Work continues on
the new St. Joseph Animal Shelter and Melanie Barnes with the Friends of the Animal
Shelter says the organization can’t wait.

“We are so excited,”
Barnes tells KFEQmmunity. “Everyone is so excited to go to a newer, larger,
more state-of-the art facility so the pets are more comfortable, we are
cleaning more efficiently, it’s in a location that maybe will attract more
volunteers, more people will want to come.” 

The current Animal
Shelter is in a cramped location on Lower Lake Road, an industrial area of St.
Joseph. Barnes says volunteers who helped out at the current shelter on Lower
Lake Road saw the need for a new shelter.

“And people said,
you know, if you were over here or if you were in a better location I would come
down all the time.,” Barnes says. “And that was the feedback we got.”

Friends of the
Animal Shelter began its fundraising campaign more than 10 years ago. A partnership
with the city nearly fell through, but negotiations revived the idea. The new
shelter is being constructed on South Belt Highway, next to the St. Joseph Recycling
Center.

Melanie Barnes
with Friends says this new shelter will be an improvement in every way.

“Can’t say enough,
like how much we needed a new facility. The one that was built in the 70s was really
just a holding place and really sad,” Barnes says. “And we’re excited to have a
lighter, happier, brighter facility and attract a lot more volunteers and,
hopefully, a lot more owners. (We) can’t do it without our donors in the
community.”

The St. Joseph
Nestle Purina factory has donated $25,000 dollars to help purchase equipment
for the onsite veterinary clinic at the new animal shelter. Barnes says Purina
was instrumental in getting the fundraising for a new animal shelter off the
ground more than 10 years ago, donating $100,000.

Purina says the donation
for vet equipment comes from its Purina Foundation, which supports
organizations dedicated to creating positive, lasting impact in Purina’s
operating communities. 

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Work continues toward new St. Joseph Animal Shelter

KFEQ Sports 12/23/2025

Missouri wasn’t able to put its best foot forward, House Speaker Jon Patterson said, because ‘leadership was very fragmented’

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jonathanshorman/">Jonathan Shorman</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Nearly a decade after Missouri lost its NFL franchise in St. Louis to Los Angeles, the state learned Monday that the Kansas City Chiefs are moving across the state line to Kansas.

The news, rumored for days, was greeted with shock and despair in Missouri, where hopes were high that a $1.5 billion incentives package approved by state lawmakers would be enough to keep the team in Arrowhead Stadium.

In the end, a much more lucrative package from Kansas won out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“This is a painful day for everyone in Missouri who loves our Chiefs,” said state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat.&nbsp;

“A lot of us in Missouri, we feel like we’ve been incredibly loyal to the Chiefs despite all of the frustrations over decades,” Nurrenbern added. “We stuck with the Chiefs every step of the way. So this is so disappointing. I can imagine that Lamar Hunt today is rolling in his grave.”

House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, echoed the disappointment, saying Missouri entered into stadium negotiations at a disadvantage.&nbsp;

“I think money was part of it, but I think it’s also the opportunities available in Kansas,” Patterson said. “You know, Arrowhead can’t do a Super Bowl. Arrowhead can’t do a Final Four. If you have a dome stadium, those things are all possibilities, and I think that’s probably what ultimately led to the decision to move.”

Missouri wasn’t able to put its best foot forward, Patterson said, because “leadership was very fragmented.”

“Kansas leadership was very united and professional, and they just took advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said, adding: “It would be deliciously satisfying to start pointing fingers, but I hope we can avoid that right now and just look forward.”

State Rep. Mark Sharp, a Kansas City Democrat, was not ready to be so magnanimous.&nbsp;

He said years of bad decisions led to Monday’s news. Specifically, he pointed to former Jackson County Executive Frank White, who was recently removed from office after a recall vote.

White, Sharp said in a social media post, “presided over a deeply dysfunctional and adversarial approach to our professional sports teams.”&nbsp;

Sharp also cast blame on former Gov. Mike Parson for not responding to Kansas’ efforts to poach the Chiefs before leaving office and Kehoe for waiting until nearly the end of this year’s legislative session before presenting a stadium plan.&nbsp;

“This crisis did not happen by accident,” he said. “It was the result of a series of preventable leadership failures.”

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, called it “legislative malpractice” that Kehoe waited until the final days of the legislative session in May to offer a counterproposal to Kansas.&nbsp;

Kehoe said he remained hopeful throughout the process, and that negotiations with the Chiefs’ management continued into last week. His administration has been in constant communication with both the Chiefs and the Royals, and it wasn’t until Monday morning that he was informed by the Chiefs that the team was leaving.

