Mizzou runs all over Arkansas for 4th straight Battle Line rivalry victory

 Ahmad Hardy ran for 149 yards and a touchdown while Jamal Roberts ran for another 100 yards and a score to lead Missouri to a 31-17 win over Arkansas in the regular season finale rivalry battle between the teams.

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz, an Arkansas native, had previously been bandied as a potential candidate for the Razorbacks’ open head-coaching job. He signed an extension to stay at Missouri earlier in the week and beat Arkansas in a rivalry game for the fourth straight season.

The Tigers opened the scoring in the first quarter as Roberts rushed for his score, a four yard touchdown, but the Razorbacks tied the game up with a 16 yard touchdown pass from K.J Green to O'Mega Blake.&nbsp; Arkansas took the lead in the second quarter after the ball slipped from Beau Pribula’s hands as he cocked his arm to pass. Linebacker Bradley Shaw grabbed the fumble and returned it 32 yards to give Arkansas a 14-7 lead.

But Pribula, who threw for just 25 yards on 4-of-7 passing, but gained 78 yards on 16 carries, picked up Missouri’s second-quarter touchdown that tied the game at 14, an 11 yard touchdown run.&nbsp; A 28 yard field goal from Razorbacks kicker Scott Starzyk with 11 seconds in the half, gave Arkansas the 17-14 lead at the halftime break.

After halftime, it was all Missouri.&nbsp; Hardy, who entered the game third in FBS in yards rushing, gave the Tigers&nbsp; the lead, 20-17, on a 53-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Missouri added a 41 yard field goal from Oliver Robbins and a 67-yard punt-return touchdown from Kevin Coleman Jr. in the fourth quarter to go ahead by two scores.&nbsp; Roberts two point conversion run sealed the game.

Missouri’s 322 yards rushing marked the second-highest total for the Tigers this season and the most in an SEC game.&nbsp; On a day with little passing, Brett Norfleet led the receivers with two catches for 13 yards.

Missouri has firmly established themselves in the second tier of the SEC under Drinkwitz. Missouri’s eight regular-season wins provided the third winning season in a row, marking the first time that’s happened for the team since 2009-11.

Missouri (8-4, 4-4 SEC) now waits on its bowl destination.

Ravens advance with second half comeback over Campbellsville

The #5 seeded Benedictine Ravens completed a double-digit comeback to advance in the NAIA Football Championship Series with a 21-17 win over #12 seeded Campbellsville University Tigers.

The Ravens trailed 17-7 at half, but outscored the Tigers 14-0 in the second half to earn the win.

Benedictine thwarted the Tigers opening drive of the game when Isaiah Hasten picked off a Campbellsville pass in the end zone. After the teams traded punts, the Ravens put together a scoring drive that concluded with a one yard touchdown run from Dalton Witherspoon. The Ravens took a 7-0 lead after one quarter of play.

Campbellsville drove into Benedictine territory late in the first quarter and answered on the second play of the second quarter, leveling the score on a two yard run from Tre' Bass.&nbsp; The Ravens drove into Tigers territory on their ensuing drive, but Jaquon Coulter returned an interception 80 yards to give the visitors the lead&nbsp; After a turnover on downs by Benedictine, Colin Fratus connected on a 41-yard field goal with under a minute to play before half to give Campbellsville a 17-7 lead heading into the halftime break.

The turning point in the second half came on a special teams play midway through the third quarter. Ben Gilliland knifed through the Tigers line to block a punt, then recovered the ball in the end zone to pull the Ravens to within three points.&nbsp; The teams&nbsp; then traded empty possessions until Benedictine took over at their own 42-yard line with 8:38 to play in the game. 

Three rushes by Xavier Ugorji and a Tigers penalty put the Ravens at the Tigers 17-yard line. Dalton Witherspoon handled the rest, rushing for a 17-yard touchdown, his second of the day, to put the Ravens up 21-17 with 6:41 to play.&nbsp; The Tigers methodically drove down the field on the ensuing drive, eating five minutes off the clock while driving to the Ravens 33-yard line. Then, on the 12th play of the drive, Isaac Lopez sank into coverage and intercepted the Campbellsville pass to seal the win for the Ravens.

Witherspoon and Ugorji combined to rush for 233 yards – Ugorji with 123 yards and Witherspoon with 110 yards and two scores.&nbsp; Jackson Dooley was 8 of 19 through the air for 95 yards with an interception.&nbsp;&nbsp;Joseph Lagafuaina had four catches for 51 yards.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Benedictine will now hit the road for the Quarterfinals of the NAIA Football Championship Series on Saturday against #4 seeded Friends University in Wichita.&nbsp; Kickoff will be at 1pm.

Wildcats bowl eligible after Jackson's three score day against Colorado

 Joe Jackson rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns as Kansas State defeated Colorado 24-14 and earned bowl eligibility for the fifth straight season on a cold and blustery day. The game-time temperature was 32 degrees with a wind chill of 24.

K-State used nearly half the first quarter to take a lead on a four yard touchdown run by Jackson.&nbsp; The teams wound up going to halftime tied, after the Buffaloes scored late in the second quarter, a one yard rushing touchdown from Micah Welch.&nbsp; After one rush, the clock ran out and the teams went to the halftime break tied 7-7.

