The St. Joseph Community Alliance is continuing to reevaluate the Imagine St. Joseph 2040 plan.   

After holding an initial meeting last month to begin discussions, a community survey is being put out to gather more input on the key parts of the plan and see how people believe things are going, and how they can continue to improve.  

St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Kristi Bailey says it's important to reevaluate the 2040 plan because of how things have changed since it was initially created in 2018 

"Government has changed, the economy has changed in positive ways and negative ways,” Bailey says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “So, you just have to be able to roll with the tide and you don’t want to stick to your guns to much on things that aren’t working.” 

Bailey says last month's meeting encouraged people to think about the key areas of the plan, but also things that could be added in the reformed plan 

"It’s important to just take a step back and look at everything and celebrate that, but then also think ok what’s next?” Bailey explains.  “We can’t just sit, what else do we need to do?” 

The survey focuses around those key areas, as well as those that were added.  You can find the survey on the Imagine St. Joseph 2040 Facebook page.  The survey is open until March 25th 

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

St. Joseph Community Alliance asking for input on Imagine 2040 plan

More than 1,800 agriculture students from 75 area high schools will gather at North Central Missouri College on Thursday, March 19, for the annual NCMC Ag Club Contests.

The event, held in coordination with Area 2 FFA Association instructors, allows students to practice judging skills in 14 categories, including agronomy, ag mechanics, livestock, and farm management.

Contests begin at 9:00 a.m. at locations across the main campus, the fairgrounds, and the Barton Farm Campus south of Trenton.

College officials are advising local restaurants to prepare for large crowds during the lunch hour, as participants will be responsible for their own meals. Additionally, the Ketcham Community Center will be closed all day Thursday. Students and residents are asked to avoid parking near the center to accommodate school bus parking.

For more information on the contests or NCMC agriculture programs, visit ncmissouri.edu or contact the Barton Farm Campus at 660-357-6336.

NCMC to host 75 area schools for annual ag competitions Thursday

Evergy has narrowed a record-breaking pool of applicants down to 10 finalists for its 2026 Connecting for Good Hometown Grants Program. 

The public will now determine which three organizations receive funding through a community vote on Evergy’s official Facebook page.

The top three agencies with the most "likes" on their specific project photos will receive up to $10,000 each. These grants are designed to support new or expanded projects that focus on providing basic needs—such as food security, housing, and hygiene—outside of an organization's normal daily operations.

Online voting is open now and will run through March 25 at 5:00 p.m. Evergy will officially announce the three winners on March 31.

To participate, voters should visit Evergy’s Facebook page and "like" the photo of their chosen organization.

The Hometown Grants program is part of Evergy’s broader commitment to community support, which includes $7 million in annual donations to nonprofits and a variety of direct customer assistance and energy-saving resources.

Evergy announces finalists for 2026 Hometown Grants; public voting now open

Here is a look at statistics from the St. Joseph Police Department from St. Patrick's Day weekend.

SJPD says officers worked proactively throughout the weekend to help ensure everyone could celebrate safely.

Stats from the St. Joseph Police Dept. for St. Patrick's Day weekend

KFEQ Morning Sports

DAVIESS COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 7:30a.m. Monday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Dodge Ram driven by a 33-year-old Milwaukee, Wisconsin, man was southbound on Interstate 35 five miles northwest of Winston. The rear of the vehicle began to slide. The pickup traveled off the west side of the road, struck a sign and rolled onto its top.

A private vehicle transported the driver and a 28-year-old passenger to Cameron Regional Medical Center. They were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

2 hospitalized after pickup rolls on icy NW Mo. highway

DEKALB COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Monday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 F 150 driven by a 44-year-old Maysville man westbound on U.S. 36 at southwest Ogle Road one mile east of Stewartsville.&nbsp; The pickup began to slide on the ice, did a 180 spin, traveled off the south side of the road and rolled into the median.

DeKalb Clinton ambulance transported a 25-year-old passenger to Cameron Regional Medical Center.&nbsp; The driver was not injured. Both were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man injured after pickup rolls on icy road

Shoppers in the south side were greeted with a notice the past few days, in the frozen aisles of the Green Hills at 7014 King Hill Avenue.

According to store management, copper tubing used to conduct freon through the refrigeration system was stolen, which was discovered Friday morning during stocking.

Staff managed to preserve roughly 80% of the frozen product. Maintenance crews were called in Monday, and freezers should be fully restocked mid-day tomorrow.

