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Biden urges Hamas to accept new Israeli ceasefire plan intended to end war
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced a ceasefire proposal from Israel on Friday, saying the three-phase plan presented to Hamas represents the best chance to end the war. Biden, speaking from the White House, urged people around the world who have been calling for an end to the war in the Middle East to pressure […] The post Biden urges Hamas to accept new Israeli ceasefire plan intended to end war appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Missouri House chief clerk sues Dean Plocher, Rod Jetton alleging whistleblower retaliation
The top staff member of the Missouri House filed a lawsuit Friday accusing Speaker Dean Plocher and his chief of staff, Rod Jetton, of harassment and intimidation during battles over ethics charges and hiring decisions. House Chief Clerk Dana Miller’s lawsuit follows months allegations about misconduct by Plocher and a House Ethics Committee investigation that […] The post Missouri House chief clerk sues Dean Plocher, Rod Jetton alleging whistleblower retaliation appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Missouri Medicaid enrollment continues decline, down 200,000 since last June
Missouri’s Medicaid enrollment has shrunk by around 200,000 people since last summer, as the state continues the process of undoing a COVID-era pause on eligibility checks. The federal suspension on annual renewals expired last year and since then, states have been undergoing the process of re-verifying each participant’s eligibility. From June to April, Missouri’s net […] The post Missouri Medicaid enrollment continues decline, down 200,000 since last June appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Safety-Net Health Clinics Cut Services and Staff Amid Medicaid ‘Unwinding’
One of Montana’s largest health clinics that serves people in poverty has cut back services and laid off workers. The retrenchment mirrors similar cuts around the country as safety-net health centers feel the effects of states purging their Medicaid rolls. Billings-based RiverStone Health is eliminating 42 jobs this spring, cutting nearly 10% of its workforce. […] The post Safety-Net Health Clinics Cut Services and Staff Amid Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Reactions to Trump conviction fall along party lines in Missouri
Reactions by Missouri politicians to the felony conviction Thursday of former President Donald Trump fell predictably along partisan lines, with Republicans condemning the verdict and Democrats expressing satisfaction or trolling their partisan foes. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a candidate for the GOP nomination for governor, blamed President Joe Biden for the state of New […] The post Reactions to Trump conviction fall along party lines in Missouri appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Free direct filing of federal taxes may be offered soon throughout the U.S.
WASHINGTON — Taxpayers across the United States could be guaranteed a free public option to file federal tax returns online as the Internal Revenue Service announced plans Thursday to make its Direct File program permanent. The pilot program offered in 12 states from March to April drew roughly 140,000 accepted returns this filing season and […] The post Free direct filing of federal taxes may be offered soon throughout the U.S. appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Trump found guilty on 34 felony counts in NY hush money trial
WASHINGTON — Jurors in New York state court on Thursday found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star ultimately to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. The first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president wrapped up in […] The post Trump found guilty on 34 felony counts in NY hush money trial appeared first on Missouri Independent.
2nd Missouri judge rules counties can stack taxes at marijuana dispensaries
Buchanan County can collect a special marijuana sales tax on dispensaries within St. Joseph city limits, a judge ruled Wednesday in the second decision granting counties the right to stack taxes on top of city levies. Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg wrote in his two-page ruling that provisions in the recreational marijuana constitutional amendment passed in […] The post 2nd Missouri judge rules counties can stack taxes at marijuana dispensaries appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Independence’s four-day school week draws Missouri auditor probe
Independence School District Superintendent Dale Herl feels targeted by the state for moving to a four-day school week. On Wednesday, Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick announced a plan to audit the district. Independence schools aren’t accused of wrongdoing, and no one asked for an audit. Rather, it’s Fitzpatrick’s first foray into conducting more routine audits of […] The post Independence’s four-day school week draws Missouri auditor probe appeared first on Missouri Independent.
A bipartisan push to make air travel easier for new parents packing breast milk and formula
As the summer travel season approaches, new parents may be navigating airports with their babies — and the complexities of keeping them fed. Despite federal guidelines for airport agents laying out how to treat nursing moms, stories about problem encounters with security sometimes go viral. In 2023, actress and singer Keke Palmer said she was at Houston […] The post A bipartisan push to make air travel easier for new parents packing breast milk and formula appeared first on Missouri Independent.
