RAY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two illegal immigrants from Venezuela on multiple allegations involving an ATM skimming theft ring. 

Just after 4p.m. November 15,&nbsp; Venezuelan Nationals, Darwin G. Moreno-Conde, 24, and Yorbin Y. Allen-Hernandez, 44, were arrested in Kirkwood, Missouri after a large area search spanning from the Kansas City Metro area to the St. Louis Metro area for the duo, according to a media release from the Richmond Police Department.

 Both were subsequently booked into the Ray County Jail on a twenty-four (24) hour investigative hold. On November 13, the Richmond Police Department investigated an incident in which a skimming device had been placed on a local Automated Teller Machine (ATM) resulting in a large number of accounts being compromised. 

As a result of the investigative efforts of the Richmond Police Department, the use of Flock cameras and the collaborative efforts of&nbsp; Metro Area law enforcement, MOCIC, MIAC, and the Kirkwood Police Department, the suspects were identified and apprehended in less than fifty-four (54) hours after the reported commission of the crime.

On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Venezuelan Nationals, Darwin G. Moreno-Conde and Yorbin Y. Allen-Hernandez were each charged in the 8th Judicial Circuit of Ray County, Missouri, with one felony count of 1st Degree Property Damage and one felony count of Stealing.Currently, both individuals remain in the Ray County Jail on $250,000 cash only bonds.  The investigation is on-going and further charges are expected in the near future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732241624193.png" alt="Allen-Hernandez-photo Richmond PD" />
 <figcaption>Allen-Hernandez-photo Richmond PD</figcaption>
 </figure>RAY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two illegal immigrants from Venezuela on multiple allegations involving an ATM skimming theft ring. Just after 4p.m. November 15,&nbsp; Venezuelan Nationals, Darwin G. Moreno-Conde, 24, and Yorbin Y. Allen-Hernandez, 44, were arrested in Kirkwood, Missouri after a large area search spanning from the Kansas City Metro area to the St. Louis Metro area for the duo, according to a media release from the Richmond Police Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732241561839.png" alt="Conde photo Richmond PD" />
 <figcaption>Conde photo Richmond PD</figcaption>
 </figure> Both were subsequently booked into the Ray County Jail on a twenty-four (24) hour investigative hold. On November 13, the Richmond Police Department investigated an incident in which a skimming device had been placed on a local Automated Teller Machine (ATM) resulting in a large number of accounts being compromised. As a result of the investigative efforts of the Richmond Police Department, the use of Flock cameras and the collaborative efforts of&nbsp; Metro Area law enforcement, MOCIC, MIAC, and the Kirkwood Police Department, the suspects were identified and apprehended in less than fifty-four (54) hours after the reported commission of the crime.On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Venezuelan Nationals, Darwin G. Moreno-Conde and Yorbin Y. Allen-Hernandez were each charged in the 8th Judicial Circuit of Ray County, Missouri, with one felony count of 1st Degree Property Damage and one felony count of Stealing.Currently, both individuals remain in the Ray County Jail on $250,000 cash only bonds. The investigation is on-going and further charges are expected in the near future.

Illegal immigrants jailed for ATM skimming in Missouri, Kansas

WASHINGTON— Tons of ground beef have been recalled due to possible E. coli contamination,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/wolverine-packing-co--recalls-ground-beef-products-due-possible-e--coli-o157h7">according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>&nbsp;(USDA).

Wolverine Packing Co., a Detroit, Mich. establishment, is recalling approximately 167,277 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Thursday. The product was shipped to restaurants across the nation.

The fresh products have a “use by” date of 11/14/2024 and the frozen products are labeled with production date 10 22 24. Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/Recall-031-2024-Product-List.pdf">here to view full product list</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2024-11/Recall-031-2024-Labels.pdf">Click here to view labels</a>.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to restaurant locations nationwide.&nbsp;

The problem was discovered when FSIS was notified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture of a group of ill persons who had reported that they consumed ground beef prior to their illness.

FSIS was notified of illnesses on November 13, 2024, and working in conjunction with Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health, FSIS determined that there was a link between the ground beef products from Wolverine Packing Co. and this illness cluster. On November 20, 2024, a ground beef sample collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture as part of an outbreak investigation tested positive for&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157. To date, 15 case-patients have been identified in one state with illness onset dates ranging from November 2, 2024, to November 10, 2024. FSIS continues to work with the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health on this investigation.

Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in restaurant refrigerators or freezers. Restaurants are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their&nbsp;customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart</a>.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Don Tanner, company representative at 248-762-1533.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732280999875.png" alt="USDA image" />
 <figcaption>USDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON— Tons of ground beef have been recalled due to possible E. coli contamination,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/wolverine-packing-co--recalls-ground-beef-products-due-possible-e--coli-o157h7">according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>&nbsp;(USDA).Wolverine Packing Co., a Detroit, Mich. establishment, is recalling approximately 167,277 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Thursday. The product was shipped to restaurants across the nation.The fresh products have a “use by” date of 11/14/2024 and the frozen products are labeled with production date 10 22 24. Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/documents/Recall-031-2024-Product-List.pdf">here to view full product list</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/food_label_pdf/2024-11/Recall-031-2024-Labels.pdf">Click here to view labels</a>.The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to restaurant locations nationwide.&nbsp;The problem was discovered when FSIS was notified by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture of a group of ill persons who had reported that they consumed ground beef prior to their illness.FSIS was notified of illnesses on November 13, 2024, and working in conjunction with Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health, FSIS determined that there was a link between the ground beef products from Wolverine Packing Co. and this illness cluster. On November 20, 2024, a ground beef sample collected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture as part of an outbreak investigation tested positive for&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157. To date, 15 case-patients have been identified in one state with illness onset dates ranging from November 2, 2024, to November 10, 2024. FSIS continues to work with the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health on this investigation.Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.FSIS is concerned that some product may be in restaurant refrigerators or freezers. Restaurants are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their&nbsp;customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart</a>.Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Don Tanner, company representative at 248-762-1533.