Green Hills freezers vandalized Friday

A partial government shutdown that is affecting funding to parts of the Department of Homeland Security is still ongoing.  

The shutdown triggered over border control agents and immigration officials has now been going on for over a month, with departments such as FEMA and the Transportation Security Administration not receiving funding.  

Kansas Representative Derek Schmidt calls the failure to get a funding bill passed extremely frustrating 

"It’s unnecessary, it needs to end at the end of the day,” Schmidt says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “There is no reason other than political dynamics for the Department of Homeland Security not to be fully funded, we actually had a bipartisan agreement with the House and the Senate, Republicans and Democrats to fund it, and then Senate Democrats reneged on that agreement and here we are stuck, bottom line is it just needs to get done.” 

The funding bill has been shot down by the Senate four times, the biggest issue coming over funding of ICE and border security, following the incidents in Minnesota.  

Schmidt is calling for the Senate to get the measure passed, saying it's unfair to TSA agents who are currently working unpaid, some even not showing up to work due to the lack of pay. 

"Sure they’ll get back pay eventually, but that doesn’t pay the mortgage that needs to be paid now, it doesn’t pay the grocery bill when it needs to be paid now, they did nothing wrong, nobody’s even mad at them, this should not be happening,” Schmidt explains.  “So to with the Secret Service that’s in the same boat, so to with FEMA which is in the same boat, so to with the Coast Guard which is in the same boat, that’s an unfortunate expression but yes, it’s true, and it’s not just unfair to them it is irresponsible to Americans all over the country, especially with what is going on in the Middle East right now.” 

Schmidt says it feels like this has become more of a political issue than a policy issue 

"That is very frustrating, it is very unfair to the men and women, for example in TSA but in the other agencies affected, who nobody is mad at, it’s not part of what this argument, this debate, this fight is about,” Schmidt says.  “It is very unfair to the traveling American pubic and it is very unfair to all of our citizens who deserve to know, especially in this time of combat in the Middle East, that Homeland Security is fully funded, fully equipped, has what they need to keep our communities safe, and so I know I keep saying the same thing but it just needs to come to an end.” 

Schmidt points out the irony is a bipartisan deal came to by both the House and Senate had many things in it that would suit what Democrats are asking for, including better training among others. 

Kansas Representative Derek Schmidt says Senate needs to pass funding bill for DHS

Northwest Missouri State University President Dr. Lance Tatum announced Thursday that the institution is establishing a Center for Rural Health. 

The center aims to address the critical shortage of healthcare workers in rural Missouri and the surrounding region. “The University recognizes a critical opportunity to address growing healthcare workforce needs across rural Missouri and the surrounding region,” Tatum said.

Tatum presented tentative plans for the center to the University’s Board of Regents during a work session, noting that the vision has been a priority since he arrived at the university in 2023. He emphasized that the university is well-positioned to expand its allied health programs and strengthen industry partnerships to ensure rural communities have necessary medical leadership “for a healthier future.”

The new center will function as an interdisciplinary hub focused on academic innovation and program delivery for underserved communities. Tatum highlighted the school's commitment to its neighbors, stating, “Part of our mission is to be good partners to the communities we serve in northwest Missouri.” Beyond training, the facility is designed to foster collaboration across different academic disciplines and serve as a resource for regional research.

A key motivator for the project is the high demand for nurses in the area. According to Missouri Hospital Association data, northwest Missouri faces a 12.1 percent nursing vacancy rate, which is higher than the state average of 10.1 percent. Tatum noted that there are “countless opportunities” for the institution’s talent and expertise to serve the broader region and state.

Since 2019, Northwest has admitted more than 2,100 pre-nursing students, but these students have historically been forced to transfer to other institutions to finish their degrees. Currently, students can only complete general education and prerequisites at Northwest before seeking a Bachelor of Science in Nursing elsewhere.

To bridge this gap, a new four-year nursing program will anchor the center. The university plans to leverage its existing faculty and its accredited RN-BSN and MSN programs to build a robust workforce pipeline. Tatum noted that this strategy is built on existing foundations, saying, “Our vision is based on an opportunity we see through increased demand in existing programs that we already offer at Northwest.”

The University expects to launch the Center for Rural Health as early as 2027. Tatum concluded that the regional workforce needs are immediate and unavoidable. “The workforce needs of northwest Missouri related to healthcare are real, and they are staring us directly in the face,” Tatum said.

