Governor Mike Parson

Missouri to accept Medicaid expansion applications; DSS to begin processing applications on October 1

(Missouri Independent) – Missourians who qualify for benefits under Medicaid expansion can begin enrolling. Still, it may take up to two months until they will find out if their eligibility has been verified and their application has been approved. In a news release Wednesday, Gov. Mike Parson announced that in response to a Cole County […]

Coronavirus Update

Grundy County reports a COVID-related death and 17 new cases of COVID-19; Daviess County reports 19 new cases, Livingston County 13

The Grundy County Health Department announces an additional COVID-19-related death, bringing the total to 42. Seventeen new cases have been reported since August 9th, making that total 1,413. Sixty-one cases are active, which the health department reports is the highest number of active cases since January 19th. The active cases include 24 Grundy County residents […]

Medicaid

Lawmakers say special session likely unneeded to fund Missouri Medicaid expansion

(Missouri Independent) – Legislative leaders of both parties said Tuesday that a special session is likely not needed to appropriate additional funds following a court order to begin covering Missourians who are eligible under voter-approved Medicaid expansion. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Independence, and Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis and […]

Cole County Judge Jon Beetem (Screenshot courtesy KRCG-TV)

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 […]

Hunter David Krawitz Booking Photo

Spickard man charged with domestic assault

A Spickard man accused of causing physical pain to a relative has been charged with felony third-degree domestic assault. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports 21-year-old Hunter David Krawitz was arrested on August 8. Bond is $5,000 cash only, and he is scheduled for the Associate Division of Circuit Court on August 24. Court documents […]

Missouri seeks to boost prizes in local vaccine incentive program

(Missouri Independent) – Prizes awarded through a vaccine incentive program offered by local public health departments in Missouri may get boosted to $100-per-person under a new federal allowance. After previously rejecting Missouri’s proposal to exceed a $25 limit on prizes paid for with federal funding to incentivize immunizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently […]

Desks in classroom of school or education or student

Missouri agency begins implementation of new law to regulate unlicensed boarding schools

(Missouri Independent) – Unlicensed youth residential facilities across Missouri are expected to submit materials notifying the state of their existence by mid-October, but background checks for facility staff required under a new law likely won’t be completed by that time. That’s because the Department of Social Services (DSS) is still working to make hires in […]

BTC Bank

BTC Bank announces the purchase of Home Exchange Bank

BTC Bank announces that it has signed an agreement to purchase Home Exchange Bank with locations in Jamesport, Gilman City, and Oregon, Missouri. Terms of the purchase provide for BTC Bank to acquire substantially all of the assets, deposits, and liabilities associated with Home Exchange Bank. The purchase is subject to regulatory and stockholder approval, […]

MS-13 Gang Logo

Four MS-13 gang members indicted for 10 murders, kidnapping and racketeering charges

Four alleged members of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) have been charged in a federal superseding indictment with a racketeering conspiracy involving multiple murders, kidnappings, and burglaries, as well as drug trafficking. The individuals charged in the superseding indictment are: Luis Reynaldo Reyes-Castillo, 27, aka Molesto; David Arturo Perez-Manchame, 22, aka Herbi, aka Walter Melendez; Joel […]