“Harry Truman once said ‘The Buck Stops Here,'” Kehoe told reporters at a press conference. “It’s not fun to be at the top when something like this happens, but you certainly want to try to figure out what the lessons learned here are, and moving forward, we will obviously be doing a post mortem analysis.”

This is certainly a setback, Kehoe said, “but we’ll work together to recover.”

The Chief’s ownership, Kehoe said, “decided to abandon Lamar Hunt’s legacy at the iconic Arrowhead Stadium, a place that Chiefs fans have rallied around since 1972. At Arrowhead, every game feels like a Super Bowl. No new stadium will replicate that.”

Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca said he expects elected officials in the county, where the team is currently located, to take a closer look at how taxpayer money is spent during the remaining years of the Chiefs’ and Royals’ contracts to play at the Truman Sports Complex. Jackson County currently charges a ⅜-cent sales tax for stadium upkeep, generating millions a year.

“Honestly, at this point they’re like a bad ex-girlfriend. They won’t go away,” Abarca said of the Chiefs. “And so the reality that they want to try and go play second fiddle in Kansas and try and lure a deal that’s not written down on paper, good luck to them, best of luck. At this point, our taxpayers in Jackson County deserve a whole lot better commitment than what we’re getting.”

The Chiefs’ decision is “incredibly disappointing, said state Sen. Patty Lewis, a Kansas City Democrat. But it’s also a symptom of a larger problem.&nbsp;

“There are no winners in a border war, just losses on both sides,” she said. “Companies moving back and forth across the state line to reap massive tax breaks while creating no real net job growth is bad for families, bad for the region and bad for both states.”

State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, was among the lawmakers who openly opposed the incentives package for the Chiefs and Royals when it passed the legislature this summer.

“Don’t want to say ‘I told you so,’ but I warned the legislature this would happen just as it did with the Rams,” he said.

Schroer said he will be filing legislation this week “to get rid of the asinine classification of the Chiefs as Missouri’s official NFL team as it was passed just a few sessions ago. Similarly I will be getting rid of the asinine ‘handshake’ border-war resolution which says we will play nice with our neighbors next door.”

The Chiefs lease on its Kansas City stadium, which has been the team’s home since 1972, will expire after the 2030 season.&nbsp;

Missouri lawmakers reconvened during a special legislative session this summer to approve a spending package that would have allocated state taxes collected from economic activity at Arrowhead and Kauffman to bond payments for renovations at Arrowhead and a new stadium for the Royals in Jackson or Clay counties.

Estimated at just under $1.5 billion over 30 years, the funding would pay for half the costs — compared to 70% in Kansas — and included a requirement for additional local government financing.&nbsp;

The Royals first announced an intention to leave Kauffman Stadium in November 2022. The move was pitched as a way for the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman and build a covered entertainment center.

Officials in Jackson County and Kansas City began scrambling to figure out how to keep the Royals from leaving Missouri. By the spring of 2023, Clay County leaders announced interest in building a stadium in North Kansas City that could become the Royals new home.&nbsp;

The Royals solicited proposals for a downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City site a few months later, and released renderings of possible stadiums at both locations in August 2023.&nbsp;

Soon after, a poll was leaked to the media showing 70% of Clay County voters opposed a new sales tax to fund a stadium in North Kansas City. Despite weeks of media speculation, no one claimed credit for the poll, which was widely seen as an attempt to shake the confidence of Royals ownership in the viability of a Clay County proposal.&nbsp;

Critics, who called the survey a “push poll” meant to deceive the public, decried the move at the time, arguing that sabotaging any potential Missouri site would increase the chances one or both teams end up in Kansas.

It wasn’t until more than a year later that documents provided to The Independent revealed it was a political action committee formed to support Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas that paid for the Clay County polling. A staffer using a Lucas campaign email address requested the poll be commissioned, and his top aide obfuscated the spending by requesting it be referred to in disclosures as “research” instead of “polling.”

Jackson County voters were eventually presented with a proposed sales tax increase to fund a Royals stadium in Kansas City. Lucas threw his support behind the measure, but it was resoundingly rejected by voters.&nbsp;

The failed push to pay for a new Royals stadium in Missouri left the door open for Kansas lawmakers, who quickly put their own package of incentives together to lure the teams across the state line.&nbsp;

Lucas said negotiations with the team ran up until last week, and that the offer Missouri put forward was “very fair, but very responsible.” He worked closely with the governor and other local and state officials, and that work will continue as Missouri strives to keep the Kansas City Royals from leaving as well.

“While the Chiefs aren’t going far away, and aren’t gone yet, today is a setback for a Kansas Citian, a former Chiefs season ticket holder and a lifelong Chiefs fan,” he said.

As Missouri mourns the loss of the Chiefs, the fate of the Royals remains in flux.

