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 […]
Governor Mike Parson has appointed a Trenton resident to the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. C. Phillip Hoffman’s appointment was one of five appointments Parson announced to boards and commissions on February 24th. Hoffman worked for his family’s agriculture input supply business since 1976. GFG Agriservices acquired the family business in 2014. He and his […]
A Gallatin woman accused of grabbing her 12-year-old daughter by the hair and throwing her around a room earlier in February has been charged in Daviess County. Online court information shows 39-year-old Mandie Collins faces felony abuse or neglect of a child—no sexual contact. Collin’s bond is $5,000 cash with conditions including being supervised by […]
The House moved to ban the use of eminent domain for a large wind-energy power line planned to span from Kansas to Indiana. In a voice vote on Tuesday, lawmakers approved legislation that would prevent the use of private land for the Grain Belt Express power line without property owners’ permission. The high-voltage […]
(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. […]
The Missouri Senate has passed a bill that would protect some businesses and organizations from COVID-19 exposure lawsuits. The legislation is designed to protect businesses like health care providers, manufacturers, schools, and churches from such lawsuits in many instances. Under the bill, the lawsuits must be filed within a year of an alleged COVID-19 exposure. […]
After about twelve hours of debate, the Missouri Senate refrained from voting overnight on a contentious K-12 public education package. There was some confusion towards the end that appeared to ultimately lead to the plan getting shelved – at least for now. Several changes were made over the course of the day and night. As […]
The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees approved multiple personnel matters on Tuesday evening, February 23rd. One personnel matter involved the resignation of the Director of Admissions and Marketing Kristie Cross. Her last day on campus will be March 19th. She will then take vacation time, and her official last day will be May […]
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 […]
The Jefferson City council has accepted a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to help with the redevelopment of the Missouri State Penitentiary. The penitentiary was opened in 1836 but was decommissioned in 2004. Now the plan is to turn the property into a multi-use space centered around a hotel […]
The Missouri Senate spent about two hours today debating a controversial K-12 public education package today. The plan would expand charter schools statewide and let parents use tax credits to pay for things like private school tuition, tutoring, and school supplies. The comprehensive bill would also set up a process to allow school board members […]
(Missouri Independent) – Republican state Senators advanced sweeping legislation early Tuesday morning aimed at penalizing protestors who block streets, while also providing further protections for law enforcement under investigation for misconduct or excessive force. The bill also aims to prevent municipalities from decreasing the budgets for law enforcement agencies in Missouri by more than 12 percent over […]
(Missouri Independent) – Last spring, as Missouri businesses shed hundreds of thousands of jobs, Gov. Mike Parson warned that the state was headed for the worst financial crunch since the 2008 recession. Ten months later, Parson presented a budget plan that anticipates a $1.1 billion surplus on July 1, the biggest in state history. And if the $1.9 trillion pandemic […]
The Missouri Department of Conservation director has testified against a proposal to increase the size of the Conservation Commission from four to nine, saying it could lead to regional favoritism. Conservation director Sara Parker Pauley testified last (Monday) night during a lengthy House committee hearing in Jefferson City. Conservation director Sara Parker Pauley […]
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a compilation of property seizures made under Missouri’s Criminal Activity Forfeiture Act (CAFA) in 2020. The Auditor’s report shows law enforcement officials seized an estimated $4.2 million worth of property in 502 seizures. In 2019, law enforcement officials seized approximately $5.9 million worth of property in 493 seizures. […]
Governor Parson provided an update on site locations for the state’s COVID-19 mass vaccination events in partnership with the Missouri National Guard, Department of Health and Senior Services, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and local health care partners. “DHSS, the Missouri National Guard, SEMA, and local partners remain dedicated to our shared goal of getting […]
The Trenton City Council on Monday night tabled an ordinance, approved a resolution, accepted a bid, and agreed to buy a riding lawnmower locally. More details also were presented on TMU’s use of diesel generators during the cold weather. The council voted to table a “right of way” agreement between the city of Trenton and […]
The highway patrol troop office in St. Joseph on Monday morning released the name of the suspect who was shot and killed Friday night east of Chillicothe. The death occurred when the suspect was sitting in a deputy’s vehicle following a single-vehicle accident on Highway 36. The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the victim as […]
Missouri Department of Transportation crews are focusing on pothole repair through April. When you see a MoDOT crew making repairs, motorists should slow down and move over a lane to give them room to work. Crews started working to address the pesky potholes as soon as there was a break in the weather last week. […]
Most Missouri K-12 public schools have been offering in-person classes at least partially for several months, yet most teachers are not eligible to get a coronavirus vaccination. They will all be eligible in the next phase but that could be a couple of months away. Darbie Valenti-Huff, with the St. Joseph School District in northwest […]
