A new study of eviction filings in St. Louis during the pandemic found people within protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, communities of color, women-led households, and families with children are impacted at higher rates than others. The Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council’s report noted even though moratoriums have kept many people unable to […]
(Missouri Independent) – From statehouses to Congress, Republicans have launched into a fight against the teaching of “critical race theory,” which just a year ago was a niche academic term. Experts in critical race theory say it’s about acknowledging how racial disparities are embedded in U.S history and society, and the concept is being mischaracterized […]
Bipartisan legislation toughening penalties on residents who KNOWINGLY release feral hogs in Missouri is now on the governor’s desk. The Missouri House voted 150-1 to give final approval to the bill from Speed State Representative Tim Taylor, before Friday’s adjournment. Under Taylor’s bill, repeat offenders would be charged with a felony for each feral swine […]
(Missouri Independent) – After hours of fierce debate that spanned the course of two days, the Missouri House on Wednesday signed off on a prohibition on transgender students participating on the sports teams that match their gender identity. The provision, offered as an amendment by Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, to House Bill 1141 was adopted by a vote […]
(Missouri Independent) – As bills expanding charter schools and creating new scholarship accounts for private school tuition make their way through the process, one piece of legislation is trying to give students more options within the public schools that already exist. House Bill 543, sponsored by Rep. Brad Pollitt, R-Sedalia, would establish the “Public School […]
The Justice Department announced today that Sonia Tabizada, 36, of San Jacinto, California, was sentenced to 15 months and 13 days for intentionally obstructing persons in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs by threatening to bomb Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C. In May 2019, school officials announced that Visitation Prep, […]
(Missouri Independent) – Last spring, as Missouri businesses shed hundreds of thousands of jobs, Gov. Mike Parson warned that the state was headed for the worst financial crunch since the 2008 recession. Ten months later, Parson presented a budget plan that anticipates a $1.1 billion surplus on July 1, the biggest in state history. And if the $1.9 trillion pandemic […]
Tis the season for returning and exchanging holiday gifts – and there are a few steps you can take to make the process safer and easier. Experts have said a return puts you in a “Goldilocks” situation; that is, it’s a matter of timing. If you rush to the store or post office immediately, you’ll […]
Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox reports his office checked area registered sex offenders on Halloween and found a few violations of what he called the “Halloween Law.” A Missouri statute says sex offenders are required to avoid Halloween-related contact with children, remain inside their residences from 5 o’clock to 10:30 unless required to be somewhere […]
A Dumfries, Virginia, man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies as part of a $3.2 million romance fraud scheme. Henry N. Asomani, 35, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Ghana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Tuesday, Aug. 25, to 10 years in […]
An official with a consulting company that analyzes utility rates told the City Council last night that no changes are recommended. But he also warned against thinking of reducing electric rates any more than they have been. Craig Woycheese is the senior rate analyst for Toth and Associates which was commissioned by the city to […]
People in Missouri are being warned to be extra vigilant as scam callers are likely to ramp up their activity over the next few weeks to take advantage of increasing amounts of people being at home due to the current Coronavirus outbreak. CPR Call Blocker, makers of the US’s best selling call blocking device, is […]
The state’s Medicaid director will present his budget to the Missouri House Budget Committee Tuesday morning in Jefferson City. The hearing is set for 8:15. During his January State of the State Address, Governor Mike Parson (R) credited former House Speaker and current Medicaid director Todd Richardson for finding $84 million in savings, in the Medicaid […]
Chillicothe Police Chief Jon Maples reports an investigation into a disgruntled parent yelling, cursing, and making threats at a teacher this week led to the arrest of a 32-year-old woman for disorderly conduct. The woman was issued a summons, released pending a court date, and advised by School Resource Officer Eric Menconi she was not […]
A soldier stationed at Fort Riley was charged in federal court with sending over social media instructions for making bombs, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. Jarrett William Smith, 24, Fort Riley, Kan., was charged with one count of distributing information related to explosives and weapons of mass destruction. Smith, a private first class infantry soldier, […]
In response to a report of “lots of smoke”, Chillicothe firefighters last night responded to what the first units on the scene described as a medium-sized trash fire behind 436 Elm Street. A spokesman said trash and in-house items were found burning illegally since it was located within the city limits. Approximately 200 gallons of […]
An arrest was made when the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a location in the Wheeling area on Sunday for a reported domestic assault and trespassing. A deputy learned an adult female was claiming to have been physically assaulted. Sheriff Steve Cox reports as the deputy was going to speak with a male […]
The Internal Revenue Service today warned the public about a new twist on the IRS impersonation phone scam whereby criminals fake calls from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), an independent organization within the IRS. Similar to other IRS impersonation scams, thieves make unsolicited phone calls to their intended victims fraudulently claiming to be from the […]
Discussion on several topics dominated a 90-minute meeting last night of the Trenton City Council. Action was taken on just two items and approval was given by the seven council members present to a resolution for reimbursement to the city of over $54,000 in expenditures made since July on the new asphalt plant project. The […]
On top of dealing with harsh winter weather in feeding cows, cattle farmers must guard against too much nitrate in poor-quality hay. “Just from cases we’ve confirmed, I know of 150 cows dying in the last month,” says Tim Evans, head toxicologist at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. High nitrate, mostly concentrated in […]
