Many addicted to child pornography who move into
child sexual exploitation don’t fit the stereotype you might have in your mind.

Buchanan County Sheriff’s Captain Thom Cates
works with the northwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and says it is rarely
obvious who the perpetrators of child sexual crimes are.

“We all have a picture in our head,” Cates tells
host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Everybody has a picture in their head of
a monster and if you dealt with some of our suspects on a daily basis, they are
not monsters to deal with; normal people, charming people, people in positions
of power and authority, people in trusted positions.”

This is the second in our two-part series on
child pornography in the area.

Cates says a co-worker might even stumble upon
child pornography on an office computer and, rather than confront their
co-worker, they believe the excuse and, worst yet, erase the material. Cates
doesn’t blame them. He says the material is shocking to the system. Still, law
enforcement needs to know in order to make an arrest and put an end to it.

Cates adds the awful truth about child pornography
is that those addicted to child pornography rarely stop at just viewing images.
Cates says statistics show that 80% of those caught downloading child
pornography have sexually assaulted a child, perhaps several children. Cates points
to an extensive interview he did with someone after they were convicted of
possession.

“And he had right around 30 victims that he had
had over the course of his life, over half of which he didn’t even know their names.”

This is a stubborn problem, difficult to solve.

Cates advises parents to be active in their
children’s lives to keep them safe from sexual predators. He says parents need
to create an open, taboo-free environment so children feel safe bringing up
difficult subjects and experiences.

“Your children have to be able to feel comfortable
coming to you if they are approached online, if they have made contact with
somebody over the computer that maybe they shouldn’t have,” Cates says. “They
need to still feel comfortable coming forward and talking to you as a parent
about that.”

Again, an open door to talk could be the best way
to fight this insidious, degrading crime.

“The biggest thing that I would like to impress
is talk to your children,” Cates says. &nbsp;“That’s
the biggest thing that I can say. Talk to your children. Be in a trusted
position. Ask them to educate you on what you need to know as a parent.”

Cates adds parents should be careful what is
posted to social media.

Cates says if you suspect a crime has taken place
or have any suspicions that someone is possessing child pornography or engaging
in child sexual assault, call the Northwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force at
the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department at 816-236-8800. Cates says you can
also call your local police or sheriff’s department and they will contact the task
force. After that, log on to the federal cybercrime hotline at <a href="https://report.cybertip.org/">cybertip.org</a>.

You never know how much impact your tip can have.

“We had a local case that ended up spiraling into
a big national case and the suspect that we ended up arresting on it, at the
time, he was probably the second highest producer of child pornography in the
world.”

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMany addicted to child pornography who move into
child sexual exploitation don’t fit the stereotype you might have in your mind.Buchanan County Sheriff’s Captain Thom Cates
works with the northwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and says it is rarely
obvious who the perpetrators of child sexual crimes are.“We all have a picture in our head,” Cates tells
host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Everybody has a picture in their head of
a monster and if you dealt with some of our suspects on a daily basis, they are
not monsters to deal with; normal people, charming people, people in positions
of power and authority, people in trusted positions.”This is the second in our two-part series on
child pornography in the area.Cates says a co-worker might even stumble upon
child pornography on an office computer and, rather than confront their
co-worker, they believe the excuse and, worst yet, erase the material. Cates
doesn’t blame them. He says the material is shocking to the system. Still, law
enforcement needs to know in order to make an arrest and put an end to it.Cates adds the awful truth about child pornography
is that those addicted to child pornography rarely stop at just viewing images.
Cates says statistics show that 80% of those caught downloading child
pornography have sexually assaulted a child, perhaps several children. Cates points
to an extensive interview he did with someone after they were convicted of
possession.“And he had right around 30 victims that he had
had over the course of his life, over half of which he didn’t even know their names.”This is a stubborn problem, difficult to solve.What is a parent to do?Cates advises parents to be active in their
children’s lives to keep them safe from sexual predators. He says parents need
to create an open, taboo-free environment so children feel safe bringing up
difficult subjects and experiences.“Your children have to be able to feel comfortable
coming to you if they are approached online, if they have made contact with
somebody over the computer that maybe they shouldn’t have,” Cates says. “They
need to still feel comfortable coming forward and talking to you as a parent
about that.”Again, an open door to talk could be the best way
to fight this insidious, degrading crime.“The biggest thing that I would like to impress
is talk to your children,” Cates says. &nbsp;“That’s
the biggest thing that I can say. Talk to your children. Be in a trusted
position. Ask them to educate you on what you need to know as a parent.”Cates adds parents should be careful what is
posted to social media.Also, report suspicious activity.Cates says if you suspect a crime has taken place
or have any suspicions that someone is possessing child pornography or engaging
in child sexual assault, call the Northwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force at
the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department at 816-236-8800. Cates says you can
also call your local police or sheriff’s department and they will contact the task
force. After that, log on to the federal cybercrime hotline at <a href="https://report.cybertip.org/">cybertip.org</a>.You never know how much impact your tip can have.Cates says one local case went national.“We had a local case that ended up spiraling into
a big national case and the suspect that we ended up arresting on it, at the
time, he was probably the second highest producer of child pornography in the
world.”<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Part-Two-Child-pornography-often-leads-to-child-sexual-assault-e2fpfjm" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Child pornography often leads to child sexual assault

A St.
Joseph police officer was taken to the hospital for treatment after a crash on
South Belt Highway as he responded to a call.

St.
Joseph police report the officer had his lights and siren on early Tuesday
afternoon, responding to a crash on the South Belt at Pear Street, when he
collided with a SUV near Sacramento Street. The officer was taken to Mosaic
Life Care for treatment. The officer had a ride-along passenger onboard who was
not injured in the wreck. The two people in the SUV were not injured. Police
report the accident caused minor damage to the two vehicles.

No
identifications of those involved have been released by the St. Joseph Police
Department.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostA St.
Joseph police officer was taken to the hospital for treatment after a crash on
South Belt Highway as he responded to a call.St.
Joseph police report the officer had his lights and siren on early Tuesday
afternoon, responding to a crash on the South Belt at Pear Street, when he
collided with a SUV near Sacramento Street. The officer was taken to Mosaic
Life Care for treatment. The officer had a ride-along passenger onboard who was
not injured in the wreck. The two people in the SUV were not injured. Police
report the accident caused minor damage to the two vehicles.No
identifications of those involved have been released by the St. Joseph Police
Department.

St. Joseph police officer suffers minor injuries in crash

HARRISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 12:15a.m. Wednesday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Kenworth semi driven by Joshua K. Hawkins, 26, Leedey, Oklahoma, was southbound on Interstate 135 at 114 four miles south of Lamoni, Iowa.

The vehicle crested a hill, observed a vehicle blocking both lanes of the highway. Hawkins attempted to avoid the vehicle, hit his breaks and tried to take the exit. The semi traveled off the west side of the road and overturned.