Jackson scored his second touchdown of the day from one yard out with 4:32 left in the third quarter to give the Wildcats the lead back. The score capped a 56-yard drive.&nbsp; Kansas State made it a two-score game with a 35-yard field goal by Luis Rodriguez. The Wildcats stalled at the Colorado 19-yard line, but they burned 6:43 off the clock.

Welch's second rushing touchdown of the game capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive and brought the Buffaloes to within three points.&nbsp; But Jackson's third touchdown, a 17-yard scamper with 2:34 left, extended the lead to 10 points, sealing the game.

Quarterback Avery Johnson was 10-of-17 for 115 yards in difficult conditions for Kansas State.&nbsp; Jaron Tibbs was the leading receiver with four catches for 55 yards.

&nbsp;Kansas State (6-6, 5-4 Big 12) will now await a bowl invitation.

Jayhawks miss out on bowl as season ends at hands of #13 Utah

Devon Dampier threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns, Elijah Davis returned an interception 97 yards for another score, and #13 Utah came from behind to beat Kansas 31-21 on Friday.

Larry Simmons caught two touchdown passes, Wayshon Parker ran for 95 yards and Utah picked off Jalon Daniels three times in the final game of his college career, helping the Utes reach the 10-win mark for the third time in the last five years.&nbsp;Utah won despite allowing 290 yards rushing, one week after beating Kansas State after allowing 472 on the ground.

Utah looked as if it might turn Senior Day into a rout in the opening minutes, but the Kansas defense, which had let Leipold's team down so often this season, finally seemed to find its fight. The Jayhawks bottled up the Utes, who had been averaging 279.6 yards on the ground, and early on Dampier was having little success through the air, twice misfiring on fourth-down attempts.

Dillon Curtis hit a 34 yard field goal for the Utes to open the scoring, before Daniel Hishaw Jr put Kansas ahead with a seven yard touchdown run in the second quarter.&nbsp; Dampier threw a 58 yard touchdown pass on the ensuing drive though to JJ Buchanan and Utah led just 10-7 at the halftime break in a game it desperately needed to win.

The Jayhawks briefly pulled ahead after the break, when Utah coach Kyle Whittingham went for it on fourth down rather than kick a field goal on a cold, blustery day. Kansas made a stop, drove 67 yards, and Daniels' scoring sneak gave them a 14-10 advantage.&nbsp; But the momentum swung for good on his two red-zone blunders early in the fourth quarter.

First, Daniels was picked off while trying to throw the ball out of the end zone, and Utah needed just four plays to go 80 yards for a go-ahead touchdown, a 28 yard pass from Dampier to Simmons. Then, after Kansas marched downfield again, Daniels was picked off by Davis near the goal line, and the junior cornerback returned it 97 yards to give the Utes a 24-14 lead with 7:52 remaining.

Kansas did cut the lead to three points, as Daniels connected with Leyton Cure on a 21 yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; But Utah put the game away for good on Simmons second touchdown catch, a 48 yard throw from Dampier for the final score of the game.

Daniels finished with 187 yards passing and a touchdown, and also rushed for a score, though his turnovers led to a smattering of boos from Kansas fans, many of whom have endured the QB's highs and lows over the past six seasons.&nbsp; Hishaw Jr. had 107 yards rushing and a touchdown for the Jayhawks. Leshon Williams ran for 104.&nbsp;&nbsp;Emmanuel Henderson Jr. had three catches for 113 yards.

Kansas (5-7, 3-6 Big 12) started the season 4-2 before a loss to Texas Tech. It wound up losing five of its last six games. The Jayhawks now watch bowl season on TV for the second straight year

Huskers dominated by border rival Iowa for 10th time in 11 meetings

Mark Gronowski rushed for two touchdowns and passed for a third, Kamari Moulton ran for 93 yards and two scores, and Iowa spoiled Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson's career game with a 40-16 victory.

The Hawkeyes broke open what was a one-point game late in the second quarter with three touchdowns and a safety and they shut out the Cornhuskers in the second half. They took home the Heroes Trophy after their 10th win in 11 meetings with their border rival.

Johnson had 177 of his career-high 217 yards for Nebraska (7-5, 4-5) in the first half, and he matched his career high with 29 carries.&nbsp; It was Johnson's eighth 100-yard game of the season and fifth straight. He broke a career-long 70-yard run on the Huskers' first possession.&nbsp; However, he was limited to 40 yards on 10 carries in the second half.

The temperature was 26 degrees at kickoff, and intermittent light snow fell in the first half.&nbsp; The teams were tied at the end of the first quarter, Johnson opening the scoring with a one yard touchdown run, before the Hawkeyes took the lead scoring on back-to-back possessions, first cutting into the lead on a 41 yard field goal from Drew Stevens, before taking the lead on a 35 yard passing touchdown from Gronowski to DJ Vonnahme.&nbsp; Kyle Cunanan tied the game late in the quarter with a 31 yard feld goal

Cunanan knocked through another field goal in the second quarter, from 29 yards out, to put the Huskers ahead.&nbsp; Moulton's first touchdown of the game gave Iowa the lead back though, running in from three yards out.&nbsp; After Cunanan hit a 35 yard field goal to cut the lead to one, the Hawkeyes started taking control when Gronowski scored from the one yard in the final minute of the half, putting Iowa ahead 24-16 at the halftime break.

