White House plans speedy delivery to states of COVID vaccine for littlest kids

(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration is preparing to ship COVID-19 vaccines to the states as quickly as possible, should the Food and Drug Administration approve an emergency use authorization for kids under 5. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients said Wednesday that approval of the specially formulated vaccine would make 18 million young […]

Farm Bill News Graphic

Congress clashes over climate in early farm bill talks

(Missouri Independent) – Congressional Democrats on Wednesday touted conservation programs for farmers and ranchers as key tools for limiting agriculture’s impact on the global climate as they took initial steps to create the next farm bill. One Republican’s response: So what? “We’ve talked primarily about climate change, and I gotta to be honest with you,” […]

Missouri Department of Agriculture website

Missouri Department of Agriculture announces grants for Missouri specialty crop production

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for anticipated funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Interested individuals, community organizations, and research institutions working to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Missouri should submit their applications by March 8, 2022. “Specialty crop production plays a big role in Missouri agriculture and […]

Farm in Winter

Agriculture secretary pressed about pandemic relief funds for farmers

(Missouri Independent) – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack faced questions on how his agency is doling out emergency pandemic aid and fostering collaboration with historically Black colleges during a Thursday hearing before the House Agriculture Committee. Committee Chairman David Scott, a Georgia Democrat, asked Vilsack for “critical updates on the implementation of pandemic relief programs, including […]

A partially melted tire hangs on a tree near Paradise, Kansas. The surrounding land was scorched by a wildfire in December 2021

December 2021 was the warmest on record in Missouri and Kansas – by a long shot

(Missouri Independent) – Kansas and Missouri logged their warmest average December temperatures on record last month, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Average temperatures over the last half of 2021 were higher than they’ve ever been in either state — and across the country. Meanwhile, despite a devastating cold snap that forced […]

Northwest Missouri Area Health Education Center

Northwest Missouri Area Health Education Center celebrates 25 years

Northwest Missouri Area Health Education Center is celebrating 25 years of growing and supporting Missouri’s healthcare workforce and enhancing quality healthcare. The Northwest Missouri Area Health Education Center was founded on October 23, 1996. The purpose of the organization was to assess the area’s medical needs, promote training programs to focus on those needs, and […]

Child sitting on window sill (Children)

Advocates say Build Back Better Act could improve health outcomes for Missouri children

Health advocates are pressing the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act after it passed the House last month. The bill would improve Medicaid and CHIP, the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program, by offering 12 months of continuous coverage to children who qualify and making federal CHIP funding permanent. Casey Hanson, director of outreach and […]

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 […]