Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves confirms he has had
talks with the Trump transition team about the possibility of serving as
Transportation Secretary in the second Trump administration.

Graves, a Republican, is chair of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee.

An article by Politico names Graves as a possible
Transportation Secretary. Graves says he is talking with Trump’s people.

“I have been talking to Trump’s transition team and they have
informed me that they’ve got me on a short list for that,” Graves tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in a phone interview. “I’m obviously taking a very hard
look at it and (we’ll) see what happens. But it is certainly something that is
very intriguing to me.”

Republican Caucus rules would prohibit Graves from continuing
to serve as House Transportation Committee chair in the next term of Congress
unless he is granted a waiver. And that is contingent of course on Republicans
holding on to the majority in the United States House.

Graves says the next Transportation Secretary needs to
concentrate on physical infrastructure.

“That is roads and bridges and airports and pipelines and
ports and not do all of these things that are about a green agenda or about
woke policies or quota policies, whatever the case may be,” Graves says. “We
need to concentrate on traditional infrastructure and that’s what’s going to be
the challenge is unwinding so many of those things that happened in the
Biden-Harris administration.”

Grave has been critical of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure
bill signed into law by President Biden in late 2021, saying it became partisan
as it grew too large, authorizing spending outside what is considered
traditional infrastructure projects.

Graves says he is open to becoming part of a second Trump
administration, but emphasizes all discussions are in the early stages.

“It’s just preliminary at this point,” according to Graves. “They’re
just feeling me out on policy and what I would do and the things I would like
to see changed. It’s just preliminary at this point to be quite honest with
you.”

Graves won his 13th term in Congress on Tuesday. He
is the dean of the Missouri Congressional delegation.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731095158301.jpeg" alt="Congressman Sam Graves/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Congressman Sam Graves/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves confirms he has had
talks with the Trump transition team about the possibility of serving as
Transportation Secretary in the second Trump administration.Graves, a Republican, is chair of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee.An article by Politico names Graves as a possible
Transportation Secretary. Graves says he is talking with Trump’s people.“I have been talking to Trump’s transition team and they have
informed me that they’ve got me on a short list for that,” Graves tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in a phone interview. “I’m obviously taking a very hard
look at it and (we’ll) see what happens. But it is certainly something that is
very intriguing to me.”Republican Caucus rules would prohibit Graves from continuing
to serve as House Transportation Committee chair in the next term of Congress
unless he is granted a waiver. And that is contingent of course on Republicans
holding on to the majority in the United States House.Graves says the next Transportation Secretary needs to
concentrate on physical infrastructure.“That is roads and bridges and airports and pipelines and
ports and not do all of these things that are about a green agenda or about
woke policies or quota policies, whatever the case may be,” Graves says. “We
need to concentrate on traditional infrastructure and that’s what’s going to be
the challenge is unwinding so many of those things that happened in the
Biden-Harris administration.”Grave has been critical of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure
bill signed into law by President Biden in late 2021, saying it became partisan
as it grew too large, authorizing spending outside what is considered
traditional infrastructure projects.Graves says he is open to becoming part of a second Trump
administration, but emphasizes all discussions are in the early stages.“It’s just preliminary at this point,” according to Graves. “They’re
just feeling me out on policy and what I would do and the things I would like
to see changed. It’s just preliminary at this point to be quite honest with
you.”Graves won his 13th term in Congress on Tuesday. He
is the dean of the Missouri Congressional delegation.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Trump team talking with Congressman Graves about Transportation Sec. post

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa Western Community College administrators and supporters are regrouping after a narrow loss. 

Iowa Western presented a 55 million dollar bonding referendum on General Election ballots in its 13-county community college district. Unofficial results show over 76-hunded people voted on the referendum -- and it fell a couple of hundred votes short of the 60 percent threshold required for approval. 

The plan did not raise property taxes, but called for extending a current property tax levy that was set to expire. That money would have been used to expand technical training programs for in-demand careers and to expand the number of southwest Iowa students who could take Iowa Western Community College classes while they're still in high school.

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa Western Community College administrators and supporters are regrouping after a narrow loss. Iowa Western presented a 55 million dollar bonding referendum on General Election ballots in its 13-county community college district. Unofficial results show over 76-hunded people voted on the referendum -- and it fell a couple of hundred votes short of the 60 percent threshold required for approval. The plan did not raise property taxes, but called for extending a current property tax levy that was set to expire. That money would have been used to expand technical training programs for in-demand careers and to expand the number of southwest Iowa students who could take Iowa Western Community College classes while they're still in high school.

Iowa Western Community College plan for expand fails at ballot box

Critics of Proposition A, which won on Tuesday with 58% of the vote, say they’re exploring litigation and legislative changes

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

A coalition of Missouri business advocacy groups says it is exploring multiple avenues to challenge the implementation of Proposition A — a measure that Missouri voters passed on Tuesday that will raise the state’s minimum wage and guarantee sick leave for some workers.&nbsp;

The measure&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missourians-vote-to-increase-minimum-wage-require-paid-sick-leave/">passed</a>&nbsp;with 58% of the vote and had the support of various unions and workers’ advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights organizations, over 500 state business owners and others.&nbsp;

The minimum wage will increase to $13.75 in January and then $15 in 2026. The paid sick leave provisions go into effect next May.&nbsp;

Hoping to block implementation of the changes is a coalition of business advocacy groups —&nbsp; Associated Industries of Missouri, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Missouri Grocers Association, the Missouri Restaurant Association, the Missouri Retailers Association and the National Federation of Independent Business.

The coalition is “explor[ing] all available options, including possible legal action,” according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25279788-coalition-statement-prop-a-nov-6-2024" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;released Wednesday.

“We are deeply disappointed by the passage of Proposition A,” the groups wrote, adding that the measure will increase costs for consumers and employers as well as “poses a legal risk for all employers,” by providing a cause of action for employees to sue.

The focus of concern among these business advocacy groups has been with the sick leave portion of the proposition, arguing it constrains business owner’s freedom to make their own decisions and opens them up to liability if they don’t follow the requirements.

Ray McCarty,&nbsp;CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri, said in an interview with The Independent that groups are exploring a lawsuit to challenge the law on the basis that it doesn’t meet the state constitution’s single-subject requirement, because benefits and wages are distinct issues. They are also looking into advocating for legislative changes when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.

“We’ll look at the legal challenge first,” McCarty said. “If we’re not successful with that, or we’re not able to get that off the ground, or we don’t believe that we have that high chance of success, then yes, we will be looking at bills to try to mitigate some of the problems that we see with it.”

Supporters of the measure, including&nbsp;Richard Von Glahn, campaign manager for Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages,&nbsp;say efforts to overturn or weaken it are unlikely to succeed. Von Glahn said wages and benefits are part of overall compensation, so fall under the single-subject requirement. He added there were several opportunities for the group to voice an opinion with concerns about the language earlier, and they didn’t.&nbsp;

“They waged a campaign to try to convince voters to reject this. They lost,” Von Glahn said. “And so the idea of a lawsuit now kind of feels a little frivolous to me, and is a waste of time and resources. They would be better off making sure that they are educating their community and businesses about the requirements of the law, and helping for smooth implementation.”

Because the measure changes state law but not the constitution, the legislature could modify or overturn it without returning for a new vote of the people.

In 2018, after the state passed a minimum wage increase, some business interest groups advocated unsuccessfully for lawmakers to change pieces of it, Von Glahn said, “and that might happen again.”&nbsp;

“If I’m a politician, I know I have a limited amount of time in Jefferson City. There’s a limited amount of bills that can be heard and voted on,” he said. “Overturning the will of Missouri voters should not be high on the list.”

