News

One of Missouri's lowest-performing school districts is searching for a new superintendent.

Governor Jay Nixon's proposed budget faces two big hurdles as lawmakers begin the process of crafting next year's spending plan.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says bond money should be used to pay for a new veterans' home.

Today Paul Pepper and former University of Missouri economics professor MEL ZELENAK talk about financial planning, including the benefits of buying index funds (specifically from Vanguard). If you're looking to invest, don't miss this segment! January 23, 2015

The Missouri Automobile Dealers Association is suing the state revenue department for allowing an electric car maker to sell directly to customers.

The car dealers filed a lawsuit Thursday in Cole County Circuit Court claiming Missouri violated state law by licensing California-based Tesla Motors as a franchise.

The Missouri Senate has confirmed one of the state's highest-ranking black officials as public safety director despite concerns about a racial discrimination lawsuit against him.

Senators on Thursday voted 31-2 to confirm former St. Louis police Chief Daniel Isom II.

Isom was appointed by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon shortly after a white police officer fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson.

The Columbia Fire Department rescued a man trapped in a well at the University of Missouri power plant on Thursday. The fire department was dispatched around 2 p.m. to extract a University Campus Facilities employee who experienced a medical issue while performing regular maintenance on the well.

The well is about 20 feet underground and is one of five drinking water wells on the MU campus.

MU News Bureau Associate Director Christian Basi said the employee’s medical condition required calling and utilizing the fire department, but it wasn't so severe that there wasn't enough time to wait for the crew to arrive.

  Missouri's chief justice says the state needs to make sure its municipal court system is driven by fairness rather than economics.

Chief Justice Mary Russell said in her State of the Judiciary address Thursday that the local municipal courts are often Missourians' first encounter with the justice system.

Legal defense advocates have identified the maze of municipal court fines faced by residents as one cause of anger in the St. Louis area following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

  U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill says she has been named the top Democrat on a committee that investigates federal agencies.

McCaskill said Thursday that she will be the ranking minority party member on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which is part of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Today Paul Pepper chats with first-time guest ERICA DICKSON, Early Childhood Education Director at Youth Empowerment Zone, which just recently celebrated 10 years in the Columbia area! Find out how Erica and her team is making an impact on children as young as five. January 22, 2015

Republican Senator David Sater from southwest Missouri introduced a bill that would shorten the lifetime limit of food stamp assistance from five years to two.

Sater says the bill is to encourage those on food stamps to find a job sooner.

"Unfortunately, our program in Missouri is downright failing," Sater said.

A Missouri Senate committee has voted to confirm Missouri's public safety director despite concerns about a racial discrimination lawsuit against him.

The committee voted 10-1 Tuesday to confirm the appointment of former St. Louis police Chief Daniel Isom II. The full Senate still must confirm him.

Isom would be one of the state's highest-ranking black officials. He was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon shortly after a white police officer fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black, in Ferguson.

Missouri's unemployment has fallen again and now is at its lowest point in almost seven years.

The state Department of Economic Development on Tuesday released data showing the seasonally adjusted jobless rate dropped to 5.4 percent in December, its lowest rate since April 2008.

Unemployment has continued to drop slightly in recent months, from 5.9 percent in October to 5.6 percent in November.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is seeking a $50 million increase in basic aid to public schools.

The details of Nixon's school funding proposal are included in an email sent Wednesday to education groups in advance of his State of the State address. The Associated Press obtained a copy from one of those organizations.

Missouri schools are getting nearly $3.2 billion in basic aid this year. They would need an additional $482 million next year to be fully funded under state law.

The 2015 legislative session is still less than a month old and legislators are figuring out what bills will be important this session and how to get those important pieces of legislation passed. 

  The construction of the Avenue of the Columns streetscape along Eighth Street will move forward with an estimated $750,000 of city funding.

Columbia City Council voted to approve the project during their meeting on Tuesday, January 20. The project will mainly make improvements in the area of Eighth Street and Walnut, including removing the traffic light at that intersection and replacing sidewalks.

Today Paul Pepper and BILL WICKERSHAM cover a wide range of UFO topics on today's show, but if you're watching in Columbia, you might be interested in hearing the story about a 1973 UFO sighting here in the area [5:02] . January 21, 2015

A training campus for Special Olympics Missouri will be located in Jefferson City.

Phil Cook, chairman of the group's board of directors, said Tuesday the board chose Jefferson City over Columbia for its Training For Life Campus.

Members of the Missouri House have rejected a proposed raise for themselves and other state elected officials.

The House voted Tuesday to forego salary increases of about 11 percent for themselves and a proposed increase of $22,000 per year for Gov. Jay Nixon.