St. Joseph Police are getting out and interacting with the community.  

It's all part of community engagement, something Police Chief Paul Luster has strived to improve since he arrived in St. Joseph.  

One of those efforts is Coffee with the Chief. Luster says the event is an opportunity for people to air their concerns or simply just say hello 

"It's always nice to have the community members stop by and share any concerns you have or if you need some resources in your neighborhood or for your business come talk to us," Luster tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "Or even if it's just to say hello and introduce yourself we're happy to have you, part of our ongoing community engagement efforts here at the St. Joseph Police Department." 

Luster had Coffee with the Chief this morning at Cup of Joe on North Village Drive.  He hopes to hold the event four times during the year.  

Luster says he believes the best relationships with the community are built outside of official police interactions. 

"What I call non law enforcement contacts, so non-enforcement-based contacts, just where we can talk where it's not me necessarily or a department member necessarily doing their job as a police officer in the terms of, we weren't called to a location to handle something," Luster explains. 

While community engagement is not new, it has been a strong emphasis for Luster. 

A community engagement that has been around for several years, is the Joint Law Enforcement Citizens Academy, offering people a chance to learn about law enforcement and what they do.  

Luster says people have that option outside of the law academy as well, the St. Joseph Police offering to take people on a ride along. 

"Kind of see firsthand what they see on a daily basis, so another good way to build those relationships because that community engagement is so important in what we do," Luster says. 

You can apply for a ride along experience by clicking <a href="https://www.stjosephmo.gov/FormCenter/Police-11/Ride-Along-55">HERE</a>.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718899976987.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Police Officer&nbsp;Officer Kaitlyn Standiford interacts with a community member during an event around Christmas handing out $100 bills/ Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Police Officer&nbsp;Officer Kaitlyn Standiford interacts with a community member during an event around Christmas handing out $100 bills/ Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post St. Joseph Police are getting out and interacting with the community. It's all part of community engagement, something Police Chief Paul Luster has strived to improve since he arrived in St. Joseph. One of those efforts is Coffee with the Chief. Luster says the event is an opportunity for people to air their concerns or simply just say hello "It's always nice to have the community members stop by and share any concerns you have or if you need some resources in your neighborhood or for your business come talk to us," Luster tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "Or even if it's just to say hello and introduce yourself we're happy to have you, part of our ongoing community engagement efforts here at the St. Joseph Police Department." Luster had Coffee with the Chief this morning at Cup of Joe on North Village Drive. He hopes to hold the event four times during the year. Luster says he believes the best relationships with the community are built outside of official police interactions. "What I call non law enforcement contacts, so non-enforcement-based contacts, just where we can talk where it's not me necessarily or a department member necessarily doing their job as a police officer in the terms of, we weren't called to a location to handle something," Luster explains. While community engagement is not new, it has been a strong emphasis for Luster. A community engagement that has been around for several years, is the Joint Law Enforcement Citizens Academy, offering people a chance to learn about law enforcement and what they do. Luster says people have that option outside of the law academy as well, the St. Joseph Police offering to take people on a ride along. "Kind of see firsthand what they see on a daily basis, so another good way to build those relationships because that community engagement is so important in what we do," Luster says. You can apply for a ride along experience by clicking <a href="https://www.stjosephmo.gov/FormCenter/Police-11/Ride-Along-55">HERE</a>.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/St--Joseph-Police-engaging-with-community-e2l45ui" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph police reaching out and interacting with the community

A St. Joseph city councilmember says there has been some
confusion about the financing of a new city pool.

The swimming pool at the St. Joseph Aquatic Park failed in
2019.

City councilmember Michael Grimm says the city council is
talking with the YMCA about the possibility of cooperating to build an indoor
pool at the new Y, agreeing to chip in $7 million if the Y could raise the
rest.

“We only agreed that we would do this provided they had this
whole list of things that they would do and had firm commitments on the money,”
Grimm says.

St. Joseph city officials issued a statement late last month asserting
an erroneous text message had been sent to citizens claiming a new swimming
pool could cost up to $50 million. The text message, according to the city, did
not clarify that the city council has only committed contributing $7 million of
Parks Tax funding to the total cost of the pool. The YMCA has to raise the
rest. The city would contribute money, likely $250,000 annually, to operate the
pool.

Grimm says if a partnership with the YMCA doesn’t work out,
the council will consider other options, which could include spending between $7-and-8
million to construct a lap pool at the Aquatic Park.

“We are looking at how much it would cost and where we could
get the money with the possibility of building a pool at the Aquatic Center on
Messanie,” Grimm says. “We’re looking at that and, still, we haven’t forgotten
that. Again, it takes time to figure out how we can get that money and what it
(a pool) would cost.”

Grimm contends that a new swimming pool could become a draw.
He points out swimming teams from Omaha travel to Kansas City often for
swimming meets and Kansas City teams make the trip to Omaha for meets.

“One of the things we look at was would they come to St. Joe
to have swim meets? And the answer was yes,” according to Grimm.

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA St. Joseph city councilmember says there has been some
confusion about the financing of a new city pool.The swimming pool at the St. Joseph Aquatic Park failed in
2019.City councilmember Michael Grimm says the city council is
talking with the YMCA about the possibility of cooperating to build an indoor
pool at the new Y, agreeing to chip in $7 million if the Y could raise the
rest.“We only agreed that we would do this provided they had this
whole list of things that they would do and had firm commitments on the money,”
Grimm says.St. Joseph city officials issued a statement late last month asserting
an erroneous text message had been sent to citizens claiming a new swimming
pool could cost up to $50 million. The text message, according to the city, did
not clarify that the city council has only committed contributing $7 million of
Parks Tax funding to the total cost of the pool. The YMCA has to raise the
rest. The city would contribute money, likely $250,000 annually, to operate the
pool.Grimm says if a partnership with the YMCA doesn’t work out,
the council will consider other options, which could include spending between $7-and-8
million to construct a lap pool at the Aquatic Park.“We are looking at how much it would cost and where we could
get the money with the possibility of building a pool at the Aquatic Center on
Messanie,” Grimm says. “We’re looking at that and, still, we haven’t forgotten
that. Again, it takes time to figure out how we can get that money and what it
(a pool) would cost.”Grimm contends that a new swimming pool could become a draw.
He points out swimming teams from Omaha travel to Kansas City often for
swimming meets and Kansas City teams make the trip to Omaha for meets.“One of the things we look at was would they come to St. Joe
to have swim meets? And the answer was yes,” according to Grimm.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph councilmember clarifies swimming pool options

Majority of Missourians sent to restrictive nursing homes because of mental illness would be better served in a less restrictive setting, a year-and-a-half federal investigation determined

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

Missouri is violating federal disability law by unnecessarily institutionalizing thousands of adults with mental illness in nursing homes, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a scathing report published Tuesday.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-06/2024_missouri_ada_findings_report.pdf">report</a>, which is based on a year-and-a-half of investigation, determined that those suffering with mental illness are “subjected to unnecessary stays in nursing facilities, generally because of a series of systemic failures by the state.”