Northwest Missouri State to launch Center for Rural Health

Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials held what were called “remarkably stable” talks in Paris during the weekend on several topics. Reports said the discussions centered on potential areas of agreement in agriculture, critical minerals, and managed trade for U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider in Beijing. Sources familiar with the talks noted that the Chinese side showed additional willingness toward buying more U.S. agricultural goods, including poultry, beef, and non-soybean row crops, adding that China is still committed to buying 25 million tons of American soybeans each of the next three years. 

However, reports have said President Trump is considering a delay in the visit to China at the end of the month as he wants to increase the pressure on Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and calm oil prices that have soared during the Iran war.

China signals openness to buying more U.S. ag products

Several of the world’s largest fertilizer producers were hit with a class-action lawsuit last week, accusing the companies of conspiring to inflate fertilizer prices for U.S. farmers. They say the conspiracy added thousands of dollars in input costs per farm and raised major concerns across the agricultural supply chain. Union Line Farms of Iowa, filed the suit and targets many of the companies currently dominating the global fertilizer market. 

The suit names companies like Mosaic, Nutrien, Koch Agronomic Services, and others, alleging they coordinated production and pricing strategies to artificially increase the cost of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash, key inputs for crop production across U.S. agriculture. When prices began rising sharply during supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions in 2020, the suit alleges that prices remained elevated long after those pressures had ceased. The suit said fertilizer costs increased by 60 percent between 2021 and 2022, adding an estimated $128,000 in additional costs per farm in 2022 alone. 

Groups file class action lawsuit on fertilizer price fixing

Corn basis levels across much of the Eastern Corn Belt have remained relatively steady in recent weeks, while soybean basis has shown greater volatility across the region, according to a new market update from Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture. 

As grain markets transition to May futures contracts, local corn bids have held firm in many areas, with particularly strong basis levels reported in parts of Indiana and Ohio. Soybean basis, however, has varied widely between regions, with some districts experiencing weaker bids as processors adjust demand. The report notes that ethanol plants have continued to offer competitive premiums for corn relative to nearby elevators, supporting local cash prices in some markets. At the same time, soybean crush plants have softened bids in several areas, contributing to the uneven soybean basis environment. 

Agricultural economists say tracking local basis remains critical for marketing decisions because regional demand from ethanol plants, processors and exporters can create significant differences in cash grain prices.

Corn Basis Holds Steady While Soybean Basis Shows Wider Swings

U.S. ethanol production increased in the latest federal report, signaling stronger demand for the corn-based biofuel as the industry enters the spring driving season. 

Production averaged about 1.126 million barrels per day during the week ending March 6, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, marking the highest output in several weeks. Higher ethanol production typically boosts demand for corn, the primary feedstock used in U.S. biofuel plants. The ethanol industry consumes roughly one-third of the nation’s corn crop each year, making production trends closely watched by grain markets and farmers. Analysts say ethanol margins have improved recently as energy prices climb and fuel demand remains steady. 

The sector also continues to benefit from strong export demand and federal renewable fuel policies supporting biofuel blending. Industry groups note that ethanol production reached record levels in 2025, highlighting the fuel’s growing role in U.S. energy markets and rural economies.

U.S. Ethanol Production Climbs to Multi-Week High

U.S. farmers are accelerating grain sales after global tensions involving Iran pushed corn, soybean and wheat prices sharply higher in recent days. 

Futures markets rallied as energy prices climbed and concerns grew about disruptions to fertilizer and fuel supplies tied to the conflict. Soybean prices reached their highest level since 2024, while corn and wheat also climbed to multi-month highs, prompting many farmers to market crops they had stored during last year’s weak price environment. Major grain traders including ADM and Bunge have increased purchases as elevators across parts of the Midwest see a wave of farmer sales, according to market analysts. 

Reuters reports higher crop prices have improved short-term cash flow for producers who struggled with declining farm income and rising production costs in recent seasons. However, analysts say the rally may offer only temporary relief as farmers continue to face elevated expenses for fertilizer, fuel and seed. The latest surge reflects how geopolitical conflicts can quickly ripple through global agricultural commodity markets.

Farmers Sell Grain as Prices Surge Amid Middle East Conflict

May corn closed up 4 3/4 cents and July corn was up 4 1/4 cents. May soybeans closed down 2 cents and July soybeans were down 2 1/2 cents. May KC wheat closed up 16 1/2 cents, May Chicago wheat was up 15 1/4 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was up 11 cents.

