BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The train named Big Boy was late. Anticipation and impatience built as 30 minutes passed.

Some had been on the edge of the tracks of Great Overland Station in North Topeka for hours waiting to see a piece of American history pass through town.

Just before 1 p.m., the teeth-chattering whistle of Big Boy No. 4014 announced its arrival.

The 83-year-old steam locomotive stopped briefly Thursday afternoon spewing steam in Topeka on its way from Kansas City, Missouri, to Salina while on the last leg of its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/" target="_blank">Heartland of America Tour</a>. It was met with at least 1,000 people from across Kansas, eager to catch a glimpse of the living legend.

Crowds have gathered at almost every stop on the eight-week, nine-state tour, ranging from hundreds to thousands to see the more than 1.2 million lb. locomotive, said Mike Jaixen, spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad.

“There’s a legend of the Big Boy,” he said.

The way Jaixen explains the draw of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/4014/" target="_blank">Big Boy</a>&nbsp;begins in 1941 when the first Big Boy rolled out of the factory in Schenectady, New York. It wasn’t named Big Boy then. It was going to be named after the Wasatch Mountains, through which it would travel for 20 years and more than 1 million miles between Utah and Wyoming hauling freight before retiring in 1961.

But one crew member, who was amazed at the sheer size of it, took a piece of chalk and scrawled the name “Big Boy” on the locomotive, Jaixen said. Crew members today still draw the name in chalk on the locomotive’s front.

The Big Boy No. 4014 was one of 25 manufactured exclusively for Union Pacific, and it’s now the only one in operation after it was brought out of retirement and restored between 2013 and 2019, which allowed it to reclaim its title as the largest steam locomotive in the world. It’s almost as long as two typical diesel locomotives and produces more than 6,000 horsepower.

Jeff and Lena Appenfeller of Topeka waited from behind a fence on the northeast side of the tracks. Others were sitting on the hoods and in the trunks of their cars or in pools of crowds near the station. Lena Appenfeller, a 7-year-old, had the day off from school, and it was Jeff Appenfeller’s second time seeing Big Boy No. 4014 in Topeka. The locomotive’s whistle will “rattle your teeth,” he said.

As Big Boy churned around the bend and slowly rolled into the station, railroad police and crew tried to keep excited spectators from lingering on the tracks. It stopped for about 40 minutes, and people swarmed the front of the train for photos or to get a closer look while crews performed minor maintenance work.

One couple came to watch from El Dorado, more than 100 miles away, and had plans to chase the train to Wamego, to witness it among the sparsely populated fields, they said.

Doug Edwards drove the 30 miles from Holton to see Big Boy.

Trains were a big part of his life as a kid. Now a retired electronics businessman, they remind him of the northeastern Kansas farm he grew up on, and recalling those memories made him emotional as he looked out at the tracks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729265876120.png" alt="Hundreds of Kansans greet the world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, on Oct. 17, 2024, in North Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Hundreds of Kansans greet the world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, on Oct. 17, 2024, in North Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The train named Big Boy was late. Anticipation and impatience built as 30 minutes passed.Some had been on the edge of the tracks of Great Overland Station in North Topeka for hours waiting to see a piece of American history pass through town.Just before 1 p.m., the teeth-chattering whistle of Big Boy No. 4014 announced its arrival.The 83-year-old steam locomotive stopped briefly Thursday afternoon spewing steam in Topeka on its way from Kansas City, Missouri, to Salina while on the last leg of its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/schedule/" target="_blank">Heartland of America Tour</a>. It was met with at least 1,000 people from across Kansas, eager to catch a glimpse of the living legend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729265844799.png" alt=" The world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, rolls into Topeka on Oct. 17, 2024. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> The world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, rolls into Topeka on Oct. 17, 2024. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Crowds have gathered at almost every stop on the eight-week, nine-state tour, ranging from hundreds to thousands to see the more than 1.2 million lb. locomotive, said Mike Jaixen, spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad.“There’s a legend of the Big Boy,” he said.The way Jaixen explains the draw of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/4014/" target="_blank">Big Boy</a>&nbsp;begins in 1941 when the first Big Boy rolled out of the factory in Schenectady, New York. It wasn’t named Big Boy then. It was going to be named after the Wasatch Mountains, through which it would travel for 20 years and more than 1 million miles between Utah and Wyoming hauling freight before retiring in 1961.But one crew member, who was amazed at the sheer size of it, took a piece of chalk and scrawled the name “Big Boy” on the locomotive, Jaixen said. Crew members today still draw the name in chalk on the locomotive’s front.The Big Boy No. 4014 was one of 25 manufactured exclusively for Union Pacific, and it’s now the only one in operation after it was brought out of retirement and restored between 2013 and 2019, which allowed it to reclaim its title as the largest steam locomotive in the world. It’s almost as long as two typical diesel locomotives and produces more than 6,000 horsepower.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729265799147.png" alt="Jeff and Lena Appenfeller of Topeka react to the world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, rolling into town on Oct. 17, 2024. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Jeff and Lena Appenfeller of Topeka react to the world’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, rolling into town on Oct. 17, 2024. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Jeff and Lena Appenfeller of Topeka waited from behind a fence on the northeast side of the tracks. Others were sitting on the hoods and in the trunks of their cars or in pools of crowds near the station. Lena Appenfeller, a 7-year-old, had the day off from school, and it was Jeff Appenfeller’s second time seeing Big Boy No. 4014 in Topeka. The locomotive’s whistle will “rattle your teeth,” he said.As Big Boy churned around the bend and slowly rolled into the station, railroad police and crew tried to keep excited spectators from lingering on the tracks. It stopped for about 40 minutes, and people swarmed the front of the train for photos or to get a closer look while crews performed minor maintenance work.One couple came to watch from El Dorado, more than 100 miles away, and had plans to chase the train to Wamego, to witness it among the sparsely populated fields, they said.Doug Edwards drove the 30 miles from Holton to see Big Boy.Trains were a big part of his life as a kid. Now a retired electronics businessman, they remind him of the northeastern Kansas farm he grew up on, and recalling those memories made him emotional as he looked out at the tracks.“It’s a childhood thing,” he said.

World’s largest steam locomotive, Big Boy, rattles into Topeka

KANSAS CITY —A slowly-developing La Nina is favored to influence conditions for the upcoming winter across most of the country, according to NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook released today by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/">Climate Prediction Center</a>&nbsp;— a division of NOAA’s National Weather Service. This outlook is for December 2024 through February 2025 and contains information on likely conditions throughout the country for temperature, precipitation and drought.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This winter, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for the entire northern tier of the continental U.S., particularly in the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes region, along with northern and western Alaska. Meanwhile, drier-than-average conditions are expected from the Four Corners region of the Southwest to the Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower mid-Atlantic states.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“In September, we announced a $100 million investment into NOAA’s high-performance computer system to advance research on weather, climate and ocean predictions because understanding our climate system is essential for making longer-term predictions like the Winter Seasonal Outlook, which provides vital information for many of our partners and the public,” said Michael Morgan, Ph.D., NOAA’s assistant secretary of commerce for observation and prediction. “We continue to innovate in this space, developing new ways to share winter forecast information with the public.”

“This winter, an emerging La Nina is anticipated to influence the upcoming winter patterns, especially our precipitation predictions,” said Jon Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch of the Climate Prediction Center.&nbsp;

La Nina conditions are expected to develop later this fall and typically lead to a more northerly storm track during the winter months, leaving the southern tier of the country warmer and drier. As a result, NOAA forecasters, in collaboration with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drought.gov/about">National Integrated Drought Information System</a>&nbsp;(NIDIS), expect drought conditions to persist and worsen across the central and southern Plains of the U.S.

“Unfortunately, after a brief period in the spring of 2024 with minimal drought conditions across the country, more than a quarter of the land mass in the continental U.S. is currently in at least a moderate drought,” said Brad Pugh, operational drought lead with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “And the winter precipitation outlook does not bode well for widespread relief.”

Winter forecasting tools: Here’s what’s new at NOAA&nbsp;

NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood that temperatures and total precipitation amounts will be above-, near- or below-average, and how drought conditions are anticipated to change in the months ahead. The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.&nbsp;

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center updates the three-month outlook monthly. The next update will be available November 21.&nbsp;

Seasonal outlooks help communities prepare for what is likely to come in the months ahead and minimize weather's impacts on lives and livelihoods. Resources such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drought.gov/">drought.gov</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.climate.gov/">climate.gov</a>&nbsp;provide comprehensive tools to better understand and plan for climate-driven hazards. Empowering people with actionable forecasts, seasonal predictions and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/winter">winter weather safety tips</a>&nbsp;is key to NOAA’s effort to build a more&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/wrn/">Weather</a>- and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.noaa.gov/stories/story-map-building-climate-ready-nation">Climate</a>-Ready Nation.