McCarty said the wide margin of passage could make it challenging to convince legislators to tweak the law.&nbsp;

“For 58 to 42, that’s very difficult for any legislator, even experienced ones who have been around a long time, it’s very difficult for them to go against the will of the people, and we understand that,” he said. “Some legislators may look at this and go, we don’t want to goof with it at all because the percentage was so high in support of it.”&nbsp;

Business leaders “have good reasons why we would want to change it,” McCarty said. But while they could try to move a bill through the legislature, he said they’d prefer to “head it off at the pass and just do away with it” through litigation.

Prop A’s victory&nbsp;didn’t come as a surprise to most: It<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/07/missouri-voted-for-abortion-rights-amendment-and-republicans-who-vow-to-overturn-it/">&nbsp;follows a trend of progressive initiative petition campaigns</a>&nbsp;finding success in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for statewide office since 2018

Paid sick leave measures also passed in Alaska and Nebraska, bringing the number of states with such laws to 18.

The details of the law are similar to those in states that have already adopted policies to expand access to paid sick leave. Employees can begin accruing and using sick time on May 1, 2025, earning one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to&nbsp;five days per year for small businesses (those with fewer than 15 employees) and seven days per year for larger businesses. Certain workers are exempt, and are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-038.pdf" target="_blank">listed</a>&nbsp;in the full text of the law, including those employed on a “casual basis” for babysitting, workers employed in a private residence who work occasionally for six or fewer hours, and those who work in retail or service in a business that annually makes less than $500,000 in annual gross volume sales.

Von Glahn said that while canvassing, workers found common ground in their identity with other workers — regardless of party affiliation — who also have the experience of needing to leave work to pick their sick children up from school.

“And immediately what I get is people nodding their heads, ‘yeah, I have that too,’ and saying, it doesn’t make sense that some workers get punished for having to do that. “

Alejandro Gallardo, a restaurant prep cook in Columbia who canvassed with the campaign, said people he spoke to were surprised to hear about “what it’s really like in the restaurant industry,” and some were surprised to hear the minimum wage isn’t already $15.&nbsp;

Coworkers come into work sick “all the time,” he said, in his experience in the restaurant industry. One coworker who had the stomach flu, he remembers, came into work, saying “my stomach tells me I need to stay home, but my wallet tells me I need to come to work.”

Gallardo will qualify for sick leave for the first time in his career come May. He’ll no longer have to choose between going without pay or coming into work sick, calling it a “huge improvement for a lot of workers in the state.”

The ballot measure will make sick leave guaranteed for 728,000 workers who currently lack it statewide, or over 1 in 3 Missouri workers, according to an analysis from the progressive nonprofit the Missouri Budget Project.

The minimum wage increase is slated to affect over 562,000 workers in the state,&nbsp;according to the Missouri Budget Project, or nearly one in every four workers.

“This is a vital part of the community that’s not being treated the way it should be treated,” Gallardo said. And I think this proposition will go a long way to fix that.”&nbsp;

<h2>Critics of Proposition A, which won on Tuesday with 58% of the vote, say they’re exploring litigation and legislative changes</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728643418242.png" alt="The campaign in favor of Prop A, called Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages collected 210,000 signatures to have the issue placed on the statewide ballot (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>The campaign in favor of Prop A, called Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages collected 210,000 signatures to have the issue placed on the statewide ballot (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>A coalition of Missouri business advocacy groups says it is exploring multiple avenues to challenge the implementation of Proposition A — a measure that Missouri voters passed on Tuesday that will raise the state’s minimum wage and guarantee sick leave for some workers.&nbsp;The measure&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missourians-vote-to-increase-minimum-wage-require-paid-sick-leave/">passed</a>&nbsp;with 58% of the vote and had the support of various unions and workers’ advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights organizations, over 500 state business owners and others.&nbsp;The minimum wage will increase to $13.75 in January and then $15 in 2026. The paid sick leave provisions go into effect next May.&nbsp;Hoping to block implementation of the changes is a coalition of business advocacy groups —&nbsp; Associated Industries of Missouri, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Missouri Grocers Association, the Missouri Restaurant Association, the Missouri Retailers Association and the National Federation of Independent Business.The coalition is “explor[ing] all available options, including possible legal action,” according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25279788-coalition-statement-prop-a-nov-6-2024" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;released Wednesday.“We are deeply disappointed by the passage of Proposition A,” the groups wrote, adding that the measure will increase costs for consumers and employers as well as “poses a legal risk for all employers,” by providing a cause of action for employees to sue.The focus of concern among these business advocacy groups has been with the sick leave portion of the proposition, arguing it constrains business owner’s freedom to make their own decisions and opens them up to liability if they don’t follow the requirements.Ray McCarty,&nbsp;CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri, said in an interview with The Independent that groups are exploring a lawsuit to challenge the law on the basis that it doesn’t meet the state constitution’s single-subject requirement, because benefits and wages are distinct issues. They are also looking into advocating for legislative changes when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.“We’ll look at the legal challenge first,” McCarty said. “If we’re not successful with that, or we’re not able to get that off the ground, or we don’t believe that we have that high chance of success, then yes, we will be looking at bills to try to mitigate some of the problems that we see with it.”Supporters of the measure, including&nbsp;Richard Von Glahn, campaign manager for Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages,&nbsp;say efforts to overturn or weaken it are unlikely to succeed. Von Glahn said wages and benefits are part of overall compensation, so fall under the single-subject requirement. He added there were several opportunities for the group to voice an opinion with concerns about the language earlier, and they didn’t.&nbsp;“They waged a campaign to try to convince voters to reject this. They lost,” Von Glahn said. “And so the idea of a lawsuit now kind of feels a little frivolous to me, and is a waste of time and resources. They would be better off making sure that they are educating their community and businesses about the requirements of the law, and helping for smooth implementation.”Because the measure changes state law but not the constitution, the legislature could modify or overturn it without returning for a new vote of the people.In 2018, after the state passed a minimum wage increase, some business interest groups advocated unsuccessfully for lawmakers to change pieces of it, Von Glahn said, “and that might happen again.”&nbsp;“If I’m a politician, I know I have a limited amount of time in Jefferson City. There’s a limited amount of bills that can be heard and voted on,” he said. “Overturning the will of Missouri voters should not be high on the list.”McCarty said the wide margin of passage could make it challenging to convince legislators to tweak the law.&nbsp;“For 58 to 42, that’s very difficult for any legislator, even experienced ones who have been around a long time, it’s very difficult for them to go against the will of the people, and we understand that,” he said. “Some legislators may look at this and go, we don’t want to goof with it at all because the percentage was so high in support of it.”&nbsp;Business leaders “have good reasons why we would want to change it,” McCarty said. But while they could try to move a bill through the legislature, he said they’d prefer to “head it off at the pass and just do away with it” through litigation.<h2>A predicted victory</h2>Prop A’s victory&nbsp;didn’t come as a surprise to most: It<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/07/missouri-voted-for-abortion-rights-amendment-and-republicans-who-vow-to-overturn-it/">&nbsp;follows a trend of progressive initiative petition campaigns</a>&nbsp;finding success in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for statewide office since 2018Paid sick leave measures also passed in Alaska and Nebraska, bringing the number of states with such laws to 18.The details of the law are similar to those in states that have already adopted policies to expand access to paid sick leave. Employees can begin accruing and using sick time on May 1, 2025, earning one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to&nbsp;five days per year for small businesses (those with fewer than 15 employees) and seven days per year for larger businesses. Certain workers are exempt, and are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-038.pdf" target="_blank">listed</a>&nbsp;in the full text of the law, including those employed on a “casual basis” for babysitting, workers employed in a private residence who work occasionally for six or fewer hours, and those who work in retail or service in a business that annually makes less than $500,000 in annual gross volume sales.Von Glahn said that while canvassing, workers found common ground in their identity with other workers — regardless of party affiliation — who also have the experience of needing to leave work to pick their sick children up from school.“And immediately what I get is people nodding their heads, ‘yeah, I have that too,’ and saying, it doesn’t make sense that some workers get punished for having to do that. “<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731072359515.png" alt="Alejandro Gallardo, a restaurant worker who helped collect signatures and canvass for Prop A (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption>Alejandro Gallardo, a restaurant worker who helped collect signatures and canvass for Prop A (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>Alejandro Gallardo, a restaurant prep cook in Columbia who canvassed with the campaign, said people he spoke to were surprised to hear about “what it’s really like in the restaurant industry,” and some were surprised to hear the minimum wage isn’t already $15.&nbsp;Coworkers come into work sick “all the time,” he said, in his experience in the restaurant industry. One coworker who had the stomach flu, he remembers, came into work, saying “my stomach tells me I need to stay home, but my wallet tells me I need to come to work.”Gallardo will qualify for sick leave for the first time in his career come May. He’ll no longer have to choose between going without pay or coming into work sick, calling it a “huge improvement for a lot of workers in the state.”The ballot measure will make sick leave guaranteed for 728,000 workers who currently lack it statewide, or over 1 in 3 Missouri workers, according to an analysis from the progressive nonprofit the Missouri Budget Project.The minimum wage increase is slated to affect over 562,000 workers in the state,&nbsp;according to the Missouri Budget Project, or nearly one in every four workers.“This is a vital part of the community that’s not being treated the way it should be treated,” Gallardo said. And I think this proposition will go a long way to fix that.”&nbsp;