North Harrison ambulance transported Hawkins to Decatur County Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

HARRISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 12:15a.m. Wednesday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Kenworth semi driven by Joshua K. Hawkins, 26, Leedey, Oklahoma, was southbound on Interstate 135 at 114 four miles south of Lamoni, Iowa.The vehicle crested a hill, observed a vehicle blocking both lanes of the highway. Hawkins attempted to avoid the vehicle, hit his breaks and tried to take the exit. The semi traveled off the west side of the road and overturned.North Harrison ambulance transported Hawkins to Decatur County Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Driver hospitalized after semi overturns

A St. Louis company is convincing area farmers to
grow soybeans specifically designed to feed fish.

Benson Hill, which is headquartered in St. Louis,
has a crushing plant in Crescent, Iowa, just across the Missouri River from
Omaha.

Vice President of Product Management, Aaron
Robinson, says growing soybeans for Benson Hill is the same as growing
traditional soybeans, though the beans themselves are different. Benson Hill
soybeans are a special hybrid which is easier on a fish digestive track. The
food produced from this hybrid is used in aquaculture, such as the salmon market
in Europe.

Robinson says the company contracts with farmers
to grow the special variety of soybeans. He says the company also can tell the
farmer how the soybeans harvested from his farm are used.

“But it is kind of an interesting opportunity to
really understand the soybeans that the farmers are growing on their farms
where they’re ending up,” according to Robinson.

Robinson says farmers normally merely sell their
soybeans at the elevator and have no idea how they are used.

“We run a traceable program that really
understands from the field all the way to the grocery store shelf, we
understand how that product was made.”

Robinson says Benson Hill simply provides another
opportunity for farmers.

“Certainly, from an aquaculture perspective, it’s
an evolving market that could continue to grow,” Robinson says. “I think our
expansion into animal feed is going to be a huge opportunity for farmers.”

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA St. Louis company is convincing area farmers to
grow soybeans specifically designed to feed fish.Benson Hill, which is headquartered in St. Louis,
has a crushing plant in Crescent, Iowa, just across the Missouri River from
Omaha.Vice President of Product Management, Aaron
Robinson, says growing soybeans for Benson Hill is the same as growing
traditional soybeans, though the beans themselves are different. Benson Hill
soybeans are a special hybrid which is easier on a fish digestive track. The
food produced from this hybrid is used in aquaculture, such as the salmon market
in Europe.Robinson says the company contracts with farmers
to grow the special variety of soybeans. He says the company also can tell the
farmer how the soybeans harvested from his farm are used.“But it is kind of an interesting opportunity to
really understand the soybeans that the farmers are growing on their farms
where they’re ending up,” according to Robinson.Robinson says farmers normally merely sell their
soybeans at the elevator and have no idea how they are used.“We run a traceable program that really
understands from the field all the way to the grocery store shelf, we
understand how that product was made.”Robinson says Benson Hill simply provides another
opportunity for farmers.“Certainly, from an aquaculture perspective, it’s
an evolving market that could continue to grow,” Robinson says. “I think our
expansion into animal feed is going to be a huge opportunity for farmers.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Midland Empire farmers might just want to grow soybeans for fish

Interserv in St. Joseph is helping people file their taxes as tax season rolls on.  

Executive Director Bridget Supple says the service is provided to senior citizens and low-income families.  

"And that includes the property tax credits, so we have about I think a total of nine volunteers, about five of whom do your federal and state taxes and the rest of them do the PTC's or property tax credits," Supple tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  

Supple says the goal of the service is to help relieve some stress during tax season 

"Take a load off of everybody's mind and get their taxes in on time so that they don't have to worry about those," Supple says.  

Supple encourages eligible residents to set up their appointments sooner rather than later 

"If you call April 1st, we're probably not going to have that many appointments left, so the earlier you call the better it is," Supple explains. 

Interserv can be contacted at 816 558 3240 to schedule an appointment or to learn more information. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Interserv in St. Joseph is helping people file their taxes as tax season rolls on. Executive Director Bridget Supple says the service is provided to senior citizens and low-income families. "And that includes the property tax credits, so we have about I think a total of nine volunteers, about five of whom do your federal and state taxes and the rest of them do the PTC's or property tax credits," Supple tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. Supple says the goal of the service is to help relieve some stress during tax season "Take a load off of everybody's mind and get their taxes in on time so that they don't have to worry about those," Supple says. Supple encourages eligible residents to set up their appointments sooner rather than later "If you call April 1st, we're probably not going to have that many appointments left, so the earlier you call the better it is," Supple explains. Interserv can be contacted at 816 558 3240 to schedule an appointment or to learn more information.

St. Joseph Interserv is here to help this tax season

Child exploitation, especially child sexual exploitation, is a
growing problem throughout the region.

Criminal cybercrimes investigator Thom Cates with the Buchanan
County Sheriff’s Department says the Northwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force
works to battle child victim computer crimes in 15 northwest Missouri counties.

“When we say child victim computer crimes, we are talking
about crimes against persons, primarily we are focused on human trafficking and
child exploitation,” Cates tells host Barry Birr on the &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; KFEQ Hotline. “When I say child exploitation, what I mean
is when we have adults that are online attempting to meet children to form a
sexual relationship with them.”

This is the first of a two-part series on the problem of child
pornography in this area.

The Northwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force works
throughout those 15 counties, which includes the cities of St. Joseph,
Maryville, and Cameron.

Cates says such a task force must be regional, because
computer crimes know no city, county, or even state boundary line. The task
force must be able to pursue the perpetrator without worrying about
jurisdictional boundaries.

Cates says those involved in the fight have to persevere
through what he calls “brutal images” in their effort to prosecute those who
produce it. Cates acknowledges the work takes its toll on investigators.

“And it’s like anything else, you will build up a callus and
eventually the callus will shear off and then you build up another one and you keep
pushing forward for the sake of the mission and for the sake of the work,” according
to Cates. “The children in the images and the children that are being abused do
not have the option of ducking out and sometimes neither can we.”

Many law enforcement agencies limit the length of time
investigator spend on child exploitation crimes, according to Cates. Cates says
while the task force arrests and prosecutes those in possession of child
pornography, the real aim is to find the trafficker and prosecute the manufacturers
of child pornography.

Some arrested on child pornography attempt to excuse the
behavior, claiming they are only viewing images, not harming anyone. Cates says
juries quickly dismiss any defense raised by those caught in possession of
child pornography.

“And when a jury sees the images that the offender is in
possession of, was gaining sexual gratification from, there is no excuse in the
world that is going to satisfy a jury as to why that behavior would be
conscionable or okay in any realm,” according to Cates.