KANSAS CITY —A slowly-developing La Nina is favored to influence conditions for the upcoming winter across most of the country, according to NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook released today by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/">Climate Prediction Center</a>&nbsp;— a division of NOAA’s National Weather Service. This outlook is for December 2024 through February 2025 and contains information on likely conditions throughout the country for temperature, precipitation and drought.&nbsp;&nbsp;This winter, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for the entire northern tier of the continental U.S., particularly in the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes region, along with northern and western Alaska. Meanwhile, drier-than-average conditions are expected from the Four Corners region of the Southwest to the Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower mid-Atlantic states.&nbsp;&nbsp;“In September, we announced a $100 million investment into NOAA’s high-performance computer system to advance research on weather, climate and ocean predictions because understanding our climate system is essential for making longer-term predictions like the Winter Seasonal Outlook, which provides vital information for many of our partners and the public,” said Michael Morgan, Ph.D., NOAA’s assistant secretary of commerce for observation and prediction. “We continue to innovate in this space, developing new ways to share winter forecast information with the public.”“This winter, an emerging La Nina is anticipated to influence the upcoming winter patterns, especially our precipitation predictions,” said Jon Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch of the Climate Prediction Center.&nbsp;La Nina conditions are expected to develop later this fall and typically lead to a more northerly storm track during the winter months, leaving the southern tier of the country warmer and drier. As a result, NOAA forecasters, in collaboration with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drought.gov/about">National Integrated Drought Information System</a>&nbsp;(NIDIS), expect drought conditions to persist and worsen across the central and southern Plains of the U.S.“Unfortunately, after a brief period in the spring of 2024 with minimal drought conditions across the country, more than a quarter of the land mass in the continental U.S. is currently in at least a moderate drought,” said Brad Pugh, operational drought lead with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “And the winter precipitation outlook does not bode well for widespread relief.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729207977321.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Temperature</h2><ul>
 <li>Warmer-than-average temperatures are favored from the southern tier of the U.S. to the eastern Great Lakes, eastern seaboard, New England and northern Alaska. These probabilities are strongest along the Gulf Coast and for most of Texas.</li><li>Below-average temperatures are most likely in southern Alaska, with below-average temperatures slightly favored from the Pacific Northwest to the northern High Plains.</li><li>The remaining areas have equal chances of below-, near-, or above-average seasonal mean temperatures.</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729208031294.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Precipitation</h2><ul>
 <li>Wetter-than-average conditions are most likely in the Great Lakes states, and above-average precipitation is also favored in northern and western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and across the northern tier of the U.S. These probabilities&nbsp; are strongest in portions of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.</li><li>The greatest likelihood for drier-than-average conditions are in states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, as well as in Texas and southern New Mexico.</li><li>Much of California, the central Plains states and the I-95 corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C., have equal chances of below-average, near-average or above-average seasonal total precipitation.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729208085467.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Drought</h2><ul>
 <li>Widespread moderate to extreme drought continues across much of the Great Plains and in portions of the Rocky Mountains, especially farther south.</li><li>Drought conditions are expected to improve or end in the Ohio River Valley, the Great Lakes region and portions of the northwestern U.S., including eastern Washington and Oregon and northern and central Idaho.</li><li>Drought conditions are expected to persist across the Great Plains.</li><li>Drought is likely to develop or worsen across portions of the Southwest and Gulf Coast.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>Winter forecasting tools: Here’s what’s new at NOAA&nbsp;</h2><ul>
 <li>Over the past year, NOAA implemented several upgrades and improvements to its forecasting tools. In late 2023, the experimental&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/wssi/prob_wssi.php">Probabilistic Winter Storm Severity Index</a>&nbsp;(WSSI-P) became operational. The product enhances communication with external partners, media and the public by visually representing the likelihood of potential societal impacts due to expected winter hazards over a 7-day period. This is complemented by an existing operational version of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/wssi/wssi.php">Winter Storm Severity Index</a>&nbsp;(WSSI), which is based on the official National Weather Service forecast of the most likely conditions over the next three days.</li><li>NOAA is simplifying its suite of cold weather products to improve messaging of these hazards and provide better decision support services. As of October 2024, the Wind Chill Watch, Warning, and Advisory products were consolidated into the Extreme Cold Watch and Warning and Cold Weather Advisory products, respectively. The Hard Freeze Watch and Warning products were consolidated into the existing Freeze Watch and Warning products, respectively. More information can be found within this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/news/243009-cold-hazard-simplification">hazard simplication project webstory</a>.</li><li>NOAA will make the Experimental Probabilistic Precipitation Portal publicly available beginning in early November. This webpage will enable users to view the Low-End, Expected and High-End amounts of snow and rain, as well as probabilities of exceeding threshold amounts of precipitation. Data will be available through an interactive map, tables and graphics to assist local partners, including emergency management, with decision support.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>About NOAA's seasonal outlooks</h2>NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood that temperatures and total precipitation amounts will be above-, near- or below-average, and how drought conditions are anticipated to change in the months ahead. The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.&nbsp;NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center updates the three-month outlook monthly. The next update will be available November 21.&nbsp;Seasonal outlooks help communities prepare for what is likely to come in the months ahead and minimize weather's impacts on lives and livelihoods. Resources such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drought.gov/">drought.gov</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.climate.gov/">climate.gov</a>&nbsp;provide comprehensive tools to better understand and plan for climate-driven hazards. Empowering people with actionable forecasts, seasonal predictions and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/winter">winter weather safety tips</a>&nbsp;is key to NOAA’s effort to build a more&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/wrn/">Weather</a>- and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.noaa.gov/stories/story-map-building-climate-ready-nation">Climate</a>-Ready Nation.

NOAA  winter weather outlook doesn't say much about Missouri

(Radio Iowa) - The governor's budget director says he's been told by a top court official that the computer programming error that has improperly distributed over 53 million dollars in court fees and fines has NOT been fixed.

 Kraig Paulsen, director of the Iowa Department of Management, says he'll meet before the end of the week with the Iowa Supreme Court's chief justice to discuss the problem. The Judicial Branch has not issued a statement on the situation. Spending levels for several programs that were changed five years ago were not programmed correctly into the court's computer system. 

Paulsen says he believes the age of the computer system for Iowa courts is a factor in this, but he'll find out more when he meets with the chief justice.

(Radio Iowa) - The governor's budget director says he's been told by a top court official that the computer programming error that has improperly distributed over 53 million dollars in court fees and fines has NOT been fixed. Kraig Paulsen, director of the Iowa Department of Management, says he'll meet before the end of the week with the Iowa Supreme Court's chief justice to discuss the problem. The Judicial Branch has not issued a statement on the situation. Spending levels for several programs that were changed five years ago were not programmed correctly into the court's computer system. Paulsen says he believes the age of the computer system for Iowa courts is a factor in this, but he'll find out more when he meets with the chief justice.

Court system's pricey computer problem is not fixed

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military continues working to determine the source of mysterious drones that have been allowed to fly over U.S. bases.

Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran responded to a Wall Street Journal account of the mystery. "As drone technology continues to evolve, the tactics used against the United States grow more alarming each day, " Moran wrote on social media. 

"The recent reports of unidentified aircrafts hovering for 17 days over a U.S. military base without intervention is not just concerning, but an affront to our national security."

"This violation of our airspace highlights the threat of below-the-threshold activity that hostile actors can pose to our nation."

"Military leaders currently lack the authority to engage until there is an imminent threat posed to our men and women in uniform. I am working on legislation to provide the Department of Defense with the necessary authorities to engage drones or unidentified aircrafts that breech our military airspace before it is too late to respond."

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military continues working to determine the source of mysterious drones that have been allowed to fly over U.S. bases.Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran responded to a Wall Street Journal account of the mystery. "As drone technology continues to evolve, the tactics used against the United States grow more alarming each day, " Moran wrote on social media. "The recent reports of unidentified aircrafts hovering for 17 days over a U.S. military base without intervention is not just concerning, but an affront to our national security.""This violation of our airspace highlights the threat of below-the-threshold activity that hostile actors can pose to our nation.""Military leaders currently lack the authority to engage until there is an imminent threat posed to our men and women in uniform. I am working on legislation to provide the Department of Defense with the necessary authorities to engage drones or unidentified aircrafts that breech our military airspace before it is too late to respond."

Kan. U.S. Senator wants action on mysterious drone swarm at military base 

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized USDA’s commitment to connecting local farmers and producers with schools nationwide that serve meals to about 30 million children every school day. Vilsack, joining others across the country in celebrating National School Lunch Week and National Farm to School Month, pointed to the Department’s recent investment of $500 million for schools to purchase unprocessed foods as the latest in a series of actions to support school meals through nutritious, domestic foods.

 “A healthier future for our country starts with our children, and American farmers and producers play a critical role in ensuring kids have healthy, tasty food with homegrown flavor to nourish them through the school day,” Vilsack says. “We know the school meals supply chain is the strongest when schools have relationships with local suppliers, which is why USDA will continue to support local foods in schools for a brighter future for our children.”

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized USDA’s commitment to connecting local farmers and producers with schools nationwide that serve meals to about 30 million children every school day. Vilsack, joining others across the country in celebrating National School Lunch Week and National Farm to School Month, pointed to the Department’s recent investment of $500 million for schools to purchase unprocessed foods as the latest in a series of actions to support school meals through nutritious, domestic foods. “A healthier future for our country starts with our children, and American farmers and producers play a critical role in ensuring kids have healthy, tasty food with homegrown flavor to nourish them through the school day,” Vilsack says. “We know the school meals supply chain is the strongest when schools have relationships with local suppliers, which is why USDA will continue to support local foods in schools for a brighter future for our children.”-NAFB

Investments will strengthen school meals

Senator Tammy Baldwin called on the USDA to provide immediate assistance for Wisconsin farmers who were impacted by the sudden closure of Pure Prairie Poultry. The shutdown left the state’s poultry producers staring at crippling financial losses without feed and a processor for the birds. “Hard-working Wisconsin farmers have been left high and dry by the abrupt closure of Pure Prairie Poultry,” says Senator Baldwin.

 “Our agriculture industry is the beating heart of many of our communities, and, in the face of this dire situation, I’m calling on USDA to do everything they can for these Wisconsin farmers who face financial ruin through no fault of their own.” She also raised concerns for the animal’s well-being and the potential for this closure to exasperate the avian flu outbreak as farmers are resorting to giving away chickens by the tens of thousands. Pure Prairie Poultry filed for bankruptcy in September.

Senator Tammy Baldwin called on the USDA to provide immediate assistance for Wisconsin farmers who were impacted by the sudden closure of Pure Prairie Poultry. The shutdown left the state’s poultry producers staring at crippling financial losses without feed and a processor for the birds. “Hard-working Wisconsin farmers have been left high and dry by the abrupt closure of Pure Prairie Poultry,” says Senator Baldwin. “Our agriculture industry is the beating heart of many of our communities, and, in the face of this dire situation, I’m calling on USDA to do everything they can for these Wisconsin farmers who face financial ruin through no fault of their own.” She also raised concerns for the animal’s well-being and the potential for this closure to exasperate the avian flu outbreak as farmers are resorting to giving away chickens by the tens of thousands. Pure Prairie Poultry filed for bankruptcy in September.

Baldwin wants help for poultry growers

Two iconic St. Joseph buildings celebrate 100 years in a few
years, but the celebration ramps up beginning this weekend.

Both the Missouri Theater and City Hall turn 100 in 2027.

Chair of the centennial planning committee, Lori McAlister,
says those two buildings represent more than just two structures.

“It was really a golden era for the city,” McAlister tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in an interview, “as far as optimism for the future,
building, planning, and then of course, the Depression came along and derailed
much of that.”

A pre-centennial celebration gets underway this weekend,
beginning Friday afternoon with the unveiling of the centennial graphics and the
telling of a few historical anecdotes at 4:30 at the 1st Christian
Church.

McAlister says the Missouri Theater and City Hall mean much
more to residents than older, historic buildings.

“Not only are these two buildings significant, but they are
landmarks in our lives,” according to McAlister. “They really represent the
city’s civics and the city’s entertainment over all these many decades.”

They also can be counted as survivors. The two still stand,
escaping the ravages of urban renewal which swept the country and took out so
many historic structures.

“So, the fact that we still have them and the fact that they
are so well cared for and still serving us as they were intended; to me that’s
just a remarkable piece of the story,” McAlister says.

For structures built in 1927, they remain very sound.

“They do not construct buildings like that anymore,” McAlister
says with a chuckle. “To say the least.”

Again, the planning committee unveils centennial graphics
created by Wendy Jane Bantam during a reception at 1st Christian
Church, 927 Faraon Street downtown, beginning at 4:30pm Friday. Historical anecdotes
will be provided by Harrison Hartley.

A writers’ workshop will be held Saturday morning at 9:30 at
the Downtown Public Library with Bantam leading participants on how to let art
inspire their work. Registration is required.

A special free community concert will be held Saturday evening
at the 1st Christian Church featuring Bantam and St. Joseph multi-instrumentalist,
Lory Lacy.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729177453625.jpeg" alt="The Missouri Theater/file photo" />
 <figcaption>The Missouri Theater/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostTwo iconic St. Joseph buildings celebrate 100 years in a few
years, but the celebration ramps up beginning this weekend.Both the Missouri Theater and City Hall turn 100 in 2027.Chair of the centennial planning committee, Lori McAlister,
says those two buildings represent more than just two structures.“It was really a golden era for the city,” McAlister tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in an interview, “as far as optimism for the future,
building, planning, and then of course, the Depression came along and derailed
much of that.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729177515671.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph City Hall/file photo" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph City Hall/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>A pre-centennial celebration gets underway this weekend,
beginning Friday afternoon with the unveiling of the centennial graphics and the
telling of a few historical anecdotes at 4:30 at the 1st Christian
Church.McAlister says the Missouri Theater and City Hall mean much
more to residents than older, historic buildings.“Not only are these two buildings significant, but they are
landmarks in our lives,” according to McAlister. “They really represent the
city’s civics and the city’s entertainment over all these many decades.”They also can be counted as survivors. The two still stand,
escaping the ravages of urban renewal which swept the country and took out so
many historic structures.“So, the fact that we still have them and the fact that they
are so well cared for and still serving us as they were intended; to me that’s
just a remarkable piece of the story,” McAlister says.For structures built in 1927, they remain very sound.“They do not construct buildings like that anymore,” McAlister
says with a chuckle. “To say the least.”Again, the planning committee unveils centennial graphics
created by Wendy Jane Bantam during a reception at 1st Christian
Church, 927 Faraon Street downtown, beginning at 4:30pm Friday. Historical anecdotes
will be provided by Harrison Hartley.A writers’ workshop will be held Saturday morning at 9:30 at
the Downtown Public Library with Bantam leading participants on how to let art
inspire their work. Registration is required.A special free community concert will be held Saturday evening
at the 1st Christian Church featuring Bantam and St. Joseph multi-instrumentalist,
Lory Lacy.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Celebrations ramp up as 2 St. Joseph buildings near milestones

(Radio Iowa) - The Iowa Attorney General's Office is proposing an update to state rules that outline the standards for nurses who are certified to conduct sexual assault examinations. 

Under the proposal, those who are not certified to collect rape kit evidence would no longer be eligible for state reimbursement for conducting the exam. Susan Krisco, the Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice, says the goal is to ensure any evidence collected is admissible in court. Krisko says an emergency room doctor typically spends between 20 and 25 minutes with a patient, while an exam to collect evidence of a sexual assault takes three to four hours. 

A spokesperson for the Iowa Nurses Association says the group appreciates the attorney general's request to increase the reimbursement fee for nurses who are certified to conduct sexual assault exams and, for the first time, provide them mileage reimbursement.

(Radio Iowa) - The Iowa Attorney General's Office is proposing an update to state rules that outline the standards for nurses who are certified to conduct sexual assault examinations. Under the proposal, those who are not certified to collect rape kit evidence would no longer be eligible for state reimbursement for conducting the exam. Susan Krisco, the Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice, says the goal is to ensure any evidence collected is admissible in court. Krisko says an emergency room doctor typically spends between 20 and 25 minutes with a patient, while an exam to collect evidence of a sexual assault takes three to four hours. A spokesperson for the Iowa Nurses Association says the group appreciates the attorney general's request to increase the reimbursement fee for nurses who are certified to conduct sexual assault exams and, for the first time, provide them mileage reimbursement.

Changes proposed to ensure rape kits are admissible in court

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

WASHINGTON —Top advisers to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign held a Wednesday press conference including children who were separated from their parents under the highly criticized Trump administration immigration policy, as a warning of what a second term under the former president could bring for the Latino community.

The press conference in Doral, Florida, came ahead of a late Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.univision.com/univision-news/politics/how-to-see-town-hall-latinos-donald-trump-univision-interview" target="_blank">Univision town hal</a>l at which GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will talk with undecided Latino voters.

Four children at the press conference recounted stories of being separated from a parent by immigration officials during the Trump administration and the lasting trauma it caused. Their full names and ages were not provided by the campaign.

With 20 days until Nov. 5 and early voting underway in many states, both campaigns have tried to court Latino voters, as they are the second-largest group of eligible voters.

“The Latino vote will decide this election,” Democratic Texas U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, who serves as co-chair for the Harris campaign, said at the press conference.

Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said that for the next 20 days, Democrats will continue to reach out to Latinos and stress “the threat that Donald Trump is to Latino communities everywhere.”

The 2024 presidential election is essentially a dead heat between Harris and Trump. Latino voter preferences largely resemble the 2020 presidential election, when President Joe Biden defeated Trump 61% to 36% in earning the Latino vote,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/24/in-tight-u-s-presidential-race-latino-voters-preferences-mirror-2020/" target="_blank">according to the Pew Research Center.&nbsp;</a>

Harris, the Democratic nominee, currently has a smaller lead over Trump with Latinos, 57% to 39%, according to the Pew Research Center.

Escobar warned what a second Trump administration could bring to the Latino community.

