News

by By Annelise Henshaw, Missouri Independent More Missouri educators are staying in their jobs following efforts to raise teachers’ base pay and provide alternative measures for certification, the State Board of Education learned last week. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education predicts schools will have fewer vacancies in the future, speaking positively about

by Staff Writer Oelwein search warrant A search warrant was executed by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office at approximately 12:40 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, at 200 2nd St. SE, Oelwein. During a search illegal substances and items were found and seized. Kolten Michael Maakestad, 24, of Oelwein was arrested and charged with second offense possession

by Tim Carpenter The Kansas House chamber sits empty Monday morning ahead of the 2 p.m. start of the 2025 session of the Kansas Legislature. Republicans dominate the House and Senate with larger supermajorities as Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly enters the final two years of her governorship. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature

by Jacob Richey, KOMU 8 Digital Content Editor Charges including first-degree murder have been filed against the suspect in a deadly assault between two patients at the Fulton State Hospital last week, court records show. Jabril Kanatzar, 29, was charged Friday with first-degree murder and fourth-degree assault in connection to the death of another patient

by Staff Writer TOPEKA, Kan. (KAKE) – With the bang of a gavel, the 2025 session of the Kansas legislature got underway Monday afternoon. Lawmakers’ main job is to decide how to spend your tax dollars for your benefit and decide if they should change how much you pay in taxes, from sales tax to

by Zach Wendling A letter from Taylor Woods of Lincoln, a survivor of sexual assault at 19 years old while she was in a transitionary Lincoln Public Schools program for adults with disabilities, to State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln sits on Conrad’s desk in the legislative chamber on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska

by Staff Writer Sunday, Jan. 5 At 8:35 a.m. Buchanan County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Jonathan Harold Vanroekel, 55, of Pine Bluff, AR. for driving while license suspended (simple misdemeanor) and cited for operation without registration plate and failure to provide proof of insurance. This arrest was made following a traffic stop in the 1900 block

by Cindy Gonzalez Rod Yates in March 2024 shows a rendering of what the Gretna good life district could look like around his Nebraska Crossing shopping center. At the time, he envisioned a 3,000-acre sports-centric district whose engine would be the Nebraska Crossing stores but also featured would be a billion-dollar youths sports component, a

by By Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent Deaths in Missouri prisons hit a new high in 2024. The preliminary total, 139, is two more than the 137 recorded by the Department of Corrections in each of the previous two years and represents the fourth year in the past five where deaths behind bars have averaged 10

by Rudi Keller Michelle Smith, director of the Missouri Justice Coalitions, speaks during a Jan. 3, 2024, memorial service for the 364 Missourians who died in state custody in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Deaths in the Department of Corrections hit a new high of 139 in 2024 (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent). Deaths in Missouri prisons hit

by Cami Koons Broiler chickens are raised in a chicken house on the Bobby Morgan chicken Farm in Luling, Texas on Aug. 23, 2013. (Photo by Bob Nichols/USDA). The U.S. Department of Agriculture finalized a third regulatory reform under the Packers and Stockyards Act, with the latest regulation giving greater stability and fairness to chicken

by Jacob Richey, KOMU 8 Digital Content Editor Six suspects have been detained in connection to a reported armed robbery in Jefferson City Monday night, according to the Jefferson City Police Department. Three adults and three juveniles are currently in custody and awaiting formal charges of first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a

by Staff Writer According to reports from the Dent County Sheriff’s Department: • deputies took a report for a theft that occurred in the 400 block of County Road 5070 Jan. 1. The victim, a 65-year-old Salem man, stated money had been taken from his wallet. The investigation is ongoing. • deputies responded to the

by Jacob Richey, KOMU 8 Digital Content Editor An arrest warrant has been issued for a Tipton Correctional Center employee accused of having sex with an inmate, court records show. Jessica D. Baird is charged with sexual conduct in the course of public duty after she allegedly had sex with an offender at the center

by Clara Bates In 2022, Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem ordered the state to pay a little over $4 million that the company argued it was owed, and a jury awarded $18.9 million on additional claims (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). The Western District of Missouri Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld a $23 million ruling

by Sherman Smith Gov. Laura Kelly speaks with John Nave, executive vice president of Kansas AFL-CIO, before a labor rally on Jan. 14, 2025, at the Statehouse. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly praised labor unions for contributing to unprecedented economic growth in Kansas and touted her administration’s economic development gains in a

by Tim Carpenter Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes and House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, both of Lenexa, said during a news conference Tuesday at the Capitol that Democrats in the 2025 legislative session would concentrate on issues that reduced the burden of basic cost increases on Kansans. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Kansas Democrats vowed

by Chloe Ireland-Killday, KOMU 8 Digital Producer A Linn County man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for recording himself having sexual contact with a 10-year-old girl, according to a news release from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Russell Alan Pirkey, 54, used his cell phone to record

by Robin Opsahl Gov. Kim Reynolds gave her 2025 Condition of the State Address at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines Jan. 14, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Gov. Kim Reynolds, delivering her Condition of the State message Tuesday, said the state needs to take action on disaster recovery in the wake

by Zach Wendling State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue applauds an announced guest during Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Nebraska’s K-12 schools would be required to teach students from elementary to high schools about human development under a

by By Sarah Fentem, St. Louis Public Radio The number of drug overdose deaths in Missouri went down for the first time in nearly a decade in 2023, according to the latest data from the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services. The number of fatal drug-related deaths, mostly from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids,

by Rebecca Rivas The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation announced last month a series of proposed rules aimed at combating predatory financial agreements and other practices during the application process (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent). Missouri cannabis regulators and the state’s largest marijuana trade group agree that people should be banned from flooding the license lottery with

by Staff Writer (Red Oak) — A Clarinda man was booked on a warrant in Red Oak Wednesday morning. The Red Oak Police Department says 37-year-old Bryce Michael McKinnon was arrested at around 10 a.m. on a warrant for violation of probation. Authorities say the arrest occurred in the 100 block of West Coolbaugh Street.

Sarah Sieg at Rolling Hills said local libraries are ready to give kids a head start in 2025.