It was another mostly positive session for price action across U.S. row-crop futures, with a surge in wheat helping corn to reverse from early losses to trade higher as well. Soybeans drifted a touch lower but well off their lowest point by the close as buyers remain active and looking for opportunity on dips. Outside markets saw energy prices creep higher yet again, with WTI crude oil higher for the tenth time in the past 11 sessions, closing in on the $100 per barrel mark. The U.S. dollar was higher after the January Personal Consumption Expenditure report showed the highest reading in almost two years, adding more doubt to a near-term rate cut from the Federal Reserve, especially considering January data is well before the energy shock as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. CME's FedWatch tool is currently predicting steady rates until the October FOMC meeting.

The live cattle complex was mildly lower headed into Friday's close as traders are again allowing the complex to find very little technical support. Currently the spot April contract is trading above its 100-day moving average; monitoring that threshold into early next week will be vital as traders may not keep the complex above that price-point as there's not much fundamental support in the market. No new cash cattle trade has developed, but a single bid was on the table at $235 in Kansas. So far this week, Northern dressed business has been done at mostly $372, $8 lower, and Southern live business was done at mostly $235, $4 lower in Texas, and $5 lower in Kansas. It's likely trade volumes will remain light this week as there's expected to be a plant strike starting on Monday at the JBS plant in Greeley, Colorado.

The feeder cattle complex was mixed moving into Friday's closing bell, as traders seem confident allowing the contracts to scale mildly higher even though the market's fundamentals haven't been overly supportive this week. But at the day's end, it wouldn't be surprising to see the market again slip below its 100-day moving average next week as it is expected to face challenges with the potential plant strike in Colorado.

The lean hog complex was again trading lower. Although pork demand may be up slightly, the market doesn't have the technical support it needs. Helping drive the pork cutout values higher is mostly the $9.02 jump in the belly.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2026/03/13142254/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

May corn closed up 2 1/4 cents and July corn was up 2 cents. May soybeans closed up 13 1/4 cents and July soybeans were up 12 3/4 cents. May KC wheat closed unchanged, 0 cents, May Chicago wheat was up 3 3/4 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was down 3 1/2 cents.

The soybean market continued to press higher, setting new calendar highs in early trade on Thursday before eventually relaxing off highs through the day trade. Corn futures held to modest gains despite late session pressure while wheat markets were more mixed in nature. Prices were supported by higher energy markets with the war in the Middle East raging on and thus far little indication of an easing to the conflict but held in check by immediate chart resistance to the upside. The U.S. dollar was firm and again testing topside resistance among 2026 highs and closing in on six month highs. Equity markets were sharply lower again as investors are anxious regarding what the sharp rise in energy prices could mean for the greater world economy through 2026.

Following Wednesday's lower close, the live cattle complex was back to trading mildly higher. It's not because of an uptick in fundamental support -- but rather that some light technical support has worked its way into the market and is helping drive the contracts up into Thursday's closing bell. The other supportive factor that might be adding a slight boost to the market was the marketing year high of 25,400 metric tons of beef sold in Thursday morning's export report. A single bid is on the table in Kansas at $235 but otherwise no new cash cattle trade has developed following Wednesday's business.

Meanwhile the feeder cattle complex traded mostly mixed into Thursday's close as it isn't as confident at this time as the live cattle complex. The market continues to hover around its 100-day moving average, which could be a difficult threshold to boldly move past until some of the market's pressure resolves and its fundamentals improve.

Once again the lean hog complex was trailing lower as the market's resistance simply is too much for traders to bear at this point. While pork cutout values may be mildly higher, the market doesn't seem to be seeing that as a wildly supportive gesture as it not only wants to see higher prices but also consistency.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2026/03/12135054/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ monthly “Flash Report” said the sales of all tractors during February in the U.S. were down 12 percent from the same month in 2025. During February, a total of 9,084 tractors were sold, which compares to 11,167 sold during the same month in 2025. For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors under 40 horsepower were down 11 percent from last year, while 40-and-under-100-horsepower sales were down nine percent from 2025. 

Sales of two-wheel drive 100-plus-horsepower tractors were down 26 percent, while four-wheel drive tractors were up 11 percent. Combine sales in February totaled 159, down 13 percent from last year. For the year, total tractor sales are down nine percent from 2025. For the year, combine sales totaled 322 through February, which was up 15 percent from last year during the first two months. 

