(Radio Iowa) - Bills to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education as well as local governments have been debated in the legislature this year, but so far none have become law. 

Early Tuesday morning, a House subcommittee approved a Senate bill that would ban D-E-I offices and staff in city and county governments. A lobbyist for the Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers told lawmakers ending D-E-I initiatives doesn't make discrimination go away. Republican Representative Skyler Wheeler of Hull says D-E-I is extremely unpopular and he encouraged his political opponents to continue to defend D-E-I programs. 

Late Tuesday afternoon, a Senate subcommittee will review a House-passed bill to forbid D-E-I programs at private colleges that enroll students who receive Iowa Tuition Grants from the state.

(Radio Iowa) - Bills to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education as well as local governments have been debated in the legislature this year, but so far none have become law. Early Tuesday morning, a House subcommittee approved a Senate bill that would ban D-E-I offices and staff in city and county governments. A lobbyist for the Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers told lawmakers ending D-E-I initiatives doesn't make discrimination go away. Republican Representative Skyler Wheeler of Hull says D-E-I is extremely unpopular and he encouraged his political opponents to continue to defend D-E-I programs. Late Tuesday afternoon, a Senate subcommittee will review a House-passed bill to forbid D-E-I programs at private colleges that enroll students who receive Iowa Tuition Grants from the state.

House and Senate D.E.I. bills still under review in legislature

U.S. farmers will plant nearly 5 million more corn acres in 2025 compared with last year. In its 2025 Prospective Plantings report released Monday, the agency pegged corn acres for the 2025/2026 crop year at 95.3 million. This was up 5% from last year and above the average trade expectation. Soybean acres projected below last year at 83.5 million acres, below both last year and the average trade expectation. 

By NATHAN STUEDLESt. Joseph PostU.S. farmers will plant nearly 5 million more corn acres in 2025 compared with last year. In its 2025 Prospective Plantings report released Monday, the agency pegged corn acres for the 2025/2026 crop year at 95.3 million. This was up 5% from last year and above the average trade expectation. Soybean acres projected below last year at 83.5 million acres, below both last year and the average trade expectation.

USDA says corn acres up 5% in 2025

Extreme weather events, such as drought, jointly impact agricultural production and rural infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure. An important part of this transportation infrastructure is the Mississippi River. It serves as one of the most critical networks for moving agricultural commodities. Soybeans, the leading U.S. agricultural export, rely heavily on barge transportation, with 53 percent of exports moved by barge. 

Despite this reliance on barges for moving U.S. grain, little is known about the link between extreme weather, rural transportation infrastructure, and crop prices. Record-low water levels increased transportation costs and barge freight rates. Higher transportation costs are transmitted to row crop producers through lower cash bids or a weakening of local crop basis. Historic lows in Mississippi River levels during the fall harvest of the last three years have highlighted the need to measure the impact of these low river levels on rural infrastructure and communities. 

By NATHAN STUEDLESt. Joseph PostExtreme weather events, such as drought, jointly impact agricultural production and rural infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure. An important part of this transportation infrastructure is the Mississippi River. It serves as one of the most critical networks for moving agricultural commodities. Soybeans, the leading U.S. agricultural export, rely heavily on barge transportation, with 53 percent of exports moved by barge. Despite this reliance on barges for moving U.S. grain, little is known about the link between extreme weather, rural transportation infrastructure, and crop prices. Record-low water levels increased transportation costs and barge freight rates. Higher transportation costs are transmitted to row crop producers through lower cash bids or a weakening of local crop basis. Historic lows in Mississippi River levels during the fall harvest of the last three years have highlighted the need to measure the impact of these low river levels on rural infrastructure and communities.

Impact of low Mississippi River levels on soybean basis

The amendment, which could be debated by the Missouri House next week, would outlaw abortion with a limited set of exemptions

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

A revamped constitutional amendment moving forward in the Missouri House would ban nearly all abortions in Missouri. But most voters likely wouldn’t know that just by reading the drafted ballot language.&nbsp;

<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR54" target="_blank">The Republican-backed amendment</a>, if passed out of the legislature and approved by voters, would outlaw abortion with limited exceptions for medical emergencies and survivors of rape and incest prior to 12 weeks gestation.

The amendment seeks to overturn an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-abortion-access-planned-parenthood-lawsuit-amendment-3/">abortion-rights amendment approved by voters&nbsp;</a>in November that legalize abortions up until the point of fetal viability. This made Missouri the first state to overturn an abortion ban after lawmakers enacted a trigger law in 2022 that banned the procedure with exceptions only for medical emergencies.&nbsp;

While the proposed ballot language would ask voters if they want to repeal Article I, Section 36 of the constitution —the current abortion-rights amendment — it does not directly ask voters if they want to ban or outlaw most abortions.

Instead, it would ask voters if they want to “guarantee access to care for medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriages,” a right that is already guaranteed under the current constitutional amendment.&nbsp;

Missourians would also be asked if they want to “ensure women’s safety during abortion,” “ensure parental consent for minors,” allow abortions for medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape and incest” and “protect children from gender transitions.”

If approved by both the House and Senate, Missourians could be asked to weigh in on reinstating an abortion ban as soon as a special election the governor could call this year, or during the 2026 midterm election.&nbsp;

The legislation approved by a House committee Monday, is the second iteration of legislation filed by state Rep. Melanie Stinnett, a Republican from Springfield.&nbsp;

Stinnett’s initial language included a criticized police reporting requirement for survivors of sexual violence. Two out of every three sexual assaults are not reported to police, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system" target="_blank">Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network&nbsp;</a>and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.&nbsp;

That requirement was removed in Monday’s version.&nbsp;

On Thursday, House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Republican from Lee’s Summit, said while he anticipates the GOP will continue to refine the exact language to put before voters, he doesn’t foresee the rape and incest exceptions being cut out in later debate.&nbsp;

“That’s something that the people spoke on,” Patterson said. “That’s something that all the legislators recognize is something that we have to keep.”

The new legislation, like its predecessor, proposes a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/missouri-abortion-gender-affirming-health-care-amendment-3/">ban on gender-affirming health care for minors.</a>&nbsp;It also seeks to reinstate state regulations on abortion providers and facilities, including admitting privileges at a local hospital, licensing requirements and inspections.&nbsp;

The amendment would allow abortions in cases of fetal anomaly, which the legislation defines as “a structural or functional abnormality in the unborn child’s gestational development that would make life outside the womb impossible.”&nbsp;

The bill specifies that this would include ectopic pregnancies but exclude a fetal diagnosis of a disability.&nbsp;

State Rep. Raychel Proudie, a Democrat from Ferguson, raised concerns with this language on Monday. She questioned how the amendment would apply to a fetal diagnosis where a newborn could survive birth, but would die shortly after, including in cases of anencephaly, a fetal birth defect in which part of the brain or skull don’t develop properly.&nbsp;

The new proposal also looks to require that any legal challenges to the state law around reproductive health care be heard in Cole County.&nbsp;

After the abortion-rights amendment passed in November,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state</a>, arguing several abortion regulations on the books were now unconstitutional. That case is being tried in Jackson County, where one of the state’s several Planned Parenthood clinics is located.&nbsp;

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been unable to convince the judge to move the case to Cole County, where a judge last year&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/10/missouri-supreme-court-rules-amendment-legalizing-abortion-will-remain-on-ballot/">attempted to remove the abortion-rights amendment&nbsp;</a>from the ballot.

During Monday’s hearing, state Rep. Pattie Mansur, a Democrat from Kansas City, said she found it noteworthy that in Missouri, a 17-year-old girl could be legally married but would still need permission from her parents for an abortion.&nbsp;

The House Committee on Children and Families previously spent four hours debating the initial bill, including testimony from Missourians&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/05/missouri-abortion-ban-constitutional-amendment-stinnett-rape-incest-exception/">who accused lawmakers of attempting to overturn the will of the people</a>.

Republicans have continued to defend their decision to spend much of the legislative session on an abortion amendment by arguing that Missourians were misinformed on what they were voting on in November — a reasoning that continues to draw fury from abortion-right supporters both in the legislature and in their districts.&nbsp;

“The most disappointing piece of that is the Republican’s consistent insistence on defying the will of the voters in this state,” House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City, told reporters last week. “Whether it’s on abortion or paid sick leave and minimum wage, the first order of business this year has been to undo what Missourians went to the ballot box to vote for.”

Aune also took notice of how late into session the proposed amendment was making its way out of committee.&nbsp;

“It seems to me that the reason this has been slow rolled is that there simply is not consensus on the other side of the aisle on what language to end up with, how far to go or not, what they think that they can get passed by the voters or not,” Aune said Thursday. “That is likely causing a lot of contention in their caucus right now, and I’m not mad about that.”