“I hear a lot of Latinos who say that they want to vote for Donald Trump, that they appreciate some of his policies,” she said.

Escobar said that Trump has not only&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/08/23/trump-promises-mass-deportations-of-undocumented-people-how-would-that-work/" target="_blank">promised to carry out mass deportations</a>, but go after pathways to legal immigration. She argued that architects of some of the former president’s harshest immigration policies are top level advisers, like Stephen Miller, who has proposed eliminating legal immigration like humanitarian parole programs and Temporary Protected Status.

Miller has also proposed a program to strip naturalized citizens of their U.S. citizenship — an initiative that Miller&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/StephenM/status/1712094935820780029?lang=en" target="_blank">said would be “turbocharged”</a>&nbsp;under a second Trump administration.

“For Latinos who think that when Donald Trump insults immigrants, or when he talks about mass deportation that you’re thinking he’s talking about somebody else, oh no, no, he’s talking about you,” Escobar, who represents the border town of El Paso, said.

Escobar said there would be no guardrails for a second Trump administration and programs like family separation could be implemented. The separation occurred at the border as asylum-seeking parents were put into criminal detention and sometimes deported.

“These kids who have lived through horrific trauma, through the pain of being separated from their parents, what you heard from them moments ago will be far worse if Trump gets a second term,” she said. “In Donald Trump’s first term, he had people around him who actually tried to stop him. In a second term, not only will those guardrails not exist, but those people who were there to stop him in the first place are long gone.”

Trump has declined to say whether he would resume family separations if given a second term, also known as the zero-tolerance policy.

“Well, when you have that policy, people don’t come. If a family hears that they’re going to be separated, they love their family. They don’t come. So I know it sounds harsh,” Trump said during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/11/politics/transcript-cnn-town-hall-trump/index.html" target="_blank">a CNN town hall in May 2023.&nbsp;</a>

Escobar said that she is hoping that at Wednesday night’s town hall, Trump will be pressed on whether he would reimplement his family separation policy.

The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.together.gov/" target="_blank">established a task force</a>&nbsp;to reunite the 3,881 children who were separated from their families from 2017 to 2021.

The Department of Homeland Security has reunited about 74% of those families, but there are still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/02/02/fact-sheet-review-family-reunification-task-force-second-anniversary-its" target="_blank">998 children who have not been reunited</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729112192868.png" alt="File photo courtesy Harris campaign" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy Harris campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON —Top advisers to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign held a Wednesday press conference including children who were separated from their parents under the highly criticized Trump administration immigration policy, as a warning of what a second term under the former president could bring for the Latino community.The press conference in Doral, Florida, came ahead of a late Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.univision.com/univision-news/politics/how-to-see-town-hall-latinos-donald-trump-univision-interview" target="_blank">Univision town hal</a>l at which GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will talk with undecided Latino voters.Four children at the press conference recounted stories of being separated from a parent by immigration officials during the Trump administration and the lasting trauma it caused. Their full names and ages were not provided by the campaign.With 20 days until Nov. 5 and early voting underway in many states, both campaigns have tried to court Latino voters, as they are the second-largest group of eligible voters.“The Latino vote will decide this election,” Democratic Texas U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, who serves as co-chair for the Harris campaign, said at the press conference.Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said that for the next 20 days, Democrats will continue to reach out to Latinos and stress “the threat that Donald Trump is to Latino communities everywhere.”<h2>Harris looks for Latino support</h2>The 2024 presidential election is essentially a dead heat between Harris and Trump. Latino voter preferences largely resemble the 2020 presidential election, when President Joe Biden defeated Trump 61% to 36% in earning the Latino vote,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/09/24/in-tight-u-s-presidential-race-latino-voters-preferences-mirror-2020/" target="_blank">according to the Pew Research Center.&nbsp;</a>Harris, the Democratic nominee, currently has a smaller lead over Trump with Latinos, 57% to 39%, according to the Pew Research Center.Escobar warned what a second Trump administration could bring to the Latino community.“I hear a lot of Latinos who say that they want to vote for Donald Trump, that they appreciate some of his policies,” she said.Escobar said that Trump has not only&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/08/23/trump-promises-mass-deportations-of-undocumented-people-how-would-that-work/" target="_blank">promised to carry out mass deportations</a>, but go after pathways to legal immigration. She argued that architects of some of the former president’s harshest immigration policies are top level advisers, like Stephen Miller, who has proposed eliminating legal immigration like humanitarian parole programs and Temporary Protected Status.Miller has also proposed a program to strip naturalized citizens of their U.S. citizenship — an initiative that Miller&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/StephenM/status/1712094935820780029?lang=en" target="_blank">said would be “turbocharged”</a>&nbsp;under a second Trump administration.“For Latinos who think that when Donald Trump insults immigrants, or when he talks about mass deportation that you’re thinking he’s talking about somebody else, oh no, no, he’s talking about you,” Escobar, who represents the border town of El Paso, said.Escobar said there would be no guardrails for a second Trump administration and programs like family separation could be implemented. The separation occurred at the border as asylum-seeking parents were put into criminal detention and sometimes deported.“These kids who have lived through horrific trauma, through the pain of being separated from their parents, what you heard from them moments ago will be far worse if Trump gets a second term,” she said. “In Donald Trump’s first term, he had people around him who actually tried to stop him. In a second term, not only will those guardrails not exist, but those people who were there to stop him in the first place are long gone.”Trump has declined to say whether he would resume family separations if given a second term, also known as the zero-tolerance policy.“Well, when you have that policy, people don’t come. If a family hears that they’re going to be separated, they love their family. They don’t come. So I know it sounds harsh,” Trump said during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/11/politics/transcript-cnn-town-hall-trump/index.html" target="_blank">a CNN town hall in May 2023.&nbsp;</a>Escobar said that she is hoping that at Wednesday night’s town hall, Trump will be pressed on whether he would reimplement his family separation policy.The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.together.gov/" target="_blank">established a task force</a>&nbsp;to reunite the 3,881 children who were separated from their families from 2017 to 2021.The Department of Homeland Security has reunited about 74% of those families, but there are still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/02/02/fact-sheet-review-family-reunification-task-force-second-anniversary-its" target="_blank">998 children who have not been reunited</a>.

Harris campaign stresses ‘the threat that Donald Trump is to Latino communities’

Just about $1.2 million has been spent since the primary by candidates seeking offices from governor to attorney general

BY:&nbsp;&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>

As ballot measure campaigns fill the airwaves with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">seven-figure ad wars</a>&nbsp;alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/15/why-are-you-so-weird-lucas-kunce-taunts-josh-hawley-during-squabble-about-debates/">Missouri’s U.S. Senate race</a>, the state seems about to experience the cheapest campaign in years for other statewide offices.

On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the Republican nominee for governor, reported raising about $760,000 during September for his campaign committee and another $1.3 million for his joint-fundraising committee, American Dream PAC.&nbsp;

His Democratic opponent, state Rep. Crystal Quade, raised $425,000 and her joint fundraising committee, Crystal PAC, took in $7,000.

Quade used her modest campaign budget to start television advertising last week, spending about $165,000 so far. Kehoe has reserved time for later in the month, spending about $835,000.

In a news release, Quade said she was pleased with the fundraising result.

“I’m so grateful for the overwhelming support from everyday Missourians for this campaign,” she said. “Voters are sick of bought-and-paid for politicians who make life easier for their corporate donors and well-connected political insiders.”

Candidates for the other four statewide offices on the November ballot have combined to spend less than $400,000 since the primary.

Four years ago, Gov. Mike Parson’s re-election campaign raised $1 million during September and his joint fundraising committee raised $2.6 million. His Democratic opponent, then-state auditor Nicole Galloway, raised $1.5 million in September 2020.

And in 2016, the last time no incumbent ran for governor, Democrat Chris Koster raised $3.5 million in September, while Republican nominee Eric Greitens took in $4.2 million.

In comparison, spending for and against ballot measures on this year’s ballot totals $25.3 million since May, when signatures were turned in. And in the Senate race, Democrat Lucas Kunce has spent $6 million on television ads since the end of July, with Republican incumbent Josh Hawley spending $3.9 million.

Campaign reports for the period ending Sept. 30 were due Tuesday. State candidates report to the Missouri Ethics Commission, while candidates for Congress and the U.S. Senate report to the Federal Election Commission. There will be one more round of reports before the election on Nov. 5.

In the U.S. Senate race, Kunce has outraised Hawley throughout the year and that trend continued in the third quarter of the year. Kunce reported raising $7.6 million between mid-July and the end of September, while Hawley reported raising $3 million in the same period.

There are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2024BallotMeasures" target="_blank">six statewide ballot measures</a>&nbsp;before voters this year, five constitutional amendments and a statutory change increasing the minimum wage. Total spending on all ballot measures through Sept. 30, according to the reports filed Tuesday, is $40.8 million.&nbsp;

The two biggest spenders are the committee backing Amendment 2 to legalize sports wagering and the committee backing Amendment 3 to restore the right to abortion and protect other reproductive health services.

