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 […]

Audio: Lawmaker proposes amendment prohibiting roadside checkpoints and roadblocks by law enforcement

You’ll be voting next November on a proposed constitutional amendment involving checkpoints and roadblocks if a veteran Missouri lawmaker has his way.     State Rep. Justin Hill (R-Lake St. Louis) will present his proposed constitutional amendment Wednesday at noon, before the Missouri House Downsizing State Government Committee in Jefferson City. The committee is chaired by […]

Auto Theft or Stolen Vehicle

Bethany man charged in Grundy County with auto theft

A Bethany man has been charged in Grundy County with felony stealing—motor vehicle/watercraft/aircraft. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports 51-year-old Keith Larson was picked up at the Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail on March 30 and is to be held without bond. He is scheduled for the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court on April 13th. Court […]

Congressman Jason Smith (Photo Courtesy Wikipedia)

Audio: Southern Missouri Congressman Jason Smith considering Senate run; criticizes Biden on border wall suspension

A southern Missouri congressman who serves as the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee says he’s considering a run for the U-S Senate in 2022. Salem Congressman Jason Smith spoke to Missourinet Monday (last) evening in Jefferson City, outside the Statehouse:     Former Governor Eric Greitens and Attorney General Eric Schmitt, both Republicans, […]

Private School

Audio: Lawmakers to question Missouri DSS chief about boarding school abuse investigations

The head of the Missouri Department of Social Services is scheduled to appear before a panel of lawmakers Wednesday about the agency’s handling of abuse investigations within boarding schools. The Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight has called a Wednesday afternoon hearing to question the department’s acting director, Jennifer Tidball. The Kansas City Star has […]

Division One of Circuit Court News Graphic

Polo woman charged with manslaughter after mother’s death bound to Division One of Caldwell County Circuit Court

A Polo woman charged with felony involuntary manslaughter—second degree after her mother’s death had her case bound over to Division One of Caldwell County Circuit Court March 18th. Forty-two-year-old Rachel Nichols is scheduled for arraignment on April 13th. A probable cause affidavit from Sergeant Tony Kirkendoll of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office says an autopsy […]

Jobs Report or unemployment

Missouri unemployment rate drops to 4.3% in January, 2021, down from 4.4% in December, 2020

Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased in January 2021, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by a tenth of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 5,900 jobs over the month, but over-the-year job losses were back above 100,000 following benchmark adjustments to 2020 estimates. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent […]