Missouri lawmakers
return to Jefferson City today for a special legislative session, primarily to
consider an incentive package to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in
Missouri.

State Sen. Rusty
Black, a Republican from Chillicothe, says discussions continue as Gov. Mike
Kehoe attempts to gain the votes needed to approve the package.

“I do think that there’s
a path for this to end up on the governor’s desk and signed, but I certainly
don’t think all the negotiation is over yet,” Black says.

Kansas has an
offer on the table to lure both the Chiefs and the Royals across the state
line. Other cities, such as Nashville and Salt Lake City, are reputably
interested in luring the Royals away.

Black says
supporters must overcome objections that the issue only concerns western
Missouri.

“If you’re from
St. Louis, this is for Kansas City and we don’t care about that,” Black says. “And
we’ve got to get past some of that I believe if we’re going to get this piece
of legislation passed.”

Black says St.
Louis should actually be an example. He recalls driving by the former Edward Jones
Dome, now the Dome at America’s Center, and noticing it hasn’t spurred economic
development in downtown St. Louis since the Rams left.

Black views this as
an economic development issue.

“And sports teams
in my mind, professional sports teams in Rusty Black’s mind, they’re somewhat
like talking about a Ford plant closing down or a General Motors plant closing
down or, in St. Joe, all of the sudden Altec decides that they’re going to
leave, that has a lot more economic impact than inside their chain link fence.”

The governor also
wants lawmakers to consider a few capital improvement projects as well as tax
incentives for St. Louis area homeowners who suffered property damage in the
recent storms.

Black says there
could be a possibility of reviving projects for St. Joseph, along with
improvements for North Central Missouri College and other northwest Missouri
interests in the original $500 million capital improvement package.

“At this point in
time, they’re not in there, but it’s not like that I’m not paying attention to
what’s going to move forward and if the opportunity comes, I’m probably going
to ask for those things to be included again,” Black says.

Another obstacle
to overcome in this special legislative session is the way the regular session
ended. The Missouri Senate adjourned abruptly and early with much acrimony
after Republicans used a parliamentary procedure to cut off debate and force
votes on two controversial issues.

Black says the
tensions haven’t been smoothed over, at least not yet.

“We’re going to
have to work through those and hope that we can find a path even though there’s
still hurt feelings,” Black says.

Lawmakers will
also consider authorizing tax breaks for St. Louis area homeowners who suffered
property damage during recent storms.

Lawmakers return to Jefferson City to decide fate of Chiefs-Royals

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/05/28142157/30001-closing-markets.mp3">HERE</a> to listen

July corn closed down 8 1/2 cents and December corn was down 3 cents. July soybeans closed down 14 cents and November soybeans were down 13 1/4 cents. July KC wheat closed up 3/4 cents, July Chicago wheat was up 1 3/4 cents, July MIAX Minneapolis wheat was up 7 cents.

The U.S. Dollar Index is up 0.42 at 99.94. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 114.0 points at 42,296.0. June gold is up $0.20 at $3,300.60, July silver is down $0.14 at $33.18 and July copper is down $0.0590. July crude oil is up $0.86 at $61.75, July ultra-low sulfur diesel is up $0.0136, July RBOB gasoline is up $0.0076 and July natural gas is down $0.171.

July corn futures traded 8 1/2 cents lower Wednesday, finishing at $4.51. New-crop December futures were down 3 cents to $4.43 1/2. The corn market struggled to find any footing on Wednesday as recent buyers who entered the market last week are seemingly exiting positions for a quick profit, driven by mostly steady planting pace for corn, and a strong first crop condition reading in Tuesday's Crop Progress report from USDA.

In Tuesday's report, USDA pegged U.S. corn plantings at 87% complete versus the five-year average of 85%. Planting pace did slow slightly, with the lead over the five-year pace narrowing over the past week. Notably, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky remain behind normal pace due to heavy rainfall throughout the past few weeks. These states still have time ahead of the start of the late planting window on June 5 but depending on how these next few weeks go weather-wise, the door remains open in my view to potentially see a shift back toward soybean acreage in late states. The market may have been in agreement with this opinion Wednesday, as new-crop November soybeans dropped 13 1/2 cents relative to December corn's 3-cent drop. For corn conditions, USDA found in their first reading Tuesday that 68% of the U.S. corn crop is in good-to-excellent condition. This was perhaps a touch lower than many were expecting but, overall, not enough to spark much in the way of a bullish rally.

Looking at the December corn chart, Wednesday was a disappointing technical day for prices, as prices again failed at the 50-day moving average ($4.49 1/2) and the 20-day moving average at $4.44 1/2 also failed to hold in the afternoon. $4.40 is the next immediate support point, otherwise the 2025 low of $4.34 1/2 remains in play.

The DTN National Corn Index finished Tuesday at $4.35. Wednesday's futures close and implied corn basis of 25 cents under the July board would indicate the index on Wednesday afternoon to be near $4.25.

July soybean futures fell 14 cents Wednesday to $10.48 1/2. Meanwhile, new-crop November soybeans were down 13 1/4 cents to $10.37 1/2. The soybean complex as a whole was lower Wednesday, led by soybean oil which dropped 0.64 cents per pound but did find support near 48.58, trendline support which has caught prices on two breaks through the latter half of May. General nervousness regarding the budget bill as it works its way through the U.S. Senate seemed to be the primary source of weakness to soybean oil prices for Wednesday.

In Tuesday's Crop Progress report, USDA said U.S. soybean planting was 76% complete as of May 25, still 8 points ahead of the five-year average. Ohio, Kentucky, and Mississippi stand out as states currently behind average pace. The seven-day forecast continues to show widespread precipitation across the U.S. Grain Belt, with parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio in particular slated to receive 1 to 2+ additional inches of rain.

Looking at the November soybean futures chart for Wednesday, prices closed below the 20-day moving average ($10.38 1/4) for the first time since May 8. Support is stacked just above $10.30 in the form of the 100- and 200-day moving averages, while the 50-day moving average waits just below at $10.25 3/4.

The DTN National Soybean Index finished Tuesday at $10.12. Wednesday's futures close and implied soybean basis of 50 cents under the July board would indicate the index on Wednesday afternoon to be near $9.98.

July Kansas City wheat closed up 3/4 cents to $5.25 1/4 on Wednesday. Chicago wheat futures were also marginally higher while MIAX Minneapolis spring wheat futures led the charge higher, closing up 8 1/2 cents on July futures following a poor initial condition reading from USDA on Tuesday.

U.S. spring wheat condition was reported on Tuesday to be 45% good to excellent across the six major growing states. Top-producing North Dakota in particular posted the third lowest initial crop rating since the series began in 1986. 2021 stands out as one of the years which began with an even lower good-to-excellent rating than the 34% reported for North Dakota's crop in Tuesday's release. Heavy rainfall and cooler-than-average temperatures can be attributed to the slow start for spring wheat conditions. MIAX Minneapolis futures as a result extended their gains above KC and Chicago varieties on Wednesday, trading 6 cents higher on the September contract in what has turned into a choppy back-and-forth action for spring wheat prices over the past handful of sessions.

For the U.S. winter wheat crop, conditions again dropped week-over-week from 52% good to excellent to 50% in Tuesday's report. Nebraska led the way with a sharp 9-point drop in good-to-excellent ratings and a subsequent 12-point increase in poor-to-very-poor conditions as 53% of the states' wheat crop is now rated poor to very poor. It will be interesting to see if recent rainfall as well as chances over the next week will reverse fortunes there. Meanwhile, Kansas and Oklahoma are also slated to receive more rainfall over the next week. This may be welcome in parts of Kansas, but I would think the potential for too much moisture in Oklahoma may be possible after what has been an extremely wet last couple of months for the central and eastern parts of the state specifically. Finally, in international news, winter wheat prices may have been partially pressured by the International Grains Council increasing their estimate for Russian production to 81.7 million metric tons (mmt), joining USDA as well as SovEcon in estimating the crop higher than what was originally thought would be the case in early 2025.

Looking at the September MIAX Minneapolis wheat chart, prices stalled in their rally Wednesday at the 50-day moving average near $6.18 1/4, which has kept prices in check over the past five sessions. September Minneapolis futures have not sustained a move above the 50-day moving average since early in the year, and prices have subsequently failed at this level three times in the past three months.

The DTN National HRW Index finished Tuesday at $4.58, while the DTN National HRS Index was $5.73. Wednesday's futures close and the implied basis of 66 cents under the July for HRW, and 23 cents under the July for HRS, would indicate the indices for Wednesday afternoon to be near $4.59 and $5.82, respectively.

Commodity markets daily recap

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/05/28111447/kfeq-com-news.mp3">HERE</a> to listen

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/2e655dc6-854a-4a17-b3b1-df8dd919c51b">Fewer U.S. cattle on feed</a>

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/492dd8d0-6985-45fc-a11c-e189f96db7fb">USDA food purchases to help the needy</a>

Grassley Sees Few Senate Tax Changes to House-Passed Trump Tax, Spending Bill

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/431948c6-0012-4bdb-be86-1708e00519bf">White House Gives EU a Trade Reprieve</a>

<a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/0c8a5ebd-f25e-4bfd-a810-17610394315a">Outbreaks of bird flu in mammals doubled in 2024</a>

Ag News for May 28th, 2025

Outbreaks of bird flu in mammals doubled in 2024 with other diseases spreading and putting more humans at risk, says a new report on animal health. 

The first assessment published by the World Organization for Animal Health revealed animal diseases were migrating into unaffected areas. Half (47%) of these have animal-to-human potential. In 2023, there were 459 outbreaks of bird flu recorded in mammals, but that number climbed to 1,022 across 55 countries a year later. 

The expanding animal trade and a five percent reduction in livestock vaccinations between 2020 and 2022 contributed to the rise. The spread, prevalence and impact of infectious animal diseases is changing, bringing new challenges for agriculture and food security, human health and development, and natural ecosystems. 

More than 630 million birds have been culled across two decades during bird flu outbreaks. While the risk to humans remains low, more mammalian species that become infected - such as cattle, cats and dogs - the greater the risk of transmission to humans.

Outbreaks of bird flu in mammals doubled in 2024

The European Union won a pause from President Donald Trump’s threatened 50 percent tariffs. 

 However, Reuters said it’s not certain yet how the EU will push for a beneficial trade deal while Washington pushes for steeper EU concessions. After a conference call with the EU Commission President, Trump restored the July 9 deadline to allow talks between the U.S. and the 27-member nations to produce a trade agreement. 

The EU Commission oversees the trade policy for the bloc and said the call from Trump added new motivation to the negotiations that the two presidents agreed to put on a fast track. There wasn’t a lot of indication of what, if any, progress was made during the phone call toward clearing a path toward a negotiated solution. 

The EU wants a deal beneficial to both sides that could include moving to zero tariffs on industrial goods and the EU buying more U.S. soybeans.

White House gives EU a trade reprieve

The USDA will purchase up to $67 million in fresh seafood, fruits, and vegetables from domestic 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. Fiscal year to date, USDA has provided more than $600 million in purchases, all of which benefit the charitable feeding network.

 “These purchases deliver healthy and nutritious American commodities to individuals and families in need,” said Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins. “USDA is proud to support those in need by providing access to the safest and highest quality fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood in the world.” 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will purchase $20 million in Atlantic Groundfish, $14 million in canned pears, $3 million in sweet cherries, $14 million worth of Great Northern Beans, and $16 million in Pacific Pink Shrimp.

USDA food purchases to help the needy

The USDA’s Cattle on Feed Report showed on-feed numbers, placements, and marketings were all down two-to-three percent this month. 

U.S. cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.4 million head on May 1, 2025. April placements in feedlots totaled 1.61 million head, three percent below 2024. 

Net placements were 1.56 million head. April’s fed cattle marketings totaled 1.83 million head, three percent below 2024. Other disappearances totaled 50,000 head during April, 11 percent below 2024. 

USDA also released its Cold Storage Report on Friday, which showed total red meat supplies in freezers were up five percent from the previous month but down six percent from last year. 

Total pounds of beef in freezers were down two percent from the previous month and down two percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 11 percent from the prior month.

Fewer U.S. cattle on feed

July corn closed unchanged and December corn was down 4 1/4 cents. July soybeans closed up 2 1/4 cents and November soybeans were up 1/4 cents. July KC wheat closed down 14 1/4 cents, July Chicago wheat was down 14 cents, July Minneapolis wheat was down 10 1/4 cents.

Grain markets traded mixed to begin a shortened trading week. Corn futures chopped on both sides of even as a sharply lower wheat market weighed psychologically on corn traders following another week of decent rainfall across the Southern Plains which stretched into Nebraska, offering relief to areas which have been among the worst in drought conditions as of last week. Soybean futures were able to post marginal gains after President Trump announced a delay on a 50% tariff against the European Union until July 9 to allow time for trade talks to take place. Outside markets were mixed, with stock indices higher on the delayed tariff news. This also led to a firmer U.S. dollar which may have weighed negatively on wheat futures as well for Tuesday's session.

Most believed that Friday's encouraging Cattle on Feed report would help propel the market into at least steady, if not higher, trade early this week, but traders have a different feel of the market as the live cattle contracts traded well over $1.00 lower into today's noon hour. Some of the market's concern could be stemming from the fact that this week's slaughter is expected to be dramatically lower than recent weeks as packers continue to try to find ways to build up supply around them and avoid driving the cash cattle market any higher.

It's was a grim morning for the feeder cattle complex as most of the contracts traded $2.00 to $3.00 lower into Tuesday's noon hour. At first, the market opened higher but then did a key reversal as traders quickly jerked all their support for the complex out.

It's was encouraging day for the lean hog complex as the market finally found some technical support and is pleased to see the noticeable jump in pork cutout values. The market is a couple of dollars away from its resistance threshold, so the complex will likely be able to sustain this rally.

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/05/27143338/web-closing-markets.mp3">HERE</a> for audio

According to a report from the Ag Department, red meat output in April fell 1% from the same month in 2024. Production in the U.S. totaled 4.6 billion pounds last month, down from 4.65 billion a year earlier, the agency said in their monthly report. Beef output was reported at 2.24 billion pounds, up 3% year over year, as cattle slaughter dropped 6% to 2.57 million head. The average live weight was up 36 pounds.

Pork production, meanwhile, rose 1% from the previous year to 2.34 billion pounds in April, USDA said. Hog slaughter also rose 1%, reaching 10.8 million head, and average weight was just slightly higher at 291 pounds. Veal output plunged 39% while lamb and mutton production jumped 13%. Commercial red meat output from Jan. 1 through the end of April totaled 18.1 billion pounds, down 1% from the same timeframe last year. 

Red meat production falls 1% year over year 

Iowa ethanol advocates and farmers are urging Gov. Kim Reynolds to veto a bill restricting carbon sequestration pipelines. The advocates said in a press conference Thursday the bill is “extremely problematic” to biofuels, farming, energy and Iowa economies. The bill, which passed the Iowa Senate May 12 and is awaiting a signature from Reynolds, would change definitions of a common carrier and increase insurance requirements for pipelines transporting liquid carbon dioxide. 

It would also set requirements for the Iowa Utilities Commission and expand who can intervene on dockets with the commission. Advocates and lawmakers in favor of the bill oppose the use of eminent domain by the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, which would transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol facilities in Iowa, and neighboring states, to underground storage in North Dakota. 

Ethanol industry urges Reynolds to veto eminent domain bill

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

July corn closed up 16 cents and December corn was up 15 1/4 cents. July soybeans closed up 10 1/4 cents and November soybeans were up 15 cents. July KC wheat closed up 22 1/4 cents, July Chicago wheat was up 17 1/2 cents and July MIAX Minneapolis wheat was up 33 1/4 cents.

Row-crop prices were softer overall Friday as the strong price rallies across corn, soybeans, and wheat ran out of steam heading into the long weekend, although Friday's session also featured a drop in volume behind the trade. Traders will want to watch for Friday afternoon's Commitments of Traders data, which will offer insight into short-covering over the last week and a half rally in prices. In outside markets, stocks were again on edge Friday following President Trump making new tariff threats against the European Union as well as Apple, Inc. President Trump noted in social media posts that negotiations thus far with the E.U. were "going nowhere" and followed up by floating the idea of a 50% tariff beginning June 1. The U.S. dollar sank on the news, dropping for the fourth time out of five sessions this week. Crude oil markets were lower to begin Friday on the refreshed trade concerns but have since recovered in choppy trade which has been the feature of the oil market over the past week.

The live cattle complex traded indecisively, higher one minute, lower the next as traders are juggling the mixed signals from the marketplace. Traders are keenly aware of the hesitancy this morning of the equity markets, amid furthered concerns about tariffs, and also adding some perplexities to the market is the fact that still no Southern live cattle have traded. There was some trade in the North on Wednesday afternoon at $354 to $370, but mostly at $360 which is $2.00 higher than last week's record-breaking weighted average. But since then, there's been virtually no trade to speak of. That being said, more trade will need to develop at some point today if traders are going to keep themselves from being short bought in the weeks ahead.

The feeder cattle complex traded higher as traders are anxiously awaiting to see what this afternoon's Cattle on Feed report unveils. It's fully anticipated that the report will be bullish as feed totals and placements are both expected to be lighter than a year ago.

The lean hog complex traded fully lower as not only is the market battling its own resistance pressure, but it's also concerned about continued tariff dilemmas. And while it is always helpful for the market to see pork cutout values higher, traders seemed dull to the fundamental support.

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/05/23142704/web-closing-markets.mp3">HERE</a> for audio

A St. Joseph man
jumped to his death Sunday night, jumping from the Riverside Road bridge
over Highway 36.

St. Joseph police
report the man jumped from the bridge at approximately 9:45pm even as Missouri
Department of Transportation workers were making repairs to the bridge.

Police
report the man was pronounced dead at the scene on Highway 36.

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

St. Joseph man jumps to death

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that critically injured a teen.

The shooting occurred just after 3a.m. Saturday in Quindaro Park,&nbsp;3345 Sewell Ave, Kansas City, Kansas, according to a statement from the Wyandotte County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;

 The victim, identified as a Hispanic teen, was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Investigators identified and took a suspect into custody. The sheriff's office asked anyone with information on the incident to contact them.

Girl critically injured after Kansas park shooting

ATCHISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 9p.m. Saturday in Atchison County, Kansas.

A motorcycle driven by Anthony Goote, 53, Newton, was westbound in the 1000 Block of U.S. 59,&nbsp; according to Atchison Police Chief Mike&nbsp; Wilson.

The motorcycle entered a construction zone west of 10th Street and struck a flashing arrow device. The driver was ejected from the motorcycle. EMS transported Groote to Mosaic Life Care.&nbsp; Police reported no additional details.

