A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for attempting to meet a law enforcement officer, posing online as a 14-year-old girl, for illegal sexual activity. Darren Wade Lasley, 33, Columbia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole. On Aug. 18, 2021, Lasley was found […]
Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased from November 2021 to December 2021, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 16,700 jobs over the month, with job gains in both goods-producing and service-providing industries. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in December 2021, […]
The Spickard R-2 Board of Education approved changes to the COVID-19 Contingency Plan on January 17th. Regarding a COVID-19 positive or household COVID-19 positive case, the contingency plan says students and staff should refrain from attending school for five days. If they are symptomatic, the positive case time frame may be extended five more days […]
Missouri has set another record, his time its firearms seized at airports. Transportation Security Administration officers at Missouri airports say they’ve found 183 firearms in travelers’ carry-on luggage last year. St. Louis Lambert International Airport broke the statewide record with officers finding 102 guns found, that’s more than all Missouri airports combined in […]
(Missouri Independent) – Gov. Mike Parson proposed massive new spending on infrastructure and college buildings, and still found money to set aside for pensions and future revenue shortfalls, in the budget submitted Wednesday to lawmakers. Missouri will enter the new fiscal year with nearly $3 billion in surplus general revenue, an anticipation of record future tax collections, […]
A COVID-19-related death has been added for Daviess County since January 6th. The health department reports the total as 23. COVID-19 cases increased by 110 from January 6th to 18th, raising that total to 1,411. Seventy-six of the cases were active and 22 active cases were fully vaccinated. One of the eight current COVID-19-related hospitalizations […]
The Trenton R-9 School District will not be in session on January 20th or 21st due to inclement weather and student and staff illnesses. Classes will resume on January 24th for Trenton R-9. Trenton High School reports practices and activities will still be held on January 19th. Practices for January 20th and 21st are canceled. […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri is continuing to see record daily coronavirus infections, near-peak COVID-19 caseloads in hospitals, and threats from Attorney General Eric Schmitt that he will sue school districts that require masks or send students home when they are infected or exposed to the virus. In a statement issued Tuesday morning, Schmitt said school mask rules […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt released the following statement addressing school districts that continue to illegally enforce mask mandates and quarantine orders despite the recent Cole County ruling. “School districts have never been given the authority by the legislature to enact public health orders like mask mandates or quarantine orders – the recent […]
The Livingston County Health Center reports 52 COVID-19 cases have been added since January 14th, bringing the total to 2,873. There are 136 active cases. The health center has KN95 masks available. They can be picked up at the office in Chillicothe. Staff asks that you wear a mask to enter the building. If someone […]
A ballot initiative in Missouri is seeking to change the way statewide elections are run. Currently, in the Show-Me State, there are party primaries in August, and voters choose between the winners of the primaries in November. The Better Elections initiative seeks to move to what’s known as ranked-choice voting. Rosetta Okohson, a Democratic consultant and co-leader of the […]
(Missouri Independent) – Kansas and Missouri logged their warmest average December temperatures on record last month, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Average temperatures over the last half of 2021 were higher than they’ve ever been in either state — and across the country. Meanwhile, despite a devastating cold snap that forced […]
The Livingston County Health Center reports a COVID-19-related death. The total number of deaths is 83. Thirteen cases have been added since January 13th, bringing that total to 2,821. The number of active cases went down by 17 to 129. Another COVID-19-related death has been added for Harrison County. The county’s COVID-19 dashboard shows that, […]
Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased from October 2021 to November 2021, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point. Employment, seasonally adjusted, increased by 7,600 jobs over the month, with job gains in both the goods-producing and service-providing industries. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in November […]
(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration on Friday launched a new website for Americans to request up to four free COVID-19 tests per household. The administration is buying 1 billion at-home rapid COVID-19 tests, and Americans will be able to begin ordering the tests online on Jan. 19 at COVIDtests.gov. This is part of the administration’s effort […]
(Missouri Independent) – The University of Missouri’s Columbia campus will begin the spring semester as planned Tuesday with no option for online classes, masking, or vaccination requirements, UM System President and campus Chancellor Mun Choi wrote to faculty leaders Friday. Choi’s response to concerns raised in a letter from the Executive Committee of the campus […]
A Missouri, man has been convicted by a federal jury of illegally possessing the stolen firearm that he threw out of his car during a police chase. Cecil Jason Robinson, 42, of Columbia, was found guilty on Thursday, Jan. 13, of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robinson was in possession of a […]
The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education approved personnel actions on January 12th. Mic Halferty was approved as a substitute and hired to fill the upcoming maintenance position in school year 2022-2023. Samantha Miller was hired to coach elementary basketball. The board approved transferring $50,000 from the General Fund to the Capital Projects Fund. Superintendent Doctor […]
Benton and Associates Engineers presented a draft preliminary engineering report for Galt’s water system improvements during the Galt Board of Aldermen meeting on January 12th. The board approved the report be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources for future water improvements related to low water pressure and other recommendations and improvements. Filing has closed […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that Navient, one of the nation’s largest student loan servicers, entered into a civil settlement agreement with his office and 38 other states for abuses originating in predatory student loans. The agreement resulted in a $53 million settlement for Missourians: $2.5 million in restitution and $51 million in private […]