Missouri business groups weigh challenge to voter-approved minimum wage hike, sick leave

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple drug allegations after an arrest.

Just after 11p.m. Nov. 4, sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 49 at the Passaic exit, approximately 25 miles east of Lacygne Kansas, according to a media release.

The Deputy made contact with the occupants and identified the two as 40-year-old Ashley C. Alexander (Burris) of Montrose and 40-year-old Amber R. Jefferies of Butler.

  During the traffic stop a K9 unit responded to the scene.  During a free air sniff of the vehicle, K9 Griff alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle.  During the subsequent search a fake soda can was located with a false compartment that contained approximately 6 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 7 grams of fentanyl.

  Several items of drug paraphernalia were also located in the vehicle.&nbsp; Under Missouri law, possession of 20 milligrams of fentanyl is considered 1st degree trafficking narcotics, a class A felony. 

  These two were in possession of over 7,000 milligrams of fentanyl.

According to <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2FDEA.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0ydJB5TftUCxDiL-ojSXZ58k0BDlapXdhFnY0x0uO1b2IrPWGzxyT72Cs_aem_rxjgNOgAaim27yCOOo11XQ&amp;h=AT3oRdrUIp0F3LDhbSJIc_kdkt3GKQPKYiinnptARzTD9j9DE39jEKXdV0l_4zmeG24TT7xLNFIh429-QWSfFC1MTWrUhyzD8eSXNcXw796resals_4VSCR8mfC-vVYmziBh2HU&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT3CWTK82SnMBx7soIYY2MRx3akYX6W-iA76Yq1-JELSBAwhh3C8LKG6dvfZBo8GjpIQKDuXPEpDET_eYbJEwftWje-LYlmg_D0jBgdHCbkTkaWqf9zJCKkb-0XTWu3a1tdmnlfRnsq_12z3qiWQ1QsE3GGw5dzQ6slc7dBVA-sIlH46L67cGT5T6mmPr48ZvH61lam5WNWXbcU-8GyFYSi3bw" target="_blank">DEA.gov</a>, approximately 2 milligrams of fentanyl is fatal to the average person. Potentially, these two had enough fentanyl to kill the every person in the City of Adrian and Rich Hill combined.

 Both Jeffries and Alexander have been charged with one count of Trafficking drugs in the first degree and possession of methamphetamine.  Bonds were set at $150,000 cash only. 

  These two have an extensive criminal history related to narcotics in the region, according to the Sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730979119755.png" alt="Jeffries-photo Bates County" />
 <figcaption>Jeffries-photo Bates County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple drug allegations after an arrest.Just after 11p.m. Nov. 4, sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 49 at the Passaic exit, approximately 25 miles east of Lacygne Kansas, according to a media release.The Deputy made contact with the occupants and identified the two as 40-year-old Ashley C. Alexander (Burris) of Montrose and 40-year-old Amber R. Jefferies of Butler.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730979082801.png" alt="Alexander photo Bates Co." />
 <figcaption>Alexander photo Bates Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> During the traffic stop a K9 unit responded to the scene. During a free air sniff of the vehicle, K9 Griff alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle. During the subsequent search a fake soda can was located with a false compartment that contained approximately 6 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 7 grams of fentanyl. Several items of drug paraphernalia were also located in the vehicle.&nbsp; Under Missouri law, possession of 20 milligrams of fentanyl is considered 1st degree trafficking narcotics, a class A felony. These two were in possession of over 7,000 milligrams of fentanyl. According to <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2FDEA.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0ydJB5TftUCxDiL-ojSXZ58k0BDlapXdhFnY0x0uO1b2IrPWGzxyT72Cs_aem_rxjgNOgAaim27yCOOo11XQ&amp;h=AT3oRdrUIp0F3LDhbSJIc_kdkt3GKQPKYiinnptARzTD9j9DE39jEKXdV0l_4zmeG24TT7xLNFIh429-QWSfFC1MTWrUhyzD8eSXNcXw796resals_4VSCR8mfC-vVYmziBh2HU&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT3CWTK82SnMBx7soIYY2MRx3akYX6W-iA76Yq1-JELSBAwhh3C8LKG6dvfZBo8GjpIQKDuXPEpDET_eYbJEwftWje-LYlmg_D0jBgdHCbkTkaWqf9zJCKkb-0XTWu3a1tdmnlfRnsq_12z3qiWQ1QsE3GGw5dzQ6slc7dBVA-sIlH46L67cGT5T6mmPr48ZvH61lam5WNWXbcU-8GyFYSi3bw" target="_blank">DEA.gov</a>, approximately 2 milligrams of fentanyl is fatal to the average person. Potentially, these two had enough fentanyl to kill the every person in the City of Adrian and Rich Hill combined. Both Jeffries and Alexander have been charged with one count of Trafficking drugs in the first degree and possession of methamphetamine. Bonds were set at $150,000 cash only. These two have an extensive criminal history related to narcotics in the region, according to the Sheriff's office.

Deputies found enough fentanyl to kill hundreds

(Radio Iowa) - The Better Business Bureau is warning about online criminals who are threatening to expose people's alleged shady internet habits. 

Bureau spokesperson Lisa Schiller says they're tracking a type of "sextortion" blackmail scam where con artists will claim they have evidence of you watching porn. Schiller says the scammer will claim they've accessed the websites you visit, and they'll threaten to send embarrassing images or videos to your contacts, if payment isn't made. 

Schiller says these scams can be effective because no one wants to talk about this, much less if they've fallen for it. Schiller says this tracks along with other scams like the I-R-S or warrant scams, where callers try to scare you into immediate action. If you get one of these calls, she says to simply hang up.

(Radio Iowa) - The Better Business Bureau is warning about online criminals who are threatening to expose people's alleged shady internet habits. Bureau spokesperson Lisa Schiller says they're tracking a type of "sextortion" blackmail scam where con artists will claim they have evidence of you watching porn. Schiller says the scammer will claim they've accessed the websites you visit, and they'll threaten to send embarrassing images or videos to your contacts, if payment isn't made. Schiller says these scams can be effective because no one wants to talk about this, much less if they've fallen for it. Schiller says this tracks along with other scams like the I-R-S or warrant scams, where callers try to scare you into immediate action. If you get one of these calls, she says to simply hang up.

