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In Cape Girardeau County, the coroner hasn’t pronounced a single person dead of COVID-19 in 2021.  Wavis Jordan, a Republican who was elected last year to serve as coroner of the 80,000-person county, says his office “doesn’t do COVID deaths.” He does not investigate deaths himself, and requires families to provide proof of a positive […]

The post Uncounted: Inaccurate death certificates across the country hide the true toll of COVID-19 appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged that COVID-19 vaccine doubters stop “peddling lies” on TV and online, as the nation grapples with a rising number of cases due to the highly transmissible omicron variant. Biden also announced new federal help for testing and treatment in the states, including 500 million at-home rapid test […]

The post Biden slams COVID-19 vaccine ‘lies,’ announces free at-home tests appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Missouri’s public-school kids deserve to be treated fairly. Throughout the pandemic, our schools have gone above and beyond to provide critical resources, from laptops to hotspots, meals for families, and so much more. They worked tirelessly to keep us connected to our school community. It is time that they start receiving their fair share of […]

The post As more families choose charter schools, Missouri funding gap persists | Opinion appeared first on Missouri Independent.

A $2 billion wind energy project spanning the length of northern Missouri is for the first time asking a judge to force a resistant landowner to sell the company an easement on their land.  Grain Belt Express, a proposed high-voltage transmission line that would carry 4,000 megawatts of renewable energy from Western Kansas to Indiana, […]

The post Grain Belt Express takes first resistant Missouri landowner to court appeared first on Missouri Independent.

For most of the last year, Life Unlimited has been unable to accept new residents. At one point, the Liberty-based provider, which supports about 1,000 people with developmental disabilities through housing and other services like employment assistance, had 55 of its 330 positions open. Most were for direct support professionals that assist residents with their […]

The post With low wages, Missouri disability service providers urge higher reimbursement rates appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Opening weekend at Busch Stadium last April saw the St. Louis Cardinals start their season in front of socially-distanced seating pods of about 14,500 fans, about a third of the stadium’s capacity. Masks were required inside the stadium, concessions were cashless and fans couldn’t bring bags with them. The goal: Bring back baseball, but do […]

The post Science backs mask mandates. But in Missouri and elsewhere, they’re politically toxic appeared first on Missouri Independent.

This story was originally published by the Kansas City Beacon. During the past year, concerns about COVID policies, critical race theory and controversial books have highlighted tensions in public education. In addition, the pandemic has exacerbated teacher shortages and increased calls for “school choice” for families — which could include charter schools, virtual schools or state […]

The post More than 120 K-12 education bills already filed for 2022 Missouri legislative session appeared first on Missouri Independent.

PARADISE, Kansas — There’s almost nothing left of Deb Maupin’s home near Paradise in north-central Kansas — a bench on the front porch with nothing behind it but the concrete of the basement, now full of ash, scorched appliances where the kitchen was. Hers is one of more than a dozen families who lost their […]

The post ‘Ball of rolling fire and smoke’: Wildfires rip through north-central Kansas appeared first on Missouri Independent.

A meeting last week among GOP state Senators that excluded members of the conservative caucus has reignited the Republican factional infighting that’s been dormant in recent months only because lawmakers are not in session. Part of the discussion, organized by Senate GOP leadership about the upcoming session, was how to deal with the conservative group, […]

The post Divide among Missouri Senate Republicans reopens in run up to legislative session appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Phil, You’ve been away for a good long while, so here’s a Christmas letter to catch you up on all the news you’ve missed. So much has changed. Time steals like a shadow over the living, rendering us all Henry Adams at history’s eclipse. There’s much I want to share, because you could have helped […]

The post A Christmas letter: Phil, America is a promise we must keep appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — Among the most potentially transformational changes in the Democrats’ massive social and climate bill pending in the Senate are a set of long-sought changes intended to tamp down the fast-rising cost of prescription drugs. The $2 trillion spending package would ensure Americans don’t pay more than $35 when they pick up a new […]

The post Prescription drug price reform on the line in Biden’s big social spending bill appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats are urging the White House to extend the freeze on student loan repayments, and for the president to cancel up to $50,000 of student debt — but so far the administration is not budging. The standoff is one of the more noticeable splits between President Joe Biden and members of his […]

The post Biden administration resists Democrats’ pleas on student debt relief as deadline nears appeared first on Missouri Independent.

This story was originally published by the Kansas City Beacon. Expanding state financial aid programs, banning COVID-19 vaccine requirements on campus, and restricting lessons about racism and sexism are just some of the topics of higher education laws being proposed in the Missouri legislature. The next legislative session starts Jan. 5, but representatives and senators  […]

The post Scholarships, guns, teaching about racism: Missouri higher education bills to watch appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s giant social and climate spending bill on Thursday night appeared stalled in the U.S. Senate for some time to come, a deep frustration for congressional Democrats who aimed to pass the ambitious package by the Christmas recess. At risk also is a temporary expansion of the child tax credit, the […]

The post Joe Biden’s big social spending bill caught in snags in the Senate appeared first on Missouri Independent.

If school districts want to take advantage of a lower interest rate on bonds, Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick is requiring them to certify compliance with a recent court ruling targeting local health orders before his office will approve of the deal. Fitzpatrick detailed the decision he described as “unprecedented” in an interview Wednesday with Missourinet. […]

The post Missouri schools must comply with COVID ruling to win treasurer approval of bond deals appeared first on Missouri Independent.

A protracted court battle over what is and is not an illegal gambling machine will be decided in early January, just a few days before a Florida company will go on trial for putting its devices in a Linn County Eagles lodge. Associate Circuit Judge Tracey Mason-White will rule on whether Tritium International Consultants, which […]

The post Missouri judge to rule in January on legality of electronic raffle games appeared first on Missouri Independent.

As a growing number of Missouri school districts drop COVID mitigation measures under threat from Attorney General Eric Schmitt, at least two closed the doors on their fall semester early due to large numbers of staff and students out sick. Meanwhile, local public health departments said Tuesday they still have not heard from the state […]

The post Confusion around COVID ruling swirls as two Missouri school districts end semester early appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Ameren will shutter a Jefferson County coal plant found in violation of federal clean air laws rather than install what it says are expensive pollution controls, the company announced Tuesday.  The St. Louis-based electrical utility will close the Rush Island Energy Center, built in the mid-1970s, by the spring of 2024, if not sooner. Ameren […]

The post Ameren to shutter Rush Island coal plant by 2024 following Clean Air Act violation appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Missouri revenue collections will record another $1 billion surplus this year and a growing economy will produce record receipts in the coming year, data released Tuesday by Gov. Mike Parson’s office shows. Parson and legislative budget leaders released estimates for revenue in the year that begins July 1, 2022, showing revenues are expected to total […]

The post Missouri revenue to hit record $11.4B in coming year, estimate from Gov. Parson shows appeared first on Missouri Independent.

A company denied licenses to grow medical marijuana in Missouri urged the state Supreme Court Tuesday to compel regulators to provide application info that the health department has argued it’s constitutionally obligated to protect. At issue is the Department of Health and Senior Services’ refusal to turn over applications of successful license holders, despite being […]

The post Missouri Supreme Court weighs whether medical marijuana applications can be disclosed appeared first on Missouri Independent.