Kan. man hospitalized in St. Joe after motorcycle accident

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Saturday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Polaris Sportman 500 driven by a 34-year-old Albany man was southbound on Route EE three miles north of New Hampton. The ATV traveled off the west side of the road, down a large embankment, struck several trees, overturned and the driver was ejected.

Grand River Ambulance transported the driver to Mosaic in Albany. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man injured in violent ATV accident

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Saturday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Dodge 1500 driven by a 59-year-old Lathrop man was westbound on Route PP at Interstate 35 in Holt. The pickup rear-ended a 2015 Ford Escape driven by a 29-year-old Kansas City, Mo., man who had slowed to make a turn.

Holt EMS transported a 26-year-old female passenger in the Ford to Liberty Hospital. The drivers were not injured. The Patrol had incomplete seat belt usage information. The MSHP no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. woman hospitalized after rear-end crash

A power outage at the Law Enforcement Center in downtown St. Joseph has knocked out the 911 emergency and non-emergency phone lines for the St. Joseph Police Department.

Until further notice, please direct all emergency and non- emergency calls as follows:

· For Law Enforcement assistance: Contact the Missouri Highway Patrol at 816-387-2345

· For fire and EMS services: Contact Buchanan County EMS at 816-396-9580

The St. Joseph Police Department reports technicians are actively working to restore power and phone services at the Law Enforcement Center. Updates will be provided as soon as power is restored and the phones are back up.

St. Joseph 911, police phones temporarily out of service

The St. Joseph School District has established principles it would like to see its students learn through life to prepare for a successful future.  

The five aspects the district is focused on for students are communication, respect, courage, problem solving and being a more engaged citizen.  

School Board member Ronda Chesney says courage plays a big role for students when they go into college or go into a job interview 

"All those things take courage, and I think we have the opportunity to encourage our students while we can still support them in an educational setting to have that courage," Chesney tells KFEQmunnity host Brent Martin.  "Then in turn, that will be embedded in them as they go out and do the things that adults have to do on their own, I think that's important." 

Chesney points out these skills are not just being taught as students are about to graduate, but rather instilled as students in the district start in preschool, so when they are ready to graduate the skills are not new to them.  

Assistant Superintendent Ashly McGinnis says what they are doing with these dispositions is breaking them down, to what it looks like at each grade level 

"What does communication look like in second grade, third grade, fourth grade, all the way up to a high school senior, because it does look different," McGinnis explains.  "But there's little things, even I'm thinking of communication and this is something I see often when we go out to eat, if a parent is ordering for their child, sometimes that's appropriate in elementary school, but as they get a little bit older they should be able to order off a menu or go through the drive-thru and say what they want." 

McGinnis says what the district sees a lot today is kids who are shy and timid, so allowing students opportunities to communicate will be helpful in the classroom, but also as students become adults. 

McGinnis says these dispositions have been in full effect, and are being utilized to this day in the districts classrooms 

"Just going with the courage and communication piece, this is something we see daily in our classrooms," McGinnis says.  "If a teacher is giving a lesson and trying to engage kids and a student might have something valuable to contribute to the class, but a lot of the times they don't speak up, so having that courage to communicate or volunteer to go to the board and work out a problem, that's something we want out of our students." 

Officials hope by instilling these traits within students, starting in preschool, they can be successful once they leave the St. Joseph School District and move into their future endeavor. 

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

St. Joseph School District working on the portrait of a graduate

The legislation has a 12-year history in Missouri, with little movement until recently

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

A decade of work by lawmakers and activists culminated earlier this month with the legislature sending a bill to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe expanding extracurricular opportunities for homeschool students.

The legislation, which has been filed every year in Missouri since 2014, will require public schools to allow homeschooled students in the area to try out for sports teams and other activities beginning in August.

Throughout much of the bill’s history, it couldn’t even get a committee hearing. By 2023, the proposal managed to barely pass a Senate committee in a 5-4 vote, with three Democrats and one Republican opposed.

Things changed in February, when it cleared the Senate unanimously — a rarity for the chamber. But then the House made changes to the bill, like prohibiting background checks of homeschooling families that receive money through a private school tax credit program.&nbsp;

That change drew the ire of some senators and put the bill’s chances in jeopardy. But ultimately, the two chambers worked out a compromise and only three senators ended up voting no.&nbsp;

The legislation has had 10 sponsors over the years. Each points to different reasons the bill finally made it to the governor’s desk this legislative session, such as unrelenting dedication from homeschooling families and the fervor of this year’s sponsor, state Sen. Ben Brown.

Brown, a Republican from Washington, told The Independent that “the stars were aligned” for the bill to pass this year.

“It took a tremendous amount of work, both in the legislature with support from leadership and from the grassroots support,” he said. “Those were all key factors that just culminated and finally, after more than a decade, ensured that these kids get these opportunities.”