Winning for Missouri Education, backing Amendment 2, reported raising $21.6 million, with $10 million more in large donations since the start of the month. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, backing Amendment 3, took in $21.8 through Sept. 30 and $3.8 million in large donations since.

All the money for Winning for Missouri Education comes from two donors — Draft Kings and FanDuel. While most of the funding for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom — $18 million — comes in donations of $100,000 or more from liberal groups that don’t disclose their donors, the 1,654-page report delivered Tuesday includes thousands of donations from Missourians who gave between $20 and $500.

The best-funded opposition to a ballot measure is fighting Amendment 2. Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment raised $4.2 million by mid-September and has reported $10 million in donations from Caesars Entertainment since.

Groups opposing the abortion amendment are not able to match the spending in its favor. Vote No on 3 raised $456,000 by the end of September and has collected $455,000 in large donations since.

The filings Tuesday show there was a change in the name on a campaign donation opposing Amendment 3 that The Independent&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/11/missouri-abortion-amendment-opposition-hunt-chiefs/">tied to the family that owns the Kansas CIty Chiefs</a>.&nbsp;

A group called Leadership For America purchased a small amount of radio air time opposing Amendment 3 and donated $100,000 to Vote No on 3 after accepting a $300,000 donation from a company called Unity Hunt.

Unity Hunt owns the business properties of the late Lamar Hunt, who founded the Chiefs. In the Tuesday filing, the donation was reattributed to Lamar Hunt Jr.

The other ballot measure campaigns, and their funding, are:

The only ballot measure without a committee dedicated to its passage or defeat is Amendment 7, which would ban ranked-choice voting and restate the current constitutional ban on voting by non-citizens.

<h2>Just about $1.2 million has been spent since the primary by candidates seeking offices from governor to attorney general</h2>BY:&nbsp;&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>As ballot measure campaigns fill the airwaves with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">seven-figure ad wars</a>&nbsp;alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/15/why-are-you-so-weird-lucas-kunce-taunts-josh-hawley-during-squabble-about-debates/">Missouri’s U.S. Senate race</a>, the state seems about to experience the cheapest campaign in years for other statewide offices.On Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the Republican nominee for governor, reported raising about $760,000 during September for his campaign committee and another $1.3 million for his joint-fundraising committee, American Dream PAC.&nbsp;His Democratic opponent, state Rep. Crystal Quade, raised $425,000 and her joint fundraising committee, Crystal PAC, took in $7,000.Quade used her modest campaign budget to start television advertising last week, spending about $165,000 so far. Kehoe has reserved time for later in the month, spending about $835,000.In a news release, Quade said she was pleased with the fundraising result.“I’m so grateful for the overwhelming support from everyday Missourians for this campaign,” she said. “Voters are sick of bought-and-paid for politicians who make life easier for their corporate donors and well-connected political insiders.”Candidates for the other four statewide offices on the November ballot have combined to spend less than $400,000 since the primary.Four years ago, Gov. Mike Parson’s re-election campaign raised $1 million during September and his joint fundraising committee raised $2.6 million. His Democratic opponent, then-state auditor Nicole Galloway, raised $1.5 million in September 2020.And in 2016, the last time no incumbent ran for governor, Democrat Chris Koster raised $3.5 million in September, while Republican nominee Eric Greitens took in $4.2 million.In comparison, spending for and against ballot measures on this year’s ballot totals $25.3 million since May, when signatures were turned in. And in the Senate race, Democrat Lucas Kunce has spent $6 million on television ads since the end of July, with Republican incumbent Josh Hawley spending $3.9 million.Campaign reports for the period ending Sept. 30 were due Tuesday. State candidates report to the Missouri Ethics Commission, while candidates for Congress and the U.S. Senate report to the Federal Election Commission. There will be one more round of reports before the election on Nov. 5.In the U.S. Senate race, Kunce has outraised Hawley throughout the year and that trend continued in the third quarter of the year. Kunce reported raising $7.6 million between mid-July and the end of September, while Hawley reported raising $3 million in the same period.In other statewide races:<ul>
 <li>Republican candidate for lieutenant governor David Wasinger raised almost $161,000 and used $125,000 of it to start paying himself back the $2.6 million he loaned his campaign for the primary. State Rep. Richard Brown of Kansas City, the Democratic nominee, had not reported Tuesday night.</li><li>Democratic nominee for attorney general Elad Gross raised more for his campaign committee, $185,000, than incumbent Republican Andrew Bailey, who took in $165,000. But Bailey’s joint fundraising committee, Liberty and Justice PAC, raised $600,000 as well. Gross does not have a separate PAC.</li><li>State Rep. Barbara Phifer, a St. Louis Democrat, outraised state Sen. Denny Hoskins, the GOP nominee, in their race for secretary of state. Phifer took in almost $102,000, while Hoskins raised $37,000 for his campaign and $33,000 for his joint fundraising committee.</li><li>State Treasurer Vivek Malek raised $34,075 and his PAC raised $4,350 more, while Democratic opponent Mark Osmack raised $11,501.</li>
 </ul><h2>Ballot measures</h2>There are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2024BallotMeasures" target="_blank">six statewide ballot measures</a>&nbsp;before voters this year, five constitutional amendments and a statutory change increasing the minimum wage. Total spending on all ballot measures through Sept. 30, according to the reports filed Tuesday, is $40.8 million.&nbsp;The two biggest spenders are the committee backing Amendment 2 to legalize sports wagering and the committee backing Amendment 3 to restore the right to abortion and protect other reproductive health services.Winning for Missouri Education, backing Amendment 2, reported raising $21.6 million, with $10 million more in large donations since the start of the month. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, backing Amendment 3, took in $21.8 through Sept. 30 and $3.8 million in large donations since.All the money for Winning for Missouri Education comes from two donors — Draft Kings and FanDuel. While most of the funding for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom — $18 million — comes in donations of $100,000 or more from liberal groups that don’t disclose their donors, the 1,654-page report delivered Tuesday includes thousands of donations from Missourians who gave between $20 and $500.The best-funded opposition to a ballot measure is fighting Amendment 2. Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment raised $4.2 million by mid-September and has reported $10 million in donations from Caesars Entertainment since.Groups opposing the abortion amendment are not able to match the spending in its favor. Vote No on 3 raised $456,000 by the end of September and has collected $455,000 in large donations since.The filings Tuesday show there was a change in the name on a campaign donation opposing Amendment 3 that The Independent&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/11/missouri-abortion-amendment-opposition-hunt-chiefs/">tied to the family that owns the Kansas CIty Chiefs</a>.&nbsp;A group called Leadership For America purchased a small amount of radio air time opposing Amendment 3 and donated $100,000 to Vote No on 3 after accepting a $300,000 donation from a company called Unity Hunt.Unity Hunt owns the business properties of the late Lamar Hunt, who founded the Chiefs. In the Tuesday filing, the donation was reattributed to Lamar Hunt Jr.The other ballot measure campaigns, and their funding, are:<ul>
 <li>YesOn5, which is backing Amendment 5 to allow a new casino at the Lake of the Ozarks, is funded by Bally’s Corp. and RIS, a lake-area developer, who have provided $9.4 million so far.</li><li>Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, supporting Proposition A to raise the minimum wage and require employers to provide paid sick leave, reported raising $4.4 million for the campaign through September. The campaign has received another $1.25 million in large donations this month.</li><li>The Committee to Ensure a Future for Sheriffs &amp; Prosecutors is backing Amendment 6, to impose fees on criminal court cases to fund retirement benefits for sheriffs and prosecutors. The committee reported raising $110,425 through Sept. 30, with another $80,000 since. Those donations are $30,000 from the sheriff’s retirement fund and $50,000 from the prosecutor’s retirement fund, donations that have&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/09/missouri-sheriffs-pension-donates-30k-to-ballot-campaign-sparking-concerns/">raised questions</a>&nbsp;among lawmakers.</li>
 </ul>The only ballot measure without a committee dedicated to its passage or defeat is Amendment 7, which would ban ranked-choice voting and restate the current constitutional ban on voting by non-citizens.

Statewide candidates in Missouri run cheap campaigns while ballot measures spend heavily

(Radio Iowa) - More than three months after historic flooding hit northwest Iowa, residents in one community still need help -- and they're getting it. 

When the Little Sioux River hit record levels, half of Correctionville’s 300 houses ended up with some damage from water or sewer. The focus on recovery continues, as FEMA and non-profits met Tuesday with residents who are still trying to repair their properties and lives. Woodbury County Emergency Management Director Michael Montino&nbsp; says he’s proud of the strong support from the community, non-profits and government organizations. Montino says other damage in Woodbury County included 150 homes in Sioux City and 30 properties in the tiny town of Smithland -- population 181. 

The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance in Woodbury and 14 other western Iowa counties is October 22nd.

