State health officials say about 18 percent of Missourians have received COVID vaccinations. Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth has the updated numbers. The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says Missouri vaccinators have now administered more than one-point-seven million COVID shots, which includes the first and second doses. That’s 18-point-three percent of Missouri’s […]
Tag: officials
Groundbreaking for Caldwell County’s Little Otter Creek Reservoir set for March 19, 2021
The final permits to begin construction on Little Otter Creek Reservoir were issued in late October 2020. Bud Motsinger, Presiding Commissioner of Caldwell County credits the success of this endeavor to the patience and support of the Citizens of Caldwell County and the hard work of present and past Commissioners, as well as elected officials […]
Daviess County Sheriff’s Department reports suspect who fled crash on Monday has been apprehended
The Daviess County Sheriff’s Department has reported the apprehension of the suspect who allegedly fled the scene of a Monday traffic accident on Interstate 35. It was about noon on Wednesday when officials from several departments mobilized in the Civil Bend area to conduct a “grid search” for 28-year-old Bradley DeWayne Taylor. The sheriff’s office […]
Roy Blunt is out. So who’s in? A list of possible Missouri GOP senate candidates
(Missouri Independent) – Roy Blunt’s decision not to seek a third term in the U.S. Senate will have cascading effects across Missouri’s political universe. The state has no shortage of ambitious Republican officials, each of whom can make a legitimate claim at being the strongest candidate. So will the 2022 GOP primary turn into a […]
Senator Hawley along with lawmakers from Arkansas, Tennessee and Nebraska introduce bill imposing sanctions on drug cartels
U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) introduced the Significant Transnational Criminal Organization Designation Act, legislation that would subject certain foreign criminal organizations like drug cartels to sanctions, including immigration, financial, and criminal penalties. The process would be similar to the system used for designating entities as […]
City of Forsyth receives “Poor” audit rating; audit highlights city’s poor oversight and accounting procedures
An audit of the City of Forsyth released today by State Auditor Nicole Galloway gives a rating of “poor” after finding numerous concerns, including more than $1,400 missing from the city’s vault and another $2,000 in utility deposits that were received but never deposited. In addition to the missing money, the audit also found that […]
Trenton City Council approves purchase of equipment and software regarding utility meters
Two ordinances were adopted and a bid was accepted during Monday night’s meeting of the Trenton City Council. One ordinance allows Anixter Incorporated of Glenview, Illinois to provide equipment and software regarding the installation of the two-way communication system with utility meters and other devices in Trenton. A bid involving the meter reading system was […]
State agriculture officials recommend enhancements to USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to support the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers to Families Food Box program and recommend adjustments to improve the program’s effectiveness. “The Farmers to Families Food Box program has been a critical tool during the COVID-19 pandemic […]
Grundy County Commission votes to revise policy on county employees residency requirement
The Grundy County Commission has voted to remove from the policy book that Grundy County employees have to live in the county to work in the county. Elected officials, by statute, must live in Grundy County for at least one year before holding an office. They must also be a registered voter.
DEA Warning: Scammers impersonating agents are stealing identities and money
The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the public of a widespread fraud scheme in which telephone scammers impersonate DEA agents in an attempt to extort money or steal personal identifiable information. A new public service announcement aims to raise awareness that DEA will never phone demanding money or asking for personal information. There are variations […]
Audio: Governor Parson announces plan for Johnson and Johnson vaccine
Governor Mike Parson has announced that 10 percent of Missouri’s 50,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be sent to the state’s two biggest urban centers. 5,000 doses will be sent to targeted vaccination sites in St. Louis and Kansas City, and 10,000 will be allocated to regional mass vaccination events. The remaining vaccines […]
After outrage over unused vaccines at rural clinics, Parson vows more KC, STL events
(Missouri Independent) – Last week, multiple mass vaccination events in rural areas neared the end of the day with hundreds of doses still on hand — prompting health departments to take to social media and encourage anyone to come for fear doses would be wasted. “We have ample vaccine still available that needs to be […]
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 […]
Statewide Severe Weather Tornado Drill set for Tuesday, March 2, 2021
On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at 10:00 AM, State Emergency Management and the National Weather Service will conduct a Statewide Severe Weather Tornado Drill. Every school, citizen, and business are encouraged to participate in the drill. The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill will issue a test tornado warning as part of the drill. Local warning […]
Missouri cities, counties in line for millions from federal COVID relief bill
(Missouri Independent) – The plan for distributing money directly to Missouri counties in the current version of the $1.9 trillion federal coronavirus relief bill is pretty simple – each gets $195.44 per person. But for cities, instead of a formula based on population, Congress divvies up the money using the method for determining Community Development Block Grant allocations. […]
Missouri in line for $4.5 billion from federal stimulus bill
(Missouri Independent) – Last spring, as Missouri businesses shed hundreds of thousands of jobs, Gov. Mike Parson warned that the state was headed for the worst financial crunch since the 2008 recession. Ten months later, Parson presented a budget plan that anticipates a $1.1 billion surplus on July 1, the biggest in state history. And if the $1.9 trillion pandemic […]
Missouri State Auditor releases report on seizures by law enforcement
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a compilation of property seizures made under Missouri’s Criminal Activity Forfeiture Act (CAFA) in 2020. The Auditor’s report shows law enforcement officials seized an estimated $4.2 million worth of property in 502 seizures. In 2019, law enforcement officials seized approximately $5.9 million worth of property in 493 seizures. […]
Audio: New cases of COVID-19 currently trending down in Missouri
Missouri is now on a positive streak when it comes to reporting COVID-19 cases. State health officials announced 598 cases on Wednesday, making the 6th straight day of fewer than 1,000 cases reported. That hasn’t happened since July 9-13 of last year. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says the state […]
Audio: All state offices closed in Missouri on Tuesday
The winter storm battering all of Missouri has forced officials to close all state offices today (Tuesday). It’s due to the snowstorm and to hazardous road conditions. The National Weather Service (NWS) has been urging Missourians to stay off the roads, if possible. The current plan is to reopen state offices tomorrow (Wednesday) […]
Audio: Missouri House Government Oversight Committee to vote Monday on unemployment overpayment legislation
Missouri lawmakers in both parties say residents who received unemployment overpayments due to the state’s mistake should be able to keep that money. The Missouri House Government Oversight Committee is set to vote Monday on several bipartisan bills, requiring state Labor officials to waive non-fraudulent unemployment overpayments. State Labor director Anna Hui has […]