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Sterling Sewell

Reporter - Editor

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Columbia Missourian •

Governor's budget calls for major cuts to spending as revenues wane

JEFFERSON CITY — As Missouri’s general revenue surplus depletes, Gov. Mike Kehoe’s proposed budget aims to tighten the belt on state spending.Kehoe’s proposed $54.5 billion state budget, released Tuesday ahead of his State of the State address, held steady on funding Missouri’s education formula, while proposing funding increases for rural health care, public safety and disaster relief.
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The Chief •

After 45 years at the same UWS address, doorman bids goodbye to his second home - The Chief

Pete Rodriguez didn’t sleep well. When he woke up for work at 6 a.m. on that Tuesday, he had a bagel, a banana and an iced tea. Rodriguez doesn’t usually eat much of anything for breakfast. But this day was different — he was retiring after 45 years working as doorman extraordinaire in the same building.
On what would turn out to be the hottest day in a decade, Rodriguez, 65, walked into 900 West End Avenue, a 1926 pre-war apartment building on the Upper West Side. He put on his navy blue unifor...

Feds reduce investigations into discrimination claims

Federal workers in New York City are no longer conducting evaluations, audits or investigations into potentially discriminatory practices by government contractors.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, has been historically responsible for enforcing policies for federal contractors that prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, and status as a veteran.
Missouri Independent •

Push to block enforcement of federal gun laws debated by Missouri Senate committee • Missouri Independent

Efforts to reenact a law preventing the enforcement of federal gun laws in Missouri found opponents from throughout the state Monday at a Missouri Senate Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety hearing.
In 2021, the legislature passed the “Second Amendment Preservation Act,” which prevented Missouri law officers from enforcing federal gun laws that were considered to be “infringements” on Second Amendment rights.
In 2024, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the act un...
Columbia Missourian •

Senate approves tax cut on capital gains

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Senate passed a major tax cut Monday, primarily benefiting Missouri’s top earners.

House Bill 594, proposed by Rep. Chad Perkins, R-Bowling Green, would allow Missourians to deduct 100% of all capital gains income reported on federal taxes from their state income taxes.

The bill passed in the Senate Monday on a 27-6 vote, after moving through the Senate Committee on Fiscal Oversight earlier in the day. There was no discussion on the Senate floor before the bill’s passage.
Columbia Missourian •

Onder joins Alford in U.S. House

Republicans Bob Onder and Mark Alford will be representing Boone County and other state residents in U.S. House Districts 3 and 4, respectively.“The voters of Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District have spoken and I am honored that they have chosen me to represent them in Congress in January,” Onder said in a statement. “I look forward to working alongside President Trump and my colleagues in the House and Senate to Make America Great Again.”
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Missouri Independent •

Capitol art captures views of Missouri a century ago • Missouri Independent

Lightning flashed over the Missouri Capitol on Oct. 6, 1924, just 13 years after the building burned to the ground following a powerful lightning strike.
This time lightning flashes were joined by the red hues of celebratory fireworks. This was the grand pageant to celebrate the opening of the new Capitol.
Though the Capitol had been used by the legislature since 1919, it was felt at the time that the building needed a formal opening. It was decided to hold the event on the 13th anniversary of t...
Columbia Missourian •

Missouri Supreme Court rules abortion rights will remain on November ballot

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that an initiative petition to legalize abortion must remain on the November ballot, overruling a Friday decision by a Cole County judge.The Supreme Court ruled hours before the 5 p.m. deadline to finalize the ballot.
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Fed’l DOE to lay off more than 1,300 employees, including some in NYC

More than 1,300 workers at the federal Department of Education could lose their jobs following last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that essentially greenlights the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle the agency.

For New Yorkers, the firings could lead to less responsiveness regarding civil rights protections and student financial aid disbursement. The DOE is responsible for managing federal student loans, dispersing federal funding to public school districts, collecting data on nationwide student achievement and enforcing civil rights laws for federal education funding recipients.
Columbia Missourian •

Boone County sheriff's salary is highest for a first-class county

Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey is the highest paid sheriff in a first-class county in Missouri, but his next potential raise hinges on a bill moving through the legislature. Sheriffs’ salaries in first- and second-class counties are set at 80% of associate circuit judge pay. The pay for these sheriffs was set at $124,971 for the 2023-24 pay period. The 2024-25 pay period sets salaries at $130,720.
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Missouri Independent •

House bill eliminating DEI funding in Missouri debated by Senate committee • Missouri Independent

The Senate Committee on Government Efficiency heard a bill Monday that would ban state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Sponsored by state Rep. Ben Baker, a Republican from Neosho, the bill would also bar state departments from mandating a DEI program in contracts with private organizations.
“The bottom line is we as a state should not be allowing propaganda to creep into the workplace that pushes preferential and unfair treatment of our state workers,” Baker said.
Last m...
Missouri Independent •

Lt. Gov. David Wasinger is finding a home at the Missouri Capitol • Missouri Independent

Lt. Gov. David Wasinger ran as a “conservative outsider” aiming to shake things up in the capital city.
In his first few weeks on the job, Wasinger has worked at developing friends and supporters in the Senate while setting public safety and government efficiency as his top priorities.
In the 2024 primary, Wasinger beat two experienced Republicans state senators, Lincoln Hough and Holly Thompson Rehder. He went on to beat former Democratic state Rep. Richard Brown for the position.
In one campai...

