News Staff A whole lot of people toking-up. The state has sold more than a billion dollars worth of legal weed. It started with medical pot back in 2020…and since February, it’s been legal for you to buy cannibas for recreational use.
And the pleasure users have spent $256 million in just the last three months.
The state legislature votes to eliminate the state income tax on Social Security benefits.
The House voted 154-2 approving the bill Monday, now it goes to Governor Parson. The law would take effect for the tax year that begins next January.
Spending your tax dollars. Missouri lawmakers passed a budget of nearly $50 billion.
The plan calls for money to expand I-70 — from St. Louis to Kansas City — $2.8 billion dollars. The budget also has additional funding for pre-K and childcare.
A special site at the state capitol Friday night. The capitol dome will be lit in blue to honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.
Also this evening, a Candlelight Vigil at the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial at the Capitol. And there is a memorial service Saturday morning.
Eight law enforcement officers and corrections officers died in the line of duty last year — their names now added to the memorial.
The number of people getting covid vaccines has declined, as the pandemic emergency has ended.
But the Adair County Health Department is having a clinic to give the covid bi-valent vaccine next Tuesday, May 9th.
If you want the shot, you’ll need to call the health department for an appointment.
The town of Lancaster finally has a new mayor. Last month, the race between James Foster and Lucas McElhinney ended in a tie — both got 69 votes.
So voters tried again Tuesday and it was still a squeaker. But McElhinney wins with 85 votes. Foster had 78. Lancaster has 675 residents. So, most of the townspeople didn’t vote.
Money to beef-up school security. Governor Mike Parson handing out grants to school systems across the state. Locally, Adair R-1 will get $50,000. So will Macon County R-IV.
LaPlata R-II is getting a hundred thousand dollars and Macon R-1 receiving just over 149-thousand.
Here’s the link to see a full list of schools and the amounts they will receive.
https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/school-safety-grant-awards-fy2023
The Adair County Health Department is offering services for infants and children they want you to know about.
They can inspect your child’s car set to make sure it’s installed properly. And qualifying families can get a free safety seat.
The department also has an nteresting new gadget. It’s like a breath-a-lyzer but it tracks carbon monoxide levels in the blood. In pregnant women, the device will measure lung function for both the mother as well as the baby. Information that is helpful if a mom-to-be smokes…and would like to quite.
Contact the health dept to learn more.
Gas prices up another penny in Adair county in the last three days. Average locally is $3.45 a gallon. Up 9-cents here in just over a week. Knox county even higher at $3.62 a gallon. AAA says the statewide average is $3.35 a gallon — up 32-cents in a month.
Road work you should know about. On May 1-2, that’s next Monday and Tuesday — Macon County Route 149 will close between East Santa Fe and East Valley Street for work on the Railroad crossing. Closing at 7 Monday morning and they hope to re-open Tuesday afternoon at five.