Audio: Missouri Senate gives initial approval to effort to freeze property tax rates for senior citizens

The Missouri Senate has given initial approval to a proposal that would ask voters to freeze residential property tax assessments for senior citizens. State Senator Steven Roberts, a Democrat from St. Louis, is co-sponsoring the proposed ballot measure.     One more vote of support would send the proposal to the House.

Medicaid Expansion in Missouri

Senate committee approves bill that could overturn Missouri Medicaid expansion

(Missouri Independent) – A constitutional amendment asking Missourians to let lawmakers decide year-to-year whether the state will offer Medicaid to working-age adults moved closer to passage on Wednesday. By an 8-5 vote, the Senate Appropriations Committee sent the House-passed proposal to the full Senate for debate. Only Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, voted with Democrats to oppose the measure, which […]

Laredo R-7 School

Laredo Board of Education approve salary proposal for staff increases

The Laredo R-7 Board of Education approved a salary proposal April 11th. Administration and non-certified staff received a five percent increase. The certified staff base was increased by $1,500 to make the base $32,500. Bus driver salaries were tabled until May to correspond with transportation reports. Non-certified, extra duty, band, and counseling contracts were approved. […]

Mosaic Life Care Foundation Website

Mosaic Life Care Foundation awards CollaborACTION grant to Second Harvest Food Bank and St. Joseph Youth Alliance

Mosaic Life Care Foundation is awarding a CollaborACTION Grant worth $50,000 to a collaborative project between the Second Harvest Community Food Bank and St. Joseph Youth Alliance. The grant will assist the two organizations in creating and implementing the First Course Culinary Academy. The academy will offer a culinary training program for opportunity youth, ages […]

North Mercer School District Website V1

North Mercer Board of Education to address personnel, pay schedule and awards at meeting on April 11

The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education will consider approval of resignations next week. The board will meet on April 11, 2022, at 6 pm. Other items on the agenda include a plaque presentation, certification of election results, the oath of office, and an election of officers. There is also to be a discussion of […]

Budget Graphic

Record Missouri surplus likely to grow under $46.5B House budget plan

(Missouri Independent) – The biggest state budget in Missouri history could also leave the biggest surplus in state history when the next fiscal year ends. The Missouri House on Thursday sent 15 appropriation bills to the state Senate, one supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year, and 14 spending $46.5 billion in the coming year. The […]

Budget graphic

Missouri House signs off on $46.2 billion budget, leaves most of huge state surplus untouched

(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri House gave first-round approval Tuesday to a package of budget bills spending $46.2 billion, with Republicans defeating repeated Democratic efforts to tap the state’s record surplus. The budget includes boosts to higher education funding, both for institutions and scholarships, as well as funding one of last year’s most controversial issues, Medicaid […]

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 […]

Election Results

Election results in the Municipal Election for Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Three individuals were elected to the Trenton R-9 Board of Education, three for the Grundy County Health Department board, and three members of the Trenton City Council won re-election with a former councilman returning to a council seat. Each of the winners led from start to finish, meaning from the absentee ballots through the final […]

Photo of crappie (Photo courtesy Mo Dept of Conservation)

New Smithville Lake crappie regulation showing good results, similar change considered for Mozingo Lake

Smithville Lake currently has a special crappie regulation that allows anglers to keep 30 crappies but no more than 15 over nine inches long. The change was made in 2019 and allows anglers to harvest more undersized black crappie while protecting the white crappie numbers. White crappie generally grows to a larger and more desirable […]

Elections (Vote or Voting)

A look at issues voters across northern Missouri will decide in Tuesday’s election

The Chillicothe School District has two questions for voters to decide. One question asks whether the district should borrow $9,000,000 and issue general obligation bonds to construct, equip and expand the elementary school. Promoters say authorization of the bonds is expected to result in no increase in the debt service tax levy which is .966 […]

State Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern makes a plea for increased funding for public schools during Thursday’s House Budget Committee markup session. (Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

House Budget Committee rejects adding surplus revenue to Missouri public schools, colleges

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s record general revenue surplus was off-limits for spending plans as the House Budget Committee worked Thursday, defeating Democratic efforts to give boost money for public schools and state colleges. The only significant addition to education budgets approved by the committee was to restart the teacher Career Ladder program, providing $21 million to give experienced […]

Gallatin City Hall

Gallatin Board of Aldermen receive information on painting interior of water tower and get update on water meters

The Gallatin Board of Aldermen on March 28th approved a bid for ordering six electric transformers. The bid from T and R Electric was for $6,060 and the vote came after Public Works Director Mark Morey requested to order the transformers to have on hand as backups. The delivery time will extend into the 2023 […]

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, […]

Trenton Utility Committee

Trenton’s Utility Committee reviews engineering proposal and work to be done at various locations

The Trenton City Council’s committee that oversees Trenton Municipal Utilities Tuesday evening reviewed an engineering proposal from the Howe Company LLC. Utility Director Ron Urton reported the engineering requested includes rehabilitation of the Pleasant Plain lift station including two new submersible pumps, a new electrical service connection, and control panel, and possible storage. The Howe […]

Grundy County Commission Sign

Grundy County Commission accepting bids on VHF radio system

The Grundy County Commission is accepting proposals to purchase and install a turnkey analog VHF radio system to improve existing system coverage with an option for P25 upgrades in the future. The existing system is used for Fire and EMS dispatch and currently consists of 2 separate repeaters and a remote receiver. The FCC Callsign […]

North Central Missouri College Website V2 (NCMC)

NCMC Board of Trustees approve increases in tuition and fees, as well as, room and board

The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees on March 22nd approved increases in tuition and fees as well as room and board. Tuition for NCMC district students will stay the same at $92 per credit hour for the 2022-2023 academic year. However, there is a $5 per credit hour increase for other Missouri residents, […]