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Columbia Missourian •

Boone County sheriff's salary is highest for a first-class county

Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey is the highest paid sheriff in a first-class county in Missouri, but his next potential raise hinges on a bill moving through the legislature. Sheriffs’ salaries in first- and second-class counties are set at 80% of associate circuit judge pay. The pay for these sheriffs was set at $124,971 for the 2023-24 pay period. The 2024-25 pay period sets salaries at $130,720.
Missouri Independent •

Lt. Gov. David Wasinger is finding a home at the Missouri Capitol • Missouri Independent

Lt. Gov. David Wasinger ran as a “conservative outsider” aiming to shake things up in the capital city.
In his first few weeks on the job, Wasinger has worked at developing friends and supporters in the Senate while setting public safety and government efficiency as his top priorities.
In the 2024 primary, Wasinger beat two experienced Republicans state senators, Lincoln Hough and Holly Thompson Rehder. He went on to beat former Democratic state Rep. Richard Brown for the position.
In one campai...

Feds reduce investigations into discrimination claims

Federal workers in New York City are no longer conducting evaluations, audits or investigations into potentially discriminatory practices by government contractors.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, has been historically responsible for enforcing policies for federal contractors that prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, and status as a veteran.

The McKinney Building houses over 100 years of Columbia, Black history

Located on Broadway at the west end of downtown sits the McKinney Building, a former Black-owned dance hall that has since housed more than 14 different businesses. The century-old building has functioned as a jazz venue, candy store, shopping outlet and Black community center. The building began a new chapter in its story when the Columbia City Council unanimously approved the acquisition of the building for $1.7 million in August.

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Columbia Missourian •

Property tax reform bill advances in House with bipartisan support

JEFFERSON CITY — A bill revising the property tax system received initial approval from the House with broad bipartisan support on Tuesday.House Bill 2780, sponsored by Rep. Tim Taylor, R-Bunceton, would separate assessed valuation changes by subclass, implement protections for property valuation and alter school funding based on property taxes.
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Republicans' bid to eliminate income tax heard by House committee

JEFFERSON CITY — The House Commerce Committee met this morning to further discuss Gov. Mike Kehoe’s proposal to eliminate state income tax.

Missouri’s individual income tax is currently set at 4.7% for top earners. These taxes generate billions of dollars annually, making up roughly 65% of general revenue funds used for education and state services.

Supporters of the proposal believe that eliminating the state individual income tax would create economic growth by attracting new residents and businesses to the state, while critics warn that it will cause a major budget shortfall and increase the cost of daily living for Missourians.
Missouri Independent •

Missouri Democrat calls on Waymo to correct inaccurate testimony • Missouri Independent

State Sen. Stephen Webber is calling on Waymo to retract and correct testimony provided to the Missouri Senate Transportation Committee last week regarding the company’s driverless vehicles.
Webber, a Democrat from Columbia, said in a letter to Waymo on Friday that the testimony given to the committee falsely claimed that the company’s driverless vehicles had never collided with a child.
During the hearing on Tuesday, Waymo’s Midwest Policy Manager, Lara Dailey, did not disclose an incident that...
Columbia Missourian •

Republicans' bid to eliminate income tax heard by House committee

JEFFERSON CITY — The House Commerce Committee met this morning to further discuss Gov. Mike Kehoe’s proposal to eliminate state income tax.Missouri’s individual income tax is currently set at 4.7% for top earners. These taxes generate billions of dollars annually, making up roughly 65% of general revenue funds used for education and state services.
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Columbia Missourian •

Proposed A-F school report card faces bipartisan criticism in House hearing

JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Kehoe’s proposed A-F school report cards were heard Wednesday by the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.The plan would require the State Board of Education to develop an annual accountability report card for each public school district, public school and public charter school.
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Columbia Missourian •

Stan Kroenke owns the most land in the U.S. with hundreds of acres in Columbia

If you have ever been to Trader Joe’s, Lululemon or Chick-fil-A in Columbia, you have been at a Stan Kroenke-owned property. Kroenke, a Columbia native, University of Missouri graduate and multibillionaire, was named as the top private landowner in the United States on Jan. 13 by The Land Report, which annually provides a list of the top 100 landowners in America.
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