But there didn’t seem to be much disagreement come Monday between GOP members of the House Committee on Children and Families who passed the revised language after just a few minutes of discussion.&nbsp;

“It was time to get this moving,” state Rep. Holly Jones, a Republican from Eureka who chairs the committee, told her colleagues Monday.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=186" target="_blank">Senate version of the legislation</a>, sponsored by state Sen. Adam Schnelting, a Republican from St Charles,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/05/abortion-ban-missouri-senate-mike-moon-rape-exceptions/">passed out of committee in early March</a>&nbsp;but has yet to be heard on the Senate floor.&nbsp;

Abortion within the state remains out of reach for many Missourians, despite voters in November codifying the right to reproductive health care in the state constitution.&nbsp;

This includes the most common type of abortion.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/28/missouri-rejects-planned-parenthood-medication-abortion-plan/">Medication abortions remain inaccessible</a>&nbsp;through Planned Parenthood in Missouri after the state rejected complication plans submitted by the clinics outlining continued care for patients in the case they had any adverse effects from the medication.&nbsp;

The rejection notice sent by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was based on criteria set in an emergency rule published Thursday by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office that included a requirement that clinics must provide the names of any physicians who prescribe abortion medication.&nbsp;

In response, Planned Parenthood on Friday filed a motion asking that a Jackson County judge block the state statute that requires the clinics submit an abortion medication plan.&nbsp;As of Monday, three Planned Parenthood clinics — in Kansas City,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/04/abortion-returns-columbia-missouri-planned-parenthood-clinic/">Columbia</a>&nbsp;and St. Louis —&nbsp;had started seeing some patients for procedural abortions again.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743531428363.png" alt="Stickers saying “repeal and replace Amendment 3” are distributed during Missouri Right to Life advocacy day at the Missouri State Capitol Wednesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Stickers saying “repeal and replace Amendment 3” are distributed during Missouri Right to Life advocacy day at the Missouri State Capitol Wednesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The amendment, which could be debated by the Missouri House next week, would outlaw abortion with a limited set of exemptions</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A revamped constitutional amendment moving forward in the Missouri House would ban nearly all abortions in Missouri. But most voters likely wouldn’t know that just by reading the drafted ballot language.&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR54" target="_blank">The Republican-backed amendment</a>, if passed out of the legislature and approved by voters, would outlaw abortion with limited exceptions for medical emergencies and survivors of rape and incest prior to 12 weeks gestation.The amendment seeks to overturn an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-abortion-access-planned-parenthood-lawsuit-amendment-3/">abortion-rights amendment approved by voters&nbsp;</a>in November that legalize abortions up until the point of fetal viability. This made Missouri the first state to overturn an abortion ban after lawmakers enacted a trigger law in 2022 that banned the procedure with exceptions only for medical emergencies.&nbsp;While the proposed ballot language would ask voters if they want to repeal Article I, Section 36 of the constitution —the current abortion-rights amendment — it does not directly ask voters if they want to ban or outlaw most abortions.Instead, it would ask voters if they want to “guarantee access to care for medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriages,” a right that is already guaranteed under the current constitutional amendment.&nbsp;Missourians would also be asked if they want to “ensure women’s safety during abortion,” “ensure parental consent for minors,” allow abortions for medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape and incest” and “protect children from gender transitions.”If approved by both the House and Senate, Missourians could be asked to weigh in on reinstating an abortion ban as soon as a special election the governor could call this year, or during the 2026 midterm election.&nbsp;The legislation approved by a House committee Monday, is the second iteration of legislation filed by state Rep. Melanie Stinnett, a Republican from Springfield.&nbsp;Stinnett’s initial language included a criticized police reporting requirement for survivors of sexual violence. Two out of every three sexual assaults are not reported to police, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system" target="_blank">Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network&nbsp;</a>and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.&nbsp;That requirement was removed in Monday’s version.&nbsp;On Thursday, House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Republican from Lee’s Summit, said while he anticipates the GOP will continue to refine the exact language to put before voters, he doesn’t foresee the rape and incest exceptions being cut out in later debate.&nbsp;“That’s something that the people spoke on,” Patterson said. “That’s something that all the legislators recognize is something that we have to keep.”The new legislation, like its predecessor, proposes a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/missouri-abortion-gender-affirming-health-care-amendment-3/">ban on gender-affirming health care for minors.</a>&nbsp;It also seeks to reinstate state regulations on abortion providers and facilities, including admitting privileges at a local hospital, licensing requirements and inspections.&nbsp;The amendment would allow abortions in cases of fetal anomaly, which the legislation defines as “a structural or functional abnormality in the unborn child’s gestational development that would make life outside the womb impossible.”&nbsp;The bill specifies that this would include ectopic pregnancies but exclude a fetal diagnosis of a disability.&nbsp;State Rep. Raychel Proudie, a Democrat from Ferguson, raised concerns with this language on Monday. She questioned how the amendment would apply to a fetal diagnosis where a newborn could survive birth, but would die shortly after, including in cases of anencephaly, a fetal birth defect in which part of the brain or skull don’t develop properly.&nbsp;The new proposal also looks to require that any legal challenges to the state law around reproductive health care be heard in Cole County.&nbsp;After the abortion-rights amendment passed in November,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state</a>, arguing several abortion regulations on the books were now unconstitutional. That case is being tried in Jackson County, where one of the state’s several Planned Parenthood clinics is located.&nbsp;Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been unable to convince the judge to move the case to Cole County, where a judge last year&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/10/missouri-supreme-court-rules-amendment-legalizing-abortion-will-remain-on-ballot/">attempted to remove the abortion-rights amendment&nbsp;</a>from the ballot.During Monday’s hearing, state Rep. Pattie Mansur, a Democrat from Kansas City, said she found it noteworthy that in Missouri, a 17-year-old girl could be legally married but would still need permission from her parents for an abortion.&nbsp;The House Committee on Children and Families previously spent four hours debating the initial bill, including testimony from Missourians&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/05/missouri-abortion-ban-constitutional-amendment-stinnett-rape-incest-exception/">who accused lawmakers of attempting to overturn the will of the people</a>.Republicans have continued to defend their decision to spend much of the legislative session on an abortion amendment by arguing that Missourians were misinformed on what they were voting on in November — a reasoning that continues to draw fury from abortion-right supporters both in the legislature and in their districts.&nbsp;“The most disappointing piece of that is the Republican’s consistent insistence on defying the will of the voters in this state,” House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City, told reporters last week. “Whether it’s on abortion or paid sick leave and minimum wage, the first order of business this year has been to undo what Missourians went to the ballot box to vote for.”Aune also took notice of how late into session the proposed amendment was making its way out of committee.&nbsp;“It seems to me that the reason this has been slow rolled is that there simply is not consensus on the other side of the aisle on what language to end up with, how far to go or not, what they think that they can get passed by the voters or not,” Aune said Thursday. “That is likely causing a lot of contention in their caucus right now, and I’m not mad about that.”But there didn’t seem to be much disagreement come Monday between GOP members of the House Committee on Children and Families who passed the revised language after just a few minutes of discussion.&nbsp;“It was time to get this moving,” state Rep. Holly Jones, a Republican from Eureka who chairs the committee, told her colleagues Monday.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=186" target="_blank">Senate version of the legislation</a>, sponsored by state Sen. Adam Schnelting, a Republican from St Charles,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/05/abortion-ban-missouri-senate-mike-moon-rape-exceptions/">passed out of committee in early March</a>&nbsp;but has yet to be heard on the Senate floor.&nbsp;Abortion within the state remains out of reach for many Missourians, despite voters in November codifying the right to reproductive health care in the state constitution.&nbsp;This includes the most common type of abortion.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/28/missouri-rejects-planned-parenthood-medication-abortion-plan/">Medication abortions remain inaccessible</a>&nbsp;through Planned Parenthood in Missouri after the state rejected complication plans submitted by the clinics outlining continued care for patients in the case they had any adverse effects from the medication.&nbsp;The rejection notice sent by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was based on criteria set in an emergency rule published Thursday by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office that included a requirement that clinics must provide the names of any physicians who prescribe abortion medication.&nbsp;In response, Planned Parenthood on Friday filed a motion asking that a Jackson County judge block the state statute that requires the clinics submit an abortion medication plan.&nbsp;As of Monday, three Planned Parenthood clinics — in Kansas City,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/04/abortion-returns-columbia-missouri-planned-parenthood-clinic/">Columbia</a>&nbsp;and St. Louis —&nbsp;had started seeing some patients for procedural abortions again.

