Not all the votes have been counted in that extremely close
race for Buchanan County Western District Commissioner.

“This is the closest race that I’ve ever seen in the 24 years
I’ve been in this office,” Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

The unofficial vote total released by Baack-Garvey’s office
late Tuesday night had incumbent Democrat Ron Hook up by only 20 votes over Republican
challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. Hook garnered 7,851 votes to Goddard’s 7,831
votes; a split of 49.96% to 49.83%.

That margin falls well within the requirements for an
automatic recount.

“There is a possibility of a recount,” Baack-Garvey says. “We
still have provisional ballots to process from yesterday (Tuesday) and we are
also waiting on military ballots to come in and those are allowed to arrive by
noon on Friday.”

Those will need to be added and the outcome could change. The
margin likely will not.

“If it’s less than one percent, it’s an automatic recount,”
Baack-Garvey says. “If it’s not, then yes, the opponent would have to pay for
the cost of having the recount done.”

If the margin widens to more than 1%, the trailing candidate would have to request a recount and finance it.

If there is a recount, a formal process will be followed.

“Well, we would have to get a few groups of bipartisan teams,”
according to Baack-Garvey. “We would have to get the machines out and those
teams would have to run every ballot that was voted in the Western District
through the machines again.”

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

Not all votes have been counted in tight Western District Commissioner race

October provided a surprising pre-election bounce in farmer sentiment as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed to 115, 27 points above the September index. The biggest driver of the sentiment improvement was an increase in producers’ confidence in the future. The Future Expectations Index jumped 30 points to 124. 

Farmer sentiment bounces back

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has addressed a formal letter to California’s Air Resources Board (CARB), urging the immediate withdrawal of a proposed amendment that threatens Missouri’s agriculture and biofuels sectors. This amendment, if enacted, would place a significant burden on Missouri farmers and impede the state’s economic vitality.

“Missouri’s agriculture and biofuels industries are vital to the success of our state, so I will do everything in my power to protect Missouri farmers,” Bailey stated. “I will not allow radical climate activists in California to attack our family farms and hinder our state’s economic growth.”

Missouri AG battles California for farmers

The Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation (FARM) Act was introduced last month and sponsored by more than 40 members of Congress. It’s also endorsed by several of America’s largest commodity groups.. The legislation is intended to meet farmers’ immediate financial needs through economic assistance for the 2024 crop year. The proposed payment structure utilizes per-acre cost of production to provide a payment that is 60 percent of economic loss on eligible acres. 

Meaningful assistance could be coming to farmers

While the lame-duck session of Congress represents one last chance at a farm bill, industry experts say it would require compromise on a number of tricky issues. Reports say it would require House and Senate leaders to agree on spending in quite a few important areas. One report says Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow holds the key to finishing a farm bill this year. 

The question is whether she can work out a deal with the other major farm bill players. Some insiders say Stabenow would like one last farm bill completion as a legacy item as she isn’t running for re-election. An AgWeb report from Farm Journal says some long-time Washington contacts give the odds of getting a farm bill done at only 15 percent. A veteran farm lobbyist said the simple resolution is for Republicans to drop SNAP cut demands and Democrats to agree to higher reference prices.

Lame-duck farm bill will be difficult

Farmers are taking out loans at a rate and scale not seen in years as weakened crop prices weigh on the agricultural sector, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. The volume of new operating loans increased at its fastest pace since 2017, the report said, with commercial banks issuing 40% more of these loans to farmers over last year. Farmers are not only taking out more loans, but also borrowing higher amounts. 

Farm loans soar as ag economy deteriorates

The University of Missouri Extension is set to host free tax workshops in December aimed at assisting farmers, ranchers, and landowners in enhancing their collaboration with tax professionals. The workshops will be led by MU Extension specialists, who will discuss significant updates in tax legislation, including the implications of the Corporate Transparency Act.

University of Missouri Extension offering free tax classes

Enrollment for incentive payments for regenerative grazing and climate-smart fieldscapes begins this month. The program is part of a $25 million USDA grant to the University of Missouri. This is the second year of a five-year project that will provide $17.5 million in incentive funds to farmers and ranchers in Missouri. Rob Myers, director of the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture says, To date, about 900 farmers have participated in the CRCL project. 