The Hawkeyes recorded a safety early in the third quarter when Jacory Barney muffed a punt and the Huskers’ Jamir Conn recovered it in the end zone. Touchdown runs of six yards by Gronowski and one yard by Moulton made it a 24-point game and sent many of the fans home early in the fourth quarter.

Nebraska freshman TJ Lateef, making his third start in place of the injured Dylan Raiola and first at Memorial Stadium, played most of the game with a tight hamstring and was just 9 of 24 for 69 yards.&nbsp; Johnson, on top of being the leading rusher, was the leading receiver with two catches for 22 yards.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luke Lindenmeyer had two catches for 20 yards and Dane Key had three catches for 16 yards.

Both teams wait to find out their bowl destinations next Sunday

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

CFB: Mizzou runs over Arkansas, Ravens comeback, KSU bowl eligible

The U.S. Senate will vote in December on a bill to extend subsidies for federal marketplace plans, but the fate of the bill is uncertain

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/squinn/">Steph Quinn</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Until last year, Roberta Ross-Fisher had never been in a hospital except to visit friends and family.

The self-employed higher education consultant from Franklin County was so diligent about cleaning her teeth she had a gum graft several years ago to repair where she overbrushed.

Then, on May 5, 2024, she received a phone call. She had cancer in her lower jaw.

She took time off work and underwent surgery to remove the cancer and reconstruct her mandible with bone from her fibula. Now in remission, she gets CT scans and sees her oncologist every few months.

“That’s non-negotiable, whether I have insurance or whether I don’t,” Ross-Fisher said.

What is also non-negotiable is the premium she’ll pay to remain in a health insurance plan she purchases through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">the federal marketplace</a>. This year, it’s $295 per month. Next year, if Congress extends current subsidies, it will be $479.&nbsp;

And if the subsidies go away Jan. 1, the price will be $1,216 per month, a 312% increase.

It is enough to give her pause, despite needing cancer follow-up care. Ross-Fisher in 2026 will qualify for Medicare, the federal insurance program for older and disabled adults.

“I’ve been having conversations with my husband,” she said. “What do I do? I’m now a cancer patient. Do I risk going for six months without insurance?”

The conversation Ross-Fisher is having with her husband is the same one being held in thousands of households across Missouri.

The open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act plans opened Nov. 1 and ends Jan. 16. For some, the extra costs for 2026 will mean they go without coverage.&nbsp;

Others may look for alternatives, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/16/lawmakers-approve-bill-exempting-missouri-farm-bureau-health-plans-from-federal-rules/">Missouri Farm Bureau</a>&nbsp;health coverage that does not qualify as an insurance plan under federal definitions. Backers promised it would be cheaper when lawmakers passed the law this year, but no one interested in buying into the plan will know if they will truly save money until it launches Jan. 1.

And the uncertainty makes financial planning more difficult for medical providers.

Care for people on marketplace plans represents about 2% of the revenue for University of Missouri Health Care, said Greg Damron, chief financial officer for MU Health Care in Columbia.&nbsp;

“That doesn’t sound like a lot,” Damron said, “but if you think about it, when you’re trying to get to a 4% margin or something, 2% of your revenues is kind of a big deal.”&nbsp;

For 43 days, Democrats in the U.S. Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/government-reopens-after-43-days-trump-signs-bill-ending-record-shutdown" target="_blank">used the filibuster</a>&nbsp;to keep the federal government shut down in an effort to preserve the enhanced subsidies enacted as a&nbsp;<a href="https://source.washu.edu/2025/11/missouris-health-coverage-is-shifting-fast-washu-analysis-finds/" target="_blank">COVID-19 emergency measure</a>&nbsp;in 2021.&nbsp;

Under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, the actual premiums paid by lower-income people purchasing individual health plans through the federal marketplace were capped as a share of their income. At the lowest end of the income scale, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-25-25.pdf" target="_blank">cap was 2.1%</a>, rising to 9.96% for people between three and four times the federal poverty level, or between&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf" target="_blank">$46,950 and $62,600</a>&nbsp;for a single person.

The enhanced subsidies reduced those caps so people at the lowest end paid no out-of-pocket premiums and no person purchasing an individual plan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-23-29.pdf" target="_blank">paid more than 8.5%</a>&nbsp;of their income.

The enhanced subsidies expire Dec. 31. The U.S. Senate will vote in December on a bill extending the subsidies, but there’s no promise of a similar vote in the U.S. House and no indication President Donald Trump would sign it if passed.

One result of the enhanced subsidies was dramatic growth in the number of Missourians covered by ACA plans at the same time&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-medicaid-enrollment-continues-decline-down-200000-since-last-june/">Medicaid enrollment declined</a>&nbsp;as eligibility reviews began following a freeze tied to the COVID-19 emergency.