The team is rumored to be eyeing a new stadium in Overland Park, Kansas. Lucas said Monday his hope is for a downtown baseball stadium, while other Missouri officials continue pushing for a North Kansas City site.

Nurrenbern and Patterson both said that, as far as they were aware, negotiations with the Royals are still ongoing.

News of the Chiefs decision to leave Missouri comes almost exactly 10 years after the state lost the St. Louis Rams.&nbsp;

Then-Gov. Jay Nixon was pushing for a $1 billion plan to build a new St. Louis stadium for the Rams, much to the chagrin of the legislative leadership.&nbsp;

Both sides tussled in the media and the courts, but the fight between the Democratic governor and GOP-dominated General Assembly fizzled after the Rams announced an intention to move to Los Angeles two days before the 2016 legislative session began.&nbsp;

NFL owners overwhelmingly agreed to let them do it soon after.

‘Painful day’: Missouri officials react to Chiefs announcing move to Kansas

KFEQ Morning News 12/23/2025

BUCHANAN COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Monday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Malibu driven by a 30-year-old St. Joseph man was southbound on Interstate 29 in the St. Joseph city limits. The car rear-ended a 2014 Audi A4 driven by a 22-year-old Stanberry woman. After impact, the Chevy crossed the median and struck a northbound 2022 BMW X3 driven by a 53-year-old St. Joseph woman then struck the guardrail.

A private vehicle transported a 19-year-old female passenger in the Audi to Urgent Care in St. Joseph. Buchanan County EMS transported the driver of the Chevy to Mosaic Life Care. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases the names of accident victims.

2 injured after 3-vehicle crash in St. Joseph

Northwest Missouri will soon welcome five new state troopers to the region.

Capt. Shawn P. Skoglund, commanding officer of Troop H in St. Joseph, says the officers are members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s 124th Recruit Class and graduated from the Law Enforcement Academy on Dec. 19, 2025.&nbsp;

Trooper Matthew J. Dorrell, a Marceline native, will serve Zone 4, covering Grundy, Livingston, and Mercer counties. A 2023 graduate of Marceline R-V, Dorrell joined the Missouri National Guard in 2022, where he continues to serve as a heavy equipment operator. He previously worked as a lawn care specialist for Lawn Boyz in Bucklin.

Trooper Delaney K. Dunkin, of Norborne, has been assigned to Zone 7, serving Caldwell and Clinton counties. Dunkin graduated from Norborne R-8 in 2023 and earned an associate degree from Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods in 2024. Before joining the Patrol, she served as a communications officer for Ray County 911 in Richmond.

Trooper Raul Hernandez, a native of Marshall, is assigned to Zone 10, covering Daviess and DeKalb counties. Hernandez graduated from Marshall High School in 2017 and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Missouri Valley College in 2021. He previously served as a police officer with the Marshall Police Department.

Trooper Noah M. Newland, of Queen City, will serve Zone 2, covering Nodaway and Worth counties. A 2022 graduate of Schuyler County R-1, Newland attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. Prior to the Academy, he worked as a sales associate for Dollar General in Maryville.

Trooper Lucas N. Reynolds, a Chillicothe native, joins Trooper Dorrell in Zone 4, serving Grundy, Livingston, and Mercer counties. Reynolds is a 2023 graduate of Chillicothe High School and previously worked as a corrections officer for the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Sgt. Shane Hux, with Troop H in St. Joseph, says, "The academy is 25 weeks long and kind of like a military boot camp with college academics on top of it."

Hux says the recruits learn everything about the history of Missouri and the highway patrol, traffic crash investigation, DWI enforcement, and tactical driving.

"They will spend approximately four months with a field training officer for several different phases. It's like you have to learn to crawl before you walk," Hux noted.

The new recruits are scheduled to report for duty Jan. 5, 2026.

Five new troopers join Troop H operations

 Kansas lawmakers approved a proposal today to help pay for a new stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs, which is expected to lure the team across the state line from Missouri and replace the popular but aging Arrowhead Stadium.

The Legislative Coordinating Council, which includes the state's top lawmakers, voted unanimously at the state capitol in Topeka to allow for STAR bonds to be issued to cover up to 70% of the cost of a stadium and accompanying district. The bonds would be paid off with state sales and liquor tax revenues generated in a defined area around it.

The council meeting was attended by Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and team president Mark Donovan, along with other officials. They are expected to announce their intention to move later Monday from their longtime home in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has called a news conference for 3 p.m.&nbsp; "to present a major economic development announcement for the State of Kansas and the Kansas City Region." She will be joined by legislators and Kansas City-area representatives.

The move by the Chiefs would be a massive blow to Missouri lawmakers and Gov. Mike Kehoe, who had been working on their own package to prevent a second NFL franchise in a decade from leaving their borders. The Rams left St. Louis for Los Angeles in part due to their inability to secure funding to help replace The Dome at America's Center.

