Eastern Kansas Congressman, Derek
Schmidt, says Congress needed to approve President Trump’s budget bill before
tax cuts approved in Trump’s first term expired.

Schmidt voted with nearly every
Republican in the U.S. House to approve the Senate’s version of the bill that
kept tax cuts from expiring January 1st.

“So, we had to get that done,” Schmidt
tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’d put that right at the top of the list. It was
time sensitive. It was urgent, needed to happen, it did. It’s very good public
policy and we won’t have to do that again. We can move down the road.”

Schmidt says while citizens might not
have been concerned now about the federal tax cuts approved in 2017, they would
have noticed come January if Congress hadn’t acted.

The bill also raised the federal tax
deduction for Social Security benefits and allows individuals to deduct part of
their tips and overtime pay from taxable income.

It increases funding for border security.

“Also, this got less discussion, but very
important for eastern Kansas that I represent,” Schmidt says. “Congress had
been overdue by years, I think two-plus years now, in passing a new Farm Bill.
Typically, Farm Bills come every five years. They didn’t get it done the last
two years even after the expiration. And we got big parts of a Farm Bill
extension in this bill. They’re now law.”

Critics have focused on the cost of the
bill, claiming it will add $3 trillion to the federal deficit over a 10-year
period. Schmidt says that number is in dispute, because it is based on an
assumption that the tax cuts would have expired.

“You know, the accounting is something
that the people that do numbers will fight about over time,” Schmidt says. “My
own view is the first step toward getting your fiscal house in order is to
control the explosive growth in spending and this bill takes a step in the
right direction for the first time in generations.”

The bill does contain cuts. It reduces
some federal food stamp and nutrition programs. It adds restrictions to
Medicaid.

Schmidt insists, overall, the legislation
took the country a step in the right direction.

“Like I said at the time, there’s some
things I would have preferred not be there. They weren’t my first choice, but
you’ve got to compromise,” Schmidt says. “It’s easy to say the good outweighed
the bad for the people I represent.”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostEastern Kansas Congressman, Derek
Schmidt, says Congress needed to approve President Trump’s budget bill before
tax cuts approved in Trump’s first term expired.Schmidt voted with nearly every
Republican in the U.S. House to approve the Senate’s version of the bill that
kept tax cuts from expiring January 1st.“So, we had to get that done,” Schmidt
tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’d put that right at the top of the list. It was
time sensitive. It was urgent, needed to happen, it did. It’s very good public
policy and we won’t have to do that again. We can move down the road.”Schmidt says while citizens might not
have been concerned now about the federal tax cuts approved in 2017, they would
have noticed come January if Congress hadn’t acted.The bill also raised the federal tax
deduction for Social Security benefits and allows individuals to deduct part of
their tips and overtime pay from taxable income.It increases funding for border security.“Also, this got less discussion, but very
important for eastern Kansas that I represent,” Schmidt says. “Congress had
been overdue by years, I think two-plus years now, in passing a new Farm Bill.
Typically, Farm Bills come every five years. They didn’t get it done the last
two years even after the expiration. And we got big parts of a Farm Bill
extension in this bill. They’re now law.”The bill extends crop insurance.Critics have focused on the cost of the
bill, claiming it will add $3 trillion to the federal deficit over a 10-year
period. Schmidt says that number is in dispute, because it is based on an
assumption that the tax cuts would have expired.“You know, the accounting is something
that the people that do numbers will fight about over time,” Schmidt says. “My
own view is the first step toward getting your fiscal house in order is to
control the explosive growth in spending and this bill takes a step in the
right direction for the first time in generations.”The bill does contain cuts. It reduces
some federal food stamp and nutrition programs. It adds restrictions to
Medicaid.Schmidt insists, overall, the legislation
took the country a step in the right direction.“Like I said at the time, there’s some
things I would have preferred not be there. They weren’t my first choice, but
you’ve got to compromise,” Schmidt says. “It’s easy to say the good outweighed
the bad for the people I represent.”You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Congressman Schmidt says Congress had to act to extend tax cuts

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/00TFtLDPc7hstzG6bhorWz?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning Sports

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3b9hphChgm4mmyiVcaH1tT?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning News

The Buchanan County Sheriff's Office has received a state grant that will help create a new position to combat impaired driving.  

Captain Mike Hess says the grant will help pay the salary and purchase a vehicle for the next three years to specifically focus on impaired drivers.  

Hess says over the past three years there has been a significant amount of impaired driving arrests 

"That was just through patrol regular activities, there wasn't a focus per say, with those numbers being so high we decided we need a focused person or unit which is what we're moving towards," Hess tells KFEQmunnity host Brent Martin.  "Our numbers alone, last year we had 94 DWI arrests, the year before we had over 150." 

Hess says that's just the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office.  He adds that in 2023, four officers between the Sheriff's Office, the St. Joseph Police, and the Missouri Highway Patrol had over 450 DWI arrests. 

Hess says often these impaired drivers might think they are fine driving a short distance, or perhaps have even made the drive before while impaired 

"I think statistically the average DWI arrest has driven up to 80 times prior to their first arrest, meaning 80 times impaired on some level," Hess explains. 

Hess says your odds of encountering someone that is driving impaired is quite high, especially on the weekend 

"On the weekdays, think about this, between 10am and 1pm, one in 13 drivers are legally drunk, and that's during the weekdays," Hess points out. 

Hess says the new position will simply have one goal in mind 

"We want to just get impaired drives off the road and it's not necessarily about anything other than making the roadways safer, period that's it, nothing else that's our focus," Hess says.  "To keep the community safe, make the roadways safer for everyone to travel on, and reduce impaired crashes, because if we can reduce that maybe we can reduce the fatality crashes or injuries that effect people's lives." 

Hess says the grant will help pay the salary and purchase a vehicle for the next three years to specifically focus on impaired drivers. The new position must go into effect by October 1st. 

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Buchanan County Sheriff's Office has received a state grant that will help create a new position to combat impaired driving. Captain Mike Hess says the grant will help pay the salary and purchase a vehicle for the next three years to specifically focus on impaired drivers. Hess says over the past three years there has been a significant amount of impaired driving arrests "That was just through patrol regular activities, there wasn't a focus per say, with those numbers being so high we decided we need a focused person or unit which is what we're moving towards," Hess tells KFEQmunnity host Brent Martin. "Our numbers alone, last year we had 94 DWI arrests, the year before we had over 150." Hess says that's just the Buchanan County Sheriff's Office. He adds that in 2023, four officers between the Sheriff's Office, the St. Joseph Police, and the Missouri Highway Patrol had over 450 DWI arrests. Hess says often these impaired drivers might think they are fine driving a short distance, or perhaps have even made the drive before while impaired "I think statistically the average DWI arrest has driven up to 80 times prior to their first arrest, meaning 80 times impaired on some level," Hess explains. Hess says your odds of encountering someone that is driving impaired is quite high, especially on the weekend "On the weekdays, think about this, between 10am and 1pm, one in 13 drivers are legally drunk, and that's during the weekdays," Hess points out. Hess says the new position will simply have one goal in mind "We want to just get impaired drives off the road and it's not necessarily about anything other than making the roadways safer, period that's it, nothing else that's our focus," Hess says. "To keep the community safe, make the roadways safer for everyone to travel on, and reduce impaired crashes, because if we can reduce that maybe we can reduce the fatality crashes or injuries that effect people's lives." Hess says the grant will help pay the salary and purchase a vehicle for the next three years to specifically focus on impaired drivers. The new position must go into effect by October 1st. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

State grant helps Buchanan County combat impaired driving

DEKALB COUNTY—One person died in a house fire Sunday in Cameron.

Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police along with fire crews and EMS responded to 911 call for a fire in a home at 424 N. Nettleton Street in Cameron, according to a media release from Cameron Police.&nbsp; 

The caller indicated a possible victim trapped inside the home. Another caller reported hearing an explosion within the home.

Cameron Police were first to arrive and observed heavy smoke and flames coming from the front porch area of the home. During this time, a good Samaritan was able to break a window and rescue a child from inside the home.&nbsp;

Despite the swift response and efforts from Cameron Fire crews, the home became fully engulfed. There was one fatality. Police have not released the name or additional details on the victim. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Missouri State Fire Marshal's office with assistance from the Cameron Police Detectives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752487414987.png" alt="Photo by Ale Espinosa courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Ale Espinosa courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>DEKALB COUNTY—One person died in a house fire Sunday in Cameron.Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police along with fire crews and EMS responded to 911 call for a fire in a home at 424 N. Nettleton Street in Cameron, according to a media release from Cameron Police.&nbsp; The caller indicated a possible victim trapped inside the home. Another caller reported hearing an explosion within the home.Cameron Police were first to arrive and observed heavy smoke and flames coming from the front porch area of the home. During this time, a good Samaritan was able to break a window and rescue a child from inside the home.&nbsp;Despite the swift response and efforts from Cameron Fire crews, the home became fully engulfed. There was one fatality. Police have not released the name or additional details on the victim. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Missouri State Fire Marshal's office with assistance from the Cameron Police Detectives.

1 dead, Good Samaritan rescues child from house fire

With just one week left until the Kansas City Chiefs again report to St. Joseph for Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp, "Welcome Chiefs" signs are once again available to welcome the team to town. 

Signs will be available to the public for free on Tuesday, July 15, from 11am-5pm while supplies last at the Visitors Center at the East Hills Library and Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau. 

There will be a limit of two signs per person on Tuesday to allow as many residents and businesses as possible to have an opportunity to pick them up. Any signs remaining after Tuesday will be available during regular business hours at both locations.

The St. Joseph Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau recommends people put out any saved signs from previous years to maximize the visibility of signs around town.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostWith just one week left until the Kansas City Chiefs again report to St. Joseph for Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp, "Welcome Chiefs" signs are once again available to welcome the team to town. Signs will be available to the public for free on Tuesday, July 15, from 11am-5pm while supplies last at the Visitors Center at the East Hills Library and Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau. There will be a limit of two signs per person on Tuesday to allow as many residents and businesses as possible to have an opportunity to pick them up. Any signs remaining after Tuesday will be available during regular business hours at both locations.The St. Joseph Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau recommends people put out any saved signs from previous years to maximize the visibility of signs around town.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Get your Welcome Chiefs sign Tuesday as Training Camp nears

Nearly 73 million workers fall under such laws, a new report said.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/avollers/">Anna Claire Vollers</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Across most of the South and Midwest, state laws bar local governments from requiring employers to provide paid sick leave, effectively stripping cities of the power to enact their own labor protections.

Nearly 73 million workers live in the 18 states that now have such preemptive laws, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://nationalpartnership.org/report/nearly-73-million-workers-live-in-states-that-block-local-communities-from-making-progress-on-paid-sick-days/" target="_blank">new report</a>&nbsp;from A Better Balance, a legal advocacy organization focused on workplace rights, and the National Partnership for Women &amp; Families, a nonprofit advocacy group.

“Local leaders know what’s best for their communities. To take away the decision-making power from local communities on this issue and others is very, very concerning,” said Feroza Freeland, policy director of the Southern office at A Better Balance, and one of the report’s authors.

Among the 18 states included in the report was Missouri. The legislature passed a measure in May to&nbsp;<a href="https://legiscan.com/MO/text/HB567/id/3166038" target="_blank">repeal</a>&nbsp;paid leave requirements voters had&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/01/missouri-paid-sick-leave-law-now-in-effect-though-legislative-challenges-still-loom/#:~:text=Under%20the%20law,least%2056%20hours." target="_blank">approved</a>&nbsp;in November that expanded access to paid sick leave for about 728,000 workers who lacked it. Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe on Thursday signed the statewide repeal into law. Local paid sick leave laws have been banned in Missouri since 2017.

Kehoe in a statement called the paid sick leave mandates “onerous,” saying they dictated when and how sick leave was provided and had “burdensome” recordkeeping and compliance obligations.

Nationwide, about 27 million workers don’t earn paid sick days, the report found. Many of them work low-wage and part-time jobs, and they’re disproportionately likely to be women, younger workers and people of color, according to the report.

“Folks are facing impossible choices between their own health — or the health of their children — and continuing to earn a paycheck to pay bills and put food on the table,” Freeland told Stateline.

In the absence of federal laws guaranteeing paid sick leave for workers, more cities and local governments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abetterbalance.org/paid-sick-time-laws/" target="_blank">have passed their own</a>, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh and Seattle.

But lawmakers in 18 states, mainly in the South and Midwest, have done the opposite, the report found. GOP legislators have said such paid leave requirements&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/29/missouri-supreme-court-upholds-voter-approved-paid-sick-leave-law/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20financially%20burdensome%2C%20just%20short%20of%20devastating%2C%20and%20its%20regulatory%20requirements%20are%20extremely%20difficult%20for%20single%20unit%20operators%2C%E2%80%9D%20Buddy%20Lahl%2C%20CEO%20of%20the%20Missouri%20Restaurant%20Association%2C%20told%20The%20Independent%20Tuesday." target="_blank">create financial hardship</a>&nbsp;for employers, particularly for smaller businesses.

Over the past decade, in GOP-led states across the country, Republican lawmakers have tried to limit the policymaking power of Democratic-led urban centers on issues ranging from immigration to voting rights to LGBTQ+ matters.

While all of the states that preempt local paid sick leave laws are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/about-state-legislatures/state-partisan-composition" target="_blank">Republican-led</a>, many conservative-led states in the Mountain West don’t have such laws.

Katherine Gallagher Robbins, a senior fellow at the National Partnership and another author of the report, said that’s because Western states tend to have more of a libertarian bent. And she said preemption laws in the South have their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epi.org/publication/preemption-in-the-south/" target="_blank">roots</a>&nbsp;in historically racist standards that undervalue Black workers.

More than half the Black labor force — 56% — lives in one of the 18 states that prohibit local paid sick time protections, the report said.

Freeland also pointed out that the paid sick leave issue impacts not just urban centers, but rural communities as well. Many people without paid sick leave work in physically demanding jobs such as manufacturing and farming.

The report’s authors say that paid sick leave laws can help reduce the spread of illness, increase employment and wages, particularly for women with child care responsibilities, and can help recruit and retain workers.

Editor’s note: This story was updated to clarify the scope of the new Missouri law. Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:avollers@statline.org">avollers@statline.org</a>.

