Missouri Department of Corrections

Audio: Missouri corrections employees to receive pay increase under Missouri House’s budget

The Missouri House has given final approval to an eight-million-dollar retention pay plan aimed at investing in wage increases in the Missouri Department of Corrections staff. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith praised the plan on the House floor during Thursday’s budget debate.     Frankford GOP State Representative Jim Hansen tells colleagues the plan […]

Absentee Voting

Audio: Missouri House committee considers proposed changes to absentee voting

Two bills heard in House committee on Wednesday would modify absentee voting in Missouri in two pretty different ways. One bill would change the absentee voting application process by requiring photo identification for mail-in ballot requests. Bill sponsor Rep. Dan Stacy, a Republican from western Missouri’s Blue Springs, said the bill would strengthen the integrity […]

Scholarship

Audio: Missouri Representative wants more focus on funding financial aid programs

State Representative Kip Kendrick is concerned about creating the governor’s proposed Fast Track program when he says Missouri’s three college financial aid programs are significantly underfunded. Bright Flight, A-Plus and Access Missouri are the state’s current programs.     Kendrick says Access Missouri – the state’s only need-based college financial aid program – is being […]

NCMC Geyer Hall

North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees approves purchases

The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees approved several purchases at its meeting Tuesday evening. A hardware and software maintenance agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise of Roseville, California will cost $43,163.57 annually. The agreement will provide telephone and onsite support for the college-owned servers and storage located in the data centers. The annual renewal […]

Fentanyl

Audio: Missouri House expected to give final approval this week to Fentanyl and date rape drug legislation

Legislation to increase penalties for trafficking fentanyl could go before the Missouri House Monday afternoon for a final vote. The House gave initial approval to O’Fallon State Representative Nick Schroer’s bipartisan bill last week.     The Missouri Police Chiefs Association and the Missouri State Troopers Association are backing legislation to increase criminal penalties for […]

State Representative Rusty Black

Seventh District State Representative Rusty Black on Bills passed in the General Assembly

Seventh District State Representative Rusty Black of Chillicothe reports the 100th General Assembly passed three Bills in the past week. Black reports one Bill related to ethics and prohibits lobbyist gifts to local government officials, superintendents, school board members, members of governing bodies of charter schools, and their staff. It prevents a “revolving door” by […]

Newtown-Harris School Website

Newtown-Harris Board of Education meets

The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education approved Linda Hague as a foster care liaison at a meeting this week. Principal Dustin Freeman reported the Professional Learning Committee met with the Northeast Regional Professional Development Center Representative Lori Ladwig to plan second-semester curriculum goals and meeting dates. Missouri Assessment Program and End of Course exam scores […]

Mike Parson Governor of Missouri

Governor Mike Parson makes appointments to commissions and offices in area counties

Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced Wednesday appointments to various commissions and offices. Those appointments included Randy Huffman of rural Galt as the Sullivan County Western District Commissioner. Huffman replaces Danny Busick who resigned from the commissioner position and was to be sworn in today (Wednesday) as the Second District State Representative for Mercer, Sullivan, and […]

MoDOT Road Work

Audio: Counties continue to warn Missouri lawmakers against transferring road maintenance to local governments

Local county officials continue to push back against any effort on the state level to transfer maintenance of roads to them. Opposition to any transfer of the “lettered roads” to local governments is reflected in unbending comments by Randolph County Commissioner Wayne Wilcox in northeast Missouri.     Wilcox says handing over those roadways to […]