You could be voting in 2022 on a proposed constitutional amendment in Missouri, requiring health insurers to cover preexisting conditions. The proposal is sponsored by GOP House Majority Floor Leader Dean Plocher of Des Peres, who thinks the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the Affordable Care Act this year, Plocher describes his proposal […]
Tag: November
Trenton city sales tax receipts up for first ten months of fiscal year
Trenton city sales tax receipts are up around 6% for general purposes, capital projects, and parks in the first ten months of the city’s fiscal year, which is May through February. During that same period, Trenton city sales tax revenues are up by nearly 7% for fire department needs and up 7-1/2% for transportation, which […]
Bond reduced for Polo woman charged with manslaughter in case involving mother’s death
Bond was reduced February 4th for a Polo woman charged with second-degree felony involuntary manslaughter after her mother’s death in November 2019. Online court information shows 42-year-old Rachel Nichols made an oral motion for bond reduction, and the court reduced the bond to $50,000 cash only with 10% allowed with the same special conditions as […]
Audio: Missouri’s Governor and Health Director say there have been issues with COVID vaccine distribution process
Missouri’s governor announced Thursday in Jefferson City that there have been issues with the COVID vaccine distribution process, and warns that there will be consequences for vaccinators that allow people to jump the line. Governor Mike Parson briefed Capitol reporters during a Statehouse press conference, emphasizing that his administration will vaccinate the most vulnerable and […]
Audio: Missouri House Speaker is asking state lawmaker under federal indictment to resign
The Missouri House Speaker is asking a fellow GOP House member to resign her seat after she was indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield for an alleged stem cell fraud scheme. The indictment was unsealed and made public on Monday. House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, announced Wednesday that he’s removed State Rep. Tricia Derges, […]
Missouri man sentenced to 20-years without parole for drug trafficking crack cocaine
A Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court for distributing crack cocaine. Jeffery Wayne Taylor, 55, of Sedalia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole. On July 6, 2020, Taylor was convicted at a bench trial of two counts of distributing crack cocaine and one […]
Polo woman charged with involuntary manslaughter after mothers death
A Polo woman has been charged with felony involuntary manslaughter—second degree after her mother’s death in November 2019. Online court information shows 42-year-old Rachel Nichols’s bond was set at $100,000 cash only with a special condition of bond supervision by Supervision Services. A probable cause affidavit from Sergeant Tony Kirkendoll of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s […]
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 […]
Missouri State Lawmaker indicted for stem cell fraud scheme, illegally distributing prescription drugs
An elected Missouri State Representative has been indicted by a federal grand jury for a fraud scheme in which she made false claims about a supposed stem cell treatment marketed through her clinics in southern Missouri, and for illegally providing prescription drugs to clients of those clinics. Derges, a Republican, represents Christian County (District 140) […]
Audio: Amazon expands into Missouri
“The massive-online retailer is opening two new AMXL facilities in both Joplin and Springfield which will create hundreds of jobs that start at 15.00 per hour. These AMXL sites specialize in handling heavy and bulky items as well as last-mile deliveries. They are expected to open in February and March.” In November, Amazon […]
Lawson man charged with first-degree murder in shooting death of Elizabeth Michelle Adams
A Lawson man has been charged in Caldwell County with first-degree murder following a shooting in Polo the morning of January 27th in which a woman died from her injuries. Thirty-five-year-old Kevin Lynn Barnett Junior has also been charged with assault—first degree or attempt, armed criminal action, robbery—first degree, unlawful possession of a firearm, and […]
Grundy County’s unemployment rate almost doubles in December
Grundy County’s unemployment rate has risen to four-point four (4.4) percent in December, up from the November rate of two point seven (2.7%). In December, the Missouri Division of Employment Security reported Grundy County had a civilian labor force of 4,361, with the number of unemployed listed at 191. That compares to 118 unemployed in […]
Number of COVID-19 cases in Grundy County approaching 1,000
The Grundy County Health Department on Monday morning reported the total number of COVID-19 cases since testing began is closing in on one thousand. The numbers show 998, of which 772 are confirmed and the balance, 226, is listed as probable. Grundy County’s active cases of COVID-19 have dropped to 47 which is the fewest […]
Former KC Fire Department captain sentenced to six years in prison for illegally selling firearms to felons
A former captain in the Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department was sentenced in federal court for illegally selling dozens of firearms over a five-year period, and to selling firearms to convicted felons. James Samuels, 55, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to six years in federal prison without […]
Man convicted of multiple obscenity crimes involving children
A man was convicted by a federal jury for operating a website dedicated to publishing writings that detailed the sexual abuse of children. Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Gregg Sofer, U.S. Attorney of the Western District of Texas; and Luis M. Quesada, Special Agent in Charge of […]
Iowa man to be arraigned in Caldwell County court after road rage incident where he repeatedly rammed car
An arraignment has been scheduled for a man from Iowa who faces multiple felony charges in Caldwell County after what was described as a road rage incident by law enforcement in December. Forty-two-year-old Ty Matthew Vaughn of Morning Sun, Iowa is scheduled in Division One of Circuit Court on February 9th. Vaughn has been charged […]
Increase in labor force sends unemployment higher in Missouri during December, 2020
Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased again in December 2020, but a large increase in the civilian labor force sent unemployment higher. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 10,400 jobs over the month, and over-the-year job losses from COVID-19 shutdowns fell below 100,000. However, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by 1.3 percentage points from November […]
Three week jury trial set for Braymer man charged with two counts of murder
A three-week jury trial has been set in Johnson County for a Braymer man charged with two counts of murder—first degree in the deaths of two Wisconsin men. Online court information indicates the trial for Garland Joseph Nelson is scheduled to begin February 7th, 2022. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for December 7th. The case […]
Jury Trial scheduled in Livingston County on February 16th for Trenton man who shot police officer Jasmine Diab
A jury trial is scheduled in Livingston County next month for a Trenton man accused of wounding Trenton Police Officer Jasmine Diab in June 2019. Forty-year-old Jamey Aaron Griffin’s trial is set to begin on February 16th. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for February 4th. Ninety jurors were to be ordered. Griffin has been charged […]
Missouri Department of Conservation reports final deer harvest numbers for the season at 296,500
Missouri’s 2020-2021 deer-hunting season ended Jan. 15 with the Missouri Department of Conservation reporting a preliminary total deer harvest for the season of 296,516. Of the deer harvested, 140,468 were antlered bucks, 28,587 were button bucks, and 127,461 were does. Top harvest counties for the overall deer season were Franklin with 5,786 deer harvested, Howell […]