On Dec. 10, 2021, severe storms and six confirmed tornadoes in Missouri killed two people and destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes and buildings, as well as 20 large transmission towers and lines that move power between Missouri and Arkansas. The storm system serves as another reminder that deadly tornadoes can strike any time of […]
(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden formally announced the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday afternoon. “President Biden sought a candidate with exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character, and unwavering dedication to the rule of law,” the White House said in a statement. If confirmed by the Senate, Jackson, 51, […]
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 […]
Candidates filed at the Secretary of State’s Office in Jefferson City on February 22nd for state and U. S. offices. Filing for the Missouri House of Representatives for District 2 was Randy Railsback of Hamilton and Mazzie Boyd of Hamilton. For District 3, Danny Busick of Newtown and Gary M. Ewing of Powersville filed. For […]
Candidates filed at the Secretary of State’s Office in Jefferson City on February 22nd for state and U. S. offices. Filing for the Missouri House of Representatives for District 2 were Randy Railsback of Hamilton and Mazzie Boyd of Hamilton. For District 3, Danny Busick of Newtown and Gary M. Ewing of Powersville filed. Peggy […]
Missouri Independent) – In mid-December, Texas’ highest criminal court revoked the state attorney general’s ability to use his office to prosecute election-related cases without the request of a district or county attorney. In an 8-1 opinion, the all-Republican court weakened Attorney General Ken Paxton’s power to independently go after perpetrators of voter fraud, a problem he says […]
A woman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to communicate Restricted Data related to the design of nuclear-powered warships. Her husband pleaded guilty to the same offense on Monday, Feb. 14. Diana Toebbe, 46, of Annapolis, Maryland, was arrested on Oct. 9, 2021, for knowingly and voluntarily joining a conspiracy with her husband, Jonathan Toebbe, to communicate […]
(Missouri Independent) – A controversial Missouri gun law that penalizes police for enforcing federal gun laws is facing a new legal challenge from the U.S. Justice Department. On Wednesday, the department filed suit to prevent Missouri from enforcing its Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA), a law that allows citizens to file suit for up to […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s state health department has applied to oversee federal family planning funds, a move reproductive health advocates fear would give the state power to cut off funding for providers who refer patients for abortion services. During his confirmation hearing late last month, former Department of Health and Senior Services Director Donald Kauerauf’s […]
The Gallatin Board of Aldermen approved bids for a skid loader and roof repairs on February 14th. The purchase of a Cat skid loader was approved from Foley Equipment for $88,951.15 with an extended warranty and delivery in one week. Three other bids were submitted and ranged in price from $61,000 to $74,538.62 for other […]
(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published as a collaboration between Investigate Midwest and Watchdog Writers Group. The American Farm Bureau Federation calls itself the “voice of agriculture,” a slogan it trademarked in 2007. But as the divide between agribusiness and small farmers has grown in recent decades, a unified voice of agriculture has become harder to […]
A representative from the North Central Missouri Electric Cooperative in Milan reports electricity was out in Milan on Friday morning, February 11 when the top of a power pole caught fire. The pole was located at Infirmary Road and Highway 5 near the Milan Christian Church. Electricity went out at approximately 7 am, and the […]
(Missouri Independent) – In a case that grew out of a law making it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion after eight weeks, the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday said those seeking to force a referendum on new laws can begin collecting signatures as soon as the bill is passed. The ruling threw […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, along with 23 other states, submitted a comment to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and the Army Corps of Engineers opposing the Biden Administration’s proposed rule that would revise the Waters of the United States rule and subject Missouri’s farmers and ranchers to strict government regulation. “Missouri’s farmers and […]
Some Missouri Republican lawmakers are working to make it harder for voters to get an initiative on the ballot. A bill aimed at changing the ballot initiative process advanced Monday evening in the House of Representatives. It would require signatures of 10-percent from all Missouri’s congressional districts from the current requirement of 10-percent of voters […]
(Missouri Independent) – Hundreds of custodians, clerks, and cooks working for state agencies would not get the raises Missouri Gov. Mike Parson promised in December under a spending bill approved Monday by the House Budget Committee. On a party-line vote, with Republicans supporting the bill and Democrats opposed, the committee approved a spending bill that sets […]
(Missouri Independent) – The closure of Save A Lot in Pagedale left a hole in northern St. Louis County. Beyond Housing, a community-building group that serves about two dozen cities in the area had worked through the Great Recession to bring a grocery store closer to low-income residents in a part of the St. Louis area dotted with […]
(Missouri Independent) – Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s record on China is once again coming under fire, with a political action committee supporting one of his rivals in the GOP Senate primary launching an attack ad during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics Team PAC, which was formed to support the U.S. Senate candidacy of former […]
(Missouri Independent) – A Cole County judge kept intact most of the ballot summary Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft wrote for an initiative petition seeking to bar public funds from going to private schools. On Wednesday, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem ruled that Ashcroft was correct to say in the summary that the […]
Some lawmakers in Jefferson City are pushing forward bills that would limit citizens’ ability to put constitutional amendments on the ballot. The proposed legislation would double the number of signatures required to get on the ballot and raise the thresholds to pass them from a majority to two-thirds. Benjamin Singer, CEO of the group Show-Me Integrity, noted […]
