A major St. Joseph thoroughfare will close for more than a
week as Missouri American Water replaces aging water main valves.

Missouri American says Noyes Boulevard will be closed to all
traffic at Frederick Avenue until next Wednesday, the 22nd, weather
permitting.

Missouri American is replacing five water main valves, some
that date back to the early 1900s.

Noyes Boulevard will close to all traffic on both sides of the
intersection at Frederick Avenue beginning today, November 13th. Frederick
Avenue will remain open with one lane in each direction. Weather permitting,
the roads will reopen on or before Wednesday, November 22nd.

Drivers should avoid the area if possible and plan alternate
routes. &nbsp;If driving in and around the work zone, drivers should exercise
caution by slowing down and paying attention to construction signs.

“These valves are an important part of the water system and can be
used to redirect water flow during a main break, ultimately minimizing the
interruption of water service and impact to our customers,” John Hontz, senior
operations manager, said in a written statement released by Missouri American.

Missouri American Water is investing about $450 million statewide
in 2023 to improve service and reliability. This includes replacing and often
upsizing over six miles of water pipe in St. Joseph. &nbsp;

Customers can learn more about pipe replacement
projects that are planned, in construction and recently completed on Missouri
American Water’s website <a href="https://www.amwater.com/moaw/">missouriamwater.com</a> by clicking on “<a href="https://moaw.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=e5c4983703c54982969cbdb8e494fe9f">Pipe Replacement Map</a>.”    &nbsp;&nbsp;

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA major St. Joseph thoroughfare will close for more than a
week as Missouri American Water replaces aging water main valves.Missouri American says Noyes Boulevard will be closed to all
traffic at Frederick Avenue until next Wednesday, the 22nd, weather
permitting.Missouri American is replacing five water main valves, some
that date back to the early 1900s.Noyes Boulevard will close to all traffic on both sides of the
intersection at Frederick Avenue beginning today, November 13th. Frederick
Avenue will remain open with one lane in each direction. Weather permitting,
the roads will reopen on or before Wednesday, November 22nd.Drivers should avoid the area if possible and plan alternate
routes. &nbsp;If driving in and around the work zone, drivers should exercise
caution by slowing down and paying attention to construction signs.“These valves are an important part of the water system and can be
used to redirect water flow during a main break, ultimately minimizing the
interruption of water service and impact to our customers,” John Hontz, senior
operations manager, said in a written statement released by Missouri American.Missouri American Water is investing about $450 million statewide
in 2023 to improve service and reliability. This includes replacing and often
upsizing over six miles of water pipe in St. Joseph. &nbsp;Customers can learn more about pipe replacement
projects that are planned, in construction and recently completed on Missouri
American Water’s website <a href="https://www.amwater.com/moaw/">missouriamwater.com</a> by clicking on “<a href="https://moaw.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=e5c4983703c54982969cbdb8e494fe9f">Pipe Replacement Map</a>.”    &nbsp;&nbsp;

Noyes Blvd to close for water main valve replacement

He never intended to run a business, never intended to become
the Snow Cone King, and certainly never envisioned being on TV with Gordon
Ramsay.

But Aaron Valentine did all that and all before he turned 22.
According to Valentine, it began completely by accident when he moved from Oak
Grove to Maryville to attend Northwest Missouri State.

Valentine never attended a class. Instead, he became obsessed
with Kool Kats, a Maryville fast food restaurant in a dated, pink building.
Valentine approached owner Dave Ackman. He didn’t have the money to become a
partner, but he had an idea. Valentine would create outlandish, sometimes
foolish videos on Tik Tok to promote Kool Kats. It worked. He became a hit.
Aaron Valentine became the Snow Cone King.

That would land him a role on “Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars.”

A very young entrepreneur shared his experience on a national
reality television show during the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Small
Business Summit.

Valentine says the chance to spend time with Gordon Ramsay on
his reality show while still a teen-ager was incredible.

“When you look at Gordon, he’s the most prolific food
entrepreneur in the world at this moment,” Valentine tells reporters after
speaking at the Small Business Summit. “The biggest celebrity chef and has one
of the largest followings in the entire world. He’s someone that most people
only dream of even meeting, let alone getting to spend two months with him,
side by side, through his challenges, through his mentorship. There’s a lot to
learn from someone with that much power and success.”

Valentine got his shot on Gordon Ramsay’s relativity
television show when he was only 19 and did learn a lot.

“Gordon Ramsay is, kind of like I would say your Grandpa,”
Valentine says. “He’s got that tough love. He’s sort of like a military general
when it comes to food.”

What sticks with him about the experience?

“My biggest lesson from Gordon Ramsay that I learned was
probably the fact that he said to be adaptive,” Valentine says.
“Entrepreneurship is a game of solving problems. And, as an entrepreneur, you
face a million different problems in your journey. It’s a matter of overcoming
all of them to get the success that you want.”

Valentine grew up in Oak Groves and learned at an early age
how to face challenges or, perhaps, best described as tragedy. A tornado
destroyed his family’s home. Valentine says everyone can face tragedy in two
ways:&nbsp; let it define you as a victim or
view it as a challenge to overcome.

Valentine says he hopes his experience, though earned at a
young age, can inspire others.

“I think if you’re going to take one thing from this it’s no
matter how hard your business or life gets, how many challenges get thrown at
you, you can always do more to overcome those challenges,” according to
Valentine. “Have a positive perspective on the world and your challenges become
a lot easier to overcome.”

Valentine has returned to the area after spending much of the
last three years in Los Angeles, which has a lifestyle that grew old for him.
He isn’t sure what his future holds, but says he plans to rebuild his capital
and, perhaps, run a food truck with or without snow cones.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699884952010.jpeg" alt="Aaron Valentine makes a presentative at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Valentine makes a presentative at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostHe never intended to run a business, never intended to become
the Snow Cone King, and certainly never envisioned being on TV with Gordon
Ramsay.But Aaron Valentine did all that and all before he turned 22.
According to Valentine, it began completely by accident when he moved from Oak
Grove to Maryville to attend Northwest Missouri State.Valentine never attended a class. Instead, he became obsessed
with Kool Kats, a Maryville fast food restaurant in a dated, pink building.
Valentine approached owner Dave Ackman. He didn’t have the money to become a
partner, but he had an idea. Valentine would create outlandish, sometimes
foolish videos on Tik Tok to promote Kool Kats. It worked. He became a hit.
Aaron Valentine became the Snow Cone King.That would land him a role on “Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars.”A very young entrepreneur shared his experience on a national
reality television show during the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Small
Business Summit.Valentine says the chance to spend time with Gordon Ramsay on
his reality show while still a teen-ager was incredible.“When you look at Gordon, he’s the most prolific food
entrepreneur in the world at this moment,” Valentine tells reporters after
speaking at the Small Business Summit. “The biggest celebrity chef and has one
of the largest followings in the entire world. He’s someone that most people
only dream of even meeting, let alone getting to spend two months with him,
side by side, through his challenges, through his mentorship. There’s a lot to
learn from someone with that much power and success.”Valentine got his shot on Gordon Ramsay’s relativity
television show when he was only 19 and did learn a lot.“Gordon Ramsay is, kind of like I would say your Grandpa,”
Valentine says. “He’s got that tough love. He’s sort of like a military general
when it comes to food.”What sticks with him about the experience?“My biggest lesson from Gordon Ramsay that I learned was
probably the fact that he said to be adaptive,” Valentine says.
“Entrepreneurship is a game of solving problems. And, as an entrepreneur, you
face a million different problems in your journey. It’s a matter of overcoming
all of them to get the success that you want.”Valentine grew up in Oak Groves and learned at an early age
how to face challenges or, perhaps, best described as tragedy. A tornado
destroyed his family’s home. Valentine says everyone can face tragedy in two
ways:&nbsp; let it define you as a victim or
view it as a challenge to overcome.Valentine says he hopes his experience, though earned at a
young age, can inspire others.“I think if you’re going to take one thing from this it’s no
matter how hard your business or life gets, how many challenges get thrown at
you, you can always do more to overcome those challenges,” according to
Valentine. “Have a positive perspective on the world and your challenges become
a lot easier to overcome.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699885023218.jpeg" alt="Aaron Valentine/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Valentine/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Valentine has returned to the area after spending much of the
last three years in Los Angeles, which has a lifestyle that grew old for him.
He isn’t sure what his future holds, but says he plans to rebuild his capital
and, perhaps, run a food truck with or without snow cones.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Aaron-Valentine-The-Snow-Cone-King-e2bs93d" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

