Audio: “Kids Win Missouri” praises Missouri House’s $76 million Increase for foster and adoptive children

A coalition that’s dedicated to improving the well-being of Missouri children is praising the Missouri House’s bipartisan approval of a 76-million dollar increase for foster and adoptive children. Kids Win Missouri policy director Craig Stevenson says the House budget includes unprecedented support for the kinship and foster families who care for the 14,000 children in […]

Vaccine Distribution or Covid-19 or Coronavirus

State vaccination teams surpass one-quarter million doses of vaccine administered to Missouri residents

State of Missouri vaccination teams supporting mass and targeted vaccination events across the state have now administered more than one-quarter million vaccines to Missourians. This total is in addition to vaccines administered by high throughput health centers, local public health agencies, federally qualified health centers, pharmacies, and other community enrolled providers. “Our state teams have been […]

Medicaid Missouri

Audio: Missouri’s House Budget Committee Chairman outlines Medicaid-related budget bill

Missouri’s House Budget Committee learned details today (Tuesday) about a budget blueprint from Chairman Cody Smith to use dollars slated for Medicaid expansion for other programs instead. Funding includes 26-million dollars for adult daycare and home-delivered meals. Chairman Smith testifies the funding also includes 88-million dollars for nursing home care.     This involves a […]

Missouri State Fair 2021

Missouri State Fair awards scholarships to 4-H and FFA youth

Missouri State Fair Director Mark Wolfe announced today that 40 youth, selected from Missouri 4-H and FFA State Fair exhibitors, will be awarded scholarships by the Missouri State Fair and the Youth in Agriculture (YIA) committee. These students are seeking higher education at a Missouri university/college. “Cultivating Missouri agriculture youth is at the core of […]

USDA Sign

USDA announces funding available to assist socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency announces the availability of $2 million to establish partnerships with organizations to provide outreach and technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. The funding was made possible by USDA’s new Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, an effort to distribute resources more broadly and to put greater […]

Jobs for America’s Graduates-Missouri website

JAG-Missouri attracts more than $100,000 to support students

Jobs for America’s Graduates-Missouri, known as JAG-Missouri, recently received a number of contributions totaling more than $100,000 – one of the best fundraising periods in the organization’s recent history. JAG is a 40-year-old national nonprofit organization that has helped more than 1.5 million students reach their full potential by ensuring they graduate from high school […]

Medicaid

Audio: Will the Missouri Senate back the House’s attempt to defund Medicaid expansion? Senate President Dave Schatz weighs in

The Missouri House has passed the next state operating budget – without funding voter-approved Medicaid expansion. The $34.1 billion budget plan is now in the hands of the Republican-controlled Senate. Missouri Senate President Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, gives his thoughts to Missourinet affiliate KTUI in Sullivan about whether he expects the upper chamber to fund the expansion.   […]

Medicaid Missouri

Missouri House plan to reject Medicaid expansion faces uncertain fate in the Senate

(Missouri Independent) – Republicans in the Missouri House finalized their plan to block funding for voter-approved Medicaid expansion on Thursday, giving final approval to its version of the state’s budget and sending it to the Senate. What happens next remains unclear. House Democratic Leader Crystal Quade said she’s confident the Senate will restore the $1.9 […]

Budget news graphic

Audio: Jesus’ name invoked by both parties as Missouri House approves $34 billion budget, without Medicaid expansion

After a heated floor debate that included numerous biblical references, the Missouri House voted Thursday afternoon to give final approval to a $34.1 billion state operating budget. The House budget does not contain funding for Medicaid expansion. The operating budget now heads to the Missouri Senate, and Medicaid expansion supporters hope senators will include the […]

President Joe BIden (Official White House photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Biden to unveil $2 trillion plan to rebuild infrastructure, move to clean energy

(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden on Wednesday will unveil a nearly $2 trillion infrastructure package to rebuild highways and bridges, along with funding programs for housing, broadband, and schools and increasing U.S. manufacturing jobs over the next eight years, an administration official told reporters on Tuesday night. Alongside the expansive infrastructure plan, the president will […]