For years Missouri has placed a higher portion of adults with mental health disabilities in nursing facilities than “all but a few states,” according to the report.

As of March 2023, there were&nbsp;3,289&nbsp;adults with mental health disabilities who had spent at least 100 days in Missouri’s nursing homes, according to the report. That number excludes those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Most don’t fit the profile one might imagine.&nbsp;

Around half are under 65, and some are in their 20s. Most don’t need help with basic physical activities like eating, transferring to bed or going to the bathroom.&nbsp;

And once placed in a nursing home, adults with mental health disabilities are often stuck, staying for an average of at least three years.&nbsp;

“We found that almost none of the adults with mental health disabilities living in nursing facilities&nbsp;in Missouri need to be in these institutions, even for short-term stays,” the report found.

Most, the report found, are there against their will and end up in nursing homes out of a series of Missouri’s “deliberate policy choices.”&nbsp;

Those sent to nursing homes are often resistant to treatment and cycled in and out of psychiatric hospitals.&nbsp;

The major problems are that the state doesn’t provide sufficient community-based mental health services and “improperly relies” on guardianship for those who have resisted treatment. Appointed guardians often place the person in nursing facilities.

One woman in her late 50s interviewed in the report, who was placed in a nursing home by a guardian, is quoted as saying, “I have a dream that one day I will be free” — to live in her community, have overnight stays with her grandkids, and be “free to not have someone place me in a nursing home and leave me, without any regard to my well-being, mentally and physically.”

A mother is quoted as saying her son “had a life before they took him there and now, he has nothing.” He lives in a locked unit of the facility.

These adults are concentrated in a few dozen facilities across the state. In some facilities, over 80% of the residents have bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. And those facilities generally offer little by way of mental health services beyond medication.&nbsp;

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires states make reasonable modifications to allow adults with mental health disabilities to live in a setting that is the most integrated with the community as possible. The state can’t discriminate through what amounts to segregation of those with disabilities.

The state will need to work with the DOJ to come up with a plan to fix the violations identified in the report. If they can’t reach a resolution, the state could be sued by the DOJ.

None of the state agencies involved immediately responded to a request for comment. The Department of Mental Health oversees the state’s mental health services, the Department of Health Senior Services oversees nursing homes and the Department of Social Services runs Medicaid, which funds eligible nursing home stays and community-based services.

Many of those adults with mental health disabilities in nursing homes are under court-ordered guardianship, the report states.

The state has relied on guardianship when people resist mental health treatment, which the DOJ found serves as a “pipeline to unnecessary institutionalization.”&nbsp;

According to the report, one provider called guardianship in Missouri a “sentence to be locked in a [nursing facility].”

Guardianship is supposed to be used in extreme cases when a person lacks capacity to make basic decisions and no less-restrictive options exist, but in Missouri it is used more broadly, the report states, and frequently is used when a person with mental health disability is not engaging in treatment.

“Combining guardianships and nursing facility placement creates the functional equivalent of involuntary and indefinite commitment,” the report states.

Guardians are often public administrators, meaning county officials who are appointed when no adult relative is available or suitable. Many have heavy caseloads and place the person in a nursing home because they have limited resources and are trying to ensure safety, according to the report.

“Instead of diverting people with mental health disabilities from unnecessary nursing facility admission or transitioning people from nursing facilities who do not need to be there,” the report states, “people are sent out of sight and out of mind.”

One man, in his late 20s, has goals well-suited to intensive community-based mental health services: He “wants to work part time at a fast food restaurant and live in his&nbsp;own apartment or trailer around Kansas City.&nbsp;

“Instead, he lives in a locked nursing facility over 6 hours away,” according to the report.

That person did not receive appropriate services, the report states, which would include permanent supportive housing. He was unhoused and hospitalized several times, some of which were because he needed shelter in the cold. His caseworker recommended guardianship because they lacked access to needed services and a public administrator was appointed.

“His guardian has since placed him in three different nursing facilities.”

The report urges Missouri to prioritize community-based services, including wraparound services that provide assistance with housing, treatment and other needs, directly to the person’s home and community.

“The fact that some of these changes might result in short-term increases in spending does not render them unreasonable,” the report states.

Beyond the issues laid out in the DOJ report, Missouri has been struggling with housing those with mental illness in another inappropriate setting: jails.

Missourians who are arrested, deemed unfit to stand trial and ordered into mental health treatment are now detained in jail for an average of eleven months before being transferred to a mental health facility.

There are currently 312 people in jails waiting to be moved to psychiatric hospitals, according to data provided to The Independent by the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

Debra Walker, a spokesperson for the department, said in an email last week to The Independent that the reason the number seems to keep going up is due to a workforce shortage.

“People in need of mental health care or substance use treatment are unable to access it in a timely manner due to provider shortages,” she said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/22/missourians-with-developmental-disabilities-languish-in-hospitals-jails-shelters/">state’s years-long struggle</a>&nbsp;to transfer people from jails into mental hospitals stems, in part, from a lack of hospital beds and an increase in referrals. Patients are supposed to be moved to receive rehabilitative mental health services that allow them to become competent to stand trial, a process called competency restoration. Instead, they languish in jails —&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/22/missourians-with-developmental-disabilities-languish-in-hospitals-jails-shelters/">often solitary confinement</a>&nbsp;because they must be isolated from the incarcerated population — without having been found guilty of any crime.

Missouri this year passed a law to bring treatment to the jails — “jail-based competency restoration” — which Department of Mental Health officials said will reduce the wait time.

The hiring of staff has begun, Walker said, and training will start soon as jail contracts are “being finalized.”

