(Missouri Independent) – The Russian invasion of Ukraine this week might drive up the costs of farm fertilizers globally — which nearly quadrupled last year in price in the United States and remain high — and presents an opportunity for unscrupulous companies to artificially inflate those prices further, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “That’s […]
Tag: United States
Mid-America Music Festival organizers announce weekend lineup of entertainment
Mid-America Music Festival organizers have announced the weekend lineup, which features 12 country music artists. Celebrating its fifth year, the festival will be held Friday through Sunday, August. 5 through August 7, 2022, at the Black Silo Winery in Trenton. Headlining Friday, Aug. 5 is country music artist, Lauren Alaina. Alaina was recently inducted as […]
Missouri gun store owner pleads guilty to selling machine gun components, faces 10 years in prison
The owner of a Missouri gun store pleaded guilty in federal court to selling components to convert firearms into machine guns, which he marketed on his website as “cell phone holders.” Charles Lee Weston, 37, of Kansas City, Mo., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays […]
Missouri business owner pleads guilty to failure to pay millions of dollars in taxes
A Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court to failing to pay more than $2.8 million in payroll taxes from his business and more than $1.1 million in personal income taxes. Rex Tarwater, 66, of Sunrise Beach, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count […]
Coalition of 13 attorneys general call for resignation of Alejandro Mayorkas’ at Department of Homeland Security
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, along with 13 other attorneys general are calling for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ resignation. In a letter, citing the continued failure to enforce federal law and secure the southwest border, the coalition of 14 state attorneys general is demanding that Secretary Mayorkas leave office as his […]
Registered sex offender in Missouri sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child porn
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that James Taylor, age 45, of Doniphan, Missouri, was sentenced to 120 months or 10 years in federal prison for the offense of Possession of Child Pornography. Taylor appeared for his sentencing hearing before United States District Judge Matthew T. Schelp at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. […]
Audio: U.S. Supreme Court to review “Remain in Mexico” policy
The U.S. Supreme Court plans to review in April the Biden Administration’s effort to unwind the Trump-era “remain in Mexico” border policy. The program allows U.S. officials to send non-Mexican migrants to Mexico to await their U.S. immigration court hearings. Lower courts have rejected the president’s attempts to stop the program, forcing the […]
Poultry virus confirmed in state bordering Missouri
Missouri poultry producers, both commercial and backyard flocks, are encouraged to review and tighten biosecurity protocols in light of the avian influenza virus confirmation in birds east of the Mississippi River. Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 is known to be deadly for domesticated chickens and turkeys. Avian influenza was confirmed in a commercial chicken operation […]
Princeton Board of Education approves school calendar for 2022-2023; changes time school is to begin and end
The Princeton R-5 Board of Education on February 14th approved the 2022-2023 school calendar and changed school hours. The first day of school will be August 23rd, and the last day is scheduled for May 19th, 2023. Snow days are built into the calendar that totals 1,109 hours. For the 2022-2023 school year, the day […]
Missouri man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole for $4 million meth conspiracy and illegal firearms
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a $4 million drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than 520 kilograms of methamphetamine over three years. Christapher Dean Parton, also known as “Big Baby,” 32, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by United States District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison […]
Missouri man sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for producing child pornography with 6 year old
United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced Andrew Hotchkiss to 27.5 years in federal prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release for the production of child pornography. Hotchkiss previously pleaded guilty in November 2021. Between the dates of March 1, 2019, and May 13, 2019, in St. Francois County, Missouri, […]
USDA unveils resource guide to help rural entrepreneurs start and grow businesses
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small today unveiled a resource guide to help people in rural America start and grow businesses, create good-paying jobs in their communities and strengthen America’s economy. “America’s rural entrepreneurs are critical to the success of our nation’s economy,” Torres Small said. “They create jobs […]
Man convicted of meth trafficking in Missouri, faces 10 years in prison
A Louisville, Kentucky, man has been convicted of possessing more than two kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in a rental vehicle after he was stopped on Interstate 44 in Jasper County, Missouri. Quennel Young, 31, was found guilty of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool issued the verdict following […]
Princeton R-5 Board of Education to meet on Monday
The Princeton R-5 Board of Education will discuss a 2022-2023 school calendar proposal and the school start time next week. The board will meet in the high school library on February 14th at 5:30 in the evening. Other items on the agenda include updates on the United States Department of Agriculture grant for transportation, the […]
Cori Bush leading push for Biden to pick Supreme Court nominee with civil rights track record
(Missouri Independent) – U.S. Rep. Cori Bush on Thursday led a coalition of Black women members of the U.S. House in a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to pick a Black woman for the U.S. Supreme Court — which he has promised — who has a track record of protecting civil rights. “The […]
Corrections officer in Missouri pleads guilty to violating the civil rights of a prisoner
United States District Court Judge Matthew T. Schelp accepted a plea of guilty from Demeria Thomas, age 38, for deprivation of rights under color of law related to her knowingly allowing inmates to assault another inmate while in his cell at the St. Louis City Justice Center. A grand jury in the Eastern District of […]
Missouri Attorney General opposes new Waters of the U.S. rule
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, along with 23 other states, submitted a comment to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and the Army Corps of Engineers opposing the Biden Administration’s proposed rule that would revise the Waters of the United States rule and subject Missouri’s farmers and ranchers to strict government regulation. “Missouri’s farmers and […]
United States Department of Agriculture pledges $1B for ‘climate smart’ ag products
(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to spend up to $1 billion to foster the creation of climate-friendly agricultural and forestry products by offering grants to facilitate their production and the markets to sell them. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon in those industries. “Agriculture is such […]
Missouri man pleads guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl
United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk accepted a plea of guilty from Jarvis L. Fields for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri previously indicted Fields in December 2020. Judge Pitlyk set sentencing for May 3, 2022. According to the plea agreement, on April 10, […]
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, […]