USDA: 160,000 pounds of ground beef recalled due to E. coli risk

(Radio Iowa) - The Holiday Train will be chugging into four Iowa communities for free concerts next week to get folks in the yuletide spirit. 

Terry Cunha, spokesman for the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad, says this is the 26th year for the holiday train tradition and it's a sight to behold, especially at night. Once the locomotive comes to a halt, the music begins, as the train is quickly converted into a stage where singer K-T Tunstall and the band American Authors will be putting on a show. 

The concerts are free, but folks are asked to donate a non-perishable food item that will go to a local non-profit. Stops are planned November 27th in Clinton, Davenport and Muscatine with a final Iowa stop on November 28th in Ottumwa.

(Radio Iowa) - The Holiday Train will be chugging into four Iowa communities for free concerts next week to get folks in the yuletide spirit. Terry Cunha, spokesman for the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad, says this is the 26th year for the holiday train tradition and it's a sight to behold, especially at night. Once the locomotive comes to a halt, the music begins, as the train is quickly converted into a stage where singer K-T Tunstall and the band American Authors will be putting on a show. The concerts are free, but folks are asked to donate a non-perishable food item that will go to a local non-profit. Stops are planned November 27th in Clinton, Davenport and Muscatine with a final Iowa stop on November 28th in Ottumwa.

Four Iowa cities are on track to host train-side holiday concerts

Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner this year for friends and family will cost less than last year but is still more expensive than before COVID-19. The 39th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey shows the cost of this year’s classic holiday feast for ten people is $58.08 or about $5.80 per person. That’s a five percent decrease from 2023, which was 4.5 percent lower than 2022. Two years of declines don’t erase dramatic increases that led to a record high cost of $64.06 in 2022. 

Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner this year for friends and family will cost less than last year but is still more expensive than before COVID-19. The 39th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey shows the cost of this year’s classic holiday feast for ten people is $58.08 or about $5.80 per person. That’s a five percent decrease from 2023, which was 4.5 percent lower than 2022. Two years of declines don’t erase dramatic increases that led to a record high cost of $64.06 in 2022.

Thanksgiving survey shows dinner cost declined from 2023

The Nodaway County Humane Society is hosting a 'Home for the Holidays' pet adoption event through the end of the year. 

Wendy Combs, director of the Nodaway County Humane Society says adoptable pets are usually already fixed. "All of our animals come fixed or with a voucher to be fixed. Half price is a steal for sure."

The cost for most dogs during the adoption event is $50. Cats are $30 and kittens are $40.

Combs notes that some specialty breeds may not qualify for the discount. "It depends on specialty breeds and puppies, if we have them, most of them are going to be full price. But some of them will be half price, as well."

Combs says specialty breeds can include smaller dogs and purebreds. She adds that it is on a case-by-case basis, and residents are encouraged to check ahead of time to see which animals are available.

During the adoption event, in most cases, the fee includes the cost of spay, neuter, microchips, vaccinations and more.

All adoptions must have an approved application. Combs encourages people who are traveling to adopt, to submit an application ahead of time.

For more information and to see a list of available pets, visit <a href="https://www.newnodawayhumanesociety.org/">newnodawayhumanesociety.org</a>.

By RYAN SKAITHSt. Joseph PostThe Nodaway County Humane Society is hosting a 'Home for the Holidays' pet adoption event through the end of the year. Wendy Combs, director of the Nodaway County Humane Society says adoptable pets are usually already fixed. "All of our animals come fixed or with a voucher to be fixed. Half price is a steal for sure."The cost for most dogs during the adoption event is $50. Cats are $30 and kittens are $40.Combs notes that some specialty breeds may not qualify for the discount. "It depends on specialty breeds and puppies, if we have them, most of them are going to be full price. But some of them will be half price, as well."Combs says specialty breeds can include smaller dogs and purebreds. She adds that it is on a case-by-case basis, and residents are encouraged to check ahead of time to see which animals are available.During the adoption event, in most cases, the fee includes the cost of spay, neuter, microchips, vaccinations and more.All adoptions must have an approved application. Combs encourages people who are traveling to adopt, to submit an application ahead of time.For more information and to see a list of available pets, visit <a href="https://www.newnodawayhumanesociety.org/">newnodawayhumanesociety.org</a>.

Nodaway County Humane Society hosting 'Home for the Holidays' pet adoption event

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

WASHINGTON — Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz announced Thursday he’s withdrawing as President-elect Donald Trump’s planned nominee for attorney general days after securing the appointment.

Gaetz’s path to Senate confirmation was highly unlikely following years of investigations about alleged drug usage and payments for sex, including with an underage girl. He submitted his resignation to Congress last week.

“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/mattgaetz/status/1859649045553402285" target="_blank">a social media post.</a>&nbsp;“There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”&nbsp;

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113522181118234752" target="_blank">posted on social media</a>&nbsp;afterward that he “greatly” appreciated “the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General.”

“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump wrote. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”

The House Ethics Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-ethics-panel-republicans-vote-against-disclosure-gaetz-report" target="_blank">voted along party lines</a>&nbsp;Wednesday not to release its report on Gaetz, following more than three years of investigation. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, including the allegations that he had sex with a minor.

Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, spent Wednesday shuffling Gaetz between meetings with Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would have held his confirmation hearing. Republicans will control the Senate in the new session of Congress beginning in January.

Gaetz’s future is unclear, given that he resigned from the U.S. House last week and notified the chamber he didn’t plan to take the oath of office for the upcoming 119th Congress.&nbsp;

He first joined the House in January 2017 and led efforts to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from that role last year, setting off a month-long stalemate within the House Republican Conference over who should lead the party.

