Moberly Missouri School District Website

Missouri Attorney General’s office and Moberly School District reach agreement in Sunshine lawsuit

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that the Attorney General’s Office has reached a favorable resolution in a lawsuit the Office filed against Moberly School District over alleged violations of the Sunshine Law. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office filed suit against the Moberly School District in November 2021 for failing to comply with the Sunshine […]

Children eating lunch in a school cafeteria (Photo by CDC on Unsplash)

Advocates worried more rural kids may go hungry this summer

Federal waivers put in place at the height of the pandemic allowed federal child nutrition programs more flexibility in delivering meals to households because kids were not at school. Those waivers are set to expire in a few months, and in states like Arkansas, groups working to fight hunger warn that more children, especially in rural areas, […]

Judge gavel and money on brown wooden table. Many hundred dollar bills under judge malice on court desk. Judgement and bribe

Missouri Attorney General obtains judgment and full restitution for victims in “Lantern Fest” lawsuit

Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced the entry of a consent judgment against Happy Fun Events, LLC, Owen Spencer Hunn, and Martha Hunn. The Hunns owned Happy Fun Events, a Utah-based company, that put on “Lantern Fest” events around the country. Happy Fun Events had scheduled an event in Jefferson County for November 2018 that it […]

Guilty Verdict News Graphic

Jury convicts University of Kansas researcher for hiding ties to Chinese government

A former University of Kansas (KU) professor was convicted by a federal jury on three counts of wire fraud and one count of false statements after he deliberately concealed that he was also employed by a government-affiliated university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while working on U.S. government-funded research at KU. Feng Tao, […]

Guilty Plea

Woman pleads guilty to racketeering conspiracy involving the forced labor of Mexican agricultural workers

A woman in Florida pleaded guilty to a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized Mexican agricultural workers admitted into the United States under the H-2A temporary visa program. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. According […]

Budget news graphic

Missouri House signs off on $46.2 billion budget, leaves most of huge state surplus untouched

(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri House gave first-round approval Tuesday to a package of budget bills spending $46.2 billion, with Republicans defeating repeated Democratic efforts to tap the state’s record surplus. The budget includes boosts to higher education funding, both for institutions and scholarships, as well as funding one of last year’s most controversial issues, Medicaid […]

Combine and farm tractor with wagon in field

Coalition of legislators introduce resolution to protect family farms and small businesses

Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) joined Representatives Tracey Mann, Jason Smith, Bob Latta, and a bipartisan coalition of more than 70 members of Congress in introducing a resolution recognizing the important role of the stepped-up basis in preserving family farms and small businesses. “If the President gets his way and guts the stepped-up basis, it would […]

A gavel and a name plate with the engraving Lawsuit

Missouri, Arizona and Louisiana sue Biden administration for rescinding Title 42

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry are suing the Biden Administration for rescinding the public health policy, Title 42, during the worst border crisis in decades. The revocation will result in an unprecedented crisis at the United States southern border that will have a devastating […]

State Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern makes a plea for increased funding for public schools during Thursday’s House Budget Committee markup session. (Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

House Budget Committee rejects adding surplus revenue to Missouri public schools, colleges

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s record general revenue surplus was off-limits for spending plans as the House Budget Committee worked Thursday, defeating Democratic efforts to give boost money for public schools and state colleges. The only significant addition to education budgets approved by the committee was to restart the teacher Career Ladder program, providing $21 million to give experienced […]

Indictment graphic with gavel and file folder

Grand Jury indicts former CEO of major construction company in Missouri in Minority Business Enterprise fraud scheme

A federal grand jury indicted Brian Kowert, Sr., former Chief Operating Officer of the HBD Construction Company, on March 30, 2022, for five counts of wire fraud relative to his falsifying of Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) participation in several construction and redevelopment projects from 2014 through 2022. Kowert, Sr. was an owner, executive vice president, […]

Phone Scam

Trenton Police Department reports scammers contacting residents using a variety of scam techniques to gain personal information

The Trenton Police Department reports residents receiving scam telephone calls from what appears to be a local telephone number or a telephone number from a business; however, these are telephone scammers spoofing telephone numbers to gain personal information to use in an identity theft scheme. Authorities are encouraging residents to be vigilant in keeping their […]

Gallatin City Hall

Gallatin Board of Aldermen receive information on painting interior of water tower and get update on water meters

The Gallatin Board of Aldermen on March 28th approved a bid for ordering six electric transformers. The bid from T and R Electric was for $6,060 and the vote came after Public Works Director Mark Morey requested to order the transformers to have on hand as backups. The delivery time will extend into the 2023 […]

Drinking Water Fountain (Photo by Sean Musil on Unsplash)

Missouri House bill would cut down on poisonous lead in school drinking water

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri children would be better protected from lead poisoning under a state legislative bill to require schools to nearly rid their drinking water of the dangerous toxin. The bill, heard Monday by the House Conservation and Natural Resources Committee, would require schools to test drinking water, remove old coolers and filter water where […]

Drug Trafficking

Missouri driver who led officers on high-speed chase charged with meth trafficking and illegal firearms

A man who led police officers on a high-speed chase in a stolen car driving the wrong way on Interstate 70 was charged in federal court with illegally possessing several firearms and more than two kilograms of methamphetamine. Davon R. Williams, 28, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in […]