New 'sextortion' scam aims to dupe Iowans into paying up

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

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday reassured the nation that democracy won despite his party’s resounding election losses, and promised his accomplishments will live on, in brief remarks from the White House.

“I know for some people, it’s a time for victory, to state the obvious. For others, it’s a time of loss. Campaigns are contests of competing visions. The country chooses one or the other. We accept the choice the country made,” Biden said in just over six minutes of remarks to his staff and administration officials gathered in the Rose Garden just after 11 a.m. Eastern.

Former Republican President Donald Trump, now president-elect,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/trump-harris-election-updates-11-5-2024#00000193-0229-dcda-ab93-b2e9ada10000" target="_blank">handily won</a>&nbsp;the 2024 presidential contest Tuesday against Vice President Kamala Harris, earning victories in closely watched swing states, including Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Trump as of early Thursday afternoon had 295 Electoral College votes, to 226 for Harris, with 270 needed for victory. He also led in the popular vote.

The Republicans also secured a Senate majority, gaining at least 52 seats while Democrats have 45. Control of the U.S. House&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/article/it-was-hell-good-day-us-senate-gop-takes-election-victory-lap">remained unclear</a>, though a trend toward GOP victory was emerging as ballots were still being counted.

Biden ran against Trump for the majority of the 2024 presidential race but dropped his reelection bid weeks after a disastrous presidential debate performance sparked a pressure campaign for him to step aside.

Biden phoned Trump Wednesday to congratulate him and arranged an in-person meeting to discuss the White House transition — a step that Trump did not take following his loss to Biden in 2020.

“I assured him I’d direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. That’s what the American people deserve,” Biden said.

Biden also talked about his phone call Wednesday with Democratic nominee Harris, whom he described as a “partner and public servant.”

“She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early on to respect so much: her character. She has a backbone like a ramrod,” Biden said.

The president said he told his team that “together, we’ve changed America for the better.”

“Much of the work we’ve done is already being felt by the American people, with the vast majority of it will not be felt, will be felt over the next 10 years,” Biden said, specifically citing the bipartisan infrastructure legislation he signed into&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684" target="_blank">law</a>&nbsp;in November 2021.

Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/article/vp-harris-concedes-presidential-race-phone-call-donald-trump">conceded</a>&nbsp;the race Wednesday in a phone call to Trump.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539843-1/vice-president-kamala-harris-concession-speech" target="_blank">speech</a>&nbsp;to somber supporters at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, D.C., the same day, Harris told the crowd “I get it” when it comes to feeling a range of emotions following the outcome.

“But we must accept the results of this election. … A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election we accept the results,” Harris said.

Following the 2020 presidential election, Trump and his allies challenged the results in dozens of ultimately unsuccessful lawsuits. Following his losses in court, Trump and a team of private lawyers continued to deny the election outcome and pressure state officials to manipulate slates of electors.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday reassured the nation that democracy won despite his party’s resounding election losses, and promised his accomplishments will live on, in brief remarks from the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;Yesterday I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I assured him that I&#39;ve directed my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. That&#39;s what the American people deserve.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/rPWIBkUJY4">pic.twitter.com/rPWIBkUJY4</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854562595476263180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I know for some people, it’s a time for victory, to state the obvious. For others, it’s a time of loss. Campaigns are contests of competing visions. The country chooses one or the other. We accept the choice the country made,” Biden said in just over six minutes of remarks to his staff and administration officials gathered in the Rose Garden just after 11 a.m. Eastern.Former Republican President Donald Trump, now president-elect,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/trump-harris-election-updates-11-5-2024#00000193-0229-dcda-ab93-b2e9ada10000" target="_blank">handily won</a>&nbsp;the 2024 presidential contest Tuesday against Vice President Kamala Harris, earning victories in closely watched swing states, including Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.Trump as of early Thursday afternoon had 295 Electoral College votes, to 226 for Harris, with 270 needed for victory. He also led in the popular vote.The Republicans also secured a Senate majority, gaining at least 52 seats while Democrats have 45. Control of the U.S. House&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/article/it-was-hell-good-day-us-senate-gop-takes-election-victory-lap">remained unclear</a>, though a trend toward GOP victory was emerging as ballots were still being counted.Biden ran against Trump for the majority of the 2024 presidential race but dropped his reelection bid weeks after a disastrous presidential debate performance sparked a pressure campaign for him to step aside.Biden phoned Trump Wednesday to congratulate him and arranged an in-person meeting to discuss the White House transition — a step that Trump did not take following his loss to Biden in 2020.“I assured him I’d direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. That’s what the American people deserve,” Biden said.Biden also talked about his phone call Wednesday with Democratic nominee Harris, whom he described as a “partner and public servant.”“She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early on to respect so much: her character. She has a backbone like a ramrod,” Biden said.The president said he told his team that “together, we’ve changed America for the better.”“Much of the work we’ve done is already being felt by the American people, with the vast majority of it will not be felt, will be felt over the next 10 years,” Biden said, specifically citing the bipartisan infrastructure legislation he signed into&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684" target="_blank">law</a>&nbsp;in November 2021.Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/article/vp-harris-concedes-presidential-race-phone-call-donald-trump">conceded</a>&nbsp;the race Wednesday in a phone call to Trump.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539843-1/vice-president-kamala-harris-concession-speech" target="_blank">speech</a>&nbsp;to somber supporters at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, D.C., the same day, Harris told the crowd “I get it” when it comes to feeling a range of emotions following the outcome.“But we must accept the results of this election. … A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election we accept the results,” Harris said.Following the 2020 presidential election, Trump and his allies challenged the results in dozens of ultimately unsuccessful lawsuits. Following his losses in court, Trump and a team of private lawyers continued to deny the election outcome and pressure state officials to manipulate slates of electors.

Biden promises a ‘peaceful and orderly transition’ to new Trump administration

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials have announced water
flows from Gavins Point Dam into the lower Missouri River will be reduced later
this month.

The Corps of Engineers is preparing flows from Gavins Point
into the Missouri for the winter months. Currently the Corps is releasing 32,000
cubic feet of water per second. On the 22nd, the Corps plans to
gradually reduce water flows by 3,000 cfs until reaching 15,000 cfs. Eventually
water releases will be reduced to 12,000, which is the winter rate.

The plan is to keep water flows from Gavins Point at
approximately 500 cubic feet per second less than full service through the end
of the navigation season, then settle to a level high enough to support utility
service and drinking water needs downstream on the Missouri River and prevent
ice dams on the river.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostU.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials have announced water
flows from Gavins Point Dam into the lower Missouri River will be reduced later
this month.The Corps of Engineers is preparing flows from Gavins Point
into the Missouri for the winter months. Currently the Corps is releasing 32,000
cubic feet of water per second. On the 22nd, the Corps plans to
gradually reduce water flows by 3,000 cfs until reaching 15,000 cfs. Eventually
water releases will be reduced to 12,000, which is the winter rate.The plan is to keep water flows from Gavins Point at
approximately 500 cubic feet per second less than full service through the end
of the navigation season, then settle to a level high enough to support utility
service and drinking water needs downstream on the Missouri River and prevent
ice dams on the river.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Army Corps of Engineers prepares to reduce flows from Gavins Point Dam

(Radio Iowa) - It will be Kum and Go no more. A trade publication called C-Store Dive reports the Utah company that bought the Iowa-based convenience store chain in 2023 will rebrand all Kum and Go locations as Maverik stores in 2025. 

Sekar Raju -- chair of the department of marketing in Iowa State University's Business School -- says a brand name is one of a company's assets -- because it builds a connection between the company and its consumers. 

