TOPEKA—The FBI is investigating suspicious mail delivered to a state office building in Topeka. Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, the Topeka Police Department’s&nbsp; bomb unit responded to a suspicious mail call at Memorial Hall 120 SW 10th Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. 

It was reported that several pieces of mail had an unknown substance on them. The Topeka Fire Department’s Hazmat team responded in addition to an ambulance from American Medical Response and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A field test found no hazardous materials. Further testing will be conducted.

TOPEKA —Fire and law enforcement officials are investigating the contents of two suspicious packages at a state office building in Topeka.

Just after 2 p.m. Monday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) responded to a reported suspicious package at the Memorial Building located at 120 SW 10th Avenue, according to Fire Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols

 It was reported that two pieces of mail contained unknown substances. the Topeka Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials team, one engine company, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and an American Medical Response ambulance responded. Crews located two packages with unknown substances in them. 

Several personnel in the Secretary of State and Attorney General’s offices were exposed and are being medically monitored.

TFD crews are currently on scene working to determine the substances. are.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since 2000, Memorial Hall has served as headquarters for the&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State.

Check the Post for additional details as they are available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726521879166.png" alt="First responders on the scene Monday afternoon -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene Monday afternoon -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—The FBI is investigating suspicious mail delivered to a state office building in Topeka. Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, the Topeka Police Department’s&nbsp; bomb unit responded to a suspicious mail call at Memorial Hall 120 SW 10th Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. It was reported that several pieces of mail had an unknown substance on them. The Topeka Fire Department’s Hazmat team responded in addition to an ambulance from American Medical Response and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.A field test found no hazardous materials. Further testing will be conducted.-------------TOPEKA —Fire and law enforcement officials are investigating the contents of two suspicious packages at a state office building in Topeka.Just after 2 p.m. Monday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) responded to a reported suspicious package at the Memorial Building located at 120 SW 10th Avenue, according to Fire Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols It was reported that two pieces of mail contained unknown substances. the Topeka Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials team, one engine company, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and an American Medical Response ambulance responded. Crews located two packages with unknown substances in them. Several personnel in the Secretary of State and Attorney General’s offices were exposed and are being medically monitored.TFD crews are currently on scene working to determine the substances. are.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since 2000, Memorial Hall has served as headquarters for the&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State.Check the Post for additional details as they are available.

FBI checking on suspicious packages sent to government office in Topeka

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; In the wake of a&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1835429374792970292&amp;redir_log=343221794648289" target="_blank">second assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;against former President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2024%2f09%2fHawley-Whistleblower-Report-re-USSS-Failures-2024-09-16.pdf&amp;redir_log=255885719553759">a new, 22-page whistleblower report</a>&nbsp;detailing the failures of the United States Secret Service in connection with the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Trump.

The Hawley Report has been shared with the House Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump to supplement their investigation.

<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Hawley-Whistleblower-Report-re-USSS-Failures-2024-09-16.pdf">CLICK HERE to read</a> the entire Hawley Report.&nbsp;

The Hawley Report’s findings are highly damaging to the credibility of the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They reveal a compounding pattern of negligence, sloppiness, and gross incompetence that goes back years, all of which culminated in an assassination attempt that came inches from succeeding.

In addition to a comprehensive review of previous whistleblower allegations that Senator Hawley has uncovered, the Hawley Report includes&nbsp;new findings from whistleblowers that have not yet been reported, including:

To date, Secret Service and DHS have provided virtually no answers and there remain many outstanding questions, including:

The Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Department of Homeland Security have all tried to evade real accountability. Their leaders have slow-walked congressional investigations, misled the American people, and shirked responsibility. DHS is now&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1834396709964628463&amp;redir_log=693803866273289" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;pressuring the Secret Service not to comply with document requests by Congress about the Trump assassination attempt. The American people deserve answers.

As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hawley has been a leader in the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1814657791774036032&amp;redir_log=363485896701288" target="_blank">personally surveyed&nbsp;</a>the Butler site and has publicized multiple whistleblower allegations. Previous allegations assert that agents were&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2foutreach.senate.gov%2fiqextranet%2fiqClickTrk.aspx%3f%26cid%3dSenHawley%26crop%3d14442.9285199.8119262.8019990%26report_id%3d%26redirect%3dhttps%253a%252f%252fwww.hawley.senate.gov%252fnew-whistleblower-allegation-secret-service-prevented-extra-security-assets-for-trump-rally%252f%26redir_log%3d380552127117865&amp;redir_log=516773093792034" target="_blank">discouraged</a>&nbsp;from requesting additional security and note&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2foutreach.senate.gov%2fiqextranet%2fiqClickTrk.aspx%3f%26cid%3dSenHawley%26crop%3d14442.9285199.8119262.8019990%26report_id%3d%26redirect%3dhttps%253a%252f%252foutreach.senate.gov%252fiqextranet%252fiqClickTrk.aspx%253f%2526cid%253dSenHawley%2526crop%253d14275.9278220.8114513.8019990%2526report_id%253d%2526redirect%253dhttps%25253a%25252f%25252fwww.hawley.senate.gov%25252fhawley-reveals-new-whistleblower-allegations-exposing-loose-security-ahead-of-trump-assassination-attempt%25252f%2526redir_log%253d182953689345966%26redir_log%3d688733780582138&amp;redir_log=721852135923331" target="_blank">loose security</a>&nbsp;at the Trump rally,&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fnew-whistleblower-allegations-hawley-reveals-law-enforcement-supposed-to-cover-roof-at-butler-pa-trump-rally%2f&amp;redir_log=901068615772977" target="_blank">abandoned posts</a>&nbsp;on the roof where the shooter was located, and&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fhawley-releases-new-whistleblower-claims-alleging-secret-service-directors-role-in-scaling-back-agencys-manpower-retaliating-against-agents-who-speak-out%2f&amp;redir_log=678420953921292" target="_blank">scaled-back security</a>&nbsp;due to the decisions of Acting Director Rowe.

