Phillip Sitter is the News Tribune's reporter who covers Missouri's Senate, governor, executive government agencies, and MOSERS and MPERS. Previously, he covered local schools and school districts for the News Tribune for over 2 years since starting at the News Tribune in December 2016. Sitter's time at the News Tribune has been his first full-time job in journalism, although he studied at the University of Missouri's School of Journalism and contributed at the News Tribune in fall 2014 as a graduate student while on the Columbia Missourian's state government beat. He has also worked for MU's Bond Life Sciences Center. Sitter lives in Jefferson City and is originally from northwestern Illinois. He obtained his bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in Catholic social tradition from the University of Notre Dame in 2012 and lived in Washington, D.C., for a year after that while he began law school, before ultimately deciding that wasn't the career he wanted to pursue. He has also lived in London, United Kingdom, and New Orleans, Louisiana, for study-abroad and service opportunities. Follow him on Twitter at @pslifeisabeauty.
As schools prepare to reopen, state releases more guidance
As the back-to-school season approaches in an uncertain fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Missouri's state education and health departments have released more guidance for schools on how to prevent or react to infections at school.
Aug. 5 2020 @ 11:53pm
Report: $29B in economic activity for Missouri from military
Military spending in Missouri totaled approximately $18.2 billion in the 2018 fiscal year, and that spending accounted for more than $29 billion in economic activity for the state, according to a report released Monday by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Aug. 4 2020 @ 9:05pm
Democratic candidates see lieutenant governor as active role
Both Democratic candidates for Missouri lieutenant governor have described the most important part of the job as being active in the state's affairs.
Jul. 29 2020 @ 12:05am
Republican candidates' visions for lieutenant governor vary
The views of the Republican candidates for lieutenant governor on the office's most important duty range from issue-specific to more general advocacy or public relations, but all three who spoke with Central Missouri Newspapers have ideas for what they would do if elected.
Jul. 29 2020 @ 12:05am
Democratic candidates for governor emphasize looking out for the people
Four Democratic candidates for Missouri governor all see the most important role of a governor as helping people solve the day-to-day problems in their lives — and in a pandemic, that may include asking people to make sacrifices or adapt to new circumstances.
Jul. 15 2020 @ 12:05am
Incumbent governor, GOP challengers emphasize individual rights
The incumbent Missouri governor and his challengers in the Republican primary emphasize the role of a governor is to balance the protection of people's health with the rights assigned to individuals, especially during a pandemic that's highlighted the tension between the two.
Jul. 15 2020 @ 12:05am
Testing planned this month for local correctional centers
With no cases of COVID-19 found among offenders or staff, visiting resumed last week at Algoa Correctional Center — with restrictions.
Jul. 1 2020 @ 12:05am
Webcast to educate about wildlife-friendly backyards
Anyone wanting to make their backyard a little more wild — by planting native vegetation and attracting birds, bees and other wildlife — can tune into a Missouri Department of Conservation webcast next month to find out how.
Jun. 10 2020 @ 12:05am
Missouri Gov. Parson on civil unrest: 'We're going to put an end to it'
Gov. Mike Parson is calling up more than 1,000 Missouri National Guard troops to help support the Missouri Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies.
Jun. 2 2020 @ 7:00pm
State considers expanding remote work
Some of Missouri's state departments are demonstrating they can deliver the same level of performance for the public with many of their staff working remotely — opening discussions about whether some staff may continue to work remotely beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
May. 27 2020 @ 12:05am
Parson: 3 strategies to drive increased COVID testing
Gov. Mike Parson outlined Thursday the three strategies Missouri will use to reach his stated goal of conducting 7,500 COVID-19 tests per day, while Missouri's public health director said the state is not reporting separate antibody test results in a way that can lead to discrepancies in pandemic data — as the federal government and a few other states have done.
May. 27 2020 @ 12:00am
Lincoln University looks at significant enrollment declines for summer, fall
Lincoln University is facing declines in its student enrollment, credit hour registration and incoming freshmen.
May. 5 2020 @ 12:05am
Gov. Parson extends executive orders, funds being disbursed to counties
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday extended some executive orders he signed earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those authorizing relaxed regulations and the deployment of the Missouri National Guard.
May. 4 2020 @ 5:05pm
Gov. Parson: Less strain on hospitals gives window to reopen
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was confident Tuesday that the state is prepared for the planned reopening of businesses next week, and business associations are working to help prepare employers.
Apr. 28 2020 @ 4:30pm
Missouri counties to begin receiving federal aid next week
Millions of dollars for local counties from the federal CARES Act should start showing up in counties' bank accounts next week, according to Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick.
Apr. 28 2020 @ 2:35pm
Missouri Gov. Parson extends stay-at-home order through May 3
Gov. Mike Parson has extended Missouri's statewide stay-at-home order through May 3.
Apr. 16 2020 @ 3:05pm
Delayed tax returns will tax state budget
The Missouri Department of Revenue said it's about on track with processing tax refunds as compared to this time last year.
Apr. 15 2020 @ 12:05am
Online IRS tool helps non-filing groups concerning stimulus payment
Low-income workers and some veterans and people with disabilities who had been waiting on the IRS to tell them how to receive a stimulus payment now have a web-based answer.
Apr. 14 2020 @ 9:05pm
Missouri Gov. Parson signs supplemental budget
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has signed the supplemental budget the state's General Assembly passed this week, and he's called on the state treasurer to lead a group to advise on how to spend the federal funding in the budget, he announced Friday.
Apr. 10 2020 @ 4:00pm
Missouri public schools to stay closed for rest of academic year
Missouri's public and charter schools shall remain closed for the rest of academic year, Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday.
Apr. 9 2020 @ 3:30pm