Briefs
Grain Belt Express clears another legal hurdle with Missouri appeals court ruling
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 […]
Understanding the Kansas City-area rent strike: Tenant rights and other key facts
Nearly 200 tenants launched a rent strike at the start of this month over what they see as intolerable living conditions at two large apartment buildings in Kansas City and Independence. The renters at Quality Hill Towers and Independence Towers are demanding better upkeep, repairs, collectively bargained leases and capping annual rent hikes at 3% […]
Republican women falling behind when it comes to running for Congress, experts say
WASHINGTON — Republicans are struggling to recruit and elect women to Congress, lagging behind Democrats in ensuring women, who make up half the population, have a strong voice in the halls of power, experts on women in politics said Tuesday. “This year’s data shows clearly that Republican women are falling behind in candidacies, nominations and […]
Unemployment ticks down, labor market remains strong, latest numbers show
A month before voters cast their ballots, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report showing a strong labor market with growing wages, a lower unemployment rate, and the addition of 254,000 jobs to the economy. Eighty-one percent of registered voters say the economy is key to their vote for president this fall, according to a September Pew […]
Missouri House Democrat calls for investigation of testimony given under false names
Missouri House testimony presented under several aliases should be investigated and prosecuted under laws making it a felony to file false documents with a government agency, state Rep. Del Taylor said Friday. Taylor, a St. Louis Democrat, said that The Independent’s report that a Columbia restaurant owner is the source of testimony under at least […]
Biden’s student loan relief plan suffers another setback in Missouri ruling
The Biden administration was hit with the latest blow to its student debt relief efforts on Thursday after a federal judge in Missouri temporarily blocked the administration from putting in place a plan that would provide student debt relief to millions of borrowers. The ruling further hinders the administration’s efforts to promote its work on […]
Democrats flaunt Republican endorsements for Harris presidential bid
Former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney will campaign with Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday in Ripon, Wisconsin — the birthplace of the Republican Party. As Nov. 5 rapidly approaches, the Democratic presidential nominee continues to rack up support from prominent Republicans as she and former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, battle it out for […]
U.S. Department of Education begins testing of new FAFSA form
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education is launching the first testing period for its phased rollout of the 2025-26 form to apply for federal financial student aid on Tuesday, with more students set to partake in this beginning testing stage than initially expected. The department announced in August it would be using a staggered approach to […]
Budget restrictions, staff issues and AI are threats to states’ cybersecurity
Many state chief information and security officers say they don’t have the budget, resources, staff or expertise to feel fully confident in their ability to guard their government networks against cyber attacks, according to a new Deloitte & Touche survey of officials in all 50 states and D.C. “The attack surface is expanding as state […]
U.S. government unveils charges against Iranians who hacked into Trump 2024 campaign
WASHINGTON — U.S. law enforcement on Friday announced charges against three Iranians who allegedly stole materials from former President Donald Trump’s campaign and tried to pass them to news media and Democrats in an attempt to influence the 2024 election. The Department of Justice unsealed the indictment detailing a yearslong hacking scheme by Iran that […]
Postal chief insists to Congress that mail-in ballots will get delivered in time
WASHINGTON — United States Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified before Congress on Thursday that voters can “absolutely” trust their mail-in ballots will be secure and prioritized, though he emphasized they must be mailed at least a week ahead of the various state deadlines to be delivered on time. DeJoy’s testimony to House lawmakers […]
National Dems to ship $2.5M to state parties, aiming beyond presidential battlegrounds
The Democratic National Committee will send $2.5 million to more than 30 of its state and territorial parties, including Missouri, in the closing weeks of the 2024 election cycle, the DNC said in a Friday statement. With the new grants, national Democrats will have contributed to all 57 state and territorial chapters for the first […]