On July 30, Senator Hawley&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fno-one-has-been-fired-hawley-pushes-for-accountability-from-secret-service-on-trump-assassination-attempt%2f&amp;redir_log=504810180305961" target="_blank">questioned</a>&nbsp;Acting Director Rowe in a Senate hearing. The Acting Director&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fnew-whistleblower-allegations-hawley-reveals-secret-service-declined-drone-usage-day-of-trump-butler-rally%2f&amp;redir_log=303746225621962" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that the Secret Service did, in fact, refuse drones from local law enforcement—a detail brought to light by a whistleblower in contact with Senator Hawley’s office.&nbsp;Whistleblowers with information are encouraged to contact Senator Hawley’s office&nbsp;by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tips@hawley.senate.gov">tips@hawley.senate.gov</a>&nbsp;or by phone at (202) 224-6154. Whistleblower identities will be protected against disclosure. Tips from federal employees are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act, 5 U.S.C. § 2302, which prohibits the federal government from taking any personnel action on the basis of a disclosure of evidence of gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or illegal activity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720953321409.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; In the wake of a&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1835429374792970292&amp;redir_log=343221794648289" target="_blank">second assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;against former President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2024%2f09%2fHawley-Whistleblower-Report-re-USSS-Failures-2024-09-16.pdf&amp;redir_log=255885719553759">a new, 22-page whistleblower report</a>&nbsp;detailing the failures of the United States Secret Service in connection with the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Trump. The Hawley Report has been shared with the House Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump to supplement their investigation.<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Hawley-Whistleblower-Report-re-USSS-Failures-2024-09-16.pdf">CLICK HERE to read</a> the entire Hawley Report.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726517941485.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hawley Report’s findings are highly damaging to the credibility of the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They reveal a compounding pattern of negligence, sloppiness, and gross incompetence that goes back years, all of which culminated in an assassination attempt that came inches from succeeding.In addition to a comprehensive review of previous whistleblower allegations that Senator Hawley has uncovered, the Hawley Report includes&nbsp;new findings from whistleblowers that have not yet been reported, including:<ul>
 <li>Secret&nbsp;Service intelligence units—teams of Secret Service agents paired with state and local law enforcement to handle reports of suspicious persons—were absent from the Butler rally.</li><li>The&nbsp;hospital site where former President Trump received treatment after the shooting was poorly secured, and the hospital site agent could not answer basic questions about site security.</li>
 </ul>To date, Secret Service and DHS have provided virtually no answers and there remain many outstanding questions, including:<ul>
 <li>Who,&nbsp;within the Secret Service or DHS, made the decision to deny counter sniper coverage to the rooftop from which Thomas Crooks shot former President Trump on July 13?</li><li>When&nbsp;will Secret Service or DHS publicly name the lead site agent for the rally and the lead agent for the Butler visit?</li><li>Did&nbsp;the Acting Secret Service Director ever deny resources to the Trump campaign, or USSS sniper teams, as has been reported in the press?</li>
 </ul>The Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Department of Homeland Security have all tried to evade real accountability. Their leaders have slow-walked congressional investigations, misled the American people, and shirked responsibility. DHS is now&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1834396709964628463&amp;redir_log=693803866273289" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;pressuring the Secret Service not to comply with document requests by Congress about the Trump assassination attempt. The American people deserve answers.As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hawley has been a leader in the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1814657791774036032&amp;redir_log=363485896701288" target="_blank">personally surveyed&nbsp;</a>the Butler site and has publicized multiple whistleblower allegations. Previous allegations assert that agents were&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2foutreach.senate.gov%2fiqextranet%2fiqClickTrk.aspx%3f%26cid%3dSenHawley%26crop%3d14442.9285199.8119262.8019990%26report_id%3d%26redirect%3dhttps%253a%252f%252fwww.hawley.senate.gov%252fnew-whistleblower-allegation-secret-service-prevented-extra-security-assets-for-trump-rally%252f%26redir_log%3d380552127117865&amp;redir_log=516773093792034" target="_blank">discouraged</a>&nbsp;from requesting additional security and note&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2foutreach.senate.gov%2fiqextranet%2fiqClickTrk.aspx%3f%26cid%3dSenHawley%26crop%3d14442.9285199.8119262.8019990%26report_id%3d%26redirect%3dhttps%253a%252f%252foutreach.senate.gov%252fiqextranet%252fiqClickTrk.aspx%253f%2526cid%253dSenHawley%2526crop%253d14275.9278220.8114513.8019990%2526report_id%253d%2526redirect%253dhttps%25253a%25252f%25252fwww.hawley.senate.gov%25252fhawley-reveals-new-whistleblower-allegations-exposing-loose-security-ahead-of-trump-assassination-attempt%25252f%2526redir_log%253d182953689345966%26redir_log%3d688733780582138&amp;redir_log=721852135923331" target="_blank">loose security</a>&nbsp;at the Trump rally,&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fnew-whistleblower-allegations-hawley-reveals-law-enforcement-supposed-to-cover-roof-at-butler-pa-trump-rally%2f&amp;redir_log=901068615772977" target="_blank">abandoned posts</a>&nbsp;on the roof where the shooter was located, and&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fhawley-releases-new-whistleblower-claims-alleging-secret-service-directors-role-in-scaling-back-agencys-manpower-retaliating-against-agents-who-speak-out%2f&amp;redir_log=678420953921292" target="_blank">scaled-back security</a>&nbsp;due to the decisions of Acting Director Rowe. On July 30, Senator Hawley&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fno-one-has-been-fired-hawley-pushes-for-accountability-from-secret-service-on-trump-assassination-attempt%2f&amp;redir_log=504810180305961" target="_blank">questioned</a>&nbsp;Acting Director Rowe in a Senate hearing. The Acting Director&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fnew-whistleblower-allegations-hawley-reveals-secret-service-declined-drone-usage-day-of-trump-butler-rally%2f&amp;redir_log=303746225621962" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that the Secret Service did, in fact, refuse drones from local law enforcement—a detail brought to light by a whistleblower in contact with Senator Hawley’s office.&nbsp;Whistleblowers with information are encouraged to contact Senator Hawley’s office&nbsp;by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tips@hawley.senate.gov">tips@hawley.senate.gov</a>&nbsp;or by phone at (202) 224-6154. Whistleblower identities will be protected against disclosure. Tips from federal employees are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act, 5 U.S.C. § 2302, which prohibits the federal government from taking any personnel action on the basis of a disclosure of evidence of gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or illegal activity.

Read Mo. Senator's new whistleblower report on 1st Trump assassination attempt 

(Radio Iowa) - A study from Iowa State University shows that only five to ten percent of the 230-thousand private well owners in the state test their water annually. 

Iowa State Extension Water Quality Program Manager Catherine DeLong says one of the barriers to testing is a misunderstanding of what quality well water should be. She says well owners often think it is a normal thing to have bacteria, but it really isn’t. Bacteria, nitrates, and arsenic are the most common contaminants, and have all been detected in Iowa wells. 

DeLong says testing regularly is important because the impact of the contaminants don't immediately show up when people drink the water.

(Radio Iowa) - A study from Iowa State University shows that only five to ten percent of the 230-thousand private well owners in the state test their water annually. Iowa State Extension Water Quality Program Manager Catherine DeLong says one of the barriers to testing is a misunderstanding of what quality well water should be. She says well owners often think it is a normal thing to have bacteria, but it really isn’t. Bacteria, nitrates, and arsenic are the most common contaminants, and have all been detected in Iowa wells. DeLong says testing regularly is important because the impact of the contaminants don't immediately show up when people drink the water.

Study Finds Few Private Well Owners Test Water

(Radio Iowa) - Police say six people were shot in Des Moines over the weekend, and three of them have died, with two police officers among the wounded. 

The shootings were part of two separate incidents. First, early Sunday morning, gunshots in the Court Avenue area of downtown led officers to three men, all of whom had been shot during an argument. A 29-year-old was dead at the scene, another man died at the hospital and the third was last reported in critical condition. Three guns were recovered. Early this (Monday) morning, a car sped away from officers who were trying to make a traffic stop. 

The suspect's vehicle crashed about a block away, and when officers approached and tried to arrest the driver, they say he fired. Officers returned fire and killed the man. Both officers were wounded and ARE expected to survive.

(Radio Iowa) - Police say six people were shot in Des Moines over the weekend, and three of them have died, with two police officers among the wounded. The shootings were part of two separate incidents. First, early Sunday morning, gunshots in the Court Avenue area of downtown led officers to three men, all of whom had been shot during an argument. A 29-year-old was dead at the scene, another man died at the hospital and the third was last reported in critical condition. Three guns were recovered. Early this (Monday) morning, a car sped away from officers who were trying to make a traffic stop. The suspect's vehicle crashed about a block away, and when officers approached and tried to arrest the driver, they say he fired. Officers returned fire and killed the man. Both officers were wounded and ARE expected to survive.

Shootings leave 2 Des Moines police officers hurt, 3 others dead

(Radio Iowa) - The debut novel from a University of Iowa creative writing instructor has cracked the New York Times' best-seller list and Kaveh Akbar will headline the Celebration of Literary Arts in the Des Moines metro today. 

The book "Martyr!" is fictional but follows the true-life 1988 American downing of an Iranian passenger jet that killed 290 civilians. The main character is the son of a woman who was killed in the crash. Akbar peppers the tragedy with humor, saying it's "a serious book about international relations and death and martyrdom and art, but it's also a book that has long dialogues with Lisa Simpson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar." 

The 35-year-old was born in Tehran, Iran, to an Iranian father and an American mother. They moved to the U-S when he was two. Akbar is starting his third year of teaching at the U-I. "Martyr!" was said to be on former President Obama's summer reading list and it's winning wide critical acclaim.

(Radio Iowa) - The debut novel from a University of Iowa creative writing instructor has cracked the New York Times' best-seller list and Kaveh Akbar will headline the Celebration of Literary Arts in the Des Moines metro today. The book "Martyr!" is fictional but follows the true-life 1988 American downing of an Iranian passenger jet that killed 290 civilians. The main character is the son of a woman who was killed in the crash. Akbar peppers the tragedy with humor, saying it's "a serious book about international relations and death and martyrdom and art, but it's also a book that has long dialogues with Lisa Simpson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar." The 35-year-old was born in Tehran, Iran, to an Iranian father and an American mother. They moved to the U-S when he was two. Akbar is starting his third year of teaching at the U-I. "Martyr!" was said to be on former President Obama's summer reading list and it's winning wide critical acclaim.

Iowa poet hits best-seller list with his first novel "Martyr!"

Ads promoting sports wagering are already on the air, with other campaigns starting this week as they also reserve time for the final weeks before the election

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

Missouri’s November ballot is now set, and initiative campaigns are ramping up spending to convince voters to pass the proposals.

The first to go on the air last week was Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by online sports gambling companies for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>, which would&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/sports-wagering-minimum-wage-hike-headed-for-november-vote-in-missouri/">legalize betting</a>&nbsp;on college and professional games.

The committee spent $1.2 million for ads in every media market except north-central and northeast Missouri and another $4.7 million reserving air time through the Nov. 5 election.

Two other initiative campaigns —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-086.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3</a>, which would restore abortion rights, and for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-038.pdf" target="_blank">Proposition A</a>, to boost the minimum wage and require businesses to provide paid sick and family leave —&nbsp; are making major ad buys for October. Ads to promote passage Amendment 3 will also begin this week in several markets.