This is a developing report that will be updated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731531518225.png" alt="Matt Gaetz-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Matt Gaetz-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON — Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz announced Thursday he’s withdrawing as President-elect Donald Trump’s planned nominee for attorney general days after securing the appointment.Gaetz’s path to Senate confirmation was highly unlikely following years of investigations about alleged drug usage and payments for sex, including with an underage girl. He submitted his resignation to Congress last week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732211535033.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/mattgaetz/status/1859649045553402285" target="_blank">a social media post.</a>&nbsp;“There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113522181118234752" target="_blank">posted on social media</a>&nbsp;afterward that he “greatly” appreciated “the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General.”“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump wrote. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”The House Ethics Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-ethics-panel-republicans-vote-against-disclosure-gaetz-report" target="_blank">voted along party lines</a>&nbsp;Wednesday not to release its report on Gaetz, following more than three years of investigation. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, including the allegations that he had sex with a minor.Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, spent Wednesday shuffling Gaetz between meetings with Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would have held his confirmation hearing. Republicans will control the Senate in the new session of Congress beginning in January.Gaetz’s future is unclear, given that he resigned from the U.S. House last week and notified the chamber he didn’t plan to take the oath of office for the upcoming 119th Congress.&nbsp;He first joined the House in January 2017 and led efforts to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from that role last year, setting off a month-long stalemate within the House Republican Conference over who should lead the party.This is a developing report that will be updated.

Matt Gaetz bows out as Trump’s pick for attorney general

(Radio Iowa) - An Iowa nonprofit that offers social services to youth statewide will open an addiction treatment facility near Ames next month. 

Youth and Shelter Services, known as Y-S-S, will run a residential treatment program, as well as crisis stabilization and recovery services. Ember Recovery Campus will feature trails, retreat-style cottages and outdoor recreation areas at its countryside location. C-E-O Andrew Allen hopes the surrounding nature will provide mental health benefits for residents. 

Overlooking a prairie in Cambridge, the campus spans more than 50 acres and has 70 beds for adolescents and young adults. The center’s current residency programs in Ames operate out of old houses. Allen says he sees the new center as a trailblazing facility in the state as it will offer "age-appropriate" treatment for young adults.

(Radio Iowa) - An Iowa nonprofit that offers social services to youth statewide will open an addiction treatment facility near Ames next month. Youth and Shelter Services, known as Y-S-S, will run a residential treatment program, as well as crisis stabilization and recovery services. Ember Recovery Campus will feature trails, retreat-style cottages and outdoor recreation areas at its countryside location. C-E-O Andrew Allen hopes the surrounding nature will provide mental health benefits for residents. Overlooking a prairie in Cambridge, the campus spans more than 50 acres and has 70 beds for adolescents and young adults. The center’s current residency programs in Ames operate out of old houses. Allen says he sees the new center as a trailblazing facility in the state as it will offer "age-appropriate" treatment for young adults.

'Trailblazing' addiction treatment center for Iowa youth to open in December

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former
Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy as his choice to be the next Secretary of
Transportation, choosing Duffy over northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves
and others on a short list.

Graves, the Republican chair of the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says he’s ready to help Duffy if
he wins confirmation as Transportation Secretary.

“Sean’s a friend of mine and I think he will do
fine in the position,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “He’s obviously going
to need some help and I’m ready and willing to jump in if he needs any help at
all.”

Graves had been named by media outlets as one of
the names on a short list of candidates for the next Transportation Secretary.
Graves, in an interview with KFEQ/St. Joseph Post, had disclosed that he had
been in talks with the transition team for the president-elect.

“I am disappointed a little bit, but that’s fine.
That’s the way it works. And it’s the president’s decision,” Graves says. “You
serve at his will and so that’s who he chose and so I support him.”

Graves has served on the House Transportation
Committee since first winning election to Congress in 2000. He worked his way
up to ranking member of the minority, receiving the chairmanship when
Republicans won the majority in the United States House. Republican Caucus
rules would force him to relinquish the chairmanship, but he has made an appeal
to Speaker Mike Johnson to keep the seat, which would retain Graves’ role as a
leader in transportation policy on Capitol Hill.

“There is a chance and that’s something that I’m
continuing to talk to him (Speaker Johnson) and other members of the steering
committee on,” Graves says. “And it’s still a possibility.”

Graves hopes the Trump administration returns the
Department of Transportation to its traditional role.

“The department has got to get away from this
environmental justice and these woke policies and Green New Deal policies and
they need to get back to building; that is traditional infrastructure,”
according to Graves.

Graves says though disappointed he wasn’t chosen,
he was proud to be considered.

“Well, it was a tremendous opportunity and I was
very proud to be considered for the position,” Graves says. “You know, it’s
something that didn’t necessarily work out this time, but I’m willing and ready
to serve if the need arises.”

Duffy faces confirmation from the U.S. Senate.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732204914192.jpeg" alt="Congressman Sam Graves presides over a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting/Photo courtesy of Graves' office" />
 <figcaption>Congressman Sam Graves presides over a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting/Photo courtesy of Graves' office</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostPresident-elect Donald Trump has chosen former
Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy as his choice to be the next Secretary of
Transportation, choosing Duffy over northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves
and others on a short list.Graves, the Republican chair of the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says he’s ready to help Duffy if
he wins confirmation as Transportation Secretary.“Sean’s a friend of mine and I think he will do
fine in the position,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “He’s obviously going
to need some help and I’m ready and willing to jump in if he needs any help at
all.”Graves had been named by media outlets as one of
the names on a short list of candidates for the next Transportation Secretary.
Graves, in an interview with KFEQ/St. Joseph Post, had disclosed that he had
been in talks with the transition team for the president-elect.“I am disappointed a little bit, but that’s fine.
That’s the way it works. And it’s the president’s decision,” Graves says. “You
serve at his will and so that’s who he chose and so I support him.”Graves has served on the House Transportation
Committee since first winning election to Congress in 2000. He worked his way
up to ranking member of the minority, receiving the chairmanship when
Republicans won the majority in the United States House. Republican Caucus
rules would force him to relinquish the chairmanship, but he has made an appeal
to Speaker Mike Johnson to keep the seat, which would retain Graves’ role as a
leader in transportation policy on Capitol Hill.“There is a chance and that’s something that I’m
continuing to talk to him (Speaker Johnson) and other members of the steering
committee on,” Graves says. “And it’s still a possibility.”Graves hopes the Trump administration returns the
Department of Transportation to its traditional role.“The department has got to get away from this
environmental justice and these woke policies and Green New Deal policies and
they need to get back to building; that is traditional infrastructure,”
according to Graves.Graves says though disappointed he wasn’t chosen,
he was proud to be considered.“Well, it was a tremendous opportunity and I was
very proud to be considered for the position,” Graves says. “You know, it’s
something that didn’t necessarily work out this time, but I’m willing and ready
to serve if the need arises.”Duffy faces confirmation from the U.S. Senate.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Graves disappointed in not being chosen, but backs Trump Transportation choice

