COVID-19 presented considerable challenges to Missouri schools, staff, and students in 2020, including closures, cancellations, remote learning, and more. The pandemic also presented challenges to schools and instructors teaching the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) hunter education courses. “Many schools were closed for much of the year, which reduced the number of kids who could […]
Tag: reduced
Senator Josh Hawley introduces alternative to minimum wage hike, a pay raise through tax credits
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced he will introduce new legislation to give blue-collar workers a pay raise. For nearly four decades, workers making below the median wage have experienced stagnant wages, and this past year, the problem has been made worse by unprecedented layoffs, reduced hours, and income disruptions due to the government shutting down […]
Missouri cities, counties in line for millions from federal COVID relief bill
(Missouri Independent) – The plan for distributing money directly to Missouri counties in the current version of the $1.9 trillion federal coronavirus relief bill is pretty simple – each gets $195.44 per person. But for cities, instead of a formula based on population, Congress divvies up the money using the method for determining Community Development Block Grant allocations. […]
Highway 6 resurfacing project in Sullivan County to begin in Green Castle
Weather permitting, Monday, March 8, motorists will see a project begin on Missouri Route 6 in Sullivan County. The project goes through the city limits of Green Castle for a length of approximately 0.50 miles. Much of the project will include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements, along with drainage and curb and gutter improvements. […]
Southwest Power Pool lifts requirements for electricity reductions; Evergy to restore power to affected customers as soon as possible
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) lifted its requirement for the current emergency electricity reductions. Evergy will be restoring power to affected customers as soon as possible. The SPP continues to operate under emergency energy alerts as extended cold temperatures continue to strain the regional power grid, so may request additional outages as the severe weather […]
Evergy asking customers to conserve electricity
At the request of the Southwest Power Pool, Evergy is asking customers to conserve electricity use as much as possible through Wednesday, Feb. 17. The SPP, which coordinates the 17-state regional power supply, advises that the region’s coldest weather in decades is creating a high demand for electricity. At the same time, the extreme weather […]
Former Trenton police officer pleads “Not Guilty” to rape charge; has bond reduced to $15,000
A former Trenton police officer has waived formal arraignment and pleaded not guilty and has been released on bond during his appearance Thursday in Division One of the Grundy County Circuit Court. Michael Wilson of Trenton has been charged with statutory rape in the second degree from last September. An attorney for Wilson had filed […]
USDA extends general signup for Conservation Reserve Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the Conservation Reserve Program General Signup period, which had previously been announced as ending on Feb. 12, 2021. USDA will continue to accept offers as it takes this opportunity for the incoming Administration to evaluate ways to increase enrollment. Under the previous Administration, incentives and rental payment rates […]
Former candidate for Sullivan County First District Commissioner pleads “Not Guilty” to election offenses
A former candidate for Sullivan County First District Commissioner charged with misdemeanor committing class four election offenses entered a plea of not guilty on February 4th. Online court information shows Colin Norman Sorhus of Green Castle was formally arraigned, and the case was continued to April 22nd. Sullivan County Second District Commissioner Michael Todd Williams […]
Bond reduced for Polo woman charged with manslaughter in case involving mother’s death
Bond was reduced February 4th for a Polo woman charged with second-degree felony involuntary manslaughter after her mother’s death in November 2019. Online court information shows 42-year-old Rachel Nichols made an oral motion for bond reduction, and the court reduced the bond to $50,000 cash only with 10% allowed with the same special conditions as […]
Audio: Rural schools offered chance for computer coding grant
Rural schools in Missouri can take advantage of STEM grants to make the essential skill of computer coding more fun to learn. $3.9 million grant is designed to help rural Missouri school districts teach fifth-grade students how to create video games WHICH REALLY TEACHES computer coding skills The money comes from the US […]
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services seeking organizations to provide meals to children during summer months
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is looking for non-profit organizations throughout the state to help feed thousands of children who would otherwise go without meals during the summer months and during times of public emergencies when children do not have access to free or reduced-price meals at school. The Summer Food Service […]
Two in Sullivan County charged with election offenses
The Sullivan County Second District Commissioner and a former candidate for First District Commissioner have been charged with misdemeanor committing class four election offenses after a political advertisement was published in the Milan Standard in July. Michael Todd Williams of Browning and Colin Norman Sorhus of Green Castle are scheduled for arraignment on February 4th. […]
As Missouri deals with ongoing teacher shortage, education leaders want to step up recruiting efforts
The struggle is real for Missouri when it comes to a constant shortage of K-12 public school teachers. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) wants to ramp up its teacher workforce by seizing the opportunity in a relevant setting. Dr. Paul Katnik, the assistant commissioner of the Office of Educator Quality, says […]
High winds cause power outage in Grundy, Harrison and Livingston counties
High winds breaking a pole caused a power outage for about 160 Evergy customers in the Spickard area on Wednesday, December 23rd. Gina Penzig with Evergy, reports power was out for about two and a half hours starting at around 9:40 in the morning. Grundy County Emergency Management reported that as of 10:45 on Wednesday […]
University of Missouri Extension entomologist lists pests farmers should watch for in 2021
University of Missouri Extension field crop entomologist Kevin Rice says Missouri soybean and corn growers should be on the lookout for growing populations of yield-robbing insects in 2021. Soybean gall midge MU Extension found soybean gall midge in two northwestern Missouri counties in 2019. Soybean gall midge larvae feed internally in the base of soybean […]
Tar spot found in northeast Missouri cornfields
Missouri corn growers should scout for an emerging crop disease, tar spot, in 2021, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Kaitlyn Bissonnette. She identified tar spot in four far northeastern Missouri counties: Scotland, Lewis, and Clark in 2019 and Marion in 2020. She expects it to spread in the northern half of Missouri and […]
Missouri State Auditor issues audit on payroll and personnel issues in Jackson County
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway released a report on the Jackson County government’s handling of payroll and personnel. The audit, part of an independent review of county government finances, found issues with the allocation of different funds to pay salaries and with the handling of vehicle allowances. The report gave a rating of “fair.” “Our […]
Missouri Attorney joins multistate lawsuit seeking to end Facebook’s illegal monopoly
Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a bipartisan coalition of 48 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against Facebook Inc., alleging that the company illegally stifles competition to protect its monopoly power. The filing can be found here. The lawsuit alleges that, over the last decade, the social networking giant illegally acquired competitors in a predatory manner […]
USDA forecasts ag exports to increase by nearly eight percent for 2021 fiscal year
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, […]