USDA Reconnect Program

USDA announces $61 million investment to bring broadband to rural Missourians

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy announced USDA has invested $60.9 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure that will create or improve e-Connectivity for more than 11,000 rural households, 81 farms, 73 businesses, 16 educational facilities, 12 critical community facilities, and two health care facilities in rural Missouri. […]

Governor Mike Parson

Audio: Governor Mike Parson to outline budget blueprint

Missouri’s governor will release his budget blueprint today (Wednesday) in Jefferson City.     Governor Mike Parson signed a 29-point-seven billion-dollar state operating budget into law last summer, which included a three percent pay raise for state employees. State Budget Director Dan Haug will unveil the Parson administration’s budget blueprint this afternoon, before the State […]

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Mexican national pleads guilty to illegally entering the United States eight times

A Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to illegally entering the United States for the eighth time. Jesus Vargas-Melendez, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Maughmer to unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported. By pleading guilty, Vargas-Melendez admitted that he illegally entered the United States […]

Melissa Fike

Missouri math teacher presented national Milken Educator Award

Oakland Middle School eighth grade math teacher Melissa Fike was presented the national Milken Educator Award today by Milken Educator Awards Senior Program Director Greg Gallagher and Missouri Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Dr. Margie Vandeven. The recognition comes with an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize for winners. Only one teacher from each participating state […]

Gavel and Law book news graphic

Jury convicts Cuban national of Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearms

A Raytown, Missouri, man was convicted by a federal jury of drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms. Victor Rodriguez Kessel, 63, a Cuban national, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, attempting to manufacture crack cocaine, possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, […]

Meth with police banner

Three charged with drug-trafficking conspiracy, agents seize 14 kilos of methamphetamine.

Three men were charged in federal court for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy after federal agents seized 14 kilograms of methamphetamine. Jose Alvarado, 26, Victor Gomez-Rendon, 28, and Enrique Antonio Herrera-Saucedo, 21, were charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Missouri. The federal criminal complaint alleges that […]