<h2>Majority of Missourians sent to restrictive nursing homes because of mental illness would be better served in a less restrictive setting, a year-and-a-half federal investigation determined</h2>BY:&nbsp;CLARA BATES&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri is violating federal disability law by unnecessarily institutionalizing thousands of adults with mental illness in nursing homes, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a scathing report published Tuesday.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-06/2024_missouri_ada_findings_report.pdf">report</a>, which is based on a year-and-a-half of investigation, determined that those suffering with mental illness are “subjected to unnecessary stays in nursing facilities, generally because of a series of systemic failures by the state.”For years Missouri has placed a higher portion of adults with mental health disabilities in nursing facilities than “all but a few states,” according to the report.As of March 2023, there were&nbsp;3,289&nbsp;adults with mental health disabilities who had spent at least 100 days in Missouri’s nursing homes, according to the report. That number excludes those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.Most don’t fit the profile one might imagine.&nbsp;Around half are under 65, and some are in their 20s. Most don’t need help with basic physical activities like eating, transferring to bed or going to the bathroom.&nbsp;And once placed in a nursing home, adults with mental health disabilities are often stuck, staying for an average of at least three years.&nbsp;“We found that almost none of the adults with mental health disabilities living in nursing facilities&nbsp;in Missouri need to be in these institutions, even for short-term stays,” the report found.Most, the report found, are there against their will and end up in nursing homes out of a series of Missouri’s “deliberate policy choices.”&nbsp;Those sent to nursing homes are often resistant to treatment and cycled in and out of psychiatric hospitals.&nbsp;The major problems are that the state doesn’t provide sufficient community-based mental health services and “improperly relies” on guardianship for those who have resisted treatment. Appointed guardians often place the person in nursing facilities.One woman in her late 50s interviewed in the report, who was placed in a nursing home by a guardian, is quoted as saying, “I have a dream that one day I will be free” — to live in her community, have overnight stays with her grandkids, and be “free to not have someone place me in a nursing home and leave me, without any regard to my well-being, mentally and physically.”A mother is quoted as saying her son “had a life before they took him there and now, he has nothing.” He lives in a locked unit of the facility.These adults are concentrated in a few dozen facilities across the state. In some facilities, over 80% of the residents have bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. And those facilities generally offer little by way of mental health services beyond medication.&nbsp;The Americans with Disabilities Act requires states make reasonable modifications to allow adults with mental health disabilities to live in a setting that is the most integrated with the community as possible. The state can’t discriminate through what amounts to segregation of those with disabilities.The state will need to work with the DOJ to come up with a plan to fix the violations identified in the report. If they can’t reach a resolution, the state could be sued by the DOJ.None of the state agencies involved immediately responded to a request for comment. The Department of Mental Health oversees the state’s mental health services, the Department of Health Senior Services oversees nursing homes and the Department of Social Services runs Medicaid, which funds eligible nursing home stays and community-based services.<h2>‘Sent out of sight and out of mind’</h2>Many of those adults with mental health disabilities in nursing homes are under court-ordered guardianship, the report states.The state has relied on guardianship when people resist mental health treatment, which the DOJ found serves as a “pipeline to unnecessary institutionalization.”&nbsp;According to the report, one provider called guardianship in Missouri a “sentence to be locked in a [nursing facility].”Guardianship is supposed to be used in extreme cases when a person lacks capacity to make basic decisions and no less-restrictive options exist, but in Missouri it is used more broadly, the report states, and frequently is used when a person with mental health disability is not engaging in treatment.“Combining guardianships and nursing facility placement creates the functional equivalent of involuntary and indefinite commitment,” the report states.Guardians are often public administrators, meaning county officials who are appointed when no adult relative is available or suitable. Many have heavy caseloads and place the person in a nursing home because they have limited resources and are trying to ensure safety, according to the report.“Instead of diverting people with mental health disabilities from unnecessary nursing facility admission or transitioning people from nursing facilities who do not need to be there,” the report states, “people are sent out of sight and out of mind.”One man, in his late 20s, has goals well-suited to intensive community-based mental health services: He “wants to work part time at a fast food restaurant and live in his&nbsp;own apartment or trailer around Kansas City.&nbsp;“Instead, he lives in a locked nursing facility over 6 hours away,” according to the report.That person did not receive appropriate services, the report states, which would include permanent supportive housing. He was unhoused and hospitalized several times, some of which were because he needed shelter in the cold. His caseworker recommended guardianship because they lacked access to needed services and a public administrator was appointed.“His guardian has since placed him in three different nursing facilities.”The report urges Missouri to prioritize community-based services, including wraparound services that provide assistance with housing, treatment and other needs, directly to the person’s home and community.“The fact that some of these changes might result in short-term increases in spending does not render them unreasonable,” the report states.<h2>Housed in jails</h2>Beyond the issues laid out in the DOJ report, Missouri has been struggling with housing those with mental illness in another inappropriate setting: jails.Missourians who are arrested, deemed unfit to stand trial and ordered into mental health treatment are now detained in jail for an average of eleven months before being transferred to a mental health facility.There are currently 312 people in jails waiting to be moved to psychiatric hospitals, according to data provided to The Independent by the Missouri Department of Mental Health.Debra Walker, a spokesperson for the department, said in an email last week to The Independent that the reason the number seems to keep going up is due to a workforce shortage.“People in need of mental health care or substance use treatment are unable to access it in a timely manner due to provider shortages,” she said.The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/22/missourians-with-developmental-disabilities-languish-in-hospitals-jails-shelters/">state’s years-long struggle</a>&nbsp;to transfer people from jails into mental hospitals stems, in part, from a lack of hospital beds and an increase in referrals. Patients are supposed to be moved to receive rehabilitative mental health services that allow them to become competent to stand trial, a process called competency restoration. Instead, they languish in jails —&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/22/missourians-with-developmental-disabilities-languish-in-hospitals-jails-shelters/">often solitary confinement</a>&nbsp;because they must be isolated from the incarcerated population — without having been found guilty of any crime.Missouri this year passed a law to bring treatment to the jails — “jail-based competency restoration” — which Department of Mental Health officials said will reduce the wait time.The hiring of staff has begun, Walker said, and training will start soon as jail contracts are “being finalized.”

Missouri is breaking federal law by housing mentally ill in nursing homes, DOJ finds

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted suspect after an arrest.

On Tuesday, police arrested 55-year-old&nbsp;Rick B. Ross of Overland Park, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; Ross was jailed on a Johnson County warrant for an alleged violation of a protection order.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718848437335.png" alt="Ross from an earlier arrest in Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Ross from an earlier arrest in Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted suspect after an arrest.On Tuesday, police arrested 55-year-old&nbsp;Rick B. Ross of Overland Park, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; Ross was jailed on a Johnson County warrant for an alleged violation of a protection order.Police released no additional details.

Kan. man accused of a violation of a protection order

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Wednesday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Peterbilt semi driven by Christopher K. Jacobs, 27, San Benito, Texas, was northbound on Interstate 29 at the Business 71 exit.

The semi rear-ended a 2022 Peterbilt driven by Jesus R. Alzalvarez, 48, Bellvue, Nebraska, that had slowed in Traffic.

Andrew County EMS transported a passenger in the 2022 Peterbilt&nbsp; Yesenic Tores Miranda, 44, Bellvue, Nebraska, to Mosaic Life Care. The drivers were not injured.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Wednesday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Peterbilt semi driven by Christopher K. Jacobs, 27, San Benito, Texas, was northbound on Interstate 29 at the Business 71 exit.The semi rear-ended a 2022 Peterbilt driven by Jesus R. Alzalvarez, 48, Bellvue, Nebraska, that had slowed in Traffic.Andrew County EMS transported a passenger in the 2022 Peterbilt&nbsp; Yesenic Tores Miranda, 44, Bellvue, Nebraska, to Mosaic Life Care. The drivers were not injured.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Woman injured after semi rear-ends semi's trailer

A $51 billion state budget is now in the hands of
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, who has already promised he will issue some
line-item vetoes.

