State approval and
expedited work to prepare a new cell should enable the St. Joseph landfill to
continue uninterrupted operations.

St. Joseph Public
Works Director, Abe Forney, says the city has received approval from the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources to pile trash in Cell #7 470,000 cubic
yards higher.

“So we don’t have
to relocate all of that trash now,” Forney tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. &nbsp;“We can just continue to receive the trash
from the haulers and fill up Cell #7 without bringing over the excess trash
that we had previously piled up to give us more space.”

Forney says contractor
M-Con has nearly completed the digging of Cell #8 and will soon be spreading
clay on the new cell, which will take three to four weeks. Liner and leachate
piping comes next. Then, the city must wait for DNR approval.

“I’m thinking
around July – August timeframe is when it’ll be done.”

Forney says the
twin moves have taken pressure off the landfill.

“If the trash
continues to come in at the rate that it is and we really appreciate all the
trash haulers reducing some of the trash that they’re bringing in,” Forney
says. “And us getting this vertical expansion, we believe that it gives us
enough time to get Cell #8 opened.”

Forney says the
city hopes to learn from this ordeal.

“I really
appreciate everybody’s patience,” Forney says. “We knew that there was a lot of
trash coming in, but we didn’t foresee this circumstance and we got behind the
power curve. I’ll take ownership of it. We screwed up and we’re doing
everything that we can to eliminate the problem.”

Forney says since
the city issued the contract for M-Con to prepare Cell #8, it has shifted city
workers to begin preparation of Cell #9 to ensure it doesn’t run into this
situation again.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

State approval, emergency work should give St. Joseph landfill new life

U.S. farmers will plant nearly 5 million more corn acres in 2025 compared with last year. In its 2025 Prospective Plantings report released Monday, the agency pegged corn acres for the 2025/2026 crop year at 95.3 million. This was up 5% from last year and above the average trade expectation. Soybean acres projected below last year at 83.5 million acres, below both last year and the average trade expectation. 

USDA says corn acres up 5% in 2025

Extreme weather events, such as drought, jointly impact agricultural production and rural infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure. An important part of this transportation infrastructure is the Mississippi River. It serves as one of the most critical networks for moving agricultural commodities. Soybeans, the leading U.S. agricultural export, rely heavily on barge transportation, with 53 percent of exports moved by barge. 

Despite this reliance on barges for moving U.S. grain, little is known about the link between extreme weather, rural transportation infrastructure, and crop prices. Record-low water levels increased transportation costs and barge freight rates. Higher transportation costs are transmitted to row crop producers through lower cash bids or a weakening of local crop basis. Historic lows in Mississippi River levels during the fall harvest of the last three years have highlighted the need to measure the impact of these low river levels on rural infrastructure and communities. 

Impact of low Mississippi River levels on soybean basis

May corn closed up 4 1/2 cents and July corn was up 5 cents. May soybeans closed up 19 1/2 cents and July soybeans were up 21 cents. May KC wheat closed up 8 1/4 cents, May Chicago wheat was up 3 1/2 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was up 2 cents.

After somewhat head-scratching price action following Monday's onslaught of USDA data, market sentiment was much clearer Tuesday with corn, soybeans, and wheat all trading higher in apparent consensus to focus on the bullish aspects of Monday's reports. The markets will have technical roadblocks to an attempted rally and weather both in the U.S. and abroad will take an increased level of precedence to the markets as planting season has arrived. In outside markets, U.S. stocks continued choppy action on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's long-awaited announcement from the Trump administration regarding tariff action. The announcement is expected at 3 p.m. CDT on Wednesday. Stock indices noted two-sided trade on Tuesday as some investors are holding out optimism that U.S. trade policy Wednesday will be precise and at least fill in some unknowns that have had the market anxious over the past month plus. In biofuel news, the Trump administration released over half a billion dollars for biofuel blending initiatives on Monday, in the latest optimistic sign that the administration has the biofuel industry in mind despite the uncertainty in the industry through 2025 thus far.

The live cattle complex may have initially been trading lower this morning, but as the market plodded through the day, stronger tones powered the live cattle market. Following the market's lower ascend on both Friday and Monday, traders now again sit in a better technical position as they are no longer up against immediate resistance pressure. From a fundamental standpoint, boxed beef prices are showing ample support, but no cash cattle trade has developed yet and won't likely develop until Friday. And yes, your choice cuts really were up over $7.00 this morning -- that's no April Fool's joke! Asking prices are noted in the South at $212 but are still not established or known for the North.

The feeder cattle complex is "feeling its oats" as the market charged mostly $2.00 higher into Tuesday's noon hour. The spot May contract is still about $2.00 lower than the market's resistance threshold, so traders were able to maintain their stronger tune throughout the afternoon without too much opposition.

Although pork cutout values made a trend lower, the lean hog complex traded higher as the market is rallying on some of the positive energy stemming from the cattle complex's change in direction. The biggest hindrance to the morning's pork cutout value was the $4.75 decline in the belly.

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/04/01143656/web-closing-markets.mp3">HERE</a> for audio

Commodity markets daily recap

Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2025 crop year have until April 15th to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs, delivered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provide vital income support to eligible farmers who experience substantial declines  in crop prices or revenues for the 2025 crop year.  

ARC or PLC programs provide excellent risk protection, for market declines, at no cost to the producer, said Brenda Archuleta, deputy state executive director for FSA. Producers who have not made program elections or signed a contract are urged to contact their local FSA county office as soon as possible to set an appointment so you don’t miss the April 15th deadline.