The regenerative grazing program offers payments of $50 per acre for Missouri farmers who develop management plans for prescribed grazing on eligible pastures. Another option focuses on small and underserved farmers who implement three or more climate-smart practices appropriate to their farms; the participants also need to be willing for their farms to serve as demonstration sites for those practices.  Participants in the climate-smart field scapes portion of the program can receive up to $10,000 over three years.

$25 million USDA grant to the University of Missouri

Missouri net farm income is projected to decline in 2024, for the second consecutive year. That’s the latest from the University of Missouri’s, Fall 2024 Missouri Farm Income Outlook. Published bi-annually, the report provides state-wide projections of key farm financial indicators for the Show-Me State. Cash receipts, production statistics, government payments and other elements pertaining to agricultural profitability are evaluated to project the state’s net farm income.

Missouri net farm income projected to decline

Congressmen Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Brad Finstad from Minnesota, and Randy Feenstra of Iowa wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding Pure Prairie Poultry’s shutdown. The Minnesota company closed its doors, leaving almost 50 farmers and over two million chickens in those three states with no feed or processing options. The members highlighted the lack of oversight and accountability by USDA and requested answers from the agency on their loan and grant process, as well as what they know about Pure Prairie Poultry’s bankruptcy filing. 

“The USDA will answer for the $45.5 million in loans and agricultural grants given to Pure Prairie Poultry, and the company will answer for what they did with that money before they stiffed our farmers,” Van Orden says. “I’m so thankful for how our farmers put the welfare of their flocks first and we will continue to advocate for them on the House Agriculture Committee."

Officials want accountability from USDA

Drought conditions are worsening in southwestern and west-central Missouri, causing significant challenges for farmers and ranchers. As pastures dry up, livestock producers are forced to resort to hay feeding well ahead of schedule. Approximately 94% of Missouri is experiencing abnormally dry conditions, with 65% classified as moderate drought or worse. Severe drought conditions affect 25% of the state, and some areas in southwestern Missouri are facing extreme drought.

Tim Schnakenberg, MU Extension agronomist says,“We haven’t seen conditions this bad since 2012." To mitigate the impact of the drought, some producers are thinning their herds. However, the cost of supplemental feed remains a major concern. The lack of moisture has also hindered the establishment of cover crops and winter grazing pastures, and not only affecting agricultural production but also impacting other sectors of the economy. Lime and fertilizer dealers are reporting decreased demand for their products.

Missouri drought raises plethora of concerns 

Western District Buchanan County Commissioner Ron Hook ekes
out a victory, winning by 20 votes according to the unofficial vote tally
reported by the Buchanan County Clerk’s office.

Hook, a Democrat, says he’s shocked his race against
Republican challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. was so tight.

“It’s still baffling to see that it was even this close after
the 16 years I’ve put into nothing but this community,” Hook tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “I mean I’m happy with the 20 extra votes over my opponent, but I
never thought it’d be this close.”

Unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk’s
office has Hook up on Goddard 7,851 to 7,831, a split of 49.96% to 49.83%.
There remain some votes to count, according to the clerk’s office. Provisional
ballots have yet to be processed and overseas military ballots have until
Friday to arrive.

Hook, a Democrat who has been in office since 2009, acknowledges
his political party affiliation likely cost him votes.

“There’s probably a lot of first-time voters out there,” Hook
says. “There’s a lot of people that just want the courthouse to be completely
Republican and red and whether you do a good job, I guess, or not in this
community it doesn’t make any difference.”

Hook also blames social media for the closeness of the race.
Hook claims there was a lot of “trash” put out on the Internet, such as Goodard’s
claims that his political signs had been stolen and Republican insinuations
that he hadn’t submitted required paperwork with the Missouri Ethics
Commission. Hook explains he didn’t have to submit the paperwork, because he
spent less than $1,000 on his re-election campaign.

“And so, there’s just a lot of trash out there and trash by
people that just obviously don’t know me,” Hook says. “It’s just the way it is.
That’s the way they want this community to be ran and it just baffles me. It
really does.”

Hook says he expects a recount in the race.

Buchanan CO Commissioner Hook baffled by close race; expects recount

St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner breezed to re-election,
winning nearly 62% of the vote Tuesday.