Ballot language for Missouri anti-abortion amendment doesn’t mention abortion ban

Members of
Congress from rural districts in Missouri and Kansas have joined forces to
introduce legislation aimed at bringing stability to the energy grid in states
served by the Southwestern Power Administration.

Northern Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves and Congressman Tracey Mann, who represents the largest
Congressional district in Kansas, are co-sponsoring the Southwestern Power
Administration Fund Establishment Act. The Southwestern Power Administration
markets power produced by federal hydropower projects to electric cooperatives
and municipal utilities in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and
Texas. It is a part of the Energy Department.

“Missouri’s rural
electric cooperatives and municipal utilities have worked with the Southwestern
Power Administration (SWPA) to provide affordable and reliable electricity to
Missouri families for over 80 years,” Congressman Graves said in a written
statement. “But the way SWPA is set up, droughts and other disruptions can
cause rate spikes that are passed on to co-ops and municipalities that have no
choice but to increase electric rates on Missouri families. This common sense
legislation creates a revolving fund to fix that problem—giving SWPA the stable
funding necessary to avoid costly rate spikes, and lower customer rates.”

&nbsp;“For more than eight decades, the Southwestern
Power Administration has allowed rural electric cooperatives and municipal
utilities to provide reliable, affordable energy to Kansans,” Congressman Mann
said in a written statement. “Under the current funding structure, SWPA has not
had the flexibility to make necessary investments into their infrastructure. As
a result, when natural disasters and bad weather limit the Administration’s
ability to produce power, replacement power has to be purchased, and that cost
is absorbed by everyday Kansans. Establishing a revolving fund for SWPA ensures
that they can continue to invest in their infrastructure while providing safe,
reliable, and affordable energy to Kansas families and rural communities like
those in the Big First.”

The Southwestern
Power Administration Fund Establishment Act would give Southwestern Power
authority to establish self-funded financing to provide long-term stability,
helping to mitigate drastic spikes in power rates. 

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMembers of
Congress from rural districts in Missouri and Kansas have joined forces to
introduce legislation aimed at bringing stability to the energy grid in states
served by the Southwestern Power Administration.Northern Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves and Congressman Tracey Mann, who represents the largest
Congressional district in Kansas, are co-sponsoring the Southwestern Power
Administration Fund Establishment Act. The Southwestern Power Administration
markets power produced by federal hydropower projects to electric cooperatives
and municipal utilities in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and
Texas. It is a part of the Energy Department.“Missouri’s rural
electric cooperatives and municipal utilities have worked with the Southwestern
Power Administration (SWPA) to provide affordable and reliable electricity to
Missouri families for over 80 years,” Congressman Graves said in a written
statement. “But the way SWPA is set up, droughts and other disruptions can
cause rate spikes that are passed on to co-ops and municipalities that have no
choice but to increase electric rates on Missouri families. This common sense
legislation creates a revolving fund to fix that problem—giving SWPA the stable
funding necessary to avoid costly rate spikes, and lower customer rates.”&nbsp;“For more than eight decades, the Southwestern
Power Administration has allowed rural electric cooperatives and municipal
utilities to provide reliable, affordable energy to Kansans,” Congressman Mann
said in a written statement. “Under the current funding structure, SWPA has not
had the flexibility to make necessary investments into their infrastructure. As
a result, when natural disasters and bad weather limit the Administration’s
ability to produce power, replacement power has to be purchased, and that cost
is absorbed by everyday Kansans. Establishing a revolving fund for SWPA ensures
that they can continue to invest in their infrastructure while providing safe,
reliable, and affordable energy to Kansas families and rural communities like
those in the Big First.”The Southwestern
Power Administration Fund Establishment Act would give Southwestern Power
authority to establish self-funded financing to provide long-term stability,
helping to mitigate drastic spikes in power rates. You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MO&KS Congressmen move to stabilize hydro power to rural America

(Radio Iowa) - With the arrival of warmer weather, Iowans are more prone to get outside and exercise, and if you're searching for something easy that also has a positive impact on your health, consider the simple act of walking. 

Jessica Boland, a wellness consultant at Gundersen Health, says walking involves no expensive or special equipment, other than a decent pair of tennis shoes. Boland says walking has physical benefits, like a decrease of certain diseases, and it reduces stress. She suggests starting out with short distances and gradually adding to them. 

There are many free apps available for our phones that will track steps taken and calories burned, while having a friend to walk with, or an accountability partner, helps to keep you motivated and on-track with your goals.

(Radio Iowa) - With the arrival of warmer weather, Iowans are more prone to get outside and exercise, and if you're searching for something easy that also has a positive impact on your health, consider the simple act of walking. Jessica Boland, a wellness consultant at Gundersen Health, says walking involves no expensive or special equipment, other than a decent pair of tennis shoes. Boland says walking has physical benefits, like a decrease of certain diseases, and it reduces stress. She suggests starting out with short distances and gradually adding to them. There are many free apps available for our phones that will track steps taken and calories burned, while having a friend to walk with, or an accountability partner, helps to keep you motivated and on-track with your goals.

Iowans looking to get fit this spring should go take a hike

(Radio Iowa) - U-S Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the Trump Administration is planning another round of market disruption payments if the tariffs the president announces today lead to a downturn in ag exports. 

Rollins, who made several stops in Iowa Monday, says there's less money available for the payments than there were in the first Trump Administration when U-S ag exports to China fell due to a trade dispute. Trump's previous administration paid 23 BILLION in three years to farmers for trade-related losses. 

Rollins says Trump was elected on a platform that argued tariffs are one of the top tools to realign the American economy and put Americans first.

(Radio Iowa) - U-S Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the Trump Administration is planning another round of market disruption payments if the tariffs the president announces today lead to a downturn in ag exports. Rollins, who made several stops in Iowa Monday, says there's less money available for the payments than there were in the first Trump Administration when U-S ag exports to China fell due to a trade dispute. Trump's previous administration paid 23 BILLION in three years to farmers for trade-related losses. Rollins says Trump was elected on a platform that argued tariffs are one of the top tools to realign the American economy and put Americans first.

US Ag Secretary planning more federal aid for farmers if there's a trade war

Interim Andrew
County Circuit Clerk, Tannah Buhman, no longer has to use “interim” in her
title.

Buhman, who is
from St. Joseph, has been named the Andrew County Circuit Clerk by Gov. Mike
Kehoe.

Buhman had been
appointed on an interim basis by the Presiding Judge after a year as Deputy Court
Clerk.

Buhman previously
worked as a patient care representative for Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. She
holds certifications as a Certified Nurse Assistant and Certified Medication
Technician.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostInterim Andrew
County Circuit Clerk, Tannah Buhman, no longer has to use “interim” in her
title.Buhman, who is
from St. Joseph, has been named the Andrew County Circuit Clerk by Gov. Mike
Kehoe.Buhman had been
appointed on an interim basis by the Presiding Judge after a year as Deputy Court
Clerk.Buhman previously
worked as a patient care representative for Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. She
holds certifications as a Certified Nurse Assistant and Certified Medication
Technician.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Tannah Buhman appointed Andrew County Circuit Clerk

State approval and
expedited work to prepare a new cell should enable the St. Joseph landfill to
continue uninterrupted operations.

St. Joseph Public
Works Director, Abe Forney, says the city has received approval from the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources to pile trash in Cell #7 470,000 cubic
yards higher.

“So we don’t have
to relocate all of that trash now,” Forney tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. &nbsp;“We can just continue to receive the trash
from the haulers and fill up Cell #7 without bringing over the excess trash
that we had previously piled up to give us more space.”

Forney says contractor
M-Con has nearly completed the digging of Cell #8 and will soon be spreading
clay on the new cell, which will take three to four weeks. Liner and leachate
piping comes next. Then, the city must wait for DNR approval.

“I’m thinking
around July – August timeframe is when it’ll be done.”

Forney says the
twin moves have taken pressure off the landfill.

“If the trash
continues to come in at the rate that it is and we really appreciate all the
trash haulers reducing some of the trash that they’re bringing in,” Forney
says. “And us getting this vertical expansion, we believe that it gives us
enough time to get Cell #8 opened.”

Forney says the
city hopes to learn from this ordeal.

“I really
appreciate everybody’s patience,” Forney says. “We knew that there was a lot of
trash coming in, but we didn’t foresee this circumstance and we got behind the
power curve. I’ll take ownership of it. We screwed up and we’re doing
everything that we can to eliminate the problem.”