April 15th deadline to enroll in key commodity safety net programs

May corn closed up 4 cents and July corn was up 3 1/4 cents. May soybeans closed down 8 1/4 cents and July soybeans were down 9 cents. May KC wheat closed up 5 1/4 cents, May Chicago wheat was up 8 3/4 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was up 11 cents.

As alluded to in prior recaps, often the most difficult aspect of USDA releases to gauge is how prices will react to a given estimate. Meaning a bearish number on paper can often translate to a bullish price action given how the figure stacks up against trader expectations as well as price action in the weeks leading up to the report. Monday's Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks reports from the USDA were a perfect example of this phenomenon. On paper, one would have thought that the higher-than-expected corn acreage and slightly lower-than-expected soybean acreage reported Monday would have translated into corn being down and soybeans being up. In fact, the opposite was true on Monday as corn futures moved higher while soybeans dropped. This price action certainly implies that the Grain Stocks report garnered more attention from corn and soybean traders as compared to the Plantings estimates, which is the opposite of what some expected. Meanwhile, wheat futures gained a spark from a bit of a bullish surprise in the acreage report, ignoring on the other hand what was a sluggish Stocks report.

As the live cattle complex tip-toes into the new week, traders were again cautious not to be overly supportive of the contracts ahead of seeing what's going to develop fundamentally this week. Just last week the futures complex reached yet another new contract high in the spot June contract, so it's natural for traders to be cautious amid reaching new technical highs. All contracts finished in the red by the closing bell. It's likely that the cash cattle market won't trade until Friday again this week. New showlists appear to be mixed, higher in Kansas, somewhat smaller in Texas and lower in Nebraska/Colorado.

The feeder cattle complex is again trapped and feeling unable to take on the resistance pressure of its market, while the live cattle contracts traded lower. The market has seemed to somewhat plateau and unless something riveting happens in the live cattle complex, it's unlikely that the market will move boldly enough on its own to push through this barrier. A few of the far deferred contracts finished the day unchanged, the front months all slightly in the red at the closing bell.

The lean hog complex was trading lower at the day's start, but throughout the morning the market has grew stronger and the contracts traded fully higher into Monday's noon hour. It likely helped that the market had stronger pork cutout values this morning, which is largely stemming from the ham's $4.39 uptick. The strength faded in afternoon trade with only the April contract finishing in the green.

Deere and Co. filed an answer to the Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit alleging the tractor manufacturer holds a monopoly over its repair services. The FTC says that hold unfairly drives up costs and restricts farmers from fixing their equipment in a timely manner. Attorneys defended John Deere in federal court by repeatedly denying allegations that its “business practices are unlawful.” Manufacturing Dive says the issue over equipment repair practices has been building for years, with technological advancements that companies say are designed to make consumers’ lives easier create headaches for those looking to fix their tractors. 

While Deere offers a different repair tool to customers and independent repair shops, the FTC claims that version is inferior to the one available to authorized dealers, saying the tool is allegedly incapable of doing all repairs on Deere equipment. The company acknowledged the existence of two tools but denied that one was inferior.

Deere responds to right-to-repair lawsuit

May corn closed up 3 1/4 cents and July corn was up 2 cents. May soybeans closed up 6 1/4 cents and July soybeans were up 6 3/4 cents. May KC wheat closed down 14 1/2 cents, May Chicago wheat was down 3 3/4 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was down 7 1/2 cents.

May corn closed down 11 cents and July corn was down 11 1/2 cents. May soybeans closed up 13 1/4 cents and July soybeans were up 15 3/4 cents. May KC wheat closed down 37 cents, May Chicago wheat was down 30 cents and May Minneapolis wheat was down 24 cents.

It was a turbulent session for U.S. ag markets to close the week as heavy pressure in the wheat complex drove both Chicago and Minneapolis contracts to new lows, while KC contracts came dangerously close as well. The plunge in wheat pulled corn and soybean markets down with the former trading to its lowest price of 2025 thus far on May futures. However, the bearish early price action attracted buyers to the corn and soy markets to erase early losses and close higher for the day. Strength in vegetable oil markets stemming from Thursday's report that President Trump had asked oil and biofuel groups to take the lead on determining policy for biofuel processing and potential tax credits also provided bullish influence on corn and soybean prices by late-morning Friday. Outside markets on Friday were mostly bearish, led by Personal Consumption Expenditure data (the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation reading), which came in hotter than expected notably on the core basis, which excludes energy and food prices due to volatility in those sectors. This combined with the latest University of Michigan consumer sentiment reading which fell for the third straight month, had stagflation concerns rampant again among investors and contributed to the Dow Jones Industrial Average's heavy loss on Friday.

After carving out yet another new contract high just yesterday afternoon in the spot June contract, the live cattle complex was twiddling its fingers, holding the market steady as traders wait to see what's going to amount in this week's cash market. The contracts all faded lower at the closing bell.

Once again following in the same suit as the live cattle complex, the feeder cattle contracts traded lower as traders anxiously wait to see what's going to develop in this week's fed cash cattle market. Demand in the countryside remains incredible in terms of buyers' willingness to bid calves and feeders higher and higher, so today's hesitancy was solely technical. All feeder contracts waned at the closing bell to finish lower.