What can be done to fight the problem tomorrow.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostChild exploitation, especially child sexual exploitation, is a
growing problem throughout the region.Criminal cybercrimes investigator Thom Cates with the Buchanan
County Sheriff’s Department says the Northwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force
works to battle child victim computer crimes in 15 northwest Missouri counties.“When we say child victim computer crimes, we are talking
about crimes against persons, primarily we are focused on human trafficking and
child exploitation,” Cates tells host Barry Birr on the &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; KFEQ Hotline. “When I say child exploitation, what I mean
is when we have adults that are online attempting to meet children to form a
sexual relationship with them.”This is the first of a two-part series on the problem of child
pornography in this area.The Northwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force works
throughout those 15 counties, which includes the cities of St. Joseph,
Maryville, and Cameron.Cates says such a task force must be regional, because
computer crimes know no city, county, or even state boundary line. The task
force must be able to pursue the perpetrator without worrying about
jurisdictional boundaries.Cates says those involved in the fight have to persevere
through what he calls “brutal images” in their effort to prosecute those who
produce it. Cates acknowledges the work takes its toll on investigators.“And it’s like anything else, you will build up a callus and
eventually the callus will shear off and then you build up another one and you keep
pushing forward for the sake of the mission and for the sake of the work,” according
to Cates. “The children in the images and the children that are being abused do
not have the option of ducking out and sometimes neither can we.”Many law enforcement agencies limit the length of time
investigator spend on child exploitation crimes, according to Cates. Cates says
while the task force arrests and prosecutes those in possession of child
pornography, the real aim is to find the trafficker and prosecute the manufacturers
of child pornography.Some arrested on child pornography attempt to excuse the
behavior, claiming they are only viewing images, not harming anyone. Cates says
juries quickly dismiss any defense raised by those caught in possession of
child pornography.“And when a jury sees the images that the offender is in
possession of, was gaining sexual gratification from, there is no excuse in the
world that is going to satisfy a jury as to why that behavior would be
conscionable or okay in any realm,” according to Cates.What can be done to fight the problem tomorrow.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Fighting-against-child-pornography-Part-One-e2fo7o1" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Online child exploitation a growing problem in northwest Missouri

BeLeaf Medical says some employees of its St. Louis marijuana cultivation facility are agriculture workers and aren’t protected under the 1935 National Labor Relations Act

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

Ahmad Haynes and a handful of employees at BeLeaf Medical’s Sinse Cannabis site in St. Louis anxiously waited for the clock to hit 5 p.m.

He and his co-workers had gathered outside the St. Louis Public Library’s Barr branch, where they had cast their votes to unionize earlier that afternoon on Feb. 6. The election came after a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/case/14-RC-325871">hard-fought legal battle</a>&nbsp;that began in September with their employer contesting their eligibility to unionize.&nbsp;

Minutes before 5 p.m., they all shuffled into a library conference room to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiMEx79bsEQ">&nbsp;hear the results</a>.

“We all love our jobs, which is why we want the security behind having something like this in place,” Haynes, a post-harvest technician at Sinse, told The Independent.&nbsp;

However, just as the representative from the National Labor Relations Board was gathering up the votes to tally them, BeLeaf’s director of human resources, Marilyn Gleason, told him to wait.&nbsp;

She had spoken with the company’s attorney, she said, and BeLeaf wanted to continue to challenge 11 of employees’ eligibility to vote — out of the total 16 who voted.

Haynes’ jaw dropped, and the employees looked around in disbelief.

“I just could not believe they were doing it,” said Todd Rick, a former post-harvest specialist for Sinse Cannabis who says he was fired earlier this month. “But at the same time, I wasn’t surprised at all.”

Not long after he and other employees filed their&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/case/14-RC-325871">petition to unionize</a>&nbsp;in September, the company argued before the board that the employees aren’t manufacturer workers — they’re agricultural workers.&nbsp;

Agricultural laborers aren’t protected under the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act">1935 National Labor Relations Act</a>, which ensures employees have the “fundamental right to seek better working conditions and designation of representation without fear of retaliation.”

On Jan. 25, Board Regional Director Andrea Wilkes issued a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24413165-decision-and-direction-of-election-beleaf-medical-llc">13-page decision</a>&nbsp;detailing why the employees are not agricultural workers and could cast votes in the unionization election.&nbsp;

The company’s challenge on Tuesday essentially asked Wilkes to rethink her decision.

The board representative asked Gleason why she wanted to challenge the votes after Wilkes had already deemed them eligible, and she said that’s what her attorney was advising her to do.&nbsp;

Beleaf Medical did not respond to The Independent’s multiple requests for comment.&nbsp;

The 11 challenged ballots were sealed in an envelope, and the regional director will decide whether or not to open them after further investigation, according to a letter Wilkes sent the attorneys representing the union and company on Wednesday.

Wilkes’ decision in the case will likely impact many cannabis employees across the state who’ve been told they weren’t eligible to unionize because they were agricultural workers, said Sean Shannon lead organizer with United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 655.

“This is going to show that not only could they try but they’re going to be able to succeed,” Shannon said, “because the BeLeaf union is going to succeed.”

The company could still file an appeal, asking the national&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/who-we-are/the-board">five-member board</a>&nbsp;appointed by the president to review the election results and the regional director’s Jan. 25 decision. That ruling would set a precedent for labor law nationwide.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, near the end of Rick’s shift, he said Gleason called him into an office and alleged that he had turned off a dehumidifier on several occasions. He was suspended with pay, he said.&nbsp;

Yet, by the time he got to his car, Gleason had called him and told him he was fired. Because he had never received a warning about the action or potential discipline, Rick said it felt like he was being targeted for his leadership in organizing the union. He filed a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/case/14-CA-335087">complaint</a>&nbsp;with the NLRB soon after.

“They knew that I had a pretty heavy hand in getting the union kind of off the ground,” he said.&nbsp;

Rick had testified before the board this fall, regarding what type of work he performed.&nbsp;

During the Oct. 27 hearing, company representatives described the employees’ job descriptions to the board, which included “a whole bunch of the cultivation side’s job description,” Will Braddum, a post-harvest technician for Sinse Cannabis, told The Independent in November. It was surprising for the employees who testified and had to refute that description, he said.&nbsp;

“I’ve never watered anything and never touched any soil,” he said. “I’ve never touched a living plant at work.”

Wilkes found that none of the post-harvest employees are “engaged in primary agricultural activities.” They work separately from the cultivation and harvest departments, she wrote, and don’t overlap in duties.&nbsp;

According to Wilkes’ decision, BeLeaf operates three cannabis cultivation facilities and five Swade dispensaries. The largest of their cultivation facilities is on Cherokee Street in St. Louis, where 29 cultivation employees care for the plants and five people harvest the marijuana plants and hang them to dry.&nbsp;

In a completely separate department, Wilkes said there are 13 post-harvest employees who take down the dried plants and begin the de-stemming process. Some weigh the product and input that information into state’s tracking system Metrc.

After de-stemming and separating, the marijuana is packaged or processed into pre-rolled joints. The facility produces anywhere from 900 to 1,200 pre-rolls a day.

She compared the Sinse post-harvest employees’ work to that of employees in a tobacco processing plant.&nbsp;

“Removing the veins from tobacco leaves and fermenting the leaves has been held to be outside the definition of agriculture,” under federal labor law, she wrote.