Falkner, a Republican, defeated Democrat Andrew Gibson.

“Well, it’s a very humbling experience any time you put your
name out there and people vote for you,” Falkner tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’ve
been blessed that this city has supported me in the fashion that they have and
I will continue to fight for St. Joe down in Jefferson City.”

Falkner garnered 8,145 votes to Gibson’s 4,999, according to
unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk’s office. That’s a
split of 61.84% to 37.95%.

Falkner says he wants to help tackle the issue of child care
in the next legislative session.

“We’ve got to make it more affordable and maybe look at some
of the items that we are forcing providers to do,” Falkner says. “We want to
make sure that it continues to be safe for the children, but we want to make it
to where it can be profitable for the individuals that are running them.”

Falkner will enter his fourth term in January. He is prevented
by term limits from seeking a fifth term. Falkner says his experience that he
says will serve his district well.

“You usually have your relationships built up in Jefferson
City to where you can maneuver a little bit quicker and easier to where if you
want something put into a bill or taken out of a bill, you have a personal
relationship with the senators and the other representatives, because you’ve
been there awhile,” according to Falkner.

The Missouri General Assembly begins a new session in January.

St. Joseph state Rep. Falkner easily wins re-election to 4th term

The Kansas City Chiefs have a history of great coaches, from Marty Schottenheimer in the 90's all the way to Andy Reid today.  

Chiefs Hall of Famer Christian Okoye, during a visit to St. Joseph, played under Schottenheimer and says while both him and Reid are great coaches, they had two different styles 

"Andy is so easy going, Marty was so serious, and he knows his football too, they both know their football, but they come from different angles," Okoye tells reporters following a sit-down Q &amp; A with Chiefs fans. "Andy Reid is just a fun-loving guy, the players love to play with him, so did Marty too but they're two different coaches." 

Okoye also sees a lot of things he likes in the two running backs manning the Chiefs backfield these days.

Okoye says while he's had no advice for them, he's a big fan of both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco 

"When Hunt was here (before) I loved his style, I used to say that he played big even though he's a small guy, but he played big," Okoye explains.  "So is Pacheco too, Pacheco is one of those guys you think he's stomping weeds or something on the ground, but his running style is so unique and I love his tenacity, I love the way he approaches the game." 

Pacheco is currently on injured reserve, but is eyeing a return in late November, while Hunt just scored a walk off touchdown on Monday Night Football. 

The Chiefs are attempting to do something no NFL team has done before, win three Super Bowls in a row.  

And if he could still suit up and go for this team now, Okoye says he would run crazy on today's NFL 

"I always say that today's players don't know how to tackle," Okoye jokes. "So, if I played today, nobody could tackle me." 

In his career, Okoye rushed for 4,897 yards with 40 touchdowns.  He was named to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000. 

Okoye, along with former teammate and Chiefs Hall of Famer Neil Smith, visited with Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino. 

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

Nigerian Nightmare talks football, Chiefs

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>

By the time the NFL playoffs begin in January, sports betting will be legal in Missouri.

The only remaining question now that voters approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;is whether bettors will use platforms licensed in Missouri or if players will have to use accounts linked to licenses from other states.

The result on sports wagering wasn’t clear until the final votes were reported from Greene County after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The southwest Missouri county voted 55% against sports betting, narrowing the statewide margin to just over 14,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast.&nbsp;

The election didn’t go as well for the other gambling measure on the ballot. Voters said “no” to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>, which would have authorized a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks. It is only the third time since 1980 that Missouri voters rejected a proposal to expand gambling in the state.&nbsp;

With nearly all precincts reporting, Amendment 5 was losing 52% to 48%.

Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by the two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, poured a record of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/29/spending-on-missouri-ballot-measures-nears-100-million-as-campaign-enters-final-week/">almost $41 million</a>&nbsp;into the campaign. That proved to be just enough to overcome a $14 million opposition campaign funded by Caesars Entertainment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its television ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Election Day.

Initially polling with an advantage of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">20 percentage points</a>, the narrow vote on Tuesday shows how effectively an opposition campaign undermined support.