After being able to fully absorb Thursday's supportive Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report, the lean hog complex is traded higher early on in the session, thanks to the USDA's supportive report and thanks to the uptick in pork cutout prices this morning as well. The market was not able to keep this bullish tone through the day's end, with the near by contracts in the red and the far deferred contracts barely in the black at the closing bell.

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/03/28152733/web-closing-markets.mp3">HERE</a> for audio

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the agency would release previously obligated funding under the Rural Energy for America Program, Empowering Rural America, and Powering Affordable Clean Energy programs. Recipients will have 30 days to review and voluntarily revise their project plans to align with the “Unleashing American Energy Executive Order.” This process gives rural electric providers and small businesses the opportunity to refocus their projects on expanding American energy production while eliminating DEI and climate mandates embedded in previous proposals. 

Respondents will be asked to answer several questions and provide a short narrative description of any proposed changes. “This allows us to tackle America’s energy emergence and allows energy providers and small businesses to realign their projects with that mission,” Rollins said. The broader guidance reflects a shift away from the Green New Deal and the Inflation Reduction Act and toward investments that prioritize the needs of rural communities.

USDA delivers on rural energy commitments

&nbsp;USDA announced the agency would release previously obligated funding under the Rural Energy for America Program, Empowering Rural America, and Powering Affordable Clean Energy programs. Recipients will have 30 days to review and voluntarily revise their project plans to align with the “Unleashing American Energy Executive Order.” This process gives rural electric providers and small businesses the opportunity to refocus their projects on expanding American energy production while eliminating DEI and climate mandates embedded in previous proposals. 

Respondents will be asked to answer several questions and provide a short narrative description of any proposed changes. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins said, “This allows us to tackle America’s energy emergence and allows energy providers and small businesses to realign their projects with that mission.”&nbsp; The broader guidance reflects a shift away from the Green New Deal and the Inflation Reduction Act and toward investments that prioritize the needs of rural communities.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association member Robby Kirkland testified before the House Ways and Means Committee about the association’s trade priorities. He spoke at a hearing titled “American Trade Negotiation Priorities” and highlighted the benefits of past trade agreements for U.S. cattle producers and the need for greater access to foreign markets. 

“Unfortunately, the previous administration stepped back from market access negotiations while our competitors negotiated robust trade agreements and gained advantages in overseas markets,” he said. “It’s past time to re-engage in trade talks to secure preferential and expanded access with our allies in the United Kingdom and key markets in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.” He also told the committee that any country granted access to the U.S. doesn’t put America’s consumers and cattle herds at risk. “There’s a major concern with countries like Brazil and Paraguay, who have a history of Foot-and-Mouth Infection.” 

NCBA outlines trade priorities in hearing

Members of
Congress from rural districts in Missouri and Kansas have joined forces to
introduce legislation aimed at bringing stability to the energy grid in states
served by the Southwestern Power Administration.

Northern Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves and Congressman Tracey Mann, who represents the largest
Congressional district in Kansas, are co-sponsoring the Southwestern Power
Administration Fund Establishment Act. The Southwestern Power Administration
markets power produced by federal hydropower projects to electric cooperatives
and municipal utilities in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and
Texas. It is a part of the Energy Department.

“Missouri’s rural
electric cooperatives and municipal utilities have worked with the Southwestern
Power Administration (SWPA) to provide affordable and reliable electricity to
Missouri families for over 80 years,” Congressman Graves said in a written
statement. “But the way SWPA is set up, droughts and other disruptions can
cause rate spikes that are passed on to co-ops and municipalities that have no
choice but to increase electric rates on Missouri families. This common sense
legislation creates a revolving fund to fix that problem—giving SWPA the stable
funding necessary to avoid costly rate spikes, and lower customer rates.”

&nbsp;“For more than eight decades, the Southwestern
Power Administration has allowed rural electric cooperatives and municipal
utilities to provide reliable, affordable energy to Kansans,” Congressman Mann
said in a written statement. “Under the current funding structure, SWPA has not
had the flexibility to make necessary investments into their infrastructure. As
a result, when natural disasters and bad weather limit the Administration’s
ability to produce power, replacement power has to be purchased, and that cost
is absorbed by everyday Kansans. Establishing a revolving fund for SWPA ensures
that they can continue to invest in their infrastructure while providing safe,
reliable, and affordable energy to Kansas families and rural communities like
those in the Big First.”

The Southwestern
Power Administration Fund Establishment Act would give Southwestern Power
authority to establish self-funded financing to provide long-term stability,
helping to mitigate drastic spikes in power rates. 

MO&KS Congressmen move to stabilize hydro power to rural America

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

Interim Andrew
County Circuit Clerk, Tannah Buhman, no longer has to use “interim” in her
title.

Buhman, who is
from St. Joseph, has been named the Andrew County Circuit Clerk by Gov. Mike
Kehoe.

Buhman had been
appointed on an interim basis by the Presiding Judge after a year as Deputy Court
Clerk.

Buhman previously
worked as a patient care representative for Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. She
holds certifications as a Certified Nurse Assistant and Certified Medication
Technician.

Tannah Buhman appointed Andrew County Circuit Clerk

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9p.m. Monday in Daviess&nbsp; &nbsp;County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Focus driven by a 27-year-old Princeton, Mo., woman was eastbound on MO 6 five miles west of Jamesport.&nbsp; The driver swerved to miss another vehicle. The Ford traveled off the south side of the road and struck an embankment.