‘America at her best’: Negro Leagues museum head says stat recognition is bigger than baseball
The addition of Negro Leagues baseball players’ statistics to MLB’s record books is bigger than baseball, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick said Wednesday. It’s a part of American history. Negro Leagues players were added to the MLB record books this week after a multi-year project by MLB, which decided in 2020 to reclassify […] The post ‘America at her best’: Negro Leagues museum head says stat recognition is bigger than baseball appeared first on Missouri Independent.
U.S. House speaker reverses on radiation compensation bill that excluded Missouri
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office on Wednesday scrapped a proposal to extend a compensation program for victims of radiation exposure without expanding it to thousands of Americans across nine states. In a statement that came less than four hours after Johnson’s office said a proposal to expand the program was too expensive, a spokesperson […] The post U.S. House speaker reverses on radiation compensation bill that excluded Missouri appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Complaint alleges Jay Ashcroft campaign letter runs afoul of ethics law
A Jay Ashcroft campaign letter that attacked his opponents Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe as a closeted Democrat and state Sen. Bill Eigel as a “political gadfly” shows illegal coordination between his gubernatorial campaign committee and a political action committee, a complaint to the Missouri Ethics Commission states. Ashcroft’s campaign is denying the allegations. The complaint, […] The post Complaint alleges Jay Ashcroft campaign letter runs afoul of ethics law appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Funds for clean school buses coming to hundreds of districts, White House says
WASHINGTON — As part of its ongoing effort to replace diesel-fueled school buses, the Biden administration on Wednesday said it will provide approximately 530 school districts across nearly all states with almost $1 billion to help them purchase clean school buses. The initiative, part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program rebate […] The post Funds for clean school buses coming to hundreds of districts, White House says appeared first on Missouri Independent.
What QAnon supporters, butthole sunners and New Age spiritualists have in common
After the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, former NBA player Royce White became an outspoken advocate of defunding the police. Over those ensuing months, he appeared at a number of protests and marches in Minnesota – demonstrations that conservative politicians and pundits excoriated. Four years later, White accepted the endorsement of the Minnesota […] The post What QAnon supporters, butthole sunners and New Age spiritualists have in common appeared first on Missouri Independent.
U.S. House may consider extending nuclear weapons damages program without Missouri
A proposal to renew compensation for cancer victims who were exposed to radioactive material from the nation’s weapons development without expanding the program to Missouri and several other states amounted to a betrayal, Missouri advocates and lawmakers said Tuesday. Members of Congress from Missouri learned late Tuesday that U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to […] The post U.S. House may consider extending nuclear weapons damages program without Missouri appeared first on Missouri Independent.
The jury now will decide Trump’s fate in hush money trial, after lengthy closing arguments
WASHINGTON — Closing arguments in the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president concluded Tuesday, leaving the jury to now decide if Donald Trump is guilty of faking reimbursement to his personal lawyer for hush money paid to a porn star just before the 2016 presidential election. Just outside the Lower Manhattan courthouse during […] The post The jury now will decide Trump’s fate in hush money trial, after lengthy closing arguments appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Missouri governor sets vote on tax exemption for child care centers, Kansas City police funding
Missouri will have two constitutional amendments on the Aug. 6 primary ballot, one to grant tax exemptions for child care facilities and another to rerun a 2022 election result on police funding thrown out by the state Supreme Court. Gov. Mike Parson said Tuesday that he would put the two proposals from the General Assembly […] The post Missouri governor sets vote on tax exemption for child care centers, Kansas City police funding appeared first on Missouri Independent.
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The Missouri Independent is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization covering state government, politics and policy. It is staffed by veteran Missouri reporters and is dedicated to its mission of relentless investigative journalism that sheds light on how decisions in Jefferson City are made and their impact on individuals across the Show-Me State. Our journalists adhere to the ethics guidelines of the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Press Photographers Association, as well as the practices embraced by organizations like the Associated Press, ProPublica and The Center for Investigative Reporting. The Independent is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. We retain full editorial independence, and all editorial decisions are made by our journalists. Donors have no influence over content.
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