New constitutional amendments become law 30 days after the election, so the first legal bets in Missouri could be placed as early as Dec. 5.&nbsp;

Backers of Amendment 5, who spent $4.2 million to make the ballot and another $6 million on the fall campaign, were unable to overcome skepticism of the benefits of expanded gambling created by the anti-sports wagering campaign.&nbsp;

Missouri voters last defeated a gambling measure in 2004 when voters rejected a proposal similar to Amendment 5. That would have authorized a licensed casino for the White River near Rockaway Beach in southwest Missouri.&nbsp;

Under state law, casinos must be located within 1,000 feet of the main channel of either the Mississippi or Missouri rivers.

The only other gambling proposal to lose was a measure to allow wagering on simulcast horse races in 1992. Voters had approved parimutuel wagering on live horse races in 1984 but no track was built.

The initiative campaign to legalize sports betting emerged from years of frustration with the General Assembly, where a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/10/sports-wagering-bill-remains-mired-in-missouri-senate-split-over-gambling-expansion/">triangular debate</a>&nbsp;pitted casinos and sports teams against video lottery proponents against ‘gray market’ games vendors who profit from inaction.

“We’re not extremely optimistic that that’s going to happen,” Mike Whittle, general counsel for the St. Louis Cardinals,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">said last year</a>&nbsp;of the possibilities of legislative action. “I mean, we’ve kind of seen that movie way too many times.”

Missouri’s franchises from Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NHL, Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League provided the public face of the signature campaign.

The push to legalize sports wagering in Missouri began after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law against wagering on sporting events in 2018. More than 35 states have legalized some form of the gambling since the court decision, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/news/legal-sports-betting-united-states-projections" target="_blank">every state on Missouri’s border</a>&nbsp;except Oklahoma.

Under the provisions of the amendment, each of six major professional sports teams could create a retail sports betting location within a district near its stadium. The teams could also provide fans with a branded online betting platform.

Each of the state’s six casino companies could also open a retail sportsbook at their casinos as well as offer an online platform.

And there would be two licenses for online betting companies without a link to a Missouri casino or sports team.

The profits from gambling would be taxed at 10%, but the measure allows deductions for promotional offers and federal taxes before the state revenue is calculated.&nbsp;

An economic study produced for Winning for Missouri Education estimates that $21.8 billion will be wagered during the first five years after legalization and more than 98% of the bets will be placed online.

That same study pegs the net to the state over that period at $134 million. Revenue in the fifth year is estimated at $38.7 million, about $10 million more than the maximum annual revenue projected by the fiscal note for the ballot measure.

There will be gambling at the Lake of the Ozarks, but not in a casino licensed by the Missouri Gaming Commission.

The defeat of Amendment 5 means there will be no competition for a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/29/osage-nation-plans-casino-hotel-for-missouris-lake-of-the-ozarks/">project launched in 2021</a>&nbsp;by the Osage Nation to have a property in Miller County taken into trust as ancestral lands where it could operate a casino and convention center.

The project is awaiting approval from federal officials. After that, the tribe and the state will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nigc.gov/general-counsel/indian-gaming-regulatory-act" target="_blank">negotiate a compact</a>&nbsp;dividing responsibilities for law enforcement on the casino property. The agreement would also establish “taxation by the Indian tribe of such activity in amounts comparable to amounts assessed by the state for comparable activities.”&nbsp;

Tribes have the right to offer gambling that mirrors what the state allows “for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity.”

If the state refuses to negotiate a compact, or does not do so in good faith, the tribe may sue in federal court.

Missouri voters narrowly approve sports betting amendment

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

An effort to hike the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave won the support of Missouri voters Tuesday night.&nbsp;

Proposition A was approved by Missouri voters 58% to 41%.

The approval follows a trend of Missourians using the initiative petition process to increase the minimum wage — and more broadly, of Missourians using that process to advance policies at odds with the beliefs of the state’s Republican dominated legislature.

Proposition A was&nbsp;<a href="https://mohealthyfamilies.org/endorsements/" target="_blank">backed by</a>&nbsp;various unions and workers’ advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights organizations,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessforafairminimumwage.org/statement/Missouri2024" target="_blank">over 500 state business owners</a>&nbsp;and others.&nbsp;

Some business groups, including the state Chamber of Commerce, have opposed it, especially the guaranteed sick leave portion. But there wasn’t a coordinated opposition campaign.&nbsp;

The campaign in favor of the measure, called Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, raised nearly $6 million — including from out-of-state groups that don’t disclose their donors — and collected 210,000 signatures to have the issue placed on the statewide ballot.

