Governor Mike Parson terminated Executive Order 2002 ending the State of Emergency that had been in effect since March 13, 2020. “In the nearly 18 months we operated under this Executive Order, we have responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing unprecedented levels of resources and support,” Governor Parson said. “This Order enabled us to respond to the […]
A man from Florida has been arrested following a two-county law enforcement pursuit that began in Chillicothe. It was late Wednesday night on August 25, at 11:52 pm, when a police officer stopped a motorist for excessive speed in the 1000 block of South Washington Street. As the officer contacted the driver, the vehicle sped […]
(Missouri Independent) – Attorneys who successfully sued to force Missouri to enact voter-approved Medicaid expansion argued in a letter to state officials Thursday that delays in implementation violate not only the court order but also federal law. The plaintiffs’ attorneys, Chuck Hatfield and Lowell Pearson joined with Joel Ferber, director of advocacy for Legal Services […]
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft released the findings from an investigation pertaining to individuals who allegedly voted more than once in the 2020 general elections. Based on probable cause statements issued by Ashcroft’s office, two individuals, both of St. Charles County, voted at least twice using mail-in ballots sent to Florida and then voted in-person […]
(Missouri Independent) – The schools in Gov. Mike Parson’s hometown will continue to require students, teachers, and staff to wear masks indoors despite a lawsuit filed by the Missouri attorney general challenging public school mask mandates across the state. The Bolivar R-1 Board of Education in Polk County voted in a special meeting this month to […]
A new partnership has been launched to test Missouri teachers and students for COVID-19 on a regular basis. The Missouri Departments of Health and K-12 Education have partnered with a company called Ginkgo Bioworks to provide pooled testing through the new school year. The company will provide all the training and testing materials, […]
Hy-Vee, Inc. announces today that the flu vaccine is now available inside its more than 275 Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations, with no appointment or prescription necessary. Drive-thru flu clinics will also be offered at Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations throughout the company’s eight-state region on select days through October 30, 2021. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]
On August 23, 2021, The Empire District Gas Company (d/b/a “Liberty”) filed a request with the Missouri Public Service Commission to adjust natural gas base rates. The new rates would take effect in 2022 and reflect Liberty’s efforts to maintain a safe, reliable natural gas system, enhance the customer experience, and expand support for limited-income […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has accepted 2.8 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment into the Conservation Reserve Program in 2021. This year, almost 1.9 million acres in offers have been accepted through the General CRP Signup, and USDA’s Farm Service Agency has accepted over 897,000 acres for enrollment […]
The U.S. has its first fully approved vaccine against COVID-19, with federal health officials announcing Monday the approval of Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose vaccine. The green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to move Pfizer’s vaccine from emergency use to full approval is a milestone in the national pandemic response, and one that comes as the […]
(Missouri Independent) – Monday marks the first day of school for thousands of students across Missouri and it’s also when schools can begin enrolling in a new federally-funded testing program aimed at helping facilitate a safe return to the classroom. The Department of Health and Senior Services announced Friday evening that Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc., a […]
(Missouri Independent) – Colored hard hats distinguish different roles and jobs at Seaboard Foods, a major meatpacking plant in Guymon, Oklahoma. Senior management have green. Supervisors wear dark blue. Foreign workers on visas don yellow-green. But Seaboard is part of a small but growing trend in the meatpacking industry, which already largely relied on an […]
Organic producers and handlers can now apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture funds to assist with the cost of receiving or maintaining organic certification. Applications for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) are due Nov. 1, 2021. “USDA is here to help all producers, including those who grow our nation’s organic food and fiber. Many farmers have told […]
The Grundy R-5 Board of Education has approved a resolution for COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Masks will be optional in all school buildings for students and staff. Masks will be required for students and the driver to ride on school buses. Other strategies include social distancing when possible, extra cleaning of all surfaces, and assigned seats […]
Mosaic Life Care was recently awarded a $100,000 gift from Dan and Kerry Heckman. The gift will name Mosaic Life Care’s Cancer Care Healing Garden the “Heckman Family Healing Garden” in memory of Dan’s parents, Daniel and Carol Heckman. The Heckman’s financial support is in honor of the courageous cancer battles that Daniel and Carol […]
A series of charges and convictions were announced today in connection with an international enterprise based in Florida that operated subscription-based sexually exploitive “child modeling” websites. According to court documents, Kenneth Power (deceased at 58, of Weston), was a principal member of the Newstar Enterprise – an internet-based business aimed at the for-profit sexual exploitation […]
The abbreviated descriptions below are intended to make the public aware of some of the new legislation enacted by the Missouri General Assembly, which is related to crime and motor vehicles. The listed legislation has been signed into law. Unless otherwise noted, these laws will go into effect on August 28, 2021. SB 26 PROVISIONS […]
Trenton’s Utility Committee got the first look Tuesday evening at a preliminary engineering report regarding proposed improvements and probable costs for major improvements at the 55-year-old water treatment plant. Committee members also recommended bids be accepted for lime sludge removal and tree trimming services. Each of the three recommendations will advance to a meeting of […]
(Missouri Independent) – The first U.S. stop for the nearly 2,000 Afghan interpreters and other refugees evacuated so far amid the collapse of the Afghan government has been central Virginia’s Fort Lee military base. Tapped for its East Coast location and its ability to quickly ramp up to serve as a temporary host installation, the Army […]
The Gallatin R-5 Board of Education approved the proposed tax rate on August 16th. The total rate was set at $4.4709 per $100 of assessed valuation. That included $4.2984 for the incidental fund and $.1725 for the capital projects fund. The board approved bus routes and the Special Education Compliance Plan Part B Option A […]
