(Missouri Independent) – President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus response plan seeks to put a national mask mandate in place by calling on all governors to require face coverings in their states. It’s a move that public health experts say could dramatically reduce the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. But putting wider mask laws in place […]
The National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) awarded one of four 2020 Innovations in State Government Awards to Missouri, the state’s first time receiving the award. Missouri was recognized for its distinctiveness and innovation in the “Personnel Best Practices” category for its professional development transformation. Criteria included program innovation, transferability to other state governments, […]
Northern Missouri is currently experiencing abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions. The United States Drought Monitor map of Missouri released November 12th shows abnormally dry conditions in all of the Green Hills. Moderate drought was reported for portions of Adair, Macon, Chariton, Knox, Shelby, and Scotland counties. Moderate drought was also shown for all of […]
The National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act required a study be performed on the impacts and alternatives to the East Locust Creek Reservoir. ELCR had an approved Environmental Impact Statement in 2006, however, a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement was needed to update the alternatives analysis to meet the current United States Army […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a response in Judy Doe v. Michael L. Parson, defending Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s faith after it was called into question by a member of the Satanic Temple. Judy Doe, a member of the Satanic Temple, filed a motion to disqualify Justice Barrett last week. Read the […]
The 74th Annual Chillicothe Chamber Holiday Parade “Home for the Holidays”, presented by the Chillicothe Area Chamber of Commerce, is sponsored by Hedrick Medical Center and HyVee. “2020 has been an unprecedented year but being able to carry out one of Chillicothe’s favorite traditions has provided a small bit of normalcy,” stated Crystal Narr, Executive […]
Governor Mike Parson recognized the importance of Registered Apprenticeship Programs with a proclamation to officially set apart the week of November 9-13, 2020, as Registered Apprenticeship Appreciation & Awareness Week, to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week. Now in its sixth year, National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration that gives businesses, communities, and educators the […]
The lack of rain over the last six weeks has increased areas of Missouri that are experiencing some degree of drought. A report released on Thursday shows 44 percent of the state have conditions ranging from abnormally dry to moderate and severe drought. Just about all of the drought concerns exist throughout northern Missouri and […]
A Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed at least 12 pounds of methamphetamine in the Joplin area, as well as to illegally possessing numerous firearms. Mark E. Burdge, 50, of Joplin, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of […]
A Newburgh, New York, man pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to produce child pornography after soliciting sexually explicit photos and videos of two 8-year-old twin sisters in Missouri. Charles Junious Adams, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of attempting to produce child pornography. The father […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri voters on Tuesday repealed a constitutional amendment they enacted in 2018 that would have required legislative districts be drawn to ensure partisan fairness. They replaced it with one that critics contend could forgo the use of total population to draw districts and instead exclude all non-voters, specifically children and non-citizens — tilting the political […]
Of the 20 residences checked by Trenton Police on Halloween night, Chief Rex Ross reports four violations were identified in regards to the Halloween restrictions for sexual offenders as outlined by city ordinance and a state statute. Chief Ross said incident reports are being prepared on these violations and will be forwarded to the prosecutor. […]
Missouri has the first state chapter of Heroes to Hives, a program that supports veterans who want to learn beekeeping. New sessions of the free program begin on March 2021, says Karen Funkenbusch, state director of the Missouri AgrAbility Project, which provides education and assistance to farmers and ranchers with disabilities. Enroll at www.heroestohives.com. Army […]
According to the U.S. Department of Education, Missouri’s three-year loan default rate decreased two-tenths of a percent, keeping Missouri’s rate lower than many of its neighboring states and on par with the national rate. Missouri’s student loan default rate dropped from 9.9 percent to 9.7 percent. The national rate decreased from 10.1 percent to 9.7 […]
North Central Missouri Development Alliance Board Member Jackie Soptic says technology and the internet have revolutionized economic development. Site selectors and companies can visit a location from their home or office by reading statistics and demographic information. The United States Census also provides data on demographics. Soptic says that data should be used […]
(Missouri Independent) – State governments are unique political bodies that allow for experimentation in how rules and laws affect political outputs. As Justice Louis Brandies pointed out – states are laboratories of democracy. State governments have broad jurisdiction to “tweak” institutional rules and laws. Through this system of government, we can observe the aftermath of […]
A Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm following a shootout at an Independence, Mo., motel. Randy K. McGaugh, 54, of Wellington, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. By pleading guilty, McGaugh admitted that he […]
The owner of a Cassville, Missouri waterslide attraction has pleaded guilty in federal court to making a false tax return. Jerry Don Beebe, 67, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Monday, Oct. 26, to one count of making a false tax return. Beebe owned and operated Beebe’s Roaring River Waterslide in […]
Governor Mike Parson announced that Missouri has been recognized as a national leader in digital technology best practices. The Center for Digital Government (CDG) released its 2020 Digital States Survey, which showed that Missouri received a grade of “A,” one of the top grades among all 50 states. The grade A demonstrates very strong innovation […]
Gallatin Public Works Director Mark Morey provided various purchases Monday, October 26th for the Gallatin Board of Aldermen to consider in the 2021 budget. Morey talked about purchasing a new dump truck and buckets for the 2003 and blue bucket trucks. The board agreed for Administrator Lance Rains to collect interest rate bids for purchasing […]
