Six people died in traffic crashes over the 2021 Memorial Day weekend counting period of 6 p.m., Friday, May 28, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, May 31, 2021. Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers investigated the following over the 2021 Memorial Day holiday weekend: Traffic Statistics Crashes — 270 Injuries — 82 Fatalities — 4 DWI — […]
Tag: St. Louis
COVID-19 surge in north Missouri creates worries for summer as vaccinations decline
(Missouri Independent) – In the last week of April, the Linn County Health Department signaled that the COVID-19 pandemic had cooled enough that it could discontinue weekly reports on new cases. With only three active cases on April 21, the urgency for frequent updates seemed to have passed. But the coronavirus came roaring back this […]
Audio: Missouri lawmaker accused of using law enforcement position to get sexual favor from drunk teen
A report alleges a northeast Missouri lawmaker used his position as a law enforcement officer to get a sexual favor from an intoxicated 19-year-old woman while on duty in 2015. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Missouri House Speaker Rob Vescovo has forwarded to the House Ethics Committee the information about Bowling Green Republican […]
Missouri Governor says federal unemployment programs have given public incentive to stay out of the workforce
Saying that there’s a labor shortage across Missouri, Governor Mike Parson (R) has issued a directive to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to end all federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits. Missouri’s House Democratic Leader is blasting the decision. Governor Parson made the announcement during a Tuesday afternoon briefing at the Statehouse in Jefferson […]
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Service partners with agencies to ensure vaccine for the homebound
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced a partnership between the Area Agencies on Aging, local public health agencies, and Emergency Medical Services to ensure homebound adults have a streamlined and accessible vaccination experience across the state. Understanding that various communities have already developed a plan for vaccinating homebound individuals in their area, […]
Governor Parson appoints first black woman, Judge Robin Ransom, to the Missouri Supreme Court
Governor Mike Parson has appointed the Honorable Robin Ransom as the next Judge of the Supreme Court of Missouri. She will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Laura Denvir Stith in early March. “Appointing a judge to the Supreme Court of Missouri is an important duty that I do not take […]
Missouri medical marijuana companies win tax relief from state lawmakers
(Missouri Independent) – Missourians voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2018. But under federal law, growing, transporting, or selling marijuana remains a crime. Unsurprisingly, that dynamic has created a lot of headaches for the fledgling industry. One notable example: Unlike every other legal business in the state, marijuana companies are prohibited from deducting business expenses […]
Audio: St. Peters woman in jail after “suicide pact” goes horribly wrong.
A St. Peters woman accused of strangling her adult daughter told police she killed her as part of a suicide pact. The St. Louis Post Dispatch says 69-year-old Donna J. Scuderi, has been charged with first-degree murder in the asphyxiation death of her 39-year-old daughter, Laura Scuderi, at their St. Peters home. In […]
Advocates fear homeless crisis with federal eviction moratorium on shaky legal ground
(Missouri Independent) – At least once a day, housing advocate Melissa Pashia speaks to someone living in a car. Once the situation gets to this point, it’s hard to get people back into stable housing, said Pashia, a housing resource specialist for the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council. “Landlords don’t want to […]
Missouri State Highway Patrol promotes three to lieutenant
Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces the following promotions. Sergeant Scott A. Ballard, Troop F, will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant and transfer to Field Operations Bureau, General Headquarters, Jefferson City, MO, effective June 1, 2021. Ballard was appointed to the Patrol on June 29, 2003, as […]
Eleven public high schools in Missouri recognized for helping students plan financially for higher education
Eleven public high schools in Missouri are being recognized for helping students plan financially for higher education. In an effort to promote completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid among high school seniors, the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development launched the Show-Me FAFSA Challenge in October 2020. The competition ended […]
Medicaid provider taxes imperiled as compromise on abortion issues eludes lawmakers
(Missouri Independent) – The pathway to renewing provider taxes essential to funding Medicaid before Missouri lawmakers adjourn for the year became much narrower when issues raised by abortion opponents forced removal of the taxes from a health care bill. When a conference committee met to work out differences between the House and Senate on the bill, […]
Audio: Key bills passed in the final day or days of the Missouri Legislature’s session
Another session of the Missouri Legislature has come and gone. Of the 1,559 House bills and 689 Senate bills filed this time around, 69 bills will make it to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. Here are some key bills left up to the governor to sign or veto: Missouri lawmakers vote to pump up […]
Bill to speed Evergy and Ameren’s move to clean energy wins Missouri legislative approval
Legislation that would allow Missouri utility companies to speed their transition to renewable energy is on its way to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk just a day before the General Assembly’s session ends. The Missouri House voted 146-1 Thursday in favor of a policy — also adopted earlier this year in Kansas — that would allow utility providers, like […]
Push for disclosure of Missouri medical marijuana records runs into veto threat
(Missouri Independent) – An effort by lawmakers to require disclosure of ownership information for businesses granted medical marijuana licenses was derailed on Thursday when state regulators suggested a possible gubernatorial veto. On Tuesday, the Missouri House voted to require the Department of Health and Senior Services provide legislative oversight committees with records regarding who owns […]
Audio: Legislation banning police chokeholds heading to Missouri Governor Parson’s desk
Bipartisan law enforcement legislation that bans most police chokeholds and eliminates residency requirements for Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) officers is now heading to the Missouri governor’s desk after receiving final House approval Thursday afternoon in Jefferson City. Senate Bill 53 is sponsored by State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R-Parkville) and State Rep. Lane Roberts (R-Joplin). Representative Roberts […]
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission files suit against Hiland Dairy Foods for disability discrimination
Hiland Dairy Foods, a Missouri-based producer and distributor of dairy products, violated federal law when it refused to hire a man to work in its Norman, Okla. plant because he was vision-impaired, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged in a lawsuit filed. According to the suit, Hiland interviewed the man, toured the plant with […]
Audio: Missouri is close to requiring sales tax for those shopping online
Missouri is close to requiring out-of-state companies to collect sales taxes from Missouri residents buying from them online. The state House has sent back to the Senate a bill that would include income tax cuts to help offset the expected revenue increase. Representative J. Eggleston of northwest Missouri’s Maysville, carried the bill in the House. […]
Missouri lawmakers pass bill limiting local health orders, banning vaccine passports
(Missouri Independent) – As the state of Missouri battles its second year of the novel coronavirus’ spread, lawmakers on Wednesday sent to the governor’s desk a bill that aims to rein in local public health orders and ban vaccine passports. The provisions were included in House Bill 271, which deals with local government transparency. It grew […]