State Sen. Mike Moon stepped down from a legislative committee because his opposition to rape and incest exceptions would have blocked the bill’s passage

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

A proposed constitutional amendment reinstating Missouri’s abortion ban cleared a Senate committee Wednesday after a GOP lawmaker who opposes the inclusion of rape and incest exceptions asked to be removed from the panel to avoid sinking the bill’s chances.&nbsp;

Sponsored by state Sen. Adam Schnelting, a Republican from St Charles,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=186" target="_blank">the proposed amendment&nbsp;</a>would ban abortion but allow exceptions up to 12 weeks gestation for survivors of rape and incest who first reported the assault to police.

Last week, state Sen. Mike Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, said he opposed any legislation that would leave the door open for abortions not medically necessary during an emergency. Specifically, he pointed to the rape and incest exceptions as unacceptable.&nbsp;

The bill was assigned to the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee, where Republicans hold four of the panel’s six seats. If Moon voted against the measure, it would die on a 3-3 tie.&nbsp;

Moon sent a letter to Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin on Tuesday requesting his removal from the committee, saying that while he understands the need to respond to the legalization of abortion last November, he “cannot support the creation of a subhuman group.”

“Republicans, and some Democrats, profess to be ‘protectors’ of life. I claim to be one of them,” he continued. “Because of this, I cannot support an effort which does not recognize all life as precious and worth saving and protecting.”

O’Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, granted Moon’s request. State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican, replaced Moon on the committee and the bill was approved Wednesday morning on a party-line vote.&nbsp;

It now heads to the full Senate for debate.&nbsp;

Schnelting on Wednesday said while he agrees with Moon that those conceived in rape are “just as valuable as any other human being,” he believes a ban with an exception for survivors has the best chance of winning at the ballot box.&nbsp;

“So my goal is to maximize human life as much as I possibly can, working pragmatically within that framework,” he said.&nbsp;

Moon could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday, but Schnelting said he believes his colleague stepped down from the committee of his own accord.

“(Moon) gave me his word that he wouldn’t kill the bill,” Schnelting said. “But at the same time he didn’t want to vote for something with exceptions.”&nbsp;

Moon has remained a staunch opponent of any abortion exceptions and has filed legislation to impose criminal penalties on women who end their pregnancies. Last year, he also opposed&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/08/missouri-abortion-legislation-defund-planned-parenthood-defund/">Democrats’ attempted to introduce rape and incest exceptions</a>&nbsp;into what was then a near-total ban on the procedure.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=512" target="_blank">Another proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;approved by the Senate committee on Wednesday was sponsored by Moon that would define a “person” as “every human being with a unique DNA code regardless of age, including every in utero human child at every stage of biological development from the moment of conception until birth.”

<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR54" target="_blank">Legislation similar to Schnelting’s — filed in the House&nbsp;</a>by GOP state Rep. Melanie Stinnett of Springfield — is still&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR54" target="_blank">awaiting a vote in the House Children and Families committee.&nbsp;</a>Both Schnelting and Stinnett’s bills would also ban gender-affirming health care for minors and allow abortions during an ectopic pregnancy.

Schnelting said he doesn’t know how Moon plans to vote once the bill reaches the Senate floor, but noted that the revised legislation that was passed out of committee Wednesday included a severability clause that was suggested by Moon.&nbsp;

The clause could allow the rape and incest exceptions in the amendment to be challenged in federal court as being discriminatory and in violation of the 14th Amendment.&nbsp;

During a press conference last week, Moon said he was open to any abortion bans going before voters.&nbsp;

“There are some other measures that are out there, and I’m hoping that all of them can make it,” Moon said. “So the voters can decide on either one, two or all the ones that are put before them.”

While the GOP-led legislature continues to prioritize abortion access, Planned Parenthood started offering procedural abortions for the first in nearly three years after a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">judge struck down many of the state’s abortion regulations,</a>&nbsp;citing them as discriminatory.&nbsp;

If any of the proposed amendments banning abortion make it to the ballot and are approved by a simple majority of voters, the new law would be in direct conflict with an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">amendment narrowly approved&nbsp;</a>in November that protects the right to reproductive health care, including abortion up to the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;

The first elective abortion to take place in Missouri since 2022 happened in mid-February at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Kansas City. On Monday, four more abortions took place, this time at the clinic in Columbia, which hadn’t performed the procedure since 2018.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741261920673.png" alt="State Sen. Mike Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, stepped down from the Families, Seniors and Health Committee, saying he didn't want to vote on a bill that included rape exceptions for survivors (photo by Madeline Carter)." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Mike Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, stepped down from the Families, Seniors and Health Committee, saying he didn't want to vote on a bill that included rape exceptions for survivors (photo by Madeline Carter).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>State Sen. Mike Moon stepped down from a legislative committee because his opposition to rape and incest exceptions would have blocked the bill’s passage</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a> A proposed constitutional amendment reinstating Missouri’s abortion ban cleared a Senate committee Wednesday after a GOP lawmaker who opposes the inclusion of rape and incest exceptions asked to be removed from the panel to avoid sinking the bill’s chances.&nbsp;Sponsored by state Sen. Adam Schnelting, a Republican from St Charles,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=186" target="_blank">the proposed amendment&nbsp;</a>would ban abortion but allow exceptions up to 12 weeks gestation for survivors of rape and incest who first reported the assault to police.Last week, state Sen. Mike Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, said he opposed any legislation that would leave the door open for abortions not medically necessary during an emergency. Specifically, he pointed to the rape and incest exceptions as unacceptable.&nbsp;The bill was assigned to the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee, where Republicans hold four of the panel’s six seats. If Moon voted against the measure, it would die on a 3-3 tie.&nbsp;Moon sent a letter to Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin on Tuesday requesting his removal from the committee, saying that while he understands the need to respond to the legalization of abortion last November, he “cannot support the creation of a subhuman group.”“Republicans, and some Democrats, profess to be ‘protectors’ of life. I claim to be one of them,” he continued. “Because of this, I cannot support an effort which does not recognize all life as precious and worth saving and protecting.”O’Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, granted Moon’s request. State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican, replaced Moon on the committee and the bill was approved Wednesday morning on a party-line vote.&nbsp;It now heads to the full Senate for debate.&nbsp;Schnelting on Wednesday said while he agrees with Moon that those conceived in rape are “just as valuable as any other human being,” he believes a ban with an exception for survivors has the best chance of winning at the ballot box.&nbsp;“So my goal is to maximize human life as much as I possibly can, working pragmatically within that framework,” he said.&nbsp;Moon could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday, but Schnelting said he believes his colleague stepped down from the committee of his own accord.“(Moon) gave me his word that he wouldn’t kill the bill,” Schnelting said. “But at the same time he didn’t want to vote for something with exceptions.”&nbsp;Moon has remained a staunch opponent of any abortion exceptions and has filed legislation to impose criminal penalties on women who end their pregnancies. Last year, he also opposed&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/08/missouri-abortion-legislation-defund-planned-parenthood-defund/">Democrats’ attempted to introduce rape and incest exceptions</a>&nbsp;into what was then a near-total ban on the procedure.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=512" target="_blank">Another proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;approved by the Senate committee on Wednesday was sponsored by Moon that would define a “person” as “every human being with a unique DNA code regardless of age, including every in utero human child at every stage of biological development from the moment of conception until birth.”<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR54" target="_blank">Legislation similar to Schnelting’s — filed in the House&nbsp;</a>by GOP state Rep. Melanie Stinnett of Springfield — is still&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR54" target="_blank">awaiting a vote in the House Children and Families committee.&nbsp;</a>Both Schnelting and Stinnett’s bills would also ban gender-affirming health care for minors and allow abortions during an ectopic pregnancy.Schnelting said he doesn’t know how Moon plans to vote once the bill reaches the Senate floor, but noted that the revised legislation that was passed out of committee Wednesday included a severability clause that was suggested by Moon.&nbsp;The clause could allow the rape and incest exceptions in the amendment to be challenged in federal court as being discriminatory and in violation of the 14th Amendment.&nbsp;During a press conference last week, Moon said he was open to any abortion bans going before voters.&nbsp;“There are some other measures that are out there, and I’m hoping that all of them can make it,” Moon said. “So the voters can decide on either one, two or all the ones that are put before them.”While the GOP-led legislature continues to prioritize abortion access, Planned Parenthood started offering procedural abortions for the first in nearly three years after a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">judge struck down many of the state’s abortion regulations,</a>&nbsp;citing them as discriminatory.&nbsp;If any of the proposed amendments banning abortion make it to the ballot and are approved by a simple majority of voters, the new law would be in direct conflict with an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">amendment narrowly approved&nbsp;</a>in November that protects the right to reproductive health care, including abortion up to the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;The first elective abortion to take place in Missouri since 2022 happened in mid-February at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Kansas City. On Monday, four more abortions took place, this time at the clinic in Columbia, which hadn’t performed the procedure since 2018.