To determine whether or not an employee is performing agricultural work, Wilkes wrote the federal courts looked at whether the product has undergone a change from its ‘raw and natural state,’ and is more like manufacturing than to agriculture.

“In sum, the employer’s post-harvest production process is not a mere preparation for market but a process that utilizes industrialized processes to transform the marijuana from its natural state into finished products prepared for sale,” Wilkes wrote. “I therefore find that the post-harvest employees are statutory employees under the Act and are not exempted as agricultural laborers.”

Jeff Toppel, a labor law attorney with the Bianchi Brandt firm in Arizona, has been keeping his eye on the BeLeaf case, just as other labor attorneys and unions have throughout the country, he said.&nbsp;

Up until now, it wasn’t clear if the post-harvest workers would be excluded as agricultural workers, he said, which has<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/04/cannabis-workers-across-missouri-begin-push-to-unionize-dispensaries/">&nbsp;pushed unions to focus more on dispensary workers.</a>

“In large part, that was because of that uncertainty,” Toppel said. “This decision will definitely open the doors to unions to reshift that focus towards [post-harvest] workers.”

The regional director’s decision on Jan. 25 didn’t set a national precedent.

“But I think it’s certainly an indication of how the board will rule,” he said. “It is a significant decision and could have a wide-ranging impact.”&nbsp;

The company is asking the director to review the evidence again that led to her decision — and Wilkes is complying.&nbsp;

On Wednesday evening, Wilkes sent a letter to the attorneys representing the company and union stating they have until Feb. 13 to provide a statement explaining why each of the challenged individuals is or is not eligible to vote in the election, and provide evidence to support that position.

“If I determine that the challenged ballots raise substantial and material factual issues, I will schedule a hearing for as soon as practicable,” Wilkes wrote.

Toppel said the fact that Wilkes is allowing this evidence to be reviewed twice is “unusual.”

No matter what Wilkes decides, he said the company will likely file an appeal with the national board.

“A decision from the board…” Toppel said, “will provide much needed clarity on an issue that will have a significant impact on the future of organizing in the cannabis industry.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707837645457.png" alt="Ahmad Haynes, a post-harvest technician at BeLeaf Medical’s Sinse facility, reacts to the company’s representative announcing the company wants to continue contesting the eligibility of 11 employees to vote in a Feb. 6 election to unionize. The election was held at the St. Louis Public Library Barr branch (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent.)" />
 <figcaption>Ahmad Haynes, a post-harvest technician at BeLeaf Medical’s Sinse facility, reacts to the company’s representative announcing the company wants to continue contesting the eligibility of 11 employees to vote in a Feb. 6 election to unionize. The election was held at the St. Louis Public Library Barr branch (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent.)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>BeLeaf Medical says some employees of its St. Louis marijuana cultivation facility are agriculture workers and aren’t protected under the 1935 National Labor Relations Act</h2>By REBECCA RIVAS,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Ahmad Haynes and a handful of employees at BeLeaf Medical’s Sinse Cannabis site in St. Louis anxiously waited for the clock to hit 5 p.m.He and his co-workers had gathered outside the St. Louis Public Library’s Barr branch, where they had cast their votes to unionize earlier that afternoon on Feb. 6. The election came after a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/case/14-RC-325871">hard-fought legal battle</a>&nbsp;that began in September with their employer contesting their eligibility to unionize.&nbsp;Minutes before 5 p.m., they all shuffled into a library conference room to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiMEx79bsEQ">&nbsp;hear the results</a>.“We all love our jobs, which is why we want the security behind having something like this in place,” Haynes, a post-harvest technician at Sinse, told The Independent.&nbsp;However, just as the representative from the National Labor Relations Board was gathering up the votes to tally them, BeLeaf’s director of human resources, Marilyn Gleason, told him to wait.&nbsp;She had spoken with the company’s attorney, she said, and BeLeaf wanted to continue to challenge 11 of employees’ eligibility to vote — out of the total 16 who voted.Haynes’ jaw dropped, and the employees looked around in disbelief.“I just could not believe they were doing it,” said Todd Rick, a former post-harvest specialist for Sinse Cannabis who says he was fired earlier this month. “But at the same time, I wasn’t surprised at all.”Not long after he and other employees filed their&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/case/14-RC-325871">petition to unionize</a>&nbsp;in September, the company argued before the board that the employees aren’t manufacturer workers — they’re agricultural workers.&nbsp;Agricultural laborers aren’t protected under the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act">1935 National Labor Relations Act</a>, which ensures employees have the “fundamental right to seek better working conditions and designation of representation without fear of retaliation.”On Jan. 25, Board Regional Director Andrea Wilkes issued a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24413165-decision-and-direction-of-election-beleaf-medical-llc">13-page decision</a>&nbsp;detailing why the employees are not agricultural workers and could cast votes in the unionization election.&nbsp;The company’s challenge on Tuesday essentially asked Wilkes to rethink her decision.The board representative asked Gleason why she wanted to challenge the votes after Wilkes had already deemed them eligible, and she said that’s what her attorney was advising her to do.&nbsp;Beleaf Medical did not respond to The Independent’s multiple requests for comment.&nbsp;The 11 challenged ballots were sealed in an envelope, and the regional director will decide whether or not to open them after further investigation, according to a letter Wilkes sent the attorneys representing the union and company on Wednesday.Wilkes’ decision in the case will likely impact many cannabis employees across the state who’ve been told they weren’t eligible to unionize because they were agricultural workers, said Sean Shannon lead organizer with United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 655.“This is going to show that not only could they try but they’re going to be able to succeed,” Shannon said, “because the BeLeaf union is going to succeed.”The company could still file an appeal, asking the national&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/who-we-are/the-board">five-member board</a>&nbsp;appointed by the president to review the election results and the regional director’s Jan. 25 decision. That ruling would set a precedent for labor law nationwide.&nbsp;<h2>Not agricultural workers</h2>Earlier this month, near the end of Rick’s shift, he said Gleason called him into an office and alleged that he had turned off a dehumidifier on several occasions. He was suspended with pay, he said.&nbsp;Yet, by the time he got to his car, Gleason had called him and told him he was fired. Because he had never received a warning about the action or potential discipline, Rick said it felt like he was being targeted for his leadership in organizing the union. He filed a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlrb.gov/case/14-CA-335087">complaint</a>&nbsp;with the NLRB soon after.“They knew that I had a pretty heavy hand in getting the union kind of off the ground,” he said.&nbsp;Rick had testified before the board this fall, regarding what type of work he performed.&nbsp;During the Oct. 27 hearing, company representatives described the employees’ job descriptions to the board, which included “a whole bunch of the cultivation side’s job description,” Will Braddum, a post-harvest technician for Sinse Cannabis, told The Independent in November. It was surprising for the employees who testified and had to refute that description, he said.&nbsp;“I’ve never watered anything and never touched any soil,” he said. “I’ve never touched a living plant at work.”Wilkes found that none of the post-harvest employees are “engaged in primary agricultural activities.” They work separately from the cultivation and harvest departments, she wrote, and don’t overlap in duties.&nbsp;According to Wilkes’ decision, BeLeaf operates three cannabis cultivation facilities and five Swade dispensaries. The largest of their cultivation facilities is on Cherokee Street in St. Louis, where 29 cultivation employees care for the plants and five people harvest the marijuana plants and hang them to dry.&nbsp;In a completely separate department, Wilkes said there are 13 post-harvest employees who take down the dried plants and begin the de-stemming process. Some weigh the product and input that information into state’s tracking system Metrc.After de-stemming and separating, the marijuana is packaged or processed into pre-rolled joints. The facility produces anywhere from 900 to 1,200 pre-rolls a day.She compared the Sinse post-harvest employees’ work to that of employees in a tobacco processing plant.&nbsp;“Removing the veins from tobacco leaves and fermenting the leaves has been held to be outside the definition of agriculture,” under federal labor law, she wrote.To determine whether or not an employee is performing agricultural work, Wilkes wrote the federal courts looked at whether the product has undergone a change from its ‘raw and natural state,’ and is more like manufacturing than to agriculture.“In sum, the employer’s post-harvest production process is not a mere preparation for market but a process that utilizes industrialized processes to transform the marijuana from its natural state into finished products prepared for sale,” Wilkes wrote. “I therefore find that the post-harvest employees are statutory employees under the Act and are not exempted as agricultural laborers.”<h2>What does the decision mean?</h2>Jeff Toppel, a labor law attorney with the Bianchi Brandt firm in Arizona, has been keeping his eye on the BeLeaf case, just as other labor attorneys and unions have throughout the country, he said.&nbsp;Up until now, it wasn’t clear if the post-harvest workers would be excluded as agricultural workers, he said, which has<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/04/cannabis-workers-across-missouri-begin-push-to-unionize-dispensaries/">&nbsp;pushed unions to focus more on dispensary workers.</a>“In large part, that was because of that uncertainty,” Toppel said. “This decision will definitely open the doors to unions to reshift that focus towards [post-harvest] workers.”The regional director’s decision on Jan. 25 didn’t set a national precedent.“But I think it’s certainly an indication of how the board will rule,” he said. “It is a significant decision and could have a wide-ranging impact.”&nbsp;The company is asking the director to review the evidence again that led to her decision — and Wilkes is complying.&nbsp;On Wednesday evening, Wilkes sent a letter to the attorneys representing the company and union stating they have until Feb. 13 to provide a statement explaining why each of the challenged individuals is or is not eligible to vote in the election, and provide evidence to support that position.“If I determine that the challenged ballots raise substantial and material factual issues, I will schedule a hearing for as soon as practicable,” Wilkes wrote.Toppel said the fact that Wilkes is allowing this evidence to be reviewed twice is “unusual.”No matter what Wilkes decides, he said the company will likely file an appeal with the national board.“A decision from the board…” Toppel said, “will provide much needed clarity on an issue that will have a significant impact on the future of organizing in the cannabis industry.”

