Columbus
Missouri Independent
‘Extremely low pay’ cited at U.S. Senate hearing as prime reason for teacher shortage
WASHINGTON — The only reason John Arthur is able to be a public school teacher is because his wife makes much more money than he does. Arthur — the 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year — testified on Thursday at a hearing in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on the […] The post ‘Extremely low pay’ cited at U.S. Senate hearing as prime reason for teacher shortage appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Missouri education commissioner discusses long-standing issues as she preps to leave job
Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven will leave her position with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education at the end of the month, ending her 19 years of work in the department. She announced her departure in October, saying it was the “right time to move on personally and professionally.” An educator since 1990, Vandeven […] The post Missouri education commissioner discusses long-standing issues as she preps to leave job appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Congress silenced free speech in TikTok law, platform tells federal court
TikTok and its parent company argued Thursday in a federal court in the District of Columbia that the recently enacted law forcing a nationwide ban or sale of the popular platform violates the First Amendment. TikTok Inc., which operates the video-sharing service in the United States, and its parent company, ByteDance Ltd., which was founded […] The post Congress silenced free speech in TikTok law, platform tells federal court appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Missouri lawmakers criticize Kansas attempt to poach Royals, Chiefs
State and local officials from Missouri denounced Kansas legislators’ attempt to lure the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals across the state line, saying they would take steps to keep both teams. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, in a statement on Tuesday, said the city and state would continue negotiations with the teams that Missouri and […] The post Missouri lawmakers criticize Kansas attempt to poach Royals, Chiefs appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Missouri is breaking federal law by housing mentally ill in nursing homes, DOJ finds
Missouri is violating federal disability law by unnecessarily institutionalizing thousands of adults with mental illness in nursing homes, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a scathing report published Tuesday. The report, which is based on a year-and-a-half of investigation, determined that those suffering with mental illness are “subjected to unnecessary stays in nursing facilities, […] The post Missouri is breaking federal law by housing mentally ill in nursing homes, DOJ finds appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Judge denies Planned Parenthood’s request to dismiss suit based on Project Veritas video
A lawsuit filed by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey accusing Planned Parenthood of transporting minors out of state for abortions will move forward, a judge ruled Tuesday evening. The lawsuit is based on conversations between Planned Parenthood staff and a man with Project Veritas who secretly filmed the staff while inquiring about an abortion for […] The post Judge denies Planned Parenthood’s request to dismiss suit based on Project Veritas video appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Missouri GOP files appeal in hopes of striking ‘honorary KKK member’ from ballot
The Missouri Republican Party is continuing its effort to remove an “honorary KKK member” from the primary ballot for governor, but his attorney says the move comes too late and the party should know it. On May 17, Cole County Circuit Judge Cotton Walker ruled that Darrell McClanahan III of Milo would remain on the […] The post Missouri GOP files appeal in hopes of striking ‘honorary KKK member’ from ballot appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Kansas lawmakers approve tax incentive bill to lure Chiefs, Royals away from Missouri
TOPEKA, Kansas — The Kansas City Royals and Chiefs could receive hundreds of millions of dollars in sales tax revenue to move from Missouri and build new stadiums across the state line under legislation passed Tuesday by Kansas lawmakers. The House voted 84-38 and the Senate voted 27-8 to approve legislation that would expand a […] The post Kansas lawmakers approve tax incentive bill to lure Chiefs, Royals away from Missouri appeared first on Missouri Independent.
U.S. House ethics panel adds allegations to Matt Gaetz investigation
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Ethics Committee released a statement Tuesday saying it has “identified additional allegations that merit review” based on its investigation of prior allegations that Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz had inappropriate sexual relationships and violated rules by accepting gifts. The committee is investigating allegations that Gaetz may have “engaged in […] The post U.S. House ethics panel adds allegations to Matt Gaetz investigation appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Kansas Democratic lawmakers dined with Kansas City Royals on eve of stadium vote
LAWRENCE, Kansas — On the eve of a vote that could yield $750 million for a new Kansas City Royals baseball stadium in Kansas, a team executive met with several Democratic state lawmakers at a local steakhouse. Brooks Sherman, chief operating officer for the Royals, and lobbyists hosted lawmakers at the Six Mile Chop House […] The post Kansas Democratic lawmakers dined with Kansas City Royals on eve of stadium vote appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Planned Parenthood vows to fight Missouri AG push for transgender youth medical records
ST. LOUIS — A circuit court judge heard arguments Monday over whether the Missouri attorney general’s efforts to access medical records of transgender youth violate privacy protections. Monday’s hearing was convened at the request of Bailey in the hopes that the court would amend a previous order that requires patients to waive HIPAA rights before […] The post Planned Parenthood vows to fight Missouri AG push for transgender youth medical records appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Biden to unveil protections for some undocumented spouses, easier DACA work visas
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration Tuesday will announce deportation protections for long-term undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens, along with quicker approval of work permits for those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. President Joe Biden will formally make the announcement during an afternoon White House event to celebrate the 12th anniversary of […] The post Biden to unveil protections for some undocumented spouses, easier DACA work visas appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Chiefs, Royals ask Kansas for incentives to allow teams to leave Missouri
Representatives of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals urged Kansas lawmakers Monday to expand a tax incentive program to provide the teams millions of dollars to leave Missouri and set up shop in new stadiums across the state line. “If we want to be major league we’ve got to have major league teams,” Korb Maxwell, […] The post Chiefs, Royals ask Kansas for incentives to allow teams to leave Missouri appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Missouri Independent
4K+
Posts
49M+
Views
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.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.