A 52-year-old St. Joseph man has been convicted of child
molestation after a two-day jury trial in Buchanan County.

Timothy Brown has been found guilty of sexually abusing a
12-year-old while volunteering at Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church in St.
Joseph. A 17-year-old girl testified during the trial, stating Brown had touched
her inappropriately and had exposed himself to her when she was 12.

The jury deliberated for about two hours. Brown will be sentenced
in early January.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732204684071.jpeg" alt="Timothy Brown/Buchanan County Sheriff's Office photo" />
 <figcaption>Timothy Brown/Buchanan County Sheriff's Office photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA 52-year-old St. Joseph man has been convicted of child
molestation after a two-day jury trial in Buchanan County.Timothy Brown has been found guilty of sexually abusing a
12-year-old while volunteering at Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church in St.
Joseph. A 17-year-old girl testified during the trial, stating Brown had touched
her inappropriately and had exposed himself to her when she was 12.The jury deliberated for about two hours. Brown will be sentenced
in early January.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph man found guilty of child molestation after 2-day trial

Originally created to bankroll Mike Parson’s 2021 inauguration, Moving Missouri Forward gave money to a political action committee that in recent years has funded the governor’s trips to the Super Bowl&nbsp;

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 not-for-profit group originally set up to pay for Gov. Mike Parson’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/01/11/missouri-gov-mike-parson-reflects-on-tumult-of-2020-at-start-of-first-full-term/">2021 inauguration</a>&nbsp;gave $150,000 this week to the political action committee that helped get him elected.

Parson is leaving office due to term limits and has said repeatedly that he does not intend to be a candidate for public office again.&nbsp;

The PAC, Uniting Missouri, received the donation on Monday from Moving Missouri Forward Inc., which also paid the expenses to write and publish a biography of Parson called “No Turnin’ Back” that the governor&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parsons-book-no-turnin-back-now-available" target="_blank">has promoted extensively</a>&nbsp;since its publication in February.

The origin of the $150,000 is unclear, since Moving Missouri Forward is not required to disclose its donors. But none of the money donated Monday was generated by sales of the Parson book, attorney Marc Ellinger said in an interview with The Independent. A different not-for-profit called&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/881750637_202212_990_2024010422170090.pdf" target="_blank">Moving Missouri Forward Foundation</a>&nbsp;receives all proceeds from book sales, he said, and is headed by First Lady Teresa Parson as president and Claudia Kehoe, wife Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, as vice president.

“It paid for the book and contributed the entire cost of it and everything to the foundation as a charitable contribution, so that the foundation would have an ability to raise money through the book,” Ellinger said.

Ellinger is the registered agent for both Moving Missouri Forward Inc. and Moving Missouri Forward Foundation.

Uniting Missouri PAC had about $93,000 on hand at the end of October. Reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission show it raised about $1.3 million since the start of 2023 and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/pro-parson-pac-seeks-to-boost-missouri-governors-favored-candidates-in-gop-primaries/">spent about $775,000</a>&nbsp;this year helping two officeholders Parson appointed, Kehoe and Attorney General Andrew Bailey, win hotly contested Republican primaries.

Uniting Missouri has also spent about $120,000 for Parson’s trips to watch the Kansas City Chiefs win the two most recent Super Bowls.

Tom Burcham — a former Republican state lawmaker from Farmington with close ties to Parson’s longtime friend and fundraiser, lobbyist Steve Tilley — is in charge of Uniting Missouri. It is unclear why the PAC needs to keep raising money to support a candidate who is no longer running for public office, and Burcham did not respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;

Burcham is also the registered agent for a not-for-profit created in September called 57 Foundation Inc., in reference to Parson’s position as the 57th governor of the state. The nonprofit held a fundraiser Nov. 14 in Kansas City where donors paid as much as $10,000 for a table and pre-event reception with the Parsons.

The purpose of 57 Foundation, according to its incorporation papers, includes “providing essential resources and support to needful and vulnerable Missourians who cannot adequately help themselves. The foundation’s activities are inspired by and aligned with the legacy of public service and contributions of Missouri’s 57th Governor, Michael L. Parson.”

The Moving Missouri Forward Inc. donation to Uniting Missouri is roughly equal to the remaining funds raised on behalf of Parson, Ellinger said.

It will now transition to become a vehicle for funding Kehoe’s inauguration, he said.&nbsp;

Soon after Parson’s 2021 inauguration, Moving Missouri Forward Inc. released a list of donors who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/22/what-companies-pacs-funded-gov-mike-parson-inauguration-missouri-donors/6660223002/" target="_blank">contributed $500 or more</a>&nbsp;to the $369,115 raised for the festivities. The list did not include the specific amounts donated.

As a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/other-non-profits/social-welfare-organizations" target="_blank">not-for-profit 501(c)(4)</a>&nbsp;entity, it is not required to reveal its donors. It is required to file a statement of revenues and expenses annually with the IRS. The&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/854169242/202323199349302052/full" target="_blank">most recent report</a>, filed in November 2023 and covering 2022, shows $3,000 in contributions in 2022 and $40,563 in cash on hand at the end of the year.&nbsp;

The filing also showed a $25,000 contribution to the Moving Missouri Forward Foundation. The foundation is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations" target="_blank">501(c)(3) entity</a>&nbsp;and contributions are tax deductible.