Senate Appropriations Committee chair, Lincoln
Hough of Springfield, says he anticipates some line-item vetoes, pointing out
the legislature and the governor agreed to a consensus revenue estimate, but
that had to be done 18 months in advance.

“So, it’s hard to do this, but we try to do the
best job we can. You know the legislature came a little under what the governor
had built out in his budget that he released in the State of the State
(address) probably in January or something like that,” Hough tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post during a stop in St. Joseph. “At the end of the day, it’s his call.
He gets to make the final call.”

Hough is campaigning throughout the state as a
Republican candidate for Lt. Governor. He made a swing through northwest
Missouri, including the stop in St. Joseph at Parkway Distillery.

Though the governor is eyeing some spending that
he might cut from the budget approved by the legislature, Hough worries more
about whether the legislature failed to properly fund a couple of crucial
programs:&nbsp; Medicaid and managed health
care.

“Those bills have to be paid and I think there probably
are a couple of instances in this budget that the necessary appropriations amount
isn’t quite there,” Hough says.

Hough expects the legislature to have to address
shortfalls through a supplemental budget, either in the September veto session
or next year’s legislative session.

The only constitutional requirement of the
General Assembly when it meets in its regular session is to pass a state
budget. That is about all the legislature did this year. Even that proved
difficult. Friction within the Republican caucus in the Missouri Senate sparked
filibusters that derailed much legislation. Friction between the Missouri
Senate and the Missouri House derailed the normal budget process. Traditionally, the
two chambers appoint members to negotiate the differences between the budgets
approved in each. That didn’t happen. The Senate debated the budget
sent it from the House and sent it on to the governor without sitting down with
House budget committee members.

Still, Hough believes it’s a good spending plan.

“It’s a very conservative, I think, responsible
budget that still made investments in our teacher’s salaries, made investments
in our classrooms, made investments in higher education, made investments in infrastructure
all over state; law enforcement. There’s a lot of good things in there,” according
to Hough. “You and I are kind of waiting on the same thing to see what the
governor does.”

Gov. Parson has until the end of the month to
sign the budget.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718816313897.jpeg" alt="Sen. Lincoln Hough (left), Senate Appropriations Committee chair, speaks with former Senate Appropriations Committee chair, Dan Hegeman of Cosby, during a campaign stop in St. Joseph./Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Lincoln Hough (left), Senate Appropriations Committee chair, speaks with former Senate Appropriations Committee chair, Dan Hegeman of Cosby, during a campaign stop in St. Joseph./Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA $51 billion state budget is now in the hands of
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, who has already promised he will issue some
line-item vetoes.Senate Appropriations Committee chair, Lincoln
Hough of Springfield, says he anticipates some line-item vetoes, pointing out
the legislature and the governor agreed to a consensus revenue estimate, but
that had to be done 18 months in advance.“So, it’s hard to do this, but we try to do the
best job we can. You know the legislature came a little under what the governor
had built out in his budget that he released in the State of the State
(address) probably in January or something like that,” Hough tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post during a stop in St. Joseph. “At the end of the day, it’s his call.
He gets to make the final call.”Hough is campaigning throughout the state as a
Republican candidate for Lt. Governor. He made a swing through northwest
Missouri, including the stop in St. Joseph at Parkway Distillery.Though the governor is eyeing some spending that
he might cut from the budget approved by the legislature, Hough worries more
about whether the legislature failed to properly fund a couple of crucial
programs:&nbsp; Medicaid and managed health
care.“Those bills have to be paid and I think there probably
are a couple of instances in this budget that the necessary appropriations amount
isn’t quite there,” Hough says.Hough expects the legislature to have to address
shortfalls through a supplemental budget, either in the September veto session
or next year’s legislative session.The only constitutional requirement of the
General Assembly when it meets in its regular session is to pass a state
budget. That is about all the legislature did this year. Even that proved
difficult. Friction within the Republican caucus in the Missouri Senate sparked
filibusters that derailed much legislation. Friction between the Missouri
Senate and the Missouri House derailed the normal budget process. Traditionally, the
two chambers appoint members to negotiate the differences between the budgets
approved in each. That didn’t happen. The Senate debated the budget
sent it from the House and sent it on to the governor without sitting down with
House budget committee members.Still, Hough believes it’s a good spending plan.“It’s a very conservative, I think, responsible
budget that still made investments in our teacher’s salaries, made investments
in our classrooms, made investments in higher education, made investments in infrastructure
all over state; law enforcement. There’s a lot of good things in there,” according
to Hough. “You and I are kind of waiting on the same thing to see what the
governor does.”Gov. Parson has until the end of the month to
sign the budget.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Senate budget chair, during St. Joseph visit, says he awaits governor's budget decision

A community outreach program is working to help men recovering from addiction, incarceration, and homelessness.  

The Crossing, an Urban Missions Campus, began in 2018 as an emergency homeless shelter, and has evolved to provide several programs helping the St. Joseph community.  

Executive Director Roger Lenander says the Re-Entry program, as it’s known, helps up to 12 men who have suffered get reacclimated into the community. 

"They come in for a minimum of 150 days and they will maintain full employment, there is a zero tolerance for use of any substance or alcohol," Lenander tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. "But it's to provide support, it's not just providing a place to live." 

Men in the program are required to hold full time employment and also pay rent, which supports the program, helping them learn the importance of being a good tenant.  

Lenander says the program also provides are a part of recovery and entering into a community 

"One of the things is they're coming from places where they've either been self-destructive or other things have happened in their lives and they're working to rebuild that trust," Lenander explains. "How do you build and maintain healthy relationships; how do you discourage unhealthy relationships and begin to set up new boundaries." 

Lenander says the Re-Entry program launched in 2021 focusing on homelessness and incarceration victims.  

But at the start of this year Lenander says a partnership was formed with a group called Denovo, that works with people who suffer from addiction 

"As they came out is that they were desiring to stay sober, so the zero tolerance, but again this program looks like it's going to fit because what I need is a long term thing, it's not a short term fix," Lenander says. 

The program is also seeking volunteer help.  For more information you can contact The Crossing offices. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718809871098.jpeg" alt="The Crossing provides several services in St. Joseph to those in need/ Photo courtesy of The Crossing" />
 <figcaption>The Crossing provides several services in St. Joseph to those in need/ Photo courtesy of The Crossing</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A community outreach program is working to help men recovering from addiction, incarceration, and homelessness. The Crossing, an Urban Missions Campus, began in 2018 as an emergency homeless shelter, and has evolved to provide several programs helping the St. Joseph community. Executive Director Roger Lenander says the Re-Entry program, as it’s known, helps up to 12 men who have suffered get reacclimated into the community. "They come in for a minimum of 150 days and they will maintain full employment, there is a zero tolerance for use of any substance or alcohol," Lenander tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. "But it's to provide support, it's not just providing a place to live." Men in the program are required to hold full time employment and also pay rent, which supports the program, helping them learn the importance of being a good tenant. Lenander says the program also provides are a part of recovery and entering into a community "One of the things is they're coming from places where they've either been self-destructive or other things have happened in their lives and they're working to rebuild that trust," Lenander explains. "How do you build and maintain healthy relationships; how do you discourage unhealthy relationships and begin to set up new boundaries." Lenander says the Re-Entry program launched in 2021 focusing on homelessness and incarceration victims. But at the start of this year Lenander says a partnership was formed with a group called Denovo, that works with people who suffer from addiction "As they came out is that they were desiring to stay sober, so the zero tolerance, but again this program looks like it's going to fit because what I need is a long term thing, it's not a short term fix," Lenander says. The program is also seeking volunteer help. For more information you can contact The Crossing offices.

