Photo of handgun and ammunition (Photo by Thomas Def on Unsplash)

Department of Justice rule cracks down untraceable firearms known as ‘ghost guns’

(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden Monday unveiled the Department of Justice’s plan to regulate untraceable firearms known as ghost guns, as well as announced his nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Department of Justice’s final rule bans the business of manufacturing ghost guns, such as “buy build shoot” kits […]

Write in candidates news graphic

Grundy County Clerk reports on write-in candidates for Tuesday’s election

Write-in results have been released for Grundy County following April 5th’s election. Information provided by the Grundy County Clerk’s Office shows four individuals received write-in votes for the two Spickard Alderman At Large positions. Tanja Younger received two votes. Mike Yates, J. R. Roberts, and Mike Jaycox each received one vote. Six people each received […]

Election Results

Election results in the Municipal Election for Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Three individuals were elected to the Trenton R-9 Board of Education, three for the Grundy County Health Department board, and three members of the Trenton City Council won re-election with a former councilman returning to a council seat. Each of the winners led from start to finish, meaning from the absentee ballots through the final […]

Man with fingers through fence also immigration or immigrants

Biden administration to halt pandemic policy blocking migrants who claim asylum

(Missouri Independent) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that the government will terminate a Trump-era policy that prevented migrants from claiming asylum during a health crisis, including the coronavirus pandemic. The policy will end on May 23, the CDC wrote in its notice. “There is no longer a serious danger that the […]

North Central Missouri Development Alliance or NCMDA

North Central Missouri Development Alliance holds annual meeting

Grundy County’s assets were discussed at the North Central Missouri Development Alliance’s annual meeting on March 29th. The Grundy County Industrial Development Corporation, Grundy County Commission, Trenton City Council, and other community members attended and shared ideas. NCMDA Executive Director Scott Sharp and Secretary Jackie Soptic talked about a Missouri Partnership representative being in Trenton […]

Missouri Agribusiness Academy

2022 Missouri Agribusiness Academy participants announced

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has selected 30 high school sophomores to participate in the 2022 Missouri Agribusiness Academy. Selected students will spend a week in June in Kansas City exploring careers in agriculture, building leadership skills, and learning more about farming, ranching, and food production. “Investing in the future generation of agriculture is important […]

Gavel and Law book news graphic

Audio: Missouri Supreme Court rules in favor of state’s public defenders in “sex assault survivors” law

The Missouri Supreme Court has sided with the state’s public defenders in the so-called Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights challenge case. Missouri State Public Defender Mary Fox and other public defenders challenged the part of the law that required the defense in a sex crimes case to inform the alleged victim of their rights […]

NCMC Inclusion Panel 2022 Ross, Thompson and Williams

North Central Missouri College to host Diversity and Inclusion Alumni panel

North Central Missouri College will host a Diversity and Inclusion Alumni panel on Thursday, March 24, at 1:00 p.m. in Cross Hall 208 or virtually. Students, staff, and the public are invited to attend. The panel will feature three alumni Cle Ross, Donovan Thompson, and Dr. Cassie (Hunt) Williams. Panelist will share their story and […]

Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick (photo by Tim Bommel - Missouri House Communications)

Schools left ‘scrambling’ after Missouri treasurer tied bond deals to Attorney General’s COVID demands

(Missouri Independent) – It was just after 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10, when the forms arrived from the state treasurer’s office. Without warning, and with little explanation, school superintendents discovered they were now required to certify their district had complied with Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s demands to drop all COVID-19 mitigation measures, such as […]

Sergeant Christopher L. Cerroni header

Missouri State Highway Patrol announces retirement of Sergeant Christopher Cerroni

Captain Erik A. Gottman, commanding officer of Troop B, Macon, announces that effective April 1, 2022, Sergeant Christopher L. Cerroni will retire with over 29 years of dedicated service. Cerroni was appointed to the Patrol on January 1, 1993, as a member of the 65th Recruit Class. After graduating from the Patrol Academy, he was […]

Governor Mike Parson (Photo by (Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

Parson digs in against evidence absolving reporter he accused of being a ‘hacker’

(Missouri Independent) – Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday once again refused to accept the conclusions of an investigation by the highway patrol and Cole County prosecutor surrounding a reporter who uncovered a security flaw in a state website.  Speaking to a gathering of reporters and editors in the governor’s mansion for Missouri Press Association Day, […]

Syringes on table (Photo by Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash)

Bill that would decriminalize needle exchange programs passes Missouri Senate committee

(Missouri Independent) – A bill that would decriminalize needle exchange programs that aim to reduce the spread of infectious diseases was voted out of the Senate General Laws Committee Tuesday. Needle exchange programs allow drug users to swap out used syringes with clean, new ones in an effort to decrease the chances of contracting or […]

Eleven women senators write children's book titled You Can Too

Children’s book by Missouri’s 11 women senators aims to promote literacy

The 11 women in the Missouri Senate have written a new book called “You Can, Too!” to promote literacy across the state and encourage more young people to get civically engaged. It was not until 1972 a woman was first elected to the Missouri Senate, and in the state’s 200-year history, while there have been more […]

Budget graphic

Grundy County Commission adopts deficit budget for fiscal year 2022

The Grundy County Commission adopted a deficit budget for 2022 on January 31st. The budget estimates total revenues of $7,218,191 and expenditures of $9,019,582. A balance deficit of $1,801,391 is expected for 2022. The county begins the year with carryover funds of $5,297,100.98. The estimated ending balance is $3,495,709.98. In her budget message, Grundy County […]

Farm in Winter

Agriculture secretary pressed about pandemic relief funds for farmers

(Missouri Independent) – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack faced questions on how his agency is doling out emergency pandemic aid and fostering collaboration with historically Black colleges during a Thursday hearing before the House Agriculture Committee. Committee Chairman David Scott, a Georgia Democrat, asked Vilsack for “critical updates on the implementation of pandemic relief programs, including […]