State Auditor Nicole Galloway has released an audit of Ralls County, located in northeast Missouri, that finds improvements are needed to the property tax system and to other areas of county government. The report gave a rating of “fair.” “Our audit found several areas where improvements would help ensure greater accountability for the taxpayers of […]
(Missouri Independent) – State health director Donald Kauerauf adamantly spoke against mandating face masks and COVID-19 vaccines during a hearing Monday, as anti-vaccination demonstrators protested his confirmation in the halls outside. While protesters chanted outside the Capitol hearing room, senators inside grilled Kauerauf for nearly two hours on his views on how best to mitigate […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced his Office has begun filing motions for temporary restraining orders in his lawsuits against school districts illegally enforcing mask mandates. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office filed suit against 45 school districts for continuing to enforce mask mandates. The Office filed motions for temporary restraining orders in the lawsuits against […]
Camp Rainbow will hold its annual chili, soup, and cinnamon roll fundraiser next week. The take-out only event will be at the Chillicothe Elks Lodge at 401 Harvester Road on February 5th from 11 to 2 o’clock. Free will donations will be accepted for choices of chili, soup, and cinnamon rolls. Food will be served […]
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office is suing 45 K-12 public school districts around the state for what it calls illegally enforcing mask mandates. All of Missouri’s charter schools have mask requirements but they are not being sued. Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, cites a recent Cole County Court ruling he […]
A Missouri woman previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment and ordered to pay $7,520,779.00 in restitution. Brandy McKay, 42, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri appeared before United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark on January 18, 2022. According to the plea agreement, between 2017 and 2019, McKay owned or managed multiple […]
(Missouri Independent) – A circuit judge will determine whether St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is entitled to claim privilege for her communications with political donors and key figures in the 2018 investigation of former Gov. Eric Greitens, the Eastern District Missouri Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. The court affirmed a 2020 decision by St. Louis […]
(Missouri Independent) – St. Louis hospitals straining to keep up with a record-breaking number of COVID-19 cases will get some relief in the form of a military medical team. A 40-member team will begin arriving at BJC-Christian Hospital in North St. Louis County on Wednesday, a news release from BJC HealthCare stated. The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri is continuing to see record daily coronavirus infections, near-peak COVID-19 caseloads in hospitals, and threats from Attorney General Eric Schmitt that he will sue school districts that require masks or send students home when they are infected or exposed to the virus. In a statement issued Tuesday morning, Schmitt said school mask rules […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt released the following statement addressing school districts that continue to illegally enforce mask mandates and quarantine orders despite the recent Cole County ruling. “School districts have never been given the authority by the legislature to enact public health orders like mask mandates or quarantine orders – the recent […]
(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration on Friday launched a new website for Americans to request up to four free COVID-19 tests per household. The administration is buying 1 billion at-home rapid COVID-19 tests, and Americans will be able to begin ordering the tests online on Jan. 19 at COVIDtests.gov. This is part of the administration’s effort […]
(Missouri Independent) – Proposals that would bar COVID-19 vaccine mandates and provide greater exemptions for vaccinations more broadly faced a wave of opposition from Missouri business groups Wednesday. Representatives for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Associated Industries of Missouri, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and other business associations made clear to lawmakers […]
A Missouri, man who faces murder charges in state court was sentenced in federal court on multiple charges of illegally possessing firearms, including stolen firearms, and drug trafficking. Brandon L. Hill, 33, of Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole. On April 29, 2021, Hill […]
(Missouri Independent) – If school districts want to take advantage of a lower interest rate on bonds, Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick is requiring them to certify compliance with a recent court ruling targeting local health orders before his office will approve of the deal. Fitzpatrick detailed the decision he described as “unprecedented” in an interview Wednesday […]
(Missouri Independent) – As a growing number of Missouri school districts drop COVID mitigation measures under threat from Attorney General Eric Schmitt, at least two closed the doors on their fall semester early due to large numbers of staff and students out sick. Meanwhile, local public health departments said Tuesday they still have not heard […]
St. Louis and County and Jackson County are returning legal fire after Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt sued to have the mask mandates effectively outlawed. A Missouri judge last month invalidated many orders, including mask mandates, from the state Department of Health and Senior Services. The counties are appealing the ruling. If an […]
(Missouri Independent) – Jackson and St. Louis Counties requested Monday that they be permitted to intervene and appeal a recent court ruling that they argue has “upended the longstanding public health framework” in Missouri. In a filing submitted Monday afternoon and obtained by The Independent, the two counties asked Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel […]
Counsel for County Executive, Sam Page, and St. Louis County announced at a court hearing that the defendants are “rescinding” their illegal mask mandate in St. Louis County. “My Office has been on the forefront of fighting mask mandates across the state, and we have vigorously litigated against St. Louis County’s illegal mask mandates. Attorneys […]
BB’s Down Home Cookin’ at 200 Park Street in Gallatin will serve free dinner on Christmas Day. A spokesperson says food will be delivered starting at 10 am, or individuals can come to the restaurant to dine in from 11 am to 4 pm. The dinner will include turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is asking parents for help in identifying school districts that are continuing to violate a recent Cole County Circuit Court order. Parents are urged to reach out directly to the Attorney General’s Office if their school district is continuing to enforce mask mandates, quarantines, and other similar COVID-19 public health […]
