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MONTROSE, Mo. — It took Samantha Lesmeister’s family four months to find a medical professional who could see that she was struggling with something more than her Down syndrome. The young woman, known as Sammee, had become unusually sad and lethargic after falling in the shower and hitting her head. She lost her limited ability […]

The post People with Down syndrome are living longer, but the health system still treats many as kids appeared first on Missouri Independent.

They didn’t know it at the time, but Dec. 3, 2020, was the start of a nightmare for Wandrea Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman. Both were election workers in Atlanta, and that was the day Rudy Giuliani — ex-New York mayor and adviser to former President Donald Trump — testified to a state Senate […]

The post As Fox News case heads to trial, far right St. Louis site faces its own defamation suit appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Three years after the start of the pandemic, millions of working age people still suffer from long COVID-19 and some lawmakers and advocates, including people with long COVID, say not enough is being done to protect their well-being and ensure they can continue to be employed. Proposed federal legislation, better workplace accommodations, and more federal […]

The post Long COVID is hurting business. Workplace accommodations could help appeared first on Missouri Independent.

In times of a major crisis, discord, division or a crossroads situation where a country or society finds itself at the precipice of what will define its future, a committed leader with a commanding voice emerges. Who will be that leader — that strong, dedicated and unifying voice to lead us to a solution to […]

The post Strong leaders with unwavering voices are required for major changes in our society appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — As illicit fentanyl seizures reach record numbers, the Biden administration on Friday announced “government-wide efforts” to counter narcotics trafficking, including criminally charging members of the Sinaloa Cartel operating out of Mexico, and sanctioning Chinese producers of the chemicals used to make the synthetic drug. The Department of Justice unsealed indictments alleging fentanyl trafficking, […]

The post Mexican cartel targeted by Biden administration in multiple fentanyl indictments appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration and a company that manufactures the abortion pill on Friday both called on the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve access to mifepristone while a closely watched lawsuit works its way through the appeals process. The U.S. solicitor general wrote in the Department of Justice appeal that allowing  lower courts’ rulings […]

The post DOJ warns Supreme Court of ‘significant chaos’ in health care if abortion pill rulings stand appeared first on Missouri Independent.

As he was checking out at a convenience store one day, state Rep. Kurtis Gregory said he looked down and saw “delta-8 THC” products being sold. He had no idea THC, the intoxicating component mostly associated with marijuana, could be sold openly outside of dispensaries.  “I messaged a few folks and to my surprise, yep, […]

The post Missouri lawmakers take aim at unregulated ‘delta-8 THC’ hemp products appeared first on Missouri Independent.

He’s recovering from a back injury, but Brandon Owens still needs a job. And on Wednesday the Jefferson City resident joined dozens of others at a job fair intended to fill the thousands of open jobs in state government. Owens’ ideas for the kind of job were fairly vague – he’s generally done factory work […]

The post Missouri uses job fair to tackle vacancy issues plaguing state agencies appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Differences between the House and Senate on how strict a ban on certain transgender health care could spell trouble for the proposal’s chances as the Missouri legislative session nears completion. Republican leaders in both chambers told reporters on Thursday that they wanted their versions passed and sent to the governor. The Senate passed a version […]

The post Ban on transgender care passes Missouri House, setting up possible clash with Senate appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey released details of an emergency rule Thursday seeking to make it harder for transgender children and adults to access certain medical procedures, calling them “experimental” and arguing they need “substantial guardrails.”  The rule, once filed with the Secretary of State, would be in effect from April 27 to Feb. 6, […]

The post Emergency rule seeks to limit access to certain procedures for transgender Missourians appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday it will ask the Supreme Court on an emergency basis to keep access to the abortion medication mifepristone exactly as it is now, amid the appeals process in a much-watched case out of Texas. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement the department “strongly disagrees” with […]

The post U.S. Justice Department to ask Supreme Court to reject limits on access to abortion pill appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he will direct his administration to allow undocumented people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in Medicaid or private insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will issue a proposed rule on the policy by […]

The post DACA recipients to gain health coverage under new plan from Biden administration appeared first on Missouri Independent.

A prohibition on diversity curriculum in public schools was the focus of debate Wednesday in a Missouri House committee, as lawmakers heard testimony on the Senate version of “parents bill of rights” legislation. Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Manchester Republican and the bill’s sponsor, said the legislation doesn’t explicitly ban “critical race theory” but instead describes […]

The post Missouri House hearing on ‘parents bill of rights’ centers on diversity education appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is trying to enhance the federal law that guards patient privacy to further protect those who seek legal abortion care and other reproductive health care services. The announcement comes amid two major ongoing federal court cases dealing with access to the abortion pill and fears that the pill’s U.S. Food […]

The post Biden administration proposes to strengthen patient privacy for those seeking abortions appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Discussion of proposed legislation combating a possible landfill near Kansas City drew over 60 people to the Missouri Capitol on Tuesday to support bills establishing stricter restrictions regarding solid waste disposal permits. Bold, black letters spelling out “kill the fill” contrasted against the bright, white shirts of several community members filling seats in the Senate […]

The post Tensions rise at Missouri Senate hearing over proposed Kansas City landfill appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Within weeks of taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden issued an executive order — hailed by voter advocates as potentially transformative — that for the first time committed the U.S. government to registering new voters at federal agencies. But just over two years later, most of the 10 agencies examined in a recent report had made […]

The post Federal agencies lag in registering voters despite Biden executive order, advocates say appeared first on Missouri Independent.

The Missouri House on Tuesday gave initial approval to bills that would ban certain medical procedures for transgender minors and prohibit transgender athletes from competing in school sports according to their gender identity. The legislation is similar to a pair of Senate bills that chamber approved last month.  A House committee held a public hearing […]

The post Missouri House advances limits on health care, sports participation for transgender minors appeared first on Missouri Independent.

The Missouri House Budget Committee will debate a plan for major construction spending that includes Gov. Mike Parson’s full request for money to widen three sections of Interstate 70. Rep. Cody Smith, the committee’s chairman, released his revisions to the capital improvements appropriation bills on Tuesday and scheduled a committee debate Thursday on the four […]

The post Missouri governor’s plan for widening I-70 fully funded in proposed capital budget appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Jason Nelson just wants to get as close to “fairly normalized business banking” as possible. But as the owner of Swade dispensaries and Sinse Cannabis cultivation, that’s much harder than it sounds. He’s a customer at Triad Bank in St. Louis, one of the few banks in Missouri willing to work with cannabis businesses.  His […]

The post Banks remain wary of marijuana industry, even after Missouri legalization vote appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Kansas City is down to the final details of its ambitious effort to host this year’s NFL Draft, an event that is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to its main downtown site and other events around the area for three days beginning April 27. A giant stage is under construction in front […]

The post What you need to know about the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City appeared first on Missouri Independent.