Company continues to argue Missouri cannabis workers can’t unionize

The St. Joseph School District will be closed on Wednesday to allow staff, students and families to attend the Chiefs' Super Bowl parade in Kansas City.

District officials said in a statement, "the reality is we anticipate a significant number of staff members will request leave to attend the parade...given the already limited availability of substitute teachers, we would be unable to adequately staff our schools without causing significant disruptions to the learning environment."

The district also expects student attendance to be low on the day of the parade.

The St. Joseph School District follows a similar pattern to many area schools. Missouri Western State University announced on Sunday night that it would be closed Wednesday to allow students and staff to attend the parade.

The Savannah R-3 District has announced it will hold classes on Wednesday. In an email, Savannah R-3 officials state, What a game! We love our Chiefs, but SR3 will be in session on Wednesday, advising parents that if you plan to take your child to the parade, make sure to call in the absence before nine o’clock that morning.

The Chiefs' parade will start downtown at 11 a.m. and will last approximately 90 minutes. The parade route will start at 6th Street and Grand Boulevard and head south toward Union Station.

The parade will be followed by a rally outside Union Station at approximately 12:45 p.m., featuring speeches from players, coaches and team chairman and CEO Clark Hunt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580999877324.jpeg" alt="Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (left) and Tight End Travis Kelce celebrate with the crowd during the Super Bowl parade in 2023. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (left) and Tight End Travis Kelce celebrate with the crowd during the Super Bowl parade in 2023. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph School District will be closed on Wednesday to allow staff, students and families to attend the Chiefs' Super Bowl parade in Kansas City.District officials said in a statement, "the reality is we anticipate a significant number of staff members will request leave to attend the parade...given the already limited availability of substitute teachers, we would be unable to adequately staff our schools without causing significant disruptions to the learning environment."The district also expects student attendance to be low on the day of the parade.The St. Joseph School District follows a similar pattern to many area schools. Missouri Western State University announced on Sunday night that it would be closed Wednesday to allow students and staff to attend the parade.The Savannah R-3 District has announced it will hold classes on Wednesday. In an email, Savannah R-3 officials state, What a game! We love our Chiefs, but SR3 will be in session on Wednesday, advising parents that if you plan to take your child to the parade, make sure to call in the absence before nine o’clock that morning.The Chiefs' parade will start downtown at 11 a.m. and will last approximately 90 minutes. The parade route will start at 6th Street and Grand Boulevard and head south toward Union Station.The parade will be followed by a rally outside Union Station at approximately 12:45 p.m., featuring speeches from players, coaches and team chairman and CEO Clark Hunt.

St. Joseph School District to close Wednesday for Chiefs parade; Savannah to hold classes

NEW YORK (AP) —The longest Super Bowl game will also go down as the most-watched program in television history.

According to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2024-score-chiefs-49ers-49b5dca51c05ab0f259cef0d7da76c2d">Kansas City's 25-22 overtime victory over San Francisco</a>&nbsp;on Sunday night averaged 123.4 million viewers across television and streaming platforms. That shattered last year's mark of 115.1 million for Kansas City's last-play victory over Philadelphia and is a 7% increase.

The game was televised by CBS, Nickelodeon and Univision and streamed on Paramount+ as well as the NFL's digital platforms.

Nielsen also said a record 202.4 million watched at least part of the game across all networks, a 10% jump over last year's figure of 183.6 million.

The CBS broadcast averaged 120 million. The network's previous mark for its most-watched Super Bowl was 112.34 million for the 2016 game between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers.

Some of the increase can be attributed to a change in the way viewers are counted. Nielsen began including out-of-home viewers in its ratings in 2020, but only from limited markets. That measurement expanded to all 50 states beginning this year.

Sunday's game was only the second of the 58 Super Bowls to go to overtime. The previous one was in 2017, when New England rallied from a 28-3 deficit and beat Atlanta 34-28.

