HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Saturday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 GMC pickup driven by Ronald C. Ward, 71, Gillman City, was northbound on Fisher Street and rear-ended a parked, unoccupied&nbsp; 2000 Ford F250.

A private vehicle transported a passenger in the GMC Christine C. Ward, 73, Gillman City, to Harrison County Community Hospital. Ronald Ward was not injured. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Saturday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 GMC pickup driven by Ronald C. Ward, 71, Gillman City, was northbound on Fisher Street and rear-ended a parked, unoccupied&nbsp; 2000 Ford F250.A private vehicle transported a passenger in the GMC Christine C. Ward, 73, Gillman City, to Harrison County Community Hospital. Ronald Ward was not injured. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after rear-end crash

CLINTON COUNTY —A St. Joseph man was injured and later arrested after a crash just before 5p.m. Friday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford F 150 driven by Joshua C. Walkup, 39, St. Joseph, was northbound on Route VV six miles southwest of Stewartsville.&nbsp;

The pickup traveled off the road struck a sign and embankment. Tri-County Ambulance transported Walkup to Mosaic Life Care.&nbsp; He was later arrested on requested charges of DWI, drugs, careless and imprudent driving involving a crash, according to the MSHP.

CLINTON COUNTY —A St. Joseph man was injured and later arrested after a crash just before 5p.m. Friday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford F 150 driven by Joshua C. Walkup, 39, St. Joseph, was northbound on Route VV six miles southwest of Stewartsville.&nbsp; The pickup traveled off the road struck a sign and embankment. Tri-County Ambulance transported Walkup to Mosaic Life Care.&nbsp; He was later arrested on requested charges of DWI, drugs, careless and imprudent driving involving a crash, according to the MSHP.

St. Joseph man injured, arrested after pickup crash

A longtime dream has come true for a student at Mid-Buchanan High School.  

Blake Templeton has dreamed about being a police officer since he was four years old, and now that dream is a reality as he was sworn in as an honorary deputy by Sheriff Bill Puett 

Rebecca Templeton, Blake's mother, says this is a wonderful opportunity for her son 

"Something he would not have had any other way and the way they did everything for him, it's a memory he'll have the rest of his life," Templeton tells reporters.  "It's a beautiful gift." 

Templeton, a 16-year-old student at Mid-Buchanan High School diagnosed with cerebral palsy was sworn in as an honorary deputy prior to Mid-Buchanan's homecoming game.

School Resource Dennis Yager is the man who began this process.  Yager says that at least four to five times a day Templeton would ask him what it takes to be a police officer 

"And my answer every time was, ok you have to be kind, you have to listen to your teachers, you've got to help out, if you see danger you've got to tell mom, you've got to tell dad, you've got to tell your teachers, you can come to me," Yager says.  "And it was the same thing over and over every day." 

The interactions made Yager reach out to Templeton's mother, who told him Blake would ask her the same questions and that he had been saving up for several years to go to the police academy, making it a no brainer for Yager to reach out to Puett 

"With Blake, he is on cloud nine, he's been running, I don't really see him that much as a runner but tonight he was," Yager happily says.

Puett says after hearing about Templeton from Yager, it was exciting to meet Blake.  Puett says he told Deputy Templeton that following his swearing in, he was going right to work on patrol. 

"And his immediate response was yes he was ready to go to work and you saw how quick he climbed into that truck when I told him deputy it's time to go to work," Puett says. "So that's pretty exciting that he gets to do this tonight, we're just really happy that we could do that and I'm thankful to Dennis for bringing it to me." 

Templeton will also help Yager patrol the school and check doors at least once a week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696094848025.jpeg" alt="Blake Templeton's mother Rebecca (far right), Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett (middle right), Blake Templeton (middle), and School Resource Officer Dennis Yager with paperwork naming Templeton honorary deputy/ Photo by Matt Pike " />
 <figcaption>Blake Templeton's mother Rebecca (far right), Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett (middle right), Blake Templeton (middle), and School Resource Officer Dennis Yager with paperwork naming Templeton honorary deputy/ Photo by Matt Pike </figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A longtime dream has come true for a student at Mid-Buchanan High School. Blake Templeton has dreamed about being a police officer since he was four years old, and now that dream is a reality as he was sworn in as an honorary deputy by Sheriff Bill Puett Rebecca Templeton, Blake's mother, says this is a wonderful opportunity for her son "Something he would not have had any other way and the way they did everything for him, it's a memory he'll have the rest of his life," Templeton tells reporters. "It's a beautiful gift." Templeton, a 16-year-old student at Mid-Buchanan High School diagnosed with cerebral palsy was sworn in as an honorary deputy prior to Mid-Buchanan's homecoming game.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696095200684.jpeg" alt="Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett gives Blake Templeton the oath of office, swearing him in as an honorary deputy for the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department/Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett gives Blake Templeton the oath of office, swearing him in as an honorary deputy for the Buchanan County Sheriff's Department/Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>School Resource Dennis Yager is the man who began this process. Yager says that at least four to five times a day Templeton would ask him what it takes to be a police officer "And my answer every time was, ok you have to be kind, you have to listen to your teachers, you've got to help out, if you see danger you've got to tell mom, you've got to tell dad, you've got to tell your teachers, you can come to me," Yager says. "And it was the same thing over and over every day." The interactions made Yager reach out to Templeton's mother, who told him Blake would ask her the same questions and that he had been saving up for several years to go to the police academy, making it a no brainer for Yager to reach out to Puett "With Blake, he is on cloud nine, he's been running, I don't really see him that much as a runner but tonight he was," Yager happily says.Puett says after hearing about Templeton from Yager, it was exciting to meet Blake. Puett says he told Deputy Templeton that following his swearing in, he was going right to work on patrol. "And his immediate response was yes he was ready to go to work and you saw how quick he climbed into that truck when I told him deputy it's time to go to work," Puett says. "So that's pretty exciting that he gets to do this tonight, we're just really happy that we could do that and I'm thankful to Dennis for bringing it to me." Templeton will also help Yager patrol the school and check doors at least once a week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696095132595.jpeg" alt="Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett speaks to a crowd during Mid Buchanan's homecoming for an honorary swearing in ceremony for Blake Templeton, a Mid Buchanan Student with cerebral palsy/Photo by Matt Pike&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett speaks to a crowd during Mid Buchanan's homecoming for an honorary swearing in ceremony for Blake Templeton, a Mid Buchanan Student with cerebral palsy/Photo by Matt Pike&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>

Dream come true for Mid-Buchanan student whose named honorary deputy

Missouri’s proposal to alter the way it sets rates for an at-home disability care program drew concern from the state’s federally-mandated disability-rights organization

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

The federally-funded organization responsible for protecting the rights of people with disabilities in Missouri believes a proposed change in how the state pays for at-home care could violate the law.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.moadvocacy.org/">Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services</a>, which was established in 1977, said in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23993402-2023-9-22-combined-letter-to-cms">letter</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that it is “investigating the proposed changes and believes they may be in violation of federal law protecting people with disabilities against discrimination.”

The letter, sent last week by one of organization’s attorneys, Will Hack, argues the proposed changes are “harmful to Missourians.”

The proposed changes at issue involve the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/dev-disabilities/programs/self-directed-supports">self-directed supports</a>&nbsp;service within the Department of Mental Health, part of a Medicaid-funded program available to Missourians with developmental disabilities to directly hire their own care staff.

There are currently 3,031 Missourians relying on self-directed supports to fund their at-home caregivers. Without it, they would require inpatient care.

