July 2021, unemployment rates for this area range from two percent in Mercer County up to four point nine percent in Clinton County. At two percent, Mercer County has the second-lowest jobless rate in the state; only Scotland County is lower at one point eight percent. The July unemployment rate average for Missouri is three […]
Tag: sand
Missouri ICUs filling as Delta variant wave moves into northeast, southeast regions
(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 […]
Supreme Court rejection of eviction ban increases pressure to dole out rental aid money
(Missouri Independent) -The U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of the Biden administration’s last-ditch effort to extend a federal ban on evictions has put hundreds of thousands of American renters at risk of losing their housing — and is increasing pressure on states and localities to get rental assistance dollars distributed faster. In an eight-page majority opinion […]
Trenton City Council looks at creation of a “Social District,” discuss increasing monthly base rate of water meter charge
The Trenton City Council Monday night reviewed a preliminary report on proposed improvements to the aging water treatment plant, including an initial discussion on how to pay for an anticipated loan to finance the projects. The council also endorsed a developer’s application seeking funding for senior citizen housing, the creation of a social district for […]
FDA gives full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
The U.S. has its first fully approved vaccine against COVID-19, with federal health officials announcing Monday the approval of Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose vaccine. The green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to move Pfizer’s vaccine from emergency use to full approval is a milestone in the national pandemic response, and one that comes as the […]
As Missouri students head back to class, state launches new COVID testing program
(Missouri Independent) – Monday marks the first day of school for thousands of students across Missouri and it’s also when schools can begin enrolling in a new federally-funded testing program aimed at helping facilitate a safe return to the classroom. The Department of Health and Senior Services announced Friday evening that Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc., a […]
Meatpacking plants have long relied on immigrant labor. Some now turn to foreign visa workers
(Missouri Independent) – Colored hard hats distinguish different roles and jobs at Seaboard Foods, a major meatpacking plant in Guymon, Oklahoma. Senior management have green. Supervisors wear dark blue. Foreign workers on visas don yellow-green. But Seaboard is part of a small but growing trend in the meatpacking industry, which already largely relied on an […]
Audio: Afghanistan refugees arrive in Missouri
Refugees from Afghanistan are beginning to arrive in Missouri. Missourinet’s Brent Palm has more on the story. Some of the first refugees flew into St. Louis Lambert International Airport over the weekend. One man named Mohammed told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that “it’s very nice to be here” and said he really […]
Governor Parson announces $400 million plan to improve broadband infrastructure in Missouri
During a press conference at the Missouri State Fair hosted by the Missouri Farm Bureau, Governor Mike Parson announced plans to deploy more than $400 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to increase broadband internet access, adoption, and assistance statewide. “Investing in our broadband infrastructure is critical to unlocking our full economic potential […]
Tax rate set by Newtown-Harris Board of Education; meal prices increased by ten cents
The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education set the tax rate and approved meal prices on August 13th. The tax rate was set at $6.6331 per $100 of assessed valuation. That is $.0726 higher than last year’s. Meal prices were increased by 10 cents for all categories. Prices for breakfast will be $1.70 for kindergarten through […]
Audio: Online pet product retailer Chewy to hire 1,600 employees in western Missouri’s Belton area
The governor traveled to rural western Missouri’s Belton this week to help cut the ribbon on an 800-thousand square foot new e-Commerce fulfillment center that’s located near I-49. State Department of Economic Development Director Rob Dixon says Chewy has seen enormous growth. Dixon says Chewy plans to hire 1,600 employees in the Belton […]
Audio: Missouri legislator’s federal court trial delayed
A Missouri State Representative’s federal court trial has been moved to June 2022. The trial for Nixa Republican Tricia Derges was scheduled to begin Monday at a federal courthouse in southwest Missouri’s Springfield. Don Ledford, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Missouri, says a witness suffered a stroke and […]
Judge orders state to immediately allow Missourians to enroll in expanded Medicaid
(Missouri Independent) – The Missouri Department of Social Services must allow newly eligible residents that qualify for benefits under voter-approved Medicaid expansion to enroll and cannot impose greater restrictions on them, a Cole County judge ruled Tuesday. Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem sided with the plaintiffs who urged him to allow Medicaid expansion to take […]
Unionville man drowns at Thousand Hills State Park
The Highway Patrol reports a Unionville man has drowned at Thousand Hills State Park near Kirksville the afternoon of August 9 after he voluntarily left a pontoon boat in an attempt to rescue another swimmer. Sixty-four-year-old Steven Puckett was taken to the Travis Noe Funeral Home. Puckett went under the water at Forest Lake and did […]
Green Hills Animal Shelter to hold fundraiser on Saturday
Green Hills Animal Shelter in Trenton will hold a fundraiser Saturday, August 14, which involves a meal, snow cones, and a bounce house. The animal shelter on East 10th Street will offer a pulled pork sandwich and baked beans for $7.00. Patrons also can purchase pulled pork at $5.00 per pound and beans at $4.00 […]
Secretary of State announces Bicentennial-Day release of the State of Missouri Constitution in audiobook format
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, in commemoration of the two-hundredth anniversary of Missouri’s entry into the United States, has announced that the Constitution of the State of Missouri will be released in audiobook format on August 10, 2021. This 13-hour recording, produced by the Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library, is the first audio version […]
Three Missouri State Parks to hold public meetings on Saturday, August 14
Missouri State Parks near Laclede, Macon, and Kirksville have public information meetings coming up on Saturday, August 14, 2021. Pershing State Park along Highway 130 in Linn County has a 7 o’clock meeting that night in the campground amphitheater. Long Branch State Park in Macon county has a 4 o’clock meeting at the north shelter […]
In conjunction with the Missouri Bicentennial, we list every ice cream social event in northern Missouri
Many locations in the area plan on having community events on the same day next week to recognize the Bicentennial for Missouri by offering ice cream. All events posted to the Missouri 2021website are on Tuesday, August 10th. Among those holding ice cream socials are Crowder State Park west of Trenton offers ice cream at […]
Public meeting at Thousand Hills State Park near Kirksville set for August 14
Representatives from Missouri State Parks invite the public to attend an informational meeting at Thousand Hills State Park near Kirksville on August 14, 2021. The meeting will begin at 1 o’clock at the Point Shelter House. When entering Thousand Hills State Park from Highway 157, turn right onto Big Loop Trail Road at the park […]