<h2>Nearly 73 million workers fall under such laws, a new report said.</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/avollers/">Anna Claire Vollers</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>Across most of the South and Midwest, state laws bar local governments from requiring employers to provide paid sick leave, effectively stripping cities of the power to enact their own labor protections.Nearly 73 million workers live in the 18 states that now have such preemptive laws, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://nationalpartnership.org/report/nearly-73-million-workers-live-in-states-that-block-local-communities-from-making-progress-on-paid-sick-days/" target="_blank">new report</a>&nbsp;from A Better Balance, a legal advocacy organization focused on workplace rights, and the National Partnership for Women &amp; Families, a nonprofit advocacy group.“Local leaders know what’s best for their communities. To take away the decision-making power from local communities on this issue and others is very, very concerning,” said Feroza Freeland, policy director of the Southern office at A Better Balance, and one of the report’s authors.Among the 18 states included in the report was Missouri. The legislature passed a measure in May to&nbsp;<a href="https://legiscan.com/MO/text/HB567/id/3166038" target="_blank">repeal</a>&nbsp;paid leave requirements voters had&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/01/missouri-paid-sick-leave-law-now-in-effect-though-legislative-challenges-still-loom/#:~:text=Under%20the%20law,least%2056%20hours." target="_blank">approved</a>&nbsp;in November that expanded access to paid sick leave for about 728,000 workers who lacked it. Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe on Thursday signed the statewide repeal into law. Local paid sick leave laws have been banned in Missouri since 2017.Kehoe in a statement called the paid sick leave mandates “onerous,” saying they dictated when and how sick leave was provided and had “burdensome” recordkeeping and compliance obligations.Nationwide, about 27 million workers don’t earn paid sick days, the report found. Many of them work low-wage and part-time jobs, and they’re disproportionately likely to be women, younger workers and people of color, according to the report.“Folks are facing impossible choices between their own health — or the health of their children — and continuing to earn a paycheck to pay bills and put food on the table,” Freeland told Stateline.In the absence of federal laws guaranteeing paid sick leave for workers, more cities and local governments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abetterbalance.org/paid-sick-time-laws/" target="_blank">have passed their own</a>, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh and Seattle.But lawmakers in 18 states, mainly in the South and Midwest, have done the opposite, the report found. GOP legislators have said such paid leave requirements&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/29/missouri-supreme-court-upholds-voter-approved-paid-sick-leave-law/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20financially%20burdensome%2C%20just%20short%20of%20devastating%2C%20and%20its%20regulatory%20requirements%20are%20extremely%20difficult%20for%20single%20unit%20operators%2C%E2%80%9D%20Buddy%20Lahl%2C%20CEO%20of%20the%20Missouri%20Restaurant%20Association%2C%20told%20The%20Independent%20Tuesday." target="_blank">create financial hardship</a>&nbsp;for employers, particularly for smaller businesses.Over the past decade, in GOP-led states across the country, Republican lawmakers have tried to limit the policymaking power of Democratic-led urban centers on issues ranging from immigration to voting rights to LGBTQ+ matters.While all of the states that preempt local paid sick leave laws are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/about-state-legislatures/state-partisan-composition" target="_blank">Republican-led</a>, many conservative-led states in the Mountain West don’t have such laws.Katherine Gallagher Robbins, a senior fellow at the National Partnership and another author of the report, said that’s because Western states tend to have more of a libertarian bent. And she said preemption laws in the South have their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epi.org/publication/preemption-in-the-south/" target="_blank">roots</a>&nbsp;in historically racist standards that undervalue Black workers.More than half the Black labor force — 56% — lives in one of the 18 states that prohibit local paid sick time protections, the report said.Freeland also pointed out that the paid sick leave issue impacts not just urban centers, but rural communities as well. Many people without paid sick leave work in physically demanding jobs such as manufacturing and farming.The report’s authors say that paid sick leave laws can help reduce the spread of illness, increase employment and wages, particularly for women with child care responsibilities, and can help recruit and retain workers.Editor’s note: This story was updated to clarify the scope of the new Missouri law. Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:avollers@statline.org">avollers@statline.org</a>.

18 states now stop cities from enacting paid leave standards

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6LVkgcDxUbMURQelSj3cim?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Week in Review

While the InspireU Children's Discovery Center in downtown St. Joseph has had a successful beginning, staff continue to develop new programming to draw people in. 

Director Katherine Patterson Paronto says while the museum has seen nearly 50 thousand visitors in the first six months, programming has been developed nearly every day, such as music and movement every Tuesday 

"We try and do two in a day, there's one for toddlers in the morning and one for older kids in the afternoon, so you can come and have a low stress music and dancing kind of an activity," Patterson Paronto says on the KFEQmunnity show.  "We also do interactive story time once a week as well, and then bubbles on the rooftop as well, that's Thursdays." 

And Patterson Paronto says starting on Tuesday they will launch a new program, the Inspired Concert Series 

"And we're starting off with Mr. Stinky Feet, who has a following, on the 16th we're going to have an afternoon concert with him," Patterson Paronto says.  "And if it's cool enough we'll have it on the roof, otherwise we'll have it in the space." 

Patterson Paronto says her staff is continuing to explore new programs to bring to the museum all the time and hope to have new opportunities this fall. 

As summer winds down, kids will be heading back to school, and the museum wants to send them back by having some fun first.  

Patterson Paronto says next month ahead of back to school the museum will host a Back-to-School bash 

"We plan on having all the favorite activities out all at once, so if you ever missed something you'll be able to do that," Patterson Paronto explains.  "And then we'll have other programming in the space, we just plan on having one big party to end the summer with a bang." 

The back-to-school bash does not have a date yet but will be held next month at the museum.  

InspireU is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sundays from noon to 5pm.  You can find more information on tickets on their website. 

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post While the InspireU Children's Discovery Center in downtown St. Joseph has had a successful beginning, staff continue to develop new programming to draw people in. Director Katherine Patterson Paronto says while the museum has seen nearly 50 thousand visitors in the first six months, programming has been developed nearly every day, such as music and movement every Tuesday "We try and do two in a day, there's one for toddlers in the morning and one for older kids in the afternoon, so you can come and have a low stress music and dancing kind of an activity," Patterson Paronto says on the KFEQmunnity show. "We also do interactive story time once a week as well, and then bubbles on the rooftop as well, that's Thursdays." And Patterson Paronto says starting on Tuesday they will launch a new program, the Inspired Concert Series "And we're starting off with Mr. Stinky Feet, who has a following, on the 16th we're going to have an afternoon concert with him," Patterson Paronto says. "And if it's cool enough we'll have it on the roof, otherwise we'll have it in the space." Patterson Paronto says her staff is continuing to explore new programs to bring to the museum all the time and hope to have new opportunities this fall. As summer winds down, kids will be heading back to school, and the museum wants to send them back by having some fun first. Patterson Paronto says next month ahead of back to school the museum will host a Back-to-School bash "We plan on having all the favorite activities out all at once, so if you ever missed something you'll be able to do that," Patterson Paronto explains. "And then we'll have other programming in the space, we just plan on having one big party to end the summer with a bang." The back-to-school bash does not have a date yet but will be held next month at the museum. InspireU is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sundays from noon to 5pm. You can find more information on tickets on their website. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Off to fast start, InspireU aims at keeping kids coming back

The new law will expand on efforts by the state’s education department to improve literacy in K-12 schools

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

Missouri lawmakers have banned educators from leaning on a model of reading instruction called the “three-cueing” method as part of a bipartisan education package signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Wednesday.

The law mandates that three cueing, which teaches students to&nbsp;<a href="https://fivefromfive.com.au/phonics-teaching/the-three-cueing-system/" target="_blank">read using context clues</a>, can be used to supplement lessons, but phonics should be the majority of instruction.

State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican and sponsor of the legislation, told The Independent that the law builds on prior legislative efforts and work from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

“We’ve come to the realization that phonics is crucial,” Lewis said. “The three cueing system, when used as the primary source, evidence shows a decrease in the amount of learning that occurs, and for that reason, we want to use it less.”

Three cueing is widely criticized for encouraging kids to make guesses when reading and doesn’t show how to sound out words, which is important for understanding complicated texts.

Missouri isn’t the only state to ban three cueing. By the end of 2024,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/more-states-are-taking-aim-at-a-controversial-early-reading-method/2025/04" target="_blank">at least 11 states</a>&nbsp;had explicitly banned the method.