The state moved this summer to change the way if funds self-directed supports, to delink it from the rate it pays home health agencies and paying self-directed supports families based on last year’s lower rate instead of this year’s. The state will initiate a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/14/missouri-mental-health-department-urged-to-abandon-at-home-care-funding-freeze/">rate study</a>&nbsp;this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23993400-sds-one-pager-from-dmh">fall</a>&nbsp;to determine future funding levels.

Families who use the program have decried the proposed changes as lacking transparency and potentially threatening their ability to provide competitive wages to their caretaking staff.&nbsp;

Advocates also question why a rate study didn’t precede the decision to change the rates — and say it’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/14/missouri-mental-health-department-urged-to-abandon-at-home-care-funding-freeze/">not a given</a>&nbsp;that they should get less money than their agency equivalents.

The changes need approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where they are now awaiting action. The state expects to receive a response sometime this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23993400-sds-one-pager-from-dmh">fall.</a>

The state proposed to amend the rate to last year’s level in July. Hack’s letter frames those proposed changes as “hidden” and “buried on page 301” of the document.

With the new wording freezing the rates at last year’s level, the rate can’t “increase to meet the needs of Missourians,” he wrote in his letter to the federal Medicaid agency.

“This will effectively discourage people with disabilities from directing their own services, and push them towards provider-based services,” Hack wrote.

On Aug. 4, the Missouri Department of Mental Health filed public notice of its intent to change state regulations to remove the requirement that self-directed supports rates be comparable to provider rates.

“These changes are a coordinated effort to turn people with disabilities away from (self-directed supports),” Hack wrote.&nbsp;

Self-directed services are part of a national&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/long-term-services-supports/self-directed-services/index.html">trend</a>&nbsp;over the last few decades away from institutionalization and toward community-based support and integration — based on the belief that decisions about an individual’s care are best made by those closest to them.&nbsp;

Someone called a designated representative, often a family member, is in charge of overseeing staff.

The premise of self-directed supports “is that when individuals have control of their resources their quality of life will improve and the overall cost of services will decrease,” according to the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://manuals.momed.com/collections/collection_archive/collection_dmh/Print_03012021.pdf">manual on developmental disabilities</a>.&nbsp;

The Department of Mental Health says self-directed supports is the only part of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/dev-disabilities/programs/waiver">home and community based services</a>&nbsp;with a rate not based on a rate study.

“A rate study ensures alignment of rate methodologies and rate standardization, thereby preventing a situation of preferential treatment with regard to funding for any specific service type or model,” said&nbsp;Debra Walker, spokeswoman for the department of mental health.&nbsp;

She added that the division “will continue to work with…stakeholders through the rate study process,” and the process will include “opportunities for feedback, submission of cost components, and review of rate assumptions.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696075966162.png" alt="Missouri’s Department of Mental Health building in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Missouri’s Department of Mental Health building in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri’s proposal to alter the way it sets rates for an at-home disability care program drew concern from the state’s federally-mandated disability-rights organization</h2>By CLARA BATES,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>The federally-funded organization responsible for protecting the rights of people with disabilities in Missouri believes a proposed change in how the state pays for at-home care could violate the law.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.moadvocacy.org/">Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services</a>, which was established in 1977, said in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23993402-2023-9-22-combined-letter-to-cms">letter</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that it is “investigating the proposed changes and believes they may be in violation of federal law protecting people with disabilities against discrimination.”The letter, sent last week by one of organization’s attorneys, Will Hack, argues the proposed changes are “harmful to Missourians.”The proposed changes at issue involve the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/dev-disabilities/programs/self-directed-supports">self-directed supports</a>&nbsp;service within the Department of Mental Health, part of a Medicaid-funded program available to Missourians with developmental disabilities to directly hire their own care staff.There are currently 3,031 Missourians relying on self-directed supports to fund their at-home caregivers. Without it, they would require inpatient care.The state moved this summer to change the way if funds self-directed supports, to delink it from the rate it pays home health agencies and paying self-directed supports families based on last year’s lower rate instead of this year’s. The state will initiate a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/14/missouri-mental-health-department-urged-to-abandon-at-home-care-funding-freeze/">rate study</a>&nbsp;this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23993400-sds-one-pager-from-dmh">fall</a>&nbsp;to determine future funding levels.Families who use the program have decried the proposed changes as lacking transparency and potentially threatening their ability to provide competitive wages to their caretaking staff.&nbsp;Advocates also question why a rate study didn’t precede the decision to change the rates — and say it’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/14/missouri-mental-health-department-urged-to-abandon-at-home-care-funding-freeze/">not a given</a>&nbsp;that they should get less money than their agency equivalents.The changes need approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where they are now awaiting action. The state expects to receive a response sometime this&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23993400-sds-one-pager-from-dmh">fall.</a>The state proposed to amend the rate to last year’s level in July. Hack’s letter frames those proposed changes as “hidden” and “buried on page 301” of the document.With the new wording freezing the rates at last year’s level, the rate can’t “increase to meet the needs of Missourians,” he wrote in his letter to the federal Medicaid agency.“This will effectively discourage people with disabilities from directing their own services, and push them towards provider-based services,” Hack wrote.On Aug. 4, the Missouri Department of Mental Health filed public notice of its intent to change state regulations to remove the requirement that self-directed supports rates be comparable to provider rates.“These changes are a coordinated effort to turn people with disabilities away from (self-directed supports),” Hack wrote.&nbsp;Self-directed services are part of a national&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/long-term-services-supports/self-directed-services/index.html">trend</a>&nbsp;over the last few decades away from institutionalization and toward community-based support and integration — based on the belief that decisions about an individual’s care are best made by those closest to them.&nbsp;Someone called a designated representative, often a family member, is in charge of overseeing staff.The premise of self-directed supports “is that when individuals have control of their resources their quality of life will improve and the overall cost of services will decrease,” according to the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://manuals.momed.com/collections/collection_archive/collection_dmh/Print_03012021.pdf">manual on developmental disabilities</a>.&nbsp;The Department of Mental Health says self-directed supports is the only part of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/dev-disabilities/programs/waiver">home and community based services</a>&nbsp;with a rate not based on a rate study.“A rate study ensures alignment of rate methodologies and rate standardization, thereby preventing a situation of preferential treatment with regard to funding for any specific service type or model,” said&nbsp;Debra Walker, spokeswoman for the department of mental health.&nbsp;She added that the division “will continue to work with…stakeholders through the rate study process,” and the process will include “opportunities for feedback, submission of cost components, and review of rate assumptions.”

Advocacy group tells feds Missouri’s proposed disability changes could violate law

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple drug allegations.

Just before 6p.m. Sept. 27, a Brown County deputy established probable cause to obtain a search warrant at a residence in Horton, Kansas, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

At 8pm., the warrant was granted and then executed at 240 W. 15th Street by the Brown County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force. A juvenile in the home was placed in police protective custody. At the conclusion of the search warrant, Jade Spruill 32 Horton was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Stimulant,Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and ChildEndangerment.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695929096356.png" alt="Spruill photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Spruill photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple drug allegations.Just before 6p.m. Sept. 27, a Brown County deputy established probable cause to obtain a search warrant at a residence in Horton, Kansas, according to Sheriff John Merchant.At 8pm., the warrant was granted and then executed at 240 W. 15th Street by the Brown County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force. A juvenile in the home was placed in police protective custody. At the conclusion of the search warrant, Jade Spruill 32 Horton was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Stimulant,Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and ChildEndangerment.&nbsp;

Child removed from Kan. home during drug investigation

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with the inaugural Limestone Preservation Award winners Jack and Kathie Crispin.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nP_jN_9URlU?si=ZqqKxZsG0lsSpv39" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with the inaugural Limestone Preservation Award winners Jack and Kathie Crispin.

