WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) has been alerted of a scam impacting incarcerated individuals and their families where callers are identifying themselves as FBOP employees to secure money for community placement services. 

The FBOP will not contact individuals to request personal information or money. Also, there appear to be other scams affecting incarcerated individuals and their families. Specifically, callers are identifying as “Federal Bureau of Prisons Reentry Division Services” to gain personal information or money for early release and/or community placement services.

Individuals who are contacted by persons purporting to be employees of the FBOP requesting money and/or compensation should report these calls to the Federal Trade Commission online <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">by clicking here</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-877-382-4357 (9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712245575011.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) has been alerted of a scam impacting incarcerated individuals and their families where callers are identifying themselves as FBOP employees to secure money for community placement services. The FBOP will not contact individuals to request personal information or money. Also, there appear to be other scams affecting incarcerated individuals and their families. Specifically, callers are identifying as “Federal Bureau of Prisons Reentry Division Services” to gain personal information or money for early release and/or community placement services.Individuals who are contacted by persons purporting to be employees of the FBOP requesting money and/or compensation should report these calls to the Federal Trade Commission online <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">by clicking here</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-877-382-4357 (9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.).

Federal Bureau of Prisons alerts public to a scam

A delegation from the greater St. Joseph
area has returned from a trip to Washington, D.C. in which members lobbied for
various interests in the region.

St. Joseph Deputy Mayor, Randy Schultz,
says a big push was lobbying for new cargo planes for the Air National Guard
139th Airlift Wing. Schultz points out the base at Rosecrans
Memorial Airport trains pilots from throughout the country and around the world
at the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, using the new “J” model
C-130s.

“We train everybody in the world how to
fly the C-130s and the J models. We don’t have the J models, yet. So, that’s
why we’re out there pushing pretty hard for the last three years,” Schultz says
during an appearance on KFEQmmunity. “That does two things. That keeps our base
modernized, but then it also gives our base longevity to stay.”

The 139th generates up to $220
million in economic activity for the greater St. Joseph area.

Schultz says the delegation didn’t
receive any promises, but did get some positive signs when it met with the leader
of the Air National Guard. Schultz says the head of the Air Guard does notice
the region speaks with a unified voice.

“He sees us coming and he’s always amazed
how we all are one unit, one group, one voice.” 

Along with area political and business
leaders, the delegation includes education officials representing the St.
Joseph School District and Missouri Western State University along with North
Central Missouri College in Trenton.

Education and transportation are big
points of interest, according to Schultz.

“They’re all out there, too. Lobbying (for)
things they can help us with,” Schultz says. &nbsp;“It’s either infrastructure, money, things
like that.”

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA delegation from the greater St. Joseph
area has returned from a trip to Washington, D.C. in which members lobbied for
various interests in the region.St. Joseph Deputy Mayor, Randy Schultz,
says a big push was lobbying for new cargo planes for the Air National Guard
139th Airlift Wing. Schultz points out the base at Rosecrans
Memorial Airport trains pilots from throughout the country and around the world
at the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, using the new “J” model
C-130s.“We train everybody in the world how to
fly the C-130s and the J models. We don’t have the J models, yet. So, that’s
why we’re out there pushing pretty hard for the last three years,” Schultz says
during an appearance on KFEQmmunity. “That does two things. That keeps our base
modernized, but then it also gives our base longevity to stay.”The 139th generates up to $220
million in economic activity for the greater St. Joseph area.Schultz says the delegation didn’t
receive any promises, but did get some positive signs when it met with the leader
of the Air National Guard. Schultz says the head of the Air Guard does notice
the region speaks with a unified voice.“He sees us coming and he’s always amazed
how we all are one unit, one group, one voice.” Along with area political and business
leaders, the delegation includes education officials representing the St.
Joseph School District and Missouri Western State University along with North
Central Missouri College in Trenton.Education and transportation are big
points of interest, according to Schultz.“They’re all out there, too. Lobbying (for)
things they can help us with,” Schultz says. &nbsp;“It’s either infrastructure, money, things
like that.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph delegation returns after lobbying in Washington, D.C.

(Radio Iowa) - Governor Kim Reynolds announced Friday in a social media post she will not seek reelection. The governor says the decision came after a lot of thought, prayer and conversations with her family.

The governor says she's ready to support her family through the next stage of life, especially her 11 grandchildren. Reynolds says she will not slow up in the final 21 months of her term. 

The 65-year-old Reynolds became Governor in 2017 when Terry Branstad stepped down to become the Ambassador to China. She won a full term in 2018 and was reelected in 2022.

(Radio Iowa) - Governor Kim Reynolds announced Friday in a social media post she will not seek reelection. The governor says the decision came after a lot of thought, prayer and conversations with her family.The governor says she's ready to support her family through the next stage of life, especially her 11 grandchildren. Reynolds says she will not slow up in the final 21 months of her term. The 65-year-old Reynolds became Governor in 2017 when Terry Branstad stepped down to become the Ambassador to China. She won a full term in 2018 and was reelected in 2022.

Governor Not Seeking Reelection

(Radio Iowa) - The latest Drought Monitor report shows improvement in most areas of the state thanks to above-normal precipitation in March. 

The D-N-R's Jessica Reese McIntyre northwest Iowa in particular had areas of severe drought that have now disappeared after the rains. The eastern side of the state has the largest area of drought as she says northeast Iowa did not see a whole lot of improvement. 

Much of that area is still in the D-1 moderate drought classification. McIntyre says that overall we are in a significantly better position than we were this time last year, as far as drought is concerned. She says we didn't bust out of the record drought until the end of May, early June last year.

(Radio Iowa) - The latest Drought Monitor report shows improvement in most areas of the state thanks to above-normal precipitation in March. The D-N-R's Jessica Reese McIntyre northwest Iowa in particular had areas of severe drought that have now disappeared after the rains. The eastern side of the state has the largest area of drought as she says northeast Iowa did not see a whole lot of improvement. Much of that area is still in the D-1 moderate drought classification. McIntyre says that overall we are in a significantly better position than we were this time last year, as far as drought is concerned. She says we didn't bust out of the record drought until the end of May, early June last year.

Drought Conditions Improve

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

WASHINGTON — Fired federal probationary workers saw setbacks this week, as the U.S. Supreme Court and an appeals court dealt blows in two separate cases, leaving the newly hired or recently promoted employees hit by the administration’s mass firings once again in limbo.

In a case that affected up to 24,000 fired probationary employees across 17 federal agencies, the U.S. Appeals Court for the 4th Circuit on Wednesday blocked a lower court order requiring the government to rehire the workers.

A three-judge panel ruled 2-1 to stay the order, writing that the Trump administration is “likely to succeed in showing the district court lacked jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ claims.”

Judge Allison Rushing, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019, directed the order, with Judge James Wilkinson, a President Ronald Reagan appointee, concurring. Judge DeAndrea Benjamin, appointed by President Joe Biden in 2023, dissented.

The case centered on a lawsuit filed by the Democratic attorneys general for 19 states and the District of Columbia, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democratic-attorneys-general-face-trump-administration-over-rehiring-fired-feds" target="_blank">allege</a>&nbsp;economic harm because the federal government did not provide legally required warning ahead of an influx of unemployed state residents.

Federal Judge James Bredar for the District of Maryland&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/judge-orders-fired-federal-probationary-workers-reinstated-19-states-dc" target="_blank">issued a preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;on April 2 requiring the government to rehire thousands of workers who either lived or reported to work only in the 19 plaintiff states and the District of Columbia while the case moved forward. They included:

The case marked the first time the government provided the number of probationary employees fired at each agency.

Bredar required the figures from the government to show compliance with his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/second-federal-judge-orders-reversal-some-trump-workforce-cuts" target="_blank">mid-March emergency order</a>&nbsp;that the agencies reinstate the workers. The documents showed that the majority of the employees were not recalled to active duty, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fired-fed-workers-won-their-jobs-back-many-linger-administrative-leave-limbo" target="_blank">placed on administrative leave</a>.

In the second case bearing on fired federal workers, the Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a lower court order mandating the federal government reinstate the jobs of 16,000 fired probationary federal workers across six agencies.

The unsigned two-page&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/040825zr_1b8e.pdf" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;stated the nine nonprofits that brought the case do not have legal standing. The justices did not address the question at the center of the lawsuit: whether the firings were illegal.