The problem with three cueing, which once was lauded as an alternative to phonics, came to public attention when American Public Media reporter Emily Hanford&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2019/08/22/whats-wrong-how-schools-teach-reading" target="_blank">investigated reading instruction</a>&nbsp;and later launched the podcast series “<a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/" target="_blank">Sold a Story</a>.”

The series&nbsp;<a href="https://theweek.com/education/science-of-reading-battle" target="_blank">armed those backing the “science of reading” in a longstanding war</a>&nbsp;between phonics instruction and context-clue-based models and state laws followed — including a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/22info/BTS_Web/Summary.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;SummaryID=52&amp;BillID=71259862" target="_blank">literacy bill</a>&nbsp;passed in Missouri in 2022.

The 2022 legislation required state education officials to create a teacher preparatory course on literacy. DESE, in turn, launched its&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-read-lead-exceed" target="_blank">“Read, Lead, Exceed” initiative</a>, including instruction for educators.

As of this spring, 429 school districts and over 8,600 educators have had training in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, or LETRS.

“It is pretty intense training,” Missouri Education Commissioner Karla Eslinger told The Independent. “It creates an opportunity for the teachers to use that science of reading, that evidence-based best practices on how you teach reading.”

The training and other science-backed materials provided by the department are not mandatory but participation has been encouraging, Eslinger said.

She expects elementary literacy rates to rise as a result of the training and other efforts since 2022, like literacy coaches the department hired.

With a charge to ban three cueing as the primary form of reading instruction, Eslinger said the department will continue to push best practices.

“We are not going to police this,” she said. “We are going to show good practice and give support to good practice, so it just bolsters what we’re doing.”

As part of a checklist school districts provide annually to the department, they will be required to confirm that they are not using three cueing as a primary instructional model.

“The work that our literacy teams are doing in the state is all being very well received. (Educators) are wanting more and more,” Eslinger said. “It is not because it is mandated, it is because it works.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752321916316.png" alt=" State Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, stands on the House floor Wednesday during the last day of special session. Lewis sponsored legislation seeking to restrict teachers from using a controversial method of reading instruction as their primary tool (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> State Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, stands on the House floor Wednesday during the last day of special session. Lewis sponsored legislation seeking to restrict teachers from using a controversial method of reading instruction as their primary tool (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The new law will expand on efforts by the state’s education department to improve literacy in K-12 schools</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri lawmakers have banned educators from leaning on a model of reading instruction called the “three-cueing” method as part of a bipartisan education package signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Wednesday.The law mandates that three cueing, which teaches students to&nbsp;<a href="https://fivefromfive.com.au/phonics-teaching/the-three-cueing-system/" target="_blank">read using context clues</a>, can be used to supplement lessons, but phonics should be the majority of instruction.State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican and sponsor of the legislation, told The Independent that the law builds on prior legislative efforts and work from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.“We’ve come to the realization that phonics is crucial,” Lewis said. “The three cueing system, when used as the primary source, evidence shows a decrease in the amount of learning that occurs, and for that reason, we want to use it less.”Three cueing is widely criticized for encouraging kids to make guesses when reading and doesn’t show how to sound out words, which is important for understanding complicated texts.Missouri isn’t the only state to ban three cueing. By the end of 2024,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/more-states-are-taking-aim-at-a-controversial-early-reading-method/2025/04" target="_blank">at least 11 states</a>&nbsp;had explicitly banned the method.The problem with three cueing, which once was lauded as an alternative to phonics, came to public attention when American Public Media reporter Emily Hanford&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2019/08/22/whats-wrong-how-schools-teach-reading" target="_blank">investigated reading instruction</a>&nbsp;and later launched the podcast series “<a href="https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/" target="_blank">Sold a Story</a>.”The series&nbsp;<a href="https://theweek.com/education/science-of-reading-battle" target="_blank">armed those backing the “science of reading” in a longstanding war</a>&nbsp;between phonics instruction and context-clue-based models and state laws followed — including a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/22info/BTS_Web/Summary.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;SummaryID=52&amp;BillID=71259862" target="_blank">literacy bill</a>&nbsp;passed in Missouri in 2022.The 2022 legislation required state education officials to create a teacher preparatory course on literacy. DESE, in turn, launched its&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-read-lead-exceed" target="_blank">“Read, Lead, Exceed” initiative</a>, including instruction for educators.As of this spring, 429 school districts and over 8,600 educators have had training in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, or LETRS.“It is pretty intense training,” Missouri Education Commissioner Karla Eslinger told The Independent. “It creates an opportunity for the teachers to use that science of reading, that evidence-based best practices on how you teach reading.”The training and other science-backed materials provided by the department are not mandatory but participation has been encouraging, Eslinger said.She expects elementary literacy rates to rise as a result of the training and other efforts since 2022, like literacy coaches the department hired.With a charge to ban three cueing as the primary form of reading instruction, Eslinger said the department will continue to push best practices.“We are not going to police this,” she said. “We are going to show good practice and give support to good practice, so it just bolsters what we’re doing.”As part of a checklist school districts provide annually to the department, they will be required to confirm that they are not using three cueing as a primary instructional model.“The work that our literacy teams are doing in the state is all being very well received. (Educators) are wanting more and more,” Eslinger said. “It is not because it is mandated, it is because it works.”

Missouri lawmakers ban controversial reading instruction model as primary method

Missouri Western
State University officials want to supply area businesses with the workers they
need even as the university attempts to forecast the workforce needs of the
future.

Provost Jay
Johnson, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, says universities no longer
can be satisfied with just churning out students with four-year degrees.

“We do need to
have degrees that are focused in that direction,” Johnson tells KFEQmmunity. “We
also need to provide some real-time continuing education and upskilling,
credentialing, those types of things. And that’s we really started doing.”

Johnson says the
university has adjusted its offerings to provide more than just the traditional
under graduate degrees. But Johnson admits predicting the workforce needs of
the future is difficult.

“That’s been even
more complicated with just the immediate impact of AI,” Johnson says. “We’re
trying to figure out what that’s going to do for the workforce, because they’re
talking about how that is going to change the nature of work really in the next
five years.”

Johnson says
Missouri Western has adjusted to provide training opportunities for area
businesses to give their employees additional skills. Programs at the Houlne
Center for Convergent Technology, which Missouri Western runs in conjunction
with North Central Missouri College, offer a wide range of choices, from formal
degrees to certifications.

Johnson says
Missouri Western is very attune to meeting the needs of area businesses.

“But we also have
to make sure we’re reading the tea leaves just in the nation, because what is
affecting elsewhere is going to eventually get here or what’s affecting here is
eventually going to get elsewhere,” according to Johnson. “And so, we have to
make sure that we’re in front of all of that stuff, but it’s hard being all
things to all people.”

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western
State University officials want to supply area businesses with the workers they
need even as the university attempts to forecast the workforce needs of the
future.Provost Jay
Johnson, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, says universities no longer
can be satisfied with just churning out students with four-year degrees.“We do need to
have degrees that are focused in that direction,” Johnson tells KFEQmmunity. “We
also need to provide some real-time continuing education and upskilling,
credentialing, those types of things. And that’s we really started doing.”Johnson says the
university has adjusted its offerings to provide more than just the traditional
under graduate degrees. But Johnson admits predicting the workforce needs of
the future is difficult.“That’s been even
more complicated with just the immediate impact of AI,” Johnson says. “We’re
trying to figure out what that’s going to do for the workforce, because they’re
talking about how that is going to change the nature of work really in the next
five years.”Johnson says
Missouri Western has adjusted to provide training opportunities for area
businesses to give their employees additional skills. Programs at the Houlne
Center for Convergent Technology, which Missouri Western runs in conjunction
with North Central Missouri College, offer a wide range of choices, from formal
degrees to certifications.Johnson says
Missouri Western is very attune to meeting the needs of area businesses.“But we also have
to make sure we’re reading the tea leaves just in the nation, because what is
affecting elsewhere is going to eventually get here or what’s affecting here is
eventually going to get elsewhere,” according to Johnson. “And so, we have to
make sure that we’re in front of all of that stuff, but it’s hard being all
things to all people.”You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

MWSU looks to prepare students for the workforce now; and in the future

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1NNMO5STYED7ImMxxnUBfR?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2RKH7A3Bu0NEHJglKeccVD?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan.—One person was injured in an accident just after 9p.m. Thursday in Atchison County.

