Missouri
NEW LONDON, Mo. — When Stephanie Dunker, county coordinator at Ralls County Northeast Community Action Coordinator (NECAC), hears the stories of clients in need, she remembers once sitting on the other side of the desk. When she was a young adult, Dunker fell asleep behind the wheel. Breaking her jaw in 14 places, she couldn’t…
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I’ve always thought that true political talent is rooted in dexterity: the ability to appeal to a wide variety of constituencies without significant internal contradictions. Every politician starts with his or her base. Sometimes that base is ideological. Other times it is, racial, geographic or generational. Candidates with dexterity are not only able to expand…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — General Mills’ expansion project received a boost on Tuesday. The Hannibal City Council approved a 50 percent abatement for personal and real property taxes for 10 years for the project. Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council Executive Director Maria Kuhns first heard about the possibility of the General Mills plant’s expansion in April.…
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It was great to have 40-plus people at the tax rate hearing on July 30 for the Hannibal School District. I provided some brief comments at the meeting but could not finish those due to the three-minute time constraint for speaking. I am going to share my full thoughts with you now as the School…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — For the second straight Hannibal City Council meeting, parking on Edwards St. took center stage. Edie Graupman owns a rental property at 421 Edwards St. next door to two homes that have been on the Hannibal Building Commission’s demolition list for several years, and she believes tearing down these homes would alleviate…
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Missouri Republicans ratified Gov. Mike Parson’s choice of successor Tuesday by nominating Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, rejecting the scion of a veteran political family and the disruptive tactics of the GOP’s most vocal faction. Kehoe trailed Ashcroft in most polls until this summer, when the $16 million campaign warchest he amassed in his campaign fund and joint…
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Ralls County results Incumbent Brad Stinson is defeated by Brian Allen in the Republican primary for sheriff. Allen won with 57 percent of the vote. Stinson, who faced lawsuits from former employees regarding retaliation and harassment charges during his term, thanked his supporters on Facebook. “I wish to thank everyone for your support and encouragement,”…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal Parks and Recreation is offering “Twilight Transformations,” a night hike through Sodalis Nature Preserve, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9. Nature educator Gale Rublee, who leads the Parks and Recreation nature programs, said in a press release, “Let’s explore nature’s nocturnal adaptations. Some flowers bloom at night to attract moths,…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension state plant pathologist Mandy Bish reports confirmaion of red crown rot, a yield-robbing soybean disease, in Marion County in northeastern Missouri. This is the first confirmed incidence of the disease in the state. Bish says MU Extension specialists have been scouting for the pathogen since its confirmation in…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal Regional Diabetes Center is offering a free diabetes class from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 8, in Conference Room 1 at Hannibal Regional Medical Group. This class allows people to learn and refresh their knowledge about the nutrition and exercise foundations essential for optimal blood sugar management. Diabetes management…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. – The cause of a house fire on South 6th Street in Hannibal is undetermined following an investigation by the Missouri State Fire Marshall’s office. Just after 5:30 a.m. Thursday, the Hannibal Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 223 South 6th and all stations responded including eight duty crew members and…
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In the winter, Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin said she would vote to expel state Sen. Bill Eigel. This summer, a political action committee connected to O’Laughlin is working to stop him from becoming governor. On July 5, the NEMO Leadership PAC — which was created to support O’Laughlin — contributed $100,000 to the Great Northwest PAC…
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With less than a week before Tuesday’s primaries, statewide elected officials are doing what they can to use their jobs to grab last-minute headlines. On Thursday in Jefferson City, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft went first, holding a news conference to announce he is suing President Joe Biden and 15 federal department heads over a 2021…
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ST. LOUIS – A Monroe County, Mo. church official was arrested last month after having been indicted and accused of participating in a more than $1.2 million pandemic loan fraud scheme. Kenneth C. Sparks III, 54, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Florida. A grand jury indicted Sparks on July 17 with one…
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Mark McDonald and Randy Phillips look at the journey of Fr. Augustus Tolton and the quest of those who support his beatification and canonization. Dot Foods sponsors Muddy River Gems.
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PALMYRA, Mo. — David and Alicia Weiman have announced that Ethan’s Rodeo will be held Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9-10, at Flower City Park. Ethan’s Rodeo is named in memory of Ethan Weiman, a young cowboy who fought neuroblastoma – a childhood cancer responsible for 15% of all childhood cancer deaths – from 2007-2009. Ethan’s…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri will eliminate its division focused on diversity, social equity and inclusion on the Columbia campus, completing the dismantling of administrative structures put in place after protests in 2015 brought national attention to issues of racial equality. The move coincides with the departure of division Vice Chancellor Maurice Gipson. It is designed to…
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