U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced a plan to require companies with revenues of $1 billion or more to pay their employees $15 per hour. Senator Hawley’s plan would result in an immediate wage increase for millions of workers while avoiding a one-size-fits-all increase that would disadvantage small businesses. Small business employees earning less than […]
Tag: rug
Missouri Republicans look to reinstate voter ID requirement
(Missouri Independent) – About 137,700 registered voters in Missouri did not have a state-issued identification in 2017, according to an analysis from the Secretary of State’s Office. Another 140,000 voters had expired IDs, and 2,000 more voters had forfeited their driver’s licenses. Under a bill passed Wednesday in the Missouri House, those registered voters would either have to […]
Governor Parson announces timeline for activation of Phase 1B -Tier 3 of COVID-19 vaccine plan
Governor Mike Parson announced that Phase 1B – Tier 3 of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Plan will be activated on Monday, March 15, 2021. “Missouri has had a vaccine plan since October, and this has not changed. We have been very disciplined in following our plan,” Governor Parson said. “With vaccine supply steadily increasing, we […]
Defendant sentenced to 36-years in prison on multiple counts of sex and drug trafficking
Prince Bixler, 41, of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Wier to 36 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $333,100 in restitution to three sex trafficking victims. In September 2020, a federal jury convicted Bixler of 15 federal felonies related to his […]
Gallatin woman charged with felony child abuse
A Gallatin woman accused of grabbing her 12-year-old daughter by the hair and throwing her around a room earlier in February has been charged in Daviess County. Online court information shows 39-year-old Mandie Collins faces felony abuse or neglect of a child—no sexual contact. Collin’s bond is $5,000 cash with conditions including being supervised by […]
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. […]
Marceline man identified as suspect who died Friday night in Livingston County officer-involved shooting
The highway patrol troop office in St. Joseph on Monday morning released the name of the suspect who was shot and killed Friday night east of Chillicothe. The death occurred when the suspect was sitting in a deputy’s vehicle following a single-vehicle accident on Highway 36. The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the victim as […]
Missouri State Highway Patrol report arrests over the weekend
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the arrest of a Novinger resident in Adair County. Thirty-year-old Brandon Sizemore was arrested on multiple allegations including felony possession of methamphetamine at a county jail; felony unlawful use of a weapon; unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia driving while suspended and an Adair County warrant for driving without a […]
Audio: Missouri prison system could move officer training from classroom to real-world setting
In 2019, Gov. Mike Parson closed a prison in northwest Missouri’s Cameron. Most staff and inmates transferred to the other prison in town – Western Missouri Correctional Center. Now, Parson wants to reopen the Crossroads Correctional Center and turn it into a training academy for correctional officers. During a House Budget Committee hearing, Trevor Foley […]
Suspect dead, deputy injured in officer-involved shooting east of Chillicothe
A suspect died following an officer-involved shooting near Highway 36 east of Chillicothe on Friday evening, February 19th, after attacking a deputy. That according to Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox, who reports the incident happened after a one-vehicle accident. The deputy responded to the accident at approximately 6:30 in the evening and found the vehicle […]
Missouri State Highway Patrol announces promotion of Steven Wilhoit to Captain
The superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces the following promotion effective March 1, 2021. Lieutenant Steven V. Wilhoit, Q/DDCC, will be promoted to the rank of captain and named commanding officer of Troop A, Lee’s Summit, MO. Wilhoit was appointed to the Patrol on July 1, 1996, as a member of the 72nd […]
Outlook for $15-an-hour minimum wage boosted by new government report
(Missouri Independent) – The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in a report Monday found a gradual increase to a $15 federal minimum wage by 2025 would reduce poverty, add $54 billion to the deficit over a decade and increase pay for millions of low-income workers. The report could help Democrats make a strong case for including a […]
Audio: Missouri veterans’ homes stop spread of COVID-19, now struggling with revenue
The Missouri Veterans Homes have fought their way out of a COVID outbreak – with patient cases down to ZERO. The Veterans Commission now must find additional ways to fund the homes – as they struggle with the number of patients down due to COVID restrictions, and other sources drying up. Terressa Sherlock the commission’s […]
Online workshops set for fruit and vegetable growers for produce safety training
Missouri fruit and vegetable growers can enroll in upcoming no-cost or low-cost online produce safety training. Webinar topics include creating a food safety plan for USDA Good Agricultural Practices certification, Food Safety Modernization Act training, produce safety best practices, and wildlife control for produce growers, said Londa Nwadike, an extension associate professor of food safety […]
Governor Parson signs $324 million emergency package for rent and utility needs
Governor Mike Parson has signed HB 16 into law, a bill giving $324 million in emergency aid to help struggling renters and landlords in Missouri. The plan, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), could cover some rent and utility costs. “HB 16 will provide much-needed assistance to tenants and landlords across the state. COVID-19’s economic […]
Florida man lies to obtain $3.9 million in federal loans; spends money on Lamborghini
A Florida man pleaded guilty for fraudulently obtaining approximately $3.9 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans and using those funds, in part, to purchase a $318,000 Lamborghini sports car for himself. Federal investigators linked the sports car to Hines after he was involved in a hit and run on July 11, the Miami Herald reported. […]
Audio: Missouri discusses plan to meet social and emotional needs of K-12 students
Missouri is working to develop a statewide plan to help meet the social and emotional needs that K-12 public school students are struggling with. At a Missouri Board of Education meeting, member Kim Bailey says the coronavirus pandemic has intensified these problems. Bailey, a licensed mental health and trauma specialist, says the plan would build […]
Wheeling man injured in single-vehicle crash near Meadville
The Highway Patrol reports a Wheeling man sustained minor injuries in a one-car accident one-half mile east of Meadville on Wednesday morning, February 10th. Sixty-six-year-old Russell Richter was later arrested on a couple of allegations. An ambulance transported him to Pershing Memorial Hospital of Brookfield. The car traveled north on Crow Drive before going through […]
Trenton woman waives preliminary hearing; Humphreys resident pleads guilty to passing bad check
A Trenton woman has waived a preliminary hearing in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. Stefanie Garma has been charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia as of February 1st. She was also accused of three misdemeanors including resisting or interfering with an arrest, detention, or stop; private peace disturbance, and another count […]
Patrol announces three arrests in Adair County on drug-related allegations
The Highway Patrol reports the arrest of three individuals in Adair County on February 9th on drug-related allegations. Thirty-year-old Kayla Fisher of La Plata was accused of felony possession of a controlled substance, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. She was taken to the Adair County Jail […]