State Rep. Josh Hurlbert, a Smithville Republican who sponsored the legislation from 2021 to 2024, gave kudos to homeschooling families that came to Jefferson City to support the legislation.

“Legislators come and go,” he said. “But it is the families that have been the constant and saw it through.”

Hurlbert was a homeschooled student who played soccer in a league of students like him. He sponsored the bill thinking of students in rural areas who don’t have access to homeschool leagues, and his young, home-educated children who play in recreational teams with kids educated both in and outside the public school system.

His bill passed committee in 2021 and 2022 after families with home-educated children came to testify in favor of the legislation. Some families&nbsp;<a href="https://instatrac-production.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/GovWatch/text/pdfs/17/testimony/witnesses-hb494.pdf?c=43425" target="_blank">who submitted testimony in 2021</a>&nbsp;returned to push for the bill&nbsp;<a href="https://instatrac-production.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/GovWatch/text/pdfs/23/testimony/47a0413a36edaf1a1f520794c879b5db.pdf?c=57864" target="_blank">this year</a>.

“We have had so many homeschool families and kids come over through the years to testify and tell their side of the story,” Hurlbert said. “They really made an impact.”

The bill’s journey in Missouri began in 2014, when it was first introduced by then-state Rep. Eiljah Haahr.

Haahr, a Springfield Republican and homeschool student who went on to become speaker of the Missouri House, participated in a homeschool sports league as a student.

“When I got in the legislature, I was like, ‘I don’t want kids to be the same way as me, where they want to participate in sports and they don’t have an opportunity to do so,’” he told The Independent.

The greatest opposition in 2014 came from the Missouri State High School Activities Association, or MSHSAA, which regulates extracurricular activities and sports in public schools.

Former state Rep. Kirk Mathews, a Republican from Pacific, picked up the bill after Haahr in 2016. It was not heard in committee that year, and Mathews told The Independent that MSHSAA was a big reason.

“(MSHSAA) had enough influence with leadership to have a bill not get advanced through the process,” he said.

The legislation continued to languish in 2017, sponsored by former state Rep. Don Rone, a Portageville Republican. He told The Independent that leadership continued to overlook the bill.

“We had some problems back then,” he said, “and (the bill) just didn’t get put on the front burners.”

New leadership in both chambers this year showed support for the bill that Brown “had never seen before.”

Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, sponsored the bill in 2022. And current leaders in the House told Brown they liked the legislation, a departure from the resistance he said he faced from the House’s former speaker, Dean Plocher.

Prior to Plocher’s term as speaker, the bill largely moved only in the House. But the Senate version has seen the most activity in the past two years.

“The narrative had kind of flipped over the years,” Hurlbert said. “The past couple of years, the hardest part was the House.”

Other things have changed as well. State lawmakers have been increasingly interested in alternatives to public education, passing and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/18/missouri-house-narrowly-sends-private-school-tax-credit-charter-expansion-to-governors-desk/">expanding a tax-credit scholarship system</a>&nbsp;benefiting private schools.

“The entire climate towards public education has changed in Missouri over the last couple of years,” Mathews said. “With school choice being looked upon more favorably.”

MSHSAA has been largely quiet about the legislation, saying it would cause “substantial changes”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mshsaa.org/resources/PDF/Senate%20Bill%2063%20Press%20Release.pdf" target="_blank">in a press release</a>&nbsp;but omitting details.

The legislation awaits Kehoe’s decision on whether to sign it or veto it. If he doesn’t take action by July 15, the bill is automatically approved.

“We had days where 50 people showed up from different homeschool families around the state of Missouri,” Brown said. “To be able to get this done for them, it was probably the most rewarding moment that I’ve had in my time (in the Senate).”

Homeschool athletes await Missouri governor’s decision on access to public school sports

CLINTON COUNTY—Four people were injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Friday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica driven by a 30-year-old Pattonsburg woman was southbound on Interstate 35 at the 50 mile marker. The driver failed to slow for construction and rear-ended a 2023 Kia Telluride driven by a 59-year-old Kansas City, Mo., man.&nbsp; The impact pushed the Kia into a 2015 Toyota Highlander driven by a 76-year-old Lamomi, Iowa man.

Tri-county ambulance transported the driver of the Chrysler to Cameron Regional Medical Center and a 3-year-old male passenger and 6-year-old female passenger from the Chrysler to Children's Mercy.&nbsp; Cameron ambulance transported the driver of the KIA to North Kansas City hospital. There were no other injuries. All were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

2 adults, 2 children injured in 3-vehicle work-zone crash

A new digital news
source is coming to the Maryville area.

The Maryville Post,
part of the Eagle Media family of regional Post news products, will officially
launch on Monday, June 2nd, bringing comprehensive local coverage to residents
across Nodaway County and beyond.