Opposition groups are forming to counter those campaigns, but only a group opposing sports wagering, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, has bought air time. The group, which formed on Tuesday, on Friday reported $4.1 million in contributions from Missouri casinos to the Missouri Ethics Commission. The group spent $546,805 last week for ads that will run this month in Springfield, St. Louis, Columbia and Kansas City.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the committee campaigning for Amendment 3, has spent $3.9 million to purchase ads that will run continuously statewide starting with the week of Oct. 8. The ads that begin this week will run in the St. Louis and Springfield markets.

Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, the committee backing Proposition A, has spent $1.3 million for ads that will begin the week of Oct. 15.

The Independent tracks ad spending by reviewing documents broadcasters must file daily with the Federal Communications Commission. Those totals do not include spending for streaming platforms.&nbsp;

In the six statewide races, only U.S. Senate candidates Lucas Kunce, the Democratic candidate, and Josh Hawley, the Republican incumbent, have begun television campaigns.

Hawley, Kunce and a PAC supporting Hawley have spent $7.4 million on television since the start of August. Ballot measure spending so far totals $11.6 million.

The outlays to reserve time late in the election are standard strategies, Republican political consultant John Hancock said Thursday.

“You reserve from the back forward,” Hancock said. “You want to make sure you’re up as people are making decisions. It’s entirely possible that those campaigns will buy additional weeks as budgets permit.”

Hancock is working for the Osage River Gaming and Convention Committee, which is backing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>&nbsp;on the ballot. The measure, which would authorize a new casino near the popular Lake of the Ozarks tourist area, is the only initiative campaign that has not followed up certification for the ballot with TV ad purchases. Hancock declined to discuss the timeline for doing so.

But after spending $4.3 million so far — all provided by Bally’s, which currently operates a casino in Kansas City, and RIS Inc., a major regional developer near the Lake of the Ozarks — a large outlay for advertising to support Amendment 5 is certain, said Jonathan Ratliff, a Republican consultant who is not currently working on any ballot measure campaigns.

“My rule always when you’re putting these together is if you’re not willing to spend the last million, you shouldn’t pay for the first million,” Ratliff said.

The sports wagering amendment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/attempt-to-block-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-lacks-evidence-judge-rules/">survived a court challenge</a>&nbsp;questioning whether it received enough signatures, is using the promise of more money for education in its first ad. Ads from the opposition group, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, argue that promise won’t be kept.

The ad now running for the sports wagering initiative features a former teacher and promises it “will raise tens of millions of dollars every year for our classrooms, helping increase teacher pay.”

The fiscal note summary voters will see on the ballot estimates it will bring in $11.75 million in licensing fees, money that would cover the cost of administering the licensing process. Any extra in that fund goes to support veterans programs, including veterans nursing homes.

The net winnings from wagers would be taxed at 10%, which the fiscal summary estimates to be in a range of no new money up to $28.9 million annually. The tax would be applied after gambling companies deduct promotional costs like free wagers for new accounts.

A similar tax structure in Kansas has generated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.betkansas.com/revenue-report" target="_blank">$18.2 million in revenue</a>&nbsp;on $4.1 billion wagered since sports betting became legal in that state in September 2022.

“In reality, Amendment 2 contains no guarantees that a single penny will go to our schools,” Brooke Foster, spokeswoman for the anti-sports wagering committee, said in a news release.

Under the Missouri Constitution, all taxes on casino gambling and the state’s share of lottery ticket sales must be spent on education programs. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the 21% tax on money won by casinos brought in $357.6 million and the lottery produced $388.8 million.

Lawmakers appropriated $8.7 billion from all funds for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and $1.4 billion for the Department of Higher Education.

There is nothing in the amendment that prevents lawmakers from reducing current spending by the amount of new revenue produced by sports wagering.

The sports wagering amendment will keep its promise to bring in tens of millions each year, spokesman Jack Cardetti said. There is little likelihood lawmakers will reduce current spending on education, he contends.

The new revenue could be a significant part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-education-department-says-state-funding-for-school-year-is-100-million-short/">$100 million needed</a>&nbsp;as supplemental spending for public schools in the current fiscal year, Cardetti said.

Winning for Missouri Education spent $6 million for the signature campaign to get on the ballot, all from the two major online sports betting platforms, DraftKings and FanDuel and their parent companies.&nbsp;

The $3.52 million contribution from DK Crown Holdings on Aug. 15 is the largest political donation in Missouri this year. BetFair Interactive, owner of FanDuel, added $1.5 million on Thursday.

The ads will run in every market in the state, Cardetti said.

“We’re going to be making sure that Missourians in every corner of the state know how important it is that Missouri doesn’t have sports betting,” he said. “As we sit here today, seven of our eight neighboring states have legalized sports betting, and those dollars are making improvements in those states. Missourians are missing out.

Changes to voting laws are pushing campaigns to spend money earlier, Hancock said. No-excuse absentee voting begins Oct. 22.

“I no longer think it makes practical sense to buy the last two weeks only,” he said. “You’ve got to have at least three.”

Ballot measure campaigns have two goals with their spending plans, Ratliff said. The first is to give an impression of invincibility with heavy rotations for their ads. The idea is to scare off&nbsp; opposition campaigns.

Ballot measures are easier to defeat than to pass, Ratliff said.

“If any of these groups have any opposition, it makes it a lot harder for them to be successful, especially something like the casino and sports betting stuff,” Ratliff said. “If they don’t have opposition, they have a much, much better chance of passing. Even the slimmest amount of opposition could really knock those back and keep them from passing.”

The key for the ad campaigns, of course, is to get the message seen. And the success of the Kansas City Chiefs is making their game broadcasts some of the most costly any campaign can buy.

Hawley spent $75,000 to run one 30-second spot on KSHB in Kansas City during the Chiefs’ opening game. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom spent $50,000 to reserve two ads during the Oct. 27 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on KMOV in St. Louis.

And it cost Winning for Missouri Education $30,000 for two ads on KJFX in Joplin during the Oct. 20 game against the San Francisco 49ers, the team the Chiefs defeated in this year’s Super Bowl.

Streaming services, cable channels and digital recording mean many viewers are choosing their own schedule for television viewing. But audiences still tune in to live sporting events, Ratliff said.

“They’re gonna watch that live, so they’re worth a lot more,” he said. “Those ads are crazy expensive, and you’re going to see those ads are more valuable because you’re gonna have eyes on it.”