🎤 Forward Ever: Post Rock Limestone Preservation Award winners Jack, Kathie Crispin

A unique show kicks off the new St. Joseph Symphony season this weekend at the historic Missouri Theatre. &nbsp;

Frank Oden's Cowboy Jamboree will be the first show of the season with a goal of designing symphony shows more accessible to the general public.&nbsp;

"We have this idea of a symphony concert being kind of a stuffy old thing where people go sit straight up in their chairs wearing tuxedos and listen to classical music," Oden jokes with KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And there's nothing wrong with that, there's a lot of people who really enjoy that."&nbsp;

Oden says in order to change that perception, he used his skills as a writer and actor to design the show&nbsp;

"I've been creating symphony shows that bring theatrical production values, humor, and action and character and storyline to the performance," Oden explains.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Oden says the show is designed by starting with a collection of music, this show focused on music of the American West and Hollywood type of American west, with music from John Williams and songs like Ghost Riders in the Sky.&nbsp;

Oden says the show is unique with the person setting up the pieces of music not just telling you about the history of the piece, but where it came from.&nbsp;

"The idea is to create a story that includes music, and it's set up to feature the music, the music is part of the storytelling, but we don't have the voice out there just to talk about the music but to create a story that holds the music," Oden says.&nbsp;

Oden says another rare thing about the show is that the narrative is all poetic which comes from his background as a cowboy poet.&nbsp;

By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;A unique show kicks off the new St. Joseph Symphony season this weekend at the historic Missouri Theatre. &nbsp;Frank Oden's Cowboy Jamboree will be the first show of the season with a goal of designing symphony shows more accessible to the general public.&nbsp;"We have this idea of a symphony concert being kind of a stuffy old thing where people go sit straight up in their chairs wearing tuxedos and listen to classical music," Oden jokes with KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And there's nothing wrong with that, there's a lot of people who really enjoy that."&nbsp;Oden says in order to change that perception, he used his skills as a writer and actor to design the show&nbsp;"I've been creating symphony shows that bring theatrical production values, humor, and action and character and storyline to the performance," Oden explains.&nbsp; &nbsp;Oden says the show is designed by starting with a collection of music, this show focused on music of the American West and Hollywood type of American west, with music from John Williams and songs like Ghost Riders in the Sky.&nbsp;Oden says the show is unique with the person setting up the pieces of music not just telling you about the history of the piece, but where it came from.&nbsp;"The idea is to create a story that includes music, and it's set up to feature the music, the music is part of the storytelling, but we don't have the voice out there just to talk about the music but to create a story that holds the music," Oden says.&nbsp;Oden says another rare thing about the show is that the narrative is all poetic which comes from his background as a cowboy poet.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fstjoesymphony%2Fvideos%2F278640127968229%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

Different style symphony show kicks off new season for St. Joseph Symphony

The Mosaic Life Care Foundation is getting set to launch another year of its popular STEAM After-School events at EmpowerU in downtown St. Joseph. 

Program Coordinator Devran Brower says STEAM After-School helps students develop an interest in science, technology, electronics, arts, and mathematics. 

"So, we provide opportunities to engage in programming and in modules that kids may not have in their schools, may not have available," Brower tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And so, they're a lot of fun, everything we do is based off fun, it's really self-guided. yes, we do supervise and create some structure for the students, but we really want them to explore these modules and have fun together and even collaborate to learn." 

Brower says the program has grown in popularity, but they never have to turn students away 

"We are fortunate we have a wonderful team of facilitators that come together to do these things, so we don't really ever run out of space, we may open up another room," Brower says. 

Brower says in particular the Lego WeDo activities are very popular with students in the third through fifth grade students. 

"The cool thing is with those resources we have, if one room gets full and we usually cap that around 10 to 12 students, then we'll open up another room and they can be doing the same thing together and even interact with those other classmates," Brower points out. 

STEAM After-School began shortly after the pandemic to help get students back to bonding in a classroom after not being able to attend school for some time. 

Brower says activities students will get to do are ones they won't find in a normal classroom, such as Lego WeDo which involves coding. 

"So, they can create things that actually accomplish or overcome challenges," Brower explains. "I know one module you create a streetsweeper, so how do we clean up streets, how can we create a machine that will do this for us, things like that." 

There are also virtual reality stations for students, which Brower says always feature some new applications 

"So even if a student came a year ago or two, chances are there's something new they haven't seen before," Brower says. 

The program is open to students in third through eighth grades and will run for six weeks between October 17th and November 28th from 4:30 to 6pm.  

Walk ins are accepted but Brower says its highly recommend registering your student if interested.  You can register at MLC Foundation DOT com. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696011098579.jpeg" alt="Virtual reality is one of many activities students will get to experience during STEAM After-School at EmpowerU/ Photo courtesy of the Mosaic Life Care Foundation" />
 <figcaption>Virtual reality is one of many activities students will get to experience during STEAM After-School at EmpowerU/ Photo courtesy of the Mosaic Life Care Foundation</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Mosaic Life Care Foundation is getting set to launch another year of its popular STEAM After-School events at EmpowerU in downtown St. Joseph. Program Coordinator Devran Brower says STEAM After-School helps students develop an interest in science, technology, electronics, arts, and mathematics. "So, we provide opportunities to engage in programming and in modules that kids may not have in their schools, may not have available," Brower tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And so, they're a lot of fun, everything we do is based off fun, it's really self-guided. yes, we do supervise and create some structure for the students, but we really want them to explore these modules and have fun together and even collaborate to learn." Brower says the program has grown in popularity, but they never have to turn students away "We are fortunate we have a wonderful team of facilitators that come together to do these things, so we don't really ever run out of space, we may open up another room," Brower says. Brower says in particular the Lego WeDo activities are very popular with students in the third through fifth grade students. "The cool thing is with those resources we have, if one room gets full and we usually cap that around 10 to 12 students, then we'll open up another room and they can be doing the same thing together and even interact with those other classmates," Brower points out. STEAM After-School began shortly after the pandemic to help get students back to bonding in a classroom after not being able to attend school for some time. Brower says activities students will get to do are ones they won't find in a normal classroom, such as Lego WeDo which involves coding. "So, they can create things that actually accomplish or overcome challenges," Brower explains. "I know one module you create a streetsweeper, so how do we clean up streets, how can we create a machine that will do this for us, things like that." There are also virtual reality stations for students, which Brower says always feature some new applications "So even if a student came a year ago or two, chances are there's something new they haven't seen before," Brower says. The program is open to students in third through eighth grades and will run for six weeks between October 17th and November 28th from 4:30 to 6pm. Walk ins are accepted but Brower says its highly recommend registering your student if interested. You can register at MLC Foundation DOT com.

Looking for fun after school? Head to EmpowerU this fall

An
Ottawa, Kansas man arrested while getting a tow for his getaway car has pleaded
guilty to robbing a Mound City bank.

Federal
prosecutors report 41-year-old Marvin McWhorter III pleaded guilty in federal
court to one count of robbery, admitting he stole $4,445 from
Citizens Bank and Trust in December of 2022.