“I was managing my expectations, but I had a bit of hope that it would happen,” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said of overtime, which was set up when San Francisco kicker Jake Moody had an extra point blocked in the fourth quarter, which kept it a three-point game. “I can’t imagine a Super Bowl any better or more exciting than this.”

Kansas City sent it to overtime on Harrison Butker's field goal. After the 49ers kicked a field goal on the opening possession of OT, the Chiefs won when Patrick Mahomes threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman.

This Super Bowl had the added attraction of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-swift-las-vegas-kelce-chiefs-49ers-2cd5b56b6959ed053056cd6f28a82d0a">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;in attendance. The pop superstar is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, a romance that has brought new fans to the NFL.

It was the second straight year the Super Bowl averaged more than 100 million viewers after a period where four of the five games before 2023 had fallen short of that number because of cord-cutting. That included 95.2 million for the 2021 Super Bowl between Tampa Bay and Kansas City, which was the game’s lowest TV-only average since 2007.

Univision averaged more than 2.2 million viewers, the highest Super Bowl viewership on record for a Spanish-language network. The Super Bowl has been televised in Spanish in the United States since 2014.

The NFL playoffs averaged 38.5 million viewers the first three weekends, a 9% increase over last year.

That followed a regular season that averaged 17.9 million, tied for the second highest since averages were first tracked in 1995.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707736613770.png" alt="Taylor Swift kisses Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22 against the 49ers.(Brynn Anderson | AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)" />
 <figcaption>Taylor Swift kisses Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22 against the 49ers.(Brynn Anderson | AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The longest Super Bowl game will also go down as the most-watched program in television history.According to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2024-score-chiefs-49ers-49b5dca51c05ab0f259cef0d7da76c2d">Kansas City's 25-22 overtime victory over San Francisco</a>&nbsp;on Sunday night averaged 123.4 million viewers across television and streaming platforms. That shattered last year's mark of 115.1 million for Kansas City's last-play victory over Philadelphia and is a 7% increase.The game was televised by CBS, Nickelodeon and Univision and streamed on Paramount+ as well as the NFL's digital platforms.Nielsen also said a record 202.4 million watched at least part of the game across all networks, a 10% jump over last year's figure of 183.6 million.The CBS broadcast averaged 120 million. The network's previous mark for its most-watched Super Bowl was 112.34 million for the 2016 game between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers.Some of the increase can be attributed to a change in the way viewers are counted. Nielsen began including out-of-home viewers in its ratings in 2020, but only from limited markets. That measurement expanded to all 50 states beginning this year.Sunday's game was only the second of the 58 Super Bowls to go to overtime. The previous one was in 2017, when New England rallied from a 28-3 deficit and beat Atlanta 34-28.“I was managing my expectations, but I had a bit of hope that it would happen,” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said of overtime, which was set up when San Francisco kicker Jake Moody had an extra point blocked in the fourth quarter, which kept it a three-point game. “I can’t imagine a Super Bowl any better or more exciting than this.”Kansas City sent it to overtime on Harrison Butker's field goal. After the 49ers kicked a field goal on the opening possession of OT, the Chiefs won when Patrick Mahomes threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman.This Super Bowl had the added attraction of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-swift-las-vegas-kelce-chiefs-49ers-2cd5b56b6959ed053056cd6f28a82d0a">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;in attendance. The pop superstar is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, a romance that has brought new fans to the NFL.It was the second straight year the Super Bowl averaged more than 100 million viewers after a period where four of the five games before 2023 had fallen short of that number because of cord-cutting. That included 95.2 million for the 2021 Super Bowl between Tampa Bay and Kansas City, which was the game’s lowest TV-only average since 2007.Univision averaged more than 2.2 million viewers, the highest Super Bowl viewership on record for a Spanish-language network. The Super Bowl has been televised in Spanish in the United States since 2014.The NFL playoffs averaged 38.5 million viewers the first three weekends, a 9% increase over last year.That followed a regular season that averaged 17.9 million, tied for the second highest since averages were first tracked in 1995.

Super Bowl thriller: Most-watched program ever, averaging 123.4 million viewers

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

On Saturday, police arrested 38-year-old&nbsp; Cody T. Housworth, 38, Atchison, on District Court warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

In March of 2023, he was jailed on charges of criminal trespass, criminal damage to property and interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

He has previous felony convictions for battery and aggravated domestic battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707746837499.png" alt="Housworth-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Housworth-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a weekend arrest.On Saturday, police arrested 38-year-old&nbsp; Cody T. Housworth, 38, Atchison, on District Court warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.In March of 2023, he was jailed on charges of criminal trespass, criminal damage to property and interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;He has previous felony convictions for battery and aggravated domestic battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Police: Kansas felon jailed on new allegations

Homeschooling families say they want out of state program designed to help pay for private education

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

Organizations representing homeschool families raised concerns about legislation debated Monday seeking to expand a tax credit program that helps pay for students to attend private and religious schools.&nbsp;

A dozen bills proposing changes to the tax-credit program, dubbed MOScholars, have been filed this legislative session in both the House and Senate.&nbsp;On Monday, a House committee debated four of them, each seeking to make the program more accessible to students across the state.

The program was created in 2021 and is currently only available to students identified as low-income qualifying for special education in charter counties or cities with at least 30,000 residents.

Three bills heard Monday would expand which areas of the state could participate. Two of those also increased the size of the program, and another lifted restrictions on how long a participant needed to have been attending public schools prior to receiving a scholarship.&nbsp;

Sheryl Schmidt, a lobbyist for the homeschool organization Families for Home Education, said she watched other states tie oversight of homeschool families to educational-scholarship-account expansion.

She was opposed to all four bills debated on Monday, calling them “dangerous for Missouri homeschool freedoms.”

Two days prior to the hearing, Families for Home Education sent out&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fhe-mo.org/Resources/2-293.pdf">a flier</a>&nbsp;to families, asking them to testify in opposition of bills expanding MOScholars.

“What school choice really means is the government is paying for not only public and charter schools, but also for private and home schools,” it says. “Where there is ‘free’ money there is also a ‘poison pill’ of accountability (restrictions and regulations).”

Homeschooling families complained about potential for government oversight in a Senate committee hearing on a bill that would allow home-educated athletes to participate in public-school teams and clubs but define two categories of homeschooled.

Schmidt has reiterated a desire for privacy in her public testimony.

Three others representing homeschooling families took a similar stance Monday.

Danielle Dent-Breen, president of Kansas City Homeschool Connection, said homeschool families with MOScholars funding must submit to more oversight than self-funded peers, including standardized testing.

She said there are just 14 homeschool families using MOScholars, according to information she received from the State Treasurer’s Office. The Independent received a count of 13 homeschooled students, as of November 3.

A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1671&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">bill by state Rep. Mark Matthiesen</a>, a Republican from O’Fallon, would allow students who are currently enrolled in a private school to receive a MOScholars scholarship. The program currently requires recipients to have attended public school “for at least one semester in the past 12 months” or be of kindergarten age.