In 83% of Missouri counties, an&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e2.wpmucdn.com/sites.wustl.edu/dist/4/4348/files/2025/10/Changes-in-Medicaid-and-Marketplace-enrollment-in-Missouri-1.pdf" target="_blank">analysis from Washington University</a>&nbsp;shows, new enrollments in marketplace plans exceeded the decline in Medicaid enrollment.

“The rapid growth in marketplace enrollment likely was influenced by enhanced premium tax credits (EPTCs), which were passed in 2021 and significantly lowered the out-of-pocket premiums recipients pay for the marketplace plans,” the analysis states.&nbsp;

There are more than&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e2.wpmucdn.com/sites.wustl.edu/dist/4/4348/files/2025/10/Changes-in-Medicaid-and-Marketplace-enrollment-in-Missouri-1.pdf" target="_blank">417,000 people in Missouri</a>&nbsp;covered by marketplace plans, up from 257,000 in 2023. Faced with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/31/missouri-health-premiums-to-rise-as-much-as-30-for-2026-amid-uncertainty-over-subsidies/">double-digit increases</a>&nbsp;in base premiums and the loss of enhanced subsidies, many may drop health insurance entirely.

“Without that premium support, the belief out there is that it’s largely going to hit younger, lower-income people,” Damron said. “They’re likely going to be the folks that also decide to opt out of insurance coverage altogether.”

Small businesses that provide health insurance are also facing tough choices — whether to pass more costs to employees or stop offering coverage altogether, said Brad Jones, Missouri lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

The small group rates approved this fall by the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance show&nbsp;<a href="https://insurance.mo.gov/sites/insurance/files/2025-10/Public%20posting%20-%20Final%202026%20Rates.pdf" target="_blank">average increases of 10% to 19%</a>&nbsp;for 2026.

“For a business with seven or eight employees, it is like buying a suit off the rack,” Jones said. “They don’t have any negotiating power.”

For almost 40 years, the cost of health insurance has been No. 1 among the “10 most severe problems for small business owners” identified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://strgnfibcom.blob.core.windows.net/nfibcom/2024-Small-Business-Problems-Priorities.pdf" target="_blank">National Federation of Independent Businesses</a>.

Conducted every four years, the Small Business Problems and Priorities survey ranks 75 issues facing businesses with fewer than 100 employees. The cost of health insurance was cited as an issue by 41% of employers, more than 20 percentage points higher than the second problem on the list, the cost of inventory and supplies.

In 2000, the report shows, almost half of all small businesses offered health insurance, with an average annual cost of about $2,600 per employee. Now, with the average cost greater than $8,000 per employee, fewer than one in three small employers provide coverage.

“When premiums go up, there are hard decisions that have to be made,” Jones said. “Deductibles go up to keep costs down. There are a number of things businesses try to do and not drop it all together.”

The smallest businesses may not survive if owners decide to seek employment that provides health coverage, said Marie Murphree, executive director of the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce.

“We might start seeing some of those go away,” said Murphree, who estimated that a fifth of the about 300 businesses in her chamber are individual entrepreneurs.

Higher premiums could be especially damaging in rural areas, Murphree said, where “we already see businesses who struggle to recruit people.”&nbsp;

“Now one of the recruitment tools that you have,” she said, “you really can no longer offer, because it’s out of your ability to afford it.”

Rob Gilligan, president of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, said the “vast majority” of the chamber’s 800 members have 50 employees or less. While he said they’d like to offer insurance to employees, the cost can be “prohibitive” with fewer staff to share costs.

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry offers an insurance plan to businesses with fewer than 50 employees allowing them to pool together to share risk and ideally get more competitive rates.

Gilligan said that while some small business owners have expressed that they will be looking at higher deductible plans in anticipation of much higher premiums this year, they’ve already had to adapt to rising insurance costs in recent years.

“You just know that the cost of health is one of those things that’s going to continue to rise,” said Gilligan, whose chamber offers insurance to its employees. “We just have to kind of know that every year we’re going to look at that as something that we need to plan for and adapt to.”

The Affordable Care Act mandates that every plan offered by an employer and every plan on the health care marketplace provide minimum essential coverage. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthinsurance.org/glossary/essential-health-benefits/" target="_blank">10 essential benefits</a>&nbsp;range from hospitalization and office visits to maternity care, mental health treatments and preventive tests.

This year, legislators passed a law allowing the Missouri Farm Bureau to offer coverage that does not include all 10 benefits.&nbsp;

Many farmers and other members of the Farm Bureau, proponents said, are uninsured because they can’t afford to buy an individual plan on the marketplace or make too much money to qualify for subsidies.

Members will be able to start buying plans on Jan. 2, with coverage set to begin Feb. 1, said Garrett Hawkins, president of the Farm Bureau. The website will be available starting Dec. 1, he said.

That will leave only about 15 days remaining in the open enrollment period for prospective purchasers to decide if they will sign up with the Farm Bureau, buy a marketplace plan or go without coverage.

Because prospective purchasers will choose from a menu of services, the price for each plan must be individually quoted, Hawkins said.