The purpose of the Moving Missouri Forward Foundation, according to its creation filing, is to “aid, assist, or help Missouri’s children, including but not limited to Jobs for America’s Graduates-Missouri and children with autism and special needs.”

Mike and Teresa Parson have been&nbsp;<a href="https://jag-missouri.org/board-and-staff/" target="_blank">co-chairs of Jobs for America’s Graduates-Missouri</a>&nbsp;since 2016, when he was elected lieutenant governor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732196043303.png" alt="Gov. Mike Parson speaks at his last Governor’s Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Mike Parson speaks at his last Governor’s Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Originally created to bankroll Mike Parson’s 2021 inauguration, Moving Missouri Forward gave money to a political action committee that in recent years has funded the governor’s trips to the Super Bowl&nbsp;</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 not-for-profit group originally set up to pay for Gov. Mike Parson’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/01/11/missouri-gov-mike-parson-reflects-on-tumult-of-2020-at-start-of-first-full-term/">2021 inauguration</a>&nbsp;gave $150,000 this week to the political action committee that helped get him elected.Parson is leaving office due to term limits and has said repeatedly that he does not intend to be a candidate for public office again.&nbsp;The PAC, Uniting Missouri, received the donation on Monday from Moving Missouri Forward Inc., which also paid the expenses to write and publish a biography of Parson called “No Turnin’ Back” that the governor&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parsons-book-no-turnin-back-now-available" target="_blank">has promoted extensively</a>&nbsp;since its publication in February.The origin of the $150,000 is unclear, since Moving Missouri Forward is not required to disclose its donors. But none of the money donated Monday was generated by sales of the Parson book, attorney Marc Ellinger said in an interview with The Independent. A different not-for-profit called&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/881750637_202212_990_2024010422170090.pdf" target="_blank">Moving Missouri Forward Foundation</a>&nbsp;receives all proceeds from book sales, he said, and is headed by First Lady Teresa Parson as president and Claudia Kehoe, wife Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, as vice president.“It paid for the book and contributed the entire cost of it and everything to the foundation as a charitable contribution, so that the foundation would have an ability to raise money through the book,” Ellinger said.Ellinger is the registered agent for both Moving Missouri Forward Inc. and Moving Missouri Forward Foundation.Uniting Missouri PAC had about $93,000 on hand at the end of October. Reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission show it raised about $1.3 million since the start of 2023 and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/pro-parson-pac-seeks-to-boost-missouri-governors-favored-candidates-in-gop-primaries/">spent about $775,000</a>&nbsp;this year helping two officeholders Parson appointed, Kehoe and Attorney General Andrew Bailey, win hotly contested Republican primaries.Uniting Missouri has also spent about $120,000 for Parson’s trips to watch the Kansas City Chiefs win the two most recent Super Bowls.Tom Burcham — a former Republican state lawmaker from Farmington with close ties to Parson’s longtime friend and fundraiser, lobbyist Steve Tilley — is in charge of Uniting Missouri. It is unclear why the PAC needs to keep raising money to support a candidate who is no longer running for public office, and Burcham did not respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;Burcham is also the registered agent for a not-for-profit created in September called 57 Foundation Inc., in reference to Parson’s position as the 57th governor of the state. The nonprofit held a fundraiser Nov. 14 in Kansas City where donors paid as much as $10,000 for a table and pre-event reception with the Parsons.The purpose of 57 Foundation, according to its incorporation papers, includes “providing essential resources and support to needful and vulnerable Missourians who cannot adequately help themselves. The foundation’s activities are inspired by and aligned with the legacy of public service and contributions of Missouri’s 57th Governor, Michael L. Parson.”The Moving Missouri Forward Inc. donation to Uniting Missouri is roughly equal to the remaining funds raised on behalf of Parson, Ellinger said.It will now transition to become a vehicle for funding Kehoe’s inauguration, he said.&nbsp;Soon after Parson’s 2021 inauguration, Moving Missouri Forward Inc. released a list of donors who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/22/what-companies-pacs-funded-gov-mike-parson-inauguration-missouri-donors/6660223002/" target="_blank">contributed $500 or more</a>&nbsp;to the $369,115 raised for the festivities. The list did not include the specific amounts donated.As a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/other-non-profits/social-welfare-organizations" target="_blank">not-for-profit 501(c)(4)</a>&nbsp;entity, it is not required to reveal its donors. It is required to file a statement of revenues and expenses annually with the IRS. The&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/854169242/202323199349302052/full" target="_blank">most recent report</a>, filed in November 2023 and covering 2022, shows $3,000 in contributions in 2022 and $40,563 in cash on hand at the end of the year.&nbsp;The filing also showed a $25,000 contribution to the Moving Missouri Forward Foundation. The foundation is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations" target="_blank">501(c)(3) entity</a>&nbsp;and contributions are tax deductible.The purpose of the Moving Missouri Forward Foundation, according to its creation filing, is to “aid, assist, or help Missouri’s children, including but not limited to Jobs for America’s Graduates-Missouri and children with autism and special needs.”Mike and Teresa Parson have been&nbsp;<a href="https://jag-missouri.org/board-and-staff/" target="_blank">co-chairs of Jobs for America’s Graduates-Missouri</a>&nbsp;since 2016, when he was elected lieutenant governor.

Nonprofit drops $150K into PAC supporting lame-duck Missouri governor

(Radio Iowa) - The U-S Navy submarine that's named after the state of Iowa is back at port in Connecticut after its first test drives -- and test dives -- in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Mat Tanner, a retired Navy Chief submariner and executive director of the U-S-S Iowa Commissioning Committee, says the 377-foot long nuclear-powered submarine has completed its Alpha and Bravo levels of testing, where the sub is put through its paces. Tanner says, so far, so good -- no major issues. 