Kehoe had backed a special legislative session in June to authorize bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments.

Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, has been working to keep both the Chiefs and Kansas City Royals on the Missouri side of the state line. He has called a news conference for later today as well regarding "sports team developments."

The Chiefs originally planned an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium in a joint effort with the Royals, who are similarly planning to build a new facility to replace Kauffman Stadium. The facilities sit a couple of hundred yards across the parking lot from each other, and both teams have leases with Jackson County, Missouri, that expire in January 2031.

Last year however, Jackson County voters soundly defeated a local sales tax extension which would have helped to pay for those renovations to the football stadium while helping to fund a new ballpark for the Royals in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

The most likely landing place for the Chiefs is Kansas City, Kansas, near the Kansas Speedway and a retail and entertainment district known as The Legends. The area is also home to Children's Mercy Park, the home of MLS club Sporting Kansas City.

The Royals were not discussed by Kansas lawmakers today, but momentum appears to be building behind their own move across the state line. An affiliate of the club already has purchased the mortgage on a tract of land in Overland Park, Kansas.

Hunt has long said his preference was to renovate Arrowhead Stadium, which was beloved by his father and team founder, the late Lamar Hunt. It is considered one of the jewels of the NFL, alongside Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and is revered for its tailgating scene and home-field advantage; it currently holds the Guinness World Record for the loudest stadium roar.

This summer, Arrowhead Stadium will host six World Cup matches, including matches in the Round of 32 and quarterfinals.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

Kansas approves STAR  bonds paving way for Chiefs to move across state line

Northwest Missouri
will be well represented in the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame
next year.

In fact, Northwest
Missouri State University in Maryville will see two veteran broadcasters
inducted.

The voice of the
Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, John Coffey, will enter the Hall in the
2026. But so will longtime Northwest instructor and general manager of the
Northwest radio station KXCV/KRNW, the late Sharon Bonnett.

Coffey remembers
how kind Bonnett was to students and how much she cared about Northwest
broadcast students.

“You knew that she
cared about you and that’s the one thing that really stands out,” Coffey tells
KFEQmmunity. “Over and above from a working relationship or from a student
relationship she just had that caring instinct and that remained in place long
after you graduated from Northwest and the KXCV program.”

Bonnett graduated
from Northwest in 1965. She served as producer, program director, and
eventually general manager of KXCV/KRNW, winning multiple MBA awards as well as
national Corporation for Public Broadcasting Awards. Bonnett died in 2023.
Northwest named its radio studio in her honor.

Coffey actually
nominated Bonnett for the MBA Hall of Fame and received the call that she was
selected. Later, Coffey got another call. This time, he learned he would be
inducted next year.

Coffey enters the
Hall for a number of reasons, but especially for marking the milestone of
broadcasting 500 consecutive Northwest games on the Bearcat Radio Network. Coffey
reached the milestone in a 21-14 Northwest win over Missouri Southern State
University September 20th in Joplin. Coffey graduated from Northwest
in 1982, returning to Maryville to work at KNIM in 1983. He became the voice of
the Bearcats in 1985 and has called all 10 of the Bearcats’ NCAA Division II
national championship contests. Coffey has served as KXCV/KRNW General Manager since
2019.

Coffey says calling
500 consecutive Northwest football games is something he couldn’t imagine when
he started.

“It’s just been a
pleasure to be able to call Northwest games through the years,” Coffey says. “I
guess one thing that really helps as far as getting to that number was the
amount of post season games that Northwest has played. It comes out to about two
or three or four maybe extra seasons of games just from the standpoint of going
into the playoffs as many years in a row as they did. So, that helped get to
the mark a little bit quicker than it ordinarily would.”

Of all the games
he broadcast, including national championships, a 1996 playoff win against the
University of Nebraska-Omaha in icy conditions in Omaha stands out.

“I remember that
game really as the point that you knew that this football program had arrived.
From that point on, Northwest turned into what became a dynasty,” Coffey
recalls. “That game to me stands out as a major one. Of course, the national
championship games all have significance, but that game in particular I think
really stands out for what it meant for the history of the program.”

Northwest defeated
UNO 22-20 on November 23rd of 1996, losing by a point to #15 Northern
Colorado the next round.

Northwest would go
on to win back-to-back national championships under Coach Mel Tjeerdsma in 1998
and 1999. Northwest has won six total NCAA Division II National Championships.

Northwest Missouri State will see 2 enter the MBA Hall of Fame

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

A St. Joseph man
has been convicted of child molestation and rape after a jury trial in St.
Joseph.

The Buchanan
County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office reports a jury took a little more than an
hour and a half to convict 33-year-old Johnathan Sears of two counts of Child Molestation
in the Second Degree and one count of Rape in the First Degree. The jury also
found Sears guilty of three counts of sodomy.