“We’re working feverishly to get the plan up and running,” Hawkins said, “but we’re just not quite there yet.”&nbsp;

The Farm Bureau is a nonprofit agricultural membership organization which partners with for-profit companies to sell various kinds of insurance to its members.&nbsp;

To buy Farm Bureau health coverage, a person has to be a member for 30 days. Anyone can join — the fee is $30 per year.

So far, Hawkins said, the new coverage does not seem to be driving an increase in membership. There are several hundred members who have indicated they are interested in getting a quote, he said.

Once the plan starts accepting applications, Hawkins said, there will be no “open enrollment” period. The coverage will be available for purchase at any time.

Hawkins has big ambitions for the coverage. Affordable health coverage can mean more people will stay in farming and pass their land on to a new generation.

“My goal is that this helps bring young people home to the farm,” Hawkins said. “My hope is it will allow a spouse to return home to the farm who is working off the farm solely to get benefits for the family.”

Ross-Fisher said the insurance plan she purchased on the federal marketplace established by the 2010 Affordable Care Act was a “godsend” during her cancer treatment.&nbsp;

And when her business suffered during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the enhanced premium tax credits passed by Congress in 2021 had kept insurance coverage within reach for her and her husband and allowed her to keep working for herself.

With those tax credits set to expire, Ross-Fisher is again considering giving up her business for a job with benefits.

Most people turning 65 are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/answers/medicare-and-medicaid/who-is-eligible-for-medicare/index.html" target="_blank">eligible for Medicare</a>, which has its own premiums for the various coverages offered. For Ross-Fisher, the nearness of her 65th birthday in 2026 makes it tempting to drop coverage.

And before her cancer, she said, she would have chanced those six months.&nbsp;

Now she’s leaning toward seeking full-time work.

“That would mean the end of my consulting business, which I dearly love,” she wrote in an email, “but under the circumstances I think it would be the most financially prudent thing to do.”

Missourians brace for health insurance premium spikes with federal subsidies set to expire

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 10:30a.m. Saturday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a 79-year-old Jamesport man was southbound on Route J just south of Kidder. The driver lost control on the snow and ice covered road. The Jeep traveled off the west side of the road, struck an embankment, a mailbox and overturned.

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

Mo. man injured after Jeep overturns on snowy road

KFEQ Week in Review

The state is asking U.S. District Judge Zachary Bluestone to block People Not Politicians from turning in petitions by Dec. 11. People Not Politicians asked him to dismiss the case

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

ST. LOUIS — A federal judge promised Tuesday that he would decide whether or not to block a referendum on Missouri’s gerrymandered redistricting map before petitions to force a vote are submitted.

The state is asking U.S. District Judge Zachary Bluestone, a recent Trump appointee, to declare the U.S. Constitution precludes any popular effort to overturn the new map that was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">muscled through by Republicans</a>&nbsp;in a September special session. People Not Politicians, a political action committee that has until Dec. 11 to submit enough signatures to force a vote on the map, wants Bluestone to dismiss the case and leave it to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/25/let-the-courts-decide-kehoe-says-he-will-sign-gerrymandered-missouri-congressional-map/">state courts to sort out</a>.

Told in court that the signatures would be turned in Dec. 9, Bluestone said he would have a decision by that date.

Using the new map, Republicans hope to win seven of the state’s eight congressional seats by adding enough GOP votes to flip the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City. It is part of a national battle over drawing new lines begun when President Donald Trump pushed Texas to redistrict to win five new GOP seats in the narrowly divided Congress.

The case is one of eight — two in federal court and six in state court — that wrap the redistricting plan in multiple layers of litigation. One,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/12/judge-hears-arguments-over-legality-of-gerrymandered-missouri-congressional-map/">argued Nov. 12 in Cole County</a>&nbsp;and challenging the constitutionality of redistricting when there is no new census data, is awaiting a decision from Circuit Judge Christopher LImbaugh.

The latest lawsuit was filed Nov. 11 by&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/21/lawsuit-details-alleged-scheme-to-sabotage-referendum-on-gerrymandered-missouri-congressional-map/">Advanced Micro Targeting</a>, the company gathering signatures for People Not Politicians, accusing competitors of “poaching” employees and “gathering intelligence” on its operations.

In the case before Bluestone, the state argues the federal constitution directs state legislatures to determine the boundaries of congressional districts. And without a clear statement in the Missouri Constitution’s&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++52(a)&amp;bid=31810&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">referendum clause</a>&nbsp;allowing votes on redistricting&nbsp; plans, it is prohibited.

Lou Capozzi, state solicitor general, told Bluestone that he should intervene because the people are trying to infringe on the prerogatives of the General Assembly and it is costing the state money and employee time to process the referendum.

“From start to finish, the defendants’ actions impose significant burdens,” he said.

Jessica Amunson, representing People Not Politicians, said the costs are just employees in three state offices — secretary of state, attorney general and state auditor — doing their jobs. And future costs, for verifying signatures and an election, are speculative because the petitions have not been submitted yet.

The case, she said, is unprecedented. The plaintiffs — the General Assembly and Secretary of State Denny Hoskins — “are suing their own citizens to prevent them from petitioning their government.”

