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 […]

American Airlines Logo

Charges Filed: Man subdued by passengers, flight crew after causing disturbance on flight; plane forced to land in Kansas City

A California man was subdued by several passengers and flight attendants when he tried to open the exit door on an American Airlines flight en route to Washington, D.C., on Sunday afternoon, forcing the plane to land at Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Missouri. Juan Remberto Rivas, 50, was charged with one count […]

Car Fire

Car catches fire in Mercer County

The Mercer County Fire Protection District responded to Delta Street off Route P for a report of a vehicle fire early Wednesday morning. The vehicle slid off the roadway, became stuck, and caught fire. According to the fire department, the operator of the vehicle had to walk approximately one mile to a house to get […]

Maximize Northwest Missouri Website

Community leaders celebrated for commitment to learning

Community leaders in six northwest Missouri counties were part of Maximize Northwest Missouri’s 2021 Regional Learning Collaborative that wrapped up late last summer.  “Some of the keywords that participants used to describe their learning experience include: enlightening, motivating, empowering, informative, inspiring, insightful, and team-building,” shared Mary Hinde, president of The Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri. […]

North Central Missouri College Website V2 (NCMC)

Nominations Sought for NCMC/TJC distinguished alumni

Nominations for distinguished alumni from North Central Missouri College and Trenton Junior College are being accepted for 2021.  The North Central Missouri College Foundation, Inc. will honor the selected alumni who attended TJC/NCMC during the Pirates Ball planned for March 26, 2022.  To nominate an alum (either a graduate or someone who successfully completed one […]