<h2>Ads promoting sports wagering are already on the air, with other campaigns starting this week as they also reserve time for the final weeks before the election</h2>By RUDI KELLER &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s November ballot is now set, and initiative campaigns are ramping up spending to convince voters to pass the proposals.The first to go on the air last week was Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by online sports gambling companies for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>, which would&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/sports-wagering-minimum-wage-hike-headed-for-november-vote-in-missouri/">legalize betting</a>&nbsp;on college and professional games.The committee spent $1.2 million for ads in every media market except north-central and northeast Missouri and another $4.7 million reserving air time through the Nov. 5 election.Two other initiative campaigns —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-086.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3</a>, which would restore abortion rights, and for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-038.pdf" target="_blank">Proposition A</a>, to boost the minimum wage and require businesses to provide paid sick and family leave —&nbsp; are making major ad buys for October. Ads to promote passage Amendment 3 will also begin this week in several markets.Opposition groups are forming to counter those campaigns, but only a group opposing sports wagering, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, has bought air time. The group, which formed on Tuesday, on Friday reported $4.1 million in contributions from Missouri casinos to the Missouri Ethics Commission. The group spent $546,805 last week for ads that will run this month in Springfield, St. Louis, Columbia and Kansas City.Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the committee campaigning for Amendment 3, has spent $3.9 million to purchase ads that will run continuously statewide starting with the week of Oct. 8. The ads that begin this week will run in the St. Louis and Springfield markets.Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, the committee backing Proposition A, has spent $1.3 million for ads that will begin the week of Oct. 15.The Independent tracks ad spending by reviewing documents broadcasters must file daily with the Federal Communications Commission. Those totals do not include spending for streaming platforms.&nbsp;In the six statewide races, only U.S. Senate candidates Lucas Kunce, the Democratic candidate, and Josh Hawley, the Republican incumbent, have begun television campaigns.Hawley, Kunce and a PAC supporting Hawley have spent $7.4 million on television since the start of August. Ballot measure spending so far totals $11.6 million.The outlays to reserve time late in the election are standard strategies, Republican political consultant John Hancock said Thursday.“You reserve from the back forward,” Hancock said. “You want to make sure you’re up as people are making decisions. It’s entirely possible that those campaigns will buy additional weeks as budgets permit.”Hancock is working for the Osage River Gaming and Convention Committee, which is backing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>&nbsp;on the ballot. The measure, which would authorize a new casino near the popular Lake of the Ozarks tourist area, is the only initiative campaign that has not followed up certification for the ballot with TV ad purchases. Hancock declined to discuss the timeline for doing so.But after spending $4.3 million so far — all provided by Bally’s, which currently operates a casino in Kansas City, and RIS Inc., a major regional developer near the Lake of the Ozarks — a large outlay for advertising to support Amendment 5 is certain, said Jonathan Ratliff, a Republican consultant who is not currently working on any ballot measure campaigns.“My rule always when you’re putting these together is if you’re not willing to spend the last million, you shouldn’t pay for the first million,” Ratliff said.The sports wagering amendment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/attempt-to-block-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-lacks-evidence-judge-rules/">survived a court challenge</a>&nbsp;questioning whether it received enough signatures, is using the promise of more money for education in its first ad. Ads from the opposition group, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, argue that promise won’t be kept.The ad now running for the sports wagering initiative features a former teacher and promises it “will raise tens of millions of dollars every year for our classrooms, helping increase teacher pay.”The fiscal note summary voters will see on the ballot estimates it will bring in $11.75 million in licensing fees, money that would cover the cost of administering the licensing process. Any extra in that fund goes to support veterans programs, including veterans nursing homes.The net winnings from wagers would be taxed at 10%, which the fiscal summary estimates to be in a range of no new money up to $28.9 million annually. The tax would be applied after gambling companies deduct promotional costs like free wagers for new accounts.A similar tax structure in Kansas has generated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.betkansas.com/revenue-report" target="_blank">$18.2 million in revenue</a>&nbsp;on $4.1 billion wagered since sports betting became legal in that state in September 2022.“In reality, Amendment 2 contains no guarantees that a single penny will go to our schools,” Brooke Foster, spokeswoman for the anti-sports wagering committee, said in a news release.Under the Missouri Constitution, all taxes on casino gambling and the state’s share of lottery ticket sales must be spent on education programs. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the 21% tax on money won by casinos brought in $357.6 million and the lottery produced $388.8 million.Lawmakers appropriated $8.7 billion from all funds for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and $1.4 billion for the Department of Higher Education.There is nothing in the amendment that prevents lawmakers from reducing current spending by the amount of new revenue produced by sports wagering.The sports wagering amendment will keep its promise to bring in tens of millions each year, spokesman Jack Cardetti said. There is little likelihood lawmakers will reduce current spending on education, he contends.The new revenue could be a significant part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-education-department-says-state-funding-for-school-year-is-100-million-short/">$100 million needed</a>&nbsp;as supplemental spending for public schools in the current fiscal year, Cardetti said.Winning for Missouri Education spent $6 million for the signature campaign to get on the ballot, all from the two major online sports betting platforms, DraftKings and FanDuel and their parent companies.&nbsp;The $3.52 million contribution from DK Crown Holdings on Aug. 15 is the largest political donation in Missouri this year. BetFair Interactive, owner of FanDuel, added $1.5 million on Thursday.The ads will run in every market in the state, Cardetti said.“We’re going to be making sure that Missourians in every corner of the state know how important it is that Missouri doesn’t have sports betting,” he said. “As we sit here today, seven of our eight neighboring states have legalized sports betting, and those dollars are making improvements in those states. Missourians are missing out.Changes to voting laws are pushing campaigns to spend money earlier, Hancock said. No-excuse absentee voting begins Oct. 22.“I no longer think it makes practical sense to buy the last two weeks only,” he said. “You’ve got to have at least three.”Ballot measure campaigns have two goals with their spending plans, Ratliff said. The first is to give an impression of invincibility with heavy rotations for their ads. The idea is to scare off&nbsp; opposition campaigns.Ballot measures are easier to defeat than to pass, Ratliff said.“If any of these groups have any opposition, it makes it a lot harder for them to be successful, especially something like the casino and sports betting stuff,” Ratliff said. “If they don’t have opposition, they have a much, much better chance of passing. Even the slimmest amount of opposition could really knock those back and keep them from passing.”The key for the ad campaigns, of course, is to get the message seen. And the success of the Kansas City Chiefs is making their game broadcasts some of the most costly any campaign can buy.Hawley spent $75,000 to run one 30-second spot on KSHB in Kansas City during the Chiefs’ opening game. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom spent $50,000 to reserve two ads during the Oct. 27 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on KMOV in St. Louis.And it cost Winning for Missouri Education $30,000 for two ads on KJFX in Joplin during the Oct. 20 game against the San Francisco 49ers, the team the Chiefs defeated in this year’s Super Bowl.Streaming services, cable channels and digital recording mean many viewers are choosing their own schedule for television viewing. But audiences still tune in to live sporting events, Ratliff said.“They’re gonna watch that live, so they’re worth a lot more,” he said. “Those ads are crazy expensive, and you’re going to see those ads are more valuable because you’re gonna have eyes on it.”

Missouri initiative campaigns launch TV spending after surviving court challenges

Former President&nbsp;Donald Trump was not injured after a second assassination attempt while playing golf on Sunday. The incident comes two months after an attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Members of the Missouri Congressional delegation used social media to comment on the incident.

The Secret Service and FBI continue to investigate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726432346578.png" alt="Martin County Florida Deputies stop the suspect" />
 <figcaption>Martin County Florida Deputies stop the suspect</figcaption>
 </figure>Former President&nbsp;Donald Trump was not injured after a second assassination attempt while playing golf on Sunday. The incident comes two months after an attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania.Members of the Missouri Congressional delegation used social media to comment on the incident.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pray for God’s protection over President Trump and his family. Evil is after him&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1835429374792970292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am glad President Trump is safe and pleased that the suspect is in custody. We are at an unprecedented moment — multiple attempts have been made to kill the former President as he runs for election. <a href="https://t.co/o7zj8BbqXp">https://t.co/o7zj8BbqXp</a>&mdash; Rep. Mike Flood (@USRepMikeFlood) <a href="https://twitter.com/USRepMikeFlood/status/1835432658438103486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m relieved President Trump and his family are safe, but concerned this is the second attempt on his life in the last few months. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. There’s no excuse for President Trump to have anything less than a FULL security detail now.&mdash; Rep. Sam Graves (@RepSamGraves) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepSamGraves/status/1835437600133280012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m thankful that President Trump is safe, but the attempts on his life shouldn’t be happening. Please join me in praying for him and our country.&mdash; Rep. Eric Burlison (@RepEricBurlison) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepEricBurlison/status/1835436253711647132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726442796445.png" alt="Trum-Photos of the AK-47 rifle, a backpack and a Go-Pro camera on a fence outside Trump International Golf Club taken after an apparent assassination attempt on the former President Donald Trump, are displayed by West Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw during a news conference at the Palm Beach County Main Library.-image West Palm Beach Policep" />
 <figcaption>Trum-Photos of the AK-47 rifle, a backpack and a Go-Pro camera on a fence outside Trump International Golf Club taken after an apparent assassination attempt on the former President Donald Trump, are displayed by West Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw during a news conference at the Palm Beach County Main Library.-image West Palm Beach Policep</figcaption>
 </figure>The Secret Service and FBI continue to investigate.

Mo. lawmakers issue statements on 2nd Trump assassination attempt

The director of one of the campaign’s biggest donors said it’s impossible to ‘achieve anything without a campaign that is grounded in grassroots support and the support of Missouri voters’

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

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/"></a>Missouri’s campaign to legalize abortion has more than doubled its fundraising totals since it was approved for the ballot in mid-August, despite — and perhaps fueled by — a lawsuit that threatened to knock it off the Nov. 5 ballot.&nbsp;

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the coalition behind what will appear on the ballot as Amendment 3, has raised more than $16 million&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/17/abortion-rights-coalition-viability-campaign-amendment-missouri-ballot/">since launching in January</a>, according to reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Of that, $9 million in donations greater than $5,000 were reported to the commission since the measure was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">certified for the ballot on Aug. 13.&nbsp;</a>Campaigns are required to report any donations over $5,000 within 48 hours of receiving them. Reports totaling all donations and expenditures are due to the state each quarter.&nbsp;

The two most well-established political action committees working to fight the amendment include Missouri Stands with Women, which has raised at least $200,000, and Missouri Right to Life, which has raised nearly $675,000 this election cycle.

The largest donations to Missourians for Constitutional Freedom have come from four out-of-state progressive nonprofits that are not required to disclose their donors and are also helping fund reproductive-rights campaigns in several states.&nbsp;

As of Thursday, the Sixteen Thirty Fund based out of Washington D.C. donated $4.5 million to Missouri’s effort. That includes a $3.5 million check on Aug. 30 — the second largest single donation in Missouri this year.&nbsp;

The Fairness Project, also based out of Washington D.C., has donated $2.9 million. Most of that money came on Aug. 23, when the organization cut a $2.1 million check to the campaign.&nbsp;

Both nonprofits also contributed significant funds to the state’s 2020 Medicaid expansion initiative petition effort, which ultimately succeeded, and to the current ballot&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/01/group-turns-in-signatures-to-put-minimum-wage-hike-paid-sick-leave-on-missouri-ballot/">effort to raise the minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave</a>.

