Mentally disabled woman and nurse or caretaker wearing a surgica

Missouri launches apprenticeships for direct-support professionals

Missouri is launching an apprenticeship program to expand talent pipelines for Direct Support Professionals, who work with people with developmental disabilities. The Show-Me State, like many others, is facing a serious direct-care workforce shortage. To answer the need, the program Missouri Talent Pathways was recently approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Duane Shumate, the state coordinator […]

Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority website or MSASBDA

Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority announces funding of projects

The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority announced it has invested more than $2 million in projects that increase the distribution and use of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel in the State of Missouri. Expenses incurred during the construction, installation, upgrade, or retrofit of fuel dispensers/pumps, storage tanks, and other infrastructure located in Missouri […]

Grain Belt Express News Graphic

Missouri Senate committee takes up bill targeting Grain Belt Express transmission line

(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri Senate is poised to take up a long-running effort to stymie the Grain Belt Express, a massive transmission line meant to carry wind energy from southwest Kansas across three states.  The $2 billion project would carry 4,000 megawatts of energy, dropping some off in Missouri before ending at the Illinois-Indiana […]

Trenton Water Treatment Plant

Temporary changes to water disinfection begin April 4th at TMU Water Treatment Plant in Trenton

The Trenton Municipal Utilities Water Treatment Plant will begin utilizing free chlorine, or a free chlorine conversion, in its water system on April 4th. The change entails feeding free chlorine, instead of chloramines, as the disinfectant leaves the water treatment plant. It will last three to six weeks. The change will affect customers of TMU, […]

Drinking Water Fountain (Photo by Sean Musil on Unsplash)

Missouri House bill would cut down on poisonous lead in school drinking water

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri children would be better protected from lead poisoning under a state legislative bill to require schools to nearly rid their drinking water of the dangerous toxin. The bill, heard Monday by the House Conservation and Natural Resources Committee, would require schools to test drinking water, remove old coolers and filter water where […]

Grundy County R-5 School District website

Grundy County Board of Education accepts window replacement bid, approves bid for central air installation

The Grundy County R-5 Board of Education on March 17th accepted bids for work at the elementary school. One bid was from Kramer Contracting to replace 37 windows in the building for $46,880. It was the only bid submitted. That work is to be completed this summer.  Another bid was from Wyatt Heating and Cooling […]

Ryleah Ishmael and Parker Whitacre (Booking photos courtesy Trenton Police Department)

Two area residents arrested on drug-related offenses

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of two area residents on March 15th on drug-related charges. Twenty-year-old Ryleah Rayven Ishmael of Tindall has been charged with the felonies of possession of a controlled substance and delivery or possession of a controlled substance at a county or private jail or correctional center except with […]

7-year-old Piper Johnson and mother Valerie Jean Baker who is believed to have taken the child

Missing 7-year-old girl taken by mom during supervised visit in St. Charles County

The Saint Charles County Police Department has issued an Endangered Person Advisory for a missing person incident that occurred at 10 Fiddlecreek Ridge Road at 3:30 P.M. on March 7, 2022. Missing is seven-year-old Piper Johnson a white female, height 3’0″, 55 lbs, brown hair, blue eyes, fair complexion, wearing a white t-shirt with a […]

Generic City Water

Amount of copper and lead in water lines to have significant impact on operation of Trenton Municipal Utilities

At Monday night’s meeting of the Trenton City Council, Utility Director Ron Urton presented information that he says will have a significant future impact on Trenton Municipal Utilities, particularly with operations, projects, and funding. Urton said he’s been viewing webinars on the new EPA lead and copper rule regarding underground mains. Urton indicated an inventory […]

Oliver Vandevender booking photo

Trenton man charged with possession of methamphetamine

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Department reports the arrest of 48-year-old Oliver Eugene Vandevender of Trenton. Charges were filed in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. From Friday, February 25, Vandevender is accused of felony possession of methamphetamine and felony unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia described as a glass smoking pipe. He’s also charged […]

Russian Military via Wikipedia

How the Ukraine invasion could affect you: Higher food, gas prices, risk of recession

(Missouri Independent) – Americans may be tempted to view the war in Ukraine as an unfortunate, but far away, crisis. As an economist, I know the world is too connected for the U.S. to go unaffected. On Feb. 22, 2022, President Joe Biden warned Americans that a Russian invasion of Ukraine – and U.S. efforts to thwart or […]

Graphic of factory emitting CO2

Landowner rights at the center of Iowa’s carbon pipeline debate

Eminent-domain concerns are a focal point as Iowa considers the idea of allowing underground pipelines to transfer carbon dioxide for storage. Summit Carbon Solutions recently filed its initial permit request with state regulators. If approved, the pipeline would run through several states to gather carbon from ethanol plants, eventually storing it underground in North Dakota. As […]

EPA or Environmental Protection Agency website

EPA announces availability of $20 million to reduce lead in drinking water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $20 million in available grant funding to assist communities and schools with removing sources of lead in drinking water. This grant funding, and additional funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help make rapid progress on the goal of addressing lead and removing lead pipes across the country. “A […]