The Missouri Public Defender System has a waiting list of about 2,000 low-income people requesting legal services. Governor Parson’s next state budget proposal attempts to reduce that list by requesting 1.1 million dollars to hire 16 extra attorneys. During a House Budget Committee hearing this week, Director Mary Fox says the office’s caseload is growing […]
Tag: special
Audio: After years of attempts, Missouri House passes private schooling tax credit bill
After years of attempts, the state House has voted to pass a bill that would let donors provide scholarships for students to attend a private Missouri K-12 school. In return, they would get state tax credits. Under the bill, students with special needs and those who qualify for free and reduce price school meals would […]
Special meeting of Spickard Board of Education and Board of Aldermen called to resolve water issues at school
An announcement has been made of a special meeting on Saturday afternoon to discuss the water situation at Spickard, including the school. No in-person classes will be held on Friday at the Spickard school due to lack of water; instead, Friday will be another AMI Day which is alternative methods of instruction. The meeting is […]
Who defines the Missouri GOP: Roy Blunt, Josh Hawley or Eric Greitens?
(Missouri Independent) – The eyes of the nation turned to U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley over the holidays when he became the first senator to announce an objection to the certification of presidential electors. But the eyes of local politicos turned instead to his home-state colleague, Missouri’s senior senator. How would Roy Blunt — up for […]
Audio: Trenton High School senior named Star Area Farmer
A Trenton High School senior was named the Star Area Farmer at the Area 2 FFA Proficiency Award Night the night of February 24th. Kidridge Griffin is the president of the Trenton FFA. He will be one of 16 students statewide competing for the State Star Farmer Award at the State FFA Convention in late […]
University of Missouri Extension seeks input from farmers
The University of Missouri Extension wants to know how row crop farmers and others in the Missouri agricultural industry prefer to receive their agricultural information. MU Extension weed specialist Mandy Bish said the brief survey asks farmers and others in the ag industry, such as seed and chemical dealers, to share what types of information […]
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 […]
Safer Streets Initiative leads to over 500 charges in first two years
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that, to date, his Safer Streets Initiative, which was launched in early 2019, has resulted in 516 charges against 289 defendants across the state. Additionally, 356 firearms have been taken off the streets as a result of the initiative. “Since taking office, prosecuting violent crime in Missouri’s major […]
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. […]
One of the nation’s largest chicken producers pleads guilty to price fixing and is sentenced to $107 million criminal fine
Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, a major broiler chicken producer based in Greeley, Colorado, has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to pay approximately $107 million in criminal fines for its participation in a conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products, the Department of Justice announced today. According to the plea agreement entered […]
21 participate in Polar Plunge at Simpson Park in Chillicothe
Twenty-one participants raised more than $8,400 for Special Olympics athletes at the Polar Plunge at Simpson Park in Chillicothe on Saturday. Spokesperson Melody Prawitz reports awards went to Emily Braun for the individual with the most money raised at $1,000 and the Braun Family for the group with the most money raised at $1,425. The […]
Free farming webinar explores lessons learned from the 1980s
AEI Premium invites agricultural decision-makers to participate in a virtual event exploring lessons learned from its “Escaping 1980” podcast to be held on March 3 at 1 pm eastern. Farmers, agribusiness leaders, farm policy wonks, and students can click here to register for the free webinar. Agricultural economists Brent Gloy and David Widmar will […]
Tami Campbell selected as North Central Missouri College Outstanding Employee
Tami Campbell, Senior Database Administrator from Mercer, MO, has been selected as North Central Missouri College’s Outstanding Employee for February. Tami has been employed at NCMC for eight years and holds an associate degree in Information Technology. Recently, Tami has been instrumental in helping the NCMC IT team launch new solutions and infrastructure. Tami’s main […]
Audio: Arctic temps have made it a hard few weeks for Missouri farmers
The director of Missouri agriculture says it’s been a tough few weeks, especially for livestock producers, in the frigid weather. Chris Chinn, who owns a hog operation with her husband, says it’s also impacting growers who have a lot of grain to get to market. “A lot of farmers had contracts that they […]
WWII Nazi concentration camp guard removed to Germany
A Tennessee resident with German citizenship was removed to Germany for participating in Nazi-sponsored acts of persecution while serving as an armed guard at a Nazi concentration camp in 1945. In February 2020, Friedrich Karl Berger, 95, was ordered removed from the U.S. based on his participation in Nazi-sponsored persecution while serving in Nazi Germany […]
Audio: Parson’s budget proposal would close half of housing units within Missouri women’s prison
The women’s prison in northeast Missouri’s Vandalia could have about half of its housing units permanently closed. Trevor Foley, with the state Department of Corrections, says Governor Mike Parson’s new state budget proposal would make the change. Gov. Parson’s proposed $34.1 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning in July includes about $802 million for […]
Missouri House committee votes to forgive federal unemployment debts
(Missouri Independent) – Thousands of Missourians facing repayment of mistakenly paid unemployment benefits would get some relief under legislation passed with a bipartisan vote Wednesday in a Missouri House committee. The bill, which will likely be debated on the House floor next week, would forgive debts due to overpayments from federal coronavirus relief programs but would not […]
Audio: Popular southern Missouri restaurant featured on “Travel Channel” to close
A popular rural Missouri diner that’s been featured on the “Travel Channel” will be closing its doors in mid-March, because of an ownership change at the truck stop. The “Travel Channel” and Rural Missouri magazine have profiled Cookin’ from Scratch, which is near I-44 in southern Missouri’s Doolittle. That’s near Rolla. The restaurant […]
DHSS collaborates with Area Agencies on Aging to ensure vaccine access for Missouri’s senior citizens
A program designed to assist older Missourians with accessing COVID-19 vaccine launched today. In partnership with the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Missouri’s Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) will assist seniors with online vaccination registration, coordinate round trip transportation to and from their vaccination appointments, and conduct reminder calls for seniors’ second doses. […]