Abortion ban advances in Missouri Senate after GOP critic of rape exception quits committee

(Radio Iowa) - A bill that would have required local police to partner with federal immigration enforcement activities has been tabled and likely won't be revived during the 2025 legislative session.

 Iowa House Judiciary Committee Chair Steven Holt of Denison says he decided not to advance the bill because of concerns that local police and sheriff's departments might not have the manpower to assist and that would impact other aspects of public safety. Immigrant rights advocates strongly opposed the bill, saying it would lead to racial profiling and undermine police relationships with immigrant communities. 

Holt hopes to advance a different immigration-related bill. It would say Iowa law enforcement officers could be charged with a felony if they refuse to cooperate and let Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest people being released from jail.

(Radio Iowa) - A bill that would have required local police to partner with federal immigration enforcement activities has been tabled and likely won't be revived during the 2025 legislative session. Iowa House Judiciary Committee Chair Steven Holt of Denison says he decided not to advance the bill because of concerns that local police and sheriff's departments might not have the manpower to assist and that would impact other aspects of public safety. Immigrant rights advocates strongly opposed the bill, saying it would lead to racial profiling and undermine police relationships with immigrant communities. Holt hopes to advance a different immigration-related bill. It would say Iowa law enforcement officers could be charged with a felony if they refuse to cooperate and let Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest people being released from jail.

Bill requiring local police to work with ICE tabled

The bill’s sponsor says it was inspired by a lawsuit filed by a transgender student against the Blue Springs School District

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 Republican push to bar transgender Missourians from changing the sex on their birth certificates was briefly debated Wednesday morning by a state Senate committee.

The bill’s sponsor, Republican state Sen. Mike Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit, said birth certificates reflect “facts on the day you were born” and should be unchangeable except in cases of sex development disorders.

Cierpiot filed the same bill in 2023, but it was never debated by the full Senate. He did not file the bill last year.

The bill was inspired, he said, by a lawsuit in his district where a transgender student sued the Blue Springs School District in 2015 after being barred from locker rooms and multi-stall bathrooms. A jury<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/04/missouri-appeals-court-sides-with-transgender-student-in-4-million-discrimination-case/">&nbsp;awarded the student $4 million</a>, but the case was appealed and is currently<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/11/missouri-supreme-court-hears-case-on-transgender-students-use-of-school-bathrooms/">&nbsp;awaiting a Missouri Supreme Court opinion</a>.

“The reason this (bill) is needed is because some courts are making decisions partly because of modified birth certificates,” Cierpiot said.

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican, mentioned that some transgender Missourians have changed their gender marker on their driver’s license. The Department of Revenue<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/19/missouri-agency-quietly-made-it-harder-to-change-gender-marker-on-drivers-licenses/">&nbsp;recently rescinded that policy after pressure from lawmakers</a>.

Cierpiot said he was less worried about driver’s licenses.

“A birth certificate is a historic document,” he said. “If someone wants to change things later in life, this is quiet on that.”

A Senate committee room was full of people waiting to testify on the bill, but the public hearing was cut short after 30 minutes with three speaking in favor and four able to speak in opposition before the committee chair moved to the next bill.

Sharon Dunski Vermont, a pediatrician from the St. Louis area, told committee members that the bill is dangerous for transgender people.

“People have been attacked, bullied and even killed because their documents don’t reflect who they see themselves to be,” she said.

Brattin asked Vermont about the Washington University Transgender Center, which was the<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/09/missouri-agencies-launch-investigation-into-health-center-for-transgender-youth/">&nbsp;subject of a whistleblower’s affidavit in 2023</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/11/washington-university-the-second-missouri-provider-to-stop-transgender-care-for-minors/">&nbsp;closed</a>&nbsp;after<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-governor-signs-ban-on-gender-affirming-care-restrictions-for-trans-athletes/">&nbsp;state law made gender-affirming care illegal</a>&nbsp;for minors.

Brattin criticized the center, calling treatments “detrimental to (children’s) health.”

Dunski Vermont, who worked there, said the allegations were untrue.

“I don’t tell you how to be a senator, and I would appreciate if you don’t tell me how to be a doctor,” she said, as Brattin interrupted.

Keith Rose, who is a legal advocate with nonprofit law firm Center for Growing Justice, said he has assisted people changing their birth certificates as part of his work.

He called birth certificates “living documents,” instead of historic.

“It is common sense that birth records should reflect your lived reality,” he said.

Few judges are willing to issue court orders to change birth certificates, Rose said, and it has grown more difficult in the past three years.

The committee did not take action on the bill Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741205823256.png" alt=" State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Lee's Summit Republican, stands at his desk in the Missouri Senate chamber. Cierpiot filed legislation this year seeking to bar transgender Missourians from changing their sex on their birth certificates (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Lee's Summit Republican, stands at his desk in the Missouri Senate chamber. Cierpiot filed legislation this year seeking to bar transgender Missourians from changing their sex on their birth certificates (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The bill’s sponsor says it was inspired by a lawsuit filed by a transgender student against the Blue Springs School District</h2>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 Republican push to bar transgender Missourians from changing the sex on their birth certificates was briefly debated Wednesday morning by a state Senate committee.The bill’s sponsor, Republican state Sen. Mike Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit, said birth certificates reflect “facts on the day you were born” and should be unchangeable except in cases of sex development disorders.Cierpiot filed the same bill in 2023, but it was never debated by the full Senate. He did not file the bill last year.The bill was inspired, he said, by a lawsuit in his district where a transgender student sued the Blue Springs School District in 2015 after being barred from locker rooms and multi-stall bathrooms. A jury<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/04/missouri-appeals-court-sides-with-transgender-student-in-4-million-discrimination-case/">&nbsp;awarded the student $4 million</a>, but the case was appealed and is currently<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/11/missouri-supreme-court-hears-case-on-transgender-students-use-of-school-bathrooms/">&nbsp;awaiting a Missouri Supreme Court opinion</a>.“The reason this (bill) is needed is because some courts are making decisions partly because of modified birth certificates,” Cierpiot said.State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican, mentioned that some transgender Missourians have changed their gender marker on their driver’s license. The Department of Revenue<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/19/missouri-agency-quietly-made-it-harder-to-change-gender-marker-on-drivers-licenses/">&nbsp;recently rescinded that policy after pressure from lawmakers</a>.Cierpiot said he was less worried about driver’s licenses.“A birth certificate is a historic document,” he said. “If someone wants to change things later in life, this is quiet on that.”A Senate committee room was full of people waiting to testify on the bill, but the public hearing was cut short after 30 minutes with three speaking in favor and four able to speak in opposition before the committee chair moved to the next bill.Sharon Dunski Vermont, a pediatrician from the St. Louis area, told committee members that the bill is dangerous for transgender people.“People have been attacked, bullied and even killed because their documents don’t reflect who they see themselves to be,” she said.Brattin asked Vermont about the Washington University Transgender Center, which was the<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/09/missouri-agencies-launch-investigation-into-health-center-for-transgender-youth/">&nbsp;subject of a whistleblower’s affidavit in 2023</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/11/washington-university-the-second-missouri-provider-to-stop-transgender-care-for-minors/">&nbsp;closed</a>&nbsp;after<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-governor-signs-ban-on-gender-affirming-care-restrictions-for-trans-athletes/">&nbsp;state law made gender-affirming care illegal</a>&nbsp;for minors.Brattin criticized the center, calling treatments “detrimental to (children’s) health.”Dunski Vermont, who worked there, said the allegations were untrue.“I don’t tell you how to be a senator, and I would appreciate if you don’t tell me how to be a doctor,” she said, as Brattin interrupted.Keith Rose, who is a legal advocate with nonprofit law firm Center for Growing Justice, said he has assisted people changing their birth certificates as part of his work.He called birth certificates “living documents,” instead of historic.“It is common sense that birth records should reflect your lived reality,” he said.Few judges are willing to issue court orders to change birth certificates, Rose said, and it has grown more difficult in the past three years.The committee did not take action on the bill Wednesday.