(Radio Iowa) - More than three months after historic flooding hit northwest Iowa, residents in one community still need help -- and they're getting it. When the Little Sioux River hit record levels, half of Correctionville’s 300 houses ended up with some damage from water or sewer. The focus on recovery continues, as FEMA and non-profits met Tuesday with residents who are still trying to repair their properties and lives. Woodbury County Emergency Management Director Michael Montino&nbsp; says he’s proud of the strong support from the community, non-profits and government organizations. Montino says other damage in Woodbury County included 150 homes in Sioux City and 30 properties in the tiny town of Smithland -- population 181. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance in Woodbury and 14 other western Iowa counties is October 22nd.

Rebuilding is long process after spring flooding in NW Iowa

AFL-CIO Community Services in St. Joseph is beginning preparations for the annual Adopt A Family Christmas program.  

Last year, the agency served 894 families that applied for the program.  And this year, executive director Nichi Seckinger says they are expecting even more.  

Seckinger says last year's number was a pretty high one for the Adopt A Family program. 

"It was a pretty high year for us, in comparison to the prior that was a peak year, we'd kind of been building up to it and that was kind of one of our record setters last year," Seckinger tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "So, we are anticipating that it's going to be pretty close to the same numbers this year, if not a little bit higher." 

To help deal with the higher demand, Seckinger says the agency is adding some restrictions to who can apply for the program this year.   

Seckinger says applications will be restricted to adults with families and seniors who are actively living on disability. Anyone who applies that does not meet the criteria, will not be put in the program 

"And it's not because we don't want those folks to have Christmas or receive help, it's just in anticipation of the number of families that we are probably going to have in the program we're just worried that we're not going to be able to get all the families that sign up help," Seckinger explains. "Especially since this program is mostly for children, we want to make sure those households with kids are going to be able to get the assistance they need." 

Seckinger says the agency will begin accepting applications in just a couple weeks 

"We have the application online again this year, it will be active on October 28th which is a Monday so about two weeks from now," Seckinger says. "They'll be able to access the application starting Monday the 28th of October on our website at <a href="https://www.helpmenow.org/">helpmenow.org</a>, and then they can also come into the agency obviously and pick up the application and then return it here."

Applications will be accepted through December 6th. 

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post AFL-CIO Community Services in St. Joseph is beginning preparations for the annual Adopt A Family Christmas program. Last year, the agency served 894 families that applied for the program. And this year, executive director Nichi Seckinger says they are expecting even more. Seckinger says last year's number was a pretty high one for the Adopt A Family program. "It was a pretty high year for us, in comparison to the prior that was a peak year, we'd kind of been building up to it and that was kind of one of our record setters last year," Seckinger tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So, we are anticipating that it's going to be pretty close to the same numbers this year, if not a little bit higher." To help deal with the higher demand, Seckinger says the agency is adding some restrictions to who can apply for the program this year. Seckinger says applications will be restricted to adults with families and seniors who are actively living on disability. Anyone who applies that does not meet the criteria, will not be put in the program "And it's not because we don't want those folks to have Christmas or receive help, it's just in anticipation of the number of families that we are probably going to have in the program we're just worried that we're not going to be able to get all the families that sign up help," Seckinger explains. "Especially since this program is mostly for children, we want to make sure those households with kids are going to be able to get the assistance they need." Seckinger says the agency will begin accepting applications in just a couple weeks "We have the application online again this year, it will be active on October 28th which is a Monday so about two weeks from now," Seckinger says. "They'll be able to access the application starting Monday the 28th of October on our website at <a href="https://www.helpmenow.org/">helpmenow.org</a>, and then they can also come into the agency obviously and pick up the application and then return it here." Applications will be accepted through December 6th. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

AFL-CIO Community Services gearing up for Adopt A Family program

Bismarck, ND– Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach Tuesday asked the U.S. District Court in North Dakota to temporarily stop the Biden-Harris administration from implementing a regulation that would give Obamacare to illegal aliens, according to a media release from the Attorney General's office.

The regulation, set to take effect on Nov. 1, would make more than 200,000 deferred action for childhood arrival (DACA) recipients eligible for taxpayer-subsidized health plans, including 4,350 DACA recipients in Kansas.

“Congress made it clear on two separate occasions that illegal aliens cannot receive Obamacare. First, a 1996 law makes clear that illegal aliens are generally prohibited from receiving federal benefits. Second, in the affordable care act itself, an alien has to be lawfully present in the United States to receive the subsidized health insurance,” Kobach said. “The Biden administration does not have a good response.&nbsp; I have argued immigration issues in many different cases, and I feel particularly good about the states’ chances in this one.

”North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley also appeared in court. Kobach served as lead counsel.“Washington has failed to secure our southern border, and the cost of DACA is not the right solution for the states,” Jackley said. “DACA’s subsidized health insurance for illegal immigrants would be at the cost of struggling working citizens.”

Attorneys general from 15 states joined the lawsuit. In addition to Kobach, Wrigley and Jackley, attorneys general from Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia joined the lawsuit.Read latest filings in the case&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/special-litigation-unit/high-profile-cases">here</a>.

Bismarck, ND– Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach Tuesday asked the U.S. District Court in North Dakota to temporarily stop the Biden-Harris administration from implementing a regulation that would give Obamacare to illegal aliens, according to a media release from the Attorney General's office.The regulation, set to take effect on Nov. 1, would make more than 200,000 deferred action for childhood arrival (DACA) recipients eligible for taxpayer-subsidized health plans, including 4,350 DACA recipients in Kansas.“Congress made it clear on two separate occasions that illegal aliens cannot receive Obamacare. First, a 1996 law makes clear that illegal aliens are generally prohibited from receiving federal benefits. Second, in the affordable care act itself, an alien has to be lawfully present in the United States to receive the subsidized health insurance,” Kobach said. “The Biden administration does not have a good response.&nbsp; I have argued immigration issues in many different cases, and I feel particularly good about the states’ chances in this one.”North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley also appeared in court. Kobach served as lead counsel.“Washington has failed to secure our southern border, and the cost of DACA is not the right solution for the states,” Jackley said. “DACA’s subsidized health insurance for illegal immigrants would be at the cost of struggling working citizens.”Attorneys general from 15 states joined the lawsuit. In addition to Kobach, Wrigley and Jackley, attorneys general from Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia joined the lawsuit.Read latest filings in the case&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/special-litigation-unit/high-profile-cases">here</a>.

Kan. AG leads coalition to stop Biden-Harris from giving Obamacare to illegal aliens

Farmers for Free Trade, the national trade advocacy coalition including America’s largest ag and food associations released a reaction to new trade analysis from the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association. The analysis evaluates the impacts of a trade war on soybeans and corn, two of America’s leading ag exports. Bob Hemesath is the Board President for Farmers for Free Trade and says the analysis shows that American corn and soybean farmers would be devastated by the re-emergence of a trade war.

“The very real possibility that tariffs rise sharply would mean corn exports to China drop by well over 80 percent and soy exports would drop by half,” Hemesath says. “The analysis also shows that a trade war would reduce U.S. soybean and corn prices, which would harm rural economies across the country.” He also says a trade war would be a gift to our international competitors.

Farmers for Free Trade, the national trade advocacy coalition including America’s largest ag and food associations released a reaction to new trade analysis from the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association. The analysis evaluates the impacts of a trade war on soybeans and corn, two of America’s leading ag exports. Bob Hemesath is the Board President for Farmers for Free Trade and says the analysis shows that American corn and soybean farmers would be devastated by the re-emergence of a trade war.“The very real possibility that tariffs rise sharply would mean corn exports to China drop by well over 80 percent and soy exports would drop by half,” Hemesath says. “The analysis also shows that a trade war would reduce U.S. soybean and corn prices, which would harm rural economies across the country.” He also says a trade war would be a gift to our international competitors.-NAFB

Analysis of tariff-induced trade war impacts

The National Ag Statistic Service released their latest crop report numbers this week. In the week ending October 13th, Missouri experienced near seven full days suitable for fieldwork, with an average statewide temperature just over 63  degrees more than 5 and a half degrees above normal. Precipitation was notably absent, lagging  well over half an inch below the typical levels for this time of year. Topsoil moisture conditions were concerning, with only 44% rated adequate. Subsoil moisture levels were similarly impacted, with just 53% considered adequate.

Corn harvesting for grain progressed significantly, reaching 73% complete, surpassing the five-year average of only 58%. Soybeans were also making strides, with 91% of the crop dropping leaves and 41% harvested, compared to the five-year average of 84% and 28%, respectively. The condition of soybeans varied, 9% poor to very poor, 22% fair, 69% good, to excellent.

The National Ag Statistic Service released their latest crop report numbers this week. In the week ending October 13th, Missouri experienced near seven full days suitable for fieldwork, with an average statewide temperature just over 63 degrees more than 5 and a half degrees above normal. Precipitation was notably absent, lagging well over half an inch below the typical levels for this time of year. Topsoil moisture conditions were concerning, with only 44% rated adequate. Subsoil moisture levels were similarly impacted, with just 53% considered adequate.Corn harvesting for grain progressed significantly, reaching 73% complete, surpassing the five-year average of only 58%. Soybeans were also making strides, with 91% of the crop dropping leaves and 41% harvested, compared to the five-year average of 84% and 28%, respectively. The condition of soybeans varied, 9% poor to very poor, 22% fair, 69% good, to excellent.