Young entrepreneur shares experience with Gordon Ramsay during summit

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>

Missouri has one of the lowest participation rates for a federal program that provides food for low-income women and young children, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/wic-eligibility-report-vol1-2021.pdf">recent report found</a>.

The report, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services, also noted that Missouri is one of 17 states with “coverage rates consistently lower than national rates across all categories and age groups.”

In Missouri, the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, program, is operated through the Department of Health and Senior Services and delivered by local health agencies.

A spokesperson for the department, Lisa Cox, said the overall participation rate in WIC has “decreased over the last several years and decreased sharply during the pandemic&nbsp;when it was difficult to access WIC benefits in person at times.”

The department is planning to move to an online processing system “before the end of 2024” to improve accessibility — a shift which began in 2021.

The report found that only 39.5% of eligible Missourians participated in WIC in 2021. Roughly 215,000 people in the state were eligible for the program and only 84,900 participated.

The WIC program provides supplemental food, nutrition education and referrals to health care to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are determined to be at nutritional risk.

It’s a federal program but participation rates are far from uniform across the country: The rates of the eligible population participating in WIC ranged from a low of 35% in Arkansas to high of 72% in Vermont. States administer and oversee the program.

The other six states with coverage rates below 40% were Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio, and Utah.&nbsp;

The report comes as the state health department works to overhaul its burdensome system which stymies participants’ access to benefits.

The federal report appears to be the first to measure participation in terms of eligibility for 2021. It did not give reasons for the varying rates of coverage, but a report&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/10/missouri-participation-in-public-benefits-program-wic-fell-sharply-during-pandemic/">last year</a>&nbsp;pointed to the differences in delivery systems, outreach and coordination levels, and staff capacity.&nbsp;

Unlike almost every state, Missouri lacks a system to remotely and automatically reload benefits onto participants’ cards.

Instead, as of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/10/missouri-participation-in-public-benefits-program-wic-fell-sharply-during-pandemic/">last year</a>, Missouri was&nbsp;one of just nine states which uses a WIC system that requires participants to bring their benefits cards to the local agency office when loading benefits — what’s called&nbsp; an “offline” system for reloading benefits. Those benefits can then be used at grocery stores to purchase eligible items.

Most other states operate “online” systems capable of remotely and automatically reloading benefits.

There are economic and transportation barriers to accessing benefits in person,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.networkforphl.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WIC-COVID-Issue-Brief-Final.pdf">researchers</a>&nbsp;have found. One participant&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/10/missouri-participation-in-public-benefits-program-wic-fell-sharply-during-pandemic/">told The Independent</a>&nbsp;she has to “request off work just to come load the card.”&nbsp;

The state is “actively pursuing technology updates to improve access to WIC services and benefit redemption processes,” Cox said. The department is working to improve outreach and remove some barriers to remote service, which is “expected to have a positive impact on WIC participation.”

Missouri chose an offline system based on an analysis conducted roughly a decade ago, Cox previously told The Independent. When, during COVID,&nbsp;“it became apparent that an online system would be more user friendly,” Cox&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/10/missouri-participation-in-public-benefits-program-wic-fell-sharply-during-pandemic/">said</a>, “Missouri WIC was unable to change that decision mid-implementation.”

From October 2022 to September 2023, the rate of participation increased by around 8%, Cox added. The state doesn’t measure participation in terms of the eligible population in the same way the federal data, which lags, does.&nbsp;

The department data shows 93,050 people participated in WIC in September of this year.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699879262826.png" alt="Bread at the Schnuck’s grocery story in Columbia marked as permitted to be purchased through Missouri’s WIC program, which provides supplemental foods, nutrition education and referrals to health care, at no cost, to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are determined to be at nutritional risk (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Bread at the Schnuck’s grocery story in Columbia marked as permitted to be purchased through Missouri’s WIC program, which provides supplemental foods, nutrition education and referrals to health care, at no cost, to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are determined to be at nutritional risk (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>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>Missouri has one of the lowest participation rates for a federal program that provides food for low-income women and young children, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/wic-eligibility-report-vol1-2021.pdf">recent report found</a>.The report, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services, also noted that Missouri is one of 17 states with “coverage rates consistently lower than national rates across all categories and age groups.”In Missouri, the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, program, is operated through the Department of Health and Senior Services and delivered by local health agencies.A spokesperson for the department, Lisa Cox, said the overall participation rate in WIC has “decreased over the last several years and decreased sharply during the pandemic&nbsp;when it was difficult to access WIC benefits in person at times.”The department is planning to move to an online processing system “before the end of 2024” to improve accessibility — a shift which began in 2021.The report found that only 39.5% of eligible Missourians participated in WIC in 2021. Roughly 215,000 people in the state were eligible for the program and only 84,900 participated.The WIC program provides supplemental food, nutrition education and referrals to health care to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are determined to be at nutritional risk.It’s a federal program but participation rates are far from uniform across the country: The rates of the eligible population participating in WIC ranged from a low of 35% in Arkansas to high of 72% in Vermont. States administer and oversee the program.The other six states with coverage rates below 40% were Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio, and Utah.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699879227507.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The report comes as the state health department works to overhaul its burdensome system which stymies participants’ access to benefits.The federal report appears to be the first to measure participation in terms of eligibility for 2021. It did not give reasons for the varying rates of coverage, but a report&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/10/missouri-participation-in-public-benefits-program-wic-fell-sharply-during-pandemic/">last year</a>&nbsp;pointed to the differences in delivery systems, outreach and coordination levels, and staff capacity.&nbsp;Unlike almost every state, Missouri lacks a system to remotely and automatically reload benefits onto participants’ cards.Instead, as of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/10/missouri-participation-in-public-benefits-program-wic-fell-sharply-during-pandemic/">last year</a>, Missouri was&nbsp;one of just nine states which uses a WIC system that requires participants to bring their benefits cards to the local agency office when loading benefits — what’s called&nbsp; an “offline” system for reloading benefits. Those benefits can then be used at grocery stores to purchase eligible items.Most other states operate “online” systems capable of remotely and automatically reloading benefits.There are economic and transportation barriers to accessing benefits in person,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.networkforphl.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WIC-COVID-Issue-Brief-Final.pdf">researchers</a>&nbsp;have found. One participant&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/10/missouri-participation-in-public-benefits-program-wic-fell-sharply-during-pandemic/">told The Independent</a>&nbsp;she has to “request off work just to come load the card.”&nbsp;The state is “actively pursuing technology updates to improve access to WIC services and benefit redemption processes,” Cox said. The department is working to improve outreach and remove some barriers to remote service, which is “expected to have a positive impact on WIC participation.”Missouri chose an offline system based on an analysis conducted roughly a decade ago, Cox previously told The Independent. When, during COVID,&nbsp;“it became apparent that an online system would be more user friendly,” Cox&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/10/missouri-participation-in-public-benefits-program-wic-fell-sharply-during-pandemic/">said</a>, “Missouri WIC was unable to change that decision mid-implementation.”From October 2022 to September 2023, the rate of participation increased by around 8%, Cox added. The state doesn’t measure participation in terms of the eligible population in the same way the federal data, which lags, does.&nbsp;The department data shows 93,050 people participated in WIC in September of this year.&nbsp;