Daviess County EMS transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. woman hospitalized after car strikes embankment

ANDREW COUNTY —Three people were injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Nissan Kicks driven by a 38-year-old St. Joseph woman was northbound on Route W at U.S. 169. The driver failed to yield to a southbound 2006 Ford F250 driven by a 43-year-old St. Joseph man.

The Ford struck the rear passenger side door of the the Nissan as it crossed U.S. 169.

Andrew County EMS transported both drivers and a 41-year-old female passenger in the pickup to Mosaic Life Care. All three were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

3 from St. Joe hospitalized after pickup, SUV crash

The St. Joseph School District has narrowed down a section of land it hopes to purchase south of Highway 36 in order to build a new high school per Proposition 2 that is on the upcoming April 8th ballot.&nbsp;

In a news release, the St. Joseph Board of Education announced it has been evaluating land in the area and now has a more defined potential location and area.&nbsp;

In a press release, the School Board shared more information will be provided as it moves forward with the process.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

SJSD provides update on land planning for new high school

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two Kansas teens on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 10:30p.m. March 29, a Brown County Deputy initiated a traffic stop on US 73 Highway near 230 for speeding, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

K-9 Carla was deployed and indicated on the vehicle.&nbsp; Upon conclusion of the interdiction, several firearms were located in the vehicle, one of which was found to be stolen out of Missouri.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Michael Dibble 18 Leavenworth, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Possession of a Weapon by Felon and Criminal Carrying of Weapons.

A&nbsp; 17-year-old in the vehicle identified as Dewayne Johnson 17 was wanted in Leavenworth County on a juvenile Warrant for Battery.&nbsp; He was transported by a deputy to Leavenworth County detention center.

Sheriff's K9 caught teens with gun stolen from Mo. and drugs

The Pony Express Museum will celebrate 165 years of spreading the history of mail service to the West, by letting people in for free this coming weekend.  

Executive Director Cindy Daffron says to celebrate the anniversary, the entire campus of the museum will open to everyone for free 

"St. Joe is always telling me, you're never open, I can't ever go there, well I'm telling you right now I've got the money collected, it's free days," Daffron tells KFEQ News.  "So the 3rd, the 4th, the 5th, the 6th are all free days into all those facilities, so I'm really hoping people will take advantage of it, if not there's people coming from South Carolina and all kinds of different places, so you need to come and check it out." 

Daffron says on April 4th there will be music in the board room, and you can also pay a visit to Dick and Mignon's Soda Shop 

"You can get a sarsaparilla, you can get a root beer but knock yourself out because I've got a mug and you can also get a root beer float," Daffron explains.  "So those things you pay for, and on the way out you need to get a chocolate bar."  

Daffron encourages everyone to come visit the museum April 3rd through the 6th for free 

"You don't need your wallet, if you want to give a donation that's really fine, but you can come and enjoy our campus," Daffron says.  "Now it's the only time that I know of that I'm going to have everything open, it takes a lot of volunteers folks to pull off all of this getting all of these buildings open, but it's really our pleasure." 

There will also be several other events surrounding the anniversary weekend.  The museum will be open from 9am to 5pm each day.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Pony Express Museum opens doors for 165th anniversary for free

Spring brings
warmer weather and warmer weather brings out motorcycle riders.

St. Joseph Police
Chief, Paul Luster, points out the city has already experienced a motorcycle
fatality, one that took the life of a young man earlier this month.

Luster has several
tips for motorists to avoid tragedy.

“One is just that
awareness that they’re back out on the roads and everybody knows motorcycles,
they’re smaller, they’re harder to see than other vehicles, so it’s important
to check those blind spots and be vigilant of that, especially when you’re
changing lanes or when you’re pulling out of that parking lot,” Luster says. “It’s
important to do things like that and just be on the lookout; look twice for the
motorcycles.”

For the riders,
Luster advises staying ever vigilant; being on the alert for drivers who might
be distracted by phones or other devices. He also advises wearing helmets and
other safety clothing.

“I’ve seen a lot
of accidents that could have been worse if that helmet wasn’t on,” Luster says.
“So, I think it’s important that you’re wearing all that protective gear that you
can and that it can be high visibility and all that stuff’s going to ultimately
make you more visible and make you safer when you’re out there riding. If you’re
going to ride a motorcycle, I think it’s very important that you have all the
protective gear that you can on.”

One final piece of
advice should go without saying.

“Always stay
sober. Don’t ever ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It’s hard
enough and dangerous enough; that impairs your reaction time and judgment. That’s
going to really even more so significantly increase that risk of accidents,”
Luster says.&nbsp; “You need to have all your
wits about you when you’re riding a motorcycle.”