The Trump administration had escalated the case to the Supreme Court’s emergency docket after the U.S. Appeals Court for the 9th Circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-appeals-court-turns-down-trump-attempt-block-rehiring-fired-workers" target="_blank">denied</a>&nbsp;the government’s request to block the agencies from rehiring the employees.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup for the Northern District of California&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/judge-orders-rehiring-thousands-fired-probationary-federal-employees" target="_blank">extended</a>&nbsp;his temporary emergency order on March 13, mandating the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs reinstate employees who were fired under a directive from the Office of Personnel Management as part of an agenda by President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-workforce-hit-trumps-sweeping-firings-thousands-probationary-employees" target="_blank">slash the federal workforce</a>.

As the case continues on the lower court track, lawyers for the American Federal of Government Employees, AFL-CIO faced the Trump administration in court Wednesday before Alsup, a Clinton appointee. Alsup ordered both to provide more information by the end of the day Friday, including a comprehensive list of those fired and statements about economic harms.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741729690736.png" alt="Department of Education in Washington -AP photo" />
 <figcaption>Department of Education in Washington -AP photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — Fired federal probationary workers saw setbacks this week, as the U.S. Supreme Court and an appeals court dealt blows in two separate cases, leaving the newly hired or recently promoted employees hit by the administration’s mass firings once again in limbo.In a case that affected up to 24,000 fired probationary employees across 17 federal agencies, the U.S. Appeals Court for the 4th Circuit on Wednesday blocked a lower court order requiring the government to rehire the workers.A three-judge panel ruled 2-1 to stay the order, writing that the Trump administration is “likely to succeed in showing the district court lacked jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ claims.”Judge Allison Rushing, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019, directed the order, with Judge James Wilkinson, a President Ronald Reagan appointee, concurring. Judge DeAndrea Benjamin, appointed by President Joe Biden in 2023, dissented.The case centered on a lawsuit filed by the Democratic attorneys general for 19 states and the District of Columbia, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democratic-attorneys-general-face-trump-administration-over-rehiring-fired-feds" target="_blank">allege</a>&nbsp;economic harm because the federal government did not provide legally required warning ahead of an influx of unemployed state residents.Federal Judge James Bredar for the District of Maryland&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/judge-orders-fired-federal-probationary-workers-reinstated-19-states-dc" target="_blank">issued a preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;on April 2 requiring the government to rehire thousands of workers who either lived or reported to work only in the 19 plaintiff states and the District of Columbia while the case moved forward. They included:<ul>
 <li>Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.</li>
 </ul>The affected agencies included:<ul>
 <li>The departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense (civilian employees only), Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, General Services Administration, Office of Personnel Management, Small Business Administration and the U.S. Agency for International Development.</li>
 </ul>The case marked the first time the government provided the number of probationary employees fired at each agency.Bredar required the figures from the government to show compliance with his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/second-federal-judge-orders-reversal-some-trump-workforce-cuts" target="_blank">mid-March emergency order</a>&nbsp;that the agencies reinstate the workers. The documents showed that the majority of the employees were not recalled to active duty, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fired-fed-workers-won-their-jobs-back-many-linger-administrative-leave-limbo" target="_blank">placed on administrative leave</a>.<h2>Supreme Court action</h2>In the second case bearing on fired federal workers, the Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a lower court order mandating the federal government reinstate the jobs of 16,000 fired probationary federal workers across six agencies.The unsigned two-page&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/040825zr_1b8e.pdf" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;stated the nine nonprofits that brought the case do not have legal standing. The justices did not address the question at the center of the lawsuit: whether the firings were illegal.The Trump administration had escalated the case to the Supreme Court’s emergency docket after the U.S. Appeals Court for the 9th Circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-appeals-court-turns-down-trump-attempt-block-rehiring-fired-workers" target="_blank">denied</a>&nbsp;the government’s request to block the agencies from rehiring the employees.U.S. District Judge William Alsup for the Northern District of California&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/judge-orders-rehiring-thousands-fired-probationary-federal-employees" target="_blank">extended</a>&nbsp;his temporary emergency order on March 13, mandating the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs reinstate employees who were fired under a directive from the Office of Personnel Management as part of an agenda by President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-workforce-hit-trumps-sweeping-firings-thousands-probationary-employees" target="_blank">slash the federal workforce</a>.As the case continues on the lower court track, lawyers for the American Federal of Government Employees, AFL-CIO faced the Trump administration in court Wednesday before Alsup, a Clinton appointee. Alsup ordered both to provide more information by the end of the day Friday, including a comprehensive list of those fired and statements about economic harms.&nbsp;

Fired federal probationary employees thrown back in limbo after court losses

(Radio Iowa) - The Republicans who lead the tax-writing committees in the Iowa House and Senate have released a revised version of their proposed overhaul of Iowa's property tax system. 

It still says property tax rates on existing homes may grow no more than two percent a year -- but it would give city and county governments limited leeway to raise property taxes if inflation rates soar. Every homeowner would get a 50-thousand dollar property tax exemption -- double what was in the original bill. And rather than a five-year phase out of a mechanism called "the rollback" that has limited residential property tax growth in Iowa since the late 1970s, this new plan would eliminate the roll back mechanism next year. 

The plan's authors say the rollback mechanism would be replaced by their proposed two percent limit on property tax growth.

(Radio Iowa) - The Republicans who lead the tax-writing committees in the Iowa House and Senate have released a revised version of their proposed overhaul of Iowa's property tax system. It still says property tax rates on existing homes may grow no more than two percent a year -- but it would give city and county governments limited leeway to raise property taxes if inflation rates soar. Every homeowner would get a 50-thousand dollar property tax exemption -- double what was in the original bill. And rather than a five-year phase out of a mechanism called "the rollback" that has limited residential property tax growth in Iowa since the late 1970s, this new plan would eliminate the roll back mechanism next year. The plan's authors say the rollback mechanism would be replaced by their proposed two percent limit on property tax growth.

Update to property tax overhaul under review in Iowa legislature

The budget bills include 45 new earmarked items in lawmakers’ districts for infrastructure, health care and tourism projects

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

The Missouri House Budget Committee approved almost $4 billion in construction funding Thursday, including 45 new earmarked items for projects that include a county government maintenance shed and a capital city parking garage.

About half of the spending is reauthorization of projects approved in past years and funded mainly from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. As of March 31, the state had $1.3 billion remaining to be spent from the $2.9 billion originally received from the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/06/missouri-senate-signs-off-on-3-billion-in-federal-covid-19-relief-funds/">federal COVID-19 relief</a>&nbsp;law.

Overall, the new items increased general revenue spending for construction projects by $76 million more than requested by Gov. Mike Kehoe. Adding the three construction bills to the operating budget approved in the House last week brings total spending proposed in the lower chamber to $51.7 billion, about $2 billion less than&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/28/gov-mike-kehoe-dips-deeply-into-surplus-as-missouri-budget-grows-to-nearly-54-billion/">Kehoe proposed in January</a>.

The construction budget will be debated in the full House on Tuesday.

Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel said he was comfortable with adding general revenue items despite a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-approves-tax-cuts-for-capital-gains-diapers-and-low-income-seniors/">tax cut bill</a>&nbsp;awaiting a final vote and ongoing uncertainty about&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/25/federal-medicaid-cuts-could-leave-missouri-with-huge-budget-shortfall/">federal budget cuts</a>.

Current general revenue receipts are declining and a general revenue surplus built up to $5.7 billion two years ago is expected to be $2.5 billion at the end of June.

This may be the last year that lawmakers are able to tap the surplus for earmarked projects, Deaton said to reporters after the meeting.

“We’re still in a good position, but certainly those opportunities are diminishing,” he said. “And if it’s not next year, it’ll be the year after that.”

Deaton’s willingness to add dozens of small items for members is in contrast to his predecessor, former state Rep. Cody Smith. In past years, most earmarks were inserted during Senate consideration of the budget.

The change drew praise from the committee’s ranking Democrat, state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield.

“This has been the most collaborative and productive budget year that I’ve been a part of,” Fogle said.

The smallest item added to the construction list is $60,000 for a maintenance and equipment shed for Dallas County government. The largest is $20 million for a new Jefferson City parking garage that is part of a $130 million hotel and conference center.