St. Joseph police arrested
Sears for incidents that occurred in 2022 and 2023 between Sears and two
children; one age six, the other age nine.

A sentencing
hearing has been set for February 2nd.

St. Joseph man convicted of child molestation, rape

The Department of Agriculture does not plan to issue additional emergency farm aid beyond the recently announced $12 billion assistance package, even as financial stress deepens across the farm sector, said Richard Fordyce, USDA's undersecretary for farm production and conservation. The payments are intended to help producers cope with low commodity prices, elevated production costs and reduced export demand tied to ongoing trade tensions. But economists and farm advocates warn many operations may continue to struggle without further support or stronger export growth. 

U.S. agriculture has traditionally posted trade surpluses, but rising imports and slowing exports have pushed the sector into a widening trade deficit. That shift has weighed heavily on farm income, particularly for row-crop producers dependent on foreign markets. USDA officials say budget constraints and existing authorities limit the department’s ability to offer more aid in the near term. Many farmers, however, say long-term relief will depend less on direct payments and more on expanded trade opportunities.

USDA signals no additional farm aid beyond $12B Package

A new USDA labeling rule takes effect Jan. 1, tightening standards for when meat, poultry and egg products may be identified as a product of the United States. Under the regulation, finalized in March 2024, companies may use labels such as “Product of USA” or “Made in USA” only if the animals were born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States. Meat from animals imported live for feeding or processing no longer qualifies.

 Products that are minimally processed may use qualified claims, such as noting they were sliced or packaged domestically using imported meat. The rule does not require companies to use U.S.-origin labels, but any firm that does must maintain records supporting the claim. USDA will generically approve labels without additional verification programs. The regulation applies only to domestic sales, not exports. Critics warn it could strain trade ties, particularly with Canada and Mexico, and discourage imports of live animals.

'Product of USA' meat labeling rule takes effect Jan. 1

March corn closed up 3 1/4 cents and May corn was up 3 cents. January soybeans closed up 4 cents and March soybeans were up 5 1/2 cents. March KC wheat closed up 6 cents, March Chicago wheat was up 5 3/4 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was up 1 cent.

With the winter season officially underway, row crops kicked off Christmas week with a subdued trading session which saw mostly higher prices. Higher energy futures were the primary bullish driver for Monday with crude oil futures up for a fourth consecutive session and after hitting almost five-year lows last week, on renewed geopolitical risk premium as the U.S. has seized two Venezuelan oil tankers and is reportedly pursuing a third to start the week. Also adding to the unease is heightened Russian attacks on key Ukrainian export infrastructure, at least temporarily giving pause to what had been growing hopes for peace in that area. This gave a boost to vegetable oil markets to start the week, with soybean oil posting just the third positive session out of the past ten.

Following last week's bullish Cattle on Feed report and somewhat bullish fed cash cattle trade, the live cattle contracts traded higher into Monday's closing bell and are again trading alongside the market's 100-day moving average. Traders would like to conquer that threshold, but without knowing for sure how much fundamental support is going to remain in the market, given that it will be a holiday-shortened week both this week and next, traders remain cautious about breaking through that barrier right now. It is helpful to note boxed beef prices were higher again today, showing ample consumer support heading into the Christmas holiday. New showlists appear to be mixed, higher in Texas and Kansas, but lower in Nebraska/Colorado. Last week Northern dressed cattle traded at mostly $355 to $358, which is $2.00 to $4.00 higher than the previous week's weighted average, but Southern live cattle traded at mostly $228, which is $2.00 lower than the previous week's weighted average.

Today is the first chance that traders have had to fully react to Friday's bullish Cattle on Feed report, and they boldly continued to push the feeder cattle contracts higher, incrementally moving the contracts past the 100-day moving average. Given the strong note of higher boxed beef prices this morning, and the higher trend in the live cattle contracts, it's likely that the market will be able to maintain this rally through the day's close.

The lean hog contracts traded slightly higher into Monday's close as traders are hopeful that more support will develop and allow the contracts to trade above the resistance at $90.00. Do note that on Tuesday (tomorrow), the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report will be released.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/12/22140141/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

USDA has approved stricter limits on what Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients can buy, with changes set to take effect in 2026 in multiple states. Under the waivers, states can redefine “food for purchase” to exclude items such as candy, soda, energy drinks and other products deemed unhealthy. Six states — including Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia — received USDA approval this week, joining others that have already adopted similar rules under the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. 

Federal officials, including Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, say the changes aim to align SNAP with nutritional goals and reduce diet-related chronic illnesses. Implementation details will vary by state, with some plans already targeting specific categories like sugary beverages. The effort has sparked debate among advocates and critics over the balance between nutritional policy and food access for low-income households.