The three-billion-dollar submarine will have a crew of 120 enlisted personnel and 14 officers. The sub will become the fourth U-S Navy vessel to be named after the state of Iowa and Tanner says all appears on schedule for commissioning and the start of full-service military duty early next spring.

(Radio Iowa) - The U-S Navy submarine that's named after the state of Iowa is back at port in Connecticut after its first test drives -- and test dives -- in the Atlantic Ocean. Mat Tanner, a retired Navy Chief submariner and executive director of the U-S-S Iowa Commissioning Committee, says the 377-foot long nuclear-powered submarine has completed its Alpha and Bravo levels of testing, where the sub is put through its paces. Tanner says, so far, so good -- no major issues. The three-billion-dollar submarine will have a crew of 120 enlisted personnel and 14 officers. The sub will become the fourth U-S Navy vessel to be named after the state of Iowa and Tanner says all appears on schedule for commissioning and the start of full-service military duty early next spring.

Commissioning for the next USS Iowa is set for early spring

The emergency shelter shuttered unexpectedly in September after providing thousands of children with a temporary home over nearly four decades

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/anniegoldman/">ANNIE GOLDMAN</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspidel/">ANNA SPIDEL</a>

As the community grapples with the closure of the Rainbow House Children’s Emergency Shelter, questions remain about what led to the shutdown of the only shelter of its kind in mid-Missouri.

Allegations of misuse of funds have been raised by both community members and Rainbow House’s board of directors, and much of the blame has been placed on the organization’s former executive director, Melissa Faurot. But Faurot, who confirmed that she was terminated in August, said they’ve got it all wrong.

The emergency shelter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/rainbow-house-closes-its-doors-community-reacts/article_33ce2644-7c53-11ef-81bd-a7b2863dd272.html" target="_blank">shuttered its doors</a>&nbsp;unexpectedly in September after providing thousands of children with a temporary home over nearly four decades, Rainbow House founder Kathy Hughes said.

In a matter of months, the nonprofit organization went from asking for millions of dollars for a significant renovation to being the subject of a state investigation.

“It was a complete shock to me,” Hughes said. She has not been significantly involved in Rainbow House’s operations for the past several years.

Rainbow House’s nearly 1.5-acre property in north Columbia is also pending a sale, hindering hopes that operations can return to normal.

As the community wrestles with the disappearance of what advocates considered a valuable resource to children and families in 11 Missouri counties, questions persist: What happened to Rainbow House?

And, what happened to the $1.2 million raised for the facility’s planned expansion, $1.1 million of which came from the Veterans United Foundation?

In the past few months, Melissa Faurot’s name has consistently been included in online chatter about Rainbow House’s collapse.

Faurot, an attorney who was previously a board member and was part of the organization for over a decade, was the executive director of Rainbow House from August 2021 to August 2024.

“I’ve been silent for many months, and I’ve had the mud thrown at me … I’m not really interested in sitting back and being quiet anymore,” she said.

Faurot was terminated unexpectedly on Aug. 14 by the board of directors, she said. Faurot said she was not given a reason as to why she was terminated, but she speculates it had to do with disagreement between her and the board on how to handle the ongoing renovation, and the subsequent issues of fundraising.

She alleged that Rainbow House’s board of directors is misleading the community about who authorized the construction’s commencement, what happened to the money, why the emergency shelter was shut down and how the property ended up in the hands of the contracted construction company.

“I saw the writing on the wall. I knew that the blame was going to be placed on me because, well, somebody wanted a scapegoat,” she said.

Faurot also confirmed that the ongoing state investigation of Rainbow House is being facilitated by the Missouri Department of Social Services.

Kathy Hughes founded Rainbow House in 1986. As an experienced foster parent and pediatric nurse, Hughes saw the need to provide children in short-term foster care with more stability.

Her family was fostering one child in particular who had been placed in emergency foster care and was being moved from house to house. After the child had been placed in her fifth school in three weeks, Hughes realized that the system was not serving children in the way that it should have upon initial intake.

“The system (was) doing her more harm than her father beating her did,” Hughes said. “The bruises were starting to heal, but we were making her feel like it was her fault and that she was being punished.”

Hughes started dreaming of a place where children who had experienced abuse or neglect could stay more permanently until the legal system reached a verdict on their futures, whether that’s returning home or being placed into long-term foster care.

She consulted different local government entities but settled on the reality that her vision of a physical home-like space devoted to this mission had to be established independently. Hughes found a “big old farmhouse” in Columbia with the capacity for up to 12 children, and with a loan, she purchased the property.

After nine months of renovations and preparation, Hughes was ready to open the doors of the emergency shelter. But when she was preparing to finally welcome children to the farmhouse on Oakland Gravel Road, she couldn’t decide on a name to give it — until she watched a storm pass and give way to a rainbow.

“We never see rainbows, except when we’ve just had a storm,” she said. “It all just kind of clicked. Here’s a place where children come after a storm, and we’re giving them a rainbow.”

From that day forward, the shelter was to be called Rainbow House.

Before it even had the proper licensing from the state, Rainbow House had eight kids to care for. The staff members at Rainbow House were issued a temporary license so they could take the children the very night law enforcement picked them up from an emergency situation.

“We hit the ground running,” Hughes said.

Hughes quit her job as a school nurse and became the emergency shelter’s executive director. She hired a handful of house parents, live-in staff members and recruited volunteers to fulfill the rest of the operation’s needs.

In the early years, Hughes led with the goal of having every child at Rainbow House remain in the school they were already enrolled in. The shelter’s staff drove the children to school in a donated van every morning. Rainbow House had immediate support from local schools and community members, Hughes said.

Hughes remained as Rainbow House’s executive director for three years. However, she said she has not had a hands-on relationship with the organization in the past few years, partly because “things seem to have been going quite smoothly, until very recently.”