McWhorter
appeared to be holding a handgun when he demanded money from a teller.
McWhorter fled the bank and escaped in a black Chevrolet Malibu with the word “CHEVY”
in block white lettering across the top of the front windshield. The next day,
McWhorter needed a tow from nearby Forest City. During the tow, a resident
noticed the car matched the description of the getaway car.

A
dispatcher called the tow truck operator and told him to pull over. McWhorter
attempted to wrest control of the truck from the driver. He and a passerby that
came to his aid wrestled McWhorter to the ground until officers could arrive.

Officers
recovered $3,813 taken in the robbery from the car as well as
other evidence, including a box of ammunition, but no firearm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674662479150.png" alt="McWhorter-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>McWhorter-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostAn
Ottawa, Kansas man arrested while getting a tow for his getaway car has pleaded
guilty to robbing a Mound City bank.Federal
prosecutors report 41-year-old Marvin McWhorter III pleaded guilty in federal
court to one count of robbery, admitting he stole $4,445 from
Citizens Bank and Trust in December of 2022.McWhorter
appeared to be holding a handgun when he demanded money from a teller.
McWhorter fled the bank and escaped in a black Chevrolet Malibu with the word “CHEVY”
in block white lettering across the top of the front windshield. The next day,
McWhorter needed a tow from nearby Forest City. During the tow, a resident
noticed the car matched the description of the getaway car.A
dispatcher called the tow truck operator and told him to pull over. McWhorter
attempted to wrest control of the truck from the driver. He and a passerby that
came to his aid wrestled McWhorter to the ground until officers could arrive.Officers
recovered $3,813 taken in the robbery from the car as well as
other evidence, including a box of ammunition, but no firearm.

Bank robber who needed a tow admits to Mound City robbery

It appears St. Joseph will not be getting a new animal
shelter, at least, not anytime soon.

Melanie Barnes with Friends of the Animal Shelter says
inflation has driven up the projected cost of the project from $3-3 ½ million to
nearly $6 million. Barnes says Friends doesn’t believe it can raise any more
than the $2 ½ million it has raised previously to match the one million dollars
set aside by the city.

“Unfortunately, after much hard work and effort of what was originally
agreed upon, things have happened, costs have risen, and we’re not going to be
able to meet what the city councilmen want,” Barnes tells host Barry Birr on
the KFEQ Hotline.

Barnes says Friends of the Animal Shelter have asked the city
to chip in more, but the St. Joseph City Council has not been willing to
increase its contribution. Friends of the Animal Shelter reached an agreement
with the St. Joseph City Council in 2014, agreeing to raise $2.5 million to
match $1 million set aside by the city from the Capital Improvement Program,
known as CIP. It was the latest in a series of agreements between Friends and the city in an effort to build a new animal shelter.

It appeared everything was coming together to move the shelter
from its aging, cramped location at 701 SW Lower Lake Road in the southend to a
new facility on Corporate Drive in the Mitchell Woods Business Park in the east
end of St. Joseph.

The pandemic didn’t just disrupt discussions, it sowed the
beginnings of inflation that has ravaged many a project. For the proposed new
animal shelter, inflation has nearly doubled its cost.

Barnes says the new projections estimate it will cost $4.8
million dollars to renovate the first floor of the building on Corporate Drive purchased
by Friends of the Animal Shelter. Constructing office space on the second floor
is estimated to add $1 million to the overall cost of the project.

Barnes says the nonprofit has already spent money preparing
the site and has approximately $1.3 million left. She says efforts to get the
city to increase its contribution have proven futile.

“Our shelter was built back in the 70s. It is run down. It was
really meant to be a holding facility,” according to Barnes, a veterinarian. “And
there has been absolutely no interest by the councilmen, no interest by the
city in general to support or put funds towards anything to make it a better
place.”

In an email sent to KFEQ/St. Joseph Post, St. Joseph City
Manager Bryan Carter pointed out that the agreement reached between the city
council and Friends of the Animal Shelter last year promised $1 million in CIP
money as long as the city council approved of the new animal shelter’s design, that
the city receive sufficient revenue to contribute the $1 million, which has
been accomplished, and that agreement be reached to transfer ownership of the
new animal shelter to the city.

“As time has passed, inflation has driven up the cost of
remodeling the building that was purchased on Corporate Drive. City staff and
the Friends of the Animal Shelter board have met and discussed concepts to deal
with the increasing costs, but we never identified a concept that led to a
design,” Carter wrote in the email.

Carter confirmed the city has no other funds budgeted for the
project.

&nbsp;“Ultimately, the cost
of construction today is dramatically different today than it was at the time
the funding plan was considered in 2019,” Carter wrote in the email. “I know I
and the City Council appreciate Friends of the Animal Shelter’s efforts over
many years. &nbsp;Their efforts were a significant undertaking, but inflation
ultimately undermined a lot of hard work and dedication and proved (to) make the
project prohibitively challenging.”

Barnes says with the St. Joseph City Council unwilling to
contribute more than the $1 million it has pledged, the project is going
nowhere.

“We are trying to do something good, not just for city council
and government,” Barnes says “We’re trying to do something good for the
community. Our goals and visions are to have a shelter where people want to come
to it.”

Barnes says it is a difficult turn of events to absorb.

“It’s a big blow,” Barnes says “I think it’s very unfortunate
for our community, our donors and volunteers, our pet lovers, and just as an
amenity to the population in general.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696002760358.jpeg" alt="The St. Joseph Animal Shelter/Photos by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>The St. Joseph Animal Shelter/Photos by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostIt appears St. Joseph will not be getting a new animal
shelter, at least, not anytime soon.Melanie Barnes with Friends of the Animal Shelter says
inflation has driven up the projected cost of the project from $3-3 ½ million to
nearly $6 million. Barnes says Friends doesn’t believe it can raise any more
than the $2 ½ million it has raised previously to match the one million dollars
set aside by the city.“Unfortunately, after much hard work and effort of what was originally
agreed upon, things have happened, costs have risen, and we’re not going to be
able to meet what the city councilmen want,” Barnes tells host Barry Birr on
the KFEQ Hotline.Barnes says Friends of the Animal Shelter have asked the city
to chip in more, but the St. Joseph City Council has not been willing to
increase its contribution. Friends of the Animal Shelter reached an agreement
with the St. Joseph City Council in 2014, agreeing to raise $2.5 million to
match $1 million set aside by the city from the Capital Improvement Program,
known as CIP. It was the latest in a series of agreements between Friends and the city in an effort to build a new animal shelter.It appeared everything was coming together to move the shelter
from its aging, cramped location at 701 SW Lower Lake Road in the southend to a
new facility on Corporate Drive in the Mitchell Woods Business Park in the east
end of St. Joseph.Then came COVID-19.The pandemic didn’t just disrupt discussions, it sowed the
beginnings of inflation that has ravaged many a project. For the proposed new
animal shelter, inflation has nearly doubled its cost.Barnes says the new projections estimate it will cost $4.8
million dollars to renovate the first floor of the building on Corporate Drive purchased
by Friends of the Animal Shelter. Constructing office space on the second floor
is estimated to add $1 million to the overall cost of the project.Barnes says the nonprofit has already spent money preparing
the site and has approximately $1.3 million left. She says efforts to get the
city to increase its contribution have proven futile.“Our shelter was built back in the 70s. It is run down. It was
really meant to be a holding facility,” according to Barnes, a veterinarian. “And
there has been absolutely no interest by the councilmen, no interest by the
city in general to support or put funds towards anything to make it a better
place.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696002813166.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In an email sent to KFEQ/St. Joseph Post, St. Joseph City
Manager Bryan Carter pointed out that the agreement reached between the city
council and Friends of the Animal Shelter last year promised $1 million in CIP
money as long as the city council approved of the new animal shelter’s design, that
the city receive sufficient revenue to contribute the $1 million, which has
been accomplished, and that agreement be reached to transfer ownership of the
new animal shelter to the city.“As time has passed, inflation has driven up the cost of
remodeling the building that was purchased on Corporate Drive. City staff and
the Friends of the Animal Shelter board have met and discussed concepts to deal
with the increasing costs, but we never identified a concept that led to a
design,” Carter wrote in the email.Carter confirmed the city has no other funds budgeted for the
project.&nbsp;“Ultimately, the cost
of construction today is dramatically different today than it was at the time
the funding plan was considered in 2019,” Carter wrote in the email. “I know I
and the City Council appreciate Friends of the Animal Shelter’s efforts over
many years. &nbsp;Their efforts were a significant undertaking, but inflation
ultimately undermined a lot of hard work and dedication and proved (to) make the
project prohibitively challenging.”Barnes says with the St. Joseph City Council unwilling to
contribute more than the $1 million it has pledged, the project is going
nowhere.“We are trying to do something good, not just for city council
and government,” Barnes says “We’re trying to do something good for the
community. Our goals and visions are to have a shelter where people want to come
to it.”Barnes says it is a difficult turn of events to absorb.“It’s a big blow,” Barnes says “I think it’s very unfortunate
for our community, our donors and volunteers, our pet lovers, and just as an
amenity to the population in general.”<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Rising-costs-of-materials-signals-doom-for-St--Joseph-Animal-Shelter-e29v0ae" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696002863380.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Inflation dashes hopes for new St. Joseph Animal Shelter

