The Missouri Department of Conservation reports it has completed its monitoring, management, and testing efforts for its 2020-2021 chronic wasting disease surveillance year. From those efforts, MDC reports it collected more than 15,300 tissue samples from mostly hunter-harvested deer for CWD testing. MDC has confirmed 44 new cases of CWD from the deer tested. The […]
Missouri farmers can submit two free tests to beat the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) by contacting their county University of Missouri Extension center or the SCN Diagnostics laboratory. Testing soil before planting soybean is vital, says MU Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette. SCN is the No. 1 soybean disease in the U.S. and Canada, with […]
Trenton Middle School eighth-grader Titus Kottwitz, who has qualified for the national spelling bee recently presented a Rotary Club program. After winning the Grundy County Spelling Bee, Kottwitz went on to win the Northwest Missouri Regional Spelling Bee held in St. Joseph. As such he is eligible to participate in the national spelling bee. The […]
The Missouri House of Representatives advanced a bill aimed to ban transgender kids from participating in girl’s sports, which advocates said is the latest in a growing list of legislative attacks on trans youth across the country. More than 250 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in 2021 alone, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Shira Berkowitz, communications […]
With three weeks left to go in the regular legislative session, Missouri Senate President Dave Schatz remains hopeful about his proposed gas tax hike. The Senate has already passed the bill that would boost the state’s fuel tax by twelve-and-a-half cents per gallon over five years. During a Senate press conference, Schatz says if the […]
The Spickard R-2 Board of Education offered a contract for the superintendent/principal position after a closed session this week. Board Secretary Kelli Girdner reports the person’s name has not yet been released. The board accepted the resignation in February of current superintendent/principal Kristi Weldon. The board also hired teachers for the next school year. They […]
(Missouri Independent) – After hours of fierce debate that spanned the course of two days, the Missouri House on Wednesday signed off on a prohibition on transgender students participating on the sports teams that match their gender identity. The provision, offered as an amendment by Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, to House Bill 1141 was adopted by a vote […]
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced the agency is investing $35,046,000 in critical infrastructure that will help rural Missouri communities build back better and stronger while prioritizing climate-smart solutions and environmental stewardship. USDA is making the investments under the Water and Environmental Program, the Rural Energy for […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a multistate coalition of 20 attorneys general in writing to President Joe Biden and congressional leaders to voice opposition to the recent steps towards packing the U.S. Supreme Court. “President Biden’s and Congressional leaders’ attempts to pack the United States Supreme Court will undermine the independence and impartiality of […]
U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) introduced the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2021 to require the Biden administration to declassify intelligence related to any potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origins of the Covid pandemic. “For over a year, anyone asking questions about the Wuhan Institute of Virology has […]
The Grundy County Nursing Home District and Senior City Incorporated held their annual meetings on April 20th. Administrator Jerry Doerhoff reports Brigette Bunnell and Anna Ferguson were appointed to the nursing home district board of directors. They have both served on the board and filed for reelection to the two open three-year term positions. Since […]
Business groups and construction companies from across the state have testified for legislation to increase Missouri’s gasoline tax by 12-point-five cents per gallon by 2025. Schatz testified last (Wednesday) night before a Missouri House committee. The GOP-controlled Missouri Senate has already given final approval to the bill. Schatz is urging lawmakers to increase […]
The Grain Belt Express project plans to run wind power transmission lines across eight rural counties in northern Missouri—from Buchanan through Ralls. Though the Public Service Commission has approved it and the commission’s approval won a court challenge, agricultural opponents have once again found support in the Legislature. The Missouri House passed HB 527 to stop utility […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt presented his Office’s “Back the Blue” award to three officers in the St. Charles County Police Department for their heroic acts in saving multiple people from two separate structure fires. “Officers Wilson, O’Brien, and Ronald represent the best of our society – selfless individuals who risked their own lives, multiple […]
Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group in Trenton is opening COVID-19 vaccinations to all area residents, 18 and older. Previously, the clinic was only vaccinating established patients. “Our first priority was to ensure our established patients had the opportunity to get vaccinated,” said Shane Lynch, Practice Manager, Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group. “We’re now ready to move on […]
(Missouri Independent) – A third attempt to get a bill that funds one-quarter of Missouri’s Medicaid program through the state Senate failed Tuesday night when a new anti-abortion issue was injected into the legislation. Sen. Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, brought the bill that has been in limbo since late March to the floor just a few […]
The Biden administration has taken the first steps in the regulatory process to eliminate the domestic gag rule, which forced more than 900 reproductive-health clinics nationwide to leave the Title X family-planning program and lose major amounts of funding. Rachel Fey, vice president for policy and strategic partnerships at the contraceptive-access advocacy group Power to Decide, said the […]
Devlin Rich of Williamsville set a new state record when he caught his spotted gar. Rich was fishing with a pole-and-line at Wappapello Lake on February 25 when he reeled in the 10-pound, 9-ounce fish. His catch is not only the latest Missouri state record, but it beats the current spotted gar world record of […]
Two key Missouri lawmakers from opposite parties view Tuesday’s resignation of state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director, Dr. Randall Williams, very differently. Missouri House Health and Mental Health Policy Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Stephens (R-Bolivar) praises Dr. Williams, while House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D-Springfield) says the resignation was long overdue. Chairman Stephens says Williams […]
Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), along with U.S. Representatives Sam Graves (Mo.) and Emanuel Cleaver II (Mo.), led a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to quickly and fully utilize the tools and resources Congress provided in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 and the FY2020 Energy and Water […]
