Missouri businesses oppose ban on COVID vaccine mandates, argue it’s their choice

(Missouri Independent) – Proposals that would bar COVID-19 vaccine mandates and provide greater exemptions for vaccinations more broadly faced a wave of opposition from Missouri business groups Wednesday. Representatives for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Associated Industries of Missouri, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and other business associations made clear to lawmakers […]

Emilia Gailbraith NCMC Outstanding Student

Emilia Galbraith selected as NCMC Outstanding Student

Emilia (Rosie) Galbraith from Hamilton, MO, has been selected as North Central Missouri College’s Outstanding Student for January. Emilia is a sophomore in the Missouri Health Professions Consortium pursuing a degree as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. After graduating from NCMC, Emilia plans to enter a career close to home wherever her experience and educational pursuits […]

Princeton R-5 School District website 2021 -2022

Princeton Board of Education approves extended COVID-19 leave; evaluating possibility of participation in Grand River Conference

The Princeton R-5 Board of Education approved a resolution to extend COVID-19 leave through June 2022 during a closed session on January 10th. The resolution supports the extension of paid leave for all employees instructed not to report to work and who did not exhaust the former Emergency Paid Sick Leave. The Families First Coronavirus […]

Environmental Protection Agency EPA

EPA renews Enlist product registrations with new control measures, providing growers with certainty for the 2022 growing season

The EPA is issuing seven-year registrations for two herbicide products, Enlist Duo and Enlist One, to ensure growers have access to effective pesticide tools for the 2022 growing season. The new product labels, which incorporate robust control measures to protect non-target plants and animals, meet Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act standards and comply with […]

TikTok logo with gun and school bag

Chillicothe authorities have plans in place should TikTok challenge to harm school students appear in Chillicothe

The Chillicothe Police Department has received information from a school resource officer about a nationwide TikTok challenge to make threats to harm students at school. Police Chief Jon Maples reports the Chillicothe Police work closely with schools, and school resource officers are in place for reasons like this. He notes the police have plans in […]

Scott Fitzpatrick

Missouri schools must comply with COVID ruling to win treasurer approval of bond deals

(Missouri Independent) – If school districts want to take advantage of a lower interest rate on bonds, Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick is requiring them to certify compliance with a recent court ruling targeting local health orders before his office will approve of the deal. Fitzpatrick detailed the decision he described as “unprecedented” in an interview Wednesday […]

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (Photo Courtesy Missouri AG Office)

Missouri’s largest counties seek to appeal ruling overturning local health orders

(Missouri Independent) – Jackson and St. Louis Counties requested Monday that they be permitted to intervene and appeal a recent court ruling that they argue has “upended the longstanding public health framework” in Missouri. In a filing submitted Monday afternoon and obtained by The Independent, the two counties asked Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel […]

Trenton Missouri Police Department (TPD)

Trenton man facing charges of harassment, stalking and assault

Charges have been filed against A Trenton man following an investigation last week by the Trenton Police Department. Twenty-four-year-old Isaac James Wattenbarger faces three felony counts: 1st-degree harassment, 1st-degree stalking, and 2nd-degree assault. Bond is $35,000 cash with Wattenbarger to appear December 14th in Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. Wattenbarger is accused of causing […]

Nurse assisting patient in wheelchair in nursing home

Missouri gives nursing homes a way to temporarily close in face of federal vaccine rule

(Missouri Independent) – With over 40% of Missouri’s nursing home staff still unvaccinated, the state health department is giving long-term care facilities a route to avoid losing their license if they shut down due to staffing shortfalls after a federal vaccine requirement kicks in next month. On Friday, the Department of Health and Senior Services […]

Patrick McKenna Director of the Missouri Department of Transportation

Billions headed to Missouri transportation fund from gas tax hike, infrastructure bill

(Missouri Independent) – With $6.5 billion on the way from the federal infrastructure bill and a newly increased gas tax, Missouri is ready to take a big bite out of $4.5 billion in unfunded highway needs, Patrick McKenna, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, said this week. But that doesn’t mean the state is ready to tackle […]

Vaccine Mandate News Graphic

Missouri among first states to file suit challenging CMS vaccine mandate

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson led a coalition of 10 states in challenging the vaccine mandate propagated by the Biden Administration’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on healthcare workers across the nation, becoming the first states to file a lawsuit challenging this mandate. Attorney General Eric Schmitt […]

Missouri Attorney General Seal and Gavel

Missouri Attorney General files motion for preliminary injunction in border wall lawsuit

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and the Texas Attorney General’s Office filed a motion for preliminary injunction in their lawsuit against the Biden Administration for refusing to continue construction on the Southwest border wall. Missouri and Texas filed suit in late October to require the Biden Administration to continue construction on the border wall using […]