Leopold Conservation Award
Joshlin and Addie Yoder of Leonard, Missouri, located in Shelby County have been selected as the recipients of the 2020 Missouri Leopold Conservation Award®. The award, named for renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, recognizes farmers, ranchers, and foresters who inspire others with their dedication to land, water, and wildlife habitat management on private land. In Missouri, the $10,000 award […]
Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge to open on March 6, 2021
The Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge south of Sumner will open to the public on March 6th. The refuge is closed annually from late October to the first Saturday of March to allow for undisturbed habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl. The visitor center will be closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Only the main office […]
Missouri State Auditor begins citizen requested audit of Marshall School District
State Auditor Nicole Galloway announced that her office has begun audits of two school districts in western Missouri. The Marshall School District and the Smithville R-II School District’s reviews were requested through petitions submitted by residents of those districts. “The petition audit process allows citizens to demonstrate that they want to be engaged in ensuring […]
Biden backs reparations study, as House Democrats push for commission
(Missouri Independent) – The White House on Wednesday indicated that President Joe Biden would support studying reparations for slavery, the same day that House Democrats held a hearing on legislation that would set up a reparations commission. But White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stopped short of saying Biden would sign the bill under consideration […]
Missouri Department of Conservation to re-open offices in Chillicothe and Saint Joseph
The Missouri Department of Conservation will reopen its Chillicothe office and the Northwest Regional Office in Saint Joseph on February 16th after they were temporarily closed as a COVID-19 precaution. Precautions and local protocols will be observed at the offices, including face masks and physical distancing. The staff has remained in the offices during the […]
Missouri State Auditor begins citizen requested audit of city of Fairview
State Auditor Nicole Galloway has begun an audit of the city of Fairview, located in Newton County in southwest Missouri. Residents of the city requested the audit through the petition process. “My audits examine how public resources are used, detail any concerns about how government operates, and make recommendations on how taxpayers can be better […]
GRM Networks to begin fiber construction in rural Bethany and Princeton exchanges this spring
GRM Networks has received approval from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service and is preparing to begin fiber-to-the-premise construction this spring in the rural Bethany and rural Princeton exchanges. Customers can anticipate construction crews and equipment in their area over the next several months once construction begins. This project’s funding stems from […]
Second dose of COVID-19 vaccine may cause stronger reaction for 24-hours
Some Missourians have already been given their second dose of the coronavirus vaccination or will get it soon. Larry Jones, executive director of the Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence, tells Missourinet the second dose might come with a stronger reaction than the first one. “They may feel tired. They may feel achy,” he says. […]
Video: 5th generation farmers in Harris, Missouri call their farm “Diversified”
Justin and Stephanie Oaks, along with their three boys, are proud to call their Harris, Missouri farm diversified, to say the least. On their 200 acres in Sullivan County, the Oaks family raises cattle, hogs, row crops, and hay. Justin, a fifth-generation farmer, is also a local seed salesman, adding more diversity to their operation’s […]
Missouri State Auditor begins citizen requested audit of Belton in Cass County
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today announced her office has begun an audit of the city of Belton, located in Cass County. Residents of the city requested the audit through the petition process. “The petition audit process allows citizens to be engaged and ensure accountability with their local government,” Auditor Galloway said. “I look forward […]
Winter weather returns to northern Missouri with a Blizzard Warning and Winter Weather Advisory
Just when most of the snow has melted in Northern Missouri, Mother Nature throws a curveball at us. Beginning Friday morning, portions of northwestern Missouri will fall under a Blizzard Warning with portions of north-central Missouri falling under a Winter Weather Advisory. A Blizzard Warning will take effect beginning at Midnight Friday morning through 6 […]
As Missouri deals with ongoing teacher shortage, education leaders want to step up recruiting efforts
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 […]
Department of Conservation closes Chillicothe and St. Joseph offices to the public due to rising COVID-19 concerns
The Missouri Department of Conservation has closed the St. Joseph and Chillicothe offices to the public due to rising COVID-19 concerns. MDC staff will still be able to answer phone calls to those offices. Sales of 2021 Natural Events Calendars will continue if arrangements by phone are made for contactless pickup outside the buildings. MDC […]
Missouri State Auditor issues report on Clay County Collector as part of citizen-initiated audit
State Auditor Nicole Galloway released an audit of the Clay County Collector’s office. The report, which gave an overall rating of “good,” is the fourth released as part of an ongoing audit of Clay County that was initiated through a citizen petition. Previously released audits of the County Clerk, Recorder, and Public Administrator gave the […]
Census survey reveals COVID-19’s devastating impact in Missouri
(Missouri Independent) – Hundreds of thousands of Missourians are struggling to get by during our coronavirus public health emergency, including children, according to the recently released U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey. While 40.8 percent of Missouri households report losing income since March, families with children under 18 have been especially impacted, with 51.4 percent reporting […]
Trenton Police Department reports uptick in package theft from doorways and porches
The Trenton Police Department reports that with many residents shopping online for Christmas, it has recently seen incidents of thefts of packages from doorsteps. The police department advises residents to be vigilant and take steps to protect deliveries. Those steps include tracking packages and knowing delivery details, being available for the delivery or asking a […]
Audio: Crowder State Park to hold Winter Hike Challenge
Crowder State Park west of Trenton will hold a Winter Hike Challenge to encourage exploration of the park’s trails. Park Resource Manager Anna Persell says the event is like a photo scavenger hunt. The challenge will run from December 18th through 27th. The items will have a Christmas theme and Persell notes participants […]