Write in candidates news graphic

Grundy County Clerk reports on write-in candidates for Tuesday’s election

Write-in results have been released for Grundy County following April 5th’s election. Information provided by the Grundy County Clerk’s Office shows four individuals received write-in votes for the two Spickard Alderman At Large positions. Tanja Younger received two votes. Mike Yates, J. R. Roberts, and Mike Jaycox each received one vote. Six people each received […]

Grain Belt Express News Graphic

Missouri Senate committee takes up bill targeting Grain Belt Express transmission line

(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri Senate is poised to take up a long-running effort to stymie the Grain Belt Express, a massive transmission line meant to carry wind energy from southwest Kansas across three states.  The $2 billion project would carry 4,000 megawatts of energy, dropping some off in Missouri before ending at the Illinois-Indiana […]

Election Results

Election results in the Municipal Election for Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Three individuals were elected to the Trenton R-9 Board of Education, three for the Grundy County Health Department board, and three members of the Trenton City Council won re-election with a former councilman returning to a council seat. Each of the winners led from start to finish, meaning from the absentee ballots through the final […]

A gavel and a name plate with the engraving Lawsuit

Missouri, Arizona and Louisiana sue Biden administration for rescinding Title 42

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry are suing the Biden Administration for rescinding the public health policy, Title 42, during the worst border crisis in decades. The revocation will result in an unprecedented crisis at the United States southern border that will have a devastating […]

Veterans and services news graphic

University of Missouri School of Law to offer free virtual legal consultation for veterans

Veterans in several area counties are eligible to receive assistance from The University of Missouri School of Law Veterans Clinic, through its Tigers for Troops program. Virtual legal consultation is offered for veterans regarding United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits, discharge upgrades, and VA healthcare. The service on Friday, April 22nd from 8 […]

Planned Parenthood

Control of Title X federal family planning funds remains with Missouri nonprofit

(Missouri Independent) – Despite facing competition from the state health department, the nonprofit Missouri Family Health Council Inc. will continue to administer federal Title X family planning funds. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded more than $250 million in Title X funding this week, including $5.3 million to Missouri. That money helps pay […]

Preferred Family Healthcare

Preferred Family Healthcare to pay more than $8 million in fines related to embezzlement, bribery investigation

Springfield, Missouri-based nonprofit Preferred Family Healthcare will pay more than $8 million in forfeiture and restitution to the federal government and the state of Arkansas under the terms of a non-prosecution agreement announced, which acknowledges the criminal conduct of its former officers and employees. “Preferred Family Healthcare must relinquish the illegal profits it garnered from […]

Prison Sentence

Missouri man convicted of being a sex offender while in the Army in 2017, sentenced to 15 years in prison for child pornography

A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court after a law enforcement officer noticed child pornography on his cell phone during a traffic stop. Justin Barton, 34, of Lebanon, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Barton to spend the rest […]

Indictment graphic with gavel and file folder

Grand Jury indicts former CEO of major construction company in Missouri in Minority Business Enterprise fraud scheme

A federal grand jury indicted Brian Kowert, Sr., former Chief Operating Officer of the HBD Construction Company, on March 30, 2022, for five counts of wire fraud relative to his falsifying of Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) participation in several construction and redevelopment projects from 2014 through 2022. Kowert, Sr. was an owner, executive vice president, […]

Recreatioinal Marijuana news graphic

Audio: Missouri Legislature considering bill to legalize recreational pot

The Missouri Legislature is considering whether to legalize the adult use of marijuana. This comes less than four years after nearly seven out of ten voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing for the use of medical marijuana. The 2022 “Cannabis Freedom Act”, sponsored by Republican State Representative Ron Hicks would authorize the recreational use, taxation, […]

Abortion Graphic

Missouri House blocks effort to limit access to out-of-state abortions

(Missouri Independent) – A bill that would make it a felony to donate fetal tissue from abortions for research or therapies won first-round approval in the Missouri House Tuesday, but lawmakers blocked an effort to make it illegal to help women obtain an abortion outside the state. The bill sponsored by Rep. Hannah Kelly, R-Mountain Grove, […]

Corteva Enlist Products website

Corteva Enlist products now available in all Missouri Counties

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the use of Corteva herbicide products Enlist One and Enlist Duo in all Missouri counties. A seven-year registration announced by EPA in January 2022 had restricted the use of Enlist One and Enlist Duo weed management options in five Missouri counties (Barton, Bates, Cedar, St. Clair, and Vernon). “The […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

U.S. Senate panel bickers over Supreme Court nomination but sets vote next week

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee reopened partisan disagreements Monday as members scheduled a vote for April 4 on Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Republicans’ criticisms of Jackson’s record and responses were either untrue or disingenuous. Meanwhile, ranking Republican Chuck Grassley of Iowa again raised […]

Audit Graphic

Missouri State Auditor launches audit of Nodaway County

The office of State Auditor Nicole Galloway has begun a regularly scheduled audit of Nodaway County in northwest Missouri. The county received a rating of “good” in a state audit released in July 2015. “These audits will provide independent reviews of county government operations to ensure taxpayer resources have been used appropriately and to recommend improvements that will […]

Bull Elk

Missouri Department of Conservation sets 2022 elk and bear seasons with permit applications in May

The Missouri Department of Conservation will offer five permits to hunt bull elk in Missouri this fall with at least one permit designated for qualifying area landowners and the remaining permits for the general public. MDC will also offer 400 permits for the taking of a maximum of 40 black bears during the second Missouri […]

Wild duck (waterfowl) (Photo courtesy David Waite on Unsplash)

Missouri Department of Conservation sets upcoming migratory game bird and waterfowl seasons

The Missouri Conservation Commission approved recommendations from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) at its March 25 meeting for upcoming 2022 migratory-game-bird-hunting seasons and 2022-2023 waterfowl-hunting seasons. 2022 MIGRATORY GAME BIRD HUNTING Mourning Doves, Eurasian Collared Doves, and White-Winged Doves Season: Sept. 1 through Nov. 29 Limits: 15 daily and 45 in possession combined total […]

FY 2022 Supplemental Budget Signing by Governor Parson

Governor Parson highlights successes of trade mission to United Kingdom and Ireland

Governor Mike  Parson concluded his latest international Trade Mission, which included visits with key officials, businesses, and organizations in the United Kingdom and Ireland. During the Trade Mission, Governor Parson participated in several meetings to build international relationships while promoting Missouri as an ideal business location and trade partner. “It’s always exciting to highlight Missouri’s […]

Audio: Senator Josh Hawley says he will vote “no” on Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson

Now that the confirmation hearings are complete, Senator Hawley says the Judge did nothing to assuage his concerns of what he claims is her record of leniency on sex criminals. Although the U.S. Sentencing Commission numbers show the majority of NON-production child pornography offenders in 2019 were sentenced to a punishment beneath the guideline ranges, […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson photo courtesy Wikipedia

Senate winds up grueling Supreme Court hearings on Ketanji Brown Jackson nomination

(Missouri Independent) –  Representatives of the American Bar Association reiterated their finding that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is well qualified to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, and law enforcement groups rebutted GOP accusations Jackson is soft on child pornographers during the final day of Jackson’s confirmation hearings Thursday. Republicans, however, called in witnesses to […]