The Maryville Post
will deliver daily reporting on local and regional news, high school and
college sports, community events, agriculture, jail activity, obituaries, and
more.

With a strong
commitment to local journalism, the publication aims to inform, connect, and
serve the Maryville community.

“Local journalism is
at the heart of strong communities,” said Liby Waltemath, General Manager of
Eagle Communications. “With the launch of the Maryville Post, we’re proud to
invest in local storytelling, celebrate what makes Maryville unique, and ensure
residents have access to the news that directly impacts their lives.”

As the newest
addition to Eagle Media's growing lineup of Post-branded news sites, the
Maryville Post joins a trusted network of hyperlocal digital publications
serving communities across northwest Missouri and Iowa.

Community members are
encouraged to submit press releases, local news tips, or upcoming event
information to News Director Brent Martin at <a href="mailto:Brent.Martin@Eaglemedia.com">Brent.Martin@Eaglemedia.com</a>.

Follow the Maryville
Post on Facebook or visit MaryvillePost.com beginning June 2nd to stay informed.
Local news updates will also be heard on 104.9 The Cat, KBCT.

Maryville Post set to debut

The St. Louis Cardinals have held their own against aces so far this season, handing the Pirates Paul Skenes a couple of losses, and also knocking off the likes of&nbsp;the Twins' Pablo López and the Astros' Framber Valdez.&nbsp;

They had an opportunity to add&nbsp;dd two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom to the list Sunday afternoon, but despite a solid start from Erick Fedde, they fell short in an 8-1 loss to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.&nbsp;&nbsp;It had little to do with Fedde though, who delivered his first quality start since posting a shutout at Washington on May 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fedde allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts over six innings, exiting with the Cardinals trailing just 2-1. 

St. Louis did take the lead early on in the game, scoring their lone run in the first inning as Willson Contreras singled home Lars Nootbaar who had walked to open the game against deGrom.&nbsp; The second inning is the only time Fedde couldn’t work his way out of trouble. Fedde retired the first two batters before giving up a single to Marcus Semien on a 2-0 cutter. Fedde issued a five-pitch walk to Sam Haggerty, the Rangers’ nine-hole batter, and then gave up a two-run double to Josh Smith making the Cardinals' early 1-0 lead a short-lived one.

Wyatt Langford's sacrifice fly off of reliever Kyle Leahy in the seventh inning extended the Rangers lead, driving in Semien.&nbsp; Texas added their final five runs in the eighth inning, the first coming on an RBI double by Jake Burger, scoring Josh Jung, before later in the inning Jonah Heim's sacrifice fly brought home&nbsp;Alejandro Osuna.&nbsp; Haggerty's sacrifice bunt continued the scoring run, allowing Burger to score, and Smith capped the scoring with a two run home run in the inning, for his third and fourth RBI's of the day.&nbsp;

Despite the quality start, Fedde did take the loss, falling to 3-5 on the season.&nbsp; At the plate, the Cardinals managed just five total hits, with five St. Louis players each getting one hit.

St. Louis is off tomorrow, and will host Kansas City on Tuesday.&nbsp; Andre Pallante (4-3, 4.23 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cardinals while Michael Lorenzen (3-6, 4.33 ERA) is set to start for the Royals in the series opener.  First pitch is at 6:45 pm.&nbsp; Cardinals pregame coverage will be joined at 6:35 on KY 102 (102.5 FM) while Royals pregame coverage will begin at 6pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Fedde has first quality start since May 9th, but Cardinals fall in finale 8-1

Kris Bubic picked up right where he left off in May to start June on the mound for the Kansas City Royals, but a lack of offense foiled that start and gave the Detroit Tigers a series win, winning 1-0 at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday afternoon.&nbsp;

The lone run given up by Bubic in the third inning, was on a wild pitch.&nbsp;&nbsp;Zach McKinstry tripled to open the inning, before a sweeper from Bubic got away from catcher Salvador Perez and allowed McKinstry to come home to score.&nbsp; From there, Bubic allowed just two more hits in the game, before being replaced by Angel Zerpa.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Royals did outhit the Tigers in the game nine to five, but Kansas City was 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and left eight runners on base in the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bubic took the loss, falling to 5-3 on the season, pitching seven innings and giving up four hits in all, striking out nine and walking two batters.&nbsp; His season ERA is now 1.43, which is the league leader, and made his ninth quality start, tying him for the most in baseball.&nbsp; Perez led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4.&nbsp; John Rave was 2-for-4 in the loss.&nbsp;

Kansas City is off tomorrow, and will head to St. Louis on Tuesday.&nbsp; Michael Lorenzen (3-6, 4.33 ERA) is set to start for the Royals in the series opener while Andre Pallante (4-3, 4.23 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cardinals.&nbsp; First pitch is at 6:45 pm. Royals pregame coverage will begin at 6pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) while Cardinals pregame coverage will be joined at 6:35 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Royals drop series to Tigers despite another brilliant start from Bubic

The Royals are calling up their top prospect, slugger Jac Caglianone.&nbsp; ESPN's Jeff Passan was the first to report the call up, which was soon confirmed to MLB.com Royals reporter Anne Rogers.