The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice this week filed a complaint against eBay. 

The complaint alleges eBay allows the unlawful selling of pesticides, violating the Clean Air Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, commonly known as FIFRA and the Toxic Substances Control Act. 

FIFRA prohibits the unlawful distribution or sale of unregistered, misbranded, and restricted-use pesticides, and authorizes EPA to issue Stop Sale, Use, or Removal Orders. 

The complaint also alleges that eBay has unlawfully distributed or sold at least 23,000 such products, and that some of those sales directly violate a stop sale order issued to eBay in 2020 and amended in 2021. 

Examples of these pesticides include a high-toxicity insecticide banned in the U.S., restricted-use pesticides that only certified applicators may apply, and products fraudulently claiming to protect users against SARS-CoV-2. The complaint also targets aftermarket parts that defeat motor vehicle emission controls.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice this week filed a complaint against eBay. The complaint alleges eBay allows the unlawful selling of pesticides, violating the Clean Air Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, commonly known as FIFRA and the Toxic Substances Control Act. FIFRA prohibits the unlawful distribution or sale of unregistered, misbranded, and restricted-use pesticides, and authorizes EPA to issue Stop Sale, Use, or Removal Orders. The complaint also alleges that eBay has unlawfully distributed or sold at least 23,000 such products, and that some of those sales directly violate a stop sale order issued to eBay in 2020 and amended in 2021. Examples of these pesticides include a high-toxicity insecticide banned in the U.S., restricted-use pesticides that only certified applicators may apply, and products fraudulently claiming to protect users against SARS-CoV-2. The complaint also targets aftermarket parts that defeat motor vehicle emission controls.- NAFB

Federal complaint alleges environmental violations by eBay

BUCHANAN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Kawasaki Sport bike driven by Dakotah L. Runnels, 33, St. Joseph, was northbound on the Belt Highway at County Line Road in St. Joseph.

The motorcycle rear-ended a 2008 Mercury Milan driven by Kily D. Etchells-Crowe, 33, St. Joseph, who was stopped at a traffic light.

Buchanan County EMS transported a 10-year-old St. Joseph boy in the car to Mosaic Life Care.&nbsp; Runnels and Etchells-Crowe were not injured. The occupants of the car were properly restrained and Runnels was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

BUCHANAN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Kawasaki Sport bike driven by Dakotah L. Runnels, 33, St. Joseph, was northbound on the Belt Highway at County Line Road in St. Joseph.The motorcycle rear-ended a 2008 Mercury Milan driven by Kily D. Etchells-Crowe, 33, St. Joseph, who was stopped at a traffic light.Buchanan County EMS transported a 10-year-old St. Joseph boy in the car to Mosaic Life Care.&nbsp; Runnels and Etchells-Crowe were not injured. The occupants of the car were properly restrained and Runnels was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

10-year-old St. Joe boy injured after rear-end crash

Jay Ashcroft sought hearing in November while ACLU of Missouri says delays are ‘frustrating the right to initiative’

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

The next legal wrestling match over what Missouri voters would see if an abortion-rights initiative petition makes next year’s ballot is scheduled for Oct. 30 before judges of Western District Court of Appeals.

A three-judge panel will hear oral arguments that day on Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s appeal of Cole County&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/judge-rejects-rewrites-summary-for-missouri-abortion-initiative-petition/">Circuit Judge Jon Beetem’s Monday ruling</a>&nbsp;that rewrote the ballot language for six proposed initiatives.

In an order setting the hearing date, the court also set an expedited schedule for filings in the case, splitting the difference between the faster schedule sought by ACLU of Missouri attorneys and the calendar proposed by Ashcroft’s legal team.

Ashcroft’s opening brief will be due Oct. 11, with the final filing on Oct. 23, one week before arguments.

“No extensions will be granted,” the order states.

The same schedule applies to an appeal filed Tuesday seeking review of Beetem’s ruling upholding a fiscal note summary written by State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick. A challenge filed by state Rep. Hannah Kelly, R-Mountain Grove, state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, and Kathy Forck, a longtime anti-abortion advocate from New Bloomfield, argued that the state could lose federal Medicaid funding and trillions in future tax revenue.

Beetem decided that Ashcroft wrote a biased ballot summary for six proposed initiatives that would enshrine rights to receive reproductive health care, including abortion, in the state constitution.&nbsp;

State law directs the secretary of state to prepare a ballot summary that is “<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=116.334&amp;bid=6341&amp;hl=">neither intentionally argumentative</a>&nbsp;nor likely to create prejudice either for or against the proposed measure.” In his ruling, Beetem wrote that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Judgment%20Entered.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=2919702">Ashcroft violated both standards</a>.

Ashcroft filed a notice of appeal the same day as the ruling, telling the Western District Court of Appeals that Beetem went too far by rewriting the entire ballot summary for all six proposals “instead of performing minimal revisions to any language deemed unfair and insufficient.”

In the motion to expedite the appeal, attorney Tori Schafer wrote that Ashcroft has been trying to delay the start of signature-gathering and a lengthy appeal process only helps that effort. The ACLU of Missouri represents Dr. Anna Fitz-James, a St. Louis physician who is the named representative of a political action committee called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom and the plaintiff in the case.

“The Attorney General and Secretary of State have repeatedly acted outside of the law to delay this case in an attempt to frustrate Dr. Fitz-James’s right to initiative,” Schafer wrote in the motion seeking oral arguments on Oct. 11.

