By Echo Menges MEMPHIS, Mo. — Renovations inside the former U.S. Bank building in downtown Memphis are expected to be completed by April 1, possibly sooner, and Scotland County commissioners say county offices could begin relocating to the building later this summer. The Scotland County Commission purchased the 8,600 square foot building at 231 S. Market St. in 2025 for $250,000 using existing county funds. The property is being converted into a county annex to help relieve long standing space limitations inside the historic Scotland County Courthouse. Once renovations are complete, several county offices are expected to move into the…

By Echo Menges RUTLEDGE, Mo. — Representatives from a wide range of public safety agencies and community organizations are expected to attend the Knox and Scotland County Local Emergency Planning District (LEPD) meeting on Tuesday, March 24. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Rutledge Community Center, 23615 Main St., in Rutledge. Food will be served free of charge for those in attendance. Local Emergency Planning Committees and districts were created under federal law to help communities prepare for hazardous material incidents and other chemical emergencies. The committees bring together representatives from emergency response agencies, local government, businesses…

I’ve been getting ready for spring for the past couple of weeks, and about the time I think it’s here, that stupid groundhog has to flex his forecast muscle and prove he was correct about six more weeks of winter. I was talking with family in South Carolina recently and told them I like the Midwest because of the change of seasons—sometimes you can see all four seasons in a single week. But spring is coming. The turkeys are already gobbling a little, and I’ve heard they are strutting as well. Besides, I had robins in my yard last week,…

By Brandon Lorenz and Emerson Smith, Missouri News Network JEFFERSON CITY — A bill passed by the state House on Thursday would create a standardized grading system that would be used to grade the schools themselves. House Bill 2710, sponsored by Rep. Dane Diehl, R-Butler, would grade all public and charter schools and their districts on an A-F scale for their efficiency in educating students. The grading would be based on student performance, staff, finances and other categories. The proposed plan holds the the State Board of Education accountable for developing the annual report but leaves the option to have…