“My extremely simple bill simply eliminates the section that is an obstacle for students who might otherwise qualify for this,” he told the committee.

State Rep. Brad Hudson, a Republican from Cape Fair, wants to expand the program statewide rather than limiting scholarships to students living in the state’s most populated areas.

“What&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1615&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">my bill</a>&nbsp;does is it takes the current statute and it removes the geographic limitations that were approved in 2021 so that the program is open up to families and students statewide,” he said, briefly describing his two-paged bill to the committee.

Hudson’s and Matthiesen’s bills are expected to have no fiscal impact, since they do no not expand the amount of money that the program could accept.

Bills sponsored by Republican Reps.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2104&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">Phil Christofanelli</a>&nbsp;of St. Peters and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1738&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">Doug Richey</a>&nbsp;of Excelsior Springs propose a larger expansion of K-12 tax-credit scholarships at an estimated cost of $9.2 million.

Their legislation would allow for the program to amass $75 million in tax credits instead of the current $50 million cap and approve the appointment of an additional educational assistance organization once organizations can meet $25 million in tax credits annually.

Christofanelli and Richey also call for the end of geographic restrictions.

“I’m not a fan of telling someone that lives right across the county line that you don’t get to benefit from this when they have the very same interest that parents who live in the neighboring county do,” Richey said.

Christofanelli sponsored the bill that created the current program. He told the committee that negotiations led to the geographic restraints, among other things.

“That has been one of the most frustrating parts of the bill,” Christofanelli said. “There’s really no good reason to have those geographic restrictions in place.”

His legislation also calls for higher scholarship amounts for students who speak English as a second language, qualify for free or reduced lunch or have an individualized education plan. The increased amount follows multipliers used to give public schools more money for educating these student groups.

It would also remove background checks for homeschool families participating in the program.

“This legislation ultimately is where we want to go. It is where many other states have gone in providing a universal school choice option for every student that wants to avail themselves of one,” Christofanelli said. “It sets the balance between where I’d like to be and what I think we could practically accomplish in this legislative session.”

Advocates for public education believe the program takes away funding for public schools.

“Further expansion of vouchers in Missouri is detrimental to the public school system,”&nbsp;Nancy Copenhaver, legislative director for the League of Women Voters of Missouri, told the committee. “Which is severely underfunded, as shown by the ranking near the bottom of the country in beginning teacher salaries and average teacher salaries.”

According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mnea.org/research">Missouri National Education Association</a>, a teachers’ union, the state ranks 50th in average starting teacher pay and 47th in average teacher pay.

The committee did not take action on the bills Monday.

A tax-credit-scholarship expansion bill sponsored by state Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Manchester Republican, is currently being held for discussion in the Senate. The bill seeks to raise the income cap to be eligible for MOScholars, among provisions similar to Christofanelli’s and Richey’s bills.

A Senate committee is set to debate a pair of bills identical to Koenig’s Tuesday.

One bill, sponsored by Parkville Republican Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, mirrors the base bill. Legislation sponsored by Sen. Curtis Trent, a Springfield Republican, also includes provisions authorizing charter schools in three counties to match an approved committee substitute for Koenig’s bill. Luetkemeyer and Trent filed their bills last Wednesday.

Koenig said his bill was not ready for floor discussion when it came up on the Senate’s calendar last Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707778267299.png" alt=" Missouri State Reps. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs, and Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, present bills to the House Special Committee on Education Reform Monday afternoon (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri State Reps. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs, and Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, present bills to the House Special Committee on Education Reform Monday afternoon (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Homeschooling families say they want out of state program designed to help pay for private education</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">ANNELISE HANSHAW</a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Organizations representing homeschool families raised concerns about legislation debated Monday seeking to expand a tax credit program that helps pay for students to attend private and religious schools.&nbsp;A dozen bills proposing changes to the tax-credit program, dubbed MOScholars, have been filed this legislative session in both the House and Senate.&nbsp;On Monday, a House committee debated four of them, each seeking to make the program more accessible to students across the state.The program was created in 2021 and is currently only available to students identified as low-income qualifying for special education in charter counties or cities with at least 30,000 residents.Three bills heard Monday would expand which areas of the state could participate. Two of those also increased the size of the program, and another lifted restrictions on how long a participant needed to have been attending public schools prior to receiving a scholarship.&nbsp;Sheryl Schmidt, a lobbyist for the homeschool organization Families for Home Education, said she watched other states tie oversight of homeschool families to educational-scholarship-account expansion.She was opposed to all four bills debated on Monday, calling them “dangerous for Missouri homeschool freedoms.”Two days prior to the hearing, Families for Home Education sent out&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fhe-mo.org/Resources/2-293.pdf">a flier</a>&nbsp;to families, asking them to testify in opposition of bills expanding MOScholars.“What school choice really means is the government is paying for not only public and charter schools, but also for private and home schools,” it says. “Where there is ‘free’ money there is also a ‘poison pill’ of accountability (restrictions and regulations).”Homeschooling families complained about potential for government oversight in a Senate committee hearing on a bill that would allow home-educated athletes to participate in public-school teams and clubs but define two categories of homeschooled.Schmidt has reiterated a desire for privacy in her public testimony.Three others representing homeschooling families took a similar stance Monday.Danielle Dent-Breen, president of Kansas City Homeschool Connection, said homeschool families with MOScholars funding must submit to more oversight than self-funded peers, including standardized testing.She said there are just 14 homeschool families using MOScholars, according to information she received from the State Treasurer’s Office. The Independent received a count of 13 homeschooled students, as of November 3.<h2>The legislation</h2>A&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1671&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">bill by state Rep. Mark Matthiesen</a>, a Republican from O’Fallon, would allow students who are currently enrolled in a private school to receive a MOScholars scholarship. The program currently requires recipients to have attended public school “for at least one semester in the past 12 months” or be of kindergarten age.“My extremely simple bill simply eliminates the section that is an obstacle for students who might otherwise qualify for this,” he told the committee.State Rep. Brad Hudson, a Republican from Cape Fair, wants to expand the program statewide rather than limiting scholarships to students living in the state’s most populated areas.“What&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1615&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">my bill</a>&nbsp;does is it takes the current statute and it removes the geographic limitations that were approved in 2021 so that the program is open up to families and students statewide,” he said, briefly describing his two-paged bill to the committee.Hudson’s and Matthiesen’s bills are expected to have no fiscal impact, since they do no not expand the amount of money that the program could accept.Bills sponsored by Republican Reps.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2104&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">Phil Christofanelli</a>&nbsp;of St. Peters and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1738&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">Doug Richey</a>&nbsp;of Excelsior Springs propose a larger expansion of K-12 tax-credit scholarships at an estimated cost of $9.2 million.Their legislation would allow for the program to amass $75 million in tax credits instead of the current $50 million cap and approve the appointment of an additional educational assistance organization once organizations can meet $25 million in tax credits annually.Christofanelli and Richey also call for the end of geographic restrictions.“I’m not a fan of telling someone that lives right across the county line that you don’t get to benefit from this when they have the very same interest that parents who live in the neighboring county do,” Richey said.Christofanelli sponsored the bill that created the current program. He told the committee that negotiations led to the geographic restraints, among other things.“That has been one of the most frustrating parts of the bill,” Christofanelli said. “There’s really no good reason to have those geographic restrictions in place.”His legislation also calls for higher scholarship amounts for students who speak English as a second language, qualify for free or reduced lunch or have an individualized education plan. The increased amount follows multipliers used to give public schools more money for educating these student groups.It would also remove background checks for homeschool families participating in the program.“This legislation ultimately is where we want to go. It is where many other states have gone in providing a universal school choice option for every student that wants to avail themselves of one,” Christofanelli said. “It sets the balance between where I’d like to be and what I think we could practically accomplish in this legislative session.”Advocates for public education believe the program takes away funding for public schools.“Further expansion of vouchers in Missouri is detrimental to the public school system,”&nbsp;Nancy Copenhaver, legislative director for the League of Women Voters of Missouri, told the committee. “Which is severely underfunded, as shown by the ranking near the bottom of the country in beginning teacher salaries and average teacher salaries.”According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mnea.org/research">Missouri National Education Association</a>, a teachers’ union, the state ranks 50th in average starting teacher pay and 47th in average teacher pay.The committee did not take action on the bills Monday.A tax-credit-scholarship expansion bill sponsored by state Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Manchester Republican, is currently being held for discussion in the Senate. The bill seeks to raise the income cap to be eligible for MOScholars, among provisions similar to Christofanelli’s and Richey’s bills.A Senate committee is set to debate a pair of bills identical to Koenig’s Tuesday.One bill, sponsored by Parkville Republican Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, mirrors the base bill. Legislation sponsored by Sen. Curtis Trent, a Springfield Republican, also includes provisions authorizing charter schools in three counties to match an approved committee substitute for Koenig’s bill. Luetkemeyer and Trent filed their bills last Wednesday.Koenig said his bill was not ready for floor discussion when it came up on the Senate’s calendar last Wednesday.