To find money for the parking garage Deaton cut funding requested by Kehoe for renovations of the remaining structures of the Missouri State Penitentiary to support its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouripentours.com/" target="_blank">use as a tourist attraction</a>.

The original request of $52 million was pared down to $15 million, Deaton said, because members of the committee are willing to spend money to preserve the buildings but balk at major renovations or improvements on the property.

“If we were just to say, let’s just tear all these buildings down, it would be more than $15 million, so just to try to help them keep what they have and stabilize that seemed appropriate to me,” Deaton said to reporters after the meeting.

The parking garage would replace a crumbling structure near the Governor’s mansion and help relieve some of the problems finding parking in downtown Jefferson City, Deaton said. And adding it in the House makes friends in the Senate, he added.

“We’ve had talks with our colleagues on the other side of the building, and there’s some members over there I know that are very passionate about it,” Deaton said.

Of the other earmarked items added Thursday, there are 15 health-related projects that include hospital and mental health facilities and seven infrastructure projects for roads, bridges and water. There’s grants for library renovations in Newton and Barry counties and tourism projects to fund construction at the General Omar Bradley Memorial in Moberly, the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City and the Pony Express Museum in St. Joseph.

Deaton didn’t greenlight every request, said Republican state Rep. Wendy Hausman of St. Peters.&nbsp;

“We had to prove that it’s beneficial throughout the state,” Hausman said.

The items that are funded are only a fraction of what he was asked to include, Deaton said.

“No matter what the resources we bring to bear, there’s always more need than there is opportunities to meet those needs,” he said.

Democrats were treated fairly and saw some of their items funded, Fogle said.

“The chair has continued to show a willingness to work with minority members and get some of our investments in the budget,” she said. “And today was a good day.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744367680106.png" alt=" House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, speaks during a Jan. 30 news conference with House Speaker Jon Patterson. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)" />
 <figcaption> House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, speaks during a Jan. 30 news conference with House Speaker Jon Patterson. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The budget bills include 45 new earmarked items in lawmakers’ districts for infrastructure, health care and tourism projects</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri House Budget Committee approved almost $4 billion in construction funding Thursday, including 45 new earmarked items for projects that include a county government maintenance shed and a capital city parking garage.About half of the spending is reauthorization of projects approved in past years and funded mainly from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. As of March 31, the state had $1.3 billion remaining to be spent from the $2.9 billion originally received from the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/06/missouri-senate-signs-off-on-3-billion-in-federal-covid-19-relief-funds/">federal COVID-19 relief</a>&nbsp;law.Overall, the new items increased general revenue spending for construction projects by $76 million more than requested by Gov. Mike Kehoe. Adding the three construction bills to the operating budget approved in the House last week brings total spending proposed in the lower chamber to $51.7 billion, about $2 billion less than&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/28/gov-mike-kehoe-dips-deeply-into-surplus-as-missouri-budget-grows-to-nearly-54-billion/">Kehoe proposed in January</a>.The construction budget will be debated in the full House on Tuesday.Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel said he was comfortable with adding general revenue items despite a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-approves-tax-cuts-for-capital-gains-diapers-and-low-income-seniors/">tax cut bill</a>&nbsp;awaiting a final vote and ongoing uncertainty about&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/25/federal-medicaid-cuts-could-leave-missouri-with-huge-budget-shortfall/">federal budget cuts</a>.Current general revenue receipts are declining and a general revenue surplus built up to $5.7 billion two years ago is expected to be $2.5 billion at the end of June.This may be the last year that lawmakers are able to tap the surplus for earmarked projects, Deaton said to reporters after the meeting.“We’re still in a good position, but certainly those opportunities are diminishing,” he said. “And if it’s not next year, it’ll be the year after that.”Deaton’s willingness to add dozens of small items for members is in contrast to his predecessor, former state Rep. Cody Smith. In past years, most earmarks were inserted during Senate consideration of the budget.The change drew praise from the committee’s ranking Democrat, state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield.“This has been the most collaborative and productive budget year that I’ve been a part of,” Fogle said.The smallest item added to the construction list is $60,000 for a maintenance and equipment shed for Dallas County government. The largest is $20 million for a new Jefferson City parking garage that is part of a $130 million hotel and conference center.To find money for the parking garage Deaton cut funding requested by Kehoe for renovations of the remaining structures of the Missouri State Penitentiary to support its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouripentours.com/" target="_blank">use as a tourist attraction</a>.The original request of $52 million was pared down to $15 million, Deaton said, because members of the committee are willing to spend money to preserve the buildings but balk at major renovations or improvements on the property.“If we were just to say, let’s just tear all these buildings down, it would be more than $15 million, so just to try to help them keep what they have and stabilize that seemed appropriate to me,” Deaton said to reporters after the meeting.The parking garage would replace a crumbling structure near the Governor’s mansion and help relieve some of the problems finding parking in downtown Jefferson City, Deaton said. And adding it in the House makes friends in the Senate, he added.“We’ve had talks with our colleagues on the other side of the building, and there’s some members over there I know that are very passionate about it,” Deaton said.Of the other earmarked items added Thursday, there are 15 health-related projects that include hospital and mental health facilities and seven infrastructure projects for roads, bridges and water. There’s grants for library renovations in Newton and Barry counties and tourism projects to fund construction at the General Omar Bradley Memorial in Moberly, the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City and the Pony Express Museum in St. Joseph.Deaton didn’t greenlight every request, said Republican state Rep. Wendy Hausman of St. Peters.&nbsp;“We had to prove that it’s beneficial throughout the state,” Hausman said.The items that are funded are only a fraction of what he was asked to include, Deaton said.“No matter what the resources we bring to bear, there’s always more need than there is opportunities to meet those needs,” he said.Democrats were treated fairly and saw some of their items funded, Fogle said.“The chair has continued to show a willingness to work with minority members and get some of our investments in the budget,” she said. “And today was a good day.”

Missouri House committee approves $4 billion for state construction projects

(Radio Iowa) - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says she advised her fellow Republicans to support the Senate-passed budget and tax plan -- and resolve spending differences later. 

Some House Republicans had said they wouldn't vote for it because it didn't do enough to reduce the deficit -- but it narrowly cleared the House late&nbsp; Thursday morning. Hinson says the plan ensures there will be investments in Trump's priorities like border enforcement and military spending. 

And it also ensures the 2017 tax cuts Trump signed into law do not expire on December 31st. Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Congressmen Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra also voted yes. Feenstra says Republicans have an obligation to advance Trump's agenda and ensure the tax cuts didn't expire.

(Radio Iowa) - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says she advised her fellow Republicans to support the Senate-passed budget and tax plan -- and resolve spending differences later. Some House Republicans had said they wouldn't vote for it because it didn't do enough to reduce the deficit -- but it narrowly cleared the House late&nbsp; Thursday morning. Hinson says the plan ensures there will be investments in Trump's priorities like border enforcement and military spending. And it also ensures the 2017 tax cuts Trump signed into law do not expire on December 31st. Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Congressmen Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra also voted yes. Feenstra says Republicans have an obligation to advance Trump's agenda and ensure the tax cuts didn't expire.

Iowa's U.S. House delegation votes for Senate plan on taxes, spending

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans adopted a budget resolution Thursday, clearing the way for both chambers of Congress to write a bill extending 2017 tax cuts and bolstering funding for border security and defense, though the blueprint set vastly different targets for spending cuts.

<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025100" target="_blank">The cliff-hanger 216-214 vote</a>&nbsp;followed a tumultuous week on Capitol Hill. Far-right members of the GOP Conference said repeatedly they wouldn’t accept the outline, since it requires the House to write a bill that cuts spending by at least $1.5 trillion, while senators set themselves a floor of $4 billion in cuts.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-punts-vote-trump-backed-budget-now-amid-battle-over-spending-cuts" target="_blank">forced to postpone a floor vote</a>&nbsp;on the budget resolution on Wednesday evening. But Johnson was able to secure the votes needed after he and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., announced Thursday morning that they were in agreement about meeting the higher threshold for spending cuts.

Johnson said both chambers of Congress “are committed to finding at least $1.5 trillion in savings for the American people, while also preserving our essential programs.”