U.S. tractor and combine sales down 12% in February

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall offered a variety of solutions for increasing the demand for U.S.-grown agricultural goods during testimony before the Senate Ag Committee. He joined several other agricultural leaders to share priorities to address a structural imbalance that threatens both farmers’ livelihoods and food insecurity in the U.S. The solutions offered included authorizing year-round E15, modernizing farm labor programs, and establishing improved programs to enable schools and the military to purchase directly from local farms. 

When it comes to E15, Duvall said it’s a no-brainer. “It’s a win-win-win,” he said. “It’s a win for our consumers, a win for the farmer, and it’s a win for Congress to make sure that you can do that for the consumer and for the farmer at the same time.” Duvall also recently sent a letter to President Trump asking him to intervene to address the disruption of fertilizer shipments from the Middle East. 

Duvall testifies before Senate Ag Committee

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflecto</a>r

TOPEKA — A banking official told lawmakers Monday about an elderly customer who was scammed into giving tens of thousands of dollars to what she believed would be a scholarship honoring her dead husband.

Tony Weingartner, manager of the financial intelligence unit at Topeka-based Capitol Federal Savings Bank, said the bank engaged with the woman, and law enforcement and social workers met with her, but she “could not believe that that would occur illegitimately and that she was defrauded.”

“She couldn’t accept it,” he said. “And now, my understanding is, even with a conservator over her finances, she still believes that there’s a scholarship out there for her husband. There isn’t one.”

Weingartner used the anecdote to demonstrate the need for legislation that would hold telecommunications providers and social media platforms liable for fraudulent activity that results in losses for banks.

In another example, he said, the bank lost $45,000 last month after a customer was tricked by a fraudster who appeared by caller ID to be a bank employee. The customer provided account information.

The fraudster then convinced the victim’s phone service provider that the victim needed calls transferred to a new number. When the bank called to verify the legitimacy of checks from the victim’s account, fraudsters answered the phone and provided a green light.

Representatives for the banking industry appeared before a joint committee of House and Senate lawmakers to initiate conversation about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2648/" target="_blank">House Bill 2648</a>. The bill would require social media platforms such as Meta, which operates Facebook, to verify the identity of advertisers, give users a clear and conspicuous tool to report suspected fraud, and investigate reports of fraud within 72 hours.

Social media platforms would be liable for damages caused by fraudulent ads if they knowingly allow such ads on their platform or ignore credible reports of fraud.

The bill also would prohibit telecommunication companies from transmitting a call that falsely identifies a caller’s name or phone number.

Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican who chairs the House Financial Institutions and Pensions Committee, said he wanted to hold an informational hearing on the bill, even though it won’t advance this year.

Kelly VanZwoll, of the Kansas Bankers Association, introduced the bill in early February. She told the joint committee that banks have been on the front lines of protecting consumers, and they want regulators and industry to work with them.

“It really is a team sport,” she said. “We can’t do it alone, and that’s what we need your help.”

She presented information she attributed to reporting by the Wall Street Journal and Reuters news service about fraudulent ads on Meta: 50% of scams for one large bank were traced to Meta, 70% of new Meta advertisers are flagged for fraud, and 96% of valid user scam reports are ignored. Additionally, she said, Meta earned $16 billion — 10% of its 2024 revenue — from ads that were scams or for banned goods. When Meta detects fraud, she said, the penalty is to charge bad actors a higher rate.

A Meta representative didn’t immediately respond to a request to comment for this story.

Megan Stokes, state policy director for the Computer and Communications Industry Association, of which Meta is a member, said in written testimony that the bill is unconstitutional because it regulates interstate services that are under federal domain and would criminalize protected free expression in violation of the First Amendment.

She objected to a private right of action in the bill that would allow individuals to sue companies for violations. She predicted courthouses would be flooded with “frivolous claims with little evidence of actual injury.”

Gerry Keegan, who represents CTIA, a trade association for the wireless industry, said telecommunication providers share a goal of protecting residents from fraud. They are actively developing new technology, he said, including an effective framework called “STIR/SHAKEN,” to combat bad actors.

“This legislation would impractically and improperly establish that providers of voice and messaging services would be liable for the actions of bad actors on their networks,” Keegan said. “While well-intentioned, this legislation would do little to deter bad actors who are already violating existing laws and would instead impose new requirements on law-abiding companies who are hard at work in the fight against unwanted and illegal robocalls and texts.”

