(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 […]
Tag: state
Audio: New cases of COVID-19 currently trending down in Missouri
Missouri is now on a positive streak when it comes to reporting COVID-19 cases. State health officials announced 598 cases on Wednesday, making the 6th straight day of fewer than 1,000 cases reported. That hasn’t happened since July 9-13 of last year. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says the state […]
Audio: Missouri Senator says students “leaving in droves” to attend college out-of-state
State Senator Greg Razer says Missouri students are “leaving in droves” to attend colleges and universities in Kansas, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. Razer, a Democrat from Kansas City, says some of these states are offering large discounts. State funding also impacts the ability of Missouri colleges and universities to recruit faculty and […]
Audio: Missouri adults less educated today than nationally
Missouri adults are less educated today than nationally. That’s what state House Budget Committee members learned Wednesday during a hearing about Governor Parson’s next state budget proposal for Missouri’s colleges and universities. Higher Education and Workforce Development Department Commissioner Zora Mulligan says there have been many efforts to change this trend. Mulligan says […]
Grundy County Nursing Home District Board of Directors sign USDA loan paperwork
Debra Berry from the United States Department of Agriculture attended the Grundy County Nursing Home District Board of Directors meeting on February 16th to have paperwork signed for an energy improvement project. Administrator Jerry Doerhoff previously reported the USDA-approved contracts for the energy project from Raines Heating and Cooling for HVAC and the Wilson Group […]
Missouri State Highway Patrol announces promotion of Steven Wilhoit to Captain
The superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces the following promotion effective March 1, 2021. Lieutenant Steven V. Wilhoit, Q/DDCC, will be promoted to the rank of captain and named commanding officer of Troop A, Lee’s Summit, MO. Wilhoit was appointed to the Patrol on July 1, 1996, as a member of the 72nd […]
Tractor Supply Company acquires Orscheln Farm and Home for $297 million
Tractor Supply Company announced on February 17th that it entered into an agreement to acquire Orscheln Farm and Home for about $297 million in cash. Orscheln is based in Moberly and has 167 stores in 11 states. Store locations include Trenton, Chillicothe, Bethany, Brookfield, Cameron, Carrollton, and Kirksville. Tractor Supply Company is based in Brentwood, […]
FBLA members to represent Trenton High School at State Leadership Conference
A few Future Business Leaders of America members from Trenton High School will represent the school at the State Leadership Conference after placing at the District Leadership Conference. Olivia Roberts and Emma Roberts received first place in Business Financial Plan at the district level. Those placing second include Mari Atup and Cole Soptic in Business […]
Audio: Distinguished alumni to be honored at North Central Missouri College’s Pirates Ball
The North Central Missouri College Foundation and Alumni Association will honor distinguished alumni at the Pirates Ball. Honorees John Sturdevant, Doctor Jamie Ausmus Hooyman, and Donovan Thompson will be recognized at the Ketcham Community Center on March 13th. A buffet will start that evening at 6 o’clock, a welcome will be at 6:15, and entertainment […]
Outlook for $15-an-hour minimum wage boosted by new government report
(Missouri Independent) – The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in a report Monday found a gradual increase to a $15 federal minimum wage by 2025 would reduce poverty, add $54 billion to the deficit over a decade and increase pay for millions of low-income workers. The report could help Democrats make a strong case for including a […]
Audio: State still offering free online IT courses to Missourians laid off or furloughed due to COVID-19
Through the end of June, the state is offering free online IT courses to Missourians laid off or furloughed because of COVID-19. Missouri has extended its partnership with CompTIA (tee-a), a nonprofit trade association, to provide the on-demand schooling that can be completed at each student’s own pace. Dr. Mardy Leathers, director of the Office […]
Audio: Veterans homes working to keep covid down; now allowing indoor visits
Getting the state’s Veterans HOmes to ZERO Covid cases was not easy – says Veterans Commission Director Paul Kirchoff. He says the staff is working hard to keep it that way. The homes lost 162 patients in a COVID outbreak in the fall. An independent investigation ordered by the governor revealed the need […]
Audio: Missouri Senator wants additional higher education funding to make college affordable for all students
The Missouri House Budget Committee is scheduled to hear today Governor Parson’s state budget proposal for higher education. Kansas City State Senator Greg Razer says state funding provided to Missouri’s colleges and universities is almost identical to what the state gave to them in 1999. Razer says in 1999, 70% of the University of Missouri-Columbia’s […]
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. […]
Audio: Southern Missouri will see heaviest snowfall with next storm system starting Tuesday night
While most of Missouri is still digging out from a two-day snowstorm, another winter storm is heading for the Show-Me State. The heaviest snow will fall tonight (Tuesday) and tomorrow near the Missouri-Arkansas border, where towns like Branson and West Plains could see three to four inches of snow. National Weather Service (NWS) Springfield meteorologist […]
Governor announces improved home heating bill assistance through LIHEAP
Governor Parson announced that the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Energy Crisis Intervention Program will improve assistance offered to eligible low-income Missourians. “We are very pleased to announce this improvement to the Energy Crisis Intervention Program, especially given the extreme winter weather our state is currently facing,” Governor Parson said. “Since many Missourians remain […]
Missouri Department of Resources awards $1.36 million to Meadville and $4.18 million to Carrollton
The Missouri Department of Resources has awarded $1.36 million in financial assistance to the City of Meadville for upgrades to its wastewater collection and treatment system. The total project cost is estimated at $1.86 million and is expected to be complete by April 2022. Missouri DNR has also awarded $4.18 million to the City of […]
Brookfield man faces first-degree sexual abuse charge
A Brookfield man accused of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman on February 12th has been charged in Linn County. Forty-year-old Clarence Clifton Turner faces a felony charge of first-degree sexual abuse. A probable cause statement from Brookfield Police Officer Zach Bunton reports Turner asked to come inside the woman’s residence on Canal Street in Brookfield, […]
Southwest Power Pool lifts requirements for electricity reductions; Evergy to restore power to affected customers as soon as possible
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) lifted its requirement for the current emergency electricity reductions. Evergy will be restoring power to affected customers as soon as possible. The SPP continues to operate under emergency energy alerts as extended cold temperatures continue to strain the regional power grid, so may request additional outages as the severe weather […]
Missouri Department of Natural Resources sells out to foreign factory farms
(Missouri Independent) – I’m an independent Missouri farmer and livestock producer, and JBS, the largest meatpacker in the world and a Brazilian corporation, is attempting to put a 10,500 head hog operation next to my community and the Poosey Conservation Area in Livingston County. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is in the process of giving Missourian’s […]