“Many of us are going to aim much higher and find those savings because we believe they are there,” Johnson said. “We want to make the government more efficient, effective and leaner for the American people. And I think that will serve every American of every party. And we’re happy to do that.”

Despite the difference in reconciliation instructions, Thune said the Senate is “aligned with the House” when it comes to cutting spending over the next decade.

“The speaker has talked about $1.5 trillion,” Thune said. “We have a lot of United States senators who believe that is a minimum.”

Thune added he believes it’s time for Congress “to get the country on a more sustainable fiscal path and that entails us taking a hard scrub of our government and figuring out where we can find those savings.”

Democrats, and some centrist Republicans, have expressed deep concerns the House’s instructions require the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, to cut at least $880 billion.

The panel, which also oversees Medicare and other programs, could not recoup that level of spending without pulling hundreds of billions from Medicaid,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gop-tax-cut-plans-may-depend-savings-medicaid-what-it-and-who-relies-it" target="_blank">the state-federal program</a>&nbsp;for lower-income Americans and some people with disabilities.

The budget resolution has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, who’s repeatedly urged the House to adopt the measure. “Great News! “The Big, Beautiful Bill” is coming along really well. Republicans are working together nicely. Biggest Tax Cuts in USA History!!! Getting close. DJT,” Trump posted on social media Thursday morning prior to the vote.

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz were the only members of the Republican Party to vote against approval.

“If you were trying to hasten financial collapse of our country and bribe voters to go along with it, the strategy wouldn’t look much different than what Congress is doing today,” Massie wrote on social media. “The big beautiful bill cuts taxes while keeping spending on an increasingly unsustainable trajectory.”

Spartz wrote in a social media post of her own that the reconciliation instructions “we voted on today are still setting us up for the largest deficit increase in the history of our Republic, &amp; opening up a ‘pandora’s box’ by changing accounting rules to hide it.

“In good conscience, I couldn’t vote YES.”

The House adopting the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/14/text" target="_blank">68-page budget resolution</a>&nbsp;only marks the start of the months-long journey of writing and voting on the reconciliation package.

Republicans hope to use that bill to permanently extend the 2017 tax law, increase spending on border security and defense by hundreds of billions of dollars and rework energy policy.

The budget resolution includes different budget targets for many of those goals, and for raising the debt limit. It calls on the House to increase the country’s borrowing authority by $4 trillion, while the Senate’s instructions say that chamber would lift the debt ceiling by up to $5 trillion.

Writing the various elements of the reconciliation package will fall to 11 committee chairs in the House and 10 committee leaders in the Senate, as well as Johnson, Thune and a lot of staffers.

In the House, the Agriculture Committee needs to slice at least $230 billion; Education and Workforce must reduce spending by a minimum of $330 billion; Energy and Commerce needs to cut no less than $880 billion; Financial Services must find at least $1 billion in savings; Natural Resources has a minimum of $1 billion; Oversight and Government Reform has a floor of $50 billion; and the Transportation Committee needs to reduce deficits by $10 billion or more.

Four Senate committees — Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources; and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, or HELP — must each find at least $1 billion in spending cuts over the 10-year budget window.

House committees that can increase the federal deficit include the Armed Services Committee with a cap of $100 billion in new spending, Homeland Security with a $90 billion ceiling for new funding for programs it oversees, Judiciary with a maximum of $110 billion and Ways and Means, which can increase deficits up to $4.5 trillion for tax cuts.

Senate committees also got instructions for increasing the deficit, which will allow them to spend up to the dollar amount outlined in the budget resolution. Those committees include Armed Services at $150 billion; Commerce, Science and Transportation with $20 billion; Environment and Public Works at $1 billion; Finance with $1.5 trillion in new deficits, likely for tax cuts; Homeland Security at $175 billion and Judiciary with $175 billion.

If the process to reach agreement on a final reconciliation package is anything like the path to adopting the budget resolution, it will be long, winding and filled with drama.

The Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-adopts-plan-b-budget-gop-seeks-billions-border-security" target="_blank">voted for a completely different budget resolution</a>&nbsp;in February that would have set up Congress to enact Republicans’ agenda in two reconciliation bills instead of one.

Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., referred to the reconciliation instructions in that budget proposal as “Plan B.”

That tax-and-spending blueprint would have had lawmakers first write a bill increasing funding for border security and defense, and rewriting energy policy, before debating another bill later in the year to extend the 2017 tax law and cut federal spending.

The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-republicans-overcome-own-members-doubts-push-through-sweeping-budget" target="_blank">voted about a week later to approve its original budget resolution</a>, but not without a bit of theatrics.

Johnson didn’t originally have the votes and opted to recess the chamber before calling lawmakers back about 15 minutes later to approve that version of the budget resolution.

The Senate made changes to its reconciliation instructions in the House-approved budget resolution, before&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-gop-wins-approval-sprawling-budget-blueprint-shipping-it-house" target="_blank">voting to send it back across the Capitol</a>&nbsp;for their colleagues to vote on final approval, which they did Thursday.

Each time the Senate voted on a budget resolution it undertook a marathon amendment voting session, known as a vote-a-rama, where lawmakers stay on the floor overnight to debate various aspects of the outline.

Senators will need to undertake one more of those when they debate the actual reconciliation package later this year, though the stakes will be much higher.

The budget resolution is a blueprint for how Congress wants to shape tax and spending policy during the 10-year budget window. It’s not a bill so it never becomes law. And it contains no actual money, it’s simply a plan for how lawmakers want to structure policy.

The reconciliation package, once written, will have the chance of becoming law, so any amendments offered during the Senate’s vote-a-rama will carry greater weight than the proposals voted on when the chamber took up the two budget resolutions.

Democrats will have an opportunity to challenge centrist GOP senators on whether they support or want to remove every single policy that Republicans put in their reconciliation package.

That could create real issues for GOP leadership if they include tax policy or spending cuts that cannot garner the backing of senators like Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell, Maine’s Susan Collins and others.

The final reconciliation package will need support from nearly every Republican in Congress. GOP leaders will not be able to lose more than three House lawmakers or three Republican senators, under their very slender majorities.&nbsp;