Kansas banking officials ask lawmakers to hold social media, phone companies liable for fraud

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating the death of a couple found dead in a Kansas City apartment have identified the victims as&nbsp;

22-year-old Yasmene Herrera and 21-year-old Victor Campos, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 4:30a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shoosting in the 2600 block of NE. 42nd Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.

At the scene, officers heard the sound of a gunshot coming from inside an upstairs apartment. Officers made entry inside of the residence to search for any victims and render any necessary medical aid. An adult male was located suffering from gunshot trauma. He was unresponsive. An additional adult female was located. She unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. EMS responded to the scene and declared both individuals deceased.&nbsp;The case is now being investigated as an apparent murder-suicide.

Police ID couple found dead in Kansas City apartment

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson is pledging support for legislation aimed at cracking down on “date rape” drugs, after two Democratic lawmakers said they believe they were drugged in Jefferson City during last year’s legislative session.

Patterson, a Republican and physician, said he found the lawmakers’ accounts “very troubling” and encouraged them to pursue criminal investigations.

“I just want them and everybody to know I support them 1,000% on doing that, whatever they need on that,” Patterson told reporters at a press conference last week. He added that it was the first he had heard of anything like that happening in Jefferson City, and said he would back the lawmakers “100%” if they need help at the Capitol.

Patterson pointed to legislation filed by state Rep. Elizabeth Fuchs, a St. Louis Democrat, who went public last week about her experience and has sought to increase penalties for substances commonly associated with drink-spiking. The bill was approved last week by the House Emerging Issues Committee.

“I think one of the representatives has proposed legislation even, and has had a hearing, and I really support her in that,” Patterson said.

Fuchs said she was grateful to hear the speaker’s support — but emphasized that the next meaningful step will be whether House leaders help move the bill to the floor after it cleared committee last week.

“I hope that the support continues,” she said in an interview, “and now that it passed unanimously out of committee, I’m hopeful that the speaker is going to help encourage the floor leader to bring it to the floor so we can have a discussion about it and get it over to the Senate.”

Fuchs filed legislation to add several psychoactive substances — including GHB and its chemical precursors, as well as nitrous oxide — to Missouri’s Schedule I controlled substance list and to modify penalties for possession and delivery.

The speaker’s remarks came after Fuchs and House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, testified in committee earlier this month that they suspected their drinks had been spiked during the 2025 session.

Fuchs told lawmakers she broke a rule she had long followed in Jefferson City — accepting a drink from someone she didn’t know well — and became disoriented and sick with gaps in her memory. She said she initially doubted herself, then later in session watched another colleague go from coherent to struggling with stairs, which made her suspicions feel less isolated.

Aune told the committee she questioned whether she had been drugged after a night in Jefferson City when she said she had been drinking only club soda. She said she later felt inexplicably inebriated, and spent the next day vomiting so severely she had to leave a leadership meeting repeatedly.

Since going public, Fuchs said she has heard from colleagues and from members of the public, including people who told her the testimony prompted them to reflect on their own experiences. She added that some people have privately disclosed similar stories, while others have expressed interest in being part of the conversation without wanting attention themselves.

“Once you start talking about things like this,” she said, “it brings awareness and also gives people thinking about their own experiences.”

Fuchs also framed the bill as a way to respond to a reality that can be difficult to prove after the fact: some drugs leave the body quickly, and victims may not seek testing immediately.

Debate around Fuchs’ bill has resurfaced a larger question about what has — and hasn’t — changed in Missouri politics since the Capitol’s most prominent sexual misconduct scandals a decade ago. In 2015, then-House Speaker John Diehl resigned after revelations he had sent sexually explicit text messages to a teenage intern, and state Sen. Paul LeVota resigned months later following allegations from interns of harassment and retaliation.

Fuchs, who first arrived in Jefferson City in 2015, said progress since then has been real but incremental.

“It’s incremental, and the light is shining on some of these things that happen in the dark,” she said.&nbsp;“We have sexual harassment policies here. We have trainings. We have people who are invested in making sure that the House and the Senate and this building are not only just safe for people who come here as elected officials, but for guests.”

Patterson’s statement of support is an opening, Fuchs said, but not the finish line.

“We could have bigger wins,” she said. “But if we’re measuring success according to how power structures work, yes, I do feel like we’re making progress.”

Missouri House speaker backs crackdown on ‘date rape’ drug after lawmaker testimony

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run identified the victim as 67-year-old&nbsp;Tommy English of Topeka. 

Just after 10p.m. March 9, police responded to a report of an injury accident at the intersection of SW 6th Street and SW Horne Street in Topeka, according to a media release.

