(Missouri Independent) – A new lawsuit will test whether public agencies can hide how much they are paying attorneys and determine how far they must go in searching for records sought under the Missouri Sunshine Law. The lawsuit, filed Sept. 10 in Jefferson City by lobbyist John Gaskin of Flotron McIntosh, accuses the Missouri State Employees […]
(Missouri Independent) – On the final day of the 2021 legislative session in May, Missouri lawmakers passed a “law enforcement bill of rights” that gives officers special legal protections and closes files to police misconduct. When Gov. Mike Parson signed it into law in July, the bill of rights portion was largely overshadowed in press […]
The Chillicothe Board of Adjustments will consider variance applications for a pylon sign and enlarge a garage. The public hearings will be at the Chillicothe City Hall on October 4th at 5:30 in the evening. One variance application is from the Midwest Sign Company to install a new pylon sign with an overall height of […]
The Trenton Board of Adjustment will hear requests regarding variances on requirements, and the Planning and Zoning Commission will hear a request for a conditional use permit for a used car lot. The groups will meet at the Trenton City Hall October 4, 2021. Public hearings will start at 7 o’clock that night. The Board […]
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, heard a report on the mentoring program for new teachers in the district. District Instructional Coach Doctor Jill Watkins reported she developed the Trenton program based on what she has implemented in the past. She said teachers have to complete first and second-year tutoring. She […]
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education will discuss bus routes and bus route concerns next week. The board will meet at the district office on September 14, 2021, at 5:30 in the evening. The agenda includes COVID leave, a quarantine tutoring program, the Jewett Norris Library account, early graduation requests, a Missouri School Boards Association […]
The Jamesport Tri-County Board of Education took action on several items on September 8, 2021. The board approved a change order on the old gym remodel to lower the cost of the ceiling insulation. Secretary Heather Turner says the price was lowered by $10,000. Bids are to be sought for demolition and site preparation of […]
The Tri-County Board of Education will hold a meeting Wednesday evening, September 8, 2021, at the Jamesport school at 6 o’clock in the library. The agenda includes COVID-19 response and planning, capital projects, CD investment, and maintenance equipment. New business topics include the Esser 3 Tutoring Program, fundraising requests, and information about a grant. There […]
(Missouri Independent) – Kevin Strickland was hopeful Thursday was going to be his first step towards freedom after 40 years in prison. A new law that went into effect on Aug. 28 gave Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker a legal avenue to free Strickland, who she says is innocent and wrongly incarcerated. But opposition […]
(Missouri Independent) – Fireworks, this week over the sudden removal of an LGBTQ history exhibit from the museum in the Missouri Capitol caught the attention of John Cunning. For 24 years before he retired in 2018, Cunning oversaw the museum as part of his job at Missouri State Parks. So when he read Gov. Mike […]
The Salvation Army was the topic of a program presented to the Trenton Rotary Club at its meeting on Thursday, Sept. 2, at the BTC Bank. Lynda Snuffer, social service director and Pathway of Hope case manager with the Salvation Army, discussed changes within the organization. She noted the office at Chillicothe has been reorganized […]
While litigation over the mask mandates continues, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt sent a letter to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Jackson County Executive Frank White noting the exceptions to the City and County’s mask mandates and providing “legal direction” to the public on these important exceptions, specifically for those with disabilities or those […]
(Missouri Independent) – Calls from tenants seeking emergency rental assistance are escalating in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that blocked a national eviction moratorium. The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) has 60 application processors working to distribute hundreds of millions in federal aid and has been fielding about 500 calls and responding to […]
Saint Luke’s Health System Critical Access Region Chief Executive Officer Steve Schieber answered questions during a conference call on September 1st regarding the COVID-19 vaccination mandate announced by Saint Luke’s on August 30th. The health system will require all employees to be fully vaccinated by October 30th. Wright Memorial Hospital of Trenton and Hedrick Medical […]
The Trenton Park Board September 1st discussed the possibility of concrete cornhole boards being installed at Eastside Park. Park Superintendent David Shockley said he had received several requests for cornhole boards. Park Board President Curtis Crawford said cornhole is a popular game, and boards could be put near the horse shoe pitching area at Eastside […]
Over the past several years, agencies and organizations across Northwest Missouri have received funding for programs to reduce injuries and fatalities on our roadways. With preliminary reports showing 43 fatalities in the 20 counties of Northwest Missouri during 2020, the work is not over yet. To assist agencies in the fight towards zero deaths in […]
Saint Luke’s Health System announced it will require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 30, 2021. The announcement comes as Kansas City has experienced a dramatic surge in cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks. Hospitals and health systems across Missouri and Kansas have struggled to find enough ICU beds and staff […]
(Missouri Independent) – The dispute over the $1.4 billion contract to provide prisoner health care in Missouri is moving into the courts. Corizon Health, which has held the Department of Corrections contract since 1992, filed a lawsuit Monday in Cole County alleging that unfair treatment and improper scoring gave the contract to Centurion Health, a Virginia subsidiary of […]
(Missouri Independent) – New cases from the Delta variant wave that has killed more than 1,150 Missourians since June 1 have plateaued, but hospital ICUs continue to fill — and small, rural hospitals are among the hardest hit. There were 690 patients in ICU beds across the state on Tuesday, the most recent day reported by the state Department of Health […]
Governor Mike Parson terminated Executive Order 2002 ending the State of Emergency that had been in effect since March 13, 2020. “In the nearly 18 months we operated under this Executive Order, we have responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing unprecedented levels of resources and support,” Governor Parson said. “This Order enabled us to respond to the […]