She heard about the emergency shelter shutting down when a friend called to ask her about it and sent her a news article detailing the event.

“I’m as curious as everybody else as to what the heck happened,” Hughes said.

Rainbow House has historically had two arms: The Rainbow House Children’s Emergency Shelter and the Rainbow House Regional Child Advocacy Center. Until its closure, the emergency shelter temporarily housed children in foster care or facing homelessness and assisted parents who requested placement for their children during crisis, according to the organization’s website. The child advocacy center provides forensic interviewing, advocacy and therapy for children who have been sexually or severely physically abused.

Although the shelter was Hughes’ first priority, the advocacy center was always part of the blueprint, she said. The center was built under one of Hughes’ successors across the street from the original emergency shelter.

“(The child advocacy center meant) that kids did not have to go to the emergency room to get forensic exams. They didn’t have to go to the police station to tell their story. They came to some place that felt much safer,” Hughes said.

In the new space, the advocacy center’s interviewing capabilities became more advanced. Hughes said the organization was able to videotape interviews with children, meaning questions that would have been asked to them in court could be asked in a more comfortable space, and then presented in court. This limited children having to testify in-person, which Hughes said was “huge.”

The advocacy center and the emergency shelter have always been housed under the same umbrella organization, Rainbow House. Hughes said that this decision was in the best interest of the children Rainbow House served.

Both the emergency shelter and the advocacy center moved to a joint facility on Towne Drive in 2004.

In addition to fundraising, Rainbow House has also benefitted from state funding for its emergency shelter through the state’s crisis care and foster care programs. Additionally, the child advocacy center is funded with federal money, from the Victims of Crime Act, and state money.

Rainbow House’s operations come to an endAt the time of the shelter’s shutdown this fall, Rainbow House was in the middle of a multimillion-dollar expansion. The organization was in the process of completing a new wing that would double the emergency shelter’s capacity.

While renovations were underway, the shelter’s operations were moved to a temporary location. Tyler Willy, president of Rainbow House’s board of directors, estimated that the shelter was serving five to seven children on any given day in its last few weeks of operation.

During this time, however, Rainbow House was only doing daytime services in a holding location, so there were no children spending the night and therefore none displaced, Willy said.

The shelter’s last day of accepting children was Sept. 27. The organization’s advocacy center has remained open, also in a temporary location while its permanent facility was being renovated, but a new partnership has stepped in to fill the void left by Rainbow House’s reduction of child advocacy center services.

Though it seemed like Rainbow House initially planned to keep its Regional Child Advocacy Center open, a new one will replace it. Missouri Network Against Child Abuse, a state agency representing all of Missouri’s child advocacy centers, has contracted with Partner for Better, a company that helps grow nonprofits and foundations, to open a new child advocacy center in Columbia.

Rainbow House’s Regional Child Advocacy Center will remain open until the new center, which will be called the Child Advocacy Center of Central Missouri, is established. The Boone County Commission approved the new center’s contract last week.

Having a child advocacy center in Boone County is statutorily mandated, and once the transition to the new center is complete, state and federal funds already allocated to Rainbow House will be transferred to the new organization.

This process is expected to take nine months to a year to complete, and no location for the new center has been set.

In 2022, Rainbow House launched a capital campaign in efforts to raise money for an expansion to its Towne Drive facility, despite staffing shortages.

The “Rebuild Our Rainbow” campaign had a fundraising goal of $2.6 million — the price of the slated renovations. Rainbow House received a $1.1 million contribution from the Veterans United Foundation in November 2021. The nonprofit was hoping to raise another $1.5 million.

However, Rainbow House never raised half of the total amount needed for the renovations.

The capital campaign has raised a total of $1,214,000, according to Rainbow House’s website — just 46% of the initial goal. When disregarding the Veterans United Foundation contribution, this leaves a total of just over $100,000 raised by outside sources.

The planned expansion to Rainbow House’s shelter was significant. It included adding a new wing that would double the shelter’s capacity from 18 children to 36, and it would allow the shelter to have separate living facilities for boys and girls, among other improvements. The advocacy center portion of the facility was also set to receive renovations.

Doubling the shelter’s capacity may have been a lofty goal for Rainbow House, as the facility reported staffing shortages in early 2022, just weeks before announcing the capital campaign, according to previous Missourian reporting. Because the shelter was required to maintain a specific ratio of youth specialists to children, the shelter had to limit the number of children it served at the time.

The shelter didn’t have enough staff to provide for every child in need, Faurot told the Missourian at the time. Nonetheless, plans to double the capacity of the shelter, and consequently the number of staff members needed, commenced.

Rainbow House may have jumped the gun on actually starting the renovations too. Renovations began in October 2023, according to Rainbow House’s website. Yet the funding goal had not been achieved at the time.

Dan Reynolds — president and owner of Holmes, Radford and Reynolds, a firm that specializes in capital campaign management — said nonprofits that embark on capital campaigns should ensure they have most of the funding needed before commencing construction.

“I think it’s best practice to secure upwards of 75-80% of those commitments and pledges before embarking on construction activities,” Reynolds said.

Rainbow House authorized construction with less than half of the money needed to complete construction. But there are conflicting accounts of who actually authorized this construction, which ultimately may have led to the shutdown of the shelter.

When Rainbow House announced the closure of its emergency shelter on Sept. 25, it simultaneously announced that the organization was signing over the shelter property to Little Dixie Construction, the company that had been working on the expansion. This decision was made to help alleviate “financial distress,” according to a news release.

John States, a managing partner at Little Dixie Construction, formed a new company, Towne Drive Investments LLC, on Aug. 22, according to Missouri secretary of state records. This new company then took ownership of the Rainbow House facility on Aug. 30.

The property would soon be put up for sale for over $3.5 million.

States did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Upon closure of the emergency shelter, Rainbow House said that it was “placed in a financially unsustainable position” after “high-level decisions” were made outside of guidelines approved by its board of directors, according to previous Missourian reporting. The nature of these “high-level decisions” remains unknown.