Forney says since
the city issued the contract for M-Con to prepare Cell #8, it has shifted city
workers to begin preparation of Cell #9 to ensure it doesn’t run into this
situation again.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostState approval and
expedited work to prepare a new cell should enable the St. Joseph landfill to
continue uninterrupted operations.St. Joseph Public
Works Director, Abe Forney, says the city has received approval from the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources to pile trash in Cell #7 470,000 cubic
yards higher.“So we don’t have
to relocate all of that trash now,” Forney tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. &nbsp;“We can just continue to receive the trash
from the haulers and fill up Cell #7 without bringing over the excess trash
that we had previously piled up to give us more space.”Forney says contractor
M-Con has nearly completed the digging of Cell #8 and will soon be spreading
clay on the new cell, which will take three to four weeks. Liner and leachate
piping comes next. Then, the city must wait for DNR approval.“I’m thinking
around July – August timeframe is when it’ll be done.”Forney says the
twin moves have taken pressure off the landfill.“If the trash
continues to come in at the rate that it is and we really appreciate all the
trash haulers reducing some of the trash that they’re bringing in,” Forney
says. “And us getting this vertical expansion, we believe that it gives us
enough time to get Cell #8 opened.”Forney says the
city hopes to learn from this ordeal.“I really
appreciate everybody’s patience,” Forney says. “We knew that there was a lot of
trash coming in, but we didn’t foresee this circumstance and we got behind the
power curve. I’ll take ownership of it. We screwed up and we’re doing
everything that we can to eliminate the problem.”Forney says since
the city issued the contract for M-Con to prepare Cell #8, it has shifted city
workers to begin preparation of Cell #9 to ensure it doesn’t run into this
situation again.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

State approval, emergency work should give St. Joseph landfill new life

WASHINGTON–&nbsp;U.S. Senator&nbsp;Roger&nbsp;Marshall joined Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida) in introducing the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/services/files/86DB540C-CD52-4153-8815-3EF1F1A355AC">Locating Every Disbursement in Government Expenditure Records (LEDGER) Act</a>, which would require the U.S. Department of Treasury to track all payments after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) found $4.7 trillion in payments&nbsp;that were&nbsp;left unmarked and untraceable, according to a media release from Marshall's office.

“Our national debt has ballooned to&nbsp;over $36 trillion.&nbsp;Just last year, we spent more than $1 trillion on interest payments, and both figures continue to grow because&nbsp;of unbelievable waste, fraud, and abuse in our government,”&nbsp;said Senator&nbsp;Marshall.&nbsp;“The latest revelation that $4.7 trillion in Treasury payments were&nbsp;missing important traceability codes is disgraceful. The American people deserve answers and accountability, and this only reinforces why the work of&nbsp;DOGE&nbsp;is so critical to getting America’s financial house back in order.&nbsp;I am proud to stand alongside Senator Scott to make these traceability codes mandatory in order to enhance payment integrity.”

“Washington’s dysfunction was at an all-time high before President Trump took office this January. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a massive expansion of government, spending trillions of tax dollars with reckless abandon and nearly zero accountability or consideration of Americans’ best interests, adding $8 trillion to the now $36 trillion federal debt and running a $2 trillion deficit,”&nbsp;said Senator Scott.&nbsp;“The federal government&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1880282226727817715">hadn’t</a>&nbsp;completed a comprehensive review since before the world wide web existed when the federal budget was under $1 trillion. That’s changing as President Trump, Treasury Secretary Bessent, DOGE, and the entire administration work to streamline government and crack down on wasteful spending. Like many Americans, I was outraged by DOGE’s findings that the U.S. Treasury made $4.7 trillion in payments that were completely unmarked, unlabeled and therefore, untraceable and unaccountable to the American people. My bill, the&nbsp;LEDGER Act, fixes that by requiring Treasury to track every payment made using Americans’ tax dollars. There’s not a single family or business in America that operates this way – we look at our bank accounts and credit card statements to make sure we know where our money is going and stay on budget. I brought the same common sense of every American family and business as Governor of Florida to get spending under control and balance the budget, and we can do the same on the federal level to save the American dream and support the great work of President Trump, Secretary Bessent and DOGE.”

Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/SRS-Bill-LEDGER-Act.pdf">HERE</a>&nbsp;to read the full bill text.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741300124075.png" alt="File photo Elon Musk during President Trump address to Congress last month-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo Elon Musk during President Trump address to Congress last month-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON–&nbsp;U.S. Senator&nbsp;Roger&nbsp;Marshall joined Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida) in introducing the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/services/files/86DB540C-CD52-4153-8815-3EF1F1A355AC">Locating Every Disbursement in Government Expenditure Records (LEDGER) Act</a>, which would require the U.S. Department of Treasury to track all payments after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) found $4.7 trillion in payments&nbsp;that were&nbsp;left unmarked and untraceable, according to a media release from Marshall's office.“Our national debt has ballooned to&nbsp;over $36 trillion.&nbsp;Just last year, we spent more than $1 trillion on interest payments, and both figures continue to grow because&nbsp;of unbelievable waste, fraud, and abuse in our government,”&nbsp;said Senator&nbsp;Marshall.&nbsp;“The latest revelation that $4.7 trillion in Treasury payments were&nbsp;missing important traceability codes is disgraceful. The American people deserve answers and accountability, and this only reinforces why the work of&nbsp;DOGE&nbsp;is so critical to getting America’s financial house back in order.&nbsp;I am proud to stand alongside Senator Scott to make these traceability codes mandatory in order to enhance payment integrity.”“Washington’s dysfunction was at an all-time high before President Trump took office this January. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a massive expansion of government, spending trillions of tax dollars with reckless abandon and nearly zero accountability or consideration of Americans’ best interests, adding $8 trillion to the now $36 trillion federal debt and running a $2 trillion deficit,”&nbsp;said Senator Scott.&nbsp;“The federal government&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1880282226727817715">hadn’t</a>&nbsp;completed a comprehensive review since before the world wide web existed when the federal budget was under $1 trillion. That’s changing as President Trump, Treasury Secretary Bessent, DOGE, and the entire administration work to streamline government and crack down on wasteful spending. Like many Americans, I was outraged by DOGE’s findings that the U.S. Treasury made $4.7 trillion in payments that were completely unmarked, unlabeled and therefore, untraceable and unaccountable to the American people. My bill, the&nbsp;LEDGER Act, fixes that by requiring Treasury to track every payment made using Americans’ tax dollars. There’s not a single family or business in America that operates this way – we look at our bank accounts and credit card statements to make sure we know where our money is going and stay on budget. I brought the same common sense of every American family and business as Governor of Florida to get spending under control and balance the budget, and we can do the same on the federal level to save the American dream and support the great work of President Trump, Secretary Bessent and DOGE.”Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/SRS-Bill-LEDGER-Act.pdf">HERE</a>&nbsp;to read the full bill text.Background:<ul>
 <li>Senator&nbsp;Marshall&nbsp;is a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshall-key-member-on-senate-doge-caucus-to-eliminate-government-waste-and-inefficiency/">founding member of the Senate DOGE Caucus</a>&nbsp;and has long fought against wasteful government spending, fraud, and abuse that have burdened Americans with trillions of dollars in debt.</li><li>To date,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://doge.gov/savings">according to its website</a>, DOGE has cut over $130 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Kan. US. Senator takes action after DOGE found $4.7T in untraceable Treasury payments

The proposals would allow state tax support for new facilities in Clay County, where the Royals are considering a new stadium and the Chiefs are mulling a new training center

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

Two&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=5391365" target="_blank">identical bills</a>&nbsp;to give state backing for a new sports and convention center in Clay County are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/24/jackson-clay-county-lawmakers-jostling-to-keep-the-royals-and-chiefs-in-missouri/">not an attempt to poach</a>&nbsp;the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals from Jackson County, legislators were told Monday during a Senate committee hearing.

Instead, the bill sponsors said, the intent is to provide another location for new facilities for one or both of the teams in order to ensure they stay in Missouri .

“This has never been about pitting Jackson against Clay County,” said state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from the Clay County portion of Kansas City. “This is making sure that the teams have all the options on the table to find a spot that will work well for them.”

Nurrenbern, who represents about two-thirds of Clay County, was joined by state Sen. Kurtis Gregory, a Republican from Marshall whose district has the remainder of Clay County.

As he ran for the Senate last year, Gregory said, he was asked repeatedly what could be done to keep the teams in Missouri.&nbsp;

“If they go to another state, we’re looking at easily another 50, 60, 70 years, before we’ve got a shot to get them back,” he said.

With only seven weeks to go in the session, Gregory said after the hearing that he and Nurrenbern will be looking for a bill that can be amended to carry the legislation.