Legislation would prohibit transgender Missourians from changing birth certificates

The National Association of Wheat Growers celebrated the organization’s 75th anniversary during the 2025 Commodity Classic.

 “This event recognizes the hard work of those who have been part of the National Association of Wheat Grower’s history and reaffirms our ongoing commitment to ensuring that wheat growers and rural America can continue to thrive for generations to come,” said NAWG CEO Chandler Goule. 

The 75th-anniversary celebration brought together current and past leaders of the organization to reflect on its accomplishments and look ahead. During the event, the group discussed the future of wheat advocacy, including the continued efforts to get a long-term farm bill that meets the needs of today, including a stronger safety net.

 “As we look back at the past 75 years, it’s amazing to see what NAWG has accomplished,” says Keeff Felty, Wheat Growers President. “Our work is more important than ever to move the industry forward.”

The National Association of Wheat Growers celebrated the organization’s 75th anniversary during the 2025 Commodity Classic. “This event recognizes the hard work of those who have been part of the National Association of Wheat Grower’s history and reaffirms our ongoing commitment to ensuring that wheat growers and rural America can continue to thrive for generations to come,” said NAWG CEO Chandler Goule. The 75th-anniversary celebration brought together current and past leaders of the organization to reflect on its accomplishments and look ahead. During the event, the group discussed the future of wheat advocacy, including the continued efforts to get a long-term farm bill that meets the needs of today, including a stronger safety net. “As we look back at the past 75 years, it’s amazing to see what NAWG has accomplished,” says Keeff Felty, Wheat Growers President. “Our work is more important than ever to move the industry forward.”

Wheat growers celebrate 75 years

Former Missouri Western women's basketball player and graduate assistant Chelsea Dewey has been honored in her second year as head coach of the Arizona Western women's basketball.

Dewey was named by the&nbsp;Arizona Community College Athletic Conference as the&nbsp;ACCAC DI Women's Basketball Coach of the Year, after leading the Matadors to a 25-3 record.&nbsp;

Dewey led the Matadors to the program's first regular season title since the 2021-22 season after winning their last nine regular season games to secure the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Region I Tournament.

The Matadors are currently ranked No. 11 in the final NJCAA DI Women's Basketball poll and own wins over seven nationally ranked opponents this season and are 7-1 in games against teams ranked in the NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Top-25.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Matadors completed a perfect regular season at home, going 14-0 on the home floor at the House Gymnasium.

The last time the ACCAC Coach of the Year honors was awarded to Arizona Western was in the 2021-22 season when Patrick Cunningham won the award.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729872896741.jpeg" alt="Chelsea Dewey leads a huddle during a gamebreak for Arizona Western/ Photo courtesy of Arizona Western College" />
 <figcaption>Chelsea Dewey leads a huddle during a gamebreak for Arizona Western/ Photo courtesy of Arizona Western College</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEFormer Missouri Western women's basketball player and graduate assistant Chelsea Dewey has been honored in her second year as head coach of the Arizona Western women's basketball.Dewey was named by the&nbsp;Arizona Community College Athletic Conference as the&nbsp;ACCAC DI Women's Basketball Coach of the Year, after leading the Matadors to a 25-3 record.&nbsp;Dewey led the Matadors to the program's first regular season title since the 2021-22 season after winning their last nine regular season games to secure the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Region I Tournament.The Matadors are currently ranked No. 11 in the final NJCAA DI Women's Basketball poll and own wins over seven nationally ranked opponents this season and are 7-1 in games against teams ranked in the NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Top-25.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Matadors completed a perfect regular season at home, going 14-0 on the home floor at the House Gymnasium.The last time the ACCAC Coach of the Year honors was awarded to Arizona Western was in the 2021-22 season when Patrick Cunningham won the award.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Former Griffon Chelsea Dewey named ACCAC Coach of the Year

The USDA says inspections of corn and wheat for offshore delivery rose last week while soybean assessments dropped in the seven days ending on February 27. 

Corn inspections totaled 1.35 million metric tons, which is up from 1.17 million the week prior and the 1.15 million tons examined during the same week last year. 

Wheat assessments rose narrowly to 389,600 metric tons from 387,855 tons the previous week. That’s also higher than the 358,298 tons inspected at the same point in 2024.

 Soybean inspections totaled 695,158 metric tons, down from 878,615 a week earlier and the 1.16 million tons from the same week last year. 

Since the marketing year began, USDA has inspected 27.3 million metric tons of corn compared to 20.7 million a year earlier, 37.6 million tons of soybeans, up from 34.3 million, and 15.6 million metric tons of wheat, also higher than the previous year.

The USDA says inspections of corn and wheat for offshore delivery rose last week while soybean assessments dropped in the seven days ending on February 27. Corn inspections totaled 1.35 million metric tons, which is up from 1.17 million the week prior and the 1.15 million tons examined during the same week last year. Wheat assessments rose narrowly to 389,600 metric tons from 387,855 tons the previous week. That’s also higher than the 358,298 tons inspected at the same point in 2024. Soybean inspections totaled 695,158 metric tons, down from 878,615 a week earlier and the 1.16 million tons from the same week last year. Since the marketing year began, USDA has inspected 27.3 million metric tons of corn compared to 20.7 million a year earlier, 37.6 million tons of soybeans, up from 34.3 million, and 15.6 million metric tons of wheat, also higher than the previous year.-NAFB

Corn and wheat export inspections improve

&nbsp;USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says farm labor costs have reached in some cases more than 50 percent of expenses but still defends the president’s mass deportation policy.

Rollins makes no excuse for backing the president on reversing mass migration to the U.S.

“The entire industry is talking about President Trump’s promise, which I fully support, of securing the border and mass deportation.”

But Rollins is caught between that support and her role advocating for the nation’s farmers.

“I realize a lot of our Ag community is concerned about labor and what President Trump’s vision and execution of that vision very quickly will mean. My message is that listen, he understands the challenges to our community. No one has the backs of our farmers and ranchers more than he does. We will take this one day at a time.” 

She promised that farmers’ voices will be heard in the administration, including on broadening the H2A migrant labor Program.

“I know that the H2A is very helpful and important to many of our producers, but to many like the dairy industry, you can’t milk a cow six months a year. I’ve already been speaking with Lori Chavez-Deremer, who will be our new labor secretary if promoted very soon, and working with Congress on that, too.” 

USDA forecasts labor, seed, taxes, and rent will continue to rise this year, including labor by 3.6 percent, while feed, fertilizer, pesticides, fuel, and interest costs decline.

&nbsp;USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says farm labor costs have reached in some cases more than 50 percent of expenses but still defends the president’s mass deportation policy.Rollins makes no excuse for backing the president on reversing mass migration to the U.S.“The entire industry is talking about President Trump’s promise, which I fully support, of securing the border and mass deportation.”But Rollins is caught between that support and her role advocating for the nation’s farmers.“I realize a lot of our Ag community is concerned about labor and what President Trump’s vision and execution of that vision very quickly will mean. My message is that listen, he understands the challenges to our community. No one has the backs of our farmers and ranchers more than he does. We will take this one day at a time.” She promised that farmers’ voices will be heard in the administration, including on broadening the H2A migrant labor Program.“I know that the H2A is very helpful and important to many of our producers, but to many like the dairy industry, you can’t milk a cow six months a year. I’ve already been speaking with Lori Chavez-Deremer, who will be our new labor secretary if promoted very soon, and working with Congress on that, too.” USDA forecasts labor, seed, taxes, and rent will continue to rise this year, including labor by 3.6 percent, while feed, fertilizer, pesticides, fuel, and interest costs decline.-NAFB

Rollins admits farm labor costs a big problem, but defends Trump’s deportations

(Radio Iowa) - Governor Reynolds has submitted a bill to the legislature that would give Iowa governors authority to transfer up to 10 percent of funds out of the state's Economic Emergency Fund to respond to disasters. 

Under current law, the legislature has to approve those withdrawals, but the legislature's generally in session from January through part of May -- and last summer's massive flooding hit northwest Iowa in June. The governor's bill would also require insurance umpires, appraisers and independent adjusters to be licensed to work in the State of Iowa. A lobbyist with the National Insurance Crime Bureau says that would give state officials authority to go after adjusters who inflate claims and estimates to line their own pockets. 