The Kum and Go brand was launched in the 1970s by Bill Krause and Tony Gentle, who started the chain. They opened their first gas station in 1959 in Hampton.

(Radio Iowa) - It will be Kum and Go no more. A trade publication called C-Store Dive reports the Utah company that bought the Iowa-based convenience store chain in 2023 will rebrand all Kum and Go locations as Maverik stores in 2025. Sekar Raju -- chair of the department of marketing in Iowa State University's Business School -- says a brand name is one of a company's assets -- because it builds a connection between the company and its consumers. The Kum and Go brand was launched in the 1970s by Bill Krause and Tony Gentle, who started the chain. They opened their first gas station in 1959 in Hampton.

Kum & Go convenience store brand to be retired

Industry analysts say the Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act sponsored by Mississippi Representative Trent Kelly may be too much money for Congress. 

The estimated $21 billion cost might make things more difficult for a new farm bill. Kelly says his bill keeps farmers in operation despite high costs and lower commodity prices, and it’s supported by a dozen of America’s biggest farm groups. Analysts in a Farmdoc Daily blog estimate that for the major commodities with a specified payment rate calculation outlined in the legislation, the FARM Act would result in $21 billion in ad hoc support payments to farmers. 

The bill may also be interpreted by those on Capitol Hill as evidence of U.S. farm policy shortcomings, and that may delay work on the next farm bill into 2025. Kelly’s bill allows payments of up to $350,000 per farmer. The farm program typically sets a limit of $125,000 per farmer.

Industry analysts say the Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act sponsored by Mississippi Representative Trent Kelly may be too much money for Congress. The estimated $21 billion cost might make things more difficult for a new farm bill. Kelly says his bill keeps farmers in operation despite high costs and lower commodity prices, and it’s supported by a dozen of America’s biggest farm groups. Analysts in a Farmdoc Daily blog estimate that for the major commodities with a specified payment rate calculation outlined in the legislation, the FARM Act would result in $21 billion in ad hoc support payments to farmers. The bill may also be interpreted by those on Capitol Hill as evidence of U.S. farm policy shortcomings, and that may delay work on the next farm bill into 2025. Kelly’s bill allows payments of up to $350,000 per farmer. The farm program typically sets a limit of $125,000 per farmer.-NAFB

Farm Bailout Bill Would Cost $21 Billion

Progressive initiative petition campaigns keep finding success in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for statewide office since 2018

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

Missourians voted Tuesday night to protect abortion rights, raise the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave for workers.

They also voted by wide margins to send Republicans to Jefferson City who vehemently oppose those proposals and may try to roll them back.&nbsp;

It’s become a familiar pattern in Missouri — progressive ballot measures like Medicaid expansion and marijuana legalization finding success in a state where Republicans have dominated for more than a decade.

Exactly why this seems to play out cycle after cycle is a matter of debate.&nbsp;

Eljah Haahr, a former GOP speaker of the Missouri House, believes Tuesday’s split decision, in line with years of similar outcomes, can best be explained by money.

“Missouri is a conservative state,” Haahr said. “But if you have the money, you can build a winning campaign.”

The coalition that successfully campaigned for the abortion-rights amendment raised more than $31 million, while abortion opponents raised just a fraction of that amount.&nbsp;

Proposition A, which will gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave for hundreds of thousands of workers, was supported by a campaign that raised $6 million and faced little organized opposition.&nbsp;

Six years ago, opposition to a ballot measure expanding Medicaid never managed to get off the ground while the campaign in support raised $10 million.&nbsp;

In each case,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article244192572.html" target="_blank">out-of-state progressive groups that aren’t required to disclose their donors</a>&nbsp;cut massive checks to support the ballot measures.&nbsp;

“They had the resources to present their side,” said James Harris, a longtime GOP consultant. “Opponents lacked the money to educate voters in any meaningful way.”

Chalking up the success of initiative petitions to money oversimplifies the situation, said Stephen Webber, a former chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party who won a seat in the state Senate on Tuesday.&nbsp;

“The money might impact the margins,” Webber said, “but it doesn’t explain a voter casting a ballot for Amendment 3 and then voting for Mike Kehoe (for governor). If the money would make a difference to the outcome, the money would have been there.”&nbsp;

Voters are complex, Webber said, and pick candidates based on a combination of issues. And thanks to the initiative petition process, he said, Republican lawmakers are shielded from consequences when they stonewall voter priorities.&nbsp;

“Voters don’t seem to punish them for it,” he said, “they just seem to fix it through the ballot initiative process.”

Beyond money, Haahr said, is that the Democratic brand is tarnished in Missouri.&nbsp;

“Missouri Democrats’ brand is inextricably tied to the national Democrats,” he said “When they won in Missouri, the national Democratic brand was not considered as far left.”

Democratic candidates in Missouri are indeed getting “caught up in national noise,” said Claire Cook-Callen, director of campaigns with the liberal advocacy group Progress MO.&nbsp;

Conversely, ballot initiative campaigns “are conversations between Missourians,” Cook-Callen said. “It’s an ability to cut across a party line and talk to somebody about something that directly impacts them in their life.”

Peverill Squire, a professor of political science at the University of Missouri-Columbia, said the recent success of liberal ballot measures shows that Missourians are comfortable with the Democrats’ positions on many issues.&nbsp;

But rural Missourians, Squire said, have become “uncomfortable with Democratic candidates for the General Assembly who they often see as talking down to them and unable to relate to their problems.”

“Being popular in St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia isn’t sufficient,” he said.&nbsp;

Many Democratic candidates this year had hoped the abortion-rights amendment would have coattails that would help them claw back into relevancy in the legislature.&nbsp;

Webber said that sort of short-term thinking isn’t going to rebuild the party.&nbsp;

“The path back for Missouri Democrats is going to be a long road,” Webber said. “If anybody thinks there’s a shortcut, it’s an ambush. If anybody thinks that there’s a shiny object, it’s a trap. There’s no one race we can win. There’s no one thing we can do. We are going to have to slowly chip away over the next decade.”&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Republicans are faced with a quandary of their own.&nbsp;

After years of watching voters go around the GOP-dominated legislature through the initiative petition process, the party has become determined to make it harder to amend the state constitution. Year after year, however, Democratic resistance short circuits that push.&nbsp;

Yet now abortion has been enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, and a litany of Republican officials are calling for lawmakers to put another constitutional amendment on the ballot rolling back those rights.&nbsp;

“For years,” Harris said, “we’ve been discussing making it more difficult to put something in the state constitution. That’s something that Republicans need to have a discussion about in the coming months.”