Spring brings out the bikes and a warning from the St. Joseph Police Chief

The St. Louis Cardinals dropped a second game in a row in extra innings, falling to the Los Angeles Angels 9-7 in 11 innings at Busch Stadium on Tuesday night

After the Cardinals took the lead in the bottom of the second inning, and RBI single by Jordan Walker scoring Nolan Gorman, the Angels put up a three spot in the third inning to take lead away.&nbsp; A double by Luis Rengifo scored Tim Anderson to tie the game.&nbsp; Later in the inning a Mike Trout double drove in Taylor Ward And Rengifo to give the Angels a 3-1 lead.&nbsp;

Walker homered in the fourth inning for St. Louis to cut the lead for Los Angeles to one, a lead that was held until the eighth inning, when the Cardinals benefited from an Angels fielding error, Nolan Arenado reaching first on a throwing error by Nolan Schanuel that allowed Lars Nootbaar to score.&nbsp; The game remained tied, and for a second straight day, went into extra innings.&nbsp;

Los Angeles took the lead back in the top half of the tenth inning, putting up another three run inning.&nbsp; Schanuel drove in Kyren Paris and Yoan Moncada with a triple.&nbsp; Schanuel came around to score on a single by Jo Adell.&nbsp; Unlike Monday though, the Cardinals put together a rally to tie the game back up.&nbsp; A two RBI double by Luken Baker scored Victor Scott II and Masyn Winn.&nbsp; Pinch runner Michael Siani came around later to score on a single by Arenado.&nbsp;

The St. Louis bullpen surrendered three more runs in the 11th inning.&nbsp; Paris singled to score Anderson.&nbsp; In the very next at bat, Moncada doubled, driving in Trout and Paris.&nbsp; In the bottom half, the Cardinals managed just an RBI single by Scott II that scored&nbsp;Iván Herrera.

Chris Roycroft took the loss in relief for St. Louis, giving up three runs, two earned in one inning, surrendering two hits and walking one.&nbsp; In his first start of the season,&nbsp;Matthew Liberatore pitched six innings, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out four.&nbsp;

Nootbaar (2-6) and Walker (2-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI) led the way hitting for the Cardinals in the loss.&nbsp;

St. Louis and Los Angeles wrap up their series tomorrow.&nbsp; Sonny Gray will start for the Cardinals against&nbsp;Yusei Kikuchi for the Angels as the Redbirds look to avoid a sweep.&nbsp; KY 102 (102.5 FM) will begin coverage at 12:05 with first pitch at 12:15.&nbsp;

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Cardinals fall in extras again to Angels, lose 9-7 in 11 innings

The Kansas City Royals seemingly used up their offense on Monday, and were held off the board in the middle game of the three game series with the Milwaukee Brewers, getting shut out 5-0 on Tuesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Brewers catcher Eric Haase hit his first home run of the season in the third inning for the first run.&nbsp; Later in the inning, Christian Yelich grounded into a force out scoring&nbsp;Brice Turang.&nbsp; Milwaukee added two more runs in the sixth inning, a single from Rhys Hoskins scoring Yelich, and a ground out by Vinny Capra driving in&nbsp;William Contreras.&nbsp; The Brewers final run of the game in the eighth came on a solo home run from Yelich to right center field.&nbsp;

The Royals managed just four hits in the loss, with one hit each coming from Jonathan India, Bobby Witt Jr, Mark Canha, and Maikel Garcia.&nbsp; Starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen, who took the loss, pitched 5.1 innings, giving up five hits and four runs, three earned, while striking out seven and walking three.&nbsp;

The Royals and Brewers will wrap up their series tomorrow.&nbsp; Cole Ragans makes his first start since Opening Day for Kansas City as does Freddy Peralta for Milwaukee.&nbsp; KFEQ (680 AM/95.3 FM) will join first pitch at 12:10pm.

Royals bats shut down by Brewers pitching falling 5-0

The St. Louis Cardinals battled back and forth with the Los Angeles Angels, but fell in extra innings, losing 5-4 in 10 innings on Monday night at Busch Stadium.&nbsp;

The Cardinals did hold the lead for most of the game, with solo home runs by Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan, the first home run off a left handed pitcher in his career, in the first and second innings respectively.&nbsp; The Angels narrowed the gap in the third inning, a sacrifice fly by Taylor Ward scoring&nbsp;Kyren Paris, but St. Louis extended the lead again in the fifth with an RBI single from Nolan Arenado driving in Nootbaar, putting the Redbirds up 3-1 through five innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Over the next two innings though, the Angels tied the game up, first getting a sacrifice fly by Mike Trout that scored Ward in the sixth.&nbsp; In the seventh, a triple by Paris drove in Luis Rengifo, making it a brand new ballgame.&nbsp;

Los Angeles would not strike again though until the top of the tenth inning, getting the two runs they needed against Cardindals reliever Jo Jo Romero.&nbsp; Rengifo began the inning as the ghost runner at second, and Romero walked Paris.&nbsp; After a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Newman advanced both runners and Romero intentionally walked Ward, Nolan Schanuel reached first on a fielders choice scoring Rengifo, but no out was recorded.&nbsp; 

With one out, Trout flew out and hit a sacrifice fly into a double play, but still drove in a run, Schanuel getting thrown out at second and Paris scoring, pushing the lead to 5-3.&nbsp; St. Louis could manage just one run in the bottom half, a sacrfice fly by Victor Scott II scoring&nbsp;Pedro Pagés.

Romero took the loss in relief, pitching one inning and giving up two runs, just one earned, walking two but giving up no hits.&nbsp; Miles Mikolas in his season debut starting pitched 5.1 innings giving up two hits and two runs, striking out three batters and walking two.&nbsp;

Nootbaar (2-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI), Luken Baker (2-4), Jordan Walker (2-4), and Scott II (2-3, 1 RBI) led the way hitting for the Cardinals in the loss.&nbsp;

St. Louis and Los Angeles will be back in action tomorrow.&nbsp;&nbsp;Matthew Liberatore will start for the Cardinals against&nbsp;Kyle Hendricks for the Angels.&nbsp; First pitch will be at 6:45pm with pregame at 5:50 on KY 102 (102.5FM).