A 2015 Ford Fusion driven by Anthony Quintois, 22, Atchison, was southbound in the 100 Block of North 9th Street, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. An eastbound bicycle driven by a 14-year-old in an alley entered the roadway and collided with the car.&nbsp; 

EMS transported the 14-year-old male bicyclist&nbsp; to Amberwell Hospital.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752242377424.png" alt="Daytime view of where the accident occurred- photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Daytime view of where the accident occurred- photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan.—One person was injured in an accident just after 9p.m. Thursday in Atchison County.A 2015 Ford Fusion driven by Anthony Quintois, 22, Atchison, was southbound in the 100 Block of North 9th Street, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. An eastbound bicycle driven by a 14-year-old in an alley entered the roadway and collided with the car.&nbsp; EMS transported the 14-year-old male bicyclist&nbsp; to Amberwell Hospital.&nbsp;

14-year-old bicyclist injured after crash with a car

NODAWAY COUNTY —Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop H teamed with area first responders for Safety Alley at the Nodaway County Fair on Thursday, according to the patrol's social media account.

 "We enjoyed interacting with the community and sharing important safety tips for all ages," Troop H wrote.

The Nodaway County Fair continues through Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752236474138.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NODAWAY COUNTY —Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop H teamed with area first responders for Safety Alley at the Nodaway County Fair on Thursday, according to the patrol's social media account. "We enjoyed interacting with the community and sharing important safety tips for all ages," Troop H wrote.The Nodaway County Fair continues through Friday.

MSHP: Safety Alley at the Nodaway County Fair

The annual Gower Days festival this weekend at the Gower City Park celebrates small town living with something for everybody.  

Gower Days committee member Randy Frye says the festival brings several people into Gower, as well as several back home, and everyone seems to enjoy it. 

"I suppose there's a bit of nostalgia there, but I think also it celebrates just the goodness of small-town life and what it has to offer, and it's just a lot of fun," Frye tells the KFEQmunnity.  "But there really is a homecoming kind of sense about it in a lot of respects." 

The festival this weekend takes place in the Gower Park beginning tomorrow.  Gower Days Committee President Heather Miller says through the three days several people come into town for the festival 

"We have over 80 some vendors, we're turning people away, we have so many people coming to us, and then the carnival brings out tons and tons of kids," Miller explains.  "Its a lot of work to put it together, but when you look out there in that crowd and you see what actually happens in this small of town of 23 plus hundred people and you've got thousands out there, it's amazing." 

Gower Days features several vendors, food choices, and a variety of music to celebrate small town life.  

Frye says this year brings a variety of new music, as well as some fan favorites, that touch everyone's taste in music.  

Frye says his focus when choosing the acts that take the stage during Gower Days is to focus on the best quality of music 

"The jam is something new that we're trying, having kind of a classic jazz quartet, quintet play is an experiment, I think it's going to be great," Frye says.  "But it's trying to provide a wide variety of music and trying to provide something for everybody." 

Opening ceremonies take place tonight with opening ceremonies at 5pm in the Gower Park with the festival closing at 10pm.  The Gower Days parade will take place at 10:30am on Saturday.  

The festival opens on Saturday at 11am and runs until 5pm and closes on Sunday at 4pm.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688660544306.jpeg" alt="Gower Days brings several people out to the Gower Park every year / File photo" />
 <figcaption>Gower Days brings several people out to the Gower Park every year / File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The annual Gower Days festival this weekend at the Gower City Park celebrates small town living with something for everybody. Gower Days committee member Randy Frye says the festival brings several people into Gower, as well as several back home, and everyone seems to enjoy it. "I suppose there's a bit of nostalgia there, but I think also it celebrates just the goodness of small-town life and what it has to offer, and it's just a lot of fun," Frye tells the KFEQmunnity. "But there really is a homecoming kind of sense about it in a lot of respects." The festival this weekend takes place in the Gower Park beginning tomorrow. Gower Days Committee President Heather Miller says through the three days several people come into town for the festival "We have over 80 some vendors, we're turning people away, we have so many people coming to us, and then the carnival brings out tons and tons of kids," Miller explains. "Its a lot of work to put it together, but when you look out there in that crowd and you see what actually happens in this small of town of 23 plus hundred people and you've got thousands out there, it's amazing." Gower Days features several vendors, food choices, and a variety of music to celebrate small town life. Frye says this year brings a variety of new music, as well as some fan favorites, that touch everyone's taste in music. Frye says his focus when choosing the acts that take the stage during Gower Days is to focus on the best quality of music "The jam is something new that we're trying, having kind of a classic jazz quartet, quintet play is an experiment, I think it's going to be great," Frye says. "But it's trying to provide a wide variety of music and trying to provide something for everybody." Opening ceremonies take place tonight with opening ceremonies at 5pm in the Gower Park with the festival closing at 10pm. The Gower Days parade will take place at 10:30am on Saturday. The festival opens on Saturday at 11am and runs until 5pm and closes on Sunday at 4pm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752164591786.jpeg" alt="Gower Days schedule/ Photo courtesy of Gower Days Facebook" />
 <figcaption>Gower Days schedule/ Photo courtesy of Gower Days Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Gower Days festival celebrates the small town life

Gov. Mike Kehoe approved the tax cut expected to reduce revenues by $340 million annually even as he has been warning of future state funding shortfalls

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

Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/07/missouri-bill-exempting-capital-gains-from-income-tax-sent-to-governor/">investors will get a tax break</a>&nbsp;when they take profits and motorists&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/20/five-missouri-counties-no-longer-have-a-license-office-a-fee-hike-seeks-to-fix-that/">will pay more</a>&nbsp;to renew vehicle registrations under separate bills signed Thursday by Gov. Mike Kehoe.

Kehoe’s signature on&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB594&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">the bill</a>&nbsp;granting an income tax exemption for long-term capital gains — profits on investments held for a year or longer — marks the third major tax cut in the past three years. And it comes just days after he vetoed&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/30/missouri-governor-hits-earmarks-with-veto-pen-as-he-signs-state-budget/">more than $300 million</a>&nbsp;in general revenue spending and restricted $211 million more amid worries about sluggish revenues.

In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the state took in $13.4 billion in general revenue and final figures show revenue increased just $1 million over the previous year. After Kehoe’s vetoes, the budget for the current fiscal year projects spending $15.5 billion in general revenue, with the gap between revenue and spending covered by surpluses accumulated in past years.

“Conservative leadership is about keeping more money in the hands of Missouri families, and less in government coffers,” Kehoe said&nbsp;in a news release.

The capital gains exemption for individuals is officially estimated to reduce revenue&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/fiscal/fispdf/1683S.04F.ORG.pdf" target="_blank">by about $110 million</a>&nbsp;annually. Independent economists, however, have warned that the annual revenue loss could be much more,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/07/missouri-lawmakers-set-to-pass-capital-gains-tax-cut-with-questions-about-its-total-cost/">perhaps as much as $600 million</a>.&nbsp;

Most of the benefits from a cut in the capital gains rate for individuals would go to a small slice of taxpayers. The 23,800 federal returns filed for 2022 with incomes greater than $500,000 a year represent 0.8% of all returns but included 65% of the capital gains income.