<h2>Progressive initiative petition campaigns keep finding success in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for statewide office since 2018</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>Missourians voted Tuesday night to protect abortion rights, raise the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave for workers.They also voted by wide margins to send Republicans to Jefferson City who vehemently oppose those proposals and may try to roll them back.&nbsp;It’s become a familiar pattern in Missouri — progressive ballot measures like Medicaid expansion and marijuana legalization finding success in a state where Republicans have dominated for more than a decade.Exactly why this seems to play out cycle after cycle is a matter of debate.&nbsp;Eljah Haahr, a former GOP speaker of the Missouri House, believes Tuesday’s split decision, in line with years of similar outcomes, can best be explained by money.“Missouri is a conservative state,” Haahr said. “But if you have the money, you can build a winning campaign.”The coalition that successfully campaigned for the abortion-rights amendment raised more than $31 million, while abortion opponents raised just a fraction of that amount.&nbsp;Proposition A, which will gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave for hundreds of thousands of workers, was supported by a campaign that raised $6 million and faced little organized opposition.&nbsp;Six years ago, opposition to a ballot measure expanding Medicaid never managed to get off the ground while the campaign in support raised $10 million.&nbsp;In each case,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article244192572.html" target="_blank">out-of-state progressive groups that aren’t required to disclose their donors</a>&nbsp;cut massive checks to support the ballot measures.&nbsp;“They had the resources to present their side,” said James Harris, a longtime GOP consultant. “Opponents lacked the money to educate voters in any meaningful way.”Chalking up the success of initiative petitions to money oversimplifies the situation, said Stephen Webber, a former chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party who won a seat in the state Senate on Tuesday.&nbsp;“The money might impact the margins,” Webber said, “but it doesn’t explain a voter casting a ballot for Amendment 3 and then voting for Mike Kehoe (for governor). If the money would make a difference to the outcome, the money would have been there.”&nbsp;Voters are complex, Webber said, and pick candidates based on a combination of issues. And thanks to the initiative petition process, he said, Republican lawmakers are shielded from consequences when they stonewall voter priorities.&nbsp;“Voters don’t seem to punish them for it,” he said, “they just seem to fix it through the ballot initiative process.”Beyond money, Haahr said, is that the Democratic brand is tarnished in Missouri.&nbsp;“Missouri Democrats’ brand is inextricably tied to the national Democrats,” he said “When they won in Missouri, the national Democratic brand was not considered as far left.”Democratic candidates in Missouri are indeed getting “caught up in national noise,” said Claire Cook-Callen, director of campaigns with the liberal advocacy group Progress MO.&nbsp;Conversely, ballot initiative campaigns “are conversations between Missourians,” Cook-Callen said. “It’s an ability to cut across a party line and talk to somebody about something that directly impacts them in their life.”Peverill Squire, a professor of political science at the University of Missouri-Columbia, said the recent success of liberal ballot measures shows that Missourians are comfortable with the Democrats’ positions on many issues.&nbsp;But rural Missourians, Squire said, have become “uncomfortable with Democratic candidates for the General Assembly who they often see as talking down to them and unable to relate to their problems.”“Being popular in St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia isn’t sufficient,” he said.&nbsp;Many Democratic candidates this year had hoped the abortion-rights amendment would have coattails that would help them claw back into relevancy in the legislature.&nbsp;Webber said that sort of short-term thinking isn’t going to rebuild the party.&nbsp;“The path back for Missouri Democrats is going to be a long road,” Webber said. “If anybody thinks there’s a shortcut, it’s an ambush. If anybody thinks that there’s a shiny object, it’s a trap. There’s no one race we can win. There’s no one thing we can do. We are going to have to slowly chip away over the next decade.”&nbsp;Meanwhile, Republicans are faced with a quandary of their own.&nbsp;After years of watching voters go around the GOP-dominated legislature through the initiative petition process, the party has become determined to make it harder to amend the state constitution. Year after year, however, Democratic resistance short circuits that push.&nbsp;Yet now abortion has been enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, and a litany of Republican officials are calling for lawmakers to put another constitutional amendment on the ballot rolling back those rights.&nbsp;“For years,” Harris said, “we’ve been discussing making it more difficult to put something in the state constitution. That’s something that Republicans need to have a discussion about in the coming months.”

Missouri voted for abortion-rights amendment and Republicans who vow to overturn it

(Radio Iowa) - A 26-year-old Webster City man has been accused of murder in connection with the death of a 10-month-old boy. 

In April of last year, first responders dispatched to a home in Webster City where the 9-1-1 caller said an infant was unresponsive. The baby boy was taken Webster City's hospital, then transferred to Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines, where he died later the same morning. 

According to a news release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the baby had been abused and evidence indicates Gunner Jones caused the fatal injuries. Jones has been charged with first degree murder.

(Radio Iowa) - A 26-year-old Webster City man has been accused of murder in connection with the death of a 10-month-old boy. In April of last year, first responders dispatched to a home in Webster City where the 9-1-1 caller said an infant was unresponsive. The baby boy was taken Webster City's hospital, then transferred to Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines, where he died later the same morning. According to a news release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the baby had been abused and evidence indicates Gunner Jones caused the fatal injuries. Jones has been charged with first degree murder.

Man accused of murder in connection with Webster City baby's death

October provided a surprising pre-election bounce in farmer sentiment as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed to 115, 27 points above the September index. The biggest driver of the sentiment improvement was an increase in producers’ confidence in the future. The Future Expectations Index jumped 30 points to 124. 

October provided a surprising pre-election bounce in farmer sentiment as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed to 115, 27 points above the September index. The biggest driver of the sentiment improvement was an increase in producers’ confidence in the future. The Future Expectations Index jumped 30 points to 124.

Farmer sentiment bounces back

(Radio Iowa) - Iowans have overwhelmingly approved two amendments to the Iowa Constitution. 

In mid-2017, when Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds took over in the middle of Terry Branstad's sixth term as governor, some questioned whether the new governor had the authority to appoint a new lieutenant governor. The amendment makes it clear all future governors in similar circumstances would have that power. The other amendment deals with elections. It says ONLY citizens of the United States can vote in Iowa elections. 

The Iowa Constitution, as originally written, said EVERY citizen who's a resident of Iowa may vote in state elections. Both amendments will become part of the Iowa constitution in a few weeks when state officials sign off on vote totals in the official canvas of votes.

(Radio Iowa) - Iowans have overwhelmingly approved two amendments to the Iowa Constitution. In mid-2017, when Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds took over in the middle of Terry Branstad's sixth term as governor, some questioned whether the new governor had the authority to appoint a new lieutenant governor. The amendment makes it clear all future governors in similar circumstances would have that power. The other amendment deals with elections. It says ONLY citizens of the United States can vote in Iowa elections. The Iowa Constitution, as originally written, said EVERY citizen who's a resident of Iowa may vote in state elections. Both amendments will become part of the Iowa constitution in a few weeks when state officials sign off on vote totals in the official canvas of votes.

Voters add two amendments to Iowa's Constitution

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris Wednesday afternoon called Donald Trump to concede the 2024 presidential race, according to a senior Harris aide.

During the call, the Democratic presidential nominee “discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans,” the senior aide said.

Harris will deliver a concession speech at 4 p.m. Eastern to her supporters at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

The college was also the site of her election watch party on Tuesday night, which quickly turned somber after her path to the White House narrowed when the southern battleground states of North Carolina and Georgia swung to Trump.&nbsp;

Harris, who was originally expected to attend her own election night party, never arrived on campus, disappointing supporters and Howard alums.

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/article/ap-former-president-donald-trump-wins-second-term">Trump was declared the presidential winner</a>&nbsp;early Wednesday, according to projections by The Associated Press. Harris is expected to deliver her speech on the Yard, a field within Howard University.

The presidential race isn’t the only loss for Democrats. They lost control of&nbsp; the U.S. Senate and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/article/it-was-hell-good-day-us-senate-gop-takes-election-victory-lap">Republicans are favored to take the House</a>, potentially giving the GOP a trifecta in Washington.

The election saw a deep gender divide,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/25/harris-trump-poll-gender-gap/75697863007/" target="_blank">with exit poll surveys</a>&nbsp;showing women tended to favor Harris over Trump.

It’s the second time a woman has led as the presidential candidate for a major party and it’s the second time a woman has lost to Trump. He defeaed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The election came two years after the constitutional right to an abortion was stripped away by the U.S. Supreme Court. The incoming 47th president cemented its conservative majority by hand-picking three justices.

Harris, whose bid only began in July after President Joe Biden suspended his reelection campaign, had a little over 100 days to pick a running mate, release policy plans to appeal to voters and hit the seven battleground states.

Additionally, there was deep dissatisfaction within her party for the current administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Michigan, which has a high Arab American population and is a state that Biden won in 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://michiganadvance.com/2024/11/06/trump-turns-michigan-red-once-again/" target="_blank">voted for Trump</a>, according to projections by The Associated Press.