The Crossing expands mental health, addiction programming in St. Joseph

Dozens of Missouri doctors joined in asking the court to uphold a federal law that allows doctors to perform emergency abortions in states with bans

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

When a woman experiencing a second trimester miscarriage came into the hospital bleeding through her clothes, Dr. Jennifer Smith couldn’t immediately help her.&nbsp;

Not while her fetus still had a heartbeat.

Too scared to wait for the miscarriage to progress far enough to be admitted to the hospital in Missouri, the woman and her husband drove to Illinois where she could obtain an abortion.&nbsp;

Until the situation is life-threatening to the mother, her hands are tied, said Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis. But at least in the worst emergency cases, Smith knows she can help thanks to a federal law called&nbsp;Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).

“It’s just hard to imagine that we’re living in a time where that actually may not be true,” Smith said.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/04/24/supreme-court-justices-appear-split-over-whether-to-protect-abortion-care-during-emergencies/">The U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;will soon decide whether a federal law mandating hospitals treat and stabilize every patient, regardless of their ability to pay, includes providing abortions where they are otherwise illegal.

In the case, the Biden administration sued Idaho to block enforcement of its abortion ban, arguing that it violated EMTALA by denying women abortions in emergency situations. Idaho bans abortions in almost all cases, with exceptions to save the life of the pregnant woman or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.&nbsp;

In response,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-727/290151/20231120154722276_2023-11-20%20Motion%20with%20Appendix.pdf">Idaho argued</a>&nbsp;that the federal law only requires “stabilizing treatment for&nbsp;the unborn children of pregnant women.” Idaho is asking the court to lift a temporary injunction blocking enforcement of its abortion ban in hospital emergency rooms.

The government is arguing that EMTALA&nbsp;requires hospitals to provide abortions needed to stabilize or save the life of a pregnant patient It also protects doctors from prosecution.

Without the law, hospitals and health care workers would have to wait until a mother is actually dying to proceed with a life-saving abortion, Smith said. St. Louis area hospitals still perform abortions for ectopic pregnancies, a nonviable pregnancy that if left unaddressed can be life-threatening to the mother, Smith said. But without EMTALA, she’s not so sure.

“It leaves every person involved in the care open to be prosecuted,” Smith said.

In May,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://19thnews.org/2024/05/doctors-letter-supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies/">nearly 6,000 physicians</a>&nbsp;across the country signed a letter on behalf of the Committee to Protect Health Care asking the Supreme Court to uphold the federal law.&nbsp;

Smith was among 32 Missouri doctors to sign on.

In June 2022, Missouri became the first state to ban abortion following the Supreme Court case overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. The ban was triggered under a law passed in 2019 that made it effective with the Supreme Court action.

The 2019 law states abortions will only be permitted in cases of a medical emergency when “a delay will create a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.”

Health care providers who perform abortions not necessary to save the woman’s life can be charged with a class B felony. If convicted, they would face up to 15 years in prison and their medical license could also be suspended or revoked.&nbsp;

Because of this ban, some doctors and hospitals in Idaho recently stopped admitting pregnant patients who came into the emergency room, potentially needing abortions to save their lives. Instead, women are being transferred to other states for treatment during emergency situations.&nbsp;

Since Roe was overturned, a Missouri hospital became one of the first in the nation to be cited for violating EMTALA by denying a pregnant woman emergency care.&nbsp;

In August 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/01/hospitals-in-joplin-kck-cited-for-denying-emergency-abortion-to-missouri-woman/">Mylissa Farmer entered a Joplin emergency room</a>&nbsp;after her water broke at about 18 weeks pregnant. Even though the pregnancy was no longer viable, because the fetus had a heartbeat, and because Farmer’s condition wasn’t immediately life-threatening, she was turned away. She returned the next day, was kept overnight and then released without additional treatment.

Freeman Health in Joplin was later cited for being in violation of federal law.&nbsp;

“Although her doctors advised her that her condition could rapidly deteriorate, they also advised that they could not provide her with the care that would prevent infection, hemorrhage, and potentially death because, they said, the hospital policies prohibited treatment that could be considered an abortion,” the report from the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services stated. “This was a violation of the EMTALA protections that were designed to protect patients like her.”

Smith said that while she and her colleagues often aren’t able to immediately help patients who experience situations like Farmer, she can at least direct them to care a short drive away in Illinois.&nbsp;

Prior to the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe, Smith said if a pregnant patient experienced premature rupture of the membranes, they could deliver the baby so the family could have some memories to hold on to.&nbsp;

Often parents would get copies of their child’s footprints and say their goodbyes.

Now, since they can’t act while the fetus has a heartbeat, Smith said she refers patients to abortion clinics in Illinois where they can receive a surgical abortion. But as a result, they don’t get to hold their baby, and often have to navigate anti-abortion protesters on the way.&nbsp;

To Smith, it’s not worth risking the mother’s life and well-being to wait for her condition to deteriorate.&nbsp;

“To delay the care of the mother based on the beating heart of the baby is so counterproductive,” she said. “ … It just takes one emergency that we don’t act on or that we delay to change the life of a whole community.”

A decision in favor of Idaho could impair care for pregnant patients with serious injuries from car accidents or gunshots, or who suffer a stroke, Smith said. In those cases,&nbsp; saving the mother sometimes isn’t possible without first delivering the pregnancy, whether viable or not.&nbsp;

Pregnant women can quickly lose blood in emergency situations, potentially putting the mother and child’s lives at risk, she said.&nbsp;

“Unless you’re a trauma physician, it’s an amount of blood that nobody else in the hospital deals with. It’s an unbelievable amount and it can happen so fast,” she said. “If you have to wait and question your legal standing, the likelihood of saving that patient intact, saving the baby, saving her uterus, all of it, it just goes down all the time.”