Four or more Republicans opposing the reconciliation package in one chamber, either because it cuts too much spending or doesn’t cut enough, would likely prevent it from becoming law.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744299694388.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune during the press briefing ahead of the vote -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune during the press briefing ahead of the vote -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans adopted a budget resolution Thursday, clearing the way for both chambers of Congress to write a bill extending 2017 tax cuts and bolstering funding for border security and defense, though the blueprint set vastly different targets for spending cuts.<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025100" target="_blank">The cliff-hanger 216-214 vote</a>&nbsp;followed a tumultuous week on Capitol Hill. Far-right members of the GOP Conference said repeatedly they wouldn’t accept the outline, since it requires the House to write a bill that cuts spending by at least $1.5 trillion, while senators set themselves a floor of $4 billion in cuts.Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-punts-vote-trump-backed-budget-now-amid-battle-over-spending-cuts" target="_blank">forced to postpone a floor vote</a>&nbsp;on the budget resolution on Wednesday evening. But Johnson was able to secure the votes needed after he and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., announced Thursday morning that they were in agreement about meeting the higher threshold for spending cuts.Johnson said both chambers of Congress “are committed to finding at least $1.5 trillion in savings for the American people, while also preserving our essential programs.”“Many of us are going to aim much higher and find those savings because we believe they are there,” Johnson said. “We want to make the government more efficient, effective and leaner for the American people. And I think that will serve every American of every party. And we’re happy to do that.”Despite the difference in reconciliation instructions, Thune said the Senate is “aligned with the House” when it comes to cutting spending over the next decade.“The speaker has talked about $1.5 trillion,” Thune said. “We have a lot of United States senators who believe that is a minimum.”Thune added he believes it’s time for Congress “to get the country on a more sustainable fiscal path and that entails us taking a hard scrub of our government and figuring out where we can find those savings.”Democrats, and some centrist Republicans, have expressed deep concerns the House’s instructions require the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, to cut at least $880 billion.The panel, which also oversees Medicare and other programs, could not recoup that level of spending without pulling hundreds of billions from Medicaid,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gop-tax-cut-plans-may-depend-savings-medicaid-what-it-and-who-relies-it" target="_blank">the state-federal program</a>&nbsp;for lower-income Americans and some people with disabilities.The budget resolution has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, who’s repeatedly urged the House to adopt the measure. “Great News! “The Big, Beautiful Bill” is coming along really well. Republicans are working together nicely. Biggest Tax Cuts in USA History!!! Getting close. DJT,” Trump posted on social media Thursday morning prior to the vote.Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz were the only members of the Republican Party to vote against approval.“If you were trying to hasten financial collapse of our country and bribe voters to go along with it, the strategy wouldn’t look much different than what Congress is doing today,” Massie wrote on social media. “The big beautiful bill cuts taxes while keeping spending on an increasingly unsustainable trajectory.”Spartz wrote in a social media post of her own that the reconciliation instructions “we voted on today are still setting us up for the largest deficit increase in the history of our Republic, &amp; opening up a ‘pandora’s box’ by changing accounting rules to hide it.“In good conscience, I couldn’t vote YES.”<h2>Only a beginning</h2>The House adopting the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/14/text" target="_blank">68-page budget resolution</a>&nbsp;only marks the start of the months-long journey of writing and voting on the reconciliation package.Republicans hope to use that bill to permanently extend the 2017 tax law, increase spending on border security and defense by hundreds of billions of dollars and rework energy policy.The budget resolution includes different budget targets for many of those goals, and for raising the debt limit. It calls on the House to increase the country’s borrowing authority by $4 trillion, while the Senate’s instructions say that chamber would lift the debt ceiling by up to $5 trillion.Writing the various elements of the reconciliation package will fall to 11 committee chairs in the House and 10 committee leaders in the Senate, as well as Johnson, Thune and a lot of staffers.In the House, the Agriculture Committee needs to slice at least $230 billion; Education and Workforce must reduce spending by a minimum of $330 billion; Energy and Commerce needs to cut no less than $880 billion; Financial Services must find at least $1 billion in savings; Natural Resources has a minimum of $1 billion; Oversight and Government Reform has a floor of $50 billion; and the Transportation Committee needs to reduce deficits by $10 billion or more.Four Senate committees — Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources; and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, or HELP — must each find at least $1 billion in spending cuts over the 10-year budget window.House committees that can increase the federal deficit include the Armed Services Committee with a cap of $100 billion in new spending, Homeland Security with a $90 billion ceiling for new funding for programs it oversees, Judiciary with a maximum of $110 billion and Ways and Means, which can increase deficits up to $4.5 trillion for tax cuts.Senate committees also got instructions for increasing the deficit, which will allow them to spend up to the dollar amount outlined in the budget resolution. Those committees include Armed Services at $150 billion; Commerce, Science and Transportation with $20 billion; Environment and Public Works at $1 billion; Finance with $1.5 trillion in new deficits, likely for tax cuts; Homeland Security at $175 billion and Judiciary with $175 billion.<h2>The back story</h2>If the process to reach agreement on a final reconciliation package is anything like the path to adopting the budget resolution, it will be long, winding and filled with drama.The Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-adopts-plan-b-budget-gop-seeks-billions-border-security" target="_blank">voted for a completely different budget resolution</a>&nbsp;in February that would have set up Congress to enact Republicans’ agenda in two reconciliation bills instead of one.Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., referred to the reconciliation instructions in that budget proposal as “Plan B.”That tax-and-spending blueprint would have had lawmakers first write a bill increasing funding for border security and defense, and rewriting energy policy, before debating another bill later in the year to extend the 2017 tax law and cut federal spending.The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-republicans-overcome-own-members-doubts-push-through-sweeping-budget" target="_blank">voted about a week later to approve its original budget resolution</a>, but not without a bit of theatrics.Johnson didn’t originally have the votes and opted to recess the chamber before calling lawmakers back about 15 minutes later to approve that version of the budget resolution.The Senate made changes to its reconciliation instructions in the House-approved budget resolution, before&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-gop-wins-approval-sprawling-budget-blueprint-shipping-it-house" target="_blank">voting to send it back across the Capitol</a>&nbsp;for their colleagues to vote on final approval, which they did Thursday.<h2>Politically difficult votes ahead</h2>Each time the Senate voted on a budget resolution it undertook a marathon amendment voting session, known as a vote-a-rama, where lawmakers stay on the floor overnight to debate various aspects of the outline.Senators will need to undertake one more of those when they debate the actual reconciliation package later this year, though the stakes will be much higher.The budget resolution is a blueprint for how Congress wants to shape tax and spending policy during the 10-year budget window. It’s not a bill so it never becomes law. And it contains no actual money, it’s simply a plan for how lawmakers want to structure policy.The reconciliation package, once written, will have the chance of becoming law, so any amendments offered during the Senate’s vote-a-rama will carry greater weight than the proposals voted on when the chamber took up the two budget resolutions.Democrats will have an opportunity to challenge centrist GOP senators on whether they support or want to remove every single policy that Republicans put in their reconciliation package.That could create real issues for GOP leadership if they include tax policy or spending cuts that cannot garner the backing of senators like Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell, Maine’s Susan Collins and others.The final reconciliation package will need support from nearly every Republican in Congress. GOP leaders will not be able to lose more than three House lawmakers or three Republican senators, under their very slender majorities.&nbsp;Four or more Republicans opposing the reconciliation package in one chamber, either because it cuts too much spending or doesn’t cut enough, would likely prevent it from becoming law.&nbsp;

Trump-supported budget squeaks by in U.S. House after GOP assurances of vast spending cuts

(Radio Iowa) - Voting is now underway for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry's second annual "Coolest Thing Made in Iowa" competition. 

A-B-I spokesperson Kelsey O'Connor says you can go to coolestthing IA.com and you'll see a nominated product button on the top right corne. You just need a product description, a company contact, and a logo and a picture of the product. They'll take nominations through April 18th, and then you can vote again and they will go from the top 16 down to the top four. 

The winner is announced at A-B-I is taking care of business conference, June 11th. A baler from Vermeer Manufacturing was the winner of the first year contest.

(Radio Iowa) - Voting is now underway for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry's second annual "Coolest Thing Made in Iowa" competition. A-B-I spokesperson Kelsey O'Connor says you can go to coolestthing IA.com and you'll see a nominated product button on the top right corne. You just need a product description, a company contact, and a logo and a picture of the product. They'll take nominations through April 18th, and then you can vote again and they will go from the top 16 down to the top four. The winner is announced at A-B-I is taking care of business conference, June 11th. A baler from Vermeer Manufacturing was the winner of the first year contest.

Coolest Thing Made In Iowa Contest Back For Year 2

(Radio Iowa) - An official with the Iowa D-N-R warns the state's anglers to be on the lookout for a ferocious, toothy fish that spawned a horror movie in the early 2000s. 

The northern snakehead is native to places like China, Russia, and the Koreas. D-N-R aquatic invasive species program coordinator Kim Bogenschuts says it's believed snakeheads reached the U-S as aquarium fish for collectors, though they're not friendly with other fish. Bogenschuts says they can grow to over three feet long, have big teeth and are very aggressive. 

In addition to a vicious temperament, the northern snakehead is especially renown for being able to survive on land -- for days at a time. Iowans who think they've caught a snakehead should snap a photo of it and send the pic to the D-N-R. Bogenschuts says the fish should be killed and not be released.

(Radio Iowa) - An official with the Iowa D-N-R warns the state's anglers to be on the lookout for a ferocious, toothy fish that spawned a horror movie in the early 2000s. The northern snakehead is native to places like China, Russia, and the Koreas. D-N-R aquatic invasive species program coordinator Kim Bogenschuts says it's believed snakeheads reached the U-S as aquarium fish for collectors, though they're not friendly with other fish. Bogenschuts says they can grow to over three feet long, have big teeth and are very aggressive. In addition to a vicious temperament, the northern snakehead is especially renown for being able to survive on land -- for days at a time. Iowans who think they've caught a snakehead should snap a photo of it and send the pic to the D-N-R. Bogenschuts says the fish should be killed and not be released.

Iowa anglers need to be vigilant for fearsome fish

The NFL draft is in two weeks, which means a new NFL season, and Chiefs Training Camp, is just around the corner.  But will it be at Missouri Western State University? 

Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says currently the university is in negotiations with the Chiefs and are what she calls "pushing paper across the table" for a new contract. 

"And I think those conversations are very, very positive, I would be just completely shocked if we weren't finalized and they'll be back," Kennedy tells KFEQ News.  "I think the Chiefs recognize the importance of the St. Joseph community, I was just meeting with some of their folks, and they even are saying well the season starts in St. Joseph, the championship starts in St. Joseph." 

Kennedy says last year was the final option year on the contract between Missouri Western and the Chiefs 

"And the reason we decided not to, we had the opportunity to get more option years, but then we wouldn't have been able to have any changes to the contract," Kennedy explains.  "And we'd been operating with a contract for so long, that some of it just wasn't making sense for the Chiefs or for us, so that's where we are now." 

Kennedy says they love having the Chiefs here, but does point out that contrary to popular belief, it is not a money maker for the university 

"We do it to enhance St. Joseph and to bring people in, and to really showcase the university for what it looks like but it's not a student recruitment strategy," Kennedy says.  "But I think having the Chiefs here is a lot of fun, they're wonderful guests, we love hosting them." 

Kennedy says hosting Chiefs Training Camp does force the university to adjust its schedule, but it provides an opportunity for Missouri Western. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722883273489.jpeg" alt="Chiefs fans take in Training Camp on the Missouri Western campus/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs fans take in Training Camp on the Missouri Western campus/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The NFL draft is in two weeks, which means a new NFL season, and Chiefs Training Camp, is just around the corner. But will it be at Missouri Western State University? Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says currently the university is in negotiations with the Chiefs and are what she calls "pushing paper across the table" for a new contract. "And I think those conversations are very, very positive, I would be just completely shocked if we weren't finalized and they'll be back," Kennedy tells KFEQ News. "I think the Chiefs recognize the importance of the St. Joseph community, I was just meeting with some of their folks, and they even are saying well the season starts in St. Joseph, the championship starts in St. Joseph." Kennedy says last year was the final option year on the contract between Missouri Western and the Chiefs "And the reason we decided not to, we had the opportunity to get more option years, but then we wouldn't have been able to have any changes to the contract," Kennedy explains. "And we'd been operating with a contract for so long, that some of it just wasn't making sense for the Chiefs or for us, so that's where we are now." Kennedy says they love having the Chiefs here, but does point out that contrary to popular belief, it is not a money maker for the university "We do it to enhance St. Joseph and to bring people in, and to really showcase the university for what it looks like but it's not a student recruitment strategy," Kennedy says. "But I think having the Chiefs here is a lot of fun, they're wonderful guests, we love hosting them." Kennedy says hosting Chiefs Training Camp does force the university to adjust its schedule, but it provides an opportunity for Missouri Western. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

MWSU President Kennedy says university in talks with Chiefs on Training Camp

After a heavy lobbying effort, backers of video lottery games squeezed a slim majority out of the Missouri House on Wednesday, sending&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB970&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;promising&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/04/missouri-house-committee-votes-to-legalize-video-slot-machines/">$350 million a year for schools</a>&nbsp;to the state Senate.

By an 83-73 vote — just one more than the minimum needed to pass — the House approved the bill that also promises to remove “gray market machines” from retail locations.

“This is not a solution in search of a problem,” said the sponsor, Republican Rep. Bill Hardwick of Dixon. “We have a genuine problem, a money problem, a regulatory problem, a commerce problem, and this is a solution for all of that.”

House leadership held the tally board open for more than 15 minutes as they searched for the votes needed to pass. The bill was given first-round approval on Monday but with only 74 votes.

After that backers and opponents scrambled to find votes, with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/09/passing-video-lottery-bill-would-be-a-heavy-lift-in-missouri-senate/">both sides claiming Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that they would prevail.

The bill faces an uncertain future in the state Senate. Three video lottery bills have been proposed in the upper chamber but none have been given a hearing.

In the final vote, 54 Republicans were joined by 29 Democrats to pass the bill, while 18 Democrats and 55 Republicans opposed it.&nbsp;

The bill received support from nine of 10 Republicans who were absent on Monday and present on Wednesday. Five GOP members on each side of the question switched from yes to no or vice-versa.

Among Democrats, four members absent on Monday voted yes on Wednesday, while two Monday absentees voted no. Only one Democrat switched sides, voting no on Wednesday after voting yes on Monday.&nbsp;

Under the bill, the Missouri Lottery would be given the job of licensing video lottery terminal vendors and regulating their use in retail locations. While there would be a cap of eight machines in any location, the total number of machines that would be in use statewide is not capped.

The House added an amendment so counties and cities will be able to authorize — or ban — video lottery games in their home communities. It also added an amendment that declares any unlicensed games that offer cash prizes to winners to be illegal slot machines.

The games resembling casino slot machines that can be seen at retail locations throughout the state are unregulated. Called gray market or “no chance” games, operators claim they are not illegal under current law because a player can learn the outcome of the next play before committing their money.

The options for a player with a pending losing bet are to change games in search of a winner, ending their playing session or deliberately losing the bet to get to the next outcome.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/09/14/few-charges-result-from-scores-of-missouri-highway-patrol-gambling-investigations/">tried to initiate prosecutions</a>&nbsp;under anti-gambling laws, but most prosecutors have been reluctant to file charges.

And after years of operation, convenience store owners, fraternal lodges and other establishments have become dependent on the revenue.

The video lottery machines will be more trustworthy, supporters say, because the machines will be required to pay out at least 80% of the money wagered in prizes.&nbsp;

The remainder will be split three ways — the lottery will receive 34% of the net to support state education programs, with retailers and operators splitting the other 66%. The fiscal note for the bill estimates that within three years, there will be $1.1 billion annually for the three-way split generating approximately $350 million in state revenue.

Some opponents of the measure argue it is not strong enough to force gray market machine operators to shut down. Others said they do not support any expansion of gambling.

“I fully support my American Legion and VFW,” said state Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, a Republican from Savannah, “but they better be able to find a better way to raise funds than stealing from their members and their patrons.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744281612270.png" alt=" State Rep. Bill Hardwick, a Republican from Dixon, speaks March 25 on the Missouri House floor. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)" />
 <figcaption> State Rep. Bill Hardwick, a Republican from Dixon, speaks March 25 on the Missouri House floor. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>After a heavy lobbying effort, backers of video lottery games squeezed a slim majority out of the Missouri House on Wednesday, sending&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB970&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;promising&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/04/missouri-house-committee-votes-to-legalize-video-slot-machines/">$350 million a year for schools</a>&nbsp;to the state Senate.By an 83-73 vote — just one more than the minimum needed to pass — the House approved the bill that also promises to remove “gray market machines” from retail locations.“This is not a solution in search of a problem,” said the sponsor, Republican Rep. Bill Hardwick of Dixon. “We have a genuine problem, a money problem, a regulatory problem, a commerce problem, and this is a solution for all of that.”House leadership held the tally board open for more than 15 minutes as they searched for the votes needed to pass. The bill was given first-round approval on Monday but with only 74 votes.After that backers and opponents scrambled to find votes, with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/09/passing-video-lottery-bill-would-be-a-heavy-lift-in-missouri-senate/">both sides claiming Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that they would prevail.The bill faces an uncertain future in the state Senate. Three video lottery bills have been proposed in the upper chamber but none have been given a hearing.In the final vote, 54 Republicans were joined by 29 Democrats to pass the bill, while 18 Democrats and 55 Republicans opposed it.&nbsp;The bill received support from nine of 10 Republicans who were absent on Monday and present on Wednesday. Five GOP members on each side of the question switched from yes to no or vice-versa.Among Democrats, four members absent on Monday voted yes on Wednesday, while two Monday absentees voted no. Only one Democrat switched sides, voting no on Wednesday after voting yes on Monday.&nbsp;Under the bill, the Missouri Lottery would be given the job of licensing video lottery terminal vendors and regulating their use in retail locations. While there would be a cap of eight machines in any location, the total number of machines that would be in use statewide is not capped.The House added an amendment so counties and cities will be able to authorize — or ban — video lottery games in their home communities. It also added an amendment that declares any unlicensed games that offer cash prizes to winners to be illegal slot machines.The games resembling casino slot machines that can be seen at retail locations throughout the state are unregulated. Called gray market or “no chance” games, operators claim they are not illegal under current law because a player can learn the outcome of the next play before committing their money.The options for a player with a pending losing bet are to change games in search of a winner, ending their playing session or deliberately losing the bet to get to the next outcome.The Missouri State Highway Patrol has&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/09/14/few-charges-result-from-scores-of-missouri-highway-patrol-gambling-investigations/">tried to initiate prosecutions</a>&nbsp;under anti-gambling laws, but most prosecutors have been reluctant to file charges.And after years of operation, convenience store owners, fraternal lodges and other establishments have become dependent on the revenue.The video lottery machines will be more trustworthy, supporters say, because the machines will be required to pay out at least 80% of the money wagered in prizes.&nbsp;The remainder will be split three ways — the lottery will receive 34% of the net to support state education programs, with retailers and operators splitting the other 66%. The fiscal note for the bill estimates that within three years, there will be $1.1 billion annually for the three-way split generating approximately $350 million in state revenue.Some opponents of the measure argue it is not strong enough to force gray market machine operators to shut down. Others said they do not support any expansion of gambling.“I fully support my American Legion and VFW,” said state Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, a Republican from Savannah, “but they better be able to find a better way to raise funds than stealing from their members and their patrons.”