Missouri participation rate in benefits program WIC was among lowest nationally in 2021

JoeTown 107.5 FM is The Christmas Station,&nbsp; continuing their tradition of playing continuous Christmas favorites 24/7 until Christmas Day! JoeTown "flipped the switch" at 12:01 am Monday. Christmas music will continue through December 26th.

To spread holiday cheer, they are also giving away tickets to Pentatonix, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Mariah Carey to listeners who join their text club.&nbsp;

You can win $100 in "Christmas Cookie Dough" 4 times a day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9am, 11am, 2pm, and 4pm. Win 10 times on Thursdays, playing every hour 8-5! Get details and rules at www.joetown1075.com.

JoeTown 107.5 has been filling the airwaves with Christmas music every year since they launched in 2019.

JoeTown 107.5 FM is The Christmas Station,&nbsp; continuing their tradition of playing continuous Christmas favorites 24/7 until Christmas Day! JoeTown "flipped the switch" at 12:01 am Monday. Christmas music will continue through December 26th.To spread holiday cheer, they are also giving away tickets to Pentatonix, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Mariah Carey to listeners who join their text club.&nbsp;You can win $100 in "Christmas Cookie Dough" 4 times a day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9am, 11am, 2pm, and 4pm. Win 10 times on Thursdays, playing every hour 8-5! Get details and rules at www.joetown1075.com.JoeTown 107.5 has been filling the airwaves with Christmas music every year since they launched in 2019.

St. Joseph Station Spreading Christmas Cheer On-Air Through Christmas

Missouri increased tracking efforts after report found 978 foster children went missing in 2019

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/nadahassanein/">NADA HASSANEIN</a>

Sharday Hamilton, a 28-year-old advocate for foster youth, homeless youth and runaways, still bears her own scars from running.

There’s one near her left knee. She got it as a little girl, running away from her foster mother, who was trying to hit her with a bag of frozen food but who sometimes used a skillet or a baseball bat. There are the burns she suffered when she was forced to sit on a hot stove.

Caseworkers and school counselors didn’t visit Hamilton’s foster home in Harvey, Illinois, or check in with her often enough, recalled Hamilton, now a mentor at the National Network for Youth, a nonprofit focused on youth homelessness. And when they did, she said, they missed signs of abuse. “The system failed me,” she said.

Hamilton sometimes spent nights at her friends’ houses to avoid the violence. Many foster kids in similar situations also flee — and some of them don’t come back for weeks, months or ever. Tens of thousands simply disappear from the foster care system, according to several recent reports, putting them beyond the state’s protection and at high risk of sexual exploitation.

Under federal law, state social service agencies must submit a report to the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL34050">established by Congress</a>&nbsp;in 1984, when a child under their care goes missing. They also are required to notify law enforcement, who report missing children to the National Crime Information Center.

But an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/72106102.pdf">audit</a>&nbsp;published earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that across 46 states, state agencies failed to report an estimated 34,800&nbsp;cases&nbsp;of missing foster kids.&nbsp;Cases include children who ran away multiple times. The average age,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/analysis-of-children-missing-from-care-reported-to-ncmec-2013-2022.pdf">according to</a>&nbsp;the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children, was 15.

“When it comes to teenagers specifically, most child welfare systems just don’t have the right service array, because systems are often built for babies and younger children,” said consultant and attorney Lisa Pilnik, director of Child &amp; Family Policy Associates, a child welfare consulting and research firm.

“We don’t have enough family placements, and we don’t have family placements that are equipped to meet the needs of teenagers,” she said.

Teens often run away or go missing more than once during their time in foster care. The National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/analysis-of-children-missing-from-care-reported-to-ncmec-2013-2022.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;found that about 40% of foster children who were reported missing&nbsp;went missing multiple times — on average, four times — while in state care.

Black&nbsp;and Native American children are overrepresented in foster care and make up a disproportionate number of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/analysis-of-children-missing-from-care-reported-to-ncmec-2013-2022.pdf">missing kids</a>. Hamilton was among those Black children.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3439815/">Studies have shown&nbsp;</a>that states are more likely to remove Black children from their homes, and that racial bias is a factor.

“The foster care system is wrought with a lot of difficulties,” said Gaétane Borders, president of Peas In Their Pods, a nonprofit that advocates for missing children of color. “When you add that to the complexities of missing children, reporting of missing children, and how that intersects with human trafficking and sexual exploitation — it is honestly a complete mess.”

Recent reports on some states are equally damning. In Georgia, nearly 1,800 children in state care went missing between 2018 and 2022, according to a new&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/OCT.-27-NCMEC-data.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;conducted by the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children as part of a U.S. Senate panel’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sen-ossoffs-bipartisan-probe-uncovers-1790-children-in-georgia-dfcs-care-were-reported-missing-between-2018-and-2022/">ongoing probe</a>&nbsp;into Georgia’s child welfare system. More than 20% of those were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://georgiarecorder.com/brief/ossoff-probe-into-georgias-child-welfare-agency-reveals-20-of-missing-children-were-likely-victims-of-sex-trafficking/?emci=a19f20a0-3c7e-ee11-8925-00224832e811&amp;emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&amp;ceid=">likely trafficked</a>, Samantha Sahl, supervisor of the center’s child sex trafficking recovery services team, said at a subcommittee hearing Monday.

“[The Georgia Division of Family &amp; Children Services] takes seriously the issue of missing or runaway children and has a 14-page policy memo providing detailed instructions to DFCS case workers on how to handle reported missing children,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newschannel9.com/resources/pdf/dc788088-b93d-47f5-8f13-fac5f931722f-2023.10.31GADHSLetter.pdf">lawyers for the agency wrote</a>&nbsp;in response to testimony presented to the Senate panel.

“To further bolster our practices, [the agency] will advocate for changes in state law in the upcoming legislative session to allow more information-sharing with [the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children].”

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-07-19-00372.pdf">audit</a>&nbsp;of Missouri, released in 2021, found that in 2019, 978 children went missing from the state’s foster care system. Nearly half of the cases reviewed weren’t reported to either law enforcement or the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children.

“There needs to be more oversight and accountability for checking in on these kids that are in out-of-home placements,” said Jessica Seitz, executive director of Missouri KidsFirst, a child abuse prevention nonprofit.

In most states, overburdened, under-supervised caseworkers are hard-pressed to protect all the children they are responsible for monitoring. And when kids go missing, caseworkers often struggle to prevent it from happening again and again.