The current minimum wage in Missouri is $12.30, which is equivalent to $492 per week, before taxes. The ballot measure would raise the state’s minimum wage to $13.75 next year and $15 in January 2026.&nbsp;

The increase would affect over 562,000 workers in the state, according to the Missouri Budget Project, or nearly 1 in 4 workers. The minimum wage would be adjusted based on inflation every year after 2026.

Voters approved a minimum-wage hike in 2006, with 75% of the vote, and again in 2018, with 62% of the vote.

And businesses will be required to provide one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to five days per year for small businesses and seven days per year for larger businesses. Small businesses are those with fewer than 15 employees.

The paid sick time provision will go into effect on May 1, 2025.

Without sick leave, proponents argue, workers have to choose between their financial and physical wellbeing — going into work sick or losing out on a needed paycheck.

Missouri will join 15 states that require employers to provide paid sick leave. The United States, unlike nearly every other country, lacks federal paid sick leave, so states, as well as cities, have taken the lead.&nbsp;

Some business groups raised alarm particularly with the sick leave provisions, saying the proposal constitutes government overreach in what should be the decisions of business owners.

At the same time, a coalition of hundreds of businesspeople in the state have signed on to support the ballot measure, arguing the policies help their bottom line, causing lower employee turnover, increased productivity and better health and safety conditions.

The ballot measure would change the state law but not the constitution, meaning the legislature could overturn it, but those on both sides of the issue told The Independent last month they see that as unlikely.

Missourians vote to increase minimum wage, require paid sick leave

An extremely close race for Buchanan County Western District Commissioner as incumbent Democrat Ron Hook wins re-election by 20 votes.

Unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk's office has Hook with 7,851 votes to 7,831 votes for Republican challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. That's a split of 49.96% to 49.83%, close enough to trigger a likely recount.

St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner easily won re-election in the other contested local race. Falkner, a Republican, won 8,145 votes to 4,999 cast for Democrat Andrew Gibson. Falkner won election to his fourth and final term in the Missouri House. Term limits will prevent him from running again.

Buchanan County voters gave strong support for former President Donald Trump and incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley.

Buchanan County voters gave overwhelming support to sports betting and narrowly supporter the lifting of the state abortion ban.

An extremely close Buchanan CO race sets up possible recount

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

Abortion-rights advocates say the amendment will grant widespread access to abortion in Missouri for the first time in years

ST. LOUIS — Abortions rights will be enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, after voters on Tuesday overturned the state’s near-total abortion ban.

The Associated Press called the race at 10:30 p.m. with Amendment 3 winning 54% to 46%.

“We did not accept this nightmare thrust upon us,” said Tori Schafer, deputy director for policy and campaigns of the ACLU of Missouri.&nbsp;

When the amendment goes into effect in 30 days, abortion will be legal up until the point of fetal viability — generally seen as the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb on its own, or around 24 weeks, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/facts-are-important/understanding-and-navigating-viability#:~:text=Later%20in%20pregnancy%2C%20a%20clinician,fully%20develop%20in%20the%20uterus." target="_blank">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists</a>.

The amendment also protects access to other reproductive health care, like birth control.

Missouri has a long history of electing anti-abortion lawmakers who over the last several years crafted some of the more restrictive laws in the country, known as TRAP laws, or “targeted regulation of abortion providers.”

The legislature in 2019 passed a “trigger law,” meant to go into effect if Roe v. Wade fell. When the constitutional right to an abortion was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/24/abortion-is-now-illegal-in-missouri-in-wake-of-u-s-supreme-court-ruling/">Missouri was the first state to&nbsp;</a>make virtually all abortions illegal.

A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. By 2020, that number dropped to 167 due to a series of “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws enacted by the legislature, including a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between the initial appointment and a surgical abortion and mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions.

Between June 24, 2022 and July 31, 2024, 74 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to health department data.

In January, a coalition called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom formally kicked off a citizen-led initiative petition process to get abortion on the ballot.&nbsp;

The coalition, whose leaders include the ACLU of Missouri, Abortion Action Missouri and the state’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, emphasized the state’s strict abortion laws in the months leading up to the election.

