USDA US Department of Agriculture

USDA announces 2022 cotton loan rate differentials

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation today announced the 2022 crop loan rate differentials for upland and extra-long staple cotton which are applied to the crop loan rate to determine the per bale actual loan rate. The differentials, also referred to as loan rate premiums and discounts were calculated based on market valuations […]

Power of Attorney, Living Will and Estate plan

Missouri attorneys say you should make your end-of-life care wishes known

Saturday is National Health Care Decisions Day, and groups in Missouri urged residents to make a plan for their end-of-life care in case they are not able to express their wishes. Some 120,000 Missourians age 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia in older adults. John Grimm, president of the […]

Family and friends developmentally disabled

Families and Friends of the Developmentally Disabled to meet next week

The Families and Friends of the Developmentally Disabled will discuss background check information next week. A meeting will be at the east entrance of the Grundy County Courthouse in Trenton on April 11th at 6:30 pm. Other items on the agenda include policy and procedure, a transportation report, The Gifted Disability Team of Grundy County, […]

A gavel and a name plate with the engraving Lawsuit

Missouri, Arizona and Louisiana sue Biden administration for rescinding Title 42

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry are suing the Biden Administration for rescinding the public health policy, Title 42, during the worst border crisis in decades. The revocation will result in an unprecedented crisis at the United States southern border that will have a devastating […]

Abortion Graphic

Missouri House blocks effort to limit access to out-of-state abortions

(Missouri Independent) – A bill that would make it a felony to donate fetal tissue from abortions for research or therapies won first-round approval in the Missouri House Tuesday, but lawmakers blocked an effort to make it illegal to help women obtain an abortion outside the state. The bill sponsored by Rep. Hannah Kelly, R-Mountain Grove, […]

Missouri State Highway Patrol Website New 2021 (MSHP)

Missouri State Highway Patrol is now accepting applications to become a trooper

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is now testing for new troopers. The Patrol is encouraging qualified individuals of all backgrounds to apply and will offer testing at nine different locations in Missouri. Those who successfully complete testing will be eligible to continue in the selection process for the 117th Recruit Class, scheduled to begin training […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson photo courtesy Wikipedia

Senate winds up grueling Supreme Court hearings on Ketanji Brown Jackson nomination

(Missouri Independent) –  Representatives of the American Bar Association reiterated their finding that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is well qualified to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, and law enforcement groups rebutted GOP accusations Jackson is soft on child pornographers during the final day of Jackson’s confirmation hearings Thursday. Republicans, however, called in witnesses to […]

Demonstrators stand outside of the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City (Photo by Tessa Weinberg - Missouri Independent).

Medicaid enrollment backlog persists as advocates say Missouri could be doing more

(Missouri Independent) – Applying for health insurance through Medicaid expansion took Raven Cole just 10 minutes. But the wait to see if she’s approved has dragged on for months. The 23-year-old legal assistant applied for coverage, “well over two to three months ago.” “And I haven’t heard anything back,” Cole said. Cole is one of […]

Newtown-Harris School Website

Newtown-Harris Board of Education approves 2022-2023 school calendar,

The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education last week approved the 2022-2023 school calendar. The first day of school will be August 23rd, and the last day is scheduled for May 26th, 2023. A calendar adjustment was approved for 2021-2022. Superintendent Doctor Lucas McKinnis reports a professional development day was moved from April 18th to April […]

Smithfield Food Logo

Missouri fines CAFO, owned by Smithfield Foods, $18,000 for polluting streams with 300,000 gallons of waste

(Missouri Independent) – Regulators ordered an industrial hog farm in northern Missouri to pay more than $18,000 for spilling 300,000 gallons of manure into miles of nearby streams.  An advocate for environmentally responsible agriculture called that “pathetic,” noting the fine amounted to less than $0.04 per gallon of waste spilled.  “You’re talking about a multi-billion […]

Princeton R-5 School District website 2021 -2022

Princeton Board of Education approves general obligation bond refunding

The Board of Education of the Princeton R-V School District of Mercer County, Missouri approved a parameters resolution at a regular meeting on November 8, 2021, that authorized a final terms committee consisting of Rick Ellsworth, Board President, Jerry Girdner, Superintendent, and Larry J. Hart, CEO of L.J. Hart & Company. The resolution approved the […]

2021 City of Chillicothe website 2021

Chillicothe City Council meeting agenda on January 31st includes two ordinances

The Chillicothe City Council will hold a workshop and regular meeting in the Chillicothe Municipal Utilities meeting room on January 31, 2022. The council may discuss city finances at the workshop that evening at 5 pm. Two ordinances will be discussed at the regular meeting at 5:30. One ordinance would amend the city code by […]

Photo of turkeys courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation

Apply online during February for Missouri Department of Conservation spring managed turkey hunts

Missouri turkey hunters can apply online during February for 2022 spring turkey-managed hunts through the Missouri Department of Conservation website.  Managed hunt details and application procedures are outlined on the webpage. Drawing results will be posted starting March 15. The spring turkey hunting youth portion will be April 9 and 10 with the regular spring […]

Coronavirus Update

COVID-related deaths reported in Grundy and Caldwell counties; area health departments report on new COVID cases

The Grundy County Health Department reports another COVID-19-related death. That brings the total to 62 since the pandemic began. There have also been 78 new cases added since January 13th, raising that total to 2,181. Seventy-eight cases are active. The Grundy County Health Department asks residents who test positive for COVID-19 with a home test […]

Gallatin High School Website

Gallatin Board of Education accepts resignations

The Gallatin R-5 Board of Education accepted two resignations after a closed session on January 19th. The resignations were from Superintendent Secretary Lesli Lin and Special Education Teacher Vickie France. They will be effective at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. During the regular meeting, the board approved entering into a one-year contract to […]

Gallatin Missouri High School FInal

Gallatin Board of Education to consider approval of sports cooperative with Jamesport at Wednesday meeting

The Gallatin R-5 Board of Education on January 19, 2022. will consider approval of cooperative baseball and junior high and high school football with the Jamesport Tri-County School District. A meeting is scheduled to be in the Gallatin High School library at 6 pm. Board Secretary Vicki Corwin notes the meeting may be moved to […]

Audit Graphic

Caldwell County receives “Good” rating from Missouri State Auditor

State Auditor Nicole Galloway announced that her office has issued a rating of “good” in a regularly scheduled audit of Caldwell County, located in northwest Missouri. A December 2016 audit of Caldwell County also issued an overall rating of “good.” Auditors found that controls and procedures at the Caldwell County Detention Center in Kingston need improvement. The […]