The bills would authorize a new Clay County Sports Complex Authority, modeled on the Jackson County organization that owns the Truman Sports Complex in eastern Kansas City where the Chiefs play home games in Arrowhead Stadium and the Royals play next door in Kauffman Stadium. The stadiums were built in the 1960s and leases for both teams run through the end of the 2030 season.

The bill would authorize a state payment of up to $3 million annually to support the authority if it leases its facility to a team in the NFL, NBA, NHL or Major League Baseball. The payment would only be made if lawmakers approve it in annual appropriation bills and only in an amount equal to the support from local governments.

The likelihood one or both teams will move is high after Kansas lawmakers last year passed several incentives intended to lure them across the state line.

The Royals first announced an intention to leave Kauffman Stadium&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287849540.html" target="_blank">in November 2022</a>. The move would allow the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman and build a covered entertainment center.

In the spring of 2023, Clay County leaders announced interest in building a stadium in North Kansas City that could become the Royals new home.

Soon after Clay County entered the conversation, a poll was leaked to the media widely seen as an effort to discredit the offer. It showed 70% of Clay County voters opposed a new sales tax to fund a stadium in North Kansas City.&nbsp;

No one took responsibility for the poll at the time. It wasn’t until more than a year later that documents provided to The Independent revealed it was a political action committee formed to support Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/13/campaign-committee-controlled-by-kc-mayor-requested-poll-he-denied-involvement-in/">paid for the Clay County polling</a>.

The effort to relocate the Royals to a new downtown stadium stalled when voters last year rejected a proposal to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a downtown Kansas City baseball stadium and upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium.

Clay County is angling for both the Royals’ new home and for a new Chiefs training facility.

Clay County officials testifying Monday said their top priority is to find a solution to team facility needs that keeps both teams in Missouri.

“We have worked with local businesses, and we have worked with the local municipalities to make sure that we are all speaking with one voice, and it would be our pleasure to be able to add our voice to that of the state of Missouri,” Clay County Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte said.

But if the teams stay put at the Truman Sports Complex, move downtown or cross the state line, having the authority structure will help Clay County compete for other business, Clay County Associate Commissioner Scott Wagner said.

“This tool,” Wagner said, “can be helpful to us in the future for other sorts of teams, other sorts of opportunities that could potentially come to Clay County.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743503225884.png" alt=" State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, right, listens as Clay County Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte speaks Monday in favor of her bill authorizing a Clay County sports and convention center authority. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, right, listens as Clay County Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte speaks Monday in favor of her bill authorizing a Clay County sports and convention center authority. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The proposals would allow state tax support for new facilities in Clay County, where the Royals are considering a new stadium and the Chiefs are mulling a new training center</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Two&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=5391365" target="_blank">identical bills</a>&nbsp;to give state backing for a new sports and convention center in Clay County are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/24/jackson-clay-county-lawmakers-jostling-to-keep-the-royals-and-chiefs-in-missouri/">not an attempt to poach</a>&nbsp;the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals from Jackson County, legislators were told Monday during a Senate committee hearing.Instead, the bill sponsors said, the intent is to provide another location for new facilities for one or both of the teams in order to ensure they stay in Missouri .“This has never been about pitting Jackson against Clay County,” said state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from the Clay County portion of Kansas City. “This is making sure that the teams have all the options on the table to find a spot that will work well for them.”Nurrenbern, who represents about two-thirds of Clay County, was joined by state Sen. Kurtis Gregory, a Republican from Marshall whose district has the remainder of Clay County.As he ran for the Senate last year, Gregory said, he was asked repeatedly what could be done to keep the teams in Missouri.&nbsp;“If they go to another state, we’re looking at easily another 50, 60, 70 years, before we’ve got a shot to get them back,” he said.With only seven weeks to go in the session, Gregory said after the hearing that he and Nurrenbern will be looking for a bill that can be amended to carry the legislation.The bills would authorize a new Clay County Sports Complex Authority, modeled on the Jackson County organization that owns the Truman Sports Complex in eastern Kansas City where the Chiefs play home games in Arrowhead Stadium and the Royals play next door in Kauffman Stadium. The stadiums were built in the 1960s and leases for both teams run through the end of the 2030 season.The bill would authorize a state payment of up to $3 million annually to support the authority if it leases its facility to a team in the NFL, NBA, NHL or Major League Baseball. The payment would only be made if lawmakers approve it in annual appropriation bills and only in an amount equal to the support from local governments.The likelihood one or both teams will move is high after Kansas lawmakers last year passed several incentives intended to lure them across the state line.The Royals first announced an intention to leave Kauffman Stadium&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287849540.html" target="_blank">in November 2022</a>. The move would allow the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman and build a covered entertainment center.In the spring of 2023, Clay County leaders announced interest in building a stadium in North Kansas City that could become the Royals new home.Soon after Clay County entered the conversation, a poll was leaked to the media widely seen as an effort to discredit the offer. It showed 70% of Clay County voters opposed a new sales tax to fund a stadium in North Kansas City.&nbsp;No one took responsibility for the poll at the time. It wasn’t until more than a year later that documents provided to The Independent revealed it was a political action committee formed to support Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/13/campaign-committee-controlled-by-kc-mayor-requested-poll-he-denied-involvement-in/">paid for the Clay County polling</a>.The effort to relocate the Royals to a new downtown stadium stalled when voters last year rejected a proposal to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a downtown Kansas City baseball stadium and upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium.Clay County is angling for both the Royals’ new home and for a new Chiefs training facility.Clay County officials testifying Monday said their top priority is to find a solution to team facility needs that keeps both teams in Missouri.“We have worked with local businesses, and we have worked with the local municipalities to make sure that we are all speaking with one voice, and it would be our pleasure to be able to add our voice to that of the state of Missouri,” Clay County Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte said.But if the teams stay put at the Truman Sports Complex, move downtown or cross the state line, having the authority structure will help Clay County compete for other business, Clay County Associate Commissioner Scott Wagner said.“This tool,” Wagner said, “can be helpful to us in the future for other sorts of teams, other sorts of opportunities that could potentially come to Clay County.”

Missouri Senators debate bill to open the door to Royals stadium in Clay County

(Radio Iowa) - The Iowa Economic Development Authority's proposed overhaul of state tax credits has cleared initial review in the House and Senate. 

The changes would include limiting the money spent on research and development tax credits to 40 million dollars per year and putting more money into housing tax credits. A new five million dollar credit would be available to encourage production of sustainable aviation fuel. 

During testimony at the legislature, Iowa Economic Development Authority director Debi Durham said some of the state's current incentives were designed to compensate for Iowa not having competitive tax policies -- but they're no longer needed since lawmakers have significantly Iowa's individual income tax rate and the corporate tax rate.

(Radio Iowa) - The Iowa Economic Development Authority's proposed overhaul of state tax credits has cleared initial review in the House and Senate. The changes would include limiting the money spent on research and development tax credits to 40 million dollars per year and putting more money into housing tax credits. A new five million dollar credit would be available to encourage production of sustainable aviation fuel. During testimony at the legislature, Iowa Economic Development Authority director Debi Durham said some of the state's current incentives were designed to compensate for Iowa not having competitive tax policies -- but they're no longer needed since lawmakers have significantly Iowa's individual income tax rate and the corporate tax rate.

Reynolds Administration proposes overhaul of some state tax credits

(Radio Iowa) - After parts of Iowa saw near-record high temperatures in the 70s and 80s on Friday, the weekend wrapped up with snow in some areas on Sunday afternoon. 

National Weather Service Meteorologist Andrew Ansorge says snowfall amounts included about a third of an inch in Des Moines and two inches in Fort Dodge. He suggests you keep a close eye on the forecast as another round of storms will move through the state Tuesday night into Wednesday, bringing a chance for large hail and damaging wind gusts.

(Radio Iowa) - After parts of Iowa saw near-record high temperatures in the 70s and 80s on Friday, the weekend wrapped up with snow in some areas on Sunday afternoon. National Weather Service Meteorologist Andrew Ansorge says snowfall amounts included about a third of an inch in Des Moines and two inches in Fort Dodge. He suggests you keep a close eye on the forecast as another round of storms will move through the state Tuesday night into Wednesday, bringing a chance for large hail and damaging wind gusts.

Following a warm and snowy weekend, Iowans need to stay weather aware

(Radio Iowa) - Two S-U-V's collided in rural Council Bluffs on Saturday, killing one woman and leaving another woman and a child injured. 

Authorities say one of the vehicles, driven by Renrenay Marie Thomas of Glenwood, went out of control and crossed the center line of Wahbash Avenue near Ashwood Road, before hitting the other S-U-V, driven by Theresa Ellsworth of Council Bluffs. Thomas had to be extricated from her vehicle. She died from her injuries at the hospital. 