The Supreme Court could rule on the EMTALA case as early as next week. Until then, doctors continue holding their breath.&nbsp;

“They’re just singling out pregnancy at this point,” Smith said. “But once you start chipping away at rights, it’s really unclear where the end point is.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718794587714.png" alt=" Jennifer Smith, an OBGYN, speaks about medical challenges without legal abortions in Missouri during a rally held by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom Friday morning (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Jennifer Smith, an OBGYN, speaks about medical challenges without legal abortions in Missouri during a rally held by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom Friday morning (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Dozens of Missouri doctors joined in asking the court to uphold a federal law that allows doctors to perform emergency abortions in states with bans</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>When a woman experiencing a second trimester miscarriage came into the hospital bleeding through her clothes, Dr. Jennifer Smith couldn’t immediately help her.&nbsp;Not while her fetus still had a heartbeat.Too scared to wait for the miscarriage to progress far enough to be admitted to the hospital in Missouri, the woman and her husband drove to Illinois where she could obtain an abortion.&nbsp;Until the situation is life-threatening to the mother, her hands are tied, said Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis. But at least in the worst emergency cases, Smith knows she can help thanks to a federal law called&nbsp;Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA).“It’s just hard to imagine that we’re living in a time where that actually may not be true,” Smith said.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/04/24/supreme-court-justices-appear-split-over-whether-to-protect-abortion-care-during-emergencies/">The U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;will soon decide whether a federal law mandating hospitals treat and stabilize every patient, regardless of their ability to pay, includes providing abortions where they are otherwise illegal.In the case, the Biden administration sued Idaho to block enforcement of its abortion ban, arguing that it violated EMTALA by denying women abortions in emergency situations. Idaho bans abortions in almost all cases, with exceptions to save the life of the pregnant woman or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.&nbsp;In response,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-727/290151/20231120154722276_2023-11-20%20Motion%20with%20Appendix.pdf">Idaho argued</a>&nbsp;that the federal law only requires “stabilizing treatment for&nbsp;the unborn children of pregnant women.” Idaho is asking the court to lift a temporary injunction blocking enforcement of its abortion ban in hospital emergency rooms.The government is arguing that EMTALA&nbsp;requires hospitals to provide abortions needed to stabilize or save the life of a pregnant patient It also protects doctors from prosecution.Without the law, hospitals and health care workers would have to wait until a mother is actually dying to proceed with a life-saving abortion, Smith said. St. Louis area hospitals still perform abortions for ectopic pregnancies, a nonviable pregnancy that if left unaddressed can be life-threatening to the mother, Smith said. But without EMTALA, she’s not so sure.“It leaves every person involved in the care open to be prosecuted,” Smith said.In May,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://19thnews.org/2024/05/doctors-letter-supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies/">nearly 6,000 physicians</a>&nbsp;across the country signed a letter on behalf of the Committee to Protect Health Care asking the Supreme Court to uphold the federal law.&nbsp;Smith was among 32 Missouri doctors to sign on.In June 2022, Missouri became the first state to ban abortion following the Supreme Court case overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. The ban was triggered under a law passed in 2019 that made it effective with the Supreme Court action.The 2019 law states abortions will only be permitted in cases of a medical emergency when “a delay will create a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.”Health care providers who perform abortions not necessary to save the woman’s life can be charged with a class B felony. If convicted, they would face up to 15 years in prison and their medical license could also be suspended or revoked.&nbsp;Because of this ban, some doctors and hospitals in Idaho recently stopped admitting pregnant patients who came into the emergency room, potentially needing abortions to save their lives. Instead, women are being transferred to other states for treatment during emergency situations.&nbsp;Since Roe was overturned, a Missouri hospital became one of the first in the nation to be cited for violating EMTALA by denying a pregnant woman emergency care.&nbsp;In August 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/01/hospitals-in-joplin-kck-cited-for-denying-emergency-abortion-to-missouri-woman/">Mylissa Farmer entered a Joplin emergency room</a>&nbsp;after her water broke at about 18 weeks pregnant. Even though the pregnancy was no longer viable, because the fetus had a heartbeat, and because Farmer’s condition wasn’t immediately life-threatening, she was turned away. She returned the next day, was kept overnight and then released without additional treatment.Freeman Health in Joplin was later cited for being in violation of federal law.&nbsp;“Although her doctors advised her that her condition could rapidly deteriorate, they also advised that they could not provide her with the care that would prevent infection, hemorrhage, and potentially death because, they said, the hospital policies prohibited treatment that could be considered an abortion,” the report from the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services stated. “This was a violation of the EMTALA protections that were designed to protect patients like her.”Smith said that while she and her colleagues often aren’t able to immediately help patients who experience situations like Farmer, she can at least direct them to care a short drive away in Illinois.&nbsp;Prior to the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe, Smith said if a pregnant patient experienced premature rupture of the membranes, they could deliver the baby so the family could have some memories to hold on to.&nbsp;Often parents would get copies of their child’s footprints and say their goodbyes.Now, since they can’t act while the fetus has a heartbeat, Smith said she refers patients to abortion clinics in Illinois where they can receive a surgical abortion. But as a result, they don’t get to hold their baby, and often have to navigate anti-abortion protesters on the way.&nbsp;To Smith, it’s not worth risking the mother’s life and well-being to wait for her condition to deteriorate.&nbsp;“To delay the care of the mother based on the beating heart of the baby is so counterproductive,” she said. “ … It just takes one emergency that we don’t act on or that we delay to change the life of a whole community.”A decision in favor of Idaho could impair care for pregnant patients with serious injuries from car accidents or gunshots, or who suffer a stroke, Smith said. In those cases,&nbsp; saving the mother sometimes isn’t possible without first delivering the pregnancy, whether viable or not.&nbsp;Pregnant women can quickly lose blood in emergency situations, potentially putting the mother and child’s lives at risk, she said.&nbsp;“Unless you’re a trauma physician, it’s an amount of blood that nobody else in the hospital deals with. It’s an unbelievable amount and it can happen so fast,” she said. “If you have to wait and question your legal standing, the likelihood of saving that patient intact, saving the baby, saving her uterus, all of it, it just goes down all the time.”The Supreme Court could rule on the EMTALA case as early as next week. Until then, doctors continue holding their breath.&nbsp;“They’re just singling out pregnancy at this point,” Smith said. “But once you start chipping away at rights, it’s really unclear where the end point is.”

Emergency care for pregnant women at stake in Supreme Court case, Missouri doctor warns

ATCHISON COUNTY —A Kansas woman with a history of jail time is back in custody.

On Monday, police arrested 24-year-old Chelsea R. Martin of Atchison on a Community Corrections detain order, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

In October police arrested Martin on a city warrant and in September on drug possession allegation, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718718107436.png" alt="Martin-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —A Kansas woman with a history of jail time is back in custody.On Monday, police arrested 24-year-old Chelsea R. Martin of Atchison on a Community Corrections detain order, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.In October police arrested Martin on a city warrant and in September on drug possession allegation, according to online jail records.

Kansas woman with history of jail time is back in custody

NODAWAY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Tuesday in Nodaway County.&nbsp;

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Ford Fusion driven by Lauren N. Black, 32, Maryville, was southbound on U.S. 71 two miles south of Maryville.&nbsp;

The car rear-ended the towed unit of a 2016 Chevy Silverado driven by Brenda K. Stiens, 60, Maryville, who had slowed to turn east onto 300 Street.

