News

The daunting task of turning around the fortunes of St. Louis is now in the hands of a new era of leaders — specifically, three 40-something progressive Black women, all of them elected on a mandate of racial justice and change.

Local officials agreed Thursday to provide temporary housing in hotel rooms for the homeless population in Kansas City, Missouri, following a months-long encampment on the lawn of City Hall.

The measure to provide hotel rooms for up to 500 people for the next 90 days unanimously cleared the City Council, the Kansas City Star reported.

Everyone 16 and older in Missouri is now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations.

State officials had announced last month that that vaccines would be opened to everyone old enough to receive one on April 9. State officials estimate that about 4.5 million Missouri residents are eligible as of Friday.

About 1.8 million people in Missouri — or 29% of the state’s population — had received a first dose of a vaccine by Thursday, according to state officials. Of those, more than 1.1 million, or about 19% of the population, had been fully vaccinated.

Energy utility Ameren is seeking to raise customer rates to cover billions of dollars recently invested in electric grid upgrades and new wind generation facilities.

Tuition could soon be going up for public university students in Missouri, but proponents of the bill passed by the Missouri House on Thursday say that won’t necessarily be a bad thing for all students.

In 2007, members of the General Assembly who were concerned with rising tuition passed a law which required that tuition increases not exceed the rate of inflation. Now, in an amendment to other higher education legislation, Rep. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs, seeks to undo that.

Senate Bill 212 is a simple bill at face value. It replaces the terms “Department of Corrections and Human Resources” and “board of probation and parole” with “Department of Corrections” and “Division of Probation and Parole” in state legal code.

But when the Missouri Senate gave the bill initial approval Wednesday, it included a lot more than just the boiler-plate bill it was when it originally was proposed in the Senate Chamber.

Missouri's top Republican senator says he's OK not paying for Medicaid expansion.

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz on Thursday told reporters he won't advocate to include money for the program in the state budget. Missouri voters last year amended the state Constitution to extend eligibility for the government health care program to thousands more low-income adults.

Most local elections in April attract low voter turnout. But the small southwest Missouri town of La Russell set a new low, when not one of the town's 70 residents voted in Tuesday's election.

Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis says his office checked several times to confirm that no ballots were cast.

La Russell voters have to travel 7 miles to Sarcoxie to vote.

Missouri legislators focused on advancing protections on issues from rising HIV infections to taxing stimulus checks Wednesday.

Legislators moved forward on bills relating to access to preventative HIV drugs, extending the pandemic stimulus payments’ taxation exemption and extending protection orders for victims of abuse, alongside many others.

Missouri's Republican-led Senate has voted to ban so-called vaccine passports in the state.

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of a former state Republican party chairman to the University of Missouri governing board.

The GOP-led Senate voted 19-13 to confirm Todd Graves as a curator Wednesday. The vote followed a multi-day effort by a group of Republicans and Democrats to stall his confirmation. Senators raised concerns about Graves' connections to former Gov. Eric Greitens, who angered many during his short time in office before he resigned amid multiple scandals.

Columbia’s second ward has elected a new council member.

Andrea Waner came out on top of the second ward race, with 52% of the vote. Candidates Jim Meyer, and Bill Weitkemper also ran for the seat that was opened up when former council member Mike Trapp decided not to seek a fourth term.

Waner said running the campaign took a lot of time and effort, but many in the community want to see women and moms succeed.

“I’m grateful that I get to be the first woman in over thirty years to represent the second ward on the city council,” Waner said.

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of a former state Republican party chairman to the University of Missouri governing board.

The GOP-led Senate voted 19-13 to confirm Todd Graves as a curator Wednesday.

The vote followed a multi-day effort by a group of Republicans and Democrats to block his confirmation. Senators raised concerns about Graves' connections to former Gov. Eric Greitens, who angered many during his short time in office before he resigned amid multiple scandals.

The Independence city council has rejected a proposal from the city's mayor to fly the rainbow flag on municipal buildings during LGBTQ pride month in June.

Mayor Eileen Weir says she proposed the idea to show the city values diversity and inclusion, and to make LGBTGQ people feel welcome. The council voted down the plan on Monday on a 6-1 vote.

Jefferson City voters re-elected three of their Council Members Tuesday, and elected two new members.

In Ward 1, incumbent David Kemna ran unopposed.

In Ward 2, incumbent Laura Ward won re-election, defeating challenger Edith Vogel.