All articles tagged with #missouri
Lincoln University track and field athlete Kevaughn Goldson, 23, was stabbed to death in Missouri. His girlfriend and fellow student-athlete Denita Jackson has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Court documents note a history of domestic-violence incidents and indicate Jackson claimed Goldson was having an affair, leading to a confrontation that preceded the stabbing.
Two Christian County, Missouri, sheriff’s deputies were killed and two others wounded after a traffic stop escalated into a gunfight with Richard Bird, who fled into the woods and was later fatally shot; the slain deputies were Gabriel Ramirez and Michael Hislope. Bird had just been released on bail earlier that day after burglary and receiving-stolen-property charges, and the incident sparked a multi-agency manhunt and drew the governor to the scene as the community mourned.
Two Christian County sheriff's deputies were killed and two others wounded when a driver opened fire during a highway traffic stop near Highlandville, Missouri. A large manhunt—supported by state troopers and federal agents—led to the suspect, Richard Bird, being found in Stone County and killed after a confrontation with officers; the wounded deputies were expected to recover.
Two Missouri sheriff’s deputies were fatally shot in Christian County—one during a traffic stop and another hours later during a gunfight with the suspect, who was also killed; two additional deputies were wounded.
A Christian County, Missouri deputy was fatally shot, prompting a Blue Alert across several regions. The suspect has been identified as 45-year-old Richard Dean Bird, who investigators say may be armed. A white 2001 Chevy Silverado linked to Bird has been located, and the truck was last seen heading southbound on U.S. 160 from Route HH in Christian County. The alert covers areas including Highlandville and surrounding regions.
Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Blue Alert after a Christian County deputy was fatally shot in Highlandville, south of Springfield along Route 160; authorities are continuing to search for the suspect.
Missouri's House approved a bill to ban intoxicating hemp products containing more than 0.4 mg of THC per container, with sales restricted to licensed cannabis dispensaries if federal action allows it; the measure now heads to the Senate, drawing debate over marijuana definitions and market impact.
A fossil hunter waded into a Missouri river near Ravenwood and pulled out a massive, well-preserved femur believed to belong to a mammoth or mastodon, a striking find that has viewers buzzing about prehistoric giants.
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order declaring a State of Emergency to help the state respond to an upcoming weekend winter storm and bitter cold, urging residents to stay informed and take precautions.
A coronal mass ejection is driving a geomagnetic storm that could make the northern lights visible across Missouri and Illinois Monday night, though viewing depends on the interplanetary magnetic field turning south; forecasters note clear skies help and NOAA SWPC issued a heightened-activity alert.
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously upheld a 2024 law barring minors from cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and gender-transition surgeries and prohibiting Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care for all ages, applying rational-basis review and rejecting discrimination claims; adults may still obtain care out-of-pocket, and challengers have not announced an appeal yet.
Missouri's budget surplus is projected to be exhausted by the end of the next fiscal year, as Gov. Mike Kehoe unveiled a $54.5 billion plan with no new money for public schools, higher education, or state employee raises. The proposal would cut about $600 million in general revenue, rely on replacing about $1 billion in exhausted federal COVID relief funds, and offer limited spending increases—mostly a health-plan boost and a few targeted programs—while reviving a push to eliminate the state income tax via a voter referendum. Democrats warn the approach will shift costs to residents and threaten services, while Republicans tout spending restraint amid a shifting revenue outlook and Medicaid cost pressures.
Gov. Mike Kehoe proposes phasing out Missouri’s income tax over five years, to be funded by taxes on services and require a statewide vote; the lean budget also funds tornado debris cleanup, expands private K–12 tuition aid, and keeps a 4% general-revenue cut while drawing partisan feedback on feasibility and potential sales-tax shifts.
Gov. Mike Kehoe proposed placing a statewide ballot question to begin phasing out Missouri’s personal income tax within five years, funded by expanding the sales tax to cover digital and modern services (excluding agriculture, health care, and real estate). The move would require constitutional changes and legislative action, and faces opposition from Democrats who warn it could amount to a large tax increase even as Kehoe argues it would boost growth and provide local tax relief.
The Trump administration has temporarily halted federal funding for child care providers in Missouri, citing the need for detailed justification of payment requests amid broader national concerns over fraud and recent political events, impacting over 1,700 providers in the state.