When Kehoe finished with the state budget, he warned he was making vetoes and restricting spending because of uncertainty in future state revenues and expenses.

When Kehoe released his budget proposal in January, it anticipated the state would end the current fiscal year with an unobligated general revenue balance of $2.6 billion. At that time, the unobligated surplus at the end of the coming fiscal year was projected at $1.4 billion, but during the recent special session state Budget Director Dan Haug told lawmakers he expects no more than half that amount — $600 million to $700 million — will remain on June 30, 2026.

“The Office of Administration’s Division of Budget and Planning estimates a nearly $1 billion shortfall in general revenue starting in (fiscal year 2027),” the release accompanying the budget actions stated. “Contributing to this shortfall, ongoing general revenue spending authorized in the (fiscal year 2026) budget is projected to outpace ongoing revenues by nearly over $1 billion and grow larger in future years.”

Both the vetoes and Haug’s forecast came before Congress finished work on the massive&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/04/repub/on-the-fourth-of-july-trump-signs-his-big-beautiful-bill-into-law/">federal budget reconciliation bill</a>&nbsp;signed July 4 by President Donald Trump. The conservative-leaning Tax Foundation estimated Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/02/proposed-federal-tax-changes-could-mean-170m-or-more-cut-to-missouri-state-revenues/">revenue would decline</a>&nbsp;by at least $170 million and possibly by more than $400 million under an earlier version of the bill.&nbsp;

That estimate has not been updated since the final bill was passed.

The federal budget bill is also expected to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/03/federal-budget-megabill-would-shift-billions-in-cost-to-missouri-taxpayers/">shift billions of dollars</a>&nbsp;in costs for programs like food stamps and Medicaid to Missouri over the coming decade.

The liberal Missouri Budget Project, which opposed the tax cut during the session, issued a statement Thursday condemning Kehoe’s decision to sign the bill.

“Prioritizing an expensive special interest tax giveaway at this time is irresponsible and a mismanagement of taxpayer dollars,” CEO Amy Blouin said in a news release. “It’s also a slap in the face to the bulk of Missouri taxpayers who are struggling to afford groceries and who already pay a higher portion of their income in state and local taxes than do the folks who will get a windfall from the capital gains exemption.”

A capital gains exemption for corporations, also included in the bill, would take effect when future revenue growth or legislative action reduces the top individual income tax rate to 4.5% or below. The rate this year is 4.7%, with two reductions of 0.1 percentage point each already included in state law when revenue triggers are met.

The state budget office estimates the earliest date for the next rate cut triggered by revenue would be Jan. 1, 2028.

The bill that includes the capital gains tax cut also includes provisions increasing a&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/tax-types/property-tax-credit/" target="_blank">refundable income tax credit</a>&nbsp;used by lower-income senior citizens and the disabled to offset property taxes. The increase in what is known as the Circuit Breaker tax credit would bump the maximum credit for homeowners to $1,550 from the current $1,100. Qualifying taxpayers who rent their homes would see their maximum credit increase to $1,055 from $750.

The maximum income for claiming the credit would also increase, to $38,200 for renters and $41,000 a year for homeowners.

The increased Circuit Breaker credit was negotiated by Democrats opposed to the capital gains cut. A bipartisan coalition also won sales tax exemptions for diapers and feminine hygiene products, bringing the total official estimate of the tax cut in the coming year to $430 million, with an ongoing revenue reduction of $340 million.

The Missouri Department of Revenue issues motor vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses through a system of contract offices that make money through fees, set by law, added to the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/titling-registration/fees.html" target="_blank">state charge</a>&nbsp;for the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/driver-license/resources/license.html#fees" target="_blank">transaction</a>.&nbsp;

There is supposed to be at least one license office in every county, but for much of this year, five counties&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/20/five-missouri-counties-no-longer-have-a-license-office-a-fee-hike-seeks-to-fix-that/">have had no office</a>&nbsp;because contractors wouldn’t work for the allowed fees.

The bill signed by Kehoe and sponsored by state Sen. Sandy Crawford, a Republican from Buffalo, would increase the fees received by the license offices by 50%.

The goal is to make the offices attractive to contractors and avoid closures, Crawford said during a House committee hearing in April.

“I live in a small town, and if my license bureau were to close, I would likely have to drive 45 minutes, take a half a day to drive and get my license,” Crawford said. “And so I would much rather pay $3 than take off half a day and drive 45 miles or 45 minutes to get this done.”

The transaction fee for a driver’s license or motor vehicle would go from $6 to $9 for the shortest period and from $12 to $18 for the longest, six years for a driver’s license and two years for a vehicle registration.

In fiscal 2024, the 175 license offices processed almost 9 million transactions and charged $58.4 million in fees.&nbsp;

The smallest, in Unionville in Putnam County on the Iowa border, generated $28,736 in fees on 4,519 transactions. There is currently no contractor for the Unionville office and it has been closed since mid-April.