Nodaway County EMS transported Black to Mosaic in Maryville. Stiens was not injured.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

NODAWAY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Tuesday in Nodaway County.&nbsp;The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Ford Fusion driven by Lauren N. Black, 32, Maryville, was southbound on U.S. 71 two miles south of Maryville.&nbsp; The car rear-ended the towed unit of a 2016 Chevy Silverado driven by Brenda K. Stiens, 60, Maryville, who had slowed to turn east onto 300 Street.Nodaway County EMS transported Black to Mosaic in Maryville. Stiens was not injured.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after rear-end crash

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves defends sending
military aid to Ukraine as it continues to fight off the invasion of Russia.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, sparking a war
that continues to rage.

Graves, a Republican, says the United States must stop
Russia’s advance before it reaches the Baltic states.

“Those are allied nations with the United States. Those are NATO
nations,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And by the way, we already have
troops in those countries, but we will have U.S. military personnel fighting
Russians. So, we have to do everything we can to make sure that this is
executed in Ukraine and it doesn’t move into those NATO countries that have an alliance
with the United States.”

Graves, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also
backs military aid to Israel, saying the country needs to stand strong with its
best ally in the Middle East as it fights Hamas, which attacked Israel in
October in what Graves calls one of the most heinous attacks witnessed in
modern history.

“This idea that we should back off and give refuge to Hamas so
that they can reconstitute I think is just ridiculous,” Graves says. “I think
we need to stand strong with Israel and give them whatever they need when it
comes to arms. &nbsp;We can’t be weak; we can’t
show weakness and that is exactly what the United States is doing right now.”

Graves objects to President Joe Biden putting stipulations on
the military aid sent to Israel. And Graves says Hamas has used human shields
in defend itself against Israeli forces.

“Hamas is a terrorist organization and allowing them to
reconstitute, which is exactly what the president is going to do if he were to
get his way, I think it’s very weak and it shows a very weak posture,” according
to Graves.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves defends sending
military aid to Ukraine as it continues to fight off the invasion of Russia.Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, sparking a war
that continues to rage.Graves, a Republican, says the United States must stop
Russia’s advance before it reaches the Baltic states.“Those are allied nations with the United States. Those are NATO
nations,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And by the way, we already have
troops in those countries, but we will have U.S. military personnel fighting
Russians. So, we have to do everything we can to make sure that this is
executed in Ukraine and it doesn’t move into those NATO countries that have an alliance
with the United States.”Graves, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also
backs military aid to Israel, saying the country needs to stand strong with its
best ally in the Middle East as it fights Hamas, which attacked Israel in
October in what Graves calls one of the most heinous attacks witnessed in
modern history.“This idea that we should back off and give refuge to Hamas so
that they can reconstitute I think is just ridiculous,” Graves says. “I think
we need to stand strong with Israel and give them whatever they need when it
comes to arms. &nbsp;We can’t be weak; we can’t
show weakness and that is exactly what the United States is doing right now.”Graves objects to President Joe Biden putting stipulations on
the military aid sent to Israel. And Graves says Hamas has used human shields
in defend itself against Israeli forces.“Hamas is a terrorist organization and allowing them to
reconstitute, which is exactly what the president is going to do if he were to
get his way, I think it’s very weak and it shows a very weak posture,” according
to Graves.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Congressman Graves backs military aid to Ukraine and Israel

KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas last month.

Now the school's president&nbsp;Stephen D. Minnis published an Op-Ed in USA Today to explain why the college did not say more in the midst of the&nbsp; debate on Butker's comments.

(Click below to watch Butker's commencement address)

Stephen Minnis comments and a link to the Op-Ed are below:

Thank you to everyone who has reached out since the commencement speech on our campus by Harrison Butker, the high scorer for the Kansas City Chiefs in the last two Super Bowls.

This morning&nbsp;USA Today&nbsp;published my Op-Ed about this year’s keynote commencement speech and the aftermath.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benedictine.edu/wp-content/uploads/files/external/benedictine-usatoday-oped-june-2024.pdf">Click here to read the Op-ed</a>.

“Community is the answer to the cancel culture; faith is the answer to the culture of unbelief; and scholarship is the answer to the culture of relativism.”

Also, please do not miss the full story of our amazing 2024 commencement:

Our hope is that we can make the most of the new attention being paid to Benedictine College to help people know more about what makes this place special. Our alumni and friends who support our mission have made our college what it is, and we could not do what we do without you.

KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas last month.Now the school's president&nbsp;Stephen D. Minnis published an Op-Ed in USA Today to explain why the college did not say more in the midst of the&nbsp; debate on Butker's comments.(Click below to watch Butker's commencement address)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-JS7RIKSaCc?si=RNpBICNdkwwgUG5w" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Stephen Minnis comments and a link to the Op-Ed are below:Thank you to everyone who has reached out since the commencement speech on our campus by Harrison Butker, the high scorer for the Kansas City Chiefs in the last two Super Bowls.This morning&nbsp;USA Today&nbsp;published my Op-Ed about this year’s keynote commencement speech and the aftermath.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benedictine.edu/wp-content/uploads/files/external/benedictine-usatoday-oped-june-2024.pdf">Click here to read the Op-ed</a>.<ul>
 <li>The article explains why the college did not make a statement about the speech.</li><li>More importantly, it allows us to introduce Benedictine College and our strategic vision to Transform Culture in America through our mission of community, faith and scholarship. As the article puts it:</li>
 </ul>“Community is the answer to the cancel culture; faith is the answer to the culture of unbelief; and scholarship is the answer to the culture of relativism.”<ul>
 <li>It also shares the news about our new classically designed library on campus and the proposed new medical school we are considering.</li>
 </ul>Also, please do not miss the full story of our amazing 2024 commencement:<ul>
 <li>Our alum Lt. Gen. Arthur Greg, the first living American to have an Army base named for him, received an honorary degree at commencement.&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/XlSkqHE4ry4?si=vbCyzMS-ancwKsHm">Watch his remarks here</a>.</li><li>Our valedictorians delivered beautiful remarks about their experiences at the college.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRh2vI_7OvE&amp;t=591s">Watch those here</a>.</li><li>After the commencement, we have been releasing videos to introduce the general public to the college’s story. Watch our videos “<a href="https://youtu.be/yh7k86dNMK8?si=Eq8EUyTZBcXLw9Gl">We Are Benedictine College</a>” and “<a href="https://youtu.be/hMR9NR3PJHM?si=X8vDH0tfVCUd2f6K">Designed for Excellence: Benedictine College Engineering</a>” on YouTube.</li>
 </ul>Our hope is that we can make the most of the new attention being paid to Benedictine College to help people know more about what makes this place special. Our alumni and friends who support our mission have made our college what it is, and we could not do what we do without you.

