Wes Guilkey - Elementary Principal for the Princeton R-V School District

Wes Guilkey hired as Elementary Building Principal for the Princeton R-V School District

The Princeton R-V School District has announced an agreement in terms and conditions in hiring a new Elementary Building Principal for the Princeton R-V School District during a special board of education meeting held Thursday night, March 3rd, 2022.  Wes Guilkey, current K-12 Principal in the Mercer, Missouri School District, has agreed to a two-year […]

Screenshot of USDA or United States Department of Agriculture website

USDA announces March 2022 lending rates for agricultural producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced loan interest rates for March 2022, which are effective March 1, 2022. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment, and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs. Operating, Ownership, and Emergency Loans FSA […]

Russian Military via Wikipedia

How the Ukraine invasion could affect you: Higher food, gas prices, risk of recession

(Missouri Independent) – Americans may be tempted to view the war in Ukraine as an unfortunate, but far away, crisis. As an economist, I know the world is too connected for the U.S. to go unaffected. On Feb. 22, 2022, President Joe Biden warned Americans that a Russian invasion of Ukraine – and U.S. efforts to thwart or […]

Nicole Galloway Missouri State Auditor

Missouri State Auditor releases review of state tax credit programs

Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a review of state tax credit programs as required by state law. The review compiles tax credit redemptions over the past five years and future obligations. Created by the General Assembly, and codified in state statutes, tax credits are generally a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of state taxes […]

North Central Missouri College Website V2 (NCMC)

North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees hear reports, work continues on former US Bank building

Multiple reports were given at the North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees meeting February 22nd. Vice President of Student Affairs Doctor Kristen Alley reported NCMC’s graduation rate is 42%, and the withdrawal rate is 39%. NCMC is the only community college in the state to have a higher graduation rate than a withdrawal rate. […]

Donald Kauerauf, the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks during a press conference at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on July 21, 2021

Before ouster, Missouri health director drafted a letter to senators that was never sent

(Missouri Independent) – On the Friday before a drawn-out confirmation battle ended with his ouster from office, Missouri state Health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote an impassioned letter meant to convince conservative legislators who were on the fence about his appointment.  The message: While he believed in vaccines and data and science, he didn’t believe in vaccine […]

American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall spoke at the organization’s 2022 annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia (photo provided by American Farm Bureau Federation)

American Farm Bureau Federation claims it’s the ‘voice of agriculture,’ Others beg to differ

(Missouri Independent) – This story was originally published as a collaboration between Investigate Midwest and Watchdog Writers Group. The American Farm Bureau Federation calls itself the “voice of agriculture,” a slogan it trademarked in 2007. But as the divide between agribusiness and small farmers has grown in recent decades, a unified voice of agriculture has become harder to […]

James Anderson and Joshua Phillips Booking Photo via TPD

Two from Trenton arrested: One on protection order violation and the other on probation violation

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on February 8 of a Trenton resident on a protection order violation and another on a capias warrant on a probation violation. Forty-four-year-old James Robert Anderson was charged with a misdemeanor violation of an order of protection for an adult. His bond is $5,000 cash only, and […]

Sex Offender graphic

Missouri sex offender pleads guilty to sending obscene material to minors, faces 10 years in prison

A Missouri, man who is a registered sex offender was identified in two separate investigations and pleaded guilty in federal court to sending obscene materials to minors. Brent Deadmon, 45, of Raytown, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of transferring obscene material to a minor. Deadmon, a registered sex offender, […]

Meth with police banner

Four defendants plead guilty to conspiracy involving 112 pounds of meth near elementary school

Four defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a conspiracy that converted large amounts of liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine at a rented house within 1,000 feet of George Melcher Elementary School in Kansas City, Missouri. Jose Vieyra-Lopez, 37, a citizen of Mexico; Megan Eubanks, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., and […]

Sign The Petition News Graphic

Missouri Groups to Lawmakers: Don’t limit citizen-led ballot petitions

Some lawmakers in Jefferson City are pushing forward bills that would limit citizens’ ability to put constitutional amendments on the ballot. The proposed legislation would double the number of signatures required to get on the ballot and raise the thresholds to pass them from a majority to two-thirds. Benjamin Singer, CEO of the group Show-Me Integrity, noted […]

Grundy County Industrial Development Corporation

Members chosen to serve on the Grundy County Industrial Development boards

Members were chosen to serve on the Grundy County Industrial Development Corporation and Grundy County Industrial Development Authority boards on January 31st. Reelected to three-year terms on the Industrial Development Corporation Board were Chris Hoffman, Tim Michael, Brent Wyant, and Scott Weldon. Newly elected to a three-year term was Amy Lewis. Officers elected for the […]

Princeton R-5 School District website 2021 -2022

Princeton Board of Education approves general obligation bond refunding

The Board of Education of the Princeton R-V School District of Mercer County, Missouri approved a parameters resolution at a regular meeting on November 8, 2021, that authorized a final terms committee consisting of Rick Ellsworth, Board President, Jerry Girdner, Superintendent, and Larry J. Hart, CEO of L.J. Hart & Company. The resolution approved the […]

Sex Offender graphic

Registered sex offender sentenced to 15 years in prison for possessing images of child sexual abuse

A man was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possessing images of the sexual abuse of children. Ian Andrew Zearley, 40, of Louisa County, Virginia, pleaded guilty to possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children in July 2021. According to court documents, Zearley […]

Newtown-Harris School Website

Newtown-Harris Board of Education approve personnel actions; five file for seats on the Board of Education

The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education approved personnel actions on January 12th. Mic Halferty was approved as a substitute and hired to fill the upcoming maintenance position in school year 2022-2023. Samantha Miller was hired to coach elementary basketball. The board approved transferring $50,000 from the General Fund to the Capital Projects Fund. Superintendent Doctor […]

Galt, Missouri

Galt Board of Aldermen hear engineering report for water system improvements

Benton and Associates Engineers presented a draft preliminary engineering report for Galt’s water system improvements during the Galt Board of Aldermen meeting on January 12th. The board approved the report be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources for future water improvements related to low water pressure and other recommendations and improvements. Filing has closed […]

Crime and Courts

Court news in Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court for Thursday January 13, 2022

Multiple court cases were processed Thursday at the Grundy County Courthouse. Associate Judge Matthew Krohn of Mercer County presided on behalf of Presiding Judge Thomas Alley in Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court. Trenton resident Devin Aaron Pierce pleaded guilty to the delivery of a controlled substance or synthetic cannabinoid from October 20th of […]