Donovan hits first career HR off LHP, but Cardinals fall in extras to Angels 5-4

The Kansas City Royals offense exploded and in his first start since 2023, Kris Bubic spun a gem, as the Royals spoiled the home opener for the Milwaukee Brewers winning 11-1 on Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

Kansas City started off hot with back to back singled by Jonathan India, who was back in the lineup one day after being hit in the helmet by a pitch, and Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp; India came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Vinnie Pasquantino.&nbsp; 

Michael Massey's ground rule double prevented Witt from coming home to score, but one batter later Hunter Renfroe singled scoring both Massey and Witt Jr giving Kansas City an early 3-0 lead.&nbsp; Maikel Garcia extended the lead in the second inning, hitting his team leading second home run of the season to center field.

The Brewere were able to silence the Kansas City at least for the next few innings, but the Royals finally put a six spot up in the seventh inning, starting with Salvador Perez hitting his first home run of the season to left field.&nbsp; Following the home run, Massey and MJ Melendez singled, while Mark Canha walked to load the bases, forcing a pitching change by Milwaukee.&nbsp;

But new reliever&nbsp;Grant Anderson would not fare much better, walking Garcia to bring home Massey for another Kansas City run.&nbsp; After that, a single by India brought home Melendez and Canha, before Witt Jr singled to drive in Garcia.&nbsp; The scoring in the inning ended on a groundout by Pasquantino that drove India across home plate, extending the Royals lead to 10-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Angel Zerpa replaced Royals starter Kris Bubic to start the bottom half of the seventh inning.&nbsp; It was Bubic's first start of the season, and first start since 2023 after coming out of the bullpen last year.&nbsp; In the start Bubic put together the first Kansas City quality start of the year, earning the win, pitching six innings, striking out eight and walking two, and giving up three hits.&nbsp;

Zerpa did surrender the lone Brewers run of the game in the inning.&nbsp; Pinch hitter&nbsp;Isaac Collins led off the inning with a double, and two batters later was driven in on a double by&nbsp;Jackson Chourio.&nbsp; Kansas City answered the run in the ninth inning, an RBI single by Cavan Biggio that scored Canha.

India led the way hitting for the Royals in the win going 3-5 with 2 RBIs and two runs scored.&nbsp; Witt Jr (2-5, 1 RBI), Massey (2-4, 1 RBI), and Perez (2-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI) were next on the team.&nbsp;

Kansas City is back in action against Milwaukee tomorrow.&nbsp; Michael Lorenzen will make his season debut while the Brewers have yet to announce their starter.&nbsp; First pitch will be at 6:40pm with pregame coverage at 6pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Royals offense explodes to spoil Brewers home opener with 11-1 win

Following the sudden resignation after one season by Ashton Feldhaus, the Missouri Western Lady Griffons have tabbed the next man up to lead the program, one of the most successful coaches in the junior college ranks.&nbsp;

Missouri Western Athletic Director Andy Carter announced&nbsp;Luke Scheidecker as the 11th head coach in program history today.&nbsp; Scheidecker, a native of Smithville, comes to St. Joseph after a historic stint with Wabash Valley College where he compiled a career record of&nbsp;231-22, a .913 winning percentage, with stints between&nbsp;2016-18 and&nbsp;2020-2025

Most recently,&nbsp;Scheidecker led the Lady Warriors to a 31-3 record, and an exit in the third round of the NJCAA tournament this past Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Luke is an outstanding recruiter and head coach with lots of basketball experience, Carter said in a news release. "It is why he was a finalist less than a year ago during our search. His ties to the region and his success speak for themselves" 

"He is a leader and understands the importance and value of building relationships with the members of his team. I am grateful to have him on our team"

Scheidecker, the 2024 WBCA Two-Year National Coach of the Year, has received numerous accolades, including six NJCAA Region 24 Coach of the Year awards and six Midwest District Coach of the Year honors at WVC. He's also been named the Illinois Basketball Coaches' Association College Coach of the Year five times.&nbsp; Under his leadership, Wabash Valley College has made six appearances in the National Tournament and have won six Great Rivers Athletic Conference Championships. 

"I am excited and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the Missouri Western women's basketball tradition," Scheidecker said. "Being from the area, I am very familiar with Mo West and its success in one of the toughest conferences in the country. I want to thank Andy Carter and Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy for entrusting me with this position."

Scheidecker also has a connection already to the university.&nbsp; His wife, Tori, was a Missouri Western Women's Basketball Graduate Assistant from 2019-2021. She was also a standout player at Butler University, earning All-Big East honors three times. They have two children - nine-year-old son, Cade, and six-year-old daughter, Brynn.

Scheidecker will be officially introduced at a press conference on Friday, April 4th at 12pm in the Spratt Stadium Hall of Fame room. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

MWSU brings on Luke Scheidecker as new women's basketball coach

One day after fans called for him to step away, Sporting Kansas City has announced that the club has mutually parted ways with manager Peter Vermes,&nbsp; ending his trophy-laden run as Major League Soccer’s longest-tenured head coach and one of the longest-serving managers in global soccer.

Kerry Zavagnin has been appointed as Sporting’s interim head coach, effective immediately.