The bill would also set aside two MILLION dollars for demolishing buildings damaged in 2024 disasters, along with nearly 12 million dollars for repairing storm-affected homes.

(Radio Iowa) - Governor Reynolds has submitted a bill to the legislature that would give Iowa governors authority to transfer up to 10 percent of funds out of the state's Economic Emergency Fund to respond to disasters. Under current law, the legislature has to approve those withdrawals, but the legislature's generally in session from January through part of May -- and last summer's massive flooding hit northwest Iowa in June. The governor's bill would also require insurance umpires, appraisers and independent adjusters to be licensed to work in the State of Iowa. A lobbyist with the National Insurance Crime Bureau says that would give state officials authority to go after adjusters who inflate claims and estimates to line their own pockets. The bill would also set aside two MILLION dollars for demolishing buildings damaged in 2024 disasters, along with nearly 12 million dollars for repairing storm-affected homes.

Governor's disaster response bill gets first legislative hearing

Former Northwest Missouri State player Bennett Stirtz and former coach Ben McCollum have earned honors in their first year at Drake University as the Missouri Valley Conference announced it's league awards on Wednesday.&nbsp;

McCollum was named the Missouri Valley Coach of the Year.&nbsp;McCollum joins 21 other coaches to a win an MVC men's basketball title in his first year in the league. He's the 14th rookie coach to win the league's Coach of the Year award, which was first presented in 1949.

With 27 wins, he's among the most successful first-year league coaches. Drake, 27-3 overall and 17-3 in the MVC, is tied for the national lead in victories and is second in winning percentage behind Auburn. Drake is the only team in the NCAA that has a perfect record against the top two quadrants.

Stirtz has been named the MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stirtz is just the third player in league history to earn the Larry Bird Trophy in his first season in the MVC. Player of the Year was not the only honor given to the Liberty, Mo., native, however. Stirtz was also named Newcomer of the Year, selected First Team All-MVC, and named to the All-Newcomer Team.

Stirtz leads the MVC in scoring (18.93), assists (5.93) and steals (2.20). Stirtz, who leads the nation in minutes per game, is the only player in the NCAA to lead his league in scoring, assists, and steals.

Two other former Northwest players who followed McCollum to Drake earned honors as well.&nbsp; Mitch Mascari earned an MVC All-Third Teams Selection, while Daniel Abreau was named to the MVC All-Defensive Team.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634064862076.jpeg" alt="Northwest Missouri State men's basketball coach Ben McCollum enters his 12th season as head coach of the Bearcats, having already won three national titles, including in 2021. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Northwest Missouri State men's basketball coach Ben McCollum enters his 12th season as head coach of the Bearcats, having already won three national titles, including in 2021. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostFormer Northwest Missouri State player Bennett Stirtz and former coach Ben McCollum have earned honors in their first year at Drake University as the Missouri Valley Conference announced it's league awards on Wednesday.&nbsp;McCollum was named the Missouri Valley Coach of the Year.&nbsp;McCollum joins 21 other coaches to a win an MVC men's basketball title in his first year in the league. He's the 14th rookie coach to win the league's Coach of the Year award, which was first presented in 1949.With 27 wins, he's among the most successful first-year league coaches. Drake, 27-3 overall and 17-3 in the MVC, is tied for the national lead in victories and is second in winning percentage behind Auburn. Drake is the only team in the NCAA that has a perfect record against the top two quadrants.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741196162442.jpeg" alt="Bennett Stirtz/ Photo courtesy of Ginnie Coleman with Drake Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Bennett Stirtz/ Photo courtesy of Ginnie Coleman with Drake Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Stirtz has been named the MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stirtz is just the third player in league history to earn the Larry Bird Trophy in his first season in the MVC. Player of the Year was not the only honor given to the Liberty, Mo., native, however. Stirtz was also named Newcomer of the Year, selected First Team All-MVC, and named to the All-Newcomer Team.Stirtz leads the MVC in scoring (18.93), assists (5.93) and steals (2.20). Stirtz, who leads the nation in minutes per game, is the only player in the NCAA to lead his league in scoring, assists, and steals.Two other former Northwest players who followed McCollum to Drake earned honors as well.&nbsp; Mitch Mascari earned an MVC All-Third Teams Selection, while Daniel Abreau was named to the MVC All-Defensive Team.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Former NWMSU coach McCollum named Missouri Valley Coach of the Year; Stirtz Player of the Year

President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports went live at 12:01 am on Tuesday. 

The 25 percent tariffs on imports from America’s neighbors were joined by an additional ten percent duty on Chinese goods, bringing that total to 20 percent. Reuters says the tariff actions launched new conflicts with the top three U.S. trading partners and may interrupt more than $2 trillion in two-way trade. 

China immediately responded, implementing additional 10-15 percent tariffs on certain U.S. imports and a series of new export restrictions for designated U.S. companies. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa would respond with immediate 25 percent tariffs on $21 billion worth of U.S. imports and another $86.2 billion if the tariffs are still in place in 21 days. 

“Tariffs will interrupt a very successful trading relationship,” said Trudeau, adding that they violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement signed during Trump’s first term.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741037134328.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports went live at 12:01 am on Tuesday. The 25 percent tariffs on imports from America’s neighbors were joined by an additional ten percent duty on Chinese goods, bringing that total to 20 percent. Reuters says the tariff actions launched new conflicts with the top three U.S. trading partners and may interrupt more than $2 trillion in two-way trade. China immediately responded, implementing additional 10-15 percent tariffs on certain U.S. imports and a series of new export restrictions for designated U.S. companies. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa would respond with immediate 25 percent tariffs on $21 billion worth of U.S. imports and another $86.2 billion if the tariffs are still in place in 21 days. “Tariffs will interrupt a very successful trading relationship,” said Trudeau, adding that they violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement signed during Trump’s first term.-NAFB

Trade wars underway as U.S. Tariffs take effect

St. Joseph, Mo ---Mark Patrick Seminars is set
to host a weight loss seminar on March 11 at the Stoney Creek Hotel in St.
Joseph, Missouri. The program employs hypnosis techniques aimed at assisting
participants in achieving their weight loss goals. Registration is currently
open for those interested in attending.&nbsp;

Mark Patrick Seminars has conducted numerous
sessions nationwide, focusing on weight loss and smoking cessation through
hypnosis. The organization claims that over 500,000 individuals have
participated in their programs, which are designed to help attendees lose
weight without hunger or starvation dieting.

The seminar offers a one-year money-back
guarantee for participants who are not satisfied with the results. .
Additionally, attendees are provided with free resources, including the
"Wake Up Skinny" best-selling book, "The Psychology of Losing
Weight" audio program, and a video titled "#1 Way to Quit Smoking (#2
is better)."

While many participants have reported positive
outcomes, it's important to note that individual results may vary.&nbsp;

For Early Bird s discount register online here: <a href="https://markpatrickseminars.com/register.php">https://markpatrickseminars.com/register.php</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740583298926.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SPONSORED CONTENT&nbsp;St. Joseph, Mo ---Mark Patrick Seminars is set
to host a weight loss seminar on March 11 at the Stoney Creek Hotel in St.
Joseph, Missouri. The program employs hypnosis techniques aimed at assisting
participants in achieving their weight loss goals. Registration is currently
open for those interested in attending.&nbsp;Mark Patrick Seminars has conducted numerous
sessions nationwide, focusing on weight loss and smoking cessation through
hypnosis. The organization claims that over 500,000 individuals have
participated in their programs, which are designed to help attendees lose
weight without hunger or starvation dieting.The seminar offers a one-year money-back
guarantee for participants who are not satisfied with the results. .
Additionally, attendees are provided with free resources, including the
"Wake Up Skinny" best-selling book, "The Psychology of Losing
Weight" audio program, and a video titled "#1 Way to Quit Smoking (#2
is better)."While many participants have reported positive
outcomes, it's important to note that individual results may vary.&nbsp;For Early Bird s discount register online here: <a href="https://markpatrickseminars.com/register.php">https://markpatrickseminars.com/register.php</a>

Mark Patrick Seminars coming to St. Joseph

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

Low-income Missourians who receive food assistance would be prohibited from buying soda and candy with their benefits under a bill debated Tuesday.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1222&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">bill</a>, sponsored by state Rep. Jamie Gragg, a Republican from Ozark, would restrict food purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously called food stamps, if approved by the federal government.

