State of Emergency

Governor Parson declares a State of Emergency, activating Missouri National Guard, in preparation for severe winter storm

Governor Mike Parson signed Executive Order 22-02 declaring a State of Emergency in Missouri and activating the Missouri National Guard in preparation for the severe winter storm forecasted to affect most of the state over the next two days, including significant accumulations of snow, sleet, and ice.  “Severe winter weather isn’t something we are strangers to here in the […]

Green Hills Recreation Association

Green Hills Recreation Association seeks sponsors for upcoming season

Sponsorships are available for the Green Hills Recreation Association to help offset the cost of equipment, uniforms, field rentals, maintenance, and associated costs of conducting youth sports. There are four levels of sponsorship packages: The Platinum Level costs $700 and involves being an exclusive team sponsor for each sport season, including summer baseball, softball, or […]

Disaster Declaration news graphic

FEMA approves Governor Parson’s federal disaster declaration request for December 10 severe storms and tornadoes

Governor Mike Parson announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved his request for a major disaster declaration in response to severe storms and tornadoes in Missouri on December 10. Seven Missouri counties will receive federal assistance as a result of the Governor’s December 28 request, which included $27 million in identified qualifying disaster-related expenses. […]

Phone Scam

Missouri Attorney General joins others in working to stop international scam calls

The Missouri Attorney General urged the Federal Communications Commission to put in place measures that will help stem the tide of foreign-based illegal robocalls that attempt to scam Americans. “Combating annoying, and sometimes dangerous, robocalls is an important mission of the Attorney General’s Office. Using the latest technology and working with telecom partners to control […]

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 […]

Governor Mike Parson

Governor Parson seeks Joint damage assessments in anticipation of requests for federal disaster declaration

Governor Mike Parson announced the state has begun the process to obtain federal disaster assistance for Missouri in response to severe storms and deadly tornadoes that swept across the state on December 10 leaving behind a trail of destruction, including extensive damage to electric power systems. Governor Parson is requesting the Federal Emergency Management Agency […]

School buses wait Tuesday outside Thomas Hart Benton Elementary School in Columbia (Photo Credit Rudi Keller Missouri Independent

Confusion around COVID ruling swirls as two Missouri school districts end semester early

(Missouri Independent) – As a growing number of Missouri school districts drop COVID mitigation measures under threat from Attorney General Eric Schmitt, at least two closed the doors on their fall semester early due to large numbers of staff and students out sick. Meanwhile, local public health departments said Tuesday they still have not heard […]

Coyote in field

Missouri Department of Conservation proposes expanding furbearer hunting and trapping seasons

The Missouri Conservation Commission gave initial approval to the Missouri Department of Conservation at its December 10. 2021, open meeting on proposed regulation changes that would extend current furbearer hunting and trapping seasons for abundant furbearer species. Furbearers are mammal species that have traditionally been trapped or hunted for their fur, such as coyotes, raccoons, […]

Orscheln Headquarters Moberly (Photo by Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

Controversial bill would have aided Orscheln Products LLC, under scrutiny for contamination

(Missouri Independent) – Two years ago, a company led by an influential Republican businessman faced off with the state’s environmental regulators over whether it needed to do additional testing for a chemical that health officials worried could pose a cancer risk to the company’s workers.  The Moberly manufacturing facility, Orscheln Products LLC, is owned by […]

Drug Raid

Drug raid by Brookfield authorities results in three arrests after months long investigation

A multi-month narcotics investigation resulted in the arrest of a 60-year-old man, 57-year-old man, and 37-year-old woman, all of Brookfield on Wednesday, December 1st. The Brookfield Police Department reports a search warrant was executed at a Brookfield residence where approximately 30 fentanyl capsules, five grams of methamphetamine, 43 xtampza pills, (extended-release oxycodone) 10 tramadol/hydrochloride pills, […]

Lending or interest rates

USDA announces December 2021 lending rates for agricultural producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced loan interest rates for December 2021, which are effective Dec. 1. USDA’s Farm Service Agency loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment, and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs. Operating, Ownership, and Emergency Loans FSA offers farm […]

A gavel and a name plate with the engraving Lawsuit

Missouri Attorney General files lawsuit against Moberly Public Schools for public records on IEP recording policy

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit against the Moberly Public School District for alleged Sunshine Law violations for requests for public records from the Attorney General’s Office related to their policy on parents recording Individualized Education Plan meetings. “Parents have a right to know exactly what is being taught to the children and […]

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt speaks to a gathering of Missouri Highway Patrol officers in April 2021 (photo courtesy of the attorney general’s office)

Missouri Attorney General sues Springfield schools in quest to find critical race theory documents

(Missouri Independent) – Attorney General Eric Schmitt alleges in a newly filed lawsuit that Springfield Public Schools wants to avoid scrutiny of its curriculum and training materials — and is violating the Missouri Sunshine law to do it. The district improperly demanded a deposit of more than $37,000 to search its records for instances where it incorporated elements […]