The campaign also received $1 million from a nonprofit out of Washington D.C. listed as Open Source Action Fund, which is linked to an address for Open Society Action Fund. The nonprofit was founded by George Soros, a liberal billionaire.

On Thursday, a Virginia-based nonprofit called Global Impact Social Welfare donated $750,000.

Successful statewide ballot initiative campaigns are often multi-million dollar endeavors.&nbsp;

“It is expensive, and in these places where we can do it, it is the least expensive pathway to restoring rights,” Kelly Hall, executive director of The Fairness Project, said at a panel discussion during the Democratic National Convention. “In Missouri, for example, it would take a lot more money to flip that legislature and to flip that gubernatorial seat … the best (return on investment) we can get is putting this on the ballot and appealing to those Missouri voters who do want this.”

In an interview with The Independent, Hall said The Fairness Project is both a leading funder and a coalition partner of Missourians for Constitutional Freedom. The coalition also includes the state’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, the ACLU of Missouri and Abortion Action Missouri.&nbsp;

She said any assumption that they simply parachute money into states is false.&nbsp;

“It is impossible for nonprofits like us who may have resources to bring to bear to achieve anything without a campaign that is grounded in grassroots support and the support of Missouri voters,” Hall said.&nbsp;

The fact that the nonprofits helping bankroll the campaign don’t disclose their donors&nbsp;has become a point of attack from anti-abortion activists and lawmakers in Missouri.&nbsp;

“There is going to be a massive effort — and by massive I mean to the tune of millions of dollars,” U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley said of the abortion ballot campaign at a conference last weekend in Missouri. “Already, George Soros and dark money groups have poured into this state almost $5 million to begin spending on this radical amendment.”&nbsp;

Stephanie Bell, a spokeswoman for Missouri Stands with Women, blamed “out-of-state liberal groups” for boosting the abortion-rights campaign’s finances.

On Tuesday, after the Missouri Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s attempt to take Amendment 3 from the ballot, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the front-runner for governor, called the ballot measure “a deceptive effort by out-of-state interests.” The Missouri Republican Party called Amendment 3 “bankrolled by radical out-of-state interest groups.”&nbsp;

Hall, with The Fairness Project, said she doesn’t usually push back on “dark money” criticisms.&nbsp;

“If they want to focus on this rather than on the issue that Missouri voters care about, which is making sure that everyone in their state has access to lifesaving reproductive health care when they need it,” she said, “then that’s a misread on their part of what Missouri voters care most about.”&nbsp;

The campaign has seen overwhelming support from across the state, collecting initiative petition signatures from every county and turning in more than 380,000 signatures to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in May.

While the top donors have come from out of state,&nbsp;the campaign has also raised several million dollars so far from Missouri individuals and organizations.

Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which have clinics in Missouri, have donated more than $1.1 million. The ACLU of Missouri has donated more than $620,000, the Health Forward Foundation based in Kansas City donated $500,000 and Abortion Action Missouri has given more than $230,000.

The campaign stresses that the largest donor base remains Missourians affected by the ban.&nbsp;

“Throughout the campaign, eight out of 10 online contributions have come from right here in Missouri,” Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement. “Underscoring the true grassroots nature of this movement.”

Sweet said that in the days following&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/missouri-judge-rules-abortion-amendment-vioalates-state-requirements/">a Friday ruling by a Cole County circuit judge</a>&nbsp;that threatened to remove Amendment 3 from the ballot, more than 2,400 Missourians donated a quarter million dollars to the campaign.&nbsp;

If Amendment 3 passes by a simple majority in November, Missouri could become the first state to overturn an abortion ban by the vote of the people. It would also join several other states that successfully protected abortion-rights through citizen-led ballot campaigns since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022.&nbsp;

Abortion is illegal in Missouri, with limited exceptions for medical emergencies. The amendment would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability and protect access to other reproductive health care, like birth control.&nbsp;

“It is truly the grassroots infrastructure in Missouri,” Kelly said. “And the leadership of in-state partners in every ballot measure campaign that advances to voters that we’ve been involved in that make it such an inspiring place to work.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726417302150.png" alt="Supporters of Amendment 3 celebrate on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, on the steps of the Missouri Capitol after the state Supreme Court ruled the abortion-rights measure could remain on the ballot (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Supporters of Amendment 3 celebrate on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, on the steps of the Missouri Capitol after the state Supreme Court ruled the abortion-rights measure could remain on the ballot (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The director of one of the campaign’s biggest donors said it’s impossible to ‘achieve anything without a campaign that is grounded in grassroots support and the support of Missouri voters’</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/"></a>Missouri’s campaign to legalize abortion has more than doubled its fundraising totals since it was approved for the ballot in mid-August, despite — and perhaps fueled by — a lawsuit that threatened to knock it off the Nov. 5 ballot.&nbsp;Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the coalition behind what will appear on the ballot as Amendment 3, has raised more than $16 million&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/17/abortion-rights-coalition-viability-campaign-amendment-missouri-ballot/">since launching in January</a>, according to reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.Of that, $9 million in donations greater than $5,000 were reported to the commission since the measure was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">certified for the ballot on Aug. 13.&nbsp;</a>Campaigns are required to report any donations over $5,000 within 48 hours of receiving them. Reports totaling all donations and expenditures are due to the state each quarter.&nbsp;The two most well-established political action committees working to fight the amendment include Missouri Stands with Women, which has raised at least $200,000, and Missouri Right to Life, which has raised nearly $675,000 this election cycle.The largest donations to Missourians for Constitutional Freedom have come from four out-of-state progressive nonprofits that are not required to disclose their donors and are also helping fund reproductive-rights campaigns in several states.&nbsp;As of Thursday, the Sixteen Thirty Fund based out of Washington D.C. donated $4.5 million to Missouri’s effort. That includes a $3.5 million check on Aug. 30 — the second largest single donation in Missouri this year.&nbsp;The Fairness Project, also based out of Washington D.C., has donated $2.9 million. Most of that money came on Aug. 23, when the organization cut a $2.1 million check to the campaign.&nbsp;Both nonprofits also contributed significant funds to the state’s 2020 Medicaid expansion initiative petition effort, which ultimately succeeded, and to the current ballot&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/01/group-turns-in-signatures-to-put-minimum-wage-hike-paid-sick-leave-on-missouri-ballot/">effort to raise the minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave</a>.The campaign also received $1 million from a nonprofit out of Washington D.C. listed as Open Source Action Fund, which is linked to an address for Open Society Action Fund. The nonprofit was founded by George Soros, a liberal billionaire.On Thursday, a Virginia-based nonprofit called Global Impact Social Welfare donated $750,000.Successful statewide ballot initiative campaigns are often multi-million dollar endeavors.&nbsp;“It is expensive, and in these places where we can do it, it is the least expensive pathway to restoring rights,” Kelly Hall, executive director of The Fairness Project, said at a panel discussion during the Democratic National Convention. “In Missouri, for example, it would take a lot more money to flip that legislature and to flip that gubernatorial seat … the best (return on investment) we can get is putting this on the ballot and appealing to those Missouri voters who do want this.”In an interview with The Independent, Hall said The Fairness Project is both a leading funder and a coalition partner of Missourians for Constitutional Freedom. The coalition also includes the state’s Planned Parenthood affiliates, the ACLU of Missouri and Abortion Action Missouri.&nbsp;She said any assumption that they simply parachute money into states is false.&nbsp;“It is impossible for nonprofits like us who may have resources to bring to bear to achieve anything without a campaign that is grounded in grassroots support and the support of Missouri voters,” Hall said.&nbsp;The fact that the nonprofits helping bankroll the campaign don’t disclose their donors&nbsp;has become a point of attack from anti-abortion activists and lawmakers in Missouri.&nbsp;“There is going to be a massive effort — and by massive I mean to the tune of millions of dollars,” U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley said of the abortion ballot campaign at a conference last weekend in Missouri. “Already, George Soros and dark money groups have poured into this state almost $5 million to begin spending on this radical amendment.”&nbsp;Stephanie Bell, a spokeswoman for Missouri Stands with Women, blamed “out-of-state liberal groups” for boosting the abortion-rights campaign’s finances.On Tuesday, after the Missouri Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s attempt to take Amendment 3 from the ballot, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the front-runner for governor, called the ballot measure “a deceptive effort by out-of-state interests.” The Missouri Republican Party called Amendment 3 “bankrolled by radical out-of-state interest groups.”&nbsp;Hall, with The Fairness Project, said she doesn’t usually push back on “dark money” criticisms.&nbsp;“If they want to focus on this rather than on the issue that Missouri voters care about, which is making sure that everyone in their state has access to lifesaving reproductive health care when they need it,” she said, “then that’s a misread on their part of what Missouri voters care most about.”&nbsp;The campaign has seen overwhelming support from across the state, collecting initiative petition signatures from every county and turning in more than 380,000 signatures to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in May.While the top donors have come from out of state,&nbsp;the campaign has also raised several million dollars so far from Missouri individuals and organizations.Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which have clinics in Missouri, have donated more than $1.1 million. The ACLU of Missouri has donated more than $620,000, the Health Forward Foundation based in Kansas City donated $500,000 and Abortion Action Missouri has given more than $230,000.The campaign stresses that the largest donor base remains Missourians affected by the ban.&nbsp;“Throughout the campaign, eight out of 10 online contributions have come from right here in Missouri,” Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement. “Underscoring the true grassroots nature of this movement.”Sweet said that in the days following&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/missouri-judge-rules-abortion-amendment-vioalates-state-requirements/">a Friday ruling by a Cole County circuit judge</a>&nbsp;that threatened to remove Amendment 3 from the ballot, more than 2,400 Missourians donated a quarter million dollars to the campaign.&nbsp;If Amendment 3 passes by a simple majority in November, Missouri could become the first state to overturn an abortion ban by the vote of the people. It would also join several other states that successfully protected abortion-rights through citizen-led ballot campaigns since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022.&nbsp;Abortion is illegal in Missouri, with limited exceptions for medical emergencies. The amendment would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability and protect access to other reproductive health care, like birth control.&nbsp;“It is truly the grassroots infrastructure in Missouri,” Kelly said. “And the leadership of in-state partners in every ballot measure campaign that advances to voters that we’ve been involved in that make it such an inspiring place to work.”