SNAP purchase limits approved for 2026

Leaders of the House Agriculture Committee say Congress may need to step in with at least $10 billion in additional aid for U.S. farmers, beyond the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program recently announced by the Trump administration. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, said the administration’s program, while helpful, does not go far enough to support all sectors of agriculture. The current package is largely aimed at row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat, with about $1 billion set aside for other commodities. 

Thompson said industries including dairy, timber and specialty crops may require further assistance to help producers secure credit and remain viable into 2026. He emphasized that any supplemental aid should stabilize farms without replacing market forces. Meanwhile, USDA Undersecretary Richard Fordyce said budget constraints make a second aid package from the agency unlikely, leaving Congress as the primary option for more support. Senate Agriculture Committee leaders said they are waiting to see how far the current funds go before committing to a specific amount of additional aid.

Lawmakers propose additional aid for farmers

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

March corn closed up 3 cents and March corn was up 2 1/2 cents. January soybeans closed down 27 1/2 cents and March soybeans were down 27 1/4 cents. March KC wheat closed down 2 3/4 cents, March Chicago wheat was down 19 1/2 cents and March Minneapolis wheat was up 2 1/4 cents.

Row-crop futures were mostly moderately lower to close the week, with little fresh news to break the fall in soybean futures or encourage corn traders to challenge nearby price resistance. In outside markets, energy futures were mixed with higher crude oil and gasoline futures but sluggish diesel prices, which contributed to the pressure on oilseed markets to close the week. Equity markets were higher in quiet trade, with a higher U.S. Dollar Index as well for the third straight session.

Things were heating up in the cattle complex as the live cattle contracts were again pressing up against the market's 100-day moving average. Traders are seeming to hold their breath, patiently waiting to see what's going to develop in the Southern Plains as still no cattle have traded in that region. Bids are on the table in Kansas at $227, which is far below the asking price of $232 to $233, and asking prices in the North are holding steady at $358-plus. There was a light movement of trade in Nebraska at $358 Thursday afternoon, which is $4.00 higher than last week's weighted average. Boxed beef prices are higher: choice up $3.61 ($360.89) and select up $3.57 ($347.54) with a movement of 69 loads (43.73 loads of choice, 8.34 loads of select, 11.09 loads of trim and 6.32 loads of ground beef).

The feeder cattle complex pushed a dynamite rally into Friday's closing bell, as contracts were trading anywhere from $5.00 $6.00 higher. The spot March contract is currently trading above its 100-day moving average, seeming to feel well supported since the live cattle contracts are higher, fed cash cattle prices are stronger this week, and hopeful this afternoon's Cattle on Feed report will be bullish too. Time will tell.

The lean hog complex was back to trading higher as traders seemed to have regained some faith in the market but are also feeling additionally supported by the day's slight uptick in pork cutouts. It's unlikely the market will challenge resistance at $90.00, but a steady tone could be maintained through the early parts of next week.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/12/19140646/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The Energy Information Administration said ethanol output jumped to a new record high in the seven days ending on December 12. U.S. production rose to an average of 1.131 million barrels a day, which the agency said is up from 1.105 million the previous week and eclipsed a record set two weeks earlier. In the Midwest, output rose to an average of 1.078 million barrels a day, up from 1.046 million the prior week. 

That was all the gains for the week. East Coast production was steady at 11,000 barrels a day, on average, for the fourth-straight week. West Coast output held steady at 9,000 barrels a day. Gulf Coast production dropped by 4,000 barrels to an average of 28,000 per day, and Rocky Mountain output dropped by 2,000 barrels a day to 9,000. Inventories during the week fell to 22.353 million barrels.

Ethanol production hits another record high

China has secured at least seven million tons of U.S. soybeans after multiple purchases during the past two weeks. Bloomberg said that puts the Asian country over halfway to meeting the 12-million-ton purchase agreement it made with the Trump administration. People familiar with the deals say the total comes from purchases by Sinograin, the state company in charge of managing China’s strategic grain stockpiles. 

The company purchased about two million tons in the last week alone, with buys continuing into this week. Bloomberg reports that at least seven soybean cargoes were purchased, totaling over 400,000 tons. Officially, the USDA has reported under four million tons of soybeans sold to China, but industry insiders say the total is likely much higher. Unfortunately, prices will likely stay under pressure, even though U.S. sellers and Chinese buyers expect the target to be met. It’s unknown exactly when the beans will ship.  

China halfway to soybean purchase commitment

March corn closed up 4 cents and May corn was up 4 1/2 cents. January soybeans closed down 6 cents and March soybeans were down 6 3/4 cents. March KC wheat closed up 9 1/4 cents, March Chicago wheat was up 1 1/2 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was up 11 cents.