Bill legalizing video lottery games narrowly passes Missouri House

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Democrat praises investment in economy, water policy; blasts K-12 decisions

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly made an end-of-session plea to the Kansas Legislature after signing a massive state budget bill investing in economic development, water resources and disability services while triggering more than 35 vetoes of provisions labeled as unwarranted earmarks, power grabs or financial gaffes.

Kelly, who has leaned on her veto pen in disputes with House and Senate Republicans since taking office in 2019, said she was concerned the budget endangered the state’s long-term fiscal health and could jeopardize funding for essential programs and services that mattered the most to Kansans. She said it was folly for GOP leadership in the Legislature to adjourn the annual session before release of updated revenue reports evaluating financial implications of the budget.

“This budget will put Kansas in the red by fiscal year 2028,” Kelly said Wednesday in a message to the Legislature. “Given the ongoing economic uncertainty we are experiencing, I urge the Legislature to seriously consider revisiting this budget.”

She said Kansas demonstrated financial resilience during the past seven years after enduring damaging tax and spending decisions under a previous governor. She repeated a warning to not ignore the history of careless decisions leading deep cuts, unnecessary debt and higher taxes.

“We risk losing all of that progress and returning to the dark days of four-day school weeks and crumbling roads and bridges if we don’t correct the structural imbalance we are currently facing,” the governor said.

Kelly said she was enthusiastic about portions of Senate Bill 125 that provided $6 million to safeguard Kansas’ water supply, a $1.75 million increase in matching funds for local conservation districts and $3 million for a pilot project to manage sedimentation in John Redmond Reservoir.

She thanked the Legislature for $50 million invested in the state’s aviation industry because those commitments would continue “the state’s historic success” in economy development. She praised lawmakers for allocating $1 million to create rural remote workspaces as well as investments to attract innovative businesses in cybersecurity and biotechnology.

The budget appropriately invested in early childhood education while adding $10 million for special education programs in the state’s K-12 public education system, Kelly said. There was $1.25 million to expand rural child care, she said. The governor appreciated $14 million to help 200 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities move off the state’s waiting list for services.

However, the governor said it was troubling the Legislature didn’t address rising health costs by expanding eligibility for Medicaid. Forty states and the District of Columbia have opened that door to billions of dollars in federal funding aimed at lower-income residents without quality, affordable health care.

“Not only will expanding Medicaid make it easier and more affordable for Kansas families to access health care,” she said, “it would also have substantial economic benefits for Kansans.”

She line-item vetoed a provision requiring the state to unenroll and reenroll people in the Medicaid program at an annual cost of $3.5 million to $4.3 million. She said federal regulations forbid caregivers and parents from being denied Medicaid health care coverage without an individual review. In addition, the governor said, the concept was a “highly inefficient, administratively burdensome, costly process.”

Kelly, known as a public education advocate as governor and during her 14-year tour in the Kansas Senate, said she was disappointed with a collection of budget decisions regarding K-12 schools. She was critical of the elimination of funding for teacher professional development programs and literacy training for teachers.

She objected to the “extremely troubling” decision by the Legislature to finance grants for emergency medical equipment in private schools with money that should be applied to public schools. She suggested the maneuver raised questions about whether lawmakers were challenging Kansas Supreme Court rulings in the Gannon v. State school finance lawsuit that concluded the Legislature violated the Kansas Constitution by inadequately funding schools.

“While I have corrected this via a line-item veto, I remain extremely concerned about the future of education funding in Kansas,” Kelly said. “The Legislature must stop playing games with school finance, especially when it underfunds our public schools and could land the state back in court, relitigating issues we’ve worked to solve in a bipartisan manner.”

The governor also vetoed a budget item that directed school districts to adopt an online curriculum not vetted by the Kansas Board of Education. Constitutional authority for curriculum decisions rested with the elected 10-member state Board of Education, she said.

Kelly used a veto pen to dispatch the appropriation of $3 million to the state treasurer, rather than to an executive branch agency, for operation of the “pregnancy compassion awareness” program. Her veto message recalled the August 2022 statewide vote that defeated a proposed amendment to the Constitution reversing a state Supreme Court decision that women had a basic constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.

“I continue to believe that housing the pregnancy crisis center program in the office of the state treasurer is inappropriate and simply politically motivated,” the governor said. “Kansas women facing unplanned pregnancies deserve meaningful support from medical professionals who can provide evidence-based guidance, not from largely unregulated pregnancy resource centers.”

In addition, Kelly vetoed creation of an “unvetted program with no guardrails” in the office of state treasurer that would help expand the state’s workforce. She said it was inefficient for the Legislature to defund an existing workforce program, “Love, Kansas,” in the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Kelly vetoed a provision in the budget that would have increased the cost of office space for journalists in the Capitol.

“This item appears to be targeted at the Kansas Capitol press corps to stymie their ability to effectively report on the actions occurring in the people’s house,” the governor said. “Provisions like this set a dangerous precedent and undermine one of the core principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.”

Kelly said she couldn’t allow the Legislature to approve a no-bid $1 million earmark for the O’Connell Children’s Shelter in Lawrence. She said the expenditure circumvented established methods of awarding grants that would include rigorous review of qualified applicants.

“We have made great progress towards eliminating no-bid contracts recently,” Kelly said. “We should not take an unnecessary step backwards.”

Kelly vetoed a directive that the state Department of Commerce devote $500,000 to Wichita State University’s aviation research institute to work on unmanned aircraft systems and $500,000 to the Salina campus of Kansas State University for development of a commercial credentialing process for drones.

“The Department of Commerce did not request this item and it did not go through the agency vetting process,” she said. “I cannot ignore the deficiencies in the process that led to this being included in the budget.”

The governor vetoed a $750,000 earmark for a feasibility study on launching a dental school at Wichita State. She urged higher education and dentistry professionals to collaborate on a strategy for starting the school and present it to the 2026 Legislature.

Meanwhile, Kelly vetoed $500,000 to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for a forensic genetic genealogy DNA analysis system to identify human remains. The KBI didn’t request the funding through the normal appropriations process, the governor said.

Kelly deleted a plan calling on the Kansas Highway Patrol to collaborate with a third-party entity to build an aviation hangar in Wichita that would be leased by the state.