Harvest continues to roll across Missouri 

(Radio Iowa) - Today (Wednesday) is the first day Iowans may go into their county auditor's office and vote. 

According to an Iowans for Tax Relief analysis, residents in 59 Iowa counties will be able to vote on local projects that would be financed by raising property taxes to pay off bonds. Thirty-one public school districts seeking bonding authority for projects to renovate or build new facilities. 

Voters in the Waterloo School District will decide whether to approve building a new high school and merging Waterloo's two high schools in the fall of 2028. However, instead of property taxes, sales tax revenue the Waterloo district gets for infrastructure projects would be used to pay off the 165 million dollars worth of bonds.

(Radio Iowa) - Today (Wednesday) is the first day Iowans may go into their county auditor's office and vote. According to an Iowans for Tax Relief analysis, residents in 59 Iowa counties will be able to vote on local projects that would be financed by raising property taxes to pay off bonds. Thirty-one public school districts seeking bonding authority for projects to renovate or build new facilities. Voters in the Waterloo School District will decide whether to approve building a new high school and merging Waterloo's two high schools in the fall of 2028. However, instead of property taxes, sales tax revenue the Waterloo district gets for infrastructure projects would be used to pay off the 165 million dollars worth of bonds.

Early voting begins at Iowa county auditors' offices today

Eight-foot statue of warrior brings to ground level massize statue atop dome

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Dedication on the Kansas Capitol grounds Tuesday of an eight-foot statue depicting a Kansa warrior’s drawn bow and arrow pointed to the North Star closed a monumental 22-year effort to complete the Ad Astra Plaza.

The privately financed project placed on a pedestal southwest of the Capitol a version of the 22-foot, 4,400-pound bronze artwork installed in 2002 atop the dome in honor of the original inhabitants of land incorporated into the state and to symbolize determination of people to achieve goals, as the state motto declared, “to the stars through difficulties.”

Gov. Laura Kelly joined members of the Kaw Nation, a bipartisan set of legislators and the son of late Salina sculptor Richard Bergen to mark installation of the Kansa statue, bronze plaques describing Kansas history and hundreds of bricks purchased to help finance the project.

“In its own right,” the governor said, “to the stars through difficulty is an accurate description for this project. This plaza has been a long time in the making. It’s a poignant reminder of our past and inspiring representation of the bright future that lies ahead.”

Rich Bergen, son of artist and educator Richard Bergen, said the sculpture on the dome stood 300 feet above the ground, but the brethren installation on the lawn made the artwork more accessible to visitors. He said the plaza honored Native Americans through the story of the Kansa people.

“If we don’t remember the past, we will not learn from it,” Bergen said. “My dad really would have loved to have been here today.”

Kimberly Jenkins, chairwoman of the Kaw Nation Tribal Council, said Kansa people lived and hunted for centuries on land that became Kansas. She said the Kaw population had dwindled to about 500 when forced to move in the 1870s to present-day Oklahoma. Citizenship eventually fell to approximately 200, she said, but the Kaw emerged as a self-governing, federally recognized tribe.

“This warrior, to me, is a symbol of how strong our people were and still are,” Jenkins said. “Even though our loved ones suffered from being moved from their homeland and forced to adapt to ways of others, they fought hard.”

Polling of Salina-area students led to the decision to create a statue depicting a Kansa warrior. However, the pedestal meant to host the ground-level version of the artwork sat empty for two decades.

Former Sen. Randall Hardy, who represented Salina in the Legislature from 2017 to 2021, said he was strolling on the statehouse grounds when he came across the bare six-foot pedestal. A plaque donated by former Gov. Bill Graves said the pedestal held a replica of the statue on the dome.

“It was empty. Seventeen bronze plaques had not been cast and placed on the walls. Two-thousand-six-hundred bricks for the plaza were not in place. I was, frankly, embarrassed by what I saw,” Hardy said.

He returned to his office and spoke to Sen. Elaine Bowers, a Concordia Republican who served on a legislative committee dedicated to preservation of the Capitol. Together, with lobbyist John Peterson and others a plan was developed to kickstart development of the plaza.

“I’m so pleased to be here, even though we’re 20 years late. It’s a great day,” Bowers said.

Fundraising was inspired by friends of Bill Brady, a legislator and lobbyist who died in March 2023. He was a presence in the statehouse for more than 40 years.

“His colleagues led the fundraising campaign to help complete the plaza in memory of Bill,” said Nancy Brady, his widow. “I can’t think of anything more meaningful to Bill and our family. I look forward to bringing my family and friends here for many years to come.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729090833791.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly led a bipartisan celebration of the new Ad Astra Plaza on the Kansas Capitol lawn centered on a copy of the Kansa warrior that sits on top of the statehouse. The statue on the dome was installed in 2002, but it took 22 years to finish the ground-level plaza.- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly led a bipartisan celebration of the new Ad Astra Plaza on the Kansas Capitol lawn centered on a copy of the Kansa warrior that sits on top of the statehouse. The statue on the dome was installed in 2002, but it took 22 years to finish the ground-level plaza.- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Eight-foot statue of warrior brings to ground level massize statue atop dome</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Dedication on the Kansas Capitol grounds Tuesday of an eight-foot statue depicting a Kansa warrior’s drawn bow and arrow pointed to the North Star closed a monumental 22-year effort to complete the Ad Astra Plaza.The privately financed project placed on a pedestal southwest of the Capitol a version of the 22-foot, 4,400-pound bronze artwork installed in 2002 atop the dome in honor of the original inhabitants of land incorporated into the state and to symbolize determination of people to achieve goals, as the state motto declared, “to the stars through difficulties.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, we celebrated the new Ad Astra Plaza at the Statehouse. The plaza, with its replica of the iconic Native American hunter statue atop the Statehouse, is a poignant reminder of our past &amp; an inspiring representation of how we&#39;re reaching for the stars to move Kansas forward. <a href="https://t.co/ntKVZGBiNO">pic.twitter.com/ntKVZGBiNO</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1846242116554440962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Gov. Laura Kelly joined members of the Kaw Nation, a bipartisan set of legislators and the son of late Salina sculptor Richard Bergen to mark installation of the Kansa statue, bronze plaques describing Kansas history and hundreds of bricks purchased to help finance the project.“In its own right,” the governor said, “to the stars through difficulty is an accurate description for this project. This plaza has been a long time in the making. It’s a poignant reminder of our past and inspiring representation of the bright future that lies ahead.”Rich Bergen, son of artist and educator Richard Bergen, said the sculpture on the dome stood 300 feet above the ground, but the brethren installation on the lawn made the artwork more accessible to visitors. He said the plaza honored Native Americans through the story of the Kansa people.“If we don’t remember the past, we will not learn from it,” Bergen said. “My dad really would have loved to have been here today.”Kimberly Jenkins, chairwoman of the Kaw Nation Tribal Council, said Kansa people lived and hunted for centuries on land that became Kansas. She said the Kaw population had dwindled to about 500 when forced to move in the 1870s to present-day Oklahoma. Citizenship eventually fell to approximately 200, she said, but the Kaw emerged as a self-governing, federally recognized tribe.“This warrior, to me, is a symbol of how strong our people were and still are,” Jenkins said. “Even though our loved ones suffered from being moved from their homeland and forced to adapt to ways of others, they fought hard.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729090744229.png" alt=" Members of the Kaw Nation present a ceremonial blanket to Rich Bergen, son of the late Salina sculptor Richard Bergen, who created the Kansa warrior statue atop the Capitol. Bergen spoke on behalf of his father at dedication of Ad Astra Plaza, which incorporated a smaller version of the Kansa warrior. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Members of the Kaw Nation present a ceremonial blanket to Rich Bergen, son of the late Salina sculptor Richard Bergen, who created the Kansa warrior statue atop the Capitol. Bergen spoke on behalf of his father at dedication of Ad Astra Plaza, which incorporated a smaller version of the Kansa warrior. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Polling of Salina-area students led to the decision to create a statue depicting a Kansa warrior. However, the pedestal meant to host the ground-level version of the artwork sat empty for two decades.Former Sen. Randall Hardy, who represented Salina in the Legislature from 2017 to 2021, said he was strolling on the statehouse grounds when he came across the bare six-foot pedestal. A plaque donated by former Gov. Bill Graves said the pedestal held a replica of the statue on the dome.“It was empty. Seventeen bronze plaques had not been cast and placed on the walls. Two-thousand-six-hundred bricks for the plaza were not in place. I was, frankly, embarrassed by what I saw,” Hardy said.He returned to his office and spoke to Sen. Elaine Bowers, a Concordia Republican who served on a legislative committee dedicated to preservation of the Capitol. Together, with lobbyist John Peterson and others a plan was developed to kickstart development of the plaza.“I’m so pleased to be here, even though we’re 20 years late. It’s a great day,” Bowers said.Fundraising was inspired by friends of Bill Brady, a legislator and lobbyist who died in March 2023. He was a presence in the statehouse for more than 40 years.“His colleagues led the fundraising campaign to help complete the plaza in memory of Bill,” said Nancy Brady, his widow. “I can’t think of anything more meaningful to Bill and our family. I look forward to bringing my family and friends here for many years to come.”

