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Missouri Independent
Jackson County claims property tax order was meant to shield Missouri AG from deposition
Jackson County officials said Monday they are evaluating potential legal challenges to an order by the State Tax Commission they argue was only issued to cover for Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. The Missouri State Tax Commission last week ordered the county to roll back most of its 2023 property valuations, finding that they had […]
Telehealth abortion still on the rise, especially in states with shield laws, report shows
Both the overall number of abortions and the use of telehealth abortion care continue to increase in the United States, according to the latest #WeCount report. Telehealth made up 20% of all abortion care in the first three months of 2024, and the monthly total of abortions exceeded 100,000 for the first time since the group […]
States want to lower drug prices. A federal law stands in their way
Oliver Lackey opened a pharmacy in his hometown of Fairview, Oklahoma, so he could “provide the best patient care.” He set up shop a decade ago in the local grocery store with “zero prescriptions.” Before long, business took off — yet he was still struggling. “I was getting more patients and was filling more prescriptions,” […]
State lawmakers eye promise, pitfalls of AI ahead of November elections
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Inside a white-walled conference room, a speaker surveyed hundreds of state lawmakers and policy influencers, asking whether artificial intelligence poses a threat to the elections in their states. The results were unambiguous: 80% of those who answered a live poll said yes. In a follow-up question, nearly 90% said their state laws […]
Hemp industry leaders call Missouri governor’s order banning THC products an ‘overreach’
Walking into Total Wine stores in Missouri this summer, it was impossible not to see the display for hemp-derived THC infused beverages. Total Wine, the country’s largest liquor retailer, set the tone for the alcohol industry in June when it began carrying the products at its seven Missouri stores. “It has been amazing for us,” […]
Thinking about the frightening past while living in Missouri after the fall of Roe
What happened to Evelyn? What happened to Marsha? These questions still come up among my friends from high school 55 years later. Both disappeared from our high school class after they became pregnant. The question of how their teenage pregnancies impacted their lives is increasingly on my mind, living in Missouri after the fall of […]
Jay Ashcroft endorses Mike Kehoe, blames fundraising for finishing third in governor’s race
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft believes his third place finish in Tuesday’s GOP gubernatorial primary can be explained by his rival’s massive fundraising advantage. In an email message to supporters Friday, Ashcroft noted that polls had him tied for the lead with Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe going into the campaign’s home stretch. But when […]
Fertilizer from human waste faces scrutiny but remains a profitable industry
The cool morning spring breeze hit Saundra Traywick “like a punch to the face.” Walking through her wooded 38-acre donkey farm in central Oklahoma, Traywick suddenly found it hard to breathe as the air smelled “toxic” and “like death.” Less than a mile away, a truck was spreading a chunky dark fertilizer on a hay […]
After Kansas newspaper raid, journalists remain defiant in battle for accountability
This story is part of a series by Kansas Reflector and The Handbasket to examine the one-year anniversary of the raid on the Marion County Record. Support independent journalism by subscribing to The Handbasket or donating to Kansas Reflector. MARION, Kan. — Marion County Record editor and publisher Eric Meyer began speaking out about the […]
Josh Hawley, Lucas Kunce remain at an impasse on Missouri U.S. Senate debates
BOONVILLE – U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley said Thursday that he will participate in moderated television debates with Democrat Lucas Kunce, but first he wants Kunce to agree to debate without moderators at the Missouri State Fair. In response, Kunce said he will take part in the Lincoln-Douglas style debate Hawley wants, but first the incumbent […]
Trump agrees to Sept. 10 debate with Harris, claims two more upcoming
WASHINGTON — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Thursday he has agreed to debate Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on Sept. 10, a reversal from his position last week that he would not participate in the ABC News event. During a press conference at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the former president said […]
Judge dismisses lawsuit before Missouri attorney general could be questioned under oath
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey narrowly avoided being questioned under oath about his contact with a Jackson County official when he was granted a motion to dismiss his lawsuit against the county on Thursday. Bailey, who filed suit against the county late last year over its property tax assessment process, was ordered by the judge […]
Josh Hawley, Lucas Kunce trade jabs over timing, format of Missouri U.S. Senate debates
The question of when – or whether – Missouri’s U.S. Senate candidates will debate opened up the fall campaign, with incumbent Republican Josh Hawley challenging Democratic nominee Lucas Kunce to an outdoor clash without moderators and Kunce calling for five televised events. Kunce, who is making his second run for the Senate, easily won the […]
Missouri Freedom Caucus celebrates its showing in statewide primary elections
The right-wing Freedom Caucus fared well in Missouri’s GOP primaries Tuesday, grabbing its first statewide nomination and displaying the reach of its message in other races. State Sen. Denny Hoskins of Warrensburg emerged from an eight-person field to get the Republican nomination for Secretary of State. Freedom Caucus member state Sen. Bill Eigel finished second […]
Missouri attorney general asks to dismiss lawsuit a day before scheduled deposition
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey wants to dismiss his lawsuit against Jackson County a day before he was set to answer questions under oath about a potential ethical breach in the case. Bailey, who is suing the county over its property assessment process, on Tuesday asked the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Western District […]
‘It’s time to move on’: Missouri transportation director announces resignation
Patrick McKenna, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, on Wednesday said he will leave his post after almost nine years on the job. McKenna announced his decision near the end of a meeting of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission in Poplar Bluff. He did not give a date for his departure and did […]
Lack of eviction data obscures extent of the affordable housing crisis
Evictions are a window into America’s rental housing crisis: In 2022, more than half of all renters spent over a third of their income on housing, and millions of tenants who miss rent payments are evicted each year. When renters are kicked out of their homes, the consequences can be disastrous. Families might lose their […]
Incumbent Missouri senators survive primary challenges across the state
Every incumbent Missouri senator challenged in Tuesday’s primaries won renomination, but Republican voters rejected sitting House members in five districts. In the Senate primaries, a big money advantage generally, but not in every case, carried the day. One notable exception was in the 31st District of western Missouri, where incumbent state Sen. Rick Brattin of […]
Among the biggest winners of Missouri’s GOP primaries: Gov. Mike Parson
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson wasn’t on the ballot Tuesday. But he was still one of the biggest winners of the night. Watching from the sidelines as election results poured in — barred from running again because of term limits — Parson’s legacy was before voters in the form of the three men he appointed to […]
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