The corn market extended its recovery to two days on Thursday, reclaiming lost technical ground in the process on rumors that China may have bought some U.S. corn off the PNW this week. Meanwhile, the soybean complex was again lower with the exception of meal futures. Wheat futures led the charge higher on Thursday, attracting bargain buying as futures had approached and, in some cases set, new 2025 and contract lows across markets earlier this week. In macroeconomic news, the November Consumer Price Index reading of 2.7% annual inflation was firmly and surprisingly lower than the 3% reading in September. Market reaction to the news was mixed with slightly higher Treasuries but yield futures flat to only a touch lower as some economists had offered a word of warning that the data collection during the government shutdown may have resulted in a skewed inflation measure this month.

The live cattle complex was again trading lower, as though some light cash cattle trade has been reported at higher prices again this week, traders still don't believe they possess enough well-rounded support to successfully conquer the market's 100-day moving average. This left the complex only one way to go, which was lower. Even though packers bought the largest weekly trade volume of 2024 and 2025 last week at just over 103,000 head, fed cash cattle prices are trending a tick higher again this morning as packers are still in need of more cattle. Some light trade has been reported in the North by a regional packer at $358, which is $4.00 higher than last week's weighted average. A few more bids are on the table in parts of Kansas, but no Southern trade has developed yet. Asking prices remain firm in the South at $232 to $233, and in the North at $360 plus. Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice up $0.95 ($357.04) and select down $2.38 ($344.05) with a movement of 46 loads ($31.77 loads of choice, 6.76 loads of select, zero loads of trim and 7.52 loads of ground beef).

Continuing to follow the direction of the live cattle complex, the feeder cattle contracts traded lower into Thursday's closing bell. Although the market continues to see adequate fundamental support, it's likely the complex could keep with this steady/somewhat lower trend as traders don't believe this is the best time to advance the complex over a major resistance threshold with the Christmas holiday just days ahead.

The lean hog complex was traded mostly higher as traders are to see pork cutout values up over $2.00 higher. And with Wednesday's lower technical close, the market is no longer up against immediate resistance pressure.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/12/18135625/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The U.S. isn’t the only country seeing a decline in ag equipment purchases. Brazil saw a double-digit percentage drop in tractor sales in November. That’s according to data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Total tractor shipments in the country were down five percent on an annual basis last month. Sales of high-horsepower and low-horsepower tractors were down 15 percent year over year in November, which followed another ten percent decline in October. 

High-horsepower tractor sales in Brazil plunged 28 percent in November and are down 15 percent year to date, according to a report from Truist Securities. Deere said it expects flat year-over-year tractor and combine sales in South America, AGCO said it expects modest growth in South America in 2026, and CNH said industry volumes will be flat. “Demand remains uncertain, due in part to the U.S.-China trade agreement, high interest rates, and strong crop yields,” Truist added.

Ag equipment sales are also falling outside the U.S. 

🎥U.S. to build "Trump-class" warships for "Golden Fleet"

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the recovery of a body&nbsp;&nbsp;found in a wooded area near the YMCA building in Salina have identified the victim as&nbsp;60-year old, Shane T. Duffy of Salina, according to a statement from Salina Police.

The cause of death was a heart attack and the contributing factors were chronic substance abuse, according to police. There was no&nbsp;indication of foul play.&nbsp;&nbsp;A passerby found the deceased body and contacted police on Nov. 20.

There was no home address listed for Duffy, as he was deemed to be homeless.

Police ID body of man found in wooded area near Salina YMCA

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.

&nbsp;Just after 10a.m. Monday, patrol officers were dispatched to 27th&nbsp;and Quincy on a reported cutting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 When officers arrived, they located an adult female victim suffering from laceration wounds.&nbsp; She was transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; While officers were on scene investigating, they received information about the location of a possible suspect.&nbsp;

Just before 10:30a.m., officers responded to the 6600 block of E 16th&nbsp;street to investigate the information they received.&nbsp; When they arrived, possible crime scene evidence was located, and they were directed to a residence on 16th Street.&nbsp; Inside, they discovered an adult female victim suffering from unknown bodily trauma.&nbsp; KCFD EMS responded and pronounced the victim deceased on scene.&nbsp;

This is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; A subject of interest was taken into custody on 16th Street, pending further investigation.&nbsp; Detectives are working to determine what led up to the incidents and if the scenes are related.&nbsp;

Police: Woman killed, another injured in Kansas City

CASS COUNTY —The  Missouri State Highway Patrol investigating a fatal officer shooting involving a member of the Belton Police Department.

