Governor Mike Parson and state education director Margie Vandeven have loosened the guidelines for making students and staff quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19 if both people were properly wearing masks. Vandeven explained at a press conference Thursday: “Under the updated guidance, proper mask-wearing may now prevent individuals from being identified as close contacts in […]
Customers of Summit Natural Gas of Missouri, Incorporated will see rates change under a filing taking effect on November 16, 2020. The change will reflect estimated changes in the wholesale cost of natural gas as well as a change in the company’s actual cost adjustment factor. The ACA factor is a mechanism that tracks any […]
Missouri schools continue to struggle with having enough teachers available to educate kids in traditional classrooms this year. The Show-Me State has had a chronic problem with teacher shortages, but COVID-19 has made the can of worms open even more. Missouri has about 70,000 pre-K through 12 teachers instructing roughly 900,000 public school students. Many […]
North Central Missouri College Student Senate Leadership for the 2020-2021 school year are as follows: President-Jacquelyn Perez from Milan, MO; Vice President-Cheyanne Blanchard from Newtown, MO; Secretary-Jillian Steins from Mound City, MO; Treasurer-Lindi Moulin from Gilman City, MO; Public Relations Officer-Chloe Tipton from Unionville, MO; Executive Officers-Makayla Eads from Lathrop, MO and Eddie Neil from […]
The North Mercer R-3 Board of Education was notified on November 9th that health insurance rates will go up 19.9% for a cost nearing $800. The district previously set a cap of $600 per employee for health insurance. The new rates would become effective in January. Superintendent Dan Owens will discuss the matter with teachers […]
The Spickard Board of Aldermen on Tuesday evening, November 9th accepted the second reading of an ordinance setting rates and charges for the city’s sewerage system. The minimum monthly charge for up to 1,000 gallons of water used will be $19. For every 1,000 gallons over the first 1,000, the rate will be $9.50 per […]
(Missouri Independent) – Cortaiga Collins doesn’t know how much longer her childcare center will survive. Only about a dozen children have been attending regularly amid the pandemic. Under normal circumstances, she used to serve as many as 100. She’s already had to reduce the hours that Good Shepherd Preschool and Infant/Toddler Center in St. Louis […]
Trenton City Council on Monday night authorized more repairs to a 19-year-old fire department truck. The council also accepted the employee health insurance rates for next year. Fire Chief Brandon Gibler told the council the American LaFrance white fire truck was taken to an Oak Grove business to diagnose repairs that are needed to the […]
North Central Missouri College Criminal Justice students recently obtained hands-on learning by visiting the Trenton Police Department and observing the communications center. During their visit, students were given a tour of the facility by Lieutenant Larry Smith, Assistant Chief of Police, and learned how the department operates. “We appreciate the Trenton Police Department for allowing […]
According to the U.S. Department of Education, Missouri’s three-year loan default rate decreased two-tenths of a percent, keeping Missouri’s rate lower than many of its neighboring states and on par with the national rate. Missouri’s student loan default rate dropped from 9.9 percent to 9.7 percent. The national rate decreased from 10.1 percent to 9.7 […]
North Central Missouri Development Alliance Board Member Jackie Soptic says technology and the internet have revolutionized economic development. Site selectors and companies can visit a location from their home or office by reading statistics and demographic information. The United States Census also provides data on demographics. Soptic says that data should be used […]
(Missouri Independent) – State governments are unique political bodies that allow for experimentation in how rules and laws affect political outputs. As Justice Louis Brandies pointed out – states are laboratories of democracy. State governments have broad jurisdiction to “tweak” institutional rules and laws. Through this system of government, we can observe the aftermath of […]
Governor Mike Parson announced that Missouri has been recognized as a national leader in digital technology best practices. The Center for Digital Government (CDG) released its 2020 Digital States Survey, which showed that Missouri received a grade of “A,” one of the top grades among all 50 states. The grade A demonstrates very strong innovation […]
Nominations for distinguished alumni from North Central Missouri College and Trenton Junior College are being accepted for 2020. The North Central Missouri College Foundation, Inc. will honor the selected alumni who attended TJC/NCMC during the Pirates Ball being planned for March 2021. To nominate an alum (either a graduate or someone who successfully completed one […]
County unemployment rates are down considerably when comparing the September numbers with August. The Division of Employment Security reports Missouri’s unemployment rate last month dropped to 4.3% compared to an August rate that was 7.1%. For Grundy County, the state report shows 108 unemployed out of a civilian labor force of just over 4,300. That’s […]
(Missouri Independent) – When Missouri voters approved Medicaid expansion in August, they were told by the ballot language that the price tag was unknown, with possible costs at $200 million stated alongside $1 billion in potential savings. What is known for certain is that about 250,000 Missourians will become eligible for coverage next year — […]
(Missouri Independent) – For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Department of Health and Senior Services made some — but not all — of its data on the coronavirus outbreak available to download this week. In a new tab on its website, DHSS now includes accessible data breaking down tests, cases, and […]
The University of Missouri Extension is looking for farmers to participate in fertilizer trials as part of the “MU Certified” Strip Trial Program. MU Extension nutrient management specialist John Lory, who leads the program, said this year’s farmer panel approved trials focused on improving the management of fertilizer in corn and soybean rotations, wheat, and […]
Landowners and renters can learn about farm leases from the University of Missouri Extension specialists 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. Participants can attend in person or through Zoom, says Joe Koenen, MU Extension agriculture business specialist, and longtime presenter on farm leases. “Open communication is the key,” Koenen says. “Communication helps landlords and tenants find […]
Agricultural producers can now make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2021 crop year. The signup period opened Tuesday, Oct. 13. These key U.S. Department of Agriculture safety-net programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops, and more than $5 billion […]
