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.
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
Hundreds offer medical expertise, more needed
Hundreds of people have stepped forward in Missouri to offer medical service during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more will be needed.
Apr. 8 2020 @ 12:05am
Missouri Gov. Parson issues statewide stay-at-home order
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has issued a statewide stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, to take effect next week.
Apr. 3 2020 @ 5:10pm
Missouri faces $500M+ budget shortfall, $180 million spending restriction
A $180 million spending restriction in Missouri's budget due to the COVID-19 pandemic will affect at least five state departments.
Apr. 1 2020 @ 6:40pm
Economic development aid network being deployed
The Missouri Department of Economic Development has activated a statewide network of more than 400 economic development groups to offer assistance to employers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mar. 31 2020 @ 12:05am
Missouri governor expects more months of social distancing
Gov. Mike Parson said Monday that Missouri's statewide social distancing order is in the process of being expanded beyond its original end date next week.
Mar. 30 2020 @ 4:55pm
Missouri Supreme Court extends suspension of proceedings, allows for remote oaths
Though Missouri's courts remain open for necessary business, the Supreme Court of Missouri on Wednesday announced it had extended its statewide suspension of most in-person court proceedings to help address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mar. 26 2020 @ 12:05am