There are very few court precedents on the question of whether citizen referendum power extends to congressional district maps. Missouri voters rejected a redistricting plan in a 1922 referendum but that vote produced no guiding legal cases.

The attorneys did argue over the meaning of a&nbsp;<a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/241/565/" target="_blank">1916 U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;in an Ohio case that found a referendum on a redistricting plan was a constitutional use of the power.&nbsp;

Capozzi said the courts found the Ohio Constitution had a “clear statement” granting the power.&nbsp;

Amunson disagreed. The Ohio referendum power is essentially the same as Missouri, allowing “any law” to be subject to a vote while Missouri says “any act” passed by lawmakers can be sent to a vote.

“In none of those cases was there a clear statement rule required,” she said.

Bluestone seemed more skeptical of Amunson’s arguments at times than Capozzi, but directed pointed questioning to both.

While he promised a decision by Dec. 9, at the beginning of the hearing he said the decision may be to hold the case without acting while other lawsuits play out in state court.&nbsp;

In state court, Missouri is defending the redistricting plan by arguing the inverse of the argument in federal court —&nbsp; the absence of words granting or barring lawmakers authority to revise district lines between census reports means it is allowed. Before Bluestone, the state is arguing that the absence of words granting or barring petitioners from seeking a referendum means it is not allowed.&nbsp;

Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, said after the hearing that he’s not surprised by the apparent contradiction.

“What I saw in the hearing was, frankly, clarity from the state about how afraid they are of voters getting the final say on this,” von Glahn said. “If you think what you did is a good thing, you have nothing to fear from a referendum.”

Federal ruling on Missouri gerrymandered redistricting plan to come in early December

President Trump plans to pay bonuses to
air traffic controllers who had perfect attendance during the federal
government shutdown and has threatened docking the pay of those who didn’t.

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves,
the House Transportation Committee chair, says he understands the president’s
frustration, but is hesitant to endorse punishing controllers who called in
sick during the shutdown.

“The problem with something like that is
that you really don’t know the circumstances, the folks, that may not be
eligible for these bonuses,” Graves tells KFEQ. “They may have
actually been sick.”

Graves says air traffic controllers have
a high-stress job and not getting paid during the shutdown didn’t help.

“You know, we’ve got to be careful,
because you just don’t know what the circumstances are,” Graves says.

Graves says a high stress job became even
more stressful during the federal government shutdown as air traffic
controllers had to come to work without getting a paycheck.

“You also can’t fault somebody who’s
trying to make a car payment and a mortgage payment. You don’t know what the
personal circumstance is and they had to go out and get another job for the
time being to try to make ends meet,” Graves says. “I can see both sides of
this to be quite honest with you. I can absolutely see both sides of this.”

Graves says you cannot dismiss the
worries that pile up when the bills come due.

“Whether that’s a car payment or a
mortgage payment or whatever your obligation may be and not getting paid for
two pay cycles. That creates even more stress and more hardship and it just
makes it worse,” according to Graves. “ I think it’s very hard for most folks
to really understand the true gravity of what took place.”

The Trump administration has announced it
will give a bonus to air traffic controllers who had perfect attendance during
the shutdown. Those who came to work each day of the shutdown will receive $10,000
bonuses.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Congressman Graves hesitant on plan to punish some air traffic controllers

A new movie from director Jason Hudson is premiering this weekend at the historic Missouri Theatre.  

Hudson, known for movies filmed in St. Joseph such as Christmas at the Chateau and Accidental Family, has now made a Christmas movie for kids, the Gingerbread Men. 

Steve Marks with Marks Media, the production company that helped make the movie, says the film is a laugh out loud adventure 

"It’s mischief and heart and a reminder that the greatest gift isn’t what we sometimes wish for, because these little boys wish to be big, that’s their wish “Marks says on the KFEQmunnity show. “It’s kind of like the movie, if you’ve ever seen the movie with Tom Hanks called Big, or you saw the movie Elf with Will Ferrell, those two movies it’s like mixing them together with a G rating basically and putting a Christmas twist on it.” 

Marks says the movie was entirely filmed in St. Joseph, with many of the cast and crew from the St. Joseph area. 

"You’ll probably see about three or four hundred people, you’ll go I know that person, because they’re people from St. Joseph, Savannah, and the surrounding area in the film,” Marks explains.  “And of course you’ll recognize all of the beautiful St. Joseph and surrounding area, all the different things we filmed, it’s a lot of fun, but yeah it was definitely filmed here in St. Joseph and created here in St. Joseph.” 

Marks says people who come see the film should expect to have a lot of laughs 

"Kids love it, now you as an adult might think well that was just a little strange here and there, but hey come and see it and you be the judge yourself,” Marks says.  “What we hope will be the takeaway is they’ll walk away with a smile on their face, enjoy it, have some family time and let their hair down.” 

Showings will be held at 2, 5, and 6:30pm at the Missouri Theatre, and you can meet the cast and crew at each show. <a href="https://jomotickets.com/event/gingerbread-men-movie-premiere">Tickets can be purchased online</a>.