Ellsworth and a nine-year old child in her S-U-V were transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

(Radio Iowa) - Two S-U-V's collided in rural Council Bluffs on Saturday, killing one woman and leaving another woman and a child injured. Authorities say one of the vehicles, driven by Renrenay Marie Thomas of Glenwood, went out of control and crossed the center line of Wahbash Avenue near Ashwood Road, before hitting the other S-U-V, driven by Theresa Ellsworth of Council Bluffs. Thomas had to be extricated from her vehicle. She died from her injuries at the hospital. Ellsworth and a nine-year old child in her S-U-V were transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Weekend crash in Southwest Iowa kills one, injures two

The Pony Express Museum will celebrate 165 years of spreading the history of mail service to the West, by letting people in for free this coming weekend.  

Executive Director Cindy Daffron says to celebrate the anniversary, the entire campus of the museum will open to everyone for free 

"St. Joe is always telling me, you're never open, I can't ever go there, well I'm telling you right now I've got the money collected, it's free days," Daffron tells KFEQ News.  "So the 3rd, the 4th, the 5th, the 6th are all free days into all those facilities, so I'm really hoping people will take advantage of it, if not there's people coming from South Carolina and all kinds of different places, so you need to come and check it out." 

Daffron says on April 4th there will be music in the board room, and you can also pay a visit to Dick and Mignon's Soda Shop 

"You can get a sarsaparilla, you can get a root beer but knock yourself out because I've got a mug and you can also get a root beer float," Daffron explains.  "So those things you pay for, and on the way out you need to get a chocolate bar."  

Daffron encourages everyone to come visit the museum April 3rd through the 6th for free 

"You don't need your wallet, if you want to give a donation that's really fine, but you can come and enjoy our campus," Daffron says.  "Now it's the only time that I know of that I'm going to have everything open, it takes a lot of volunteers folks to pull off all of this getting all of these buildings open, but it's really our pleasure." 

There will also be several other events surrounding the anniversary weekend.  The museum will be open from 9am to 5pm each day.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644606840719.jpeg" alt="Pony Express Stables R.JPG" />
 <figcaption>Pony Express Stables R.JPG</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Pony Express Museum will celebrate 165 years of spreading the history of mail service to the West, by letting people in for free this coming weekend. Executive Director Cindy Daffron says to celebrate the anniversary, the entire campus of the museum will open to everyone for free "St. Joe is always telling me, you're never open, I can't ever go there, well I'm telling you right now I've got the money collected, it's free days," Daffron tells KFEQ News. "So the 3rd, the 4th, the 5th, the 6th are all free days into all those facilities, so I'm really hoping people will take advantage of it, if not there's people coming from South Carolina and all kinds of different places, so you need to come and check it out." Daffron says on April 4th there will be music in the board room, and you can also pay a visit to Dick and Mignon's Soda Shop "You can get a sarsaparilla, you can get a root beer but knock yourself out because I've got a mug and you can also get a root beer float," Daffron explains. "So those things you pay for, and on the way out you need to get a chocolate bar." Daffron encourages everyone to come visit the museum April 3rd through the 6th for free "You don't need your wallet, if you want to give a donation that's really fine, but you can come and enjoy our campus," Daffron says. "Now it's the only time that I know of that I'm going to have everything open, it takes a lot of volunteers folks to pull off all of this getting all of these buildings open, but it's really our pleasure." There will also be several other events surrounding the anniversary weekend. The museum will be open from 9am to 5pm each day.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Pony Express Museum opens doors for 165th anniversary for free

Following the sudden resignation after one season by Ashton Feldhaus, the Missouri Western Lady Griffons have tabbed the next man up to lead the program, one of the most successful coaches in the junior college ranks.&nbsp;

Missouri Western Athletic Director Andy Carter announced&nbsp;Luke Scheidecker as the 11th head coach in program history today.&nbsp; Scheidecker, a native of Smithville, comes to St. Joseph after a historic stint with Wabash Valley College where he compiled a career record of&nbsp;231-22, a .913 winning percentage, with stints between&nbsp;2016-18 and&nbsp;2020-2025

Most recently,&nbsp;Scheidecker led the Lady Warriors to a 31-3 record, and an exit in the third round of the NJCAA tournament this past Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Luke is an outstanding recruiter and head coach with lots of basketball experience, Carter said in a news release. "It is why he was a finalist less than a year ago during our search. His ties to the region and his success speak for themselves" 

"He is a leader and understands the importance and value of building relationships with the members of his team. I am grateful to have him on our team"

Scheidecker, the 2024 WBCA Two-Year National Coach of the Year, has received numerous accolades, including six NJCAA Region 24 Coach of the Year awards and six Midwest District Coach of the Year honors at WVC. He's also been named the Illinois Basketball Coaches' Association College Coach of the Year five times.&nbsp; Under his leadership, Wabash Valley College has made six appearances in the National Tournament and have won six Great Rivers Athletic Conference Championships. 

"I am excited and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the Missouri Western women's basketball tradition," Scheidecker said. "Being from the area, I am very familiar with Mo West and its success in one of the toughest conferences in the country. I want to thank Andy Carter and Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy for entrusting me with this position."

Scheidecker also has a connection already to the university.&nbsp; His wife, Tori, was a Missouri Western Women's Basketball Graduate Assistant from 2019-2021. She was also a standout player at Butler University, earning All-Big East honors three times. They have two children - nine-year-old son, Cade, and six-year-old daughter, Brynn.

Scheidecker will be officially introduced at a press conference on Friday, April 4th at 12pm in the Spratt Stadium Hall of Fame room. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743441895017.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western has hired&nbsp;Luke Scheidecker as the 11th head coach in program history/ Photo courtesy of Wabash Valley College" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western has hired&nbsp;Luke Scheidecker as the 11th head coach in program history/ Photo courtesy of Wabash Valley College</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostFollowing the sudden resignation after one season by Ashton Feldhaus, the Missouri Western Lady Griffons have tabbed the next man up to lead the program, one of the most successful coaches in the junior college ranks.&nbsp;Missouri Western Athletic Director Andy Carter announced&nbsp;Luke Scheidecker as the 11th head coach in program history today.&nbsp; Scheidecker, a native of Smithville, comes to St. Joseph after a historic stint with Wabash Valley College where he compiled a career record of&nbsp;231-22, a .913 winning percentage, with stints between&nbsp;2016-18 and&nbsp;2020-2025Most recently,&nbsp;Scheidecker led the Lady Warriors to a 31-3 record, and an exit in the third round of the NJCAA tournament this past Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Luke is an outstanding recruiter and head coach with lots of basketball experience, Carter said in a news release. "It is why he was a finalist less than a year ago during our search. His ties to the region and his success speak for themselves" "He is a leader and understands the importance and value of building relationships with the members of his team. I am grateful to have him on our team"Scheidecker, the 2024 WBCA Two-Year National Coach of the Year, has received numerous accolades, including six NJCAA Region 24 Coach of the Year awards and six Midwest District Coach of the Year honors at WVC. He's also been named the Illinois Basketball Coaches' Association College Coach of the Year five times.&nbsp; Under his leadership, Wabash Valley College has made six appearances in the National Tournament and have won six Great Rivers Athletic Conference Championships. "I am excited and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the Missouri Western women's basketball tradition," Scheidecker said. "Being from the area, I am very familiar with Mo West and its success in one of the toughest conferences in the country. I want to thank Andy Carter and Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy for entrusting me with this position."Scheidecker also has a connection already to the university.&nbsp; His wife, Tori, was a Missouri Western Women's Basketball Graduate Assistant from 2019-2021. She was also a standout player at Butler University, earning All-Big East honors three times. They have two children - nine-year-old son, Cade, and six-year-old daughter, Brynn.Scheidecker will be officially introduced at a press conference on Friday, April 4th at 12pm in the Spratt Stadium Hall of Fame room. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

MWSU brings on Luke Scheidecker as new women's basketball coach

(Radio Iowa) - An analysis by an Iowa-based think tank has found the percentage of working age men who have a job or are looking for work is falling faster in Iowa than in the country as a whole.

Ben Murrey -- director of policy and research at the Common Sense Institute -- says it's a significant, but under-recognized challenge in Iowa's economy. The group's report -- titled "Where are the men?" -- found Iowa men between the ages 25 and 54 who do not have a college degree are 39 percent less likely to be in the workforce compared with to those with a degree. 

Never-married Iowa men are 51 percent less likely to be in the labor market than married men. And working age Iowa men who live with a relative are 61 percent less likely to be employed or seeking a job compared to men live alone or are the head of their household.

