Emily Hartley, Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council Deputy Director, was appointed to the Missouri Advisory Committee by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, effective Feb. 18, 2022. Advisory Committees have recently examined water affordability, school discipline disparities, policing practices, mental health and the criminal justice system, legal financial obligations, fair housing, hate crimes, voting rights, maternal […]
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U.S. Senate hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to start today
(Missouri Independent) – After more than two weeks of private meetings with nearly half the U.S. Senate, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s pick for the U.S. Supreme Court, will field questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee in highly anticipated public hearings that begin today (Monday). Members of the panel will question Jackson for […]
Crowder State Park to host Easter Egg Hunt during April
The Easter Bunny lost Easter eggs on the trails at Crowder State Park. The public is invited to hike the trails at the park from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during April to locate these eggs and enter in a drawing for a hiking stick from the park’s souvenir collection. Hikers should record the […]
Audio: Chillicothe man to compete on new Food Network cooking show inspired by Julia Child
A Chillicothe man will compete on a new cooking show inspired by Julia Child. Dustin Rennells will appear on The Julia Child Challenge, which premieres on the Food Network and Discovery+ March 14th at 8 o’clock at night Central Time. Rennells says he moved to Boston after graduating from high school in 2000. He went […]
Planned Parenthood sues Missouri social services agency over restricted Medicaid funds
(Missouri Independent) – Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit Thursday against Missouri’s Department of Social Services, alleging the agency unlawfully plans to restrict Medicaid payments to the provider. A March 4 notice sent to Planned Parenthood of St. Louis Region cites a supplemental budget bill lawmakers passed last month that bars abortion providers or their affiliates from being […]
Grand jury indicts former Missouri school principal and co-conspirator in murder for hire plot
A federal grand jury indicted Cornelius M. Green and Phillip J. Cutler on March 9, 2022, for conspiracy to commit murder for hire and murder for hire that resulted in the death of Jocelyn Peters and her unborn child in 2016. The indictment alleges that Green and Cutler had a longstanding and close friendship […]
Audit of city of Cross Timbers finds more than $44,000 misappropriated by former city clerk; city finances in poor condition
Auditor Galloway released her findings from an audit of the city of Cross Timbers in Hickory County. Residents of Cross Timbers, a small town of fewer than 120 residents in west-central Missouri, initiated the audit through the petition process. The audit released, which gives a rating of “poor” – the lowest possible rating – found […]
Missouri Lieutenant Governor seeks nominations for Senior Service Award
State Rep. Rusty Black is encouraging citizens from House District 7 to submit their nominees for the 2022 Lieutenant Governor’s Senior Service Award. First created in 2005, the Lieutenant Governor’s Service Award acknowledges senior citizens who provide their local communities with at least 40 hours of community service per year. Recipients are individuals who epitomize […]
House grants initial approval to bill that would allow prison nurseries in Missouri
(Missouri Independent) -The House gave initial approval Wednesday to a bill that would allow newborns to remain with their incarcerated mothers for the first year and a half of the baby’s life. The bill would permit the Missouri Department of Corrections to establish nurseries within the state’s correctional facilities, allowing children born to incarcerated women to […]
Kansas National Guard soldier pleads guilty in Missouri court to sexual exploitation of a child
A man serving with the Army National Guard pleaded guilty in federal court to sexually exploiting an 11-year-old southwest Missouri victim to produce child pornography. Christian Sinclair, 21, of Chanute, Kansas, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of a child. By pleading guilty, Sinclair […]
Treasurer calls on Missouri pension funds to sell Russian investments in wake of Ukraine war
(Missouri Independent) – State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick wants Missouri to join other states that are dumping Russian investments from retirement funds. In a news release Tuesday, Fitzpatrick called for an emergency meeting of the Missouri State Employees Retirement System (MOSERS) Board of Trustees for votes to block future purchases of Russian securities and consider how to divest […]
Amount of copper and lead in water lines to have significant impact on operation of Trenton Municipal Utilities
At Monday night’s meeting of the Trenton City Council, Utility Director Ron Urton presented information that he says will have a significant future impact on Trenton Municipal Utilities, particularly with operations, projects, and funding. Urton said he’s been viewing webinars on the new EPA lead and copper rule regarding underground mains. Urton indicated an inventory […]
Video: Biden taps Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as first black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court
(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden formally announced the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday afternoon. “President Biden sought a candidate with exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character, and unwavering dedication to the rule of law,” the White House said in a statement. If confirmed by the Senate, Jackson, 51, […]
North Central Missouri College scholarship recipients recognized at reception
The 2021-2022 North Central Missouri College Scholarship Reception was held on Wednesday, February 16th, in the Jeanette Hoffman Robison Auditorium at the Ketcham Community Center. Over 260 students were recognized for receiving an NCMC Foundation, Athletic, SSS, or other institutional scholarships. The North Central Missouri College Foundation hosts this annual event. Phyllis Jackson, NCMC Foundation […]
Spickard woman charged with 18 counts of animal neglect turns herself in to authorities
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports a Spickard woman turned herself in on February 22nd on 18 counts of misdemeanor animal neglect or abandonment. Seventy-four year-old Diana Lee Miller posted a $500 cash-only bond. She is scheduled for the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court on March 8, 2022. Court documents accuse Miller of […]
State judges across the U.S. face growing GOP pushback against rulings in election cases
Missouri Independent) – In mid-December, Texas’ highest criminal court revoked the state attorney general’s ability to use his office to prosecute election-related cases without the request of a district or county attorney. In an 8-1 opinion, the all-Republican court weakened Attorney General Ken Paxton’s power to independently go after perpetrators of voter fraud, a problem he says […]
Disability advocates say to focus on accessibility in voting reforms
Experts say Missouri ranks low among states when it comes to steps it has taken to improve accessibility in voting. Denise Lieberman, director and general counsel of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, which has a disability-rights committee, said people with disabilities face barriers at all stages of the voting process, from registering to vote to […]