Just after 10a.m. Friday, police in the Kansas City suburb of Belton responded to a the 16,000 Block of Rebecca Lane to check the welfare of a subject possibly experiencing&nbsp; mental health issues, according to a media release from the&nbsp; MSHP. Officers made contact with the subject, later identified as 26-year-old&nbsp;Quinn Swaggart at the residence. Swaggart refused any assistance from officers.

Just before 12:30p.m. Officers were called to the same address a second time on a report Swaggart was threatening a member of the residence with a&nbsp; knife. Officer arrived and contacted the reporting party in the front of the home. During the conversation, Swaggart exited the residence and was armed with a knife. Swaggart ran toward the officers and they retreated.&nbsp; The subject continued to chase an officer. At 12:35p.m., the officer fired shots striking the Swaggart. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

No officers were injured during the incident. Investigators recovered a knife at the scene.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is in charge of the investigation. Their final report on the incident will forwarded to the Cass County Attorney for review.

Patrol IDs man shot, killed after chasing officers with a knife

Powerball® could deliver the ultimate life-changing prize this Christmas Eve. No ticket matched all six numbers drawn last night, pushing the jackpot to an estimated $1.70 billion for Wednesday night’s drawing, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. The jackpot has an estimated cash value of $781.3 million.

Wednesday’s jackpot ranks as the fourth largest in Powerball history and among U.S. lottery games.

“Much like the holidays, Powerball is a game that brings people together to dream big and hope for a brighter future,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “We hope this growing jackpot inspires excitement and joy, and, most importantly, good will to all. A portion of every ticket helps support programs and services that benefit local communities.”

Historically, the Powerball® jackpot has been won once on Christmas Eve (2011) and four times on Christmas Day (1996, 2002, 2010 and 2013).

The jackpot rolled last night after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 3, 18, 36, 41, 54 and red Powerball 7. The Power Play® multiplier was 2.

Although there was no jackpot winner, U.S. lotteries are reminding players to check their tickets carefully, as many tickets won cash prizes in last night’s drawing.

Nationwide, nine tickets matched all five white balls to $1 million prizes. The winning Match 5 tickets were sold in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York (2), Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The drawing also produced 107 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and 28 tickets that won $100,000 prizes. Note: In California, prize payout amounts are pari-mutuel and determined by sales and the number of winners.

In the Double Play® drawing, two tickets sold in Florida and Maryland won $500,000 prizes after matching all five black balls. Double Play is a $1 add-on feature that allows players to player their Powerball numbers, again, in a separate drawing for a chance to win up to $10 million. The Double Play drawing is live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com</a>&nbsp;following the main Powerball drawing.

Wednesday’s Powerball drawing will be the 47th in the current jackpot run – a game record for the most drawings in a jackpot cycle. The Powerball jackpot was last won on Sept. 6 by two tickets in Missouri and Texas that split a $1.787 billion prize.

If a player wins Wednesday’s jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize estimated at $1.70 billion or a lump sum payment estimated at $781.3 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.

Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $37 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com</a>.

The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

Merry Christmas: Powerball now 4th largest in history

&nbsp;The Kansas City Chiefs&nbsp; announced plans on Monday to move from Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri to a new domed stadium in Kansas.

On social media, Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas expressed his disappointment in the decision.

What KCMO Mayor said about Chiefs decision to move to Kansas

On December 22, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters, according to a statement from the U.S. Southern Command.

 Intelligence confirmed the low-profile vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. One male narco-terrorist was confirmed killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.&nbsp;

🎥U.S. military: New strike on drug boat killed 1 'narco-terrorist'

KANSAS CITY—Two men are facing charges for fatal shooting that occurred at a Kansas City gas station in September.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2781/Fleck-Vasquez-Complaint--PC-">Undrellius K. Fleck and Jordan A. Vasque</a>z, 18, each are charged with 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and 1st Degree Robbery, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to a gas station in south Kansas City on Sept. 6 and located the victim, later identified as&nbsp;23-year-old Kenneth Hutt suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was confirmed deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

Detectives reviewed surveillance video and determined Fleck was at the gas station purchasing gas when Hutt entered the store with what appeared to be a pistol tucked under his left arm. Fleck and Vasquez entered the gas station looking at Hutt. Fleck was holding a Glock style firearm with what appeared to be modified with a switch. Vasquez pulled out a small AK pistol and passed it to Fleck, who approached Hutt and grabbed his pistol. Vasquez also approached Hutt and attempted to grab his pistol.&nbsp;

As Hutt attempted to regain control of his firearm, Fleck fired the fully automatic firearm toward him. When Hutt dropped to the ground, Fleck grabbed his pistol and both defendants fled.&nbsp;

Detectives identified the defendants through multiple investigative leads.

On Dec. 18, Fleck was certified through Jackson County Juvenile Courts as an adult.&nbsp; A Jackson County judge set both Fleck and Vasquez’s bond at $500,000 each cash-only.

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