Amy Robins, forensic services director of the Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri, said social workers and search teams must figure out whether missing foster kids are running&nbsp;from&nbsp;an out-of-home placement or running&nbsp;to&nbsp;someone — perhaps a sex trafficker — who promises them freedom and a better life. Or if the kids are doing both.

“Typically, the part that we miss with this population is we’re not asking the right questions,” Robins said.

Police and school officials also should be trained to recognize when a foster child — or any child — is being abused or trafficked, said Alexandra Miller, deputy director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University.

“There’s definitely a lack of professionals being able to identify what those warning signs are,” Miller said. Law enforcement or school officials might not realize, for example, that burglary or trespassing by teenagers “could be survival crimes or crimes that are tangential to being trafficked and abused,” she said.

Since the scathing 2021 report, Missouri’s Department of Social Services has created a full-time staff position focused on children missing from state care. The state also told Stateline it has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/stat/investigation-support.htm">a team</a>&nbsp;dedicated to helping local law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute neglect, sexual abuse and other crimes committed against children.

And a new Missouri&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=4397958">law</a>&nbsp;modifies law enforcement’s “missing child” definition to include “persons under 18 years of age, foster children regardless of age, emancipated minors, or homeless youth.” It also requires child welfare authorities to file a police report within two hours of determining that a child under their care is missing.

Florida also recently passed legislation creating a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://laws.flrules.org/2023/247">task force</a>&nbsp;focused on finding children missing from foster care.

“A team should be ready to go and hit the ground to find out if these kids are actually on runaway status, or has anybody snatched them,” said Florida Democratic state Rep. Patricia Williams. “It is our job as adults, as the legislators, to put things in place to protect all of our children.”

This summer, an Arizona bill was signed into&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1R/bills/HB2651S.pdf">law</a>&nbsp;that requires the state’s child welfare department to report a missing foster care child to law enforcement within 24 hours. It also requires law enforcement to notify media outlets within 48 hours.

The bill was introduced two weeks after two teenage girls were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azmirror.com/blog/house-passes-bill-aimed-at-speeding-up-search-for-missing-foster-kids/">found dead</a>&nbsp;in a retention basin after running from a group home.

And last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the bipartisan&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1146/text?s=3&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%221146%22%7D">Find and Protect Foster Youth Act</a>.

The legislation would require the Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate why states are failing to comply with federal rules and to help them remove those obstacles.&nbsp; The measure now awaits House approval.

Abbi Warmker, the deputy regional inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said the agency’s Administration for Children and Families must do a better job of holding states accountable for reporting missing foster youth and screening them for sexual exploitation when they are found.

“What we’ve found is that [the Administration for Children and Families] is really good at making sure that states have policies and procedures in place, but they’re not so great at making sure that those policies and procedures are being followed at the state level,” she said.

“The risk for exploitation is so much greater when children are missing from their foster care placements. So, it’s just really critical that there’s oversight at every level — at the state, the local and then also at the federal level.”

Hamilton said her goal as a mentor at the National Network for Youth&nbsp;is to help foster kids advocate for themselves whenever they feel unsafe.