It was Harris’ second time running for the White House, after her first run quickly fizzled in 2019 before Biden picked her as his running mate.

With Biden out of the race following a disastrous June debate that rattled his party’s belief he could win a rematch against Trump, the coronation of Harris as the party heir breathed new hope into Democrats along with a flood of cash. They raised more than $1 billion, according to the campaign.

Despite the funding and new enthusiasm among Democrats, the swing states of Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ultimately went to Trump, giving him a clear path to the White House with 292 Electoral College votes out of 270 needed to win the White House, to her 224 votes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/trump-harris-election-updates-11-5-2024" target="_blank">according to The Associated Press.&nbsp;</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730919280862.png" alt="Vice President elect JD Vance and President elect Donald Trump at their victory celebration Tuesday night-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President elect JD Vance and President elect Donald Trump at their victory celebration Tuesday night-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a> WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris Wednesday afternoon called Donald Trump to concede the 2024 presidential race, according to a senior Harris aide.During the call, the Democratic presidential nominee “discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans,” the senior aide said.Harris will deliver a concession speech at 4 p.m. Eastern to her supporters at Howard University in Washington, D.C.The college was also the site of her election watch party on Tuesday night, which quickly turned somber after her path to the White House narrowed when the southern battleground states of North Carolina and Georgia swung to Trump.&nbsp;Harris, who was originally expected to attend her own election night party, never arrived on campus, disappointing supporters and Howard alums.<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/article/ap-former-president-donald-trump-wins-second-term">Trump was declared the presidential winner</a>&nbsp;early Wednesday, according to projections by The Associated Press. Harris is expected to deliver her speech on the Yard, a field within Howard University.The presidential race isn’t the only loss for Democrats. They lost control of&nbsp; the U.S. Senate and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/article/it-was-hell-good-day-us-senate-gop-takes-election-victory-lap">Republicans are favored to take the House</a>, potentially giving the GOP a trifecta in Washington.<h2>Gender divide</h2>The election saw a deep gender divide,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/25/harris-trump-poll-gender-gap/75697863007/" target="_blank">with exit poll surveys</a>&nbsp;showing women tended to favor Harris over Trump.It’s the second time a woman has led as the presidential candidate for a major party and it’s the second time a woman has lost to Trump. He defeaed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.The election came two years after the constitutional right to an abortion was stripped away by the U.S. Supreme Court. The incoming 47th president cemented its conservative majority by hand-picking three justices.Harris, whose bid only began in July after President Joe Biden suspended his reelection campaign, had a little over 100 days to pick a running mate, release policy plans to appeal to voters and hit the seven battleground states.Additionally, there was deep dissatisfaction within her party for the current administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.Michigan, which has a high Arab American population and is a state that Biden won in 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://michiganadvance.com/2024/11/06/trump-turns-michigan-red-once-again/" target="_blank">voted for Trump</a>, according to projections by The Associated Press.It was Harris’ second time running for the White House, after her first run quickly fizzled in 2019 before Biden picked her as his running mate.With Biden out of the race following a disastrous June debate that rattled his party’s belief he could win a rematch against Trump, the coronation of Harris as the party heir breathed new hope into Democrats along with a flood of cash. They raised more than $1 billion, according to the campaign.Despite the funding and new enthusiasm among Democrats, the swing states of Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ultimately went to Trump, giving him a clear path to the White House with 292 Electoral College votes out of 270 needed to win the White House, to her 224 votes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/trump-harris-election-updates-11-5-2024" target="_blank">according to The Associated Press.&nbsp;</a>

VP Harris concedes presidential race in phone call to Donald Trump

(Radio Iowa) - Republicans appear to have secured supermajorities in the Iowa legislature, although there could be recounts in some close races. 

House Speaker Pat Grassley says Republicans in the Iowa House have expanded their majority to 67 seats. Every Republican incumbent seeking reelection to the House won. Grassley suggests Democrats, by focusing on the abortion issue, were at a disadvantage. 

Republicans have held 34 of 50 seats in the Iowa Senate for the past two years and unofficial results indicate Republicans will hold that 34-seat supermajority when the legislature convenes in January.

(Radio Iowa) - Republicans appear to have secured supermajorities in the Iowa legislature, although there could be recounts in some close races. House Speaker Pat Grassley says Republicans in the Iowa House have expanded their majority to 67 seats. Every Republican incumbent seeking reelection to the House won. Grassley suggests Democrats, by focusing on the abortion issue, were at a disadvantage. Republicans have held 34 of 50 seats in the Iowa Senate for the past two years and unofficial results indicate Republicans will hold that 34-seat supermajority when the legislature convenes in January.

Republicans win 'supermajorities' in Iowa House and Senate

The Kansas City Chiefs have a history of great coaches, from Marty Schottenheimer in the 90's all the way to Andy Reid today.  

Chiefs Hall of Famer Christian Okoye, during a visit to St. Joseph, played under Schottenheimer and says while both him and Reid are great coaches, they had two different styles 

"Andy is so easy going, Marty was so serious, and he knows his football too, they both know their football, but they come from different angles," Okoye tells reporters following a sit-down Q &amp; A with Chiefs fans. "Andy Reid is just a fun-loving guy, the players love to play with him, so did Marty too but they're two different coaches." 

Okoye also sees a lot of things he likes in the two running backs manning the Chiefs backfield these days.

Okoye says while he's had no advice for them, he's a big fan of both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco 

"When Hunt was here (before) I loved his style, I used to say that he played big even though he's a small guy, but he played big," Okoye explains.  "So is Pacheco too, Pacheco is one of those guys you think he's stomping weeds or something on the ground, but his running style is so unique and I love his tenacity, I love the way he approaches the game." 

Pacheco is currently on injured reserve, but is eyeing a return in late November, while Hunt just scored a walk off touchdown on Monday Night Football. 

The Chiefs are attempting to do something no NFL team has done before, win three Super Bowls in a row.  

And if he could still suit up and go for this team now, Okoye says he would run crazy on today's NFL 

"I always say that today's players don't know how to tackle," Okoye jokes. "So, if I played today, nobody could tackle me." 

In his career, Okoye rushed for 4,897 yards with 40 touchdowns.  He was named to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000. 

Okoye, along with former teammate and Chiefs Hall of Famer Neil Smith, visited with Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730852192876.jpeg" alt="Christian Okoye and Neil Smith talk to Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Christian Okoye and Neil Smith talk to Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Kansas City Chiefs have a history of great coaches, from Marty Schottenheimer in the 90's all the way to Andy Reid today. Chiefs Hall of Famer Christian Okoye, during a visit to St. Joseph, played under Schottenheimer and says while both him and Reid are great coaches, they had two different styles "Andy is so easy going, Marty was so serious, and he knows his football too, they both know their football, but they come from different angles," Okoye tells reporters following a sit-down Q &amp; A with Chiefs fans. "Andy Reid is just a fun-loving guy, the players love to play with him, so did Marty too but they're two different coaches." Okoye also sees a lot of things he likes in the two running backs manning the Chiefs backfield these days.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730852264804.jpeg" alt="Christian Okoye takes photos with Chiefs fans during an autograph session at the St. Jo Frontier Casino/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Christian Okoye takes photos with Chiefs fans during an autograph session at the St. Jo Frontier Casino/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Okoye says while he's had no advice for them, he's a big fan of both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco "When Hunt was here (before) I loved his style, I used to say that he played big even though he's a small guy, but he played big," Okoye explains. "So is Pacheco too, Pacheco is one of those guys you think he's stomping weeds or something on the ground, but his running style is so unique and I love his tenacity, I love the way he approaches the game." Pacheco is currently on injured reserve, but is eyeing a return in late November, while Hunt just scored a walk off touchdown on Monday Night Football. The Chiefs are attempting to do something no NFL team has done before, win three Super Bowls in a row. And if he could still suit up and go for this team now, Okoye says he would run crazy on today's NFL "I always say that today's players don't know how to tackle," Okoye jokes. "So, if I played today, nobody could tackle me." In his career, Okoye rushed for 4,897 yards with 40 touchdowns. He was named to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000. Okoye, along with former teammate and Chiefs Hall of Famer Neil Smith, visited with Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Nigerian Nightmare talks football, Chiefs

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 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason and that reason was to save out country and to restore America to greatness and now we are going to fulfill that mission together.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2wTYk219vL">pic.twitter.com/2wTYk219vL</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854072522091745743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. JD Vance: &quot;I think that we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/07l3cIiklu">pic.twitter.com/07l3cIiklu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854067034289574277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible. It is now clear that we&#39;ve achieved the most incredible political -- Hey! Look what happened! Is this crazy?!?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/M3AZkFe3vh">pic.twitter.com/M3AZkFe3vh</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854065386922119560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Donald Trump is elected the 47th president of the U.S.