Ashcroft is represented by Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office in the case. Bailey was also the cause of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/missouri-auditor-says-ag-trying-to-falsely-inflate-projected-cost-of-abortion-amendment/">first substantial delay</a>&nbsp;in opening the signature campaign when he refused to accept Fitzpatrick’s fiscal note summary in April.&nbsp;

Under regular procedures, it takes 56 days to complete a review process that produces a ballot title summary and financial estimate. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom filed 11 proposals in early March and expected to have a petition ready for circulation by mid-May.&nbsp;

To make the 2024 ballot, backers must secure more than 170,000 signatures from registered voters by early May 2024.

Instead, Bailey’s refusal to act on Fitzpatrick’s summary resulted in a court case resolved by the July 20 decision of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/20/missouri-supreme-court-rejects-ags-push-to-inflate-cost-of-abortion-rights-amendment/">the Missouri Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;that concluded nothing in state law “gives the attorney general authority to question the auditor’s assessment of the fiscal impact of a proposed petition.”

Ashcroft waited for a week after that decision before certifying the ballot title, Schafer wrote.

“Time is of the essence to prevent the Attorney General and Secretary from successfully frustrating the right to initiative,” she wrote.

In seeking a longer schedule, Assistant Attorney General Josh Divine wrote that he needs time to prepare after taking over the case from the trial attorney. Under normal court procedures, he wrote, Beetem’s Monday ruling would not be final until Oct. 25.&nbsp;

Any time after that would be best for Ashcroft, Divine wrote. The time limit for litigation over ballot titles is 180 days, he wrote, making the deadline for a final decision Jan. 22.

If the court wants to move faster, Divine wrote, he needs “until at least October 13 to file an opening brief so counsel can become acquainted with the case—especially in light of other briefing obligations, including a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, due in the upcoming weeks.”

Ashcroft and Bailey have not unnecessarily delayed the certification of the initiative or the litigation, DIvine wrote.

“Respondent also casts aspersions, wrongly asserting that state actors have slow-walked this case,” Divine wrote. “There is no need to respond to every incorrect assertion.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695984365207.png" alt=" State law directs Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to prepare a ballot summary that is “neither intentionally argumentative nor likely to create prejudice either for or against the proposed measure.” A court determined that Ashcroft violated both standards (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption> State law directs Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to prepare a ballot summary that is “neither intentionally argumentative nor likely to create prejudice either for or against the proposed measure.” A court determined that Ashcroft violated both standards (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Jay Ashcroft sought hearing in November while ACLU of Missouri says delays are ‘frustrating the right to initiative’</h2>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The next legal wrestling match over what Missouri voters would see if an abortion-rights initiative petition makes next year’s ballot is scheduled for Oct. 30 before judges of Western District Court of Appeals.A three-judge panel will hear oral arguments that day on Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s appeal of Cole County&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/judge-rejects-rewrites-summary-for-missouri-abortion-initiative-petition/">Circuit Judge Jon Beetem’s Monday ruling</a>&nbsp;that rewrote the ballot language for six proposed initiatives.In an order setting the hearing date, the court also set an expedited schedule for filings in the case, splitting the difference between the faster schedule sought by ACLU of Missouri attorneys and the calendar proposed by Ashcroft’s legal team.Ashcroft’s opening brief will be due Oct. 11, with the final filing on Oct. 23, one week before arguments.“No extensions will be granted,” the order states.The same schedule applies to an appeal filed Tuesday seeking review of Beetem’s ruling upholding a fiscal note summary written by State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick. A challenge filed by state Rep. Hannah Kelly, R-Mountain Grove, state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, and Kathy Forck, a longtime anti-abortion advocate from New Bloomfield, argued that the state could lose federal Medicaid funding and trillions in future tax revenue.Beetem decided that Ashcroft wrote a biased ballot summary for six proposed initiatives that would enshrine rights to receive reproductive health care, including abortion, in the state constitution.&nbsp;State law directs the secretary of state to prepare a ballot summary that is “<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=116.334&amp;bid=6341&amp;hl=">neither intentionally argumentative</a>&nbsp;nor likely to create prejudice either for or against the proposed measure.” In his ruling, Beetem wrote that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Judgment%20Entered.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=2919702">Ashcroft violated both standards</a>.Ashcroft filed a notice of appeal the same day as the ruling, telling the Western District Court of Appeals that Beetem went too far by rewriting the entire ballot summary for all six proposals “instead of performing minimal revisions to any language deemed unfair and insufficient.”In the motion to expedite the appeal, attorney Tori Schafer wrote that Ashcroft has been trying to delay the start of signature-gathering and a lengthy appeal process only helps that effort. The ACLU of Missouri represents Dr. Anna Fitz-James, a St. Louis physician who is the named representative of a political action committee called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom and the plaintiff in the case.“The Attorney General and Secretary of State have repeatedly acted outside of the law to delay this case in an attempt to frustrate Dr. Fitz-James’s right to initiative,” Schafer wrote in the motion seeking oral arguments on Oct. 11.Ashcroft is represented by Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office in the case. Bailey was also the cause of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/missouri-auditor-says-ag-trying-to-falsely-inflate-projected-cost-of-abortion-amendment/">first substantial delay</a>&nbsp;in opening the signature campaign when he refused to accept Fitzpatrick’s fiscal note summary in April.&nbsp;Under regular procedures, it takes 56 days to complete a review process that produces a ballot title summary and financial estimate. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom filed 11 proposals in early March and expected to have a petition ready for circulation by mid-May.&nbsp;To make the 2024 ballot, backers must secure more than 170,000 signatures from registered voters by early May 2024.Instead, Bailey’s refusal to act on Fitzpatrick’s summary resulted in a court case resolved by the July 20 decision of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/20/missouri-supreme-court-rejects-ags-push-to-inflate-cost-of-abortion-rights-amendment/">the Missouri Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;that concluded nothing in state law “gives the attorney general authority to question the auditor’s assessment of the fiscal impact of a proposed petition.”Ashcroft waited for a week after that decision before certifying the ballot title, Schafer wrote.“Time is of the essence to prevent the Attorney General and Secretary from successfully frustrating the right to initiative,” she wrote.In seeking a longer schedule, Assistant Attorney General Josh Divine wrote that he needs time to prepare after taking over the case from the trial attorney. Under normal court procedures, he wrote, Beetem’s Monday ruling would not be final until Oct. 25.&nbsp;Any time after that would be best for Ashcroft, Divine wrote. The time limit for litigation over ballot titles is 180 days, he wrote, making the deadline for a final decision Jan. 22.If the court wants to move faster, Divine wrote, he needs “until at least October 13 to file an opening brief so counsel can become acquainted with the case—especially in light of other briefing obligations, including a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, due in the upcoming weeks.”Ashcroft and Bailey have not unnecessarily delayed the certification of the initiative or the litigation, DIvine wrote.“Respondent also casts aspersions, wrongly asserting that state actors have slow-walked this case,” Divine wrote. “There is no need to respond to every incorrect assertion.”