New movie from St. Joseph based production company premiering today

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As people celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, many will also begin their shopping to get ready for Christmas, taking advantage of deals.  

St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster says be sure when you leave your car to go into a store, to keep any items you purchase out of sight while you shop 

"If you go back to your car, put them in your trunk or somewhere where they’re out of sight,” Luster says on the KFEQmunnity.  “Don't put that $800 iPad in your passenger seat and leave it to go into the next store, you could just be inviting trouble, you’ll see a lot of people that engage in these thefts it’s a crime of opportunity.” 

Luster says these criminals will walk through parking lots looking for cars with items in plain view to steal from with how crowded lots are during holiday shopping.  

Luster advises shoppers to stay as alert as possible while out doing that holiday shopping 

"Always try to park in well-lit areas, be aware of your surroundings when you’re out there shopping in the holiday season, I think those are very, very important,” Luster says. 

Luster also reminds drivers that during the holiday weekend roads are going to be even busier than normal, so to be cautious and alert while going back and forth this Thanksgiving. 

St. Joseph Police advise to hide gifts as you shop during the holiday's 

HOLT COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Thursday in Holt County.&nbsp;

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 GMC Yukon driven by a 30-year-old Grain Valley man was northbound on Interstate 29 at Mound City. The SUV traveled off the east side of the road. The undercarriage struck the ground. The vehicle continued northeast, struck an embankment, became airborne and the undercarriage struck the ground a second time. The SUV continued into a field, crossed an airfield, struck a combine, rotated clockwise and struck an aircraft hangar. The impact with the aircraft hangar door caused the door to impact a stationary airplane.

Atchison Holt ambulance transported the driver and a 10-year-old passenger to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. Both were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. man, boy injured after violent SUV crash into aircraft hangar

Corn futures were higher Friday. Soybean futures were also higher; wheat futures were mixed at best on the session. The U.S. stock market was firmer, with the S&amp;P higher. The U.S. Dollar Index was slightly lower. The interest rate products were flat. Energy trade was firmer with crude oil and natural gas both trading higher. Precious metals were firmer with gold up 37.00.

The live cattle complex was still sporting a fruitful rally into Friday's close, as traders seem to be again believing in the market's bullish long-term fundamentals despite plenty of volatility over the last month. There was some light cash cattle trade reported in the South at $220, which is roughly $5.00 higher than the business that developed earlier in the week, but still $2.00 to $4.00 lower than last week's weighted average. No new dressed cattle trade has developed at this point. Earlier in the week, Northern dressed cattle were trading at mostly $330, which is $13.00 lower than last week's weighted average. Boxed beef prices are lower: choice down $1.39 ($366.89) and select down $5.13 ($350.38) with a movement of 60 loads (46.58 loads of choice, 2.89 loads of select, 5.35 loads of trim and 4.79 loads of ground beef).

The feeder cattle contracts saw the biggest day of gains as some of the contracts were up their daily trading limit, up $9.25. Helping spur this positive momentum was the interview shared with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, where she discussed several important issues, such as the border. The main points she stated about the border's reopening (when it does happen) are that not all of the ports will reopen at once, and that it will be a slow and methodical process, and the market will not see a million imported cattle show up overnight, which was a major relief to hear.

The lean hog complex traded along both sides of steady as the market looks for continued reassurance following Wednesday's dramatic rally. There's been very little interest this week in the cash hog market, but pork cutout values are again up slightly.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/11/28124311/web-closing-markets-2.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

As the holidays are here, bird flu is once again infecting commercial and backyard poultry flocks. Civil Eats reports that the flu has infected and killed more than 8.9 million turkeys, chickens, and ducks in the U.S. since September. The report said consumers are unlikely to feel a price squeeze during the holidays. For example, a 50-state survey from the American Farm Bureau found retail prices for frozen turkeys were down by 16 percent compared to last year. That’s even though wholesale prices are up 40 percent, with retailers often selling turkeys as loss-leaders. 

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reports that 93 flocks have been tested and confirmed with HPAI infection. That includes 43 commercial flocks, 50 backyard flocks, and has affected 1.67 million birds across all the infected premises. Reuters reported that the risk of infection in the public remains low.

More bird flu ahead of the holiday season

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins said her agency intends to purchase up to $30 million in fresh fruit from American farmers and producers to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country. These purchases are being made through Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 and will assist producers and communities in need. “Certain commodities are experiencing a surplus, and USDA is ensuring these crops do not go to waste and instead go to Americans in need across the country,” Rollins said. “These fresh fruits will reach those in need, boosting healthier options for Americans at food banks across the country, all while benefiting American farmers facing unfair actions from foreign competitors.”

 The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will purchase $15 million in fresh oranges, $10 million in grapefruit, and $5 million worth of mandarins. The AMS purchases a variety of domestically-produced agricultural products on an ongoing basis.&nbsp;

USDA announces $30 million food purchase

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

Row-crop futures posted respectable gains in a breakout session from what had been a narrow range for prices through the holiday week. Seasonality is certainly on the side of the bulls for now as traders also are anticipating U.S. production estimates will fall again from November figures when USDA revisits the supply side of the balance sheet in January. Meanwhile, strong demand ideas are working to keep a floor under prices as well. Outside markets for Wednesday saw firmer equities as indices are heading toward a retracement of last week's AI bubble fear induced selloff. Energy prices were mixed with crude oil futures higher but among 2025 lows, and diesel prices continuing to fall sharply from last week's highs.