Officers learned that a pedestrian, later identified as Tommy English had been struck by a vehicle. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

As a result of the investigation, it was determined that the incident involved a hit-and-run crash. The vehicle driver, Elizabeth A. Neal, 38, of Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and remains jailed on requested charges of Driving While License Suspended, Failure to Stop at an Accident Resulting in Death, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer; Conceal/Alter/Destroy Evidence, Vehicular Homicide

Police ID victim in fatal Kansas hit-and-run

KANSAS CITY—A firefighter was injured while fighting a fire Monday evening in Kansas City.

Just after 5p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported fire in a multi-family townhome at 10928 E McKinley in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 On arrival crews reported heavy smoke and fire from a two-story&nbsp; townhome. Interior operations were initiated using multiple handlines. Interior searches of the structure were conducted and came back all clear.&nbsp;

 City Planning and Dangerous Buildings were requested to the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD. On firefighter was transported to a local hospital for a minor injury, according to Hopkins.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Firefighter injured battling townhome fire in Kansas City

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ryanbrandt/">Ryan Brandt</a>

Gov. Mike Kehoe has proposed decreasing state spending for Missouri’s transportation industry.

According to a chart from Citizens for Modern Transit and the Missouri Public Transit Association, Missouri counties were provided $6.7 million for transportation for this fiscal year.

The governor is proposing that the state cut spending to $1.7 million.

For the past three fiscal years, the state has pumped in funds from general revenue to supplement federal transit funding. Kehoe’s proposal returns funding to 2024 levels without additional state revenue. State budget officials project some very tight budget years ahead for Missouri.

Missouri already spends a substantially lower amount on transportation relative to surrounding states, according to research by the Citizens for Modern Transit organization.

Kimberly Cella, CEO of Citizens for Modern Transit and executive director of the Missouri Public Transit Association, wrote a letter to Kehoe expressing concern for the cuts.

“Public transit providers deliver nearly 40 million rides each year across rural and urban Missouri, while also stimulating $4 billion in economic activity statewide,” Cella wrote. “This proposed cut will carry very real and tangible repercussions.”

The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the reasons for the proposed cuts.

Cella notes that these budgetary restraints will adversely affect employees across Missouri. According to her organization’s research, over half of the state transit drivers work commutes dedicated to getting Missouri residents to their designated place of employment.

OATS Transit reports that employment is its leading trip purpose, and the demand is growing.

According to Citizens for Modern Transit, the state’s reported $265 million surplus discovered through a bookkeeping error earlier this year should be directed toward improving transit services throughout Missouri.

Cella said that under Kehoe’s proposition, 30 transit providers would need to share $1.7 million in funding. Big cuts to the budget would have an impact on how many routes companies can provide to Missourians.

“We’re looking at providers, some of them enroll in rural Missouri who will probably go under if not have to cut significant service,” she said.

“This is going to have a significant impact on Missouri transit providers because the other thing is, it’s not just the state funding that’s impacted. That state funding serves as a local match for many of these providers for federal funding,” she said.

Federal funding is available to Missouri providers, but it requires a match of 80% federal funds to 20% local funds.

“Many of our providers use the state investment as a match, so it’s literally a double whammy,” Cella said. “They’re losing state investment, but they’re also losing the necessary matching funds to draw down additional federal funds for their budgets.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/rural-public-transit-advocates-push-back-on-proposed-cuts/article_e2526691-98cc-46b9-81c7-01442cd930ff.html#tncms-source=topstory" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Rural public transit advocates in push back on Missouri governor’s proposed cuts

The Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responding to an incident involving a fuel tank on a commercial barge at Tuttle Creek Lake.

According to a a media release from Corp of Engineers, the incident occurred just before 2p.m. Sunday when a fuel cell holding approximately 1,800 gallons of diesel fuel became submerged in 20 feet of water. 

High winds and wave action from the lake are suspected to be the cause of the incident. No foul play is suspected. 

The Corp of Engineers activated their emergency response plan and are working closely with the contractor who owns the barge, the National Response Center and the state of Kansas to assess and contain the situation. 

Response crews and equipment, including a dive team, are deploying to the site to mitigate any potential environmental impact. 

The public is advised to avoid boating in Tuttle Creek Cove until further notice.We are committed to providing timely and transparent updates as more information becomes available. "The safety of the public and the protection of the environment are our top priorities," the Corp reminded.