In late September, Willy, the board president, said the state launched an investigation into Rainbow House for “internal misallocation of funds.” He said that he could not speak on whether the state investigation is focused on the advocacy center, the emergency shelter or both.

Willy said the only person with access to the funds under investigation was terminated from Rainbow House in August. Willy was presumably referring to Faurot, and Faurot said “everybody knows he was making the assumption it was me.”

Faurot referred to Willy’s claims as inaccurate.

“For him to say out loud … that I was the only one that had access to the funds shows how little he knows about the organization,” she said.

Any expenditure over $5,000 had to be approved by Rainbow House’s board of directors, Faurot said, meaning that she did not have the power to authorize the start of the expansion project, and therefore could not have been responsible for the financial wrongdoing that the board has been claiming.

Willy said that when he joined the board of directors, the construction had already been authorized. All other current board members also joined after the expansion was already authorized, he said.

“None of us voted on the construction,” he said, referring to the board of directors.

Faurot said the board approved the start of construction for the expansion, and the construction company broke ground in October 2023. By late spring of 2024, funding for the project was dwindling, she said.

When the financial situation reached a dire point, the board of directors discussed signing the building over to Little Dixie Construction, Faurot said, which she was adamantly opposed to. The construction was only halfway completed, and Rainbow House owed money to Little Dixie Construction to finish the project, yet the capital campaign money had run out, Faurot said.

“I told (the board), in my opinion, if they chose to do that, that it would be the end of Rainbow House,” she said.

Faurot was then terminated by the board of directors shortly before the plans for transferring ownership of the building were finalized, she said.

Richie Vanskike, Rainbow House’s director of development from 2019 to 2022, said part of the capital campaign was his responsibility. When the plans for the renovations were drawn, the goal was to expand the facility but avoid walking away in debt, he said.

The start of construction was authorized with the hope that the rest of the money needed would come in, but the outreach efforts weren’t there, Vanskike said, though he had left the organization prior to this time. He said the staff positions related to marketing and reaching out to the community to raise funds were not filled at the time, so the additional money was never secured.

Vanskike added that toward the end of the shelter’s run, he doubts there were any volunteers working at the facility, as there “wasn’t anyone to facilitate that.” The volunteer coordinator position, which Rainbow House had in the past to facilitate background checks and organize volunteering, wasn’t filled or didn’t exist anymore, he said.

“I don’t know what happened to (the volunteer coordinator position). To tell you the truth, it is kind of like all the positions there,” he said. “Those positions … they seem to have been just kind of done away with.”

Several sources concurred that Rainbow House was facing staffing shortages at various points.

What was formerly Rainbow House’s facility on Towne Drive has been put up for sale for over $3.5 million, according to several real estate websites. The building’s identifying “Rainbow House” sign has been stripped from above its door, and the sale of the facility is currently pending.

While the state-supervised Child Advocacy Center of Central Missouri may see a revival under Partner For Better’s leadership, the future of children’s emergency shelters in mid-Missouri remains up in the air.

Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries is an organization that aims to provide safe homes for children in foster care in mid-Missouri. It has tried to partner with Rainbow House in the past to bridge the gap between emergency care and long-term foster care for children, said Kari Hopkins, Coyote Hill’s chief operating officer. A lot of the children that were served by Rainbow House could potentially have ended up in a Coyote Hill home for more long-term care, Hopkins said.

But Rainbow House was not interested in the partnership when discussions were had prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hopkins said, and the organization cited that it wanted to remain focused on existing services.

She said the community is devastated by the emergency shelter’s closure, and Coyote Hill is currently in early conversations with the state regarding how the organization could help fill the void of emergency placement and temporary care for children, in hopes of keeping families together and preventing children from needing foster care in the first place.

“The people who hurt the most are our kids, and that is not easy for us in this world of foster care,” Hopkins said.

Willy told the Missourian that Rainbow House’s board of directors also plans to open a new emergency shelter, and they have identified a group that would run its operations.

He said the board will soon be asking for funding to help the new shelter get off the ground. The shelter will not be located at Rainbow House’s former location, Willy added.

Hughes hopes that the community will rally together to address the ongoing need for emergency services for children.

“Child abuse continues,” Hughes said. “Child neglect continues. Family crisis continues.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/what-went-wrong-at-rainbow-house-the-now-closed-childrens-emergency-shelter/article_a8100bb8-8463-11ef-bdb7-5766a3cb6cbb.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian.</a>&nbsp;It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Closure of children’s emergency shelter in Columbia under investigation by Missouri regulators

(Radio Iowa) -&nbsp;Triple-A Iowa spokesman, Brian Ortner says the Thanksgiving holiday travel forecast is showing projected all-time highs for travel nationally and within our region. 

The west north-central region includes Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, and South Dakota, along with Iowa. Ortner says travel will surpass what we saw prior to the pandemic. 

There were about six-point-three million total travelers back in 2019 and it's projects at six-point-four this year across the region

(Radio Iowa) -&nbsp;Triple-A Iowa spokesman, Brian Ortner says the Thanksgiving holiday travel forecast is showing projected all-time highs for travel nationally and within our region. The west north-central region includes Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, and South Dakota, along with Iowa. Ortner says travel will surpass what we saw prior to the pandemic. There were about six-point-three million total travelers back in 2019 and it's projects at six-point-four this year across the region

Thanksgiving Travel Expected To Set Record

Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow spoke on the Senate floor and introduced the “Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act.” She says for more than two years, she’s been working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass her sixth farm bill. “The farmers I met with made clear that the farm safety net must be the backbone of support for all farmers, and not just a handful of mostly southern commodities,” she said. 

Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow spoke on the Senate floor and introduced the “Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act.” She says for more than two years, she’s been working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass her sixth farm bill. “The farmers I met with made clear that the farm safety net must be the backbone of support for all farmers, and not just a handful of mostly southern commodities,” she said.

Kbct