The busiest license office is in Creve Coeur in St. Louis County, where 167,390 transactions generated almost $1.1 million in fee revenue.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752231520379.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Gov. Mike Kehoe approved the tax cut expected to reduce revenues by $340 million annually even as he has been warning of future state funding shortfalls</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/07/missouri-bill-exempting-capital-gains-from-income-tax-sent-to-governor/">investors will get a tax break</a>&nbsp;when they take profits and motorists&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/20/five-missouri-counties-no-longer-have-a-license-office-a-fee-hike-seeks-to-fix-that/">will pay more</a>&nbsp;to renew vehicle registrations under separate bills signed Thursday by Gov. Mike Kehoe.Kehoe’s signature on&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB594&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">the bill</a>&nbsp;granting an income tax exemption for long-term capital gains — profits on investments held for a year or longer — marks the third major tax cut in the past three years. And it comes just days after he vetoed&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/30/missouri-governor-hits-earmarks-with-veto-pen-as-he-signs-state-budget/">more than $300 million</a>&nbsp;in general revenue spending and restricted $211 million more amid worries about sluggish revenues.In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the state took in $13.4 billion in general revenue and final figures show revenue increased just $1 million over the previous year. After Kehoe’s vetoes, the budget for the current fiscal year projects spending $15.5 billion in general revenue, with the gap between revenue and spending covered by surpluses accumulated in past years.“Conservative leadership is about keeping more money in the hands of Missouri families, and less in government coffers,” Kehoe said&nbsp;in a news release.The capital gains exemption for individuals is officially estimated to reduce revenue&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/fiscal/fispdf/1683S.04F.ORG.pdf" target="_blank">by about $110 million</a>&nbsp;annually. Independent economists, however, have warned that the annual revenue loss could be much more,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/07/missouri-lawmakers-set-to-pass-capital-gains-tax-cut-with-questions-about-its-total-cost/">perhaps as much as $600 million</a>.&nbsp;Most of the benefits from a cut in the capital gains rate for individuals would go to a small slice of taxpayers. The 23,800 federal returns filed for 2022 with incomes greater than $500,000 a year represent 0.8% of all returns but included 65% of the capital gains income.When Kehoe finished with the state budget, he warned he was making vetoes and restricting spending because of uncertainty in future state revenues and expenses.When Kehoe released his budget proposal in January, it anticipated the state would end the current fiscal year with an unobligated general revenue balance of $2.6 billion. At that time, the unobligated surplus at the end of the coming fiscal year was projected at $1.4 billion, but during the recent special session state Budget Director Dan Haug told lawmakers he expects no more than half that amount — $600 million to $700 million — will remain on June 30, 2026.“The Office of Administration’s Division of Budget and Planning estimates a nearly $1 billion shortfall in general revenue starting in (fiscal year 2027),” the release accompanying the budget actions stated. “Contributing to this shortfall, ongoing general revenue spending authorized in the (fiscal year 2026) budget is projected to outpace ongoing revenues by nearly over $1 billion and grow larger in future years.”Both the vetoes and Haug’s forecast came before Congress finished work on the massive&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/04/repub/on-the-fourth-of-july-trump-signs-his-big-beautiful-bill-into-law/">federal budget reconciliation bill</a>&nbsp;signed July 4 by President Donald Trump. The conservative-leaning Tax Foundation estimated Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/02/proposed-federal-tax-changes-could-mean-170m-or-more-cut-to-missouri-state-revenues/">revenue would decline</a>&nbsp;by at least $170 million and possibly by more than $400 million under an earlier version of the bill.&nbsp;That estimate has not been updated since the final bill was passed.The federal budget bill is also expected to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/03/federal-budget-megabill-would-shift-billions-in-cost-to-missouri-taxpayers/">shift billions of dollars</a>&nbsp;in costs for programs like food stamps and Medicaid to Missouri over the coming decade.The liberal Missouri Budget Project, which opposed the tax cut during the session, issued a statement Thursday condemning Kehoe’s decision to sign the bill.“Prioritizing an expensive special interest tax giveaway at this time is irresponsible and a mismanagement of taxpayer dollars,” CEO Amy Blouin said in a news release. “It’s also a slap in the face to the bulk of Missouri taxpayers who are struggling to afford groceries and who already pay a higher portion of their income in state and local taxes than do the folks who will get a windfall from the capital gains exemption.”A capital gains exemption for corporations, also included in the bill, would take effect when future revenue growth or legislative action reduces the top individual income tax rate to 4.5% or below. The rate this year is 4.7%, with two reductions of 0.1 percentage point each already included in state law when revenue triggers are met.The state budget office estimates the earliest date for the next rate cut triggered by revenue would be Jan. 1, 2028.<h2>Other tax cuts</h2>The bill that includes the capital gains tax cut also includes provisions increasing a&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/tax-types/property-tax-credit/" target="_blank">refundable income tax credit</a>&nbsp;used by lower-income senior citizens and the disabled to offset property taxes. The increase in what is known as the Circuit Breaker tax credit would bump the maximum credit for homeowners to $1,550 from the current $1,100. Qualifying taxpayers who rent their homes would see their maximum credit increase to $1,055 from $750.The maximum income for claiming the credit would also increase, to $38,200 for renters and $41,000 a year for homeowners.The increased Circuit Breaker credit was negotiated by Democrats opposed to the capital gains cut. A bipartisan coalition also won sales tax exemptions for diapers and feminine hygiene products, bringing the total official estimate of the tax cut in the coming year to $430 million, with an ongoing revenue reduction of $340 million.<h2>Registration fees</h2>The Missouri Department of Revenue issues motor vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses through a system of contract offices that make money through fees, set by law, added to the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/titling-registration/fees.html" target="_blank">state charge</a>&nbsp;for the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/driver-license/resources/license.html#fees" target="_blank">transaction</a>.&nbsp;There is supposed to be at least one license office in every county, but for much of this year, five counties&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/20/five-missouri-counties-no-longer-have-a-license-office-a-fee-hike-seeks-to-fix-that/">have had no office</a>&nbsp;because contractors wouldn’t work for the allowed fees.The bill signed by Kehoe and sponsored by state Sen. Sandy Crawford, a Republican from Buffalo, would increase the fees received by the license offices by 50%.The goal is to make the offices attractive to contractors and avoid closures, Crawford said during a House committee hearing in April.“I live in a small town, and if my license bureau were to close, I would likely have to drive 45 minutes, take a half a day to drive and get my license,” Crawford said. “And so I would much rather pay $3 than take off half a day and drive 45 miles or 45 minutes to get this done.”The transaction fee for a driver’s license or motor vehicle would go from $6 to $9 for the shortest period and from $12 to $18 for the longest, six years for a driver’s license and two years for a vehicle registration.In fiscal 2024, the 175 license offices processed almost 9 million transactions and charged $58.4 million in fees.&nbsp;The smallest, in Unionville in Putnam County on the Iowa border, generated $28,736 in fees on 4,519 transactions. There is currently no contractor for the Unionville office and it has been closed since mid-April.The busiest license office is in Creve Coeur in St. Louis County, where 167,390 transactions generated almost $1.1 million in fee revenue.

Capital gains exemption and motor vehicle fee hike bills signed by Missouri governor

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after noon Thursday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Freightliner semi driven by a 73-year-old Braddyville, Iowa, man was southbound on U.S. 71 three miles southwest of Bolckow.

The driver lost control the the vehicle with the front drivers side tire blew out.&nbsp; The semi traveled off the east side of the road, struck and embankment and overturned in the median.&nbsp;

Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after noon Thursday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Freightliner semi driven by a 73-year-old Braddyville, Iowa, man was southbound on U.S. 71 three miles southwest of Bolckow.The driver lost control the the vehicle with the front drivers side tire blew out.&nbsp; The semi traveled off the east side of the road, struck and embankment and overturned in the median.&nbsp;Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Driver hospitalized in St. Joe after semi overturns

Business groups lobbied heavily to overturn the measure passed by 58% of voters, arguing it would cost jobs. The bill also repeals annual inflation adjustments for the minimum wage, in effect since 2006.

Missouri workers who started accruing paid sick leave on May 1 will lose it Aug. 28&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB567&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">under legislation</a>&nbsp;signed Thursday by Gov. Mike Kehoe.

The new benefit, linked to an increase in the minimum wage passed with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missourians-vote-to-increase-minimum-wage-require-paid-sick-leave/">58% of the vote</a>&nbsp;in November, became a target for business lobbying interests. Republican allies in the General Assembly pushed it to Kehoe’s desk by invoking a rarely used state Senate rule&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-republicans-shut-down-senate-debate-to-pass-abortion-ban-repeal-sick-leave-law/">to shut down debate</a>&nbsp;over Democratic objections.

The action followed a pattern established over the past 15 years where conservative Republicans have used their majorities in the legislature to roll back or repeal measures that became law through initiatives pushed to the ballot by progressive groups.

The minimum wage initiative was a statutory change, meaning lawmakers could make any changes that would command a majority.&nbsp;

In a news release issued after he signed the bills, Kehoe said he was approving the bill to defend small businesses.

“Today, we are protecting the people who make Missouri work—families, job creators, and small business owners—by cutting taxes, rolling back overreach, and eliminating costly mandates,” Kehoe said in the release.

Missouri House Democratic leader Ashley Aune of Kansas City denounced Kehoe’s decision to sign the bill as an attack on workers and voters.

“The governor’s action today demonstrates the absolute disdain Republicans have for working Missourians,” Aune said in a news release. “But in stripping workers of their legal right to earned sick leave, the governor and his allies have probably guaranteed this issue will be back on the ballot next year as a constitutional amendment that will place worker protections beyond their reach.”

Richard Von Glahn, policy director for Missouri Jobs with Justice, the organization that helped lead the campaign for the paid sick leave law, has filed a proposed constitutional amendment targeting the 2026 ballot.

The repeal doesn’t take effect immediately because Republicans were unable to muster the two-thirds majorities needed to pass an emergency clause even though the GOP holds more than two-thirds of the seats in each chamber. It goes into effect at the same time as other bills approved this year and signed by Kehoe.

The increased minimum wage, $13.75 an hour, took effect on Jan. 1. A second increase is set for Jan. 1, 2026, when it will increase to $15 an hour. The bill signed Thursday also repeals a provision, in effect since 2006, to adjust the minimum wage annually for inflation.