The bill would “get us back to where the original program was meant to go,” Gragg argued in Tuesday afternoon during a hearing of the House Committee on Government Efficiency. “The program’s been bastardized.”&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program" target="_blank">purpose of the SNAP program</a>&nbsp;is to help low-income families supplement their grocery budgets to afford nutritious food. As of&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/fsd_mhdmr/0125-family-support-mohealthnet-report.pdf" target="_blank">last month,</a>&nbsp;over 320,000 households in Missouri received SNAP benefits, loaded onto electronic benefits transfer cards used to purchase groceries. The average value of benefits per household was $396.&nbsp;

Proponents argue that taxpayer dollars, through the SNAP program, shouldn’t subsidize unhealthy food and beverages, which worsen people’s health.&nbsp;

Opponents called the proposal government overreach — limiting low income families’ freedom to choose their food — and overly broad, potentially banning SNAP access for things like granola bars and electrolyte drinks.

State Rep. Jim Murphy, a Republican from St. Louis, asked whether “any pre-process food could be deemed unhealthy” and added to the list of banned purchases.

“Do we want to be the nanny state that says, ‘you can eat this and you can’t eat that?’” Murphy said. “Where does that end?”&nbsp;

Rep. Darin Chappell, a Republican from Rogersville, said the list of unhealthy foods could keep growing.&nbsp;

“My concern is we can add to this list ad infinitum,” Chappell said. “The United Nations tells us that red meat is a carcinogen…at what point do we stop micromanaging this list?”&nbsp;

Similar bills have been proposed in other states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://azmirror.com/2025/02/04/republicans-follow-lead-of-rfk-jr-with-effort-to-ban-snap-users-from-buying-soda-candy/" target="_blank">Arizona</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/02/19/wv-house-committee-considers-make-america-healthy-again-bill-restricting-snap-purchases/" target="_blank">West Virginia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/03/03/idaho-house-narrowly-passes-bill-to-ban-snap-coverage-for-candy-soda/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/05/buying-candy-soda-with-food-stamps-banned-under-proposed-kansas-bill/" target="_blank">Kansas</a>.&nbsp;

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., health and human services secretary, has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/trump-officials-want-to-ban-junk-food-from-snap-but-past-efforts-show-its-not-easy" target="_blank">said he supports restricting SNAP for junk food,&nbsp;</a>and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-cuts-candy-soda-food-stamps-b6351b86a17b281b67480fe2d24b54f4" target="_blank">agriculture secretary</a>, Brooke Rollins, has signaled interest.&nbsp;

The conservative national think tank Foundation for Government Accountability has helped push for the change.&nbsp;

“Food stamps have fueled the junk food epidemic, with soda ranking as the number one commodity bought with food stamps,” Gragg told the committee — a direct quote from a report&nbsp;<a href="https://thefga.org/research/make-america-healthy-again-stop-taxpayer-funded-junk-food/" target="_blank">published by the Foundation for Government Accountability</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.

James Harris, a lobbyist for the Foundation for Government Accountability, called the bill common sense.

“If this were to pass and it helps one child have a little more milk or something of actual nutrition in their home, that’s great,” Harris testified. “…This just would allow Missouri to hopefully help some children have access to more nutritional food, besides maybe what they get at school.”

Those testifying in opposition included the progressive anti-poverty nonprofit Empower Missouri, along with industry groups such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Missouri Grocers Association and the Missouri Beverage Association.&nbsp;

Nationally, beverage groups have been lobbying to keep sodas in the program,<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/rfk-jr-soda-snap-food-stamps-coke-pepsi-9bd9a872" target="_blank">&nbsp;the Wall Street Journal reported late last year.</a>

A&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/ops/SNAPFoodsTypicallyPurchased-Summary.pdf" target="_blank">2016 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>, which oversees SNAP, found that the households that rely on the program have similar spending patterns to non-SNAP households. For both SNAP and non-SNAP households, the report stated, “more money was spent on soft drinks than any other item.” SNAP households spent 5% of their grocery budget on soft drinks, and non-SNAP households spent 4%.&nbsp;The percent spent on candy, 2%, was the same between both groups.

The bill defines candy as a food product “containing sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruit, nuts, or other ingredients or flavorings in the forms of bars, drops, or pieces.”

It defines a soft drink as “nonalcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners” but does not contain milk or milk substitutes or beverages that are more than 50% fruit or vegetable juice by volume.&nbsp;

The definition would prevent the purchase of Powerade with SNAP funds, but allow sugary bottled coffee drinks with milk, said Katie Gamble, a lobbyist for Missouri Beverage Association.&nbsp;

State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, a Republican from Savannah, said it seems that granola bars would fall under the candy definition, “and I always thought they were supposed to be healthy.”&nbsp;

Christine Woody, director of food policy for Empower Missouri, said individuals could cross the border into neighboring states and spend their SNAP dollars on banned items there.&nbsp;

She added that a better strategy would be to incentivize the purchase of healthy food, by “really investing in some of the programs that are successful,” such as by incentivizing the purchase of fruits and vegetables.

Those opposed said any changes should be federally decided, rather than having each state determine what is healthy or not.

Missouri would submit a waiver to the federal government requesting this change, if the bill is passed, but there’s no guarantee it’d be approved. States’ previous attempts to limit SNAP purchases in this way have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/well/eat/food-stamp-snap-soda.html" target="_blank">rejected by the federal government</a>, including because of being complex to implement, having vague standards of what is defined as healthy, and failing to show they would reduce obesity.&nbsp;