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>

By the time the NFL playoffs begin in January, sports betting will be legal in Missouri.

The only remaining question now that voters approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;is whether bettors will use platforms licensed in Missouri or if players will have to use accounts linked to licenses from other states.

The result on sports wagering wasn’t clear until the final votes were reported from Greene County after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The southwest Missouri county voted 55% against sports betting, narrowing the statewide margin to just over 14,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast.&nbsp;

The election didn’t go as well for the other gambling measure on the ballot. Voters said “no” to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>, which would have authorized a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks. It is only the third time since 1980 that Missouri voters rejected a proposal to expand gambling in the state.&nbsp;

With nearly all precincts reporting, Amendment 5 was losing 52% to 48%.

Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by the two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, poured a record of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/29/spending-on-missouri-ballot-measures-nears-100-million-as-campaign-enters-final-week/">almost $41 million</a>&nbsp;into the campaign. That proved to be just enough to overcome a $14 million opposition campaign funded by Caesars Entertainment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its television ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Election Day.

Initially polling with an advantage of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">20 percentage points</a>, the narrow vote on Tuesday shows how effectively an opposition campaign undermined support.

New constitutional amendments become law 30 days after the election, so the first legal bets in Missouri could be placed as early as Dec. 5.&nbsp;

Backers of Amendment 5, who spent $4.2 million to make the ballot and another $6 million on the fall campaign, were unable to overcome skepticism of the benefits of expanded gambling created by the anti-sports wagering campaign.&nbsp;

Missouri voters last defeated a gambling measure in 2004 when voters rejected a proposal similar to Amendment 5. That would have authorized a licensed casino for the White River near Rockaway Beach in southwest Missouri.&nbsp;

Under state law, casinos must be located within 1,000 feet of the main channel of either the Mississippi or Missouri rivers.

The only other gambling proposal to lose was a measure to allow wagering on simulcast horse races in 1992. Voters had approved parimutuel wagering on live horse races in 1984 but no track was built.

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>By the time the NFL playoffs begin in January, sports betting will be legal in Missouri.The only remaining question now that voters approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;is whether bettors will use platforms licensed in Missouri or if players will have to use accounts linked to licenses from other states.The result on sports wagering wasn’t clear until the final votes were reported from Greene County after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The southwest Missouri county voted 55% against sports betting, narrowing the statewide margin to just over 14,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast.&nbsp;The election didn’t go as well for the other gambling measure on the ballot. Voters said “no” to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>, which would have authorized a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks. It is only the third time since 1980 that Missouri voters rejected a proposal to expand gambling in the state.&nbsp;With nearly all precincts reporting, Amendment 5 was losing 52% to 48%.Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by the two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, poured a record of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/29/spending-on-missouri-ballot-measures-nears-100-million-as-campaign-enters-final-week/">almost $41 million</a>&nbsp;into the campaign. That proved to be just enough to overcome a $14 million opposition campaign funded by Caesars Entertainment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its television ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Election Day.Initially polling with an advantage of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">20 percentage points</a>, the narrow vote on Tuesday shows how effectively an opposition campaign undermined support.New constitutional amendments become law 30 days after the election, so the first legal bets in Missouri could be placed as early as Dec. 5.&nbsp;Backers of Amendment 5, who spent $4.2 million to make the ballot and another $6 million on the fall campaign, were unable to overcome skepticism of the benefits of expanded gambling created by the anti-sports wagering campaign.&nbsp;Missouri voters last defeated a gambling measure in 2004 when voters rejected a proposal similar to Amendment 5. That would have authorized a licensed casino for the White River near Rockaway Beach in southwest Missouri.&nbsp;Under state law, casinos must be located within 1,000 feet of the main channel of either the Mississippi or Missouri rivers.The only other gambling proposal to lose was a measure to allow wagering on simulcast horse races in 1992. Voters had approved parimutuel wagering on live horse races in 1984 but no track was built.<h2>Amendment 2</h2>The initiative campaign to legalize sports betting emerged from years of frustration with the General Assembly, where a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/10/sports-wagering-bill-remains-mired-in-missouri-senate-split-over-gambling-expansion/">triangular debate</a>&nbsp;pitted casinos and sports teams against video lottery proponents against ‘gray market’ games vendors who profit from inaction.“We’re not extremely optimistic that that’s going to happen,” Mike Whittle, general counsel for the St. Louis Cardinals,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">said last year</a>&nbsp;of the possibilities of legislative action. “I mean, we’ve kind of seen that movie way too many times.”Missouri’s franchises from Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NHL, Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League provided the public face of the signature campaign.The push to legalize sports wagering in Missouri began after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law against wagering on sporting events in 2018. More than 35 states have legalized some form of the gambling since the court decision, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/news/legal-sports-betting-united-states-projections" target="_blank">every state on Missouri’s border</a>&nbsp;except Oklahoma.Under the provisions of the amendment, each of six major professional sports teams could create a retail sports betting location within a district near its stadium. The teams could also provide fans with a branded online betting platform.Each of the state’s six casino companies could also open a retail sportsbook at their casinos as well as offer an online platform.And there would be two licenses for online betting companies without a link to a Missouri casino or sports team.The profits from gambling would be taxed at 10%, but the measure allows deductions for promotional offers and federal taxes before the state revenue is calculated.&nbsp;An economic study produced for Winning for Missouri Education estimates that $21.8 billion will be wagered during the first five years after legalization and more than 98% of the bets will be placed online.That same study pegs the net to the state over that period at $134 million. Revenue in the fifth year is estimated at $38.7 million, about $10 million more than the maximum annual revenue projected by the fiscal note for the ballot measure.<h2>Amendment 5</h2>There will be gambling at the Lake of the Ozarks, but not in a casino licensed by the Missouri Gaming Commission.The defeat of Amendment 5 means there will be no competition for a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/29/osage-nation-plans-casino-hotel-for-missouris-lake-of-the-ozarks/">project launched in 2021</a>&nbsp;by the Osage Nation to have a property in Miller County taken into trust as ancestral lands where it could operate a casino and convention center.The project is awaiting approval from federal officials. After that, the tribe and the state will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nigc.gov/general-counsel/indian-gaming-regulatory-act" target="_blank">negotiate a compact</a>&nbsp;dividing responsibilities for law enforcement on the casino property. The agreement would also establish “taxation by the Indian tribe of such activity in amounts comparable to amounts assessed by the state for comparable activities.”&nbsp;Tribes have the right to offer gambling that mirrors what the state allows “for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity.”If the state refuses to negotiate a compact, or does not do so in good faith, the tribe may sue in federal court.

Kbct