The abortion-rights campaign saw overwhelming support across the state early on, turning in more than 380,000 signatures to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in May.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The campaign behind the amendment successfully raised more than $16 million leading up to the November election, according to reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission. This money, a significant portion of which came from out-of-state groups that don’t disclose their donors, helped fund TV ads and other messaging across the state.&nbsp;

Those opposed to the amendment launched a mostly grassroots effort to fight the amendment with the help of anti-abortion lawmakers, churches and activists. Their messaging leaned heavily into claims that the amendment would legalize gender-affirming surgeries for minors, something&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/missouri-abortion-gender-affirming-health-care-amendment-3/">legal experts have disputed.</a>

Several different PACs created to encourage Missourians to “vote no” cumulatively raised a few million dollars to fight the amendment, including through radio ad buys, billboards and fliers, mostly relying on word-of-mouth to raise concerns with the amendment.&nbsp;

Susan Prinster, 72, a member of&nbsp;Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in&nbsp;O’Fallon, gathered with a few dozen other parishioners to pray the rosary on Tuesday afternoon, hours before polls closed across the state.&nbsp;

“I’m very scared,” Prinster said following the recitation of the rosary late Tuesday afternoon in&nbsp;St. Charles County as part of a larger effort across the Archdiocese of St. Louis to pray for the defeat of Amendment 3.&nbsp;“I don’t know where this thing came from.”

Prinster remembers the moment 52 years ago when she learned Roe v. Wade, a U.S. Supreme Court decision that protected the constitutional right to an abortion, was decided. She was holding her first child, still an infant, in her arms at her home in Missouri.

“It was awful,” she said, recalling how she looked down at her child as they swayed in a rocking chair.&nbsp;

Sylvia Kiphart, a retired preschool teacher who now serves as coordinator for Assumption’s “Pro-Life” program, said if Amendment 3 passes she hopes a new ballot measure is quickly introduced attempting to overturn it.

“We’ve got to stop them,” she said. “We’ve got to. We can’t keep killing babies.”

While the amendment will go into effect in early December, abortion won’t immediately become readily accessible across the state.&nbsp;

Leaders with Missourians for Constitutional Freedom have said many of the state’s existing TRAP laws, which made access nearly impossible prior to the abortion ban, will first need to be challenged in court.

Missouri voters approve Amendment 3, overturn state’s abortion ban 

A Gallatin man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show has pleaded guilty in federal court to a fraud scheme. 

52 year old Steve McBee was charged by Judge Stephen Bough with one count of federal crop insurance fraud.  McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series "The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys" on Peacock.

By pleading guilty, McBee admitted to engaging in fraudulent activity between 2018 and 2020 that caused a loss to the US Department of Agriculture.  He is ordered to pay restitution and must forfeit $3,158,923 to the government

McBee admitted in federal court that he engaged in fraudulent activity that caused an economic loss to the federal government. Under the terms of the plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.

Gallatin farmer, star of reality TV show, pleads guilty to fraud scheme

Hillyard Technical Center has grown from a school district
vo-tech school to something much more important to the economic growth of the
community.

St. Joseph School Superintendent Gabe Edgar says Hillyard has
been attracting more and more students.

“A think a lot of that is due to some of the philosophical shifts
that we’ve had in the school system itself,” Edgar says during his visit to the
KFEQ Hotline. “Hillyard was one of those things when I first got here that was way,
way underutilized. So, we’ve kind of changed the branding and changed the
marketing strategy toward that population.”

Edgar says the Hillyard Advisory Board has members of the St.
Joseph manufacturing community on it, directing instruction more toward the
workforce needs of the greater St. Joseph area.

Edgar says Hillyard aims now to address the workforce needs of
the St. Joseph region.

“Before we were just training students to train students,”
Edgar says. “We weren’t training students to go to the workforce or go to Gray
Manufacturing or Altec or wherever that may be. We’ve become more specific and
we’re really trying to engage that student population at a young age.”

Edgar adds that Hillyard will work effortlessly with the new
Convergent Technology Alliance Center on the Missouri Western State University campus.
CTAC will work with local manufacturers to train students for the high skill
manufacturing jobs in demand today. It is a joint venture between Missouri
Western and North Central Missouri College of Trenton.