“I want them to know it’s OK to speak up and speak out,” she said. “It was traumatizing, but I’m glad I’m able to live and tell my story.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>. Follow Stateline on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://facebook.com/statelinenewsroom">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stateline_news">Twitter</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699794610208.png" alt=" A Portland foster care child, Nevaeh Rohrbach, 15, has been missing since Oct. 7, and authorities say she is endangered. Nevaeh previously went missing in July. Authorities are asking the public to call 911, local law enforcement or the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-SAFE (7233) if they believe they see her. Recent audits show tens of thousands of children in out-of-home placement go missing. (Courtesy Oregon Department of Human Services)" />
 <figcaption> A Portland foster care child, Nevaeh Rohrbach, 15, has been missing since Oct. 7, and authorities say she is endangered. Nevaeh previously went missing in July. Authorities are asking the public to call 911, local law enforcement or the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-SAFE (7233) if they believe they see her. Recent audits show tens of thousands of children in out-of-home placement go missing. (Courtesy Oregon Department of Human Services)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri increased tracking efforts after report found 978 foster children went missing in 2019</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/nadahassanein/">NADA HASSANEIN</a>Sharday Hamilton, a 28-year-old advocate for foster youth, homeless youth and runaways, still bears her own scars from running.There’s one near her left knee. She got it as a little girl, running away from her foster mother, who was trying to hit her with a bag of frozen food but who sometimes used a skillet or a baseball bat. There are the burns she suffered when she was forced to sit on a hot stove.Caseworkers and school counselors didn’t visit Hamilton’s foster home in Harvey, Illinois, or check in with her often enough, recalled Hamilton, now a mentor at the National Network for Youth, a nonprofit focused on youth homelessness. And when they did, she said, they missed signs of abuse. “The system failed me,” she said.Hamilton sometimes spent nights at her friends’ houses to avoid the violence. Many foster kids in similar situations also flee — and some of them don’t come back for weeks, months or ever. Tens of thousands simply disappear from the foster care system, according to several recent reports, putting them beyond the state’s protection and at high risk of sexual exploitation.Under federal law, state social service agencies must submit a report to the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children, a nonprofit organization&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL34050">established by Congress</a>&nbsp;in 1984, when a child under their care goes missing. They also are required to notify law enforcement, who report missing children to the National Crime Information Center.But an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/72106102.pdf">audit</a>&nbsp;published earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that across 46 states, state agencies failed to report an estimated 34,800&nbsp;cases&nbsp;of missing foster kids.&nbsp;Cases include children who ran away multiple times. The average age,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/analysis-of-children-missing-from-care-reported-to-ncmec-2013-2022.pdf">according to</a>&nbsp;the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children, was 15.“When it comes to teenagers specifically, most child welfare systems just don’t have the right service array, because systems are often built for babies and younger children,” said consultant and attorney Lisa Pilnik, director of Child &amp; Family Policy Associates, a child welfare consulting and research firm.“We don’t have enough family placements, and we don’t have family placements that are equipped to meet the needs of teenagers,” she said.<h2>‘A lot of difficulties’</h2>Teens often run away or go missing more than once during their time in foster care. The National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/analysis-of-children-missing-from-care-reported-to-ncmec-2013-2022.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;found that about 40% of foster children who were reported missing&nbsp;went missing multiple times — on average, four times — while in state care.Black&nbsp;and Native American children are overrepresented in foster care and make up a disproportionate number of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/analysis-of-children-missing-from-care-reported-to-ncmec-2013-2022.pdf">missing kids</a>. Hamilton was among those Black children.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3439815/">Studies have shown&nbsp;</a>that states are more likely to remove Black children from their homes, and that racial bias is a factor.“The foster care system is wrought with a lot of difficulties,” said Gaétane Borders, president of Peas In Their Pods, a nonprofit that advocates for missing children of color. “When you add that to the complexities of missing children, reporting of missing children, and how that intersects with human trafficking and sexual exploitation — it is honestly a complete mess.”Recent reports on some states are equally damning. In Georgia, nearly 1,800 children in state care went missing between 2018 and 2022, according to a new&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/OCT.-27-NCMEC-data.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;conducted by the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children as part of a U.S. Senate panel’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sen-ossoffs-bipartisan-probe-uncovers-1790-children-in-georgia-dfcs-care-were-reported-missing-between-2018-and-2022/">ongoing probe</a>&nbsp;into Georgia’s child welfare system. More than 20% of those were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://georgiarecorder.com/brief/ossoff-probe-into-georgias-child-welfare-agency-reveals-20-of-missing-children-were-likely-victims-of-sex-trafficking/?emci=a19f20a0-3c7e-ee11-8925-00224832e811&amp;emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&amp;ceid=">likely trafficked</a>, Samantha Sahl, supervisor of the center’s child sex trafficking recovery services team, said at a subcommittee hearing Monday.“[The Georgia Division of Family &amp; Children Services] takes seriously the issue of missing or runaway children and has a 14-page policy memo providing detailed instructions to DFCS case workers on how to handle reported missing children,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newschannel9.com/resources/pdf/dc788088-b93d-47f5-8f13-fac5f931722f-2023.10.31GADHSLetter.pdf">lawyers for the agency wrote</a>&nbsp;in response to testimony presented to the Senate panel.“To further bolster our practices, [the agency] will advocate for changes in state law in the upcoming legislative session to allow more information-sharing with [the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children].”A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-07-19-00372.pdf">audit</a>&nbsp;of Missouri, released in 2021, found that in 2019, 978 children went missing from the state’s foster care system. Nearly half of the cases reviewed weren’t reported to either law enforcement or the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children.“There needs to be more oversight and accountability for checking in on these kids that are in out-of-home placements,” said Jessica Seitz, executive director of Missouri KidsFirst, a child abuse prevention nonprofit.<h2>Seeing warning signs</h2>In most states, overburdened, under-supervised caseworkers are hard-pressed to protect all the children they are responsible for monitoring. And when kids go missing, caseworkers often struggle to prevent it from happening again and again.Amy Robins, forensic services director of the Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri, said social workers and search teams must figure out whether missing foster kids are running&nbsp;from&nbsp;an out-of-home placement or running&nbsp;to&nbsp;someone — perhaps a sex trafficker — who promises them freedom and a better life. Or if the kids are doing both.“Typically, the part that we miss with this population is we’re not asking the right questions,” Robins said.Police and school officials also should be trained to recognize when a foster child — or any child — is being abused or trafficked, said Alexandra Miller, deputy director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University.“There’s definitely a lack of professionals being able to identify what those warning signs are,” Miller said. Law enforcement or school officials might not realize, for example, that burglary or trespassing by teenagers “could be survival crimes or crimes that are tangential to being trafficked and abused,” she said.Since the scathing 2021 report, Missouri’s Department of Social Services has created a full-time staff position focused on children missing from state care. The state also told Stateline it has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/stat/investigation-support.htm">a team</a>&nbsp;dedicated to helping local law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute neglect, sexual abuse and other crimes committed against children.And a new Missouri&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=4397958">law</a>&nbsp;modifies law enforcement’s “missing child” definition to include “persons under 18 years of age, foster children regardless of age, emancipated minors, or homeless youth.” It also requires child welfare authorities to file a police report within two hours of determining that a child under their care is missing.Florida also recently passed legislation creating a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://laws.flrules.org/2023/247">task force</a>&nbsp;focused on finding children missing from foster care.“A team should be ready to go and hit the ground to find out if these kids are actually on runaway status, or has anybody snatched them,” said Florida Democratic state Rep. Patricia Williams. “It is our job as adults, as the legislators, to put things in place to protect all of our children.”This summer, an Arizona bill was signed into&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1R/bills/HB2651S.pdf">law</a>&nbsp;that requires the state’s child welfare department to report a missing foster care child to law enforcement within 24 hours. It also requires law enforcement to notify media outlets within 48 hours.The bill was introduced two weeks after two teenage girls were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azmirror.com/blog/house-passes-bill-aimed-at-speeding-up-search-for-missing-foster-kids/">found dead</a>&nbsp;in a retention basin after running from a group home.And last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the bipartisan&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1146/text?s=3&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%221146%22%7D">Find and Protect Foster Youth Act</a>.The legislation would require the Department of Health and Human Services to evaluate why states are failing to comply with federal rules and to help them remove those obstacles.&nbsp; The measure now awaits House approval.Abbi Warmker, the deputy regional inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said the agency’s Administration for Children and Families must do a better job of holding states accountable for reporting missing foster youth and screening them for sexual exploitation when they are found.“What we’ve found is that [the Administration for Children and Families] is really good at making sure that states have policies and procedures in place, but they’re not so great at making sure that those policies and procedures are being followed at the state level,” she said.“The risk for exploitation is so much greater when children are missing from their foster care placements. So, it’s just really critical that there’s oversight at every level — at the state, the local and then also at the federal level.”Hamilton said her goal as a mentor at the National Network for Youth&nbsp;is to help foster kids advocate for themselves whenever they feel unsafe.“I want them to know it’s OK to speak up and speak out,” she said. “It was traumatizing, but I’m glad I’m able to live and tell my story.”<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>. Follow Stateline on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://facebook.com/statelinenewsroom">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stateline_news">Twitter</a>.

States lose track of thousands of foster children each year

CALDWELL COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 7:30p.m. Saturday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Volvo semi driven by Artem A. Vovk, 40, Tucson, Arizona, was westbound on U.S. 36 four miles east of Cameron.

The semi rear-ended a 1969 Dodge truck driven by Mark S. Caster, 54, Lee's Summit.&nbsp;

Cameron Ambulance transported a passenger in the Dodge truck identified as Kristine A. Caster, 53, Lee's Summit, to Cameron Regional Medical Center. The drivers were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

CALDWELL COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 7:30p.m. Saturday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Volvo semi driven by Artem A. Vovk, 40, Tucson, Arizona, was westbound on U.S. 36 four miles east of Cameron.The semi rear-ended a 1969 Dodge truck driven by Mark S. Caster, 54, Lee's Summit.&nbsp;Cameron Ambulance transported a passenger in the Dodge truck identified as Kristine A. Caster, 53, Lee's Summit, to Cameron Regional Medical Center. The drivers were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman hospitalized after semi rear-ends truck

NODAWAY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Nodaway County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Ford Taurus driven by Curtis E.&nbsp; Jones, 64, Tarkio, was eastbound on U.S. 36 three miles east of Burlington Junction.

The Ford rear-ended a 2022 Kia Telluride driven by Jon F. Garrigan, 62, Council Bluffs, Iowa, that abruptly slowed to yield to a stopped unloading school bus.

After the crash, a 2014 Ford Mustang driven by a 17-year-old Brownville, Nebraska girl rear-ended the Ford Taurus.

 Nodaway County EMS transported the teen to Mosaic in Maryville. Garrigan and Jones were not injured.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

NODAWAY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Nodaway County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Ford Taurus driven by Curtis E.&nbsp; Jones, 64, Tarkio, was eastbound on U.S. 36 three miles east of Burlington Junction.The Ford rear-ended a 2022 Kia Telluride driven by Jon F. Garrigan, 62, Council Bluffs, Iowa, that abruptly slowed to yield to a stopped unloading school bus.After the crash, a 2014 Ford Mustang driven by a 17-year-old Brownville, Nebraska girl rear-ended the Ford Taurus. Nodaway County EMS transported the teen to Mosaic in Maryville. Garrigan and Jones were not injured.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Teen driver hospitalized after 3-vehicle rear-end crash

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 10:30p.m.&nbsp;Thursday an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle near U.S. 73 and Woodlawn Avenue in Atchison for an alleged traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 The driver of the vehicle later identified as 68-year-old Randall Gilliland of Atchison was found to be driving while suspended and subsequently found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Police arrested him on requested charges of driving while suspended, improper driving on laned highway, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Gilliland has eight previous felony convictions for burglary and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Police in Atchison arrested him in July on drug and motor vehicle and parole violation allegations, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699626767510.png" alt="Gilliland photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Gilliland photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 10:30p.m.&nbsp;Thursday an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle near U.S. 73 and Woodlawn Avenue in Atchison for an alleged traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The driver of the vehicle later identified as 68-year-old Randall Gilliland of Atchison was found to be driving while suspended and subsequently found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.Police arrested him on requested charges of driving while suspended, improper driving on laned highway, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;Gilliland has eight previous felony convictions for burglary and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Police in Atchison arrested him in July on drug and motor vehicle and parole violation allegations, according to online jail records.