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Low-income Missourians who receive food assistance would be prohibited from buying soda and candy with their benefits under a bill debated Tuesday.The&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1222&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">bill</a>, sponsored by state Rep. Jamie Gragg, a Republican from Ozark, would restrict food purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously called food stamps, if approved by the federal government.The bill would “get us back to where the original program was meant to go,” Gragg argued in Tuesday afternoon during a hearing of the House Committee on Government Efficiency. “The program’s been bastardized.”&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program" target="_blank">purpose of the SNAP program</a>&nbsp;is to help low-income families supplement their grocery budgets to afford nutritious food. As of&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/fsd_mhdmr/0125-family-support-mohealthnet-report.pdf" target="_blank">last month,</a>&nbsp;over 320,000 households in Missouri received SNAP benefits, loaded onto electronic benefits transfer cards used to purchase groceries. The average value of benefits per household was $396.&nbsp;Proponents argue that taxpayer dollars, through the SNAP program, shouldn’t subsidize unhealthy food and beverages, which worsen people’s health.&nbsp;Opponents called the proposal government overreach — limiting low income families’ freedom to choose their food — and overly broad, potentially banning SNAP access for things like granola bars and electrolyte drinks.State Rep. Jim Murphy, a Republican from St. Louis, asked whether “any pre-process food could be deemed unhealthy” and added to the list of banned purchases.“Do we want to be the nanny state that says, ‘you can eat this and you can’t eat that?’” Murphy said. “Where does that end?”&nbsp;Rep. Darin Chappell, a Republican from Rogersville, said the list of unhealthy foods could keep growing.&nbsp;“My concern is we can add to this list ad infinitum,” Chappell said. “The United Nations tells us that red meat is a carcinogen…at what point do we stop micromanaging this list?”&nbsp;Similar bills have been proposed in other states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://azmirror.com/2025/02/04/republicans-follow-lead-of-rfk-jr-with-effort-to-ban-snap-users-from-buying-soda-candy/" target="_blank">Arizona</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/02/19/wv-house-committee-considers-make-america-healthy-again-bill-restricting-snap-purchases/" target="_blank">West Virginia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/03/03/idaho-house-narrowly-passes-bill-to-ban-snap-coverage-for-candy-soda/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/05/buying-candy-soda-with-food-stamps-banned-under-proposed-kansas-bill/" target="_blank">Kansas</a>.&nbsp;Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., health and human services secretary, has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/trump-officials-want-to-ban-junk-food-from-snap-but-past-efforts-show-its-not-easy" target="_blank">said he supports restricting SNAP for junk food,&nbsp;</a>and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-cuts-candy-soda-food-stamps-b6351b86a17b281b67480fe2d24b54f4" target="_blank">agriculture secretary</a>, Brooke Rollins, has signaled interest.&nbsp;The conservative national think tank Foundation for Government Accountability has helped push for the change.&nbsp;“Food stamps have fueled the junk food epidemic, with soda ranking as the number one commodity bought with food stamps,” Gragg told the committee — a direct quote from a report&nbsp;<a href="https://thefga.org/research/make-america-healthy-again-stop-taxpayer-funded-junk-food/" target="_blank">published by the Foundation for Government Accountability</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.James Harris, a lobbyist for the Foundation for Government Accountability, called the bill common sense.“If this were to pass and it helps one child have a little more milk or something of actual nutrition in their home, that’s great,” Harris testified. “…This just would allow Missouri to hopefully help some children have access to more nutritional food, besides maybe what they get at school.”Those testifying in opposition included the progressive anti-poverty nonprofit Empower Missouri, along with industry groups such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Missouri Grocers Association and the Missouri Beverage Association.&nbsp;Nationally, beverage groups have been lobbying to keep sodas in the program,<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/rfk-jr-soda-snap-food-stamps-coke-pepsi-9bd9a872" target="_blank">&nbsp;the Wall Street Journal reported late last year.</a>A&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/ops/SNAPFoodsTypicallyPurchased-Summary.pdf" target="_blank">2016 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>, which oversees SNAP, found that the households that rely on the program have similar spending patterns to non-SNAP households. For both SNAP and non-SNAP households, the report stated, “more money was spent on soft drinks than any other item.” SNAP households spent 5% of their grocery budget on soft drinks, and non-SNAP households spent 4%.&nbsp;The percent spent on candy, 2%, was the same between both groups.The bill defines candy as a food product “containing sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruit, nuts, or other ingredients or flavorings in the forms of bars, drops, or pieces.”It defines a soft drink as “nonalcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners” but does not contain milk or milk substitutes or beverages that are more than 50% fruit or vegetable juice by volume.&nbsp;The definition would prevent the purchase of Powerade with SNAP funds, but allow sugary bottled coffee drinks with milk, said Katie Gamble, a lobbyist for Missouri Beverage Association.&nbsp;State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, a Republican from Savannah, said it seems that granola bars would fall under the candy definition, “and I always thought they were supposed to be healthy.”&nbsp;Christine Woody, director of food policy for Empower Missouri, said individuals could cross the border into neighboring states and spend their SNAP dollars on banned items there.&nbsp;She added that a better strategy would be to incentivize the purchase of healthy food, by “really investing in some of the programs that are successful,” such as by incentivizing the purchase of fruits and vegetables.Those opposed said any changes should be federally decided, rather than having each state determine what is healthy or not.Missouri would submit a waiver to the federal government requesting this change, if the bill is passed, but there’s no guarantee it’d be approved. States’ previous attempts to limit SNAP purchases in this way have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/well/eat/food-stamp-snap-soda.html" target="_blank">rejected by the federal government</a>, including because of being complex to implement, having vague standards of what is defined as healthy, and failing to show they would reduce obesity.&nbsp;No action was taken on the bill Tuesday.

Ban on use of food stamps for candy, soda debated by Missouri lawmakers

Missouri Gov. Mike
Kehoe has appointed a Chillicothe man as an associate circuit judge.

Kehoe appointed
Livingston County Prosecuting Attorney, Adam Warren, as Associate Circuit Judge
for Sullivan County in the 9th Judicial Circuit.

Warren has been
the Livingston County Prosecutor since 2011. He earned his law degree from the
University of Missouri School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Science in
hospitality and restaurant administration from Missouri State University.

Warren ran a
private practice, Warren Law Office. He served in the Missouri Army National
Guard from 2004 to 2011 before being honorably discharged.

Warren fills the
vacancy left by the death of Judge Tracey Mason-White.

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri Gov. Mike
Kehoe has appointed a Chillicothe man as an associate circuit judge.Kehoe appointed
Livingston County Prosecuting Attorney, Adam Warren, as Associate Circuit Judge
for Sullivan County in the 9th Judicial Circuit.Warren has been
the Livingston County Prosecutor since 2011. He earned his law degree from the
University of Missouri School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Science in
hospitality and restaurant administration from Missouri State University.Warren ran a
private practice, Warren Law Office. He served in the Missouri Army National
Guard from 2004 to 2011 before being honorably discharged.Warren fills the
vacancy left by the death of Judge Tracey Mason-White.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Gov. Kehoe appoints Warren as Associate Circuit Judge

(Radio Iowa) - At one minute past midnight Tuesday morning, President Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on all goods being brought into the U-S from Canada and Mexico, Iowa's two largest trading partners. 

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley predicts it will likely mean Iowa consumers will soon start having to pay more for a wide range of products. Grassley expects both nations to impose their own tariffs on products from the U-S. Iowa businesses ship more products to Canada than anywhere else, while Mexico is Iowa’s second-largest trading partner. Grassley says he's already hearing from Iowa hog farmers about the tariffs, especially those who get baby pigs from Canada.

 Iowa sends all types of products to our neighbors to the north and south, including: pork, beef, corn, dried distillers grains, soybeans, soybean meal, and ethanol.

(Radio Iowa) - At one minute past midnight Tuesday morning, President Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on all goods being brought into the U-S from Canada and Mexico, Iowa's two largest trading partners. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley predicts it will likely mean Iowa consumers will soon start having to pay more for a wide range of products. Grassley expects both nations to impose their own tariffs on products from the U-S. Iowa businesses ship more products to Canada than anywhere else, while Mexico is Iowa’s second-largest trading partner. Grassley says he's already hearing from Iowa hog farmers about the tariffs, especially those who get baby pigs from Canada. Iowa sends all types of products to our neighbors to the north and south, including: pork, beef, corn, dried distillers grains, soybeans, soybean meal, and ethanol.

Grassley: Tariffs on Iowa's biggest trading allies may impact profits

U.S. pork exports to Central America were record-large last year, breaking previous highs in both volume and value. Lucia Ruano represents the U.S. Meat Export Federation in Central America. Ruano says consumer education programs, made possible through support from USDA and the National Pork Board, have helped position U.S. pork as a high-quality, center-of-the-plate protein. The record performance was achieved despite some obstacles in Panama, which has imposed a cap on pork imports that is inconsistent with its obligations under the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement. 

This has frustrated importers in Panama and led to some product shortages, including pork ribs sought by the country’s restaurants. U.S. pork has full, duty-free access to all other Central American countries under a separate Free Trade Agreement. In 2024, pork exports to Central America increased 21 percent, reaching 166,000 metric tons. Export value climbed 29 percent to $523 million.

U.S. pork exports to Central America were record-large last year, breaking previous highs in both volume and value. Lucia Ruano represents the U.S. Meat Export Federation in Central America. Ruano says consumer education programs, made possible through support from USDA and the National Pork Board, have helped position U.S. pork as a high-quality, center-of-the-plate protein. The record performance was achieved despite some obstacles in Panama, which has imposed a cap on pork imports that is inconsistent with its obligations under the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement. This has frustrated importers in Panama and led to some product shortages, including pork ribs sought by the country’s restaurants. U.S. pork has full, duty-free access to all other Central American countries under a separate Free Trade Agreement. In 2024, pork exports to Central America increased 21 percent, reaching 166,000 metric tons. Export value climbed 29 percent to $523 million.

U.S. pork exports to Central America reach record levels

Yet another major winter storm is set to hit the area tonight (Tues) into tomorrow morning (Wed.). 

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning between 9pm tonight until 5am tomorrow morning.  

Senior Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill Chris Bowman says the most dangerous part of this storm will be the heavy winds. 

"We might see some dangerous wind gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour with this really powerful storm system," Bowman tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "The secondary thing is the snow fall, and up there it looks like you could get several inches of snow." 

Bowman says with those high winds and blowing snow will come reduced visibility 

"Near whiteout conditions with falling and blowing snow, so people on interstates that's going to be problematic for people driving and not being able to see very far," Bowman explains.  "One of the criteria for a blizzard is visibility less than a quarter mile, and that's in the realm of possibility with this system." 

Bowman advises that if anyone is traveling and gets stuck in this storm, slow down and increase your driving distance to avoid any accidents.  