“So, a student can go to Hillyard, they can get their
apprenticeship and they can go into the workforce,” Edgar explains. “Then there’s
the next step. You can go to Hillyard, you can get your certificate, then you
go to North Central for two years and you go into the workforce. And then we
have a path also where you go to Hillyard, you go to North Central, finish your
four-year degree at Missouri Western. So, it’s all seamless and it works
together.” 

Hillyard grows from vo-tech school to vital link to greater St. Joseph economy

Election Day and perhaps the most striking part of this
Election Day for our area is the lack of contested races, on both sides of the
river.

St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner, a Republican, is being
challenged by Democrat Andrew Gibson. St. Joseph state Rep. Brenda Shields, a
Republican, is running unopposed. State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack of Savannah, a
Republican, is running unopposed.

Buchanan County voters in the Western District will decide
whether to re-elect Democrat Ron Hook, who has been the Western District
Commissioner since 2009, or whether to choose Republican challenger, Everett Goddard,
Jr. Some Buchanan County residents will choose between incumbent Republican
state Rep. Sean Pouche or Democrat Andrea Denning for the Missouri House 13th
District, which includes much of Platte County as well as southern and eastern
Buchanan County.

In Kansas, Republican Craig Bowser of Holton is unopposed
after winning a three-candidate race in the primary, which included incumbent Sen.
Dennis Pyle. Republican Allen Reavis of Atchison is unopposed in the 63rd
Kansas House race.

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, the dean of the Missouri Congressional delegation, is running for re-election, opposed by Democrat Pam May. Libertarian Andy Maidment and Green Party candidate Mike Diel are also in the race.

Voters in the 2nd Congressional District of Kansas will be choosing new representation. Congressman Jake LaTurner decided against running for a third term. Republican Derek Schmidt of Independence, the former Kansas Attorney General, and Democrat Nancy Boyda of Baldwin City, who formerly held the seat, are running to replace LaTurner. Libertarian John Hauer of Topeka is also on the ballot.

Missouri voters face six issues on the ballot.

Perhaps the two constitutional amendments getting the most
attention are Amendment #2, legalizing sports betting in Missouri and Amendment
#3, legalizing abortion.

Amendment #5 would allow a gambling boat at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Amendment #6 would reinstate a court fee to help finance
sheriff and prosecutor pensions.

Amendment #7 would ban ranked choice voting in Missouri.

Proposition A would raise the state minimum age and require
businesses to provide sick leave.

Polls close at 7 o’clock this evening. KFEQ will broadcast
election results along with Fox News and the Missourinet, beginning at 7pm. We
will be updating St. Joseph Post throughout the night.

This article has been updated since first published.

Election Day and few contested races in St. Joseph region

The Kansas City Chiefs needed overtime to get the job done, but remained the lone unbeaten team in the NFL and set the franchise record for the most consecutive wins, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night.&nbsp;

The 14 consecutive wins date back to last year.&nbsp; Previously the longest winning streak was 13 games, back between 2019 to 2020, when Kansas City made the first Super Bowl run in 50 years.&nbsp;

After both teams traded punts to open the game, it was Harrison Butker that got the Chiefs on the board first, late into the first quarter, hitting a 40 yard field goal.&nbsp; Following that, the Buccaneers put together an 11 play drive that carried into the second quarter, ending with a seven yard touchdown run by Rachaad White, who grew up in Kansas City and attended Center High School.

An 11 play drive by the Chiefs on the ensuing drive consumed over six minutes of clock, and for the first time since he joined Kansas City after being traded last week, Deandre Hopkins found the endzone on a one yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes.&nbsp; The Chiefs wound up leading 10-7 at the halftime break.&nbsp;

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield put together a nice drive to take the lead back at the start of the second half, driving down the field and finding tight end Cade Otton for a go ahead touchdown.&nbsp; The lead was extended later in the quarter, Chase McLaughlin knocking through a 47 yard field goal, putting Tampa Bay up 17-10 going into the final quarter of regulation.&nbsp;

With the Buccaneers leading, Kansas City put together another long drive, 12 plays using up the final minutes of the third quarter and finding the endzone early in the fourth, Mahomes connecting with Samaje Perine for a seven yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; Following the play though, the entirety of Chiefs Kingdom collectively held their breath.

