The Biden administration has taken the first steps in the regulatory process to eliminate the domestic gag rule, which forced more than 900 reproductive-health clinics nationwide to leave the Title X family-planning program and lose major amounts of funding. Rachel Fey, vice president for policy and strategic partnerships at the contraceptive-access advocacy group Power to Decide, said the […]
The Missouri House debated Tuesday a bill that could include a provision limiting who transgender high school athletes can compete against. The amendment, offered by Rocheport Republican Representative Chuck Basye, proposes to only allow the students to play in coed or sex-separated sports based upon their biological sex. Kansas City Democrat Maggie Nurrenbern […]
(Missouri Independent) – Help may be coming for Missouri homeowners behind on their mortgage payments because of COVID-19 income losses. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday added $150 million in federal mortgage assistance funds to the supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year, one of several new sections using money from pandemic relief bills passed by Congress […]
(Missouri Independent) – On the heels of a historic cold snap that left thousands across the Midwest without power, Kansas and Missouri residents could soon reap the benefits of a massive high-powered transmission line delivering renewable energy. Grain Belt Express, a project a decade in the making, is starting to acquire land along its route spanning […]
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the Bust Up Big Tech Act, new legislation to restore accountability and competition to Big Tech. Senator Hawley’s bill would break up Big Tech companies seeking to dominate multiple industries simultaneously, by banning companies like Amazon from marketing their own retail goods alongside those of other sellers or providing online hosting or cloud services to an ever-growing swath of the internet—including competitors. The […]
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced his office recently approved for circulation two initiative petitions amending the Missouri Constitution. Before circulating petitions for signatures, state law requires that groups must first have the form of their petition approved by the secretary of state’s office. The office then has 23 days after the form of the […]
Plans are underway for the 2021 Missouri Days Marching Festival in Trenton set for Saturday, October 16th. “This year will be special in many ways,” reports Phil Ray, speaking on behalf of the Marching Festival Steering Committee. “With the cancellation of last year’s festival resulting in the staging of a virtual marching festival, we fully […]
The Chillicothe Fire Department responded to a structure fire at a two-story apartment building the night of April 16th. Captain Derrick Allen reports firefighters saw heavy flames and smoke coming from second-story apartment number 3 when they arrived at 444 Jackson. A transitional attack was used, and the fire was knocked down from the outside. […]
Jenna Hasekamp, a member of the Audrain County F&L Hustlers 4-H Club, is helping to pioneer Missouri community College teams’ participation at livestock judging contests. This fall, Hasekamp will join North Central Missouri College’s livestock judging team, which started last fall and is currently the only Missouri community college team competing in livestock judging. “Jenna […]
(Missouri Independent) – As bills expanding charter schools and creating new scholarship accounts for private school tuition make their way through the process, one piece of legislation is trying to give students more options within the public schools that already exist. House Bill 543, sponsored by Rep. Brad Pollitt, R-Sedalia, would establish the “Public School […]
(Missouri Independent) – Use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot will remain paused for at least a week after a federal vaccine advisory panel said Wednesday that it had too little data on a rare but serious blood-clotting condition reported in at least six women. That means states and federally run vaccine sites will […]
Information has been released from executive sessions of the Chillicothe City Council. An ordinance was approved on March 18th authorizing an employment agreement with Darin Chappell. City Clerk Roze Frampton explains City Administrator Chappell’s contract was renewed for three years with an automatic one-year extension after that, so it will go through March 31st, 2025. […]
An hour of your time could save a life as the University of Missouri Extension will offer free one-hour suicide prevention training sessions online in April and May. QPR Gatekeeper Training helps participants “question, persuade and refer” someone who may be suicidal, says MU Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch. QPR was created in […]
The Laredo Lions Club will hold a Dine In or Dine Out Breakfast Fundraiser April 17th to benefit local and worldwide Lions projects. Food will be served at the Laredo Community Center from 8 to 1 o’clock. The menu includes pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy, fruit, coffee, and juice. A free-will offering will be taken. […]
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education heard several reports on April 13, 2021. One report was on the At-Risk Evaluation. Trenton High School Assistant Principal John Cowling said the Trenton High School/Trenton Middle School Academic Lab has served 40 high school students and eight middle school students this academic year. Four of the high school […]
The Princeton R-5 Board of Education heard an update on April 12 on a Department of Natural Resources grant involving a ball field project. The school district, Princeton Ball Association, and the City of Princeton are working together on the grant. The application is for a matching grant that will fund a $250,000 match. The […]
The Laredo R-7 Board of Education on April 12th approved a salary proposal that increased the base rate. The base was raised by $1,700 to $31,000. Steps 21 to 30 will be $550. The career ladder will be replaced with hourly tutoring rates. The rates will be $20 per hour for one to five-year probationary […]
The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education approved offering contracts to non-certified staff members on April 12th. Non-certified staff will receive a two-point-five percent salary increase. The supplemental pay schedule was accepted for 2021-2022. Resignations were accepted from Lisa Prichard with the library, Katie Crabtree for business, and Dana Smith for math. Nine staff members […]
The Missouri Department of Conservation will offer two workshops on morel mushrooms in northeast Missouri in April. One of Missouri’s most favored mushroom species emerges this month. Learn where to look for, and how to identify edible spring mushrooms, as well as species to avoid. An in-person workshop will take place Tuesday, April 13, from […]
Women involved in agriculture can learn how to strengthen their farming operation and network with other women in the industry at a free online Annie’s Project course presented by the University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for Agriculture, Food, and Forestry. Annie’s Project provides women with education in production, […]
