The new Missouri House Speaker is moving quickly on his top priority of foster care and adoption legislation. Arnold Republican Rob Vescovo was sworn-in Wednesday at the Capitol in Jefferson City and focused on both issues during his address. He wants the Legislature to expand Missouri’s adoption tax credit. The Missouri House Children […]
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education will discuss a COVID leave hours resolution next week. The meeting will be held with the school board and administration in the district office Tuesday evening, January 12th at 5:30. Teachers and patrons can watch the meeting via Google Meet. Other items on the agenda include election filing dates, […]
The Missouri House on Wednesday elected the first Speaker in state history from eastern Missouri’s Arnold. House Speaker Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, was elected Speaker on his 44th birthday, with his wife Amanda and their five children in the chamber in Jefferson City. Education was a primary theme during Vescovo’s address to the House. He says he was […]
Chillicothe Police School Resource Officer Eric Menconi reports an abandoned vehicle was parked in the school bus drop off/pick up line of Dewey School in Chillicothe the morning of January 5th. Menconi says it caused a hazard by blocking the buses from safely unloading students at their designated stop. There was also traffic congestion at […]
GRM Networks will sponsor two high school juniors on an all-expense-paid trip to the 2021 Foundation for Rural Service Youth Tour June 5-9 in Washington, D.C. Youth representing GRM Networks will join other students representing rural telecommunication providers from across the United States as they learn about legislative and government processes and the importance of […]
Governor Mike Parson announced $46 million in child care funding to ensure child care providers can support the needs of working Missouri families, especially those with low incomes during COVID-19. “In order for Missouri to be a strong and healthy state, we must deliver essential services and support the needs of our working families, especially […]
The struggle is real for Missouri when it comes to a constant shortage of K-12 public school teachers. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) wants to ramp up its teacher workforce by seizing the opportunity in a relevant setting. Dr. Paul Katnik, the assistant commissioner of the Office of Educator Quality, says […]
The Chillicothe Kiwanis Club served 53 children during its annual “Shop With a Cop.” Chillicothe Police Chief Jon Maples reports children were not able to do the shopping this year due to the pandemic. Walmart employees did the shopping and had items ready for the children. Gifts were delivered to parents in a drive-through-style event. […]
The ability to meet basic needs is out-of-reach for many Missouri families because of the pandemic. The challenges facing households with children are detailed in a new national report. This week, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released findings for all states, using weekly Census survey data on such topics as food insecurity and housing instability. One […]
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education approved a scholarship recipient and grant requests during a meeting on Google Meet the evening of December 8th. Carly Spencer was named as the John T. Belcher Scholarship recipient. Four essays were submitted for the $250 scholarship. She will go on to compete at a regional level for a […]
The Missouri Board of Education voted Tuesday to avoid using 2021 standardized test results for state and federal accountability. Members still want the state’s K-12 public school students to take statewide tests next year, but they do not want the results to count against schools for funding and accreditation purposes. The move might lower the […]
The U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and six other federal law enforcement agencies announced the completion of the third annual Money Mule Initiative, a coordinated operation to disrupt the networks through which transnational fraudsters move the proceeds of their crimes. Money mules are individuals who assist fraudsters by receiving […]
The Pattonsburg R-2 School District will close from November 23rd through December 7th due to having a positive COVID-19 case in the building. Superintendent Bill Pottorff reports that, due to close contacts, there is not enough staff to provide services. Packets will be provided for students to continue the education process. Teachers will be in […]
Governor Mike Parson and state education director Margie Vandeven have loosened the guidelines for making students and staff quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19 if both people were properly wearing masks. Vandeven explained at a press conference Thursday: “Under the updated guidance, proper mask-wearing may now prevent individuals from being identified as close contacts in […]
The Missouri House voted Tuesday to give preliminary approval to a proposed $1.27 billion supplemental budget, a supplemental that is the reason for the special session. The supplemental budget includes funding for school nutrition programs, job training grants, $1 million for witness protection funding, and money for child support payments. Governor Mike Parson (R) called […]
(Missouri Independent) – Despite dozens of students coming forward sharing allegations of abuse they suffered at Christian reform schools across Missouri, the state Department of Social Services said Monday that they have no oversight over such facilities. That’s because they’re unlicensed — and allowed to be under a Missouri law that exempts facilities operated by religious organizations. […]
(Missouri Independent) – Cortaiga Collins doesn’t know how much longer her childcare center will survive. Only about a dozen children have been attending regularly amid the pandemic. Under normal circumstances, she used to serve as many as 100. She’s already had to reduce the hours that Good Shepherd Preschool and Infant/Toddler Center in St. Louis […]
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Missourians in the Southeast region of the state overcame these obstacles to ensure 418 children and youth have a forever family to call their own – an increase of 57 additional adoptions from last year’s numbers. The region as a whole and seven individual counties – Dunklin, Howell, Iron, New Madrid, […]
Trenton area Scouts will collect nonperishable food and household items on November 7th for their annual “Scouting for Food” campaign to benefit the Community Food Pantry of Grundy County. Items should be placed near the front door or porch and be visible from the street. Scouts and parents helping will meet at the Wesley United […]
Classes are being held as scheduled on Tuesday in the Princeton R-5 School District after officials learned on Monday that an elementary staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Superintendent Jerry Girdner Monday night reported this is the fourth positive case that the school is aware of, noting three previous COVID-19 cases have seen a full […]
