(Missouri Independent) – Patients who arrive at an abortion clinic in Overland Park, Kansas, have often traveled long distances. Many began their journeys in Missouri, sometimes driving hours to their appointment. “We’ve heard these stories from Missourians and other people in our region for years,” said Emily Wales, interim president of Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “They […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt earlier this month filed a comment letter during the comment period of a proposed USDA rule change that would affect the labeling of “fake meat” products. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office has been successful in defending a Missouri state statute that prohibits the labeling of “fake meat” products as meat. […]
The Gallatin Board of Aldermen on November 8, 2021, discussed the Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System. The various retirement options with the program were discussed. Administrator Lance Rains provided a report with the annual costs for the LAGERS program for the City of Albany for the last 10 years. Alderman Carl McBee moved to join […]
Teachers of the first quarter were announced at November 9th’s Trenton R-9 Board of Education meeting. They are Rissler Elementary School First Grade Teacher Abby Gott, Trenton Middle School Art Teacher Sheridan Mounce, and Trenton High School American Government Teacher Derek Bloom. Superintendent Mike Stegman noted the board will choose a teacher of the year […]
(Missouri Independent) – The global meat producer operating some of Missouri’s largest industrial hog operations has withdrawn requests to convert 10 of its permits to what environmental groups say would be more lenient ones. Smithfield Foods Inc., which has a history of environmental violations in Missouri, operates some of the largest concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, in the […]
The Missouri Public Service Commission’s Cold Weather Rule, designed to help customers with heat-related utility bills, begins on November 1, 2021. The rule will remain in effect through March 31, 2022. It has been a part of the Commission’s rules and regulations since 1977. The Cold Weather Rule applies to natural gas and electric utilities […]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a significant expansion of access to high-speed internet, health care, and educational services for millions of rural Americans nationwide. Today’s announcement continues to move forward President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda by prioritizing economic growth in rural America and investing in the backbone of our country […]
Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick joined Missouri bankers across the state to voice concerns about an Internal Revenue Service proposal requiring financial institutions to turn over financial account information for accounts with inflows or outflows totaling more than $10,000. At stops in St. Charles, Jefferson City, and Springfield, the Treasurer and Missouri financial institution leaders […]
The council committee that oversees Trenton Municipal Utilities on Tuesday evening reviewed the qualifications of two companies interested in doing studies on Trenton water and sewer rates. TMU staff reviewed the qualifications of Toth and Associates and for Raftelis. Utility director Ron Urton said the staff recommends using Toth and Associates based on good experience […]
(Missouri Independent) – The COVID-19 outbreak at Smithfield Foods’ northern Missouri plant — the focus of a worker safety lawsuit that garnered national attention last year — resulted in two worker deaths and was worse than previously thought, according to newly obtained federal documents. Early on in the pandemic, the Sullivan County Health Department told local […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a 19-state coalition urging Congress to reject burdensome legislation that would increase fees on energy producers and hit American consumers with even greater price hikes. The two bills in question are the Methane Emissions Reduction Act in the Senate and a provision of the Build Back Better Act in […]
Additional agents could be on the horizon to police Missouri’s new law allowing restaurants to sell to-go cocktails. In a proposed budget for the next fiscal year, the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control is asking Governor Parson and the state Legislature for an extra four agents to help ensure that restaurants […]
The Chillicothe Board of Adjustments approved one variance application and denied another on October 4th. Zoning Administrator Kevin Shira reports the variance application that did not pass was by the Midwest Sign Company to install a new pylon sign with an overall height of 51 feet versus the city allowed a max of 40 feet […]
Last week’s Higher Learning Commission’s visit was discussed at the North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees meeting on September 28. NCMC President Doctor Lenny Klaver called it a “good visit” and said sessions were well attended by faculty, staff, and trustees. He also said a “great team” came for the visit, and it was […]
Grundy County Emergency Management Director Glen Briggs reports Grundy County received two proposals for a new 911 radio system. The proposals were from Command 1 LLC representing Tait and Harris and from Motorola Solutions Incorporated. Briggs says consultant Tusa will evaluate the proposed systems. In about two to three weeks the consultant will present scores […]
(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration on Monday unveiled a proposed new rule that would strengthen the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to protect undocumented people in the program from legal challenges. The proposed rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security, would “preserve and fortify” the DACA program, an Obama administration-era initiative that protects […]
The Missouri Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for next week about the state’s referendum process and an effort to overturn an eight-week abortion ban. Last December, a Cole County Circuit Court ruled that Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft unconstitutionally delayed the American Civil Liberties Union’s collection of signatures attempting to overturn the 2019 regulations. […]
The Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced he has joined a coalition of 22 State Treasurers and state financial officers to speak out against proposals that would require financial institutions to turn over private citizens’ personal bank account information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) if they exceed $600 of inflows or outflows from the […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a brief in support of Texas’ lawsuit against the Biden Administration over their proposed exceptions to the Title 42 program. Title 42 is a President Trump-era rule that allows for the federal government to expel migrants who are immigrating from a country where communicable disease is or was present. […]
(Missouri Independent) – Agricultural groups and farm-state lawmakers notched a significant win when U.S. House Democrats chose not to touch a big tax break for inherited property, avoiding, for now, a confrontation. But opponents remain wary that the idea could come back at any time as Democrats shape their massive $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, and […]