Bowman says blizzard warnings like this are not super frequent 

"Every four to six years you might get a storm that strong," Bowman says.  "For this particular system, I've been in the Kansas City office since 2009, and I can't remember a system as strong as this one producing the magnitude of winds for as long as we have forecast." 

The National Weather Service is projecting around one to three inches of snow to fall during this storm. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Yet another major winter storm is set to hit the area tonight (Tues) into tomorrow morning (Wed.). The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning between 9pm tonight until 5am tomorrow morning. Senior Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill Chris Bowman says the most dangerous part of this storm will be the heavy winds. "We might see some dangerous wind gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour with this really powerful storm system," Bowman tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "The secondary thing is the snow fall, and up there it looks like you could get several inches of snow." Bowman says with those high winds and blowing snow will come reduced visibility "Near whiteout conditions with falling and blowing snow, so people on interstates that's going to be problematic for people driving and not being able to see very far," Bowman explains. "One of the criteria for a blizzard is visibility less than a quarter mile, and that's in the realm of possibility with this system." Bowman advises that if anyone is traveling and gets stuck in this storm, slow down and increase your driving distance to avoid any accidents. Bowman says blizzard warnings like this are not super frequent "Every four to six years you might get a storm that strong," Bowman says. "For this particular system, I've been in the Kansas City office since 2009, and I can't remember a system as strong as this one producing the magnitude of winds for as long as we have forecast." The National Weather Service is projecting around one to three inches of snow to fall during this storm.

National Weather Service issues blizzard warning

Gov. Mike Kehoe
has appointed two more members of the Missouri Western State University Board of
Governors.

Kehoe has
appointed Scott Albers of Country Club to the board.

Albers is the
president of Public Refrigerated Warehousing at Nor-Am Cold Storage and has
served in leadership roles at the company since 2009. Albers serves on the
board of the Global Cold Chain Alliance and previously held roles with the
Greater St. Joseph United Way and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.

Albers earned a
Bachelor of Arts in Finance from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master
of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Business.

Kehoe also
appointed Todd Michalski of St. Joseph to the Missouri Western Board of
Governors.

Michalski is the
senior vice president of sales and marketing at Gray Manufacturing Company. He
serves as a board member for the Missouri Western State University Foundation
and the Automotive Lift Institute.

Michalski is an
alumnus of Missouri Western. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration and minor in Marketing and Management from MWSU. 

Kehoe earlier
appointed Bill Severn to the MWSU Board of Governors.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostGov. Mike Kehoe
has appointed two more members of the Missouri Western State University Board of
Governors.Kehoe has
appointed Scott Albers of Country Club to the board.Albers is the
president of Public Refrigerated Warehousing at Nor-Am Cold Storage and has
served in leadership roles at the company since 2009. Albers serves on the
board of the Global Cold Chain Alliance and previously held roles with the
Greater St. Joseph United Way and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.Albers earned a
Bachelor of Arts in Finance from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master
of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Business.Kehoe also
appointed Todd Michalski of St. Joseph to the Missouri Western Board of
Governors.Michalski is the
senior vice president of sales and marketing at Gray Manufacturing Company. He
serves as a board member for the Missouri Western State University Foundation
and the Automotive Lift Institute.Michalski is an
alumnus of Missouri Western. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration and minor in Marketing and Management from MWSU. Kehoe earlier
appointed Bill Severn to the MWSU Board of Governors.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Gov. Kehoe appoints 2 more to MWSU Board of Governors

‘I hope people really feel how meaningful this is,’ said Dr. Iman Alsaden, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Plains who on Monday performed the first abortions in years at the Columbia clinic

COLUMBIA — The doors of the only Planned Parenthood clinic in mid-Missouri opened up on Monday morning just like they have since 1970.&nbsp;

But for the first time since 2018, pregnant women from central Missouri received an abortion at their local clinic instead of traveling across state lines.

By 10 a.m., the first two patients had received ultrasounds to confirm gestational age and were provided with educational materials in preparation for their abortions.&nbsp;By day’s end, a total of four women received dilation and curettage procedures in which the embryo or fetus (depending on the gestational age) is removed from the uterus using suction.

“I hope people really feel how meaningful this is,” said Dr. Iman Alsaden, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which runs the Columbia clinic.

Missouri’s first elective abortion since voters in November enshrined reproductive rights into the state constitution was performed last month in Kansas City. But Monday’s procedures mark a turning point as the first time abortion has been available outside the major metro areas of the state since well before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal abortion protections.

Even a year ago, as they were helping gather signatures and advocate for the abortion-rights amendment, Alsadan said the idea of restoring access in in Columbia was “completely unbelievable.”&nbsp;

Alsadan is one of five physicians at Planned Parenthood Great Plains who perform abortions across their Kansas and Missouri clinics. On Monday, they drove in from Kansas City to help re-start the procedure and re-train staff in Columbia who for the past several years have only been providing family planning services, STI testing and treatment and cancer screenings.

So did Macy Thompson, a registered nurse based in the Overland Park, Kansas, clinic who made the trek to assist Columbia staff Monday. Her job was to help prepare patients before the procedure and then provide them with the information they needed once it was completed.&nbsp;

Her bright pink hair matched her scrubs as she sat at a desk inside the two-person recovery room Monday morning. She had recently told the first patients about what medication was available to them ahead of the procedure. Then Thompson informed them of common symptoms post-procedure, like cramping and some bleeding.

Beside her were “goody bags” for the patients: pads, underwear, a heat pack and “a big handful of condoms, just in case.” In the corner a speaker played music. She usually takes requests from patients.&nbsp;

“It’s not the fanciest,” Thompson said. “But we try to do a lot for comfort.”

Thompson considers herself more than a nurse. She also described her role as “a receiver of narratives.”&nbsp;

Many of the patients are having a bad day, she said. But not every story is sad, and she often reminds patients that they don’t have to justify their decision.

Her last parting gift to patients before they head home?

“I’m a big hugger,” Thompson said. “That’s the final step of the abortion process. Or a high-five.”

By late afternoon, the inside of the clinic was quiet. In the waiting room, at least 100 colorfully wrapped condoms sat in a plastic tub. Pamphlets on puberty, sex education, birth control, HIV and syphilis lined a wall.&nbsp;

Health center manager Krissy Lincoln sat at the front desk. Purple earrings with the words “Pro Choice AF” dangled above her shoulders.&nbsp;