Caglianone, the No. 10-ranked prospect in baseball and the top prospet in the Royals system according to MLB Pipeline, has been mashing in the Minors with a .322/.389/.593 slash line to go along with 15 homers and 56 RBIs in 50 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

Earlier this season, when called up to Triple A Omaha, Caglianone went on a weekend stretch where he hit five home runs in four games while the Stormchasers were on the road in Salt Lake City.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A 6-foot-5, 250-pound two-way player at the University of Florida, Caglianone transitioned to a full-time offensive player after joining the Royals organization following last July's draft. Originally a first baseman, he has spent the majority of his Triple-A games in the outfield and is expected to play there when he joins the Royals for their series that starts Tuesday in St. Louis.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas City Royals calling up top prospect Jac Caglianone

On Northwest Missouri State University night at the ballpark, it was a Northwest Missouri State University pitcher who shut down the Nevada Griffons as the St. Joseph Mustangs opened MINK league play with an 11-1 run rule victory in seven innings.&nbsp;

Northwest Missouri State University pitcher and Bishop LeBlond alum Jaren Guck took the mound and pitched four innings, striking out 10 Griffons on the night, giving up just the one run and three hits, while walking one, earning his first win of the season.&nbsp;&nbsp;Caden Carter pitched the final three innings, striking out six, walking two and giving up two hits.&nbsp;

The Mustangs did fall behind in the first inning, as the Griffons struck for their one run early,&nbsp;Griffin DuVall singling home&nbsp;Joe Adams.&nbsp; But, St. Joseph quickly took the lead back, thanks to a four run second inning.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tyler Gundelfinger reached first on a throwing error, scoring another Northwest product, catcher Parker Griffith, and advancing Benton alum Chris Coy to third base.&nbsp; Coy scored on a single by Lafayette alum Jayden Little, before Savannah alum&nbsp;Truman Bodenhausen reached first on a fielders choice, scoring&nbsp;Gundelfinger.&nbsp; Trevor McCollum's sacrifice fly to right field later in the inning brought Bodenhausen home.&nbsp;

Two more runs were added in the fourth inning.&nbsp; Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart singled and Jack Mosh reached on an error before Griffith was walked to load the bases.&nbsp; With the bases loaded, Coy was hit by a pitch, bringing Luikart home to score.&nbsp; A sacrifice fly by&nbsp;Gundelfinger scored Mosh.&nbsp; Another two runs were added in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Gundelfinger, as Luikart and Mosh both scored.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A three run seventh inning was the final blow, and secured the walk off in the run rule win.&nbsp; With the bases loaded, Mosh walked to bring home Darius Freeman.&nbsp; A single from Griffith drove in McCollum before Coy hit a walk off sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Luikart.&nbsp;

At the plate, Griffith and Luikart led the way, both going 2-for-3, Griffith with one RBI and one run scored, walking twice while Luikart scored three runs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gundelfinger was 0-for-1 but drove in four runs, and walked once.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Mustangs are now off until Wednesday, June 4th, when they again host the KC Monarchs.&nbsp; First pitch is at 6:30pm with gates opening at 5:15 at Phil Welch Stadium.&nbsp; It will be&nbsp;Baseball and Babies Night with activities for young families throughout the stadium, courtesy of Parents as Teachers. There will also be a Baby Crawling Race.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Mustangs win MINK league opener with 11-1 run rule victory over Nevada

The St. Louis Cardinals bounced back from a performance on Friday where they managed just one run and five hits against the Texas Rangers, getting a 2-0 shutout win on Saturday afternoon at Globe Life Field.&nbsp;

Prior to the game,&nbsp;The Cardinals placed Jordan Walker on the 10-day injured list with left wrist inflammation, retroactive to Thursday.&nbsp;Walker had found his offensive stroke of late, batting .300 in his last 14 games played with a .792 OPS and 11 RBIs.&nbsp; &nbsp;In a corresponding move, the Cardinals selected outfielder Ryan Vilade from Triple-A Memphis. Vilade, was expected to arrive in the middle of Saturday’s game, was batting .280 with five home runs and 31 RBIs at Memphis.&nbsp; Vilade played in the big leagues in 2021 with Colorado and in 2024 with Detroit.

The Cardinals made a couple of pitching moves before Saturday’s game as well, optioning righty Gordon Graceffo to Memphis and recalling right-hander Roddery Muñoz. Marmol said Graceffo will remain in a relief role at Memphis with the idea of him being a multi-inning weapon out of the bullpen.

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