Missouri State Government
Controlling crime, expanding education options and cutting taxes will be the top priorities for Missouri, new Gov. Mike Kehoe said in his inauguration speech. The brief speech, delivered before a crowd gathered on a cold, sunny day outside the Missouri Capitol, also traced the Republican’s journey from a north St. Louis home led by a…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — David Wasinger says the life lessons he developed as a kid growing up in Hannibal will influence the decisions he makes as the next lieutenant governor of Missouri. Wasinger, 61, will be sworn into office by Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Russell, both graduates of Hannibal High School, during Monday’s inauguration…
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Missouri has officially joined the growing list of states that have legalized sports betting. Thismove signifies a transformative step for the state, enabling residents to place wagers bothonline and in-person, a dramatic shift from previous restrictions. This new legislation brings promising economic opportunities, including tax revenue for publicservices and enhanced fan engagement. As Missouri enters…
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A committee dedicated to the security of the Missouri Capitol convened Thursday to raise concerns ahead of Monday’s inauguration of Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe. Lawmakers are not only worried about the inauguration ceremony and governor’s ball but also the everyday operations of the Capitol Police. President Pro Tem of the Missouri Senate Cindy O’Laughlin read a…
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MRN This week goes on the road to the Missouri state capitol to interview the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, Mary Russell. Russell, a Ralls County native and graduate of Hannibal High School, Truman State and the University of Missouri School of Law, has been on the state’s highest court for 20 years.
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In less than two years of selling legal recreational weed, Missouri’s cannabis market has grown to $1.4 billion — outperforming states with a longer history of marijuana legalization like Arizona, Colorado and Nevada. “Those are mature marketplaces, and you are surpassing them,” said Laurie Parfitt, CEO at LKP Impact Consulting. “Missouri is doing amazing things,…
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By the time the NFL playoffs begin in January, sports betting will be legal in Missouri. The only remaining question now that voters approved Amendment 2 is whether bettors will use platforms licensed in Missouri or if players will have to use accounts linked to licenses from other states. The amendment directs the Missouri Gaming Commission to…
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OZARK — U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley won a second term on Tuesday, cruising to victory over a well-financed rival in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2018. Hawley led Marine veteran Lucas Kunce 52% to 45% when the Associated Press called the race at 9:30 p.m. “They said they were going…
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Missouri’s next governor will be Mike Kehoe, a Republican who cruised to victory Tuesday night over Democrat Crystal Quade. The Associated Press called the race at 8:30 p.m. with 22% of precincts reporting and Kehoe leading Quade 52% to 46%. “Our victory tonight, it’s a win for our cops, our firefighters, our farmers, and our…
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ST. LOUIS — Abortions rights will be enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, after voters on Tuesday overturned the state’s near-total ban. The Associated Press called the race at 10:30 p.m. with Amendment 3 winning 54% to 46%. “We did not accept this nightmare thrust upon us,” said Tori Schafer, deputy director for policy and campaigns…
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Missouri State Rep. Greg Sharpe (R-Ewing), has been re-elected for another two years. Sharpe, who defeated Democrat Melissa Jo Viloria, has been representing Northeast Missouri for six years. Sharpe said he is thankful for the people in his district, “I’m very grateful to the voters of my district who put me back in, and so…
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RALLS COUNTY MARION COUNTY MONROE COUNTY SHELBY COUNTY LEWIS COUNTY
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Missouri State Rep. Greg Sharpe (R-Ewing) has been representing Northeast Missouri for six years, but for the first time he has competition in the Nov. 5 general election. Democrat Melissa Jo Viloria is Sharpe’s opponent in District 4 covering the counties of Shelby, Knox, Scotland, Lewis, Monroe, Schuyler, Clark and part of Adair, with Shelby…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — It’s a girl’s world this election season — even in Northeast Missouri. “I have a 16-year-old daughter, and she’s my world. Her friends are my world — I love those girls,” said Melissa Jo Viloria, a Democratic candidate for the Missouri House of Representatives. “My main reason for running was because of them.”…
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In April 2023, Osage County Clerk Nicci Kammerich agreed to an experiment — she would tally municipal election results by hand, a move urged by residents who argued it would be cheaper, quicker and more secure. The results, Kammerich wrote after the election, were the opposite. The vote count finished three hours later than the previous…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — “Vote no” and “Amen” were yelled from the crowd as Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe condemned Amendment 3, also known as the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, during his visit to Republican headquarters in Hannibal on Thursday, Oct. 24, less than two weeks before election day on Nov. 5. “Amendment 3 is…
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Ranked-choice voting is on the rise in the U.S., with two U.S. states and 45 U.S. cities now using some version of it. This November, Missourians will have the opportunity to ban it. Advocates of ranked-choice voting argue that it solves the problems of other voting methods, while detractors counter that it makes elections unnecessarily complicated. Here in the U.S., plurality…
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Chariton County cannot block construction of the Grain Belt Express electric transmission line by refusing permission to cross county roads, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. The county can establish rules for how the transmission line crosses its roads, the court ruled as it modified a trial court decision that said the county could…
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Chariton County cannot block construction of the Grain Belt Express electric transmission line by refusing permission to cross county roads, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals ruled this week. The county can establish rules for how the transmission line crosses its roads, the court ruled as it modified a trial court decision that said the county…
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Until they get in touch with him, organizer TJ James says, many people with a felony conviction have no idea that they have the right to vote. And it’s not for a lack of interest, said James, an organizer with the Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity, or MORE2. “I’ve had people that I…
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Nearly 8,000 seniors and Missourians with disabilities could lose at-home care over the next year after a new eligibility algorithm went into effect this week, a spokesperson for the state health department told The Independent. Starting Oct. 1, Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services implemented a change in the scoring algorithm they use to…
Read Full Article January 17, 2025
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