Meet Missouri’s national spelling bee participants

In 39 days, eight Missouri students will begin competing in the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee. This year’s contest will include 209 spellers all vying for the treasured championship trophy. According to the bee, spellers will begin participating virtually in the first of three rounds on June 12. The semifinals are scheduled for June 27. […]

Senator Roy Blunt

Blunt opens application process for Missourians seeking to attend service academies

Senator Roy Blunt announced that he is accepting applications from Missourians interested in attending service academies. Nominations to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Naval Academy are available for qualified applicants. “Service academies play a critical role in educating and inspiring the next generation of servicemen and […]

Student from Bucklin places 4th in Extemporaneous Public Speaking at Missouri FFA Convention

Jacob Byers of the Bucklin FFA Chapter placed fourth in the extemporaneous public speaking leadership development event at the 93rd Missouri FFA Convention. Sixteen students from six districts were selected to compete at the state level. Byers’ advisor is Valerie Montgomery. MFA Inc. sponsors the competition, which requires contestants to deliver a speech based on […]

Missouri Teacher Shortage News Graphic

Audio: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Looks to reduce teacher shortage

Missouri is facing a teacher shortage, and for Teacher Appreciation Week, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is working to inspire more high school and college students to consider becoming educators.     Halley Russell a government teacher at Jackson High School, said the shortage is nothing new but is getting more attention with the […]

Illegal Firearms and firearm theft

Missouri man pleads guilty to multiple counts of possessing illegal firearms, drug trafficking; faces at least 20 years in prison

A Missouri man has pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple charges of illegally possessing firearms, including stolen firearms, and drug trafficking. Brandon L. Hill, 33, of Independence, Missouri, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, April 29, to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts […]

Court Gavel and Scales

Three from Albany facing felony charges of financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person

Three Albany residents accused of not bringing a vehicle to a disabled woman after taking money from her to do so have been charged in Caldwell County. Forty-two-year-old James Michael Gordon II, 36-year-old Trista Boley, and 31-year-old Christa Danielle Lycan face felony charges of financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person, stealing–$750 or more, […]