“It would be hard to list all of the people I want to thank after 20 seasons in managerial positions at Sporting Kansas City,” Vermes said in a news release from the club. “I am thankful to everyone, especially ownership for giving me the opportunity of being a steward of this club for the past two decades. I wish the club nothing but the best in the future.”

Vermes’ historic run as Kansas City’s head coach began on Aug. 4, 2009, punctuating the start of a winning era as the club rebranded to Sporting KC and moved into Children’s Mercy Park ahead of the 2011 season. He guided Sporting to first-place finishes in the Eastern Conference in 2011 and 2012, including a club-record 63-point regular season in 2012. That same year, Sporting captured the U.S. Open Cup—the club’s first trophy since 2004—with a home victory over Seattle Sounders FC on penalty kicks.

Sporting reached greater heights in 2013, winning the club’s second MLS Cup with an iconic penalty shootout win over Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park. Vermes also coached the MLS All-Stars in the 2013 MLS All-Star Game at the same stadium, two weeks before his selection into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

In addition to hoisting the 2013 MLS Cup and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015 and 2017, Vermes guided the club to 11 playoff appearances—including eight straight from 2011-2018—and four first-place finishes in the regular season. He remains the only person to win MLS Cup as a player and a coach with the same team, having led Kansas City to the 2000 title as a standout central defender, and his three Open Cup championships were the most among active MLS coaches entering 2025. He ranks third on the all-time MLS chart with 203 regular season wins and concludes his tenure as the longest-serving head coach in Kansas City professional sports history.

Vermes coached 609 matches for Sporting in all competitions, more than half of the games in the club’s 30-year existence and the most ever for a manager at one MLS club. His 511 regular season matches coached are third-most all-time and his 17-season run at the helm of Sporting was at least seven seasons longer than any other active MLS head coach.

Like Vermes, Zavagnin has been inducted into the Sporting Legends hall of honor as one of the club’s most accomplished leaders. He made 291 appearances for Kansas City as a player from 2000-2008—earning MLS Best XI and All-Star nods in 2004—and has served as an assistant with the club since 2009. As a member of the club for 26 consecutive seasons, he holds the MLS record for most seasons with one club as a player or coach.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Sporting KC mutually agrees to part ways with Peter Vermes

The struggles of Sporting Kansas City over the past few seasons have reached a boiling point with some of the largest fan groups of the Major League Soccer club.&nbsp;

Both Sporting KC fan groups, the KC Cauldron and the South Stand Supporters Club, have called for the resignation of head coach Peter Vermes.

Sporting KC is currently last in the Western Conference, sitting at 0-5-1 after losing 2-1 to FC Dallas on Saturday.&nbsp; This slow start comes after a 2024 season where they finished 8-19-7 and finished second to last in the conference. They have finished below .500 over the past three seasons.

Following the loss on Saturday, the two fan groups released the following statement on social media:&nbsp;

Peter Vermes &amp; Sporting Kansas City Ownership,

“As the official supporters’ groups of Sporting Kansas City, the KC Cauldron and South Stand Supporters Club write to you today with urgency and frustration. We are at a breaking point-one that demands decisive action to protect the legacy, culture, and future of our beloved club.

For over two decades, Peter Vermes has been a defining figure in Kansas City soccer, from his time as a player with the Wizards to his transformation of Sporting KC into an MLS powerhouse. The championship victories, the commitment to a strong defensive identity, and the winning culture he once cultivated will always be respected. However, history and loyalty cannot be shields against accountability. The trajectory of this club on the field has become unacceptable, and we can no longer stand by while mediocrity overshadows our once-proud legacy.

Year after year, we have watched as this team has stagnated, its ambitions dwindled, and its results declined. Fans have been expected to tolerate repeated disappointment with no meaningful change in approach. The lack of urgency, lack of adaptation, and lack of accountability have been glaring. This is not about a single bad season-it is about a pattern of failure that has been allowed to persist without consequence.

We, as supporters, are the backbone of this club. We show up, we sing, we travel, we pour our time, money, and hearts into this team because we believe in what it should stand for. But belief alone does not win matches, and unwavering support does not excuse repeated underperformance. The Sporting KC standard has been abandoned, and we will not sit idly by while this club fades into irrelevance.

We cannot and will not accept this level of mediocrity. The hard truth is this: for Sporting KC to reclaim its rightful place as a dominant force in MLS, a change in leadership is necessary. Peter Vermes must resign as manager. This is not a request-it is a demand from a fanbase that refuses to watch its club wither under outdated tactics and unchallenged authority. His tenure has run its course, and a fresh vision is required to lead Sporting KC into the future.

To the ownership group: The responsibility to act falls on you. You must decide whether Sporting KC remains content with being a relic of past success or whether it fights to become a dominant force once again. The time for loyalty-based decisions has passed. We demand accountability. We demand ambition. We demand change. Peter, we acknowledge your contributions to club and the Kansas City community, but Sporting KC is bigger than any one person. The club’s future must take precedence over past achievements. A fresh vision is required to carry this team forward. It is time to make the decision that serves the club’s best interests, rather than personal ones.

We stand behind Sporting KC, not just in words, but in action. We will continue to support this team, but we will not remain silent when the legacy we love is at risk.

The KC Cauldron &amp; South Stand Supporters Club“

Vermes has been the head coach for Sporting KC since 2009 and is the longest-tenured coach in the MLS. He played with the franchise from 2000 to 2002. He is also third all-time in regular-season wins. Vermes signed a five-year extension with Sporting in 2023 through the 2028 season.