Missouri abortion-rights campaign doubles its fundraising total since qualifying for ballot

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves took time out during
the Sound of Speed Air Show Sunday to discuss passage of the FAA
Reauthorization Act with pilots, St. Joseph city officials, as well as officers
with the Air National Guard 139th Airlift Group.

Graves, chair of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee, says the House version of the legislation prevailed for the most
part.

“Eighty-five percent of the bill is the House bill, which I
wrote,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’m very proud of that and it’s a
very technical bill and I think that’s as a result of my understanding of
aviation and just being a user of the system, which makes a big difference. And
it made a big difference, too, in dealing with the Senate and just knowing more
about those aviation policies than many of my Senate colleagues.”

Graves, a Republican, says the bill focuses on some fundamental
issues of aviation; fundamental, yet too often neglected by Congress when
writing the regulations that guide the aviation industry. Graves says the new
legislation places a big emphasis on General Aviation.

“Because it’s the foundation and where most people get their
start when it comes to aviation,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “They get
their start through, things like this, the Air Show where they show an interest
in aviation, whether that’s being a mechanic or maybe an air traffic controller
or being a technician or a pilot themselves and they get started in general aviation
and then move the way through ultimately to, if some go on to be commercial pilots
or airline pilots.”

Other aspects of the industry have been neglected for too long,
according to Graves.

“Workforce being one of those,” Graves says. “We have to make
sure that we maintain a very healthy workforce within the aviation community
and, again, that’s anything from mechanics to controllers to pilots, whatever
the case may be.”

Graves says the bill will also maintain the standard of safety
the United States is known for.

Graves, who is a pilot, participated in the Sound of Speed Air
Show.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726420143966.jpeg" alt="Congressman Sam Graves/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Congressman Sam Graves/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves took time out during
the Sound of Speed Air Show Sunday to discuss passage of the FAA
Reauthorization Act with pilots, St. Joseph city officials, as well as officers
with the Air National Guard 139th Airlift Group.Graves, chair of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee, says the House version of the legislation prevailed for the most
part.“Eighty-five percent of the bill is the House bill, which I
wrote,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’m very proud of that and it’s a
very technical bill and I think that’s as a result of my understanding of
aviation and just being a user of the system, which makes a big difference. And
it made a big difference, too, in dealing with the Senate and just knowing more
about those aviation policies than many of my Senate colleagues.”Graves, a Republican, says the bill focuses on some fundamental
issues of aviation; fundamental, yet too often neglected by Congress when
writing the regulations that guide the aviation industry. Graves says the new
legislation places a big emphasis on General Aviation.“Because it’s the foundation and where most people get their
start when it comes to aviation,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “They get
their start through, things like this, the Air Show where they show an interest
in aviation, whether that’s being a mechanic or maybe an air traffic controller
or being a technician or a pilot themselves and they get started in general aviation
and then move the way through ultimately to, if some go on to be commercial pilots
or airline pilots.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726420189327.jpeg" alt="Congressman Sam Graves discussing the FAA Reauthorization Act during the Sound of Speed Air Show at Rosecrans Memorial Airport/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Congressman Sam Graves discussing the FAA Reauthorization Act during the Sound of Speed Air Show at Rosecrans Memorial Airport/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Other aspects of the industry have been neglected for too long,
according to Graves.“Workforce being one of those,” Graves says. “We have to make
sure that we maintain a very healthy workforce within the aviation community
and, again, that’s anything from mechanics to controllers to pilots, whatever
the case may be.”Graves says the bill will also maintain the standard of safety
the United States is known for.Graves, who is a pilot, participated in the Sound of Speed Air
Show.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Congressman Graves outlines FAA bill during Sound of Speed Air Show

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a burglary and&nbsp; released security camera video.

Just after 3a.m. September 7, police were dispatched to Health Care Pharmacy, 722 Wheat Road in Winfield for an alarm.&nbsp;

Officers discovered the front door of the business sustained damage. Upon viewing video from inside the pharmacy, the suspect damaged the door, gained entry and took several different medications before leaving.

Anyone with information regarding the crime or any crime that occurred in Cowley County is eligible to receive a reward by submitting a tip through Crime Stoppers or by calling (620) 221-7777. 

Tipsters are always anonymous as Crime Stoppers will never ask someone to identify themselves. If your information leads to an arrest in a felony case, you could be eligible to receive rewards up to $2,500. For anonymous submittal of tips other than Crime Stoppers, text COWLEYTIPS.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726237199793.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a burglary and&nbsp; released security camera video.Just after 3a.m. September 7, police were dispatched to Health Care Pharmacy, 722 Wheat Road in Winfield for an alarm.&nbsp;Officers discovered the front door of the business sustained damage. Upon viewing video from inside the pharmacy, the suspect damaged the door, gained entry and took several different medications before leaving.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWinfieldPolice%2Fvideos%2F444354525278589%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=13" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Anyone with information regarding the crime or any crime that occurred in Cowley County is eligible to receive a reward by submitting a tip through Crime Stoppers or by calling (620) 221-7777. Tipsters are always anonymous as Crime Stoppers will never ask someone to identify themselves. If your information leads to an arrest in a felony case, you could be eligible to receive rewards up to $2,500. For anonymous submittal of tips other than Crime Stoppers, text COWLEYTIPS.

Police release security camera video of Kan. pharmacy burglary

(Radio Iowa) - The drought has eased across much of the Midwest, but dry conditions persists in the upper Missouri River basin, prompting the U-S Army Corps of Engineers to keep releases from Gavins Point Dam at the minimum rate. 

After four years of drought, heavy rains brought Iowa completely out of the drought this spring, but abnormally dry conditions are returning, and now cover about two-thirds of the state. John Remus, chief of the Corp's Missouri River Basin Water Management Division, says the long-range forecast doesn’t provide much hope for improvement. 

Remus says he understands the continued minimum water releases puts pressure on cities, businesses, and utilities that rely on the Missouri River. The Corps reports 73-percent of the Missouri River Basin is experiencing dry or drought conditions.

(Radio Iowa) - The drought has eased across much of the Midwest, but dry conditions persists in the upper Missouri River basin, prompting the U-S Army Corps of Engineers to keep releases from Gavins Point Dam at the minimum rate. After four years of drought, heavy rains brought Iowa completely out of the drought this spring, but abnormally dry conditions are returning, and now cover about two-thirds of the state. John Remus, chief of the Corp's Missouri River Basin Water Management Division, says the long-range forecast doesn’t provide much hope for improvement. Remus says he understands the continued minimum water releases puts pressure on cities, businesses, and utilities that rely on the Missouri River. The Corps reports 73-percent of the Missouri River Basin is experiencing dry or drought conditions.

Dry conditions mean Corps will keep Missouri River levels low

The USDA released its September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report that says this month’s 2024-2025 corn outlook is for smaller supplies and a modest decline in ending stocks. Projected beginning stocks are 55 million bushels lower based on increases in exports and corn used for ethanol for 2023-2024. The season-average corn price received by producers was lowered ten cents to $4.10 per bushel. 