(Radio Iowa) - An analysis by an Iowa-based think tank has found the percentage of working age men who have a job or are looking for work is falling faster in Iowa than in the country as a whole.Ben Murrey -- director of policy and research at the Common Sense Institute -- says it's a significant, but under-recognized challenge in Iowa's economy. The group's report -- titled "Where are the men?" -- found Iowa men between the ages 25 and 54 who do not have a college degree are 39 percent less likely to be in the workforce compared with to those with a degree. Never-married Iowa men are 51 percent less likely to be in the labor market than married men. And working age Iowa men who live with a relative are 61 percent less likely to be employed or seeking a job compared to men live alone or are the head of their household.

Report finds significant drop in percentage of Iowa men in workforce

A St. Joseph man is accused of
stealing the identity of a Minnesota man for years, using it to get work.

Federal prosecutors have charged
42-year-old Romeo Perez-Bravo with aggravated identity theft and misuse of a
Social Security number.

The Social Security
Administration began its investigation after receiving a tip from the St.
Joseph Police Department. Social Security claims Perez-Bravo has been living in
St. Joseph and using the identity to work for local area employers since 2009. The victim reported
the identity theft when he began to receive unpaid income tax bills from the
IRS.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA St. Joseph man is accused of
stealing the identity of a Minnesota man for years, using it to get work.Federal prosecutors have charged
42-year-old Romeo Perez-Bravo with aggravated identity theft and misuse of a
Social Security number.The Social Security
Administration began its investigation after receiving a tip from the St.
Joseph Police Department. Social Security claims Perez-Bravo has been living in
St. Joseph and using the identity to work for local area employers since 2009. The victim reported
the identity theft when he began to receive unpaid income tax bills from the
IRS.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joe man accused of stealing Minnesota man ID for years

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/natanyafriedheim/">NATANYA FRIEDHEIM</a>

A bill in the Missouri Senate’s education committee concerning religion in the classroom had senators, faith-based leaders and school advocates at odds Tuesday.

If passed, Senate Bill 594 would require classrooms to display a poster of at least 11 inches by 14 inches with the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

Missouri students would see the words “I AM THE LORD thy God” followed by the Ten Commandments posted in every public and charter school classroom they enter.

“I honestly believe that when prayer went out of schools, and religion was removed from schools, that guns came in and violence came in,” the bill sponsor, state Sen. Jamie Burger, a Benton Republican, said during the hearing.

In opposition to the bill, Democratic state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern of Kansas City expressed concern about the costs of potential litigation. She also opposed the bill on principle. “This goes against the very founding of our nation,” she said.

Burger disagreed. After a back and forth, he said, “You know one thing, I think, when they talk about separation of church and state, I think they were talking about, we don’t want any church ran by the state. That’s my feelings. That’s my interpretation.”

Faith leaders testified both in support of and opposition to the bill — and people on both sides took issue with the version of the Ten Commandments included in the bill.

Faiths that adhere to the Ten Commandments, including Judaism, Catholicism and Lutheranism, have different versions of it, so the bill would “take sides in a deeply theological debate,” said Brian Kaylor, a Baptist minister and president of Word &amp; Way, an online publication.

“This bill would make many students feel like second-class citizens in their own classrooms, just because they come from a religious tradition that lists the Ten Commandments differently, they adhere to a religious faith that does not even include the Ten Commandments, or they have no faith at all,” he added.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year. A federal judge blocked the law in November, and the state appealed the court’s decision.

In 1980’s Stone v. Graham decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a similar law in Kentucky violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which states “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.”

For Sage Coram of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, the bill violates the U.S. and Missouri constitutions. Children are required to attend school, and SB 594 could pressure students into adopting the state’s preferred religion, usurping parents’ right to choose what religious doctrine, if any, to instill in their children, Coram said at the hearing.

Bev Ehlen of Liberty Link Missouri supported the bill but asked that “kill” be replaced with “murder” in “Thou shalt not kill.”

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, who chairs the education committee, spoke at length in favor of the measure. He cited his belief that the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation.

“We just need to be willing to plant that flag,” Brattin said, “that God, and the God of the Ten Commandments, is who gave us this amazing nation, and we need to be able to reflect and look at that.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/senate-bill-proposes-religious-doctrine-become-a-staple-in-missouri-classrooms/article_a2eacad6-e8d2-44e9-9ad2-946cf929cd30.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743422862506.png" alt="State Sen. Jamie Burger is introduced to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session in January (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Jamie Burger is introduced to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session in January (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/natanyafriedheim/">NATANYA FRIEDHEIM</a>A bill in the Missouri Senate’s education committee concerning religion in the classroom had senators, faith-based leaders and school advocates at odds Tuesday.If passed, Senate Bill 594 would require classrooms to display a poster of at least 11 inches by 14 inches with the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” beginning Jan. 1, 2026.Missouri students would see the words “I AM THE LORD thy God” followed by the Ten Commandments posted in every public and charter school classroom they enter.“I honestly believe that when prayer went out of schools, and religion was removed from schools, that guns came in and violence came in,” the bill sponsor, state Sen. Jamie Burger, a Benton Republican, said during the hearing.In opposition to the bill, Democratic state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern of Kansas City expressed concern about the costs of potential litigation. She also opposed the bill on principle. “This goes against the very founding of our nation,” she said.Burger disagreed. After a back and forth, he said, “You know one thing, I think, when they talk about separation of church and state, I think they were talking about, we don’t want any church ran by the state. That’s my feelings. That’s my interpretation.”Faith leaders testified both in support of and opposition to the bill — and people on both sides took issue with the version of the Ten Commandments included in the bill.Faiths that adhere to the Ten Commandments, including Judaism, Catholicism and Lutheranism, have different versions of it, so the bill would “take sides in a deeply theological debate,” said Brian Kaylor, a Baptist minister and president of Word &amp; Way, an online publication.“This bill would make many students feel like second-class citizens in their own classrooms, just because they come from a religious tradition that lists the Ten Commandments differently, they adhere to a religious faith that does not even include the Ten Commandments, or they have no faith at all,” he added.Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year. A federal judge blocked the law in November, and the state appealed the court’s decision.In 1980’s Stone v. Graham decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a similar law in Kentucky violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which states “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.”For Sage Coram of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, the bill violates the U.S. and Missouri constitutions. Children are required to attend school, and SB 594 could pressure students into adopting the state’s preferred religion, usurping parents’ right to choose what religious doctrine, if any, to instill in their children, Coram said at the hearing.Bev Ehlen of Liberty Link Missouri supported the bill but asked that “kill” be replaced with “murder” in “Thou shalt not kill.”State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, who chairs the education committee, spoke at length in favor of the measure. He cited his belief that the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation.“We just need to be willing to plant that flag,” Brattin said, “that God, and the God of the Ten Commandments, is who gave us this amazing nation, and we need to be able to reflect and look at that.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/senate-bill-proposes-religious-doctrine-become-a-staple-in-missouri-classrooms/article_a2eacad6-e8d2-44e9-9ad2-946cf929cd30.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

GOP lawmaker proposes bill to require Ten Commandments in Missouri schools

The cuts could lead to nearly 30,000 jobs lost across Missouri and Kansas health care systems and food suppliers, a new study found.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/author/meg-cunningham/">MEG CUNNINGHAM</a> <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/25/missouri-kansas-medicaid-snap-cuts-2025/">The Beacon</a>

As Congress looks to cut billions of dollars in federal spending over the next decade, states are anxiously awaiting how current proposed cuts to Medicaid and other programs may impact their own budgets and benefits their residents receive.&nbsp;

The Republican-controlled Congress is asking committees to slash their budgets over the next decade by $1.5 trillion and pay for a $4.5 trillion extension of tax cuts endorsed by President Donald Trump in 2017. Those tax cuts largely benefit corporations and wealthy Americans.&nbsp;

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said in an analysis that to cut the amount of spending the Trump administration is requesting,&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/03/medicaid-cuts-missouri-mo-healthnet/">cuts to Medicaid</a>&nbsp;and Medicare are inevitable.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-budget-resolution-republicans/">Under the plan</a>&nbsp;proposed by the House of Representatives, Medicaid, the joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for people whose income and resources are very limited, could be subject to $880 billion in cuts over the next 10 years.&nbsp;

And the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to low-income families, would see about $230 billion in cuts over the same period.&nbsp;

The plan could result in a $95 billion loss in federal funding for states in 2026 alone, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/mar/how-cuts-medicaid-snap-could-trigger-job-loss-state-revenue">new report from the Commonwealth Fund</a>. And as the details are ironed out, the report shows that Missouri and Kansas have plenty on the line when it comes to their federal funding and potential economic slowdown in their states.&nbsp;

Missouri could see a $2 billion reduction in federal funding across Medicaid and SNAP over the next decade, according to the report. 