Kansas governor, Kansa tribe members cap 22-year project by dedicating Capitol plaza

With Hurricanes Helene and Milton recently devastating the southeast region of the United States, blood donations are needed to help survivors.&nbsp;

Director of Public Relations for The Community Blood Center, Chelsea Smith, says local residents can help. "Each and everyday in our area, we need to collect about 600 donations. When you account for deferrals and things like that, we need to see anywhere from 600 to 650 people coming in our doors."

Smith says the nationwide need for blood donations is impacting local areas but communities such as St. Joseph, Kansas City and Topeka can assist. "As communities in the southeast focus on recovery, areas like ours that aren't directly impacted by the hurricanes are issuing an urgent need for blood donations so we can meet our demand locally, but also rise to the occasion and send blood to the southeast if we're called upon to do so."

Smith notes The Community Blood Center has already sent about a hundred units of blood the southeast region.

Smith says blood donations will be vital in the days, weeks, and months to come.

The Community Blood Center says blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month. To make an appointment to donate blood, visit <a href="https://www.savealifenow.org/">savealifenow.org</a>.

By RYAN SKAITHSt. Joseph PostWith Hurricanes Helene and Milton recently devastating the southeast region of the United States, blood donations are needed to help survivors.&nbsp;Director of Public Relations for The Community Blood Center, Chelsea Smith, says local residents can help. "Each and everyday in our area, we need to collect about 600 donations. When you account for deferrals and things like that, we need to see anywhere from 600 to 650 people coming in our doors."Smith says the nationwide need for blood donations is impacting local areas but communities such as St. Joseph, Kansas City and Topeka can assist. "As communities in the southeast focus on recovery, areas like ours that aren't directly impacted by the hurricanes are issuing an urgent need for blood donations so we can meet our demand locally, but also rise to the occasion and send blood to the southeast if we're called upon to do so."Smith notes The Community Blood Center has already sent about a hundred units of blood the southeast region.Smith says blood donations will be vital in the days, weeks, and months to come.The Community Blood Center says blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month. To make an appointment to donate blood, visit <a href="https://www.savealifenow.org/">savealifenow.org</a>.

Local blood donations needed to help hurricane victims in the Southeast

Chariton County cannot block construction of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/13/grain-belt-express-transmission-line-wins-final-approval-in-missouri/">Grain Belt Express electric transmission line</a>&nbsp;by refusing permission to cross county roads, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

The county can establish rules for how the transmission line crosses its roads, the court ruled as it modified a trial court decision that said the county could make no regulations at all.

“The decision as to whether Grain Belt’s overhead transmission lines for the project would be constructed across Chariton County’s public roads was already made by the (Missouri Public Service Commission) when it issued its Report and Order on Remand granting the (certificate of convenience and necessity) and approving the final proposed route of the project,” Judge Lisa White Hardwick wrote in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=213613" target="_blank">unanimous decision</a>&nbsp;of the three-judge panel.

Grain Belt will be constructed by Chicago-based Invenergy and be a 5,000 megawatt line to move wind-derived power from western Kansas to the Indiana border. Half the power it carries will be delivered to Missouri utilities.

At first welcomed by many of the counties it will cross in north Missouri, the line has become controversial with complaints about aesthetics, whether high-voltage lines cause health issues and the power of the Public Service Commission to grant eminent domain power to obtain land for construction.

Republican legislators and agricultural groups tried repeatedly to strip Grain Belt’s right of eminent domain, which would have killed the project. But in 2022, lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/08/missouri-governor-to-sign-compromise-legislation-after-efforts-to-stymie-grain-belt-express/">passed compromise legislation</a>&nbsp;requiring, in the event of future large transmission lines, greater compensation for landowners and setting a seven-year time limit for companies to build transmission lines after obtaining their easements.&nbsp;

Grain Belt’s disagreements with Chariton County began in 2014, Hardwick wrote in the decision, two years after it had initially received consent from the Chariton County Commission to cross its county-owned roads. Chariton County withdrew its consent and made it contingent upon the PSC approving the project.

When it received initial approval from the PSC, Grain Belt’s owners tried to negotiate with Chariton County. When it refused again to give its consent, the lawsuit followed.

Associate Circuit Judge Daren Adkins, assigned to the case from Daviess County, ruled that a state law&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=49.650&amp;bid=1714&amp;hl=" target="_blank">barring counties</a>&nbsp;from adopting ordinances “governing” utilities within their boundaries meant that&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=229.100&amp;bid=12358&amp;hl=" target="_blank">an older law</a>, requiring utilities to obtain consent from utilities to go “through, on, under or across” its roads could not be enforced.

The decision Tuesday modified that ruling. The law prohibiting an ordinance governing a utility is designed to protect against local rules that are in conflict with state rules, the court said.

But it doesn’t mean the law requiring consent to cross a road doesn’t have any effect, Hardwick wrote. The county can set standards but it cannot withhold its consent, she wrote.

“A fair interpretation is that (law) requires a county commission’s agreement regarding how a utility’s infrastructure will be constructed across the county’s public roads,” she wrote “not whether such utility’s infrastructure will be constructed across the county’s public roads in the first place.”

Overall utility policy is set at the state level, not the county level, she wrote.

“Doing so usurps the authority granted the MPSC in Chapter 386,” she wrote, “and exercises a power granted to the county in a manner contrary to the public policy of this state.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598444309811.png" alt="The project, will stretch about 800 miles from Kansas to Indiana, on a route crossing Missouri and Illinois." />
 <figcaption>The project, will stretch about 800 miles from Kansas to Indiana, on a route crossing Missouri and Illinois.</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;&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>Chariton County cannot block construction of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/13/grain-belt-express-transmission-line-wins-final-approval-in-missouri/">Grain Belt Express electric transmission line</a>&nbsp;by refusing permission to cross county roads, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.The county can establish rules for how the transmission line crosses its roads, the court ruled as it modified a trial court decision that said the county could make no regulations at all.“The decision as to whether Grain Belt’s overhead transmission lines for the project would be constructed across Chariton County’s public roads was already made by the (Missouri Public Service Commission) when it issued its Report and Order on Remand granting the (certificate of convenience and necessity) and approving the final proposed route of the project,” Judge Lisa White Hardwick wrote in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=213613" target="_blank">unanimous decision</a>&nbsp;of the three-judge panel.Grain Belt will be constructed by Chicago-based Invenergy and be a 5,000 megawatt line to move wind-derived power from western Kansas to the Indiana border. Half the power it carries will be delivered to Missouri utilities.At first welcomed by many of the counties it will cross in north Missouri, the line has become controversial with complaints about aesthetics, whether high-voltage lines cause health issues and the power of the Public Service Commission to grant eminent domain power to obtain land for construction.Republican legislators and agricultural groups tried repeatedly to strip Grain Belt’s right of eminent domain, which would have killed the project. But in 2022, lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/08/missouri-governor-to-sign-compromise-legislation-after-efforts-to-stymie-grain-belt-express/">passed compromise legislation</a>&nbsp;requiring, in the event of future large transmission lines, greater compensation for landowners and setting a seven-year time limit for companies to build transmission lines after obtaining their easements.&nbsp;Grain Belt’s disagreements with Chariton County began in 2014, Hardwick wrote in the decision, two years after it had initially received consent from the Chariton County Commission to cross its county-owned roads. Chariton County withdrew its consent and made it contingent upon the PSC approving the project.When it received initial approval from the PSC, Grain Belt’s owners tried to negotiate with Chariton County. When it refused again to give its consent, the lawsuit followed.Associate Circuit Judge Daren Adkins, assigned to the case from Daviess County, ruled that a state law&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=49.650&amp;bid=1714&amp;hl=" target="_blank">barring counties</a>&nbsp;from adopting ordinances “governing” utilities within their boundaries meant that&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=229.100&amp;bid=12358&amp;hl=" target="_blank">an older law</a>, requiring utilities to obtain consent from utilities to go “through, on, under or across” its roads could not be enforced.The decision Tuesday modified that ruling. The law prohibiting an ordinance governing a utility is designed to protect against local rules that are in conflict with state rules, the court said.But it doesn’t mean the law requiring consent to cross a road doesn’t have any effect, Hardwick wrote. The county can set standards but it cannot withhold its consent, she wrote.“A fair interpretation is that (law) requires a county commission’s agreement regarding how a utility’s infrastructure will be constructed across the county’s public roads,” she wrote “not whether such utility’s infrastructure will be constructed across the county’s public roads in the first place.”Overall utility policy is set at the state level, not the county level, she wrote.“Doing so usurps the authority granted the MPSC in Chapter 386,” she wrote, “and exercises a power granted to the county in a manner contrary to the public policy of this state.”

Kbct