Chillicothe Department of Conservation Sign

Department of Conservation closes Chillicothe and St. Joseph offices to the public due to rising COVID-19 concerns

The Missouri Department of Conservation has closed the St. Joseph and Chillicothe offices to the public due to rising COVID-19 concerns. MDC staff will still be able to answer phone calls to those offices. Sales of 2021 Natural Events Calendars will continue if arrangements by phone are made for contactless pickup outside the buildings. MDC […]

Newtown-Harris School Website

Newtown-Harris Board of Education discusses 4-day school week

The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education the evening of December 14th approved Missouri Consultants for Education as its service provider for district policies, regulations, and forms. There was discussion of the results of a four-day week teacher survey, COVID-19, and shifting contracted transportation pay to payroll for full-time employees. The board reviewed the district report […]

Coronavirus Stimulus Payment Graphic

Audio: Missouri Senator Josh Hawley teams up with Senator Bernie Sanders on stimulus package

U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are introducing a bipartisan amendment to attach to must-pass legislation to be considered by Congress, which would provide $1,200 in direct payments to working-class adults and $500 to each of their children. This amendment, similar to what was passed in the CARES Act, would be attached to must-pass […]

Crime and Courts

Grundy County, Division One, court news for Thursday, December 10, 2020

Several defendants received a sentence with others receiving probation following appearances Thursday in Division One of the Grundy County Circuit Court. Trenton resident Christopher James Warren pleaded guilty to felony drug possession/synthetic cannabinoid as of November 20th. Warren was sentenced to five years with the department of corrections. Another charge was dismissed. Polo resident Julie […]

Court News graphic

Additional cases in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court on Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Among additional cases processed Tuesday in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court, a Galt resident, Ryan Mitchell Hutcherson was placed on probation after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated persistent offender. He was sentenced to six months at the Grundy County Detention Center which was then suspended by the court and replaced with […]

Grundy County Courthouse Trenton Missouri

Grundy County Commission approves additional COVID-19 relief funds; culverts ordered to replenish inventory

The Grundy County Commission approved COVID-19 Relief Fund allocations for eight entities on December 8th. The Spickard R-2 School District was approved for $21,115.04, the Laredo R-7 School District $891.94, the Pleasant View R-6 School District $26,406.85, the Grundy County R-5 School District $30,720.28, Grundy County $8,162.46, the City of Trenton $1,845, North Central Missouri […]

School Bus Picking up kids (children)

Audio: Northern Missouri Senator proposes to limit pay for Missouri’s K-12 public school superintendents

State Senator Cindy O’Laughlin of northern Missouri’s Shelbina wants to limit pay for Missouri’s K-12 public school superintendents. Under a bill she has pre-filed, total compensation could not exceed 3.5 times the average total compensation provided to all certified, full-time teachers employed by the district. Missouri has about 551 public and charter schools. The Missouri […]

Prison Sentence News Graphic

Arkansas project manager sentenced to two years in prison in connection with COVID-19 relief fraud

A project manager employed by a major retailer was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for fraudulently seeking more than $8 million in forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. […]

Medical Marijuana

Medical marijuana subpoena may have been connected to Independence, Missouri FBI probe

(Missouri Independent) – The head of Missouri’s medical marijuana program testified under oath that a grand jury subpoena his agency received late last year was likely connected to an FBI investigation in Independence.  The revelation by Lyndall Fraker, director of medical marijuana regulation at the Missouri Department of Health and Seniors Services, is the first […]

School Funding

Audio: $76 Million in to be deployed to Missouri’s K-12 schools, once Governor signs supplemental budget

About $76 million in federal money will be heading to Missouri’s k-12 schools, once Governor Mike Parson signs the supplemental budget bill. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, says the $1.27 billion supplemental budget includes $75.6 million for school nutrition services.     “i.e., paying for meals in k-12 education,” Smith says. “So this […]

Business finance and economy concept

Census survey reveals COVID-19’s devastating impact in Missouri

(Missouri Independent) – Hundreds of thousands of Missourians are struggling to get by during our coronavirus public health emergency, including children, according to the recently released U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey. While 40.8 percent of Missouri households report losing income since March, families with children under 18 have been especially impacted, with 51.4 percent reporting […]