Kansas, which has not expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and receives less federal money as a result, stands to lose $485 million in federal funds over the same period.&nbsp;

Researchers at the Commonwealth Fund, a group that studies health care access, also found that the downstream economic effects of potential cuts could mean more than a $2.4 billion hit in Missouri’s gross domestic product in 2026 alone. 

In Kansas, the cuts could amount to $556 million in economic losses through ripple effects such as cuts to jobs in hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, agriculture and more.&nbsp;

“If a nurse in a hospital loses her job because of a cutback, then that means she can’t afford to do things like pay her rent or pay her grocery bills,” said Leighton Ku, one of the study’s lead researchers and the director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University. “So there are repercussions that ripple through the rest of the economy.”&nbsp;

What’s at stake with cuts in Missouri and Kansas

The study found that if $880 billion in federal Medicaid funding were to go away, each state would see an 11.8% reduction in federal spending.&nbsp;

For SNAP, states could see a 20.6% reduction in federal SNAP dollars.&nbsp;

In Missouri, direct health care jobs are estimated to see the biggest losses, with an estimated 11,300 jobs cut as a result of the change in spending. Combined with other potential job loss as a result of Medicaid cuts, nearly 22,000 would be lost.&nbsp;

“The way us economists think about it,” said Timothy McBride, a health economist at Washington University in St. Louis, “is that spending on one side is matched by income on another. So if the federal government cuts $880 billion, that’s $880 billion in revenue to hospitals, doctors and drug companies or managed care companies.”&nbsp;

Another 2,400 Missouri jobs are estimated to be lost as a result of spending changes to the SNAP program.&nbsp;

The report estimates that between cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in Missouri, the end result could mean a $2.4 billion decrease in the state’s GDP and a $175 million reduction in state and local tax revenue.&nbsp;

It’s a different picture in Kansas, where state lawmakers haven’t expanded Medicaid and fewer people are part of the program. The analysis estimates that the state could lose about $485 million in federal funds across cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.&nbsp;

<h2>The cuts could lead to nearly 30,000 jobs lost across Missouri and Kansas health care systems and food suppliers, a new study found.</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743087106525.png" alt="A report found a negative economic impact in Missouri and Kansas if federal spending for Medicaid and SNAP programs were reduced.&nbsp;Photo by Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>A report found a negative economic impact in Missouri and Kansas if federal spending for Medicaid and SNAP programs were reduced.&nbsp;Photo by Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/author/meg-cunningham/">MEG CUNNINGHAM</a> <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/25/missouri-kansas-medicaid-snap-cuts-2025/">The Beacon</a>As Congress looks to cut billions of dollars in federal spending over the next decade, states are anxiously awaiting how current proposed cuts to Medicaid and other programs may impact their own budgets and benefits their residents receive.&nbsp;The Republican-controlled Congress is asking committees to slash their budgets over the next decade by $1.5 trillion and pay for a $4.5 trillion extension of tax cuts endorsed by President Donald Trump in 2017. Those tax cuts largely benefit corporations and wealthy Americans.&nbsp;The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said in an analysis that to cut the amount of spending the Trump administration is requesting,&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/03/medicaid-cuts-missouri-mo-healthnet/">cuts to Medicaid</a>&nbsp;and Medicare are inevitable.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-budget-resolution-republicans/">Under the plan</a>&nbsp;proposed by the House of Representatives, Medicaid, the joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for people whose income and resources are very limited, could be subject to $880 billion in cuts over the next 10 years.&nbsp;And the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to low-income families, would see about $230 billion in cuts over the same period.&nbsp;The plan could result in a $95 billion loss in federal funding for states in 2026 alone, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/mar/how-cuts-medicaid-snap-could-trigger-job-loss-state-revenue">new report from the Commonwealth Fund</a>. And as the details are ironed out, the report shows that Missouri and Kansas have plenty on the line when it comes to their federal funding and potential economic slowdown in their states.&nbsp;Missouri could see a $2 billion reduction in federal funding across Medicaid and SNAP over the next decade, according to the report. Kansas, which has not expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and receives less federal money as a result, stands to lose $485 million in federal funds over the same period.&nbsp;Researchers at the Commonwealth Fund, a group that studies health care access, also found that the downstream economic effects of potential cuts could mean more than a $2.4 billion hit in Missouri’s gross domestic product in 2026 alone. In Kansas, the cuts could amount to $556 million in economic losses through ripple effects such as cuts to jobs in hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, agriculture and more.&nbsp;“If a nurse in a hospital loses her job because of a cutback, then that means she can’t afford to do things like pay her rent or pay her grocery bills,” said Leighton Ku, one of the study’s lead researchers and the director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University. “So there are repercussions that ripple through the rest of the economy.”&nbsp;<h2>What’s at stake with cuts in Missouri and Kansas</h2>The study found that if $880 billion in federal Medicaid funding were to go away, each state would see an 11.8% reduction in federal spending.&nbsp;For SNAP, states could see a 20.6% reduction in federal SNAP dollars.&nbsp;In Missouri, direct health care jobs are estimated to see the biggest losses, with an estimated 11,300 jobs cut as a result of the change in spending. Combined with other potential job loss as a result of Medicaid cuts, nearly 22,000 would be lost.&nbsp;“The way us economists think about it,” said Timothy McBride, a health economist at Washington University in St. Louis, “is that spending on one side is matched by income on another. So if the federal government cuts $880 billion, that’s $880 billion in revenue to hospitals, doctors and drug companies or managed care companies.”&nbsp;Another 2,400 Missouri jobs are estimated to be lost as a result of spending changes to the SNAP program.&nbsp;The report estimates that between cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in Missouri, the end result could mean a $2.4 billion decrease in the state’s GDP and a $175 million reduction in state and local tax revenue.&nbsp;It’s a different picture in Kansas, where state lawmakers haven’t expanded Medicaid and fewer people are part of the program. The analysis estimates that the state could lose about $485 million in federal funds across cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.&nbsp;Kansas could lose about 2,700 in direct health care jobs and another 2,900 food industry or other jobs.&nbsp;“I think of both Kansas and Missouri as being agriculture food production states,” Ku said. “The people who produce food, who process food, who grow food, they’re going to suffer cutbacks to (SNAP).”&nbsp;Food pantries are seeing threats to their federal funding from multiple directions. But because the federal government pays all of the cost for SNAP and states only match the costs for administering the program, they are worried about what it means for their ability to provide food for those most in need.&nbsp;“For every one meal that a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine,” said Karen Siebert, the public policy and advocacy adviser at Harvesters in Kansas City. “If these costs were shifted to the states, there’s no way our state budgets on either side of the state line could absorb that.”&nbsp;“We’re concerned that folks are going to be turning to our charitable food pantries, which do not have resources to absorb those kinds of cuts,” she said.&nbsp;<h2>Impacts may be outsized in rural communities, where more people rely on Medicaid, SNAP &nbsp;</h2>In both Kansas and Missouri, rural counties tend to have a higher reliance on Medicaid or SNAP than other areas of the state.&nbsp;That means rural areas could feel the pinch from the proposed cuts more than others.&nbsp;“In the U.S., Medicaid coverage is higher in rural areas than in urban areas, across the whole U.S.,” McBride said. “That does mean the geographic impact will probably be somewhat higher in rural areas versus urban.”&nbsp;McBride pointed to the financial margins of hospitals, which he said are lower than what most people would expect. In rural communities, margins for hospitals are often zero or negative. If Medicaid dollars were to be reduced, that could put rural hospitals in an even more difficult place, he said.&nbsp;And for rural grocery stores that participate in SNAP, a reduction in SNAP recipients or spending could paint a bleak picture.&nbsp;“A lot of grocery stores have really, really high purchasing minimums to even keep going and get a distributor willing to drive their truck to their area to deliver the food,” Siebert said.&nbsp;“There are so many people who have SNAP benefits in these communities, and if the local grocery store cannot accept those, they may go to other communities where they can use their SNAP dollars,” she said. “And then, they’re going to use their other money there, too, and it takes all of that money out of the community.”&nbsp;It’s still unclear what components of the House or Senate budget plans may move forward, making it difficult for recipients of the federal funds to plan.&nbsp;“Depending on how these cuts are made, more people might become uninsured, more people might lose access to health care, more people might become hungry,” Ku said. “In general, if the state has a more sustained loss, and there’s unemployment, this is not going to help the state economies. This is going to hurt the state economies.”&nbsp;

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