Court sets hearing date on Missouri abortion rights initiative ballot title

Now is the time to get your flu shot to be prepared for the upcoming flu season.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Flu season typically comes in December and January, but getting your flu shot now will help to start to build up those antibodies to have you protected. &nbsp;

St. Joseph Health Department Clinic Supervisor Holly Hazzard says its vitally important to get your flu shot&nbsp;

"It is the best way to protect not only yourself but your family, your friends, everybody you live with, to protect everybody around you from getting the flu and making sure that if you do get that flu that it's a lighter version of the flu and it's not going to make you hospitalized," Hazzard tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.&nbsp;

Hazzard says October is normally the ideal time to get your flu shot.&nbsp;

"But it really just depends on the year," Hazzard says. "Last year we kind of saw a flu spike early on in the year and then it kind of drifted off after that, we usually see flu spikes around December or January."&nbsp;

Hazzard says the annual flu shot clinic happening on October 11th is the kickoff event for the department providing flu shots&nbsp;

"So, we start at this flu clinic we do about 200 to 250 vaccinations, we are prepared for 250 people this year," Hazzard explains.&nbsp;

The clinic will be held at the Civic Arena.&nbsp; Hazzard says what people will be able to receive at the clinic will only be the flu shot&nbsp;

"We are waiting on our COVID shipments, as soon as they come in and as soon as we're able to make those available we intend on doing COVID outreach clinics as well," Hazzard says.&nbsp;

The clinic will be held from 9am until noon or while supplies last for residents 19 and older. &nbsp;

The St. Joseph Health Department will be closed on the 11th, but will resume normal business hours on the 12th, also giving out flu shots from the clinic.&nbsp;

By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;Now is the time to get your flu shot to be prepared for the upcoming flu season.&nbsp; &nbsp;Flu season typically comes in December and January, but getting your flu shot now will help to start to build up those antibodies to have you protected. &nbsp;St. Joseph Health Department Clinic Supervisor Holly Hazzard says its vitally important to get your flu shot&nbsp;"It is the best way to protect not only yourself but your family, your friends, everybody you live with, to protect everybody around you from getting the flu and making sure that if you do get that flu that it's a lighter version of the flu and it's not going to make you hospitalized," Hazzard tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.&nbsp;Hazzard says October is normally the ideal time to get your flu shot.&nbsp;"But it really just depends on the year," Hazzard says. "Last year we kind of saw a flu spike early on in the year and then it kind of drifted off after that, we usually see flu spikes around December or January."&nbsp;Hazzard says the annual flu shot clinic happening on October 11th is the kickoff event for the department providing flu shots&nbsp;"So, we start at this flu clinic we do about 200 to 250 vaccinations, we are prepared for 250 people this year," Hazzard explains.&nbsp;The clinic will be held at the Civic Arena.&nbsp; Hazzard says what people will be able to receive at the clinic will only be the flu shot&nbsp;"We are waiting on our COVID shipments, as soon as they come in and as soon as we're able to make those available we intend on doing COVID outreach clinics as well," Hazzard says.&nbsp;The clinic will be held from 9am until noon or while supplies last for residents 19 and older. &nbsp;The St. Joseph Health Department will be closed on the 11th, but will resume normal business hours on the 12th, also giving out flu shots from the clinic.&nbsp;

Annual St. Joseph flu shot clinic gets residents prepared for the flu season

ATCHISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 10a.m. Thursday in Atchison County.

According to Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Alexandria Woessner, 32, Atchison, was northbound on U.S.73 when the vehicle struck the curb on the west side of the northbound lanes.

The driver overcorrected and the SUV left the roadway on the east side of the northbound lanes and struck a retaining wall that runs parallel to U.S. 73 Highway. After impact, the SUV rolled.

EMS transported Woessner to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph for treatment.

A police vehicle headed to the accident scene was involved in a collision, according to Wilson. The police vehicle was westbound on U.S.59 and was turning south onto U.S.73 when it collided in the intersection with a vehicle that had been northbound on U.S. 73. There were no injuries in that accident. The Kansas Highway Patrol investigated the 10th and U.S. 59 accident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695929337327.png" alt="photo courtesy Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 10a.m. Thursday in Atchison County.According to Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Alexandria Woessner, 32, Atchison, was northbound on U.S.73 when the vehicle struck the curb on the west side of the northbound lanes.The driver overcorrected and the SUV left the roadway on the east side of the northbound lanes and struck a retaining wall that runs parallel to U.S. 73 Highway. After impact, the SUV rolled.EMS transported Woessner to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph for treatment.A police vehicle headed to the accident scene was involved in a collision, according to Wilson. The police vehicle was westbound on U.S.59 and was turning south onto U.S.73 when it collided in the intersection with a vehicle that had been northbound on U.S. 73. There were no injuries in that accident. The Kansas Highway Patrol investigated the 10th and U.S. 59 accident.

Kansas woman hospitalized in St. Joe after SUV crash

A fun and interactive job fair held by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will highlight work opportunities for area high school seniors. &nbsp;

My Success will be held at the Civic Arena on October 17th and 18th bringing in several northwest Missouri businesses. &nbsp;

Chamber President Natalie Redmond says however, there is still a need for more businesses for the event. &nbsp;

"We could use employers that are maybe small businesses, folks in the arts and communications, we definitely could use some more employers that want to come and kind of teach the high school students in an interactive way about their careers so that hopefully they can find a career path right here in northwest Missouri," Redmond tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. &nbsp;

Redmond says some students in the fall might not have a plan for the spring that is quickly approaching.&nbsp;

"So, this is a way for them to find a career and then really understand what that career path looks like," Redmond explains. "So, if it’s becoming a welder, what kind of school you need to become a welder and what jobs are available, if that's becoming a doctor what school you need and what jobs are available in this region."&nbsp;

Businesses from every industry will be on hand during the event to interact with students and highlight what they do in their profession.&nbsp;

Redmond says people are constantly surprised by some of the opportunities they find at the job fair. &nbsp;

"There are a lot of opportunities that are very niche that are here in St. Joseph that I think most people don't know about, especially a high school student," Redmond points out. "So, it’s a great way to expose them to different things and its interactive, it's fun, the energy in the room is contagious."&nbsp;

The Chamber will also hold a Manufacturing Day event on October 5th, highlighting the manufacturing jobs in St. Joseph.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695919301987.jpeg" alt="The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will host My Success on October 17th and 18th at the Civic Arena bringing in several high school seniors to explore job opportunities/ Photo courtesy of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Facebook page" />
 <figcaption>The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will host My Success on October 17th and 18th at the Civic Arena bringing in several high school seniors to explore job opportunities/ Photo courtesy of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Facebook page</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;A fun and interactive job fair held by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will highlight work opportunities for area high school seniors. &nbsp;My Success will be held at the Civic Arena on October 17th and 18th bringing in several northwest Missouri businesses. &nbsp;Chamber President Natalie Redmond says however, there is still a need for more businesses for the event. &nbsp;"We could use employers that are maybe small businesses, folks in the arts and communications, we definitely could use some more employers that want to come and kind of teach the high school students in an interactive way about their careers so that hopefully they can find a career path right here in northwest Missouri," Redmond tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. &nbsp;Redmond says some students in the fall might not have a plan for the spring that is quickly approaching.&nbsp;"So, this is a way for them to find a career and then really understand what that career path looks like," Redmond explains. "So, if it’s becoming a welder, what kind of school you need to become a welder and what jobs are available, if that's becoming a doctor what school you need and what jobs are available in this region."&nbsp;Businesses from every industry will be on hand during the event to interact with students and highlight what they do in their profession.&nbsp;Redmond says people are constantly surprised by some of the opportunities they find at the job fair. &nbsp;"There are a lot of opportunities that are very niche that are here in St. Joseph that I think most people don't know about, especially a high school student," Redmond points out. "So, it’s a great way to expose them to different things and its interactive, it's fun, the energy in the room is contagious."&nbsp;The Chamber will also hold a Manufacturing Day event on October 5th, highlighting the manufacturing jobs in St. Joseph.&nbsp;

My Success gives high school seniors a look at possible futures

A Missouri farmland auction broke the previous record set in Iowa as 115 acres of land sold for a record amount. 

