The Grundy County Health Department announces one additional COVID-19-related death and 15 new cases. That brings the number of deaths to 22 and the number of cases to 699. Five hundred thirteen cases are confirmed, and 110 are active. The health department reminds the public that there is a human behind each number reported by […]
State Senator Andrew Koenig (KAY-nig) wants to limit Missouri’s local leaders on their power to mandate and enforce county-wide shutdowns. On the Missouri Senate floor, Koenig, a Republican from the St. Louis suburb of Manchester, says he has pre-filed legislation in response to restrictions issued last month by St. Louis County Executive Sam Page. The […]
On December 8, the state will launch a program that aims to better equip Missouri’s rural hospitals to care for COVID-19 patients and avoid further strain on the largest hospitals. Some of the larger hospitals have had to stop accepting ambulances and patient transfers from rural areas for periods of time due to capacity problems. […]
The USDA is calling for ag exports to increase by nearly eight percent for the 2021 fiscal year largely because of Chinese demand. USDA’s November ag export forecast increased by $11.5 billion from August to $152 billion. If realized it would be the second-highest export total on record with China accounting for most of the increase, […]
As research and development of multiple COVID-19 vaccines continue to show promising safety and effectiveness findings, Governor Mike Parson announced the launch of a new vaccine website for Missouri residents. MOStopsCOVID.com provides Missourians with information regarding the safety of the vaccines, research and production processes, and when they may be eligible for vaccination. The website will […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs to receive up to $500,000 annually to conduct pesticide safety training across the country over the next five years. With EPA funding, AFOP will administer this grant to provide occupational health and safety training to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in more than […]
The Trenton Finance Committee on Tuesday evening, November 17, 2020, approved recommending to the city council raising the pay of police officers and dispatchers. City Administrator Ron Urton says raises are needed to help attract and retain officers. He reports the recommendation involves raising officers’ pay $3.00 per hour and dispatchers $1.00 per hour. It […]
(Missouri Independent) – Amid a battle with breast cancer, Kari Rawley found herself combating a second potentially fatal condition — COVID-19. The Kansas City resident thought she had done everything right to help herself in her immunocompromised state. Her family wore masks and practiced social distancing, but after a small going away party for her […]
Monday’s report from the Grundy County Health Department shows a total of 543 COVID-19 cases year to date and of that total, 392 are confirmed with the balance considered probable. 128 cases are active which is an increase of nine from Saturday. Grundy County health officials are urging everyone to continue with their mitigation practices […]
(Missouri Independent) – President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus response plan seeks to put a national mask mandate in place by calling on all governors to require face coverings in their states. It’s a move that public health experts say could dramatically reduce the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. But putting wider mask laws in place […]
Pfizer labs in Chesterfield, Missouri are ready to mass-produce a new COVID-19 vaccine as soon as the FDA approves its success rate and safety data. Pfizer and BioNtech have teamed up to develop a successful mRNA-based vaccine and have reached a 90 percent success rate in its studies so far. At a press conference with Missouri Gov. […]
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 […]
Farmers and crop specialists can hear updates from some of the nation’s leading agricultural researchers Dec. 1-2 at the 2020 University of Missouri Crop Management Conference. Due to Missouri COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s conference is offered live online, said MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley. Technology discussions lead the conference. Bradley tells about MU research […]
(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 […]
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released an audit of the Department of Social Services’ (DSS) Medicaid Managed Care Program, which found system limitations that resulted in millions of dollars in potential overpayments on behalf of ineligible participants. “At a time when every dollar is being stretched to deliver vital services to Missourians, state government […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri voters on Tuesday repealed a constitutional amendment they enacted in 2018 that would have required legislative districts be drawn to ensure partisan fairness. They replaced it with one that critics contend could forgo the use of total population to draw districts and instead exclude all non-voters, specifically children and non-citizens — tilting the political […]
The following is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in North Missouri for the week of November 2 – 8, 2020. All road closures and planned roadwork may be viewed on the Traveler Information Map at http://traveler.modot.org/map/. Inclement weather may cause schedule changes in some […]
(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 […]
The Chillicothe City Council accepted a bid to demolish a structure and approved a purchase of a salt spreader Monday, October 26th. Chillicothe City Administrator Darin Chappell reports Perkins will demolish the structure at 823 Jefferson Street for $7,500. He says the city had taken over ownership of the property, and the structure needed to […]
Gallatin Public Works Director Mark Morey provided various purchases Monday, October 26th for the Gallatin Board of Aldermen to consider in the 2021 budget. Morey talked about purchasing a new dump truck and buckets for the 2003 and blue bucket trucks. The board agreed for Administrator Lance Rains to collect interest rate bids for purchasing […]
