The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) could be required to report annually about the number of K-12 students with limited or no access to high-speed internet at home. During a House committee hearing, Representative Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal, said he is proposing to require the department to include the total number of students […]
The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), with the support of the Missouri Advisory Committee on Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, launched a new statewide transportation guide to help address and eliminate barriers to COVID-19 vaccine access. “Get a Ride” can be found at MOStopsCovid.com/ride. The Missouri Advisory Committee on Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, which was formed […]
A Missouri House committee will hear testimony Wednesday afternoon in Jefferson City on a proposed constitutional amendment that would change the state’s legislative term limits. In 1992, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment known as Amendment 12, which established term limits. The term limits approved in 1992 remain in effect today. Missouri lawmakers […]
It spring cleaning time and the month of April marks Missouri’s annual No MOre Trash! Bash coordinated by the Missouri Department of Transportation. During the annual statewide anti-litter event, volunteers are encouraged to clean up litter adjacent to highways to help beautify Missouri. The No MOre Trash! Bash is an annual outreach of MoDOT’s year-round […]
The Missouri Department of Agriculture is now accepting nominations for the Missouri Agriculture Awards. The Missouri Agriculture Awards will honor five individuals that strive to innovate their farm or ranch, give back to their communities, or stand as a great example for future generations. Award categories include Missouri Farm Innovation, Missouri Agriculture Education Leader, Missouri […]
Webmasters note: This article is a commentary by Tim Gibbons of the Missouri Independent. Tim Gibbons is communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, a statewide farm and rural organization dedicated to preserving family farms and promoting stewardship of the land and environmental integrity. The comments in the article are those of the author, […]
(Missouri Independent) – Roy Blunt’s announcement that he won’t seek a third term certainly shook up Republican politics in Missouri, sparking nearly every GOP elected official in the state to publicly mull jumping into the campaign. Democrats aren’t immune from the speculation. While any Democrat would face an uphill fight, the chance of a messy […]
At a meeting on Thursday, March 11, the Grundy County Health Department Board of Directors voted to rescind the public health order requiring masks, which takes effect on Monday, March 15, 2021. The health department is still encouraging the wearing of masks in all public places, and in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained. […]
The Grundy County Health Department reports no new COVID-19 cases since its March 8th report, keeping the total at 1,057. Active cases dropped by one to one. Eight hundred 16 have been confirmed, and 241 are probable. Forty COVID-19-related deaths have been reported for Grundy County. The health department reports the Department of Health and […]
(Missouri Independent) – Roy Blunt’s decision not to seek a third term in the U.S. Senate will have cascading effects across Missouri’s political universe. The state has no shortage of ambitious Republican officials, each of whom can make a legitimate claim at being the strongest candidate. So will the 2022 GOP primary turn into a […]
Missouri K-12 public school students and teachers are gearing up for statewide tests this year. During today’s Missouri Board of Education meeting, state education Assistant Commissioner Blaine Henningsen says the spring testing period has been extended to June 15. Missouri could offer a fall MAP testing period if districts cannot meet the state’s […]
On its online public health dashboard, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) began posting county-level data showing “probable” COVID-19 cases detected by antigen testing. Last fall, DHSS began reporting statewide numbers of reported negative and positive antigen tests. DHSS will follow the guidance of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) […]
Since the first presumptive positive COVID-19 case was detected in Missouri one year ago, Governor Mike Parson and his administration have worked continuously to combat the virus, keep Missourians safe, and move Missouri’s economy forward. “Since COVID-19 struck Missouri one year ago, we have worked nonstop to take a balanced approach, fight the virus, and […]
On Sunday morning, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported an additional 291 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state, which is less than the daily average of 327 new cases in the seven-day period ending on Thursday. There have been 8,161 deaths in Missouri attributed to COVID-19, including 18 in the seven-day period […]
(Missouri Independent) – Last week, multiple mass vaccination events in rural areas neared the end of the day with hundreds of doses still on hand — prompting health departments to take to social media and encourage anyone to come for fear doses would be wasted. “We have ample vaccine still available that needs to be […]
A Trenton High School senior was named the Star Area Farmer at the Area 2 FFA Proficiency Award Night the night of February 24th. Kidridge Griffin is the president of the Trenton FFA. He will be one of 16 students statewide competing for the State Star Farmer Award at the State FFA Convention in late […]
On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at 10:00 AM, State Emergency Management and the National Weather Service will conduct a Statewide Severe Weather Tornado Drill. Every school, citizen, and business are encouraged to participate in the drill. The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill will issue a test tornado warning as part of the drill. Local warning […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