Expansion of tax-credit scholarships faces criticism of Missouri homeschoolers

The home of the Kansas City Chiefs training camp will close so
students and staff can attend the Super Bowl parade in Kansas City.

In a letter emailed to Missouri Western State University
students and staff, Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says classes
on the St. Joseph campus will close on Wednesday.

Kennedy, in the email, says for the second year in a row and
third time in five years, our summer guests, the Kansas City Chiefs, are Super
Bowl champions, adding what a thrill to watch the hard work we witnessed in July
and August pay off with a championship trophy in February.

One note to students, though. Faculty can choose to hold a
virtual learning day.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThe home of the Kansas City Chiefs training camp will close so
students and staff can attend the Super Bowl parade in Kansas City.In a letter emailed to Missouri Western State University
students and staff, Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says classes
on the St. Joseph campus will close on Wednesday.Kennedy, in the email, says for the second year in a row and
third time in five years, our summer guests, the Kansas City Chiefs, are Super
Bowl champions, adding what a thrill to watch the hard work we witnessed in July
and August pay off with a championship trophy in February.One note to students, though. Faculty can choose to hold a
virtual learning day.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU closes campus Wednesday for students and staff to attend Super Bowl parade

After serving for 28 years at Northwest Missouri State University, Clarence Green is retiring.  

After coming to Northwest in 1996, Green became the Chief of University Police in 1997.  He also served as the University's interim President for one year.  

Green says he wanted to work at Northwest because it's an excellent institution, but he also has his own history in Maryville.  

"It's where I went to school, all of my kids went to school, my wife, my son in law, as well as my future grandson will be attending school here, he's only nine months now and he doesn't know it but he will be coming to school here when he's old enough," Green tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And so, it's just a great institution." 

Green says he served at a municipal police department prior to working at Northwest and that it was an honor to be called back home to serve the University.  

Green says for him, law enforcement was a calling. 

"It really just aligns with my purpose and lie in life of being someone that's always learning or seeking understanding, being a person that really helps others and organizations achieve beyond what they think is being possible, and being a selfless servant," Green explains. "And so, law enforcement really aligns for me at accomplishing all of those, so that's why I chose law enforcement." 

Green, who is black, has also worked on national issues such as racial profiling with the US Attorney's office. 

Green says working with the federal prosecutors was an excellent opportunity to work in a team setting, allowing him to provide an empathetic ear as well as an empathetic voice. 

"To add to the conversation on how we're going to go about improving policing, and I believe we're still working at improving policing every day and we're going to work at that for the remainder of our careers," Green says. "That's going to be part of what we're all doing, is trying to improve and continuously seek out new opportunities and ways to do our work." 

Green says the law enforcement community is in a constant cycle of listening, learning and adapting. 

Green will retire from Northwest at the end of March.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707506158648.jpeg" alt="Clarence Green, Chief of University Police at Northwest, speaks during a Martin Luther King Jr. peace lunch in the spring of 2023. Green will be retiring at the end of March/ Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University" />
 <figcaption>Clarence Green, Chief of University Police at Northwest, speaks during a Martin Luther King Jr. peace lunch in the spring of 2023. Green will be retiring at the end of March/ Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post After serving for 28 years at Northwest Missouri State University, Clarence Green is retiring. After coming to Northwest in 1996, Green became the Chief of University Police in 1997. He also served as the University's interim President for one year. Green says he wanted to work at Northwest because it's an excellent institution, but he also has his own history in Maryville. "It's where I went to school, all of my kids went to school, my wife, my son in law, as well as my future grandson will be attending school here, he's only nine months now and he doesn't know it but he will be coming to school here when he's old enough," Green tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And so, it's just a great institution." Green says he served at a municipal police department prior to working at Northwest and that it was an honor to be called back home to serve the University. Green says for him, law enforcement was a calling. "It really just aligns with my purpose and lie in life of being someone that's always learning or seeking understanding, being a person that really helps others and organizations achieve beyond what they think is being possible, and being a selfless servant," Green explains. "And so, law enforcement really aligns for me at accomplishing all of those, so that's why I chose law enforcement." Green, who is black, has also worked on national issues such as racial profiling with the US Attorney's office. Green says working with the federal prosecutors was an excellent opportunity to work in a team setting, allowing him to provide an empathetic ear as well as an empathetic voice. "To add to the conversation on how we're going to go about improving policing, and I believe we're still working at improving policing every day and we're going to work at that for the remainder of our careers," Green says. "That's going to be part of what we're all doing, is trying to improve and continuously seek out new opportunities and ways to do our work." Green says the law enforcement community is in a constant cycle of listening, learning and adapting. Green will retire from Northwest at the end of March.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Longtime-Northwest-employee-Clarence-Green-is-retiring-e2fjcfo" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707508298923.jpeg" alt="Clarence Green speaks with students during Northwest's induction ceremony in the spring of 2023/ Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University" />
 <figcaption>Clarence Green speaks with students during Northwest's induction ceremony in the spring of 2023/ Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.