Senator Dan Hegeman

State Senator Dan Hegeman files Bill 633 regarding election integrity and reform

State Senator Dan Hegeman has pre-filed Senate Bill 633 regarding election integrity and reform. While it contains some familiar language, Hegeman said it also embraces new technology, with what he called “voter safety” in mind. The legislative proposal would allow a local election official to oversee ballot-counting machines and ensure these machines are not connected […]

Fire Safety News Graphic

Thanksgiving begins a period of higher fire risk as friends and relatives gather to celebrate the holidays

More Missourians are expected to travel and gather together this year for larger Thanksgiving and holiday celebrations after a quieter holiday season in 2020 because of COVID-19. State Fire Marshal Tim Bean is advising folks to reduce the risk of fires as we enter the five-week period of elevated fire hazards. “Thanksgiving begins a five-week […]

Credit Monitoring News Graphic

Missouri to provide credit monitoring for teachers after reporter found security flaw

(Missouri Independent) – Nearly a month after a reporter identified a security flaw in a state website that exposed teachers’ social security numbers, the state announced Wednesday it was offering a year of credit monitoring services to hundreds of thousands of teachers whose personal information was put at risk According to the Department of Elementary […]

Livingston County Health Center

Livingston County Health Center to hold COVID-19 vaccine clinic for children and adult blood draw clinic

The Livingston County Health Center will offer Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children at a clinic next week. Children at least five years old can receive the vaccine on November 10 from 3 to 4 p.m. Parents must sign for authorization to vaccinate any child younger than 18. Schedule an appointment for the children’s COVID-19 vaccine […]

Governor Parson photo courtesy Governor's office

Governor Parson doubles down on push to prosecute reporter who found security flaw in state site

(Missouri Independent) – Gov. Mike Parson escalated his war with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday when his political operation published a video doubling down on his attack against a reporter who informed the state that a state website revealed teacher Social Security numbers. The video is produced by Uniting Missouri, a political action committee created by […]

Cybersecurity graphic

Lawmaker urges Missouri governor to finally appoint cybersecurity commission

(Missouri Independent) – A day after Missouri Gov. Mike Parson garnered national criticism for his push to prosecute a newspaper reporter who discovered a security flaw in a state website, a Democratic lawmaker is urging the governor to appoint members of a cybersecurity commission created by a bill he signed in July. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch informed […]

Governor Mike Parson (Photo courtesy Missouri Governor's office

Missouri governor vows criminal prosecution of reporter who found flaw in state website

(Missouri Independent) – On Tuesday, a reporter with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch alerted the state that Social Security numbers of school teachers and administrators were vulnerable to public exposure due to flaws on a website maintained by Missouri’s department of education. The newspaper agreed to hold off publishing any story while the department fixed the problem and […]

David Patterson

Missouri Livestock Symposium names Dr. David Patterson as inaugural Achievement Award recipient

The Missouri Livestock Symposium will recognize Dr. David Patterson as the inaugural recipient of the Missouri Livestock Symposium Achievement Award. Dr. Patterson will become a member of the Missouri Livestock Symposium Hall of Fame and will be inducted at a ceremony at the Symposium on Friday evening, December 3 in Kirksville, MO. According to committee […]

Grants News Graphic

USDA invests more than $1 million to support rural Missouri businesses

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced 19 organizations statewide are being awarded a total of $1,006,698 to create jobs and increase economic opportunities throughout the state. “USDA Rural Development has worked tirelessly to support rural Missouri businesses throughout the pandemic,” said Thomas. “The Rural Business Development Grants […]

Salvation Army Seasonal Assistance

Audio: Salvation Army to take applications for Christmas assistance beginning October 18

The Salvation Army of Chillicothe will take applications by phone and in-person for Christmas assistance for the 2021 Christmas season. Spokesperson Lynda Snuffer says the office, which serves Livingston and Grundy counties, will take applications the last two weeks of October in Chillicothe and the first week of November in Trenton. The in-person locations for […]

Coronavirus Update

Grundy County Health Department reports on COVID-19 cases, announces vaccine clinics

The Grundy County Health Department reports another COVID-19-related death, bringing the total to 49. Thirty-five new COVID-19 cases have also been added since September 14th, making that total 1,654. Health Department Administrator Elizabeth Gibson notes the positivity rate for the last 14 days is 14.6%. The number of active cases went down five from September […]