“It’s a normal doctor’s office clinic,” she said. “It’s nothing that is unusual. It’s just a scary word — abortion — that people don’t like.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741103208726.png" alt="Dr. Iman Alsaden, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, stands outside a procedure room on Monday after performing the first elective abortion in Columbia since 2018 (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Iman Alsaden, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, stands outside a procedure room on Monday after performing the first elective abortion in Columbia since 2018 (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘I hope people really feel how meaningful this is,’ said Dr. Iman Alsaden, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Plains who on Monday performed the first abortions in years at the Columbia clinic</h2>COLUMBIA — The doors of the only Planned Parenthood clinic in mid-Missouri opened up on Monday morning just like they have since 1970.&nbsp;But for the first time since 2018, pregnant women from central Missouri received an abortion at their local clinic instead of traveling across state lines.By 10 a.m., the first two patients had received ultrasounds to confirm gestational age and were provided with educational materials in preparation for their abortions.&nbsp;By day’s end, a total of four women received dilation and curettage procedures in which the embryo or fetus (depending on the gestational age) is removed from the uterus using suction.“I hope people really feel how meaningful this is,” said Dr. Iman Alsaden, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which runs the Columbia clinic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741103177243.png" alt=" An abortion procedure room pictured on Monday at Planned Parenthood in Columbia, Missouri (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> An abortion procedure room pictured on Monday at Planned Parenthood in Columbia, Missouri (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Missouri’s first elective abortion since voters in November enshrined reproductive rights into the state constitution was performed last month in Kansas City. But Monday’s procedures mark a turning point as the first time abortion has been available outside the major metro areas of the state since well before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal abortion protections.Even a year ago, as they were helping gather signatures and advocate for the abortion-rights amendment, Alsadan said the idea of restoring access in in Columbia was “completely unbelievable.”&nbsp;Alsadan is one of five physicians at Planned Parenthood Great Plains who perform abortions across their Kansas and Missouri clinics. On Monday, they drove in from Kansas City to help re-start the procedure and re-train staff in Columbia who for the past several years have only been providing family planning services, STI testing and treatment and cancer screenings.So did Macy Thompson, a registered nurse based in the Overland Park, Kansas, clinic who made the trek to assist Columbia staff Monday. Her job was to help prepare patients before the procedure and then provide them with the information they needed once it was completed.&nbsp;Her bright pink hair matched her scrubs as she sat at a desk inside the two-person recovery room Monday morning. She had recently told the first patients about what medication was available to them ahead of the procedure. Then Thompson informed them of common symptoms post-procedure, like cramping and some bleeding.Beside her were “goody bags” for the patients: pads, underwear, a heat pack and “a big handful of condoms, just in case.” In the corner a speaker played music. She usually takes requests from patients.&nbsp;“It’s not the fanciest,” Thompson said. “But we try to do a lot for comfort.”Thompson considers herself more than a nurse. She also described her role as “a receiver of narratives.”&nbsp;Many of the patients are having a bad day, she said. But not every story is sad, and she often reminds patients that they don’t have to justify their decision.Her last parting gift to patients before they head home?“I’m a big hugger,” Thompson said. “That’s the final step of the abortion process. Or a high-five.”By late afternoon, the inside of the clinic was quiet. In the waiting room, at least 100 colorfully wrapped condoms sat in a plastic tub. Pamphlets on puberty, sex education, birth control, HIV and syphilis lined a wall.&nbsp;Health center manager Krissy Lincoln sat at the front desk. Purple earrings with the words “Pro Choice AF” dangled above her shoulders.&nbsp;“It’s a normal doctor’s office clinic,” she said. “It’s nothing that is unusual. It’s just a scary word — abortion — that people don’t like.”The only obvious difference was a computer screen with a live video stream of the entrance to the clinic, including a view of some of the protesters gathered outside.&nbsp;Protesters, or sidewalk counselors, aren’t uncommon outside the Columbia clinic. On Monday, about 20 people gathered outside the clinic’s tall fence in rotations. Many have been coming to pray outside the clinic for years.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741103135177.png" alt="Connie Gerling, with 40 Days for Life, prays as she stands outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on Monday. A sign beside her reads: “We Care. We can Help” (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Connie Gerling, with 40 Days for Life, prays as she stands outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on Monday. A sign beside her reads: “We Care. We can Help” (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>“You have another choice,” one said through the fence to a patient walking into the clinic beside a volunteer Planned Parenthood clinic escort who shielded them from view with an umbrella.&nbsp;Some cars honked in support. Others blared angry blasts as passengers shouted out windows at the small crowd.“Get a life,” a passerby yelled as Connie Gerling, a longtime volunteer with 40 Days for Life, bowed her head and prayed.She repeated one verse to herself on several occasions Monday: “Everything is possible with God.”&nbsp;“Who decides when a baby is a baby?” she asked. “God made that decision.”&nbsp;Bonnie Lee, a retired registered nurse who has been taking up residence outside the Columbia clinic since 2009, felt the heaviness of the day as she stood beside a rotation of about 20 other anti-abortion volunteers who rotated in and out Monday, watching as staff members walked in and out of the building.“I pray for them because they cannot comprehend what they’re bringing down on themselves,” she said. “Whether it’s in this life or afterwards.”&nbsp;Lee remains confident that abortion won’t remain legal for long.&nbsp;“I believe a referendum on truth is out there,” she said, emphasizing her belief that a judge’s recent ruling dissolved all oversight of Planned Parenthood clinics.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741103083728.png" alt=" Longtime anti-abortion activist Bonnie Lee stands outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on Monday. “At the same time that I get so frustrated, I have to remember the judgement they’re calling down on themselves,” she said of those involved with abortions inside the clinic (Anna Spoerre/Missouri" />
 <figcaption> Longtime anti-abortion activist Bonnie Lee stands outside the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic on Monday. “At the same time that I get so frustrated, I have to remember the judgement they’re calling down on themselves,” she said of those involved with abortions inside the clinic (Anna Spoerre/Missouri</figcaption>
 </figure>Last month, Jackson County judge Jerri Zhang&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">struck down the final few regulations for Missouri abortion providers</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">calling them “unnecessary” and “discriminatory.”</a>&nbsp;This order opened the door for abortions to resume at every clinic in Missouri, though&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/28/planned-parenthood-abortion-appointments-columbia-kansas-city/">only the clinics in Kansas City and Columbia have re-started the procedure.&nbsp;</a>The state previously imposed licensing laws on Planned Parenthood clinics that the organization cited as so burdensome that they weren’t able to continue offering the procedure at most of their Missouri clinics even before abortion was outlawed in 2022.&nbsp;This included a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between seeing a provider and having the same provider perform the abortion and a requirement that physicians performing the procedure have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.&nbsp;Abortion opponents, including Lee, often cite a 2018 state health inspection report at the Columbia clinic that found tubing used in procedural abortions contained “black mold and bodily fluid.” Planned Parenthood officials have disputed the characterization of the inspection and later said the equipment had been replaced and the issue resolved.When Vicki Casey started at Planned Parenthood’s Columbia clinic in 2005, she said state inspections weren’t nearly as “politicized” or “weaponized.”&nbsp;Now director of centralized operations for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, Casey said the two-decade difference is stark. A few years into the job, she noticed more protesters gathering outside, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Inspection reports were “a little more over the top.” Each year, the job got harder as abortion regulations approved by the anti-abortion legislature piled on.&nbsp;Patients took the brunt of the burden, Casey said.&nbsp;Suddenly patients had to scramble to take off work twice, get child care twice, find funds to travel to the clinic twice. In 2018 the clinic ended abortions because it could no longer meet a state requirement that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges at a hospital no more than 15 minutes from the clinic and the clinic’s license expired.&nbsp;Casey called the decision “devastating.”&nbsp;Monday was anything but for her.&nbsp;Their goal is to get patients in and out in two hours. Prior to 2018, Casey said it took between four and six hours to get a patient through for an abortion procedure, pointing to the consent laws that slowed the process.&nbsp;She’s stuck it out for two decades despite the near-constant changes.&nbsp;“You have to believe in what you do,” Casey said. “I believe that abortion is health care and that there’s no difference between that and the other things that we do here.”&nbsp;When Emily Wales, now CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, started at the organization nearly eight years ago, she recalled a patient who lived about 30 minutes outside Columbia calling to push her appointment to later in the day after her child care plans fell through. The clinic adjusted her appointment time, and the woman came in later that day for her abortion before making it home in time to pick her kids up again.&nbsp;“It’s the best example of why care has to be close,” Wales said, adding that for the first time in years, mid-Missourians are among the growing number of people who have reasonable access to an abortion clinic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741103037580.png" alt="Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains (right) takes a shift as a clinic escort with Vicki Casey director of centralized operations, on March 3, 2025, outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Emily Wales, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains (right) takes a shift as a clinic escort with Vicki Casey director of centralized operations, on March 3, 2025, outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Zhang’s ruling, Wales said, put Planned Parenthood clinics on the same playing field as private OBGYN offices rather than holding them to similar standards as hospitals.&nbsp;She said while the clinic itself is no longer licensed by the state, the physicians and nurses inside the building are, and they are instructed by oversight boards. She said the clinic also has to abide by requirements in order to keep its lab license, as well as municipal building codes.&nbsp;“We’re just like going to your normal doctor’s office without an additional level of state oversight,” she said, adding that their equipment is inspected on a regular basis through an infection control process.&nbsp;It’s a bit hard to believe abortion has returned to the clinic, Wales said, though the fight is far from over.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood is still waiting on the state to approve or reject a complication plan for medication abortions, the most common type of abortion and the method preferred by most patients still in their first trimester.She’s also closely watching the state’s elected officials.&nbsp;This legislative session, dozens of bills have been filed seeking to restrict abortion rights. This includes multiple proposed constitutional amendments seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/05/missouri-abortion-ban-constitutional-amendment-stinnett-rape-incest-exception/">put an abortion ban on the ballot as soon as this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>Wales oversees the Planned Parenthood affiliate where in 2009 Dr. George Tiller, an abortion doctor in Kansas, was shot and killed while attending church. She worries about the anti-abortion rhetoric she hears on a regular basis.“When you have the state’s attorney general saying that Planned Parenthood should be eradicated or eliminated,” Wales said. “That kind of language does incite others potentially to violence.”

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