While scrambling to find Perine on the play, Mahomes appeared to tweak an existing ankle injury, and was helped off the field by trainers and into the blue injury tent on the sideline, while backup Carson Wentz began warming up in case he was needed.&nbsp; Following a Tampa Bay punt though, the crowd was loud, as Mahomes trotted back onto the field.

Even hobbled, Mahomes showed he was an MVP caliber quarterback, putting together a 15 play drive that ended with the welcome party for Hopkins continuing, as Mahomes again found the 12 year veteran in the endzone for a five yard touchdown pass, giving the Chiefs the lead back for the first time since halftime.&nbsp;

Both teams went on to trade punts, setting Tampa Bay up for one last drive to tie up the game, which Mayfield orchestrated over 15 plays, leaving just 27 seconds on the clock as Ryan Miller caught a one yard touchdown pass.&nbsp; With some question if head coach Todd Bowles would go for two, it was McLaughlin that marched on the field to knock through the extra point and leave the game tied.

The Chiefs made an attempt to get down the field, having three timeouts remaining, but were forced to punt and send the game to overtime.&nbsp; Kansas City won the toss, and chose to receive.&nbsp; Overtime wins and the Kansas City Chiefs, they go together like peanut butter and jelly, having not lost an overtime matchup since the 2021 AFC Conference Championship against the Cincinnati Bengals.

A 10 play drive for the Chiefs ended the game, as Kareem Hunt plunged into the endzone from two yards out, one play after Travis Kelce nearly found the endzone on a quick pass from Mahomes, advancing the Chiefs to an 8-0 record.&nbsp;

Mahomes put together his best game of the season thus far, going 34 of 44 passing for 291 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions, the first this season Mahomes had no turnovers.&nbsp; Hunt rushed 27 times for 106 yards and a score.&nbsp; Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards, while Hopkins had eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

The Chiefs will stay in Kansas City next week for their first AFC West rivalry matchup at Arrowhead Stadium, after traveling to the Chargers and Raiders, taking on the Denver Broncos in Week 10.&nbsp; Kickoff is at noon with pregame at 11am on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and Q Country 92.7

Chiefs win franchise record 14th consecutive game, beat Buccaneers 30-24 in OT

For the first time in their careers, two Royals are golden.&nbsp;

Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and pitcher Seth Lugo took home Rawlings Gold Gloves at their respective positions in the American League, as announced Sunday on ESPN.&nbsp;

It's the first Gold Glove for both, and the first time the Royals have had Gold Glove winners since 2021, when left fielder Andrew Benintendi and center fielder Michael A. Taylor took home the honors.&nbsp;

Witt is just the second Royals shortstop to earn the award since Alcides Escobar in 2015, while Lugo is the first pitcher since Bret Saberhagen in 1989 to be honored.&nbsp;&nbsp;The two Royals are among the 14 first-time winners of this year’s Gold Glove group -- tied for most in a single year with 2022.

Witt beat out the Yankees’ Anthony Volpe (who won the award last year) and the Guardians’ Brayan Rocchio at AL shortstop. Witt led all AL shortstops with +16 Outs Above Average in 2024, which was tied with Francisco Lindor for second-best among MLB shortstops. According to Statcast, Witt prevented 12 runs.

Lugo beat out teammate Cole Ragans and Angels righty Griffin Canning for the AL pitcher’s Gold Glove. Lugo and Ragans helped the Royals have one of the best rotations in baseball in 2024, but they also both fielded their position well. Lugo, who turns 35 on Nov. 17, didn’t commit an error this year and was one of 10 AL pitchers to finish with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and make 30-plus starts. Lugo covered more innings (206 2/3) than anyone in that group.

The Royals have won 22 Gold Gloves since 2011, which is the most in the Majors across that span. Catcher Freddy Fermin was a finalist for the AL Gold Glove this year but lost to Seattle’s Cal Raleigh.

Fan voting is now open for the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award, given annually to the best fielder in each league.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2011, Rawlings unveiled the first-ever Rawlings Platinum Glove Award, a new fan-centric platform asking the game’s avid fans who the best defensive baseball player is among that season's Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners. The last Royal to earn the Platinum Glove Award was Alex Gordon in 2020.

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