The USDA released its September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report that says this month’s 2024-2025 corn outlook is for smaller supplies and a modest decline in ending stocks. Projected beginning stocks are 55 million bushels lower based on increases in exports and corn used for ethanol for 2023-2024. The season-average corn price received by producers was lowered ten cents to $4.10 per bushel.

USDA releases September WASDE report

The National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association expressed frustration with a recently released recommendation from the Department of Commerce. The Department is recommending an imposition of preliminary countervailing duty rates on imports of the herbicide 2-4D. The decision comes at the behest of domestic herbicide producer Corteva, who filed a petition earlier this year calling for antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of the herbicide from certain foreign suppliers.

Farmers have said that their demand exceeds the domestic supply of the product, and foreign sources help to fill the gap. “Access to this herbicide is critical for corn growers,” says NCGA President Harold Wolle. “We would welcome all ideas from Corteva on how to ensure that this herbicide is available and affordable for American growers.” Josh Gackle, president of the ASA, says the decision to raise duties on imports is disappointing to soybean growers nationwide.

The National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association expressed frustration with a recently released recommendation from the Department of Commerce. The Department is recommending an imposition of preliminary countervailing duty rates on imports of the herbicide 2-4D. The decision comes at the behest of domestic herbicide producer Corteva, who filed a petition earlier this year calling for antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of the herbicide from certain foreign suppliers.Farmers have said that their demand exceeds the domestic supply of the product, and foreign sources help to fill the gap. “Access to this herbicide is critical for corn growers,” says NCGA President Harold Wolle. “We would welcome all ideas from Corteva on how to ensure that this herbicide is available and affordable for American growers.” Josh Gackle, president of the ASA, says the decision to raise duties on imports is disappointing to soybean growers nationwide.-NAFB

Growers critical of tariff announcements

The commander of the VFW post condemned the ‘raid’ that took place on 9/11, though the state said it was responding to a complaint

By REBECCA RIVAS&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Not long after Commander Jason Stanfield had lowered the flag Wednesday to honor the lives lost on Sept. 11 at his Franklin County VFW Post, he learned state food inspectors had arrived.&nbsp;

“It’s not an easy day,” Stanfield said. “9/11 is a tough day for all of us, particularly for veterans. I was not in the best mindset.”

The regulators said they had received a complaint that the post’s bar had been selling seltzers that contain hemp-derived THC — which has the same intoxicating effect as THC from marijuana that’s sold at dispensaries.&nbsp;

The bar was selling a brand of fruity seltzers called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urlitproducts.com/" target="_blank">UR Lit</a>, which contains 5mg of Delta-9 THC.

While hemp is federally legal, Missouri recently joined a growing number of states trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">ban</a>&nbsp;all intoxicating hemp products.

When Gov. Mike Parson signed his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2024/eo10" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 1 to ban the products,&nbsp;he&nbsp;said his primary focus was to protect children consuming the products that resemble popular candy, like Lifesavers, or fruity drinks.

Given the governor’s goal, Stanfield said he was surprised the state wanted to inspect the post, where members are well over 21.

“There’s not a whole lot of kids that run around the VFW,” he said.&nbsp;

Since the ban went into effect on Sept. 1,&nbsp;Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/missouri-regulators-visit-nearly-50-stores-to-inspect-for-intoxicating-hemp-edibles/">officials have inspected</a>&nbsp;74 establishments and found intoxicating products at 42 of them, said Lisa Cox, spokeswoman for the department.&nbsp;

On a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dUkMLXYkpVoYW3a2/" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, Stanfield described the inspection as a “raid,” but Cox said that&nbsp;description is “misleading” because there were just two inspectors responding to a complaint.&nbsp;

“The two inspectors were let inside through a locked door upon request,” Cox said, “but quickly recognized that the VFW Post did not pose an immediate cause for concern, specifically in regard to Missouri children. As a result, zero product was embargoed or destroyed.”

Cox said the department has “no plans in place of returning to the establishment.”

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/with-missouri-regulations-in-flux-whats-the-difference-between-hemp-and-marijuana/">Hemp and marijuana</a>&nbsp;are essentially terms the government uses to distinguish between the part of the cannabis plant that can get you high when smoked – that’s marijuana – and the part that can’t — that’s hemp.&nbsp;

But with a little science and extraction, people can enhance the small amount of the naturally occurring THC, or the psychoactive component, in hemp to make edibles and drinks.&nbsp;

Because hemp isn’t a controlled substance like marijuana, there’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy products, such as delta-8 drinks, or that stores can’t sell them to minors, Parson said.&nbsp;

And there’s no requirement to list potential effects on the label or test how much THC is actually in them. State lawmakers have failed to pass such&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/13/push-for-restrictions-on-intoxicating-hemp-products-spurs-clash-over-who-should-regulate/">requirements</a>&nbsp;the last two years.

Stanfield said the state ban is harmful for VFW members who are trying to recover from alcoholism or opioid addiction.&nbsp;

“I have testimony after testimony in my post alone of people that are still alive today,” Stanfield said, “because they use cannabis to get off of their opioids that they were addicted to.”

During the inspection, he said the DHSS employees told him that the drinks were considered “adulterated.” If a product is considered adulterated,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-attorney-general-to-help-crack-down-on-intoxicating-hemp-products/">DHSS</a>&nbsp;has the&nbsp;authority to embargo it&nbsp;– which means put a tag on it until the department gets a court order to destroy it.&nbsp;

Stanfield points to the state law that says, “a food shall not be considered adulterated solely for containing industrial hemp, or an industrial hemp commodity or product.”

That line was added to Missouri’s law in 2018, after Congress legalized hemp as part of the federal Farm Bill. It was part of a Missouri House<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills181/hlrbillspdf/5739S.09T.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;bill&nbsp;</a>that brought the state’s definition of hemp in alignment with the federal government’s.

It is the same law fueling the Missouri Hemp Trade Association’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/30/missouri-hemp-leaders-set-to-file-suit-to-halt-governors-ban-on-hemp-thc-products/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the governor’s ban.&nbsp;

“I will continue to comply with federal law and sell these products until they’re not legal,” Stanfield said, “to give my veterans a non-alcoholic option in a place where they can come and be with other veterans and not have to consume alcohol.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726250510000.jpeg" alt="VFW Post 2661 in Washington, Missouri (Photo by Max Mueller)." />
 <figcaption>VFW Post 2661 in Washington, Missouri (Photo by Max Mueller).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The commander of the VFW post condemned the ‘raid’ that took place on 9/11, though the state said it was responding to a complaint</h2>By REBECCA RIVAS&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Not long after Commander Jason Stanfield had lowered the flag Wednesday to honor the lives lost on Sept. 11 at his Franklin County VFW Post, he learned state food inspectors had arrived.&nbsp;“It’s not an easy day,” Stanfield said. “9/11 is a tough day for all of us, particularly for veterans. I was not in the best mindset.”The regulators said they had received a complaint that the post’s bar had been selling seltzers that contain hemp-derived THC — which has the same intoxicating effect as THC from marijuana that’s sold at dispensaries.&nbsp;The bar was selling a brand of fruity seltzers called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urlitproducts.com/" target="_blank">UR Lit</a>, which contains 5mg of Delta-9 THC.While hemp is federally legal, Missouri recently joined a growing number of states trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">ban</a>&nbsp;all intoxicating hemp products.When Gov. Mike Parson signed his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2024/eo10" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 1 to ban the products,&nbsp;he&nbsp;said his primary focus was to protect children consuming the products that resemble popular candy, like Lifesavers, or fruity drinks.Given the governor’s goal, Stanfield said he was surprised the state wanted to inspect the post, where members are well over 21.“There’s not a whole lot of kids that run around the VFW,” he said.&nbsp;Since the ban went into effect on Sept. 1,&nbsp;Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/missouri-regulators-visit-nearly-50-stores-to-inspect-for-intoxicating-hemp-edibles/">officials have inspected</a>&nbsp;74 establishments and found intoxicating products at 42 of them, said Lisa Cox, spokeswoman for the department.&nbsp;On a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dUkMLXYkpVoYW3a2/" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, Stanfield described the inspection as a “raid,” but Cox said that&nbsp;description is “misleading” because there were just two inspectors responding to a complaint.&nbsp;“The two inspectors were let inside through a locked door upon request,” Cox said, “but quickly recognized that the VFW Post did not pose an immediate cause for concern, specifically in regard to Missouri children. As a result, zero product was embargoed or destroyed.”Cox said the department has “no plans in place of returning to the establishment.”<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/with-missouri-regulations-in-flux-whats-the-difference-between-hemp-and-marijuana/">Hemp and marijuana</a>&nbsp;are essentially terms the government uses to distinguish between the part of the cannabis plant that can get you high when smoked – that’s marijuana – and the part that can’t — that’s hemp.&nbsp;But with a little science and extraction, people can enhance the small amount of the naturally occurring THC, or the psychoactive component, in hemp to make edibles and drinks.&nbsp;Because hemp isn’t a controlled substance like marijuana, there’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy products, such as delta-8 drinks, or that stores can’t sell them to minors, Parson said.&nbsp;And there’s no requirement to list potential effects on the label or test how much THC is actually in them. State lawmakers have failed to pass such&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/13/push-for-restrictions-on-intoxicating-hemp-products-spurs-clash-over-who-should-regulate/">requirements</a>&nbsp;the last two years.Stanfield said the state ban is harmful for VFW members who are trying to recover from alcoholism or opioid addiction.&nbsp;“I have testimony after testimony in my post alone of people that are still alive today,” Stanfield said, “because they use cannabis to get off of their opioids that they were addicted to.”During the inspection, he said the DHSS employees told him that the drinks were considered “adulterated.” If a product is considered adulterated,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-attorney-general-to-help-crack-down-on-intoxicating-hemp-products/">DHSS</a>&nbsp;has the&nbsp;authority to embargo it&nbsp;– which means put a tag on it until the department gets a court order to destroy it.&nbsp;Stanfield points to the state law that says, “a food shall not be considered adulterated solely for containing industrial hemp, or an industrial hemp commodity or product.”That line was added to Missouri’s law in 2018, after Congress legalized hemp as part of the federal Farm Bill. It was part of a Missouri House<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills181/hlrbillspdf/5739S.09T.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;bill&nbsp;</a>that brought the state’s definition of hemp in alignment with the federal government’s.It is the same law fueling the Missouri Hemp Trade Association’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/30/missouri-hemp-leaders-set-to-file-suit-to-halt-governors-ban-on-hemp-thc-products/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the governor’s ban.&nbsp;“I will continue to comply with federal law and sell these products until they’re not legal,” Stanfield said, “to give my veterans a non-alcoholic option in a place where they can come and be with other veterans and not have to consume alcohol.”