She also vetoed “poorly written” provisos directing the state Department of Health and Environment to spend not less than $250,000 on preventing transmission of tuberculosis and a separate requirement that KDHE spend up to $96,000 to control tuberculosis. A $263,000 earmark for cerebral palsy research, not requested by KDHE, was vetoed because “intent behind this budget proviso is unclear,” the governor said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744278649866.jpeg" alt="emocratic Gov. Laura Kelly signed the Republican-led Legislature's large budget bill after issuing dozens of line-item vetoes and recommending lawmaker revisit the blueprint before adjourning the 2025 session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>emocratic Gov. Laura Kelly signed the Republican-led Legislature's large budget bill after issuing dozens of line-item vetoes and recommending lawmaker revisit the blueprint before adjourning the 2025 session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Democrat praises investment in economy, water policy; blasts K-12 decisions</h2>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly made an end-of-session plea to the Kansas Legislature after signing a massive state budget bill investing in economic development, water resources and disability services while triggering more than 35 vetoes of provisions labeled as unwarranted earmarks, power grabs or financial gaffes.Kelly, who has leaned on her veto pen in disputes with House and Senate Republicans since taking office in 2019, said she was concerned the budget endangered the state’s long-term fiscal health and could jeopardize funding for essential programs and services that mattered the most to Kansans. She said it was folly for GOP leadership in the Legislature to adjourn the annual session before release of updated revenue reports evaluating financial implications of the budget.“This budget will put Kansas in the red by fiscal year 2028,” Kelly said Wednesday in a message to the Legislature. “Given the ongoing economic uncertainty we are experiencing, I urge the Legislature to seriously consider revisiting this budget.”She said Kansas demonstrated financial resilience during the past seven years after enduring damaging tax and spending decisions under a previous governor. She repeated a warning to not ignore the history of careless decisions leading deep cuts, unnecessary debt and higher taxes.“We risk losing all of that progress and returning to the dark days of four-day school weeks and crumbling roads and bridges if we don’t correct the structural imbalance we are currently facing,” the governor said.<h2>Good news … right thing</h2>Kelly said she was enthusiastic about portions of Senate Bill 125 that provided $6 million to safeguard Kansas’ water supply, a $1.75 million increase in matching funds for local conservation districts and $3 million for a pilot project to manage sedimentation in John Redmond Reservoir.She thanked the Legislature for $50 million invested in the state’s aviation industry because those commitments would continue “the state’s historic success” in economy development. She praised lawmakers for allocating $1 million to create rural remote workspaces as well as investments to attract innovative businesses in cybersecurity and biotechnology.The budget appropriately invested in early childhood education while adding $10 million for special education programs in the state’s K-12 public education system, Kelly said. There was $1.25 million to expand rural child care, she said. The governor appreciated $14 million to help 200 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities move off the state’s waiting list for services.However, the governor said it was troubling the Legislature didn’t address rising health costs by expanding eligibility for Medicaid. Forty states and the District of Columbia have opened that door to billions of dollars in federal funding aimed at lower-income residents without quality, affordable health care.“Not only will expanding Medicaid make it easier and more affordable for Kansas families to access health care,” she said, “it would also have substantial economic benefits for Kansans.”She line-item vetoed a provision requiring the state to unenroll and reenroll people in the Medicaid program at an annual cost of $3.5 million to $4.3 million. She said federal regulations forbid caregivers and parents from being denied Medicaid health care coverage without an individual review. In addition, the governor said, the concept was a “highly inefficient, administratively burdensome, costly process.”<h2>Education, ‘falls short’</h2>Kelly, known as a public education advocate as governor and during her 14-year tour in the Kansas Senate, said she was disappointed with a collection of budget decisions regarding K-12 schools. She was critical of the elimination of funding for teacher professional development programs and literacy training for teachers.She objected to the “extremely troubling” decision by the Legislature to finance grants for emergency medical equipment in private schools with money that should be applied to public schools. She suggested the maneuver raised questions about whether lawmakers were challenging Kansas Supreme Court rulings in the Gannon v. State school finance lawsuit that concluded the Legislature violated the Kansas Constitution by inadequately funding schools.“While I have corrected this via a line-item veto, I remain extremely concerned about the future of education funding in Kansas,” Kelly said. “The Legislature must stop playing games with school finance, especially when it underfunds our public schools and could land the state back in court, relitigating issues we’ve worked to solve in a bipartisan manner.”The governor also vetoed a budget item that directed school districts to adopt an online curriculum not vetted by the Kansas Board of Education. Constitutional authority for curriculum decisions rested with the elected 10-member state Board of Education, she said.<h2>Power grabs</h2>Kelly used a veto pen to dispatch the appropriation of $3 million to the state treasurer, rather than to an executive branch agency, for operation of the “pregnancy compassion awareness” program. Her veto message recalled the August 2022 statewide vote that defeated a proposed amendment to the Constitution reversing a state Supreme Court decision that women had a basic constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.“I continue to believe that housing the pregnancy crisis center program in the office of the state treasurer is inappropriate and simply politically motivated,” the governor said. “Kansas women facing unplanned pregnancies deserve meaningful support from medical professionals who can provide evidence-based guidance, not from largely unregulated pregnancy resource centers.”In addition, Kelly vetoed creation of an “unvetted program with no guardrails” in the office of state treasurer that would help expand the state’s workforce. She said it was inefficient for the Legislature to defund an existing workforce program, “Love, Kansas,” in the Kansas Department of Commerce.Kelly vetoed a provision in the budget that would have increased the cost of office space for journalists in the Capitol.“This item appears to be targeted at the Kansas Capitol press corps to stymie their ability to effectively report on the actions occurring in the people’s house,” the governor said. “Provisions like this set a dangerous precedent and undermine one of the core principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.”<h2>Special-interest earmarks</h2>Kelly said she couldn’t allow the Legislature to approve a no-bid $1 million earmark for the O’Connell Children’s Shelter in Lawrence. She said the expenditure circumvented established methods of awarding grants that would include rigorous review of qualified applicants.“We have made great progress towards eliminating no-bid contracts recently,” Kelly said. “We should not take an unnecessary step backwards.”Kelly vetoed a directive that the state Department of Commerce devote $500,000 to Wichita State University’s aviation research institute to work on unmanned aircraft systems and $500,000 to the Salina campus of Kansas State University for development of a commercial credentialing process for drones.“The Department of Commerce did not request this item and it did not go through the agency vetting process,” she said. “I cannot ignore the deficiencies in the process that led to this being included in the budget.”The governor vetoed a $750,000 earmark for a feasibility study on launching a dental school at Wichita State. She urged higher education and dentistry professionals to collaborate on a strategy for starting the school and present it to the 2026 Legislature.Meanwhile, Kelly vetoed $500,000 to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for a forensic genetic genealogy DNA analysis system to identify human remains. The KBI didn’t request the funding through the normal appropriations process, the governor said.Kelly deleted a plan calling on the Kansas Highway Patrol to collaborate with a third-party entity to build an aviation hangar in Wichita that would be leased by the state.She also vetoed “poorly written” provisos directing the state Department of Health and Environment to spend not less than $250,000 on preventing transmission of tuberculosis and a separate requirement that KDHE spend up to $96,000 to control tuberculosis. A $263,000 earmark for cerebral palsy research, not requested by KDHE, was vetoed because “intent behind this budget proviso is unclear,” the governor said.

Gov. Laura Kelly signs budget bill, issues dozens of line-item vetoes, asks Legislature to try again

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent Kansas offender on new allegations after an arrest.

Just after 1p.m. Tuesday,&nbsp; Sheriff Deputies responded to a residence to check the welfare of a minor child at 318 Friend Street in the City of Soldier, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Deputies encountered a man behind the residence who barricaded himself inside a camping trailer. Deputies identified the man as Jose L. P. Alacantar Jr., 52, of Holton. 

Alacantar was wanted for a parole violation. He was on parole for aggravated assault with a weapon. Shortly before 5:30 P.M. Alacantar surrendered to deputies.  Alacantar is being held in the Jackson County Jail for the felony warrant and requested charges that include interference with law enforcement and registered offender violations.&nbsp; He has been registered since January for a conviction in Allen County for felony aggravated assault, use of a deadly weapon, according to the offender registry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744228973082.png" alt="Alcantar photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Alcantar photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent Kansas offender on new allegations after an arrest.Just after 1p.m. Tuesday,&nbsp; Sheriff Deputies responded to a residence to check the welfare of a minor child at 318 Friend Street in the City of Soldier, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. Deputies encountered a man behind the residence who barricaded himself inside a camping trailer. Deputies identified the man as Jose L. P. Alacantar Jr., 52, of Holton. Alacantar was wanted for a parole violation. He was on parole for aggravated assault with a weapon. Shortly before 5:30 P.M. Alacantar surrendered to deputies. Alacantar is being held in the Jackson County Jail for the felony warrant and requested charges that include interference with law enforcement and registered offender violations.&nbsp; He has been registered since January for a conviction in Allen County for felony aggravated assault, use of a deadly weapon, according to the offender registry.

Kbct