Organizers of the initiative that put the measure on the ballot set May 1 as the starting date for paid leave, available for personal illness or to stay home with a sick family member. The intent was to allow more time for businesses to adjust to the new rule than the short period between the election and the new year.

Workers at businesses with receipts greater than $500,000 a year are accruing at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours.

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

The leave can be used currently, but the repeal makes it uncertain if accrued leave can be used after the law is repealed.

The battle over the leave provisions revolved around its economic effect, pitting business interests and their backers in the legislature against supporters of the law.&nbsp;

During a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/20/new-paid-sick-leave-requirement-targeted-by-missouri-republicans/">House committee hearing</a>&nbsp;in February, the sponsor, Republican state Rep. Sherri Gallick of Belton, suggested that employees can’t be trusted to use paid sick leave only for the reasons allowed by the law.

“Under the mandated sick leave, potential abuse is nearly impossible to address,” Gallick told the House Commerce Committee. “Employers cannot ask an employee why they were absent, leaving them vulnerable to lawsuits for merely inquiring.”

In a news release Thursday,&nbsp;Kara Corches, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called the mandated paid sick leave a “job killer.”

“Missouri employers value their employees and recognize the importance of offering competitive wages and benefits, but one-size-fits-all mandates threaten growth,” Corches said in the release.

At a May news conference, state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat, said that when Missouri workers are successful, businesses will succeed.

“The idea that providing workers with more protections is a business killer is wild,” she said. “…To try to make this seem like this is something that will kill business, that will keep businesses from opening, I think it’s absurd, and I think it’s quite disappointing, and I think it sends absolutely the wrong message.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752186209454.png" alt=" Don Looney, a leader with UAW Local 2250, speaks at a May rally protesting legislation to repeal mandatory paid sick leave for workers (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Don Looney, a leader with UAW Local 2250, speaks at a May rally protesting legislation to repeal mandatory paid sick leave for workers (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Business groups lobbied heavily to overturn the measure passed by 58% of voters, arguing it would cost jobs. The bill also repeals annual inflation adjustments for the minimum wage, in effect since 2006.</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri workers who started accruing paid sick leave on May 1 will lose it Aug. 28&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB567&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">under legislation</a>&nbsp;signed Thursday by Gov. Mike Kehoe.The new benefit, linked to an increase in the minimum wage passed with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missourians-vote-to-increase-minimum-wage-require-paid-sick-leave/">58% of the vote</a>&nbsp;in November, became a target for business lobbying interests. Republican allies in the General Assembly pushed it to Kehoe’s desk by invoking a rarely used state Senate rule&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-republicans-shut-down-senate-debate-to-pass-abortion-ban-repeal-sick-leave-law/">to shut down debate</a>&nbsp;over Democratic objections.The action followed a pattern established over the past 15 years where conservative Republicans have used their majorities in the legislature to roll back or repeal measures that became law through initiatives pushed to the ballot by progressive groups.The minimum wage initiative was a statutory change, meaning lawmakers could make any changes that would command a majority.&nbsp;In a news release issued after he signed the bills, Kehoe said he was approving the bill to defend small businesses.“Today, we are protecting the people who make Missouri work—families, job creators, and small business owners—by cutting taxes, rolling back overreach, and eliminating costly mandates,” Kehoe said in the release.Missouri House Democratic leader Ashley Aune of Kansas City denounced Kehoe’s decision to sign the bill as an attack on workers and voters.“The governor’s action today demonstrates the absolute disdain Republicans have for working Missourians,” Aune said in a news release. “But in stripping workers of their legal right to earned sick leave, the governor and his allies have probably guaranteed this issue will be back on the ballot next year as a constitutional amendment that will place worker protections beyond their reach.”Richard Von Glahn, policy director for Missouri Jobs with Justice, the organization that helped lead the campaign for the paid sick leave law, has filed a proposed constitutional amendment targeting the 2026 ballot.The repeal doesn’t take effect immediately because Republicans were unable to muster the two-thirds majorities needed to pass an emergency clause even though the GOP holds more than two-thirds of the seats in each chamber. It goes into effect at the same time as other bills approved this year and signed by Kehoe.The increased minimum wage, $13.75 an hour, took effect on Jan. 1. A second increase is set for Jan. 1, 2026, when it will increase to $15 an hour. The bill signed Thursday also repeals a provision, in effect since 2006, to adjust the minimum wage annually for inflation.Organizers of the initiative that put the measure on the ballot set May 1 as the starting date for paid leave, available for personal illness or to stay home with a sick family member. The intent was to allow more time for businesses to adjust to the new rule than the short period between the election and the new year.Workers at businesses with receipts greater than $500,000 a year are accruing at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours.The measure made sick leave guaranteed for 728,000 workers who lacked it statewide, or over 1 in 3 Missouri workers, according to an analysis from the progressive nonprofit the Missouri Budget Project.The leave can be used currently, but the repeal makes it uncertain if accrued leave can be used after the law is repealed.The battle over the leave provisions revolved around its economic effect, pitting business interests and their backers in the legislature against supporters of the law.&nbsp;During a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/20/new-paid-sick-leave-requirement-targeted-by-missouri-republicans/">House committee hearing</a>&nbsp;in February, the sponsor, Republican state Rep. Sherri Gallick of Belton, suggested that employees can’t be trusted to use paid sick leave only for the reasons allowed by the law.“Under the mandated sick leave, potential abuse is nearly impossible to address,” Gallick told the House Commerce Committee. “Employers cannot ask an employee why they were absent, leaving them vulnerable to lawsuits for merely inquiring.”In a news release Thursday,&nbsp;Kara Corches, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called the mandated paid sick leave a “job killer.”“Missouri employers value their employees and recognize the importance of offering competitive wages and benefits, but one-size-fits-all mandates threaten growth,” Corches said in the release.At a May news conference, state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat, said that when Missouri workers are successful, businesses will succeed.“The idea that providing workers with more protections is a business killer is wild,” she said. “…To try to make this seem like this is something that will kill business, that will keep businesses from opening, I think it’s absurd, and I think it’s quite disappointing, and I think it sends absolutely the wrong message.”The action on sick leave is similar to a bill in 2011&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/life/lifestyle/missouris-puppy-mill-politics-dog-breeders-outmaneuver-animal-rights-movement/" target="_blank">weakening provisions of a ballot measure from 2010</a>&nbsp;called the “Puppy Mill Cruelty and Prevention Act,” that specified appropriate living conditions for breeding operations and including action this year to overturn the abortion rights amendment approved in November.&nbsp;The GOP’s willingness to overturn voter actions has led many initiative organizers to push their proposals as constitutional amendments, which require a statewide vote to repeal or revise. Amendments to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/09/missouri-voters-amend-state-constitution-to-legalize-recreational-marijuana/">legalize marijuana</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/election/article244714972.html" target="_blank">expand Medicaid</a>&nbsp;coverage, revise the legislative redistricting process and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">protect abortion rights</a>&nbsp;have all been passed as constitutional amendments.The Republican majority has responded by successfully pushing a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2020/11/04/voters-repeal-clean-missouri-redistricting-plan-they-enacted-in-2018/">second revision</a>&nbsp;of redistricting and placing an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/03/lawsuit-challenges-ballot-language-for-proposed-missouri-abortion-ban/">abortion rights repeal</a>&nbsp;on the 2026 ballot. A court challenge to Medicaid expansion was rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/07/22/missouri-supreme-court-rules-voter-approved-medicaid-expansion-is-constitutional/">by the Missouri Supreme Court</a>.