The Missouri farmland sale smashed the previous record of $30,000 an acre set in Iowa. 

The bill of sale from Dyer and Fenner Auctioneers said the record sale happened last week in Saline County, Missouri. 

Two farmers got into a bidding war, and, in only 15 minutes, the 115 acres set the new record at $34,800 per acre. 

The buyer wasn’t an investor. The winning bid came from a farmer named Jeff Baxter from neighboring Carroll County, Missouri. 

Area farmers say the competing bidder was a farmer whose home farm touches the land that was up for sale. Farm Journal’s AgWeb says the bidding started at $15,000 an acre for the piece of ground that’s been in the same family for four generations, and the bids climbed very fast. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

A Missouri farmland auction broke the previous record set in Iowa as 115 acres of land sold for a record amount. The Missouri farmland sale smashed the previous record of $30,000 an acre set in Iowa. The bill of sale from Dyer and Fenner Auctioneers said the record sale happened last week in Saline County, Missouri. Two farmers got into a bidding war, and, in only 15 minutes, the 115 acres set the new record at $34,800 per acre. The buyer wasn’t an investor. The winning bid came from a farmer named Jeff Baxter from neighboring Carroll County, Missouri. Area farmers say the competing bidder was a farmer whose home farm touches the land that was up for sale. Farm Journal’s AgWeb says the bidding started at $15,000 an acre for the piece of ground that’s been in the same family for four generations, and the bids climbed very fast. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- NAFB

Missouri farmland sale sets new record

The National Corn Growers Association launched a grassroots advocacy campaign to encourage the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to provide a level playing field for biofuels like ethanol. 

The organization wants corn growers and advocates to make their voices heard by submitting comments to the agency. 

The campaign comes after NHTSA proposed hiking the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standard, referred to as the CAFÉ Standard. 

It regulates how much fuel a vehicle consumes per mile. The agency’s current proposal would move the fleet average for small cars and light trucks from 44 to 58 miles per gallon by 2032. 

NCGA President Tom Haag says the proposal sets an unattainable goal and concerning precedent. 

“Auto manufacturers will be forced to overlook viable solutions in high-octane biofuels like corn ethanol to meet these standards,” Haag says. “This would minimize the role biofuels play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving consumers money.”

The National Corn Growers Association launched a grassroots advocacy campaign to encourage the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to provide a level playing field for biofuels like ethanol. The organization wants corn growers and advocates to make their voices heard by submitting comments to the agency. The campaign comes after NHTSA proposed hiking the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standard, referred to as the CAFÉ Standard. It regulates how much fuel a vehicle consumes per mile. The agency’s current proposal would move the fleet average for small cars and light trucks from 44 to 58 miles per gallon by 2032. NCGA President Tom Haag says the proposal sets an unattainable goal and concerning precedent. “Auto manufacturers will be forced to overlook viable solutions in high-octane biofuels like corn ethanol to meet these standards,” Haag says. “This would minimize the role biofuels play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving consumers money.”- NAFB

NCGA campaign call for a level playing field

Critics of the law have argued it criminalizes homelessness and was improperly tacked on to an unrelated bill

The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments over the constitutionality of a wide-ranging law passed by the legislature last year banning sleeping on public land.

Missouri lawmakers made<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/17/advocates-providers-scramble-as-missouris-new-homelessness-law-goes-into-effect/">&nbsp;sleeping on state-owned land a Class C misdemeanor</a>, along with a slew of other provisions such as restricting state funding for permanent supportive housing in favor of temporary treatments.&nbsp;

The legislation was passed as an amendment in a broader&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/hlrbillspdf/3703H.08T.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;just before the end of the 2022 session.

<h2>Critics of the law have argued it criminalizes homelessness and was improperly tacked on to an unrelated bill</h2>By CLARA BATES,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments over the constitutionality of a wide-ranging law passed by the legislature last year banning sleeping on public land.Missouri lawmakers made<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/17/advocates-providers-scramble-as-missouris-new-homelessness-law-goes-into-effect/">&nbsp;sleeping on state-owned land a Class C misdemeanor</a>, along with a slew of other provisions such as restricting state funding for permanent supportive housing in favor of temporary treatments.&nbsp;The legislation was passed as an amendment in a broader&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/hlrbillspdf/3703H.08T.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;just before the end of the 2022 session.The case heard Wednesday centers on whether the way the law was passed — as an amendment in a bill pertaining to “political subdivisions”&nbsp; — violates constitutional requirements that legislation have a single subject, clear title and adhere to its original purpose. Those requirements were designed in part to support transparency and discourage legislative maneuvering to tack amendments that wouldn’t pass as stand-alone bills onto popular bills in order to pass.Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, along with Public Citizen Litigation Group and a Springfield homeless shelter, filed a lawsuit last year against the state, arguing the homelessness provisions do not fit within the bill’s overarching subject of “relating to political subdivisions.”In March, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Cotton Walker ruled in favor of the state, and the plaintiffs&nbsp; appealed to the Supreme Court.“Many of its provisions do not concern political subdivisions, and the section as a whole does not clearly relate to political subdivisions,” Adina Rosenbaum, an attorney for Public Citizen Litigation Group, argued Wednesday.&nbsp;One judge asked why it wouldn’t be sufficient to have some provisions related to political subdivisions. Rosenbaum said only a few provisions are, and that the scope of the legislation is much broader. It “regulates individuals, it regulates nonprofits, regulates private campgrounds,” she said, “so it goes far beyond the political subdivisions.”“No one looking at the title of this bill would think, for example, that it criminalized individual behavior,” Rosenbaum said.The state,&nbsp;represented by Assistant Attorney General Clayton Weems, argued political subdivisions “clearly relate to and have a natural connection to the overarching thrust of the bill.”“As the circuit court correctly found, empowering political subdivisions to address the local problem is…germane and relevant to the concept of political subdivisions as a whole,” Weems said.&nbsp;“In this particular case, the involvement of political subdivisions is a necessary prerequisite at every juncture at every step,” Weems said.&nbsp;Ben Stringer, another attorney arguing on behalf of the plaintiffs, disputed the argument that being related to a political subdivision was enough.“The critique of this bill is not that it doesn’t address political subdivisions, the critique is that it addresses political subdivisions and a slew of other matters that are outside the political subdivision itself,” Stringer said.“The state has tried to argue that this criminalization of homelessness relates to political subdivisions because political subdivisions become the enforcer of this provision,” Stringer said — arguing if that were true, it would open the floodgates to, for instance, rewriting “the entire criminal code under the auspice of relating to political subdivisions.”Judge Patricia Breckenridge asked Weems what the standard is.“The overriding purpose to regulate the political subdivision might be a stretch,” Breckenridge said.In one of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=135781">briefs</a>&nbsp;filed in support of the litigation, an attorney for ArchCity Defenders and a DC-based law firm refer to the law as&nbsp;“legislation of staggering importance, pushed by non-Missouri interests, passed without adequate debate and public scrutiny,” which leads to “criminalization of the most vulnerable Missourians.”The legislation,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/17/advocates-providers-scramble-as-missouris-new-homelessness-law-goes-into-effect/">modeled off a template created by the conservative think tank Cicero Institute</a>, aims to combine a camping ban with temporary supports to reduce the prevalence of encampments they characterize as violent, and encourage self-sufficiency for those living there. Many advocates oppose the law, arguing it criminalizes being unsheltered while removing housing-first strategies that help combat homelessness.

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