A Kingston man faces five counts of felony first degree assault or attempt after allegedly hitting four wheelers participating in a benefit ride in May and hitting a family member with a wooden handle. Online court information shows 38 year old James Paul McKinzie Junior has also been charged with two counts of felony first […]
U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Martin Heinrich (N.M.) introduced the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) of 2021 to invest in proactive, on-the-ground conservation work led by states, territories, and Tribal nations to support the long-term health of fish and wildlife habitat all across America. “Missouri is home to some of the best hunting, […]
The Putnam County Health Department reports seven new COVID-19 cases since July 15th, making the total 535. Five of the new positive cases are linked through close contacts. Eight cases are active. There are 14 COVID-19-related hospitalizations and 13 deaths. The Putnam County Health Department requests close contacts self-quarantine for at least seven days. On […]
(Missouri Independent) – Facing a looming shortage of beds caused by rapidly rising COVID-19 cases, healthcare providers in Springfield are asking the state to set up temporary hospital beds so existing hospital space can be dedicated to caring for the most severely ill. The alternate care site would treat patients stable enough to be removed […]
Visitors to a popular tourist destination in Omaha-Council Bluffs may have been exposed to a dangerous disease, and it’s not COVID-19. The Henry Doorly Zoo held an event over the 4th of July weekend where guests stayed overnight in the aquarium complex. One woman reportedly awoke to find a wild, brown bat near her head. […]
(Missouri Independent) – A crowded Republican primary is emerging in Missouri’s 4th Congressional District, a solidly GOP seat that is also the only one of the state’s eight districts certain to have a new lawmaker at the end of 2022. State Rep. Sara Walsh, R-Ashland, on Wednesday became the latest candidate to enter the race […]
(Missouri Independent) – During June, as the Delta variant of COVID-19 took hold in Missouri, the seven-day average of new cases doubled. And now that the easily spread mutation has reached every corner of the state, July will be a repeat of June, or worse, according to the University of Missouri professor monitoring wastewater for the […]
Farmers can bring samples of damaged soybean, corn, and wheat crops for free diagnosis at the University of Missouri Extension Pest Management Field Day on July 8. MU Plant Diagnostic Clinic director Peng Tian and other MU scientists will check plants on-site for damage by diseases, herbicides, insects, and weeds, says MU Extension weed specialist […]
(Missouri Independent) – Kendra Findley had thought the Springfield area had seen the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic in December — a month when cases regularly surpassed 200 a day and that saw a record 98 residents die of the virus. Looking back, that was when the Alpha variant, first identified in the U.K., was […]
The Daviess County Health Department reports the county is seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases, with 10 new cases in one week. Daviess County is now considered a hot spot in the state due to its positivity rate, which is 20% for the past seven days. One of the new cases was a breakthrough case, […]
Visiting hours at Missouri’s 20 prisons have resumed, with some rules. Prisoners who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can have visitors. Masks and on-site health screenings are required. Visits must be scheduled in advance with the prison. The Missouri Department of Corrections does not require visitors to be vaccinated, but it strongly […]
Linn County Health Department has received notification from the state of Missouri that the Indian variant of COVID-19 is circulating in Linn County. Both variants are highly contagious. B.1.617.2-Indian is labeled a variant of interest by the CDC, seems to take a smaller viral load to infect and may be up to 50 percent more […]
Livingston County Health Center has announced lab confirmation from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services of both U.K. and Indian variants of COVID-19 circulating in Livingston County. B.1.1.7-UK is labeled a variant of concern by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has shown to be 50 percent more contagious than […]
(Missouri Independent) – In the last week of April, the Linn County Health Department signaled that the COVID-19 pandemic had cooled enough that it could discontinue weekly reports on new cases. With only three active cases on April 21, the urgency for frequent updates seemed to have passed. But the coronavirus came roaring back this […]
Livingston County Health Center announces a free Curbside Community COVID-19 Testing Event on Friday, May 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 800 Adam Drive location. Testing will be conducted curbside by health center staff while clients remain in their vehicles. A specimen will be taken from the lower nostril area, which is […]
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in leading a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in southwestern Missouri. Nathen D. Libertus, 31, of Stella, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 21 years in federal prison without parole. On May 20, 2020, Libertus pleaded guilty to participating […]
The Missouri Conservation Commission recently approved proposed regulation changes from the Missouri Department of Conservation related to chronic wasting disease surveillance and management efforts. The changes were approved at the Commission’s May 21 open meeting. They add four counties to the CWD Management Zone and reinstate mandatory CWD sampling requirements. The approved MDC regulations add […]
(Missouri Independent) – As the case counts of the novel coronavirus began to tick up last March across Missouri, providers who offer tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) found their resources were being pulled in two directions. Swabs were in short supply as they became needed for COVID-19 testing. Contact tracers, who reach out to […]
A study is underway in Missouri to find out which species of ticks are present here, to better identify the bacterial pathogens they carry. Matt Combes with the Missouri Conservation Department says half of the counties have no information that can be verified. Ticks gathered this summer and next will be tested for bacterial pathogens […]
Bipartisan law enforcement legislation that bans most police chokeholds and eliminates residency requirements for Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) officers is now heading to the Missouri governor’s desk after receiving final House approval Thursday afternoon in Jefferson City. Senate Bill 53 is sponsored by State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R-Parkville) and State Rep. Lane Roberts (R-Joplin). Representative Roberts […]