During his time in KC, he has won four major trophies. He won the 2013 MLS Cup and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015 and 2017. He is the only person to win an MLS Cup as a player and coach with the same team.

With the team’s struggles, fans’ frustrations have continued to build as they look to Vermes to step down. It will be intriguing to see if Sporting can turn things around or if the organization follows through on the demand from the core fanbase.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Displeased with results, Sporting Kansas City fans calling for Peter Vermes resignation 

The St. Louis Cardinals are 3-0 for just the 17th time in 134 seasons and for the first time since 2006 after beating the Minnesota Twins 9-2 on a stormy Sunday at Busch Stadium to complete the opening series sweep.&nbsp; That 2006 season of course,&nbsp;the Cardinals swept the Phillies on the road and went on to win the franchise’s 10th of 11 World Series titles.

For the first time all series, the Twins took the first lead of the game in the first inning, an RBI single from Byron Buxton driving in Matt Wallner, but the Cardinals wasted no time taking the lead back the very next inning, scoring three runs in the bottom of the second, a three run shot coming off the bat of Victor Scott II to right field that also drove in Nolan Gorman and Pedro Pagés.&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Louis added five more runs in the bottom of the third inning, the first two on an RBI double by Alec Burleson that drove in Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado.&nbsp; And after Gorman singled, Pagés hit a three run home run of his own to score Gorman and Burleson, pushing the Cardinals lead to 8-1 after three innings&nbsp;

Pagés finished a triple shy of the cycle after racking up a double, home run and single in the game’s first five innings.&nbsp;

Minnesota scored their final run of the game in the fourth inning thanks to a solo home run from Willi Castro to right center field.&nbsp; The game ended up delayed during the fifth inning due to inclement weather in the area.

The rain delay lasted just around an hour before the game resumed.&nbsp; St. Louis scored its final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning on Gorman's first home run of the season, a solo shot to right center.&nbsp;

Andre Pallante earned the win for the Cardinals, pitching five innings and giving up two runs on four hits, striking out three while walking two batters.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pagés (3-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI) and Gorman (3-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI) led the way hitting for St. Louis.&nbsp;

The Cardinals will stay in the comforts of Busch Stadium to host the Los Angeles Angels next.&nbsp; Miles Mikolas will make his season debut for St Louis against&nbsp;Tyler Anderson for the Angels.&nbsp; First pitch is at 6:45pm, pregame coverage will begin at 5:50 on KY 102 (102.5FM).

Cardinals start undefeated for first time since '06, beat Twins 9-2

JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas high school Choir Director is going to prison for sex crimes.

On Friday, Judge Thomas Sutherland sentenced 35-year-old Micah Horton to 34-months for unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

After an investigation in March of 2024, Olathe Police arrested Horton who was&nbsp;the Choir Director at Olathe North High School. He pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful sexual relations. 

Prison: Former Kan. school choir director admits to unlawful sexual relations 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was charged in federal court March 28 following his arrest during the execution of a federal search warrant last week, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jose Valencia-Soriano, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 28.&nbsp; 

As set forth in the attached complaint, Valencia-Soriano is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm&nbsp; Valencia-Soriano was arrested yesterday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on Thursday, March 27, agents with the Kansas City Field Division of the FBI, assisted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were executing a federal search warrant at a home in the Kansas City area.&nbsp;According to the affidavit, during the execution of this warrant, Valencia-Soriano was discovered at the location, in addition to approximately 102 lbs. of finished crystal methamphetamine, over 406 lbs. of liquids containing methamphetamine in various states, three firearms in the main bedroom, and $48,634 in cash.&nbsp; Two of the firearms recovered had been listed as stolen.&nbsp; The underlying investigation is out of the St. Louis area and is primarily being handled by the St. Louis Field Division of the FBI.

"FBI St. Louis prioritized this drug trafficking investigation after we confirmed this defendant entered the U.S. illegally," said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. "With the help of our law enforcement partners, we seized a large quantity of illicit drugs to include 100 pounds of finished crystal meth and 406 pounds of liquid that contained meth."

“This case serves as an important reminder that, in addition to fentanyl, large quantities of other dangerous drugs, in this case methamphetamine, are still a significant problem in our community.&nbsp; This office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute every one of these cases with the goal of making our communities a safer place to live,” said Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray for the Western District of Missouri.

Mexican national caught in KC with 102 pounds of crystal meth

WASHINGTON —House Republicans advanced a bill out of committee on Tuesday that would limit the power of judges who have taken action against President Trump's executive orders. (click below to view Rep. Schmidt's comments)

During their Tuesday morning news conference, Freshman Congressman from Kansas, Derek Schmidt joined GOP leadership to explain what the 'nationwide injunctions bill' will do&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr1526rh/pdf/BILLS-119hr1526rh.pdf">Click here to read the bill</a>

"We're not de-funding courts, said House Speaker Mike Johnson. "We're not doing anything other than limiting, in this legislation, the ability of a judge to issue a nationwide injunction."

Derek Schmidt served as the Kansas Attorney General from 2011 to 2023. He was first elected to office serving in the Kansas Senate  representing the 15th district from 2001 to 2011. In 2022, Schmidt was the Republican nominee for governor of Kansas.

🎥Kan. congressman joins House leadership news conference

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department Traffic Division is currently investigating a hit-and-run that left one person dead. 

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