Missouri VFW inspected by state regulators as part of ban on intoxicating hemp products

(Radio Iowa) - A new report shows Iowans are continuing to pack on the pounds, with more than one in every three Iowa adults now being considered obese. 

Dr. Nadine Gracia, president and C-E-O of Trust for America’s Health, says the national report places Iowa tied for seventh with Indiana for the most overweight states. Gracia says Iowa's 37-percent adult obesity rate is up slightly from last year, and over the past five years, there's been a significant increase. 

About ten years ago, the report found -zero- states with an adult obesity rating over 35-percent. Now, 23 states -- including Iowa -- have adult obesity rates at or above 35-percent. Gracia calls obesity a national public health issue that goes far beyond individual behavior. The report shows West Virginia has the highest obesity rate at 41-percent, while Colorado ranked the lowest with 25-percent.

(Radio Iowa) - A new report shows Iowans are continuing to pack on the pounds, with more than one in every three Iowa adults now being considered obese. Dr. Nadine Gracia, president and C-E-O of Trust for America’s Health, says the national report places Iowa tied for seventh with Indiana for the most overweight states. Gracia says Iowa's 37-percent adult obesity rate is up slightly from last year, and over the past five years, there's been a significant increase. About ten years ago, the report found -zero- states with an adult obesity rating over 35-percent. Now, 23 states -- including Iowa -- have adult obesity rates at or above 35-percent. Gracia calls obesity a national public health issue that goes far beyond individual behavior. The report shows West Virginia has the highest obesity rate at 41-percent, while Colorado ranked the lowest with 25-percent.

Report: More than 37% of Iowa adults are obese

The Sound of Speed Airshow is back at Rosecrans Memorial Airport this weekend.   

The popular airshow that draws crowds of residents and vendors to Rosecrans will feature a wide variety of entertainment, plane rides, and more this weekend.  

Michael Crane, Public Affairs Superintendent for the 139th Airlift Group, says the big attraction in this year’s air show will be the US Air Force Thunderbirds 

"They're the premiere team of the Air Force, they fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon, and let me tell you something, when those things fly overhead, not only are you going to hear it but you're going to feel it in your chest," Crane tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "They're really loud so definitely bring hearing protection." 

Another act will be Tora! Tora! Tora, a group that will perform a pearl harbor attack reenactment, a living history of what happened on that day.  

Major Jeffry Downie, callsign Simmer and pilot of Thunderbird six, says the performance the Thunderbirds put on is more than just a show 

"You're feeling the performance, the sound of the jets you can like feel it, there's a sense of moral danger during some of the sneak passes if you're not prepared for that," Downie explains. "But it really is a whole-body experience coming out to the shows themselves." 

The show will consist of six jets, four will show off the grace of flying and the precision of the F-16 jet. The other two, one of those pilots being Downie himself, will then display the capabilities of the jet. 

"And then at the very end we bring all that together with all six jets and we do a bunch of formation flying in the delta, and you get to see with the smoke on, it's graceful, it's patriotic, and it's pretty emotional," Downie says. 

Crane says there will also be some other new fun activities, including a STEM display. 

"So, the Kansas City STEM alliance is going to be there with a robotics display, it's going to be very interactive, so definitely check that out," Crane says. "The Air Force will also have a virtual reality headset there so guests will be able to see what it's like to do some air force missions from a plane." 

Residents will also get a look at some of the improvements made at Rosecrans, including the new tarmac and work being done on the air control tower.  

People who come to the airshow will be allowed to bring in protection from the sun, and also a sealed clear water bottle or empty water container with refill stations at the event.  

The airshow will run Saturday and Sunday, with gates opening at 8am on both days. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726246876681.jpeg" alt="US Air Force Thunderbirds flyi in formation/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>US Air Force Thunderbirds flyi in formation/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Sound of Speed Airshow is back at Rosecrans Memorial Airport this weekend. The popular airshow that draws crowds of residents and vendors to Rosecrans will feature a wide variety of entertainment, plane rides, and more this weekend. Michael Crane, Public Affairs Superintendent for the 139th Airlift Group, says the big attraction in this year’s air show will be the US Air Force Thunderbirds "They're the premiere team of the Air Force, they fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon, and let me tell you something, when those things fly overhead, not only are you going to hear it but you're going to feel it in your chest," Crane tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "They're really loud so definitely bring hearing protection." Another act will be Tora! Tora! Tora, a group that will perform a pearl harbor attack reenactment, a living history of what happened on that day. Major Jeffry Downie, callsign Simmer and pilot of Thunderbird six, says the performance the Thunderbirds put on is more than just a show "You're feeling the performance, the sound of the jets you can like feel it, there's a sense of moral danger during some of the sneak passes if you're not prepared for that," Downie explains. "But it really is a whole-body experience coming out to the shows themselves." The show will consist of six jets, four will show off the grace of flying and the precision of the F-16 jet. The other two, one of those pilots being Downie himself, will then display the capabilities of the jet. "And then at the very end we bring all that together with all six jets and we do a bunch of formation flying in the delta, and you get to see with the smoke on, it's graceful, it's patriotic, and it's pretty emotional," Downie says. Crane says there will also be some other new fun activities, including a STEM display. "So, the Kansas City STEM alliance is going to be there with a robotics display, it's going to be very interactive, so definitely check that out," Crane says. "The Air Force will also have a virtual reality headset there so guests will be able to see what it's like to do some air force missions from a plane." Residents will also get a look at some of the improvements made at Rosecrans, including the new tarmac and work being done on the air control tower. People who come to the airshow will be allowed to bring in protection from the sun, and also a sealed clear water bottle or empty water container with refill stations at the event. The airshow will run Saturday and Sunday, with gates opening at 8am on both days. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726246963200.jpeg" alt="Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Thunderbirds-return-to-St--Joseph-e2oc3im" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Thunderbirds return to St. Joseph for Sound of Speed Airshow

TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of assault with a deadly weapon following an incident on a United States Army installation, according to the United State's Attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726243691062.png" alt="Thompson photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Thompson photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of assault with a deadly weapon following an incident on a United States Army installation, according to the United State's Attorney.In November 2023, Jordan Thompson, 24, assaulted an adult male victim while at Fort Riley.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726243865993.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thompson was involved in a domestic dispute with his estranged wife. He used a 9 mm caliber pistol to threaten the victim who was at the home of the child’s mother, and then left with the minor. The incident prompted officials to issue an Amber Alert.Thompson is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, Fort Riley Department of the ArmyCivilian Police, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kansas HighwayPatrol, and the Butler County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

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