COVID-19 Delta Variant

COVID cases among children rising as Missouri Delta variant wave enters fifth month

(Missouri Independent) – Clay LaRue, superintendent of the Van Buren R-1 School District, made a tough decision Sunday. With COVID-19 cases spiking in Carter County in southeast Missouri, and many of those infections among very young children, LaRue shut down the district’s pre-kindergarten program for two weeks. He had previously directed faculty, staff, and students […]

Grundy Electric Foundation

GEC Community Foundation now accepting grant applications

The GEC Community Foundation, Incorporated is accepting grant applications. Qualified applicants may apply for a grant by completing an application with supporting information. The deadline is October 1st. The application is available at this link or by calling the Grundy Electric Cooperative at 1-800-279-2249 extension 33 or 23. The trustees will review the applications, and […]

Mask Mandate News Graphic

Biden administration opens civil rights investigation into states banning school mask mandates

(Missouri Independent) – Federal education officials have launched civil rights investigations in five Republican-led states that have prohibited school districts from mandating mask-wearing, saying those policies could amount to illegal discrimination against students with disabilities. The Biden administration notified the education chiefs in Iowa, Tennessee, South Carolina, Utah, and Oklahoma of the investigations through formal letters Monday. The new investigations will examine […]

Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Audio: Missouri pediatricians group responds to attorney general’s lawsuit about school masking requirements

The Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is responding to Attorney General Eric Schmitt suing to block mask mandates in Missouri’s K-12 public schools. Schmitt, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, says a mask mandate “flies in the face of science, especially given children’s low risk of severe illness and death and their […]

Missouri School Boards Association

Audio: Missouri School Board Association leader responds to attorney general’s lawsuit challenging school mask requirements

State Attorney General Eric Schmitt is suing Columbia Public Schools and any Missouri K-12 public school requiring students and staff to wear masks. Schmitt, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, says a mask mandate “flies in the face of science, especially given children’s low risk of severe illness and death and their low risk of […]

Hospital Bed (Photo by Frederic Köberl on Unsplash)

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 […]

Student taking a school test

Audio: Standardized test scores for Missouri’s K-12 public school students are on tap to be released in October

Standardized test scores for Missouri’s K-12 public school students are on tap to be released in October. Due to the pandemic interrupting in-person schooling, many education leaders nationwide have warned that they anticipate test scores to show a learning loss. During a House Budget Committee hearing this week, state Education Commissioner, Dr. Margie Vandeven, says […]

Hy Vee KidsFit website

Hy-Vee launches free program for schools to promote health, fitness and nutrition

Hy-Vee KidsFit launches a free yearlong program for schools to promote health, fitness, and nutrition. The Hy-Vee KidsFit School Wellness Club allows students to build healthy lifestyles through educational programming and consistency throughout the school year. School administrators can enroll an individual school or a full district into the program now through October 11, 2021. […]

Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas CIty Website

Children’s Mercy Hospital doctor responds to Missouri Attorney General’s lawsuit banning mask mandates in schools

A children’s hospital doctor is responding to the Missouri Attorney General’s lawsuit that aims to ban schools from requiring students and staff to wear masks. Dr. Jennifer Watts of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City says the hospital is strongly advocating to keep children in school.     Attorney General Eric Schmitt is suing Columbia […]

Back To School, Are You Ready?

Area students return to the classroom this week

Classes begin today (Monday) in the Milan and Green City school districts, with many other area schools beginning classes on Tuesday or Wednesday. Those beginning school on Tuesday are Trenton, Grundy R-5, Chillicothe, Laredo, Princeton, North Mercer, Newtown Harris, Linn County of Purdin, and Gallatin. Wednesday is the first day of school for Pleasant View […]