Fuel tank sinks into Tuttle Creek Lake; emergency response activated

President Trump announced on Monday that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.&nbsp;

Wiles, is 68, and rose from Trump's campaign co-chair to his closest adviser and counsel. She is the first woman to become&nbsp;White House chief of staff.

President Trump's White House Chief of Staff diagnosed with cancer

The changes tighten oversight of the state’s troubled marijuana microbusiness program, but lawmakers stripped out a proposal targeting people tied to denied or revoked licenses

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

Missouri lawmakers signed off on&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/12/new-rules-take-aim-at-predatory-contracts-in-missouri-cannabis-microbusiness-program/">proposed cannabis rules</a>&nbsp;Thursday meant to curb abuse in the state’s microbusiness licensing program, but not before stripping out a ban on people tied to denied or revoked licenses from holding interests in future microbusinesses.

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, made up of lawmakers from both the House and Senate, approved changes that would move regulators’ ownership review to before licenses are issued rather than after, a shift aimed at preventing another wave of revocations in the microbusiness program — sometimes called the social-equity cannabis program.

But the committee rejected a proposed rule barring the “owners, agents or representatives” of denied or revoked applicants from controlling another microbusiness license. Republican state Rep. Ben Keathley of Chesterfield said the language was too broad and needed to be more specific.

The microbusiness program was designed to boost opportunities in the cannabis industry for people in disadvantaged communities that have been most impacted by the war on drugs. It began in 2023, after passing as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=XIV%20%20%202&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;to legalize recreational marijuana in 2022.

For&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/26/applicants-recruited-on-craigslist-competed-for-missouri-social-equity-cannabis-licenses/">the last two years</a>, The Independent has documented a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/08/missouri-lawyer-for-cannabis-trade-group-behind-contracts-tied-to-revoked-licenses/">pattern of well-connected groups</a>&nbsp;and individuals flooding the microbusiness lottery by recruiting people to submit applications and then offering them contracts that limit their profit and control of the business.&nbsp;

Of the 105 microbusiness licenses issued so far, 35 have been revoked.

“There’s really no question in many cases,” Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, said during a hearing with the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules this week. “Third parties used eligible individuals, names and circumstances to attempt to acquire licenses for themselves.”

In order to prevent the continued cascade of revocations, the division is proposing to adjust when its extensive application-review period occurs.&nbsp;

The state has held two lotteries for microbusiness licenses so far, Moore told committee members. After each lottery, she said the winners were issued licenses and then her team conducted an investigation into all contracts to verify the winner was eligible to hold the license.&nbsp;

“Our investigation found instances of licenses that were awarded to individuals who very clearly, through review of agreements and interviews, were not owning and operating the license,” she said.&nbsp;

Even after taking “very strong action” and revoking several licenses after the first lottery, it was not the deterrent her team expected.&nbsp;

“In the second round, we had to revoke almost half of the licenses for this type of non compliance,” she said. “So that brings us to this set of amendments. We could have kept going with additional rounds of licensure, additional revocations. I’m not sure how many rounds we would have to go through to finally get to the minimum number of licenses that are required by the constitution, which is 144.”

The proposed rules would change the point when regulators would review questionable contracts to take place before the license is issued, instead of afterwards as it is now.

Also, under the new rules, “majority owned and operated” would be defined as the eligible individuals who are listed as having majority ownership must have a level of operational control that would be expected of an owner.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The designated-contact role was envisioned as a way to ensure clear communication between the state and licensees. However, regulators found in their&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/23/alleged-predatory-contracts-continue-to-surface-in-missouri-social-equity-marijuana-program/">investigations</a>&nbsp;that designated contacts have kept the actual eligible applicants in the dark about business and license dealings. The new rules would require the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/17/new-rules-target-middlemen-in-missouri-cannabis-industry-to-prevent-predatory-practices/">designated contact&nbsp;</a>for a microbusiness applicant to be a majority owner of the microbusiness license.

Eligible individuals must have the power to order or direct the management, managers, and policies of the license, enter into agreements on behalf of the license, and otherwise make decisions for the business.

The committee approved these provisions on Thursday, but it put the brakes on a rule preventing decision-makers of a microbusiness license that regulators have denied or revoked from holding a voting or financial interest in any other microbusiness license.

“If we have good reasons for those denials,” Keathley said, “let’s make those reasons the basis for the denial going forward.”

The rule was removed from the proposed draft, and the committee agreed to approve the proposed rules and waive a 30-day review period.

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