Kansas felon caught transporting meth

Hunters will be hitting their deer stands starting tomorrow [SAT] as Missouri's firearm deer season gets underway.  

Buchanan County Sheriff’s Captain Shawn Collie says ignoring firearm safety causes many accidents during hunting season. 

"Taking the proper classes, maybe trying to make sure that within your hunting groups that everybody knows where everybody is, know your surroundings," Collie tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr.  

Collie says the sheriff’s department gets calls complaining of trespassing among others during deer season. 

"From the deer on the roadway or crossing the roadway, to the hunting injuries, and the other reports that we get as far as that," Collie says.  

Collie says mishandling firearms causes many accidental shootings during deer season. Collie says it all comes back to firearm safety. 

"Not having your finger on the trigger, maybe not having a round chambered in the firearm while you're moving from field or from deer stand to deer stand," Collie explains. "And just trying to be safe in handling that firearm." 

Collie also reminds hunters to be sure to have their hunter’s orange on as they travel through the fields. 

Collie says as you are out hunting you should be aware of your surroundings. 

"Obviously if you're in an area where there's other hunters, you know which direction are they, making sure that where you're shooting is in a safe direction with a safe background, and to always be aware of your surroundings," Collie says. 

Missouri's firearm season runs through November 21st. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Hunters will be hitting their deer stands starting tomorrow [SAT] as Missouri's firearm deer season gets underway. Buchanan County Sheriff’s Captain Shawn Collie says ignoring firearm safety causes many accidents during hunting season. "Taking the proper classes, maybe trying to make sure that within your hunting groups that everybody knows where everybody is, know your surroundings," Collie tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. Collie says the sheriff’s department gets calls complaining of trespassing among others during deer season. "From the deer on the roadway or crossing the roadway, to the hunting injuries, and the other reports that we get as far as that," Collie says. Collie says mishandling firearms causes many accidental shootings during deer season. Collie says it all comes back to firearm safety. "Not having your finger on the trigger, maybe not having a round chambered in the firearm while you're moving from field or from deer stand to deer stand," Collie explains. "And just trying to be safe in handling that firearm." Collie also reminds hunters to be sure to have their hunter’s orange on as they travel through the fields. Collie says as you are out hunting you should be aware of your surroundings. "Obviously if you're in an area where there's other hunters, you know which direction are they, making sure that where you're shooting is in a safe direction with a safe background, and to always be aware of your surroundings," Collie says. Missouri's firearm season runs through November 21st.

Remember firearm safety as Missouri's firearm deer season begins tomorrow

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Camber President Bobby Eklofe.

For reference, the list of gifts mentioned during the interview includes:&nbsp;

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6uRPueIKhvc?si=Rs55WchM2c_Cg94a" 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&nbsp;Camber President Bobby Eklofe.For reference, the list of gifts mentioned during the interview includes:&nbsp;Rubix CubesFidgetsAge-appropriate booksBasketballsFootballsVolleyballsSoccer ballsSquishmellosStuffed animalsDollsAction figuresBoard gamesPlaying cardsUnoPhase 10Fidget spinnersBluetooth headphonesUnderwear and socks

🎤 Forward Ever: Camber President Bobby Eklofe

Mosaic Life Care encourages residents to get their flu shot after seeing a number of cases last month. 

Across Mosaic campuses in St. Joseph, Albany, and Maryville, the hospital saw 30 flu cases in October.   

Dr. Scott Folk, a specialist in Adult Infectious Diseases at Mosaic, says the best way to prevent the flu, is to get your flu shot 

"Now the flu shot doesn't guarantee that you won't get the flu, but if you do get the flu, chances are it won't be as severe as it otherwise would have been had you not gotten the flu shot," Folk tells reporters during a news conference at Mosaic. 

Folk says you cannot get the flu from getting the flu shot, and it takes two weeks to build up those antibodies after getting the shot 

"By far the best and most important thing that we have to offer to prevent flu is the flu shot," Folk says. "So, I would strongly recommend that, yes." 

Folk says he's sure the numbers will continue to rise, especially with the time of year it is.  

"People huddle together indoors, they cluster together in schools, the weather is getting colder outside so it's less time outdoors more time indoors huddled together which facilitates and makes it easier to transmit person to person through coughing or sneezing or talking, one person to another," Folk explains. 

Folk says it’s hard to know how many people have gotten flu shots with how many different places you can get them.  The goal of getting them anywhere, Folk says, is easier access. 

"Not just be confined to having to come to a doctor's office, but the thought there was to make it easier for them to go and get a vaccine at maybe a time that the doctor's office that was closed," Folk points out. "That's the whole goal is to try to get more people vaccinated, so if we can make it easier for them to be vaccinated, then hopefully more people will get vaccinated." 

Flu shots are available at local pharmacies, health clinics, your local doctor, or you can go to Mosaic Life Care.   

Flu season begins to ramp up in December and could last as late as March.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699640523934.jpeg" alt="Dr. Scott Folk, a specialist in Adult Infectious Diseases at Mosaic, received his flu shot to show the importance of getting your flu shot/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Scott Folk, a specialist in Adult Infectious Diseases at Mosaic, received his flu shot to show the importance of getting your flu shot/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Mosaic Life Care encourages residents to get their flu shot after seeing a number of cases last month. Across Mosaic campuses in St. Joseph, Albany, and Maryville, the hospital saw 30 flu cases in October. Dr. Scott Folk, a specialist in Adult Infectious Diseases at Mosaic, says the best way to prevent the flu, is to get your flu shot "Now the flu shot doesn't guarantee that you won't get the flu, but if you do get the flu, chances are it won't be as severe as it otherwise would have been had you not gotten the flu shot," Folk tells reporters during a news conference at Mosaic. Folk says you cannot get the flu from getting the flu shot, and it takes two weeks to build up those antibodies after getting the shot "By far the best and most important thing that we have to offer to prevent flu is the flu shot," Folk says. "So, I would strongly recommend that, yes." Folk says he's sure the numbers will continue to rise, especially with the time of year it is. "People huddle together indoors, they cluster together in schools, the weather is getting colder outside so it's less time outdoors more time indoors huddled together which facilitates and makes it easier to transmit person to person through coughing or sneezing or talking, one person to another," Folk explains. Folk says it’s hard to know how many people have gotten flu shots with how many different places you can get them. The goal of getting them anywhere, Folk says, is easier access. "Not just be confined to having to come to a doctor's office, but the thought there was to make it easier for them to go and get a vaccine at maybe a time that the doctor's office that was closed," Folk points out. "That's the whole goal is to try to get more people vaccinated, so if we can make it easier for them to be vaccinated, then hopefully more people will get vaccinated." Flu shots are available at local pharmacies, health clinics, your local doctor, or you can go to Mosaic Life Care. Flu season begins to ramp up in December and could last as late as March.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699640904707.jpeg" alt="Dr. Jeff Sherwood, a specialist in Adult Infectious Diseases at Mosaic, receives his COVID booster/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Jeff Sherwood, a specialist in Adult Infectious Diseases at Mosaic, receives his COVID booster/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>

Rise in flu cases prompts Mosaic to encourage residents to get their flu shot

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Thursday in Andrew County.