Wednesday's rally in the live cattle complex could be in part due to the interview that Lonesome Lands shared with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. A couple of major points were discussed in the interview: Rollins stated that when the U.S.-Mexico border reopens, not all ports will reopen at once and that "you will not see 1 million head of cattle show up overnight, it's going to be a slow and gradual process." Rollins also stated the port in Arizona is likely to reopen first as it's furthest away from any detected New World screwworm. Rollins also stated there's not an ag industry that she's more bullish about than cattle. No new cash cattle trade has been reported, but bids are on the table in Kansas at $215. On Tuesday, some trade developed in the North at $330, which is $15.00 lower than last week's weighted average. Although there have not been many cattle traded in the South, a handful of deals were marked at $215, which is $7.00 to $9.00 lower than last week's weighted average. Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice down $1.45 ($368.64) and select up $2.55 ($358.48) with a movement of 115 loads (76.90 loads of choice, 10.97 loads of select, 12.76 loads of trim and 14.74 loads of ground beef).

The feeder cattle complex also traded notably higher (mostly $7.00 to $8.00 higher) as the market is pleased to hear positive news from Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins. So long as the live cattle contracts continue to trade higher through Wednesday's close, it's likely feeder cattle contracts will as well.

The lean hog complex also traded higher as the market is pleased to note a slight bump in pork demand and is likely receiving a little extra spill-over support from the cattle complex. Packers have made it bluntly clear that they don't need many hogs this week.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/11/26140616/web-closing-markets-2.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Data from the USDA said that inspections of soybeans and corn for offshore delivery declined week to week, while wheat assessments increased during the week ending on November 20. Soybean inspections were reported at almost 800,000 metric tons, down from the 1.21 million tons inspected during the previous week. That’s also well below the 2.12 million tons assessed during the same week last year. 

Examinations of corn for overseas delivery dropped to 1.63 million metric tons, down from 2.97 million tons the previous week, but up from 1.01 million tons at the same point during the prior year. Wheat inspections rose to 474,530 metric tons, up from 246,533 tons the previous week and the 366,000 tons a year earlier. Since the marketing year began, the government has inspected 17.5 million metric tons of corn, and soybean assessments are at 10.9 million metric tons. Marketing-year wheat inspections reached 10.7 million tons.

Weekly exports of soybeans and corn decline

For the eighth time this year, the overall Rural Mainstreet Index sank below a growth-neutral score of 50.0. That’s according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a ten-state region dependent on agriculture and energy. The region’s overall reading was 34.6 in October, the lowest level since May 2020. That’s down from 38.5 in September. “Weak agriculture commodity prices for grain producers continue to dampen economic activity in the ten-state region,” said Ernie Goss of Creighton University. “While tariffs are producing higher economic volatility, 72 percent of bank CEOs say President Trump’s approach toward Chinese trade is ‘about right.’” 

For the 17th time in the past 18 months, farmland prices slumped below growth-neutral. The region’s farmland price index dropped to 37.0 from 45.8 in September. Farm loan delinquency rates rose from a very low 1.1 percent in June of this year to 1.6 percent this month. 

Rural Mainstreet Index stays below growth neutral

December corn closed down 1/4 cent and March corn was up 1 1/2 cents. January soybeans closed up 1 1/2 cents and March soybeans were up 2 3/4 cents. March KC wheat closed up 5 3/4 cents, March Chicago wheat was up 4 1/2 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was up 4 3/4 cents.

As expected for Thanksgiving week, grain and oilseed markets have been very quiet and more or less directionless thus far, struggling to gain breakout momentum in either direction with many traders likely on the sidelines and taking an extended holiday break from the action. The trade, albeit thin, does exhibit the characteristic of at least a short-term bottom in accordance to technical guidelines. Outside markets for Tuesday were mixed with higher equities, but weaker energy markets with crude oil futures working their way back toward 2025 lows.

It was technically a mixed session, but mostly lower morning for the live cattle complex. Although most of the deferred contracts were traded higher, spot and nearby contracts are trading slightly lower. There's even been some trade already in the fed cash cattle market. There was light movement of dressed trade this morning in Nebraska, where cattle are trading anywhere from $325 to $330, but mostly at $330, which is a $15.00 decline from last week's weighted average. Still no trade has developed yet in the South, and asking prices are still not known in that region. Delivery dates for the cattle that have traded have been set for mostly the week of Dec. 1 and Dec. 8. Boxed beef prices are higher: choice up $1.56 ($372.05) and select up $3.46 ($358.97) with a movement of 74 loads (55.78 loads of choice, 8.21 loads of select, 4.08 loads of trim and 5.76 loads of ground beef).

The feeder cattle complex traded higher following Monday's sharp decline. Traders seem to be recovering some position that was lost on Monday, but it's more a technical reaction than a decision being made because more confidence has truly been established in the marketplace.

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