Read Benedictine College president's op-ed following Harrison Butker speech

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Monday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Honda ATV driven by Kenneth D. Kerns, 62, Stewartsville, was westbound on SW Kerns Road three miles east of Easton.&nbsp;

The ATV struck a southbound 2013 GMC pickup driven by Samuel G. Criger, 19, Stewartsville, who was pulling out of a private driver. After impact Kerns was ejected from the ATV.

DeKalb County ambulance transported Kerns to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Criger was not injured. Kerns was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Monday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Honda ATV driven by Kenneth D. Kerns, 62, Stewartsville, was westbound on SW Kerns Road three miles east of Easton.&nbsp;The ATV struck a southbound 2013 GMC pickup driven by Samuel G. Criger, 19, Stewartsville, who was pulling out of a private driver. After impact Kerns was ejected from the ATV.DeKalb County ambulance transported Kerns to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Criger was not injured. Kerns was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man injured after ATV, pickup crash

History came to life in front of the historic Patee House museum, the original home of the Pony Express, as the historic mail system rode again.   

People from near and far celebrated and sent off three riders to kick off the Pony Express re-ride, recreating the historic journey made from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.  

The Re-Ride is held every year by the National Pony Express Association, which covers all eight states of the journey.  

Penny Orrick has been taking part in the event for 23 years and says for her it started with her love for horses, but as she learned the history of the Pony Express.  

"I've learned to value the history behind it a lot more, especially now that my kids are old enough to be able to do it with me, it's fun to be able to explain to them why we're doing it besides just to have fun on a horse," Orrick tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

The journey will consist of 10 days, just like in 1860.  Orrick says if anything the journey is easier now than it was back in 1860.  

"We have better routes, we have escorts, that kind of thing," Orrick explains. "I know a lot of the times when they make the deciding factor on when to do the reenactment it has to do with the moon, to make sure there's enough moonlight during the night ride that kind of thing." 

Orrick says if anything the difficulty is it being a lost art with not as many people riding horses.  

National Pony Express Association president Pam Dixon Simmons says it takes about 700 volunteers to get the event done 

"It takes about 700 riders' horses to get across all eight states in the 10 days, and that's the goal, we want to do it in 10 days just like in 1860," Dixon Simmons says. 

The riders making the journey can be tracked by visiting the National Pony Express Association website, which can be found by clicking <a href="https://nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/follow-the-ride/">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718665116787.jpeg" alt="Riders depart from in front of the Patee House in St. Joseph as part of the annual Pony Express Re-Ride/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Riders depart from in front of the Patee House in St. Joseph as part of the annual Pony Express Re-Ride/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post History came to life in front of the historic Patee House museum, the original home of the Pony Express, as the historic mail system rode again. People from near and far celebrated and sent off three riders to kick off the Pony Express re-ride, recreating the historic journey made from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. The Re-Ride is held every year by the National Pony Express Association, which covers all eight states of the journey. Penny Orrick has been taking part in the event for 23 years and says for her it started with her love for horses, but as she learned the history of the Pony Express. "I've learned to value the history behind it a lot more, especially now that my kids are old enough to be able to do it with me, it's fun to be able to explain to them why we're doing it besides just to have fun on a horse," Orrick tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718665245888.jpeg" alt="Riders take the oath of the Pony Express before departing on a 10 day journey recreating the journey from St. Joseph to Sacramento, Califronia/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Riders take the oath of the Pony Express before departing on a 10 day journey recreating the journey from St. Joseph to Sacramento, Califronia/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>The journey will consist of 10 days, just like in 1860. Orrick says if anything the journey is easier now than it was back in 1860. "We have better routes, we have escorts, that kind of thing," Orrick explains. "I know a lot of the times when they make the deciding factor on when to do the reenactment it has to do with the moon, to make sure there's enough moonlight during the night ride that kind of thing." Orrick says if anything the difficulty is it being a lost art with not as many people riding horses. National Pony Express Association president Pam Dixon Simmons says it takes about 700 volunteers to get the event done "It takes about 700 riders' horses to get across all eight states in the 10 days, and that's the goal, we want to do it in 10 days just like in 1860," Dixon Simmons says. The riders making the journey can be tracked by visiting the National Pony Express Association website, which can be found by clicking <a href="https://nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/follow-the-ride/">HERE</a>. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718665282936.jpeg" alt="Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Pony-Express-Re-Ride-departs-from-St--Joseph-e2l0cjc" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

History comes to life as the Pony Express rides again from St. Joseph

A former mental patient who confessed to the 1980 murder of a St.
Joseph State Hospital librarian will be released from the Chillicothe women’s prison
unless prosecutors decide to retry her.

A judge has overturned the conviction of Sandra Hemme in the death
of 31-year-old librarian Patricia Jeschke. Hemme, who is now 63, has spent 43
years in prison after her conviction in Jeschke’s death.

Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman found Hemme has a
credible claim of innocence. Prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether another
trial should be held.

The Innocence Project, which petitioned for Hemme’s release, claims
investigators ignored her mental state and evidence that implicated discredited
police officer Michael Holman, who was fired from the St. Joseph Police Department
and died in 2015. Judge Horsman wrote that no evidence points to Hemme, but
directly ties Holman to the murder scene.

An initial plea of guilty by Hemme was thrown out by the court,
but a jury convicted her of murder in 1985 after a one-day trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687623288901.png" alt="Sandra Hemme" />
 <figcaption>Sandra Hemme</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA former mental patient who confessed to the 1980 murder of a St.
Joseph State Hospital librarian will be released from the Chillicothe women’s prison
unless prosecutors decide to retry her.A judge has overturned the conviction of Sandra Hemme in the death
of 31-year-old librarian Patricia Jeschke. Hemme, who is now 63, has spent 43
years in prison after her conviction in Jeschke’s death.Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman found Hemme has a
credible claim of innocence. Prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether another
trial should be held.The Innocence Project, which petitioned for Hemme’s release, claims
investigators ignored her mental state and evidence that implicated discredited
police officer Michael Holman, who was fired from the St. Joseph Police Department
and died in 2015. Judge Horsman wrote that no evidence points to Hemme, but
directly ties Holman to the murder scene.An initial plea of guilty by Hemme was thrown out by the court,
but a jury convicted her of murder in 1985 after a one-day trial.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Judge orders Hemme released after serving 43 years for St. Joseph murder

North 36th
Street is closed to through traffic from Frederick Avenue to Beck Road while
workers upgrade the water main.

Sprague Excavating
says the closure will be at 1201 N. 36th Street.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorth 36th
Street is closed to through traffic from Frederick Avenue to Beck Road while
workers upgrade the water main.Sprague Excavating
says the closure will be at 1201 N. 36th Street.Motorists
trying to get to LeBlond High School should enter from Frederick Avenue to the
south.&nbsp; All other business and
residential access north of the closure will be accessible by entering from
Beck Road to the north.Sprague
Excavating urges caution in the area and advises motorists to plan alternate
routes if possible.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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