&nbsp;A pedestrian identified as Keith L. Nold 66, Cosby, was outside a stationary 2004 Dodge Ram directing traffic for a slow moving farm implement eastbound on Highway O two miles east of Cosby.

An unidentified vehicle struck the pickup on the drivers side and pushed&nbsp; Nold into the pickup.&nbsp; The unidentified vehicle then fled the scene.

Andrew County EMS transported to Mosaic in St. Joseph. The accident remains under investigation.

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Thursday in Andrew County.&nbsp;A pedestrian identified as Keith L. Nold 66, Cosby, was outside a stationary 2004 Dodge Ram directing traffic for a slow moving farm implement eastbound on Highway O two miles east of Cosby.An unidentified vehicle struck the pickup on the drivers side and pushed&nbsp; Nold into the pickup.&nbsp; The unidentified vehicle then fled the scene.Andrew County EMS transported to Mosaic in St. Joseph. The accident remains under investigation.

Pedestrian injured after Andrew County hit-and-run

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jaredstrong/">JARED STRONG</a>

Federal ag officials are poised to enact new disclosure requirements for the poultry industry to give chicken growers a better understanding of their potential profits.

The changes are meant to address some long-standing complaints by farmers who are contracted by large companies to grow chickens for meat, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said Wednesday.

Most often, the companies are meat processors that pay farmers to grow their chickens. The companies provide the chicks, feed and medicines, and the farmers provide the facilities and labor to raise them until the birds are ready for slaughter.

The farmers are often compensated based on how efficiently they produce meat compared with other farmers contracted by the companies, and many farmers have complained to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for more than a decade that the companies have too much leverage in the arrangements and too little accountability, department officials said.

That can result in farmers making less-than-expected profits while being saddled with debt for constructing or upgrading their facilities.

“It’s high time that poultry growers get the benefit of robust transparency — upfront and ongoing — to clean up the broiler chicken market of deceptive practices,” said Andy Green, a USDA senior advisor for fair and competitive markets.

The department announced on Wednesday the first in a series of new requirements that are a result of President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/07/09/executive-order-on-promoting-competition-in-the-american-economy/">executive order</a>&nbsp;in 2021 to increase competition in the country’s economy.

The new regulations require large live poultry dealers to disclose to farmers the earnings of their contracted growers. The dealers must also describe how they handle flock losses associated with disease and natural disasters, shortages of food and farmer complaints about food quality.

The new regulations require dealers to guarantee a minimum number of flock placements with the farmers per year and to specify the sizes of those flocks. Broiler chickens mature in about two months.

Dealers that slaughter less than 2 million pounds of live broilers weekly or 104 million pounds annually are exempt.

“It’s fair to say that, for many, many years, we’ve heard concerns from poultry growers as to whether or not the contracting and tournament system that they’re engaged in provides a level of fairness and transparency,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said Wednesday during a news conference.

He said the new regulations are being imposed under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, the purpose of which is to protect farmers from unfair and monopolistic practices. They are expected to go into effect in late January.

Consolidation in the meatpacking industry gained renewed focus during the coronavirus pandemic, when large processing facilities were forced to temporarily close and some livestock producers had nowhere to sell their animals. Federal officials have said that a handful of large companies control about 85% of the beef market, 70% of the pork and more than 50% of the chicken.

This story originally appeared in&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609439094343.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jaredstrong/">JARED STRONG</a>Federal ag officials are poised to enact new disclosure requirements for the poultry industry to give chicken growers a better understanding of their potential profits.The changes are meant to address some long-standing complaints by farmers who are contracted by large companies to grow chickens for meat, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said Wednesday.Most often, the companies are meat processors that pay farmers to grow their chickens. The companies provide the chicks, feed and medicines, and the farmers provide the facilities and labor to raise them until the birds are ready for slaughter.The farmers are often compensated based on how efficiently they produce meat compared with other farmers contracted by the companies, and many farmers have complained to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for more than a decade that the companies have too much leverage in the arrangements and too little accountability, department officials said.That can result in farmers making less-than-expected profits while being saddled with debt for constructing or upgrading their facilities.“It’s high time that poultry growers get the benefit of robust transparency — upfront and ongoing — to clean up the broiler chicken market of deceptive practices,” said Andy Green, a USDA senior advisor for fair and competitive markets.The department announced on Wednesday the first in a series of new requirements that are a result of President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/07/09/executive-order-on-promoting-competition-in-the-american-economy/">executive order</a>&nbsp;in 2021 to increase competition in the country’s economy.The new regulations require large live poultry dealers to disclose to farmers the earnings of their contracted growers. The dealers must also describe how they handle flock losses associated with disease and natural disasters, shortages of food and farmer complaints about food quality.The new regulations require dealers to guarantee a minimum number of flock placements with the farmers per year and to specify the sizes of those flocks. Broiler chickens mature in about two months.Dealers that slaughter less than 2 million pounds of live broilers weekly or 104 million pounds annually are exempt.“It’s fair to say that, for many, many years, we’ve heard concerns from poultry growers as to whether or not the contracting and tournament system that they’re engaged in provides a level of fairness and transparency,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said Wednesday during a news conference.He said the new regulations are being imposed under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, the purpose of which is to protect farmers from unfair and monopolistic practices. They are expected to go into effect in late January.Consolidation in the meatpacking industry gained renewed focus during the coronavirus pandemic, when large processing facilities were forced to temporarily close and some livestock producers had nowhere to sell their animals. Federal officials have said that a handful of large companies control about 85% of the beef market, 70% of the pork and more than 50% of the chicken.This story originally appeared in&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

New federal rule seeks to curb ‘deceptive practices’ in poultry production

Con artists will try any number of scams to separate you from
your money.

Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett warns consumers to be
protective of your personal and financial information, because law enforcement
can only do so much, especially if the scams originate from other countries.

“They’re spoofing numbers and even if they’re in the United
States, it’s just so, so difficult to track these folks down,” Puett says. “We,
citizens, have to be the guardians or our information.”

Puett says to never disclose information to someone who calls
you out of the blue. Mostly, the con artists attempt to get you to give your credit
card information, bank numbers, even Social Security numbers over the phone.

“The best way to say it is you have to be very, very
protective of that information and not fall victim to a scam.”

Puett is especially angry that some con artists call, claiming
they are from the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department and need money to get a
relative out of jail.

“They’re in jail and they need bond and this and that and they
need your credit card number right away. And you’ve got families that are just horrified
and they don’t know what to do. Next thing you know, they’re rattling off
credit card numbers and those type of things,” Puett says, adding. “We don’t
ever do that.”

Puett advises not to engage the person and just hang up.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostCon artists will try any number of scams to separate you from
your money.Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett warns consumers to be
protective of your personal and financial information, because law enforcement
can only do so much, especially if the scams originate from other countries.“They’re spoofing numbers and even if they’re in the United
States, it’s just so, so difficult to track these folks down,” Puett says. “We,
citizens, have to be the guardians or our information.”Puett says to never disclose information to someone who calls
you out of the blue. Mostly, the con artists attempt to get you to give your credit
card information, bank numbers, even Social Security numbers over the phone.“The best way to say it is you have to be very, very
protective of that information and not fall victim to a scam.”Puett is especially angry that some con artists call, claiming
they are from the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department and need money to get a
relative out of jail.“They’re in jail and they need bond and this and that and they
need your credit card number right away. And you’ve got families that are just horrified
and they don’t know what to do. Next thing you know, they’re rattling off
credit card numbers and those type of things,” Puett says, adding. “We don’t
ever do that.”Puett advises not to engage the person and just hang up.

Scammers are out there - don't engage

A St. Joseph School Board work session this afternoon might
not take a step forward in changing school district boundaries.

In fact, school Superintendent Gabe Edgar will advise the
board to take a step back.

“There won’t be any recommendation,” Edgar tells KFEQ/St. Joseph
Post in a phone interview. “There won’t be any sort of vote or move forward. We’re
kind of going to slow down the process, because we can get the feeder patterns
correct and we can make things more equitable, but at this time it’s really
hard to right-size.”

Edgar will advise the board to consider all the St. Joseph
School District schools before recommending boundary changes. Edgar says all
the school boundaries, from pre-kindergarten to high school, need to be taken
into account before boundaries can be considered equitable and balanced.

The school board called the work session to discuss the
controversial issue of changing school boundaries.

Edgar says administrators met Monday to discuss options and
have concluded that the district and the school board need to think long-range,
perhaps five to seven years, and consider all the school boundaries, not just
the kindergarten through 8th Grade boundaries.

Edgar says the administration will be looking for guidance
from the school board this afternoon.

“To see whether they want us to continue to bring them a
recommendation to change boundaries, but they need to understand the boundaries
right now can’t right-size the school district,” according to Edgar.

Edgar says the district needs to settle on a consistent middle
school pattern and must create a feeder system that reduces the imbalances of
student populations for the three high schools, with Central being much larger
than both Benton and Lafayette.

Edgar says neglect over a number of years has caused school populations
to be imbalanced, leading some schools to be crowded while others have room.

“Those buildings were built, a lot of them were built as
neighborhood schools that don’t have the neighborhoods that they had before,”
Edgar says.

School boundaries haven’t shifted with the shift in
population.

“So, there are a lot of underlying factors there, but absolutely
that’s exactly what happened,” Edgar says. “This has been problem, I’ve only
been here six years, it’s been a problem since I’ve been here and I would
venture to say it’s been a problem for over 40 years.”

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA St. Joseph School Board work session this afternoon might
not take a step forward in changing school district boundaries.In fact, school Superintendent Gabe Edgar will advise the
board to take a step back.“There won’t be any recommendation,” Edgar tells KFEQ/St. Joseph
Post in a phone interview. “There won’t be any sort of vote or move forward. We’re
kind of going to slow down the process, because we can get the feeder patterns
correct and we can make things more equitable, but at this time it’s really
hard to right-size.”Edgar will advise the board to consider all the St. Joseph
School District schools before recommending boundary changes. Edgar says all
the school boundaries, from pre-kindergarten to high school, need to be taken
into account before boundaries can be considered equitable and balanced.The school board called the work session to discuss the
controversial issue of changing school boundaries.Edgar says administrators met Monday to discuss options and
have concluded that the district and the school board need to think long-range,
perhaps five to seven years, and consider all the school boundaries, not just
the kindergarten through 8th Grade boundaries.Edgar says the administration will be looking for guidance
from the school board this afternoon.“To see whether they want us to continue to bring them a
recommendation to change boundaries, but they need to understand the boundaries
right now can’t right-size the school district,” according to Edgar.Edgar says the district needs to settle on a consistent middle
school pattern and must create a feeder system that reduces the imbalances of
student populations for the three high schools, with Central being much larger
than both Benton and Lafayette.Edgar says neglect over a number of years has caused school populations
to be imbalanced, leading some schools to be crowded while others have room.“Those buildings were built, a lot of them were built as
neighborhood schools that don’t have the neighborhoods that they had before,”
Edgar says.School boundaries haven’t shifted with the shift in
population.“So, there are a lot of underlying factors there, but absolutely
that’s exactly what happened,” Edgar says. “This has been problem, I’ve only
been here six years, it’s been a problem since I’ve been here and I would
venture to say it’s been a problem for over 40 years.”<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/No-school-boundary-recommendations-quite-yet-in-St--Joseph-e2bn7ta" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

St. Joseph School Board advised to take step back on school boundary changes

Progress is being made on the Convergent Technology Alliance Center on the campus of Missouri Western State University.  

Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says the building is finally starting to look like a building. 

"So, there's some really neat milestones, we had the floors those were all poured back at the beginning of October, that was important because now we're kind of rushing against the clock to get the structure on the outside done so they can work on the inside," Kennedy tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, we've got the structural steel, which is all the main canopy and the columns, that's all been put up." 

Kennedy says exterior framing began on Monday and the roofing should be completed and closed off by January.

Kennedy says with the building progressing nicely, construction is still on track to be completed by June. 

"And then we will be ready and open for business in the fall semester of '24, so super-duper excited" Kennedy says. "We hope, I've kind of been quasi-promising this to the boards and folks, is that we should be able to do a hard hat walkthrough in January or February, which is really cool to be in, so we've got that going on." 

The CTAC, as it’s called, is a partnership between Missouri Western and North Central Missouri College in Trenton, providing hands-on learning experiences. 

Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says the CTAC was designed with the needs of St. Joseph in mind.  

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699550359222.jpeg" alt="Progress is being made on the Convergent Technology Alliance Center on the campus of Missouri Western State University/ Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Progress is being made on the Convergent Technology Alliance Center on the campus of Missouri Western State University/ Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Progress is being made on the Convergent Technology Alliance Center on the campus of Missouri Western State University. Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says the building is finally starting to look like a building. "So, there's some really neat milestones, we had the floors those were all poured back at the beginning of October, that was important because now we're kind of rushing against the clock to get the structure on the outside done so they can work on the inside," Kennedy tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, we've got the structural steel, which is all the main canopy and the columns, that's all been put up." Kennedy says exterior framing began on Monday and the roofing should be completed and closed off by January.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699550414941.jpeg" alt="Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Kennedy says with the building progressing nicely, construction is still on track to be completed by June. "And then we will be ready and open for business in the fall semester of '24, so super-duper excited" Kennedy says. "We hope, I've kind of been quasi-promising this to the boards and folks, is that we should be able to do a hard hat walkthrough in January or February, which is really cool to be in, so we've got that going on." The CTAC, as it’s called, is a partnership between Missouri Western and North Central Missouri College in Trenton, providing hands-on learning experiences. Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says the CTAC was designed with the needs of St. Joseph in mind. "For students who are interested in technology programs, those technology based professional programs, engineering, cyber, robotics, those kinds of things, it's going to be, a state of the art is probably too old fashioned of a term, because it is going to have the most current equipment and software programs and it's just going to be a spectacular learning environment," Kennedy explains. Kennedy says both Missouri Western and North Central Missouri College are beginning to work with faculty to begin some workforce development classes before the building is completed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699550390279.jpeg" alt="Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>

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