DEKALB COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Sunday in DeKalb County.&nbsp;

The Missouri State HIghway Patrol reported a 2009 Honda Odyssey driven by Laton D. Allison, 79, Stanberry, was westbound on MO 6 nine miles northwest of Stewartsville.

The van traveled off the left side of the road, struck two culverts, returned to the road and came to rest in a private drive.

DeKalb Clinton ambulance transported Allison to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Sunday in DeKalb County.&nbsp;The Missouri State HIghway Patrol reported a 2009 Honda Odyssey driven by Laton D. Allison, 79, Stanberry, was westbound on MO 6 nine miles northwest of Stewartsville.The van traveled off the left side of the road, struck two culverts, returned to the road and came to rest in a private drive.DeKalb Clinton ambulance transported Allison to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man hospitalized after mini van crash

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

When Katie Molitor joined the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture in 2019, she knew Boone County needed to put nutritious, affordable food on more tables.

Two years later, she came up with a plan: Give year-long prescriptions to patients for fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement their diet. The idea took root, and the result is Produce Prescription, which makes fresh produce available with a prescription.

Compass Health writes the prescriptions for families with children under 19 to exchange for produce tokens at the Columbia Farmers Market. The vouchers can be redeemed at any of the market vendors.

Since 2021, the program has distributed around $118,000 in fresh produce, with families getting up to $20 each to spend every week.

“This seems to be a really effective type of public health intervention to help people with chronic diseases and people who are food insecure,” Molitor said.

The United States is mired in a health and hunger crisis, including in the Midwest. Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lack of consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy life.

As of 2021, at least 20,000 Boone County residents were considered food insecure, according to Feeding America.

Food insecurity has cascading effects, not only for health, but for wallets. To cope with the inaccessibility of wholesome foods in recent years, 61% of households purchased the least expensive food available, even if it wasn’t the healthiest option, according to the Food Assistance and Hunger in the Heartland 2021 report.

The reality is that nutritious food can be hard to come by and unaffordable for many people.

On a larger economic scale, an estimated 90% of the $4.3 trillion annual cost of health care in the U.S. is spent on medical care for chronic diseases, according to the American Heart Association.

One nationwide intervention to address the consequences of poor nutrition is the Food is Medicine movement. With initiatives backed by the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Heart Association, Kroger and more, the campaign does not have a single definition.

Rather, it is underscored by the shared sentiment that the effects of diet-related diseases can be mitigated by health interventions.

Such efforts include the promotion of food safety and education, offering produce vouchers to people facing diet-related diseases or food insecurity and issuing prescriptions for nutrient-rich food, much like the program in Boone County.

“At Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, we’re all about Food is Medicine,” Molitor said. “We’ve had people tell us that they’re off insulin now, they’ve lost weight, their cholesterol has decreased.”

Last fall, the Biden-Harris administration got on board, announcing its support for legislation that would extend Food is Medicine interventions to some Medicare recipients, as well as those on Medicaid.

In a call to action, the administration urged states to “leverage all available federal authorities to expand coverage of ‘food is medicine’ interventions,” according to the administration’s September 2022 National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health report.

According to the report, a Section 1115 waiver under the Social Security Act would permit Medicaid to officially implement pilot programs to cover the costs of nutrition interventions for patients.

While MO HealthNet, the state’s branch of Medicaid, has active Section 1115 waivers for postpartum women and children in foster care, it has no waiver for nutrition interventions. If Missouri does apply, the waiver would be in effect for five years, with renewals up to three years.

In the absence of a Section 1115 waiver, organizations like the Center for Urban Agriculture, the Farmers Market and The Food Bank for Central &amp; Northeast Missouri continue to be the backbone of support for the Columbia area.

Alma Hopkins, registered dietitian for the Food Bank, is acutely aware of the link between food insecurity and chronic disease. For every 10 people the bank serves, she said, four to six are living with chronic, diet-related diseases.

Since she joined the Food Bank team, Hopkins has addressed Boone County’s diet deficiencies through classes on how to use, store and benefit from fresh produce.

By doing so, her program has joined the growing list of Missouri initiatives dedicated to fostering health equity through nourishing meals. By partnering with agencies and serving mobile food pantries, The Food Bank for Central &amp; Northeast Missouri served individuals and families through mobile food pantry distribution 118,000 times in 2022.

While the bank has offered fresh produce for years, its director of communication, Katie Adkins, said it is still progressing from the canned goods food-banking model.

“In general, the food bank is moving toward a fresh, healthy distribution,” Adkins said. “Right now, about 64% of what we share is what we call ‘foods to encourage.’”

The gold standard includes fresh produce, dairy, lean protein and canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. Hopkins also advocated for whole foods, placing an emphasis on the healing power of vegetables, fruits and legumes.

“It’s really inundated, the amount of testimony that’s out there that says food is medicine,” Hopkins said. “For example, green leafy vegetables, spinach, kale. They’re wonderful resources. They help slow macular degeneration, which is an aging process of losing sight.”

In addition to adding cooking classes with her new Teaching Kitchen, Hopkins’ duties historically include offering food tastings, providing food safety materials and crafting health-conscious recipes for the public. In her words, the goal is simply “to grow appetites for the food that keeps people happy and healthy.”

While a holistic approach to treating disease is not new, little research has been done on a consistent or large enough scale, however, to quantify the healing potential of food.

In addition to the Produce Prescription program, the Columbia Farmers Market has two programs that help those receiving food assistance, both designed to get fruits and vegetables from vendors’ gardens to consumers’ kitchens.

The Access to Healthy Food Program caters to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Women, Infants and Children program who are Boone County residents and are either seniors, have a disability or have children 19 or under living at home.

To receive matching benefits, recipients can swipe their EBT card for any amount or provide a cash match and receive up to $35 in tokens. These tokens can then be redeemed on eligible items at the market’s approximately 60 vendors.

“The Access to Healthy Food Program has grown this year with the voucher recipients coming in,” said Jon Weekley, assistant manager of the farmers market. “At our peak season, we had about 100 to 120 transactions on a given Saturday.”

The other program, Double Up Food Bucks, is a federally-funded initiative that matches up to $25 for SNAP recipients.

For people like Indiana Garcia, the program’s small, green tokens were her ticket to bringing a little bit of home and health into her new kitchen.

In pursuit of her master’s degree, Garcia left Nicaragua in 2020. By her side were her husband and two children, ages 6 and 15 at the time. For her children, the first six months of their residency were marred by uncertainty around all things food. While they were accustomed to Nicaraguan produce, the family was unfamiliar with the fruits and vegetables available in the Midwest.

“When we came here, we didn’t know how to navigate the new customs, the new foods,” Garcia said. “So, you don’t want to spend money on things you don’t know if you’re gonna like or not, right?”

That’s when the Columbia Farmers Market came in. Using the Double Up Food Bucks program, Garcia’s family is able to use SNAP benefits to help maintain the lifestyle they want and try new foods with no economic burden.

Garcia’s son, Luis Guevara, now 18, said he has grown fond of experimenting in the kitchen. Among the family’s favorites is his pumpkin bread, made with ingredients picked up at the market.

“I made everything from scratch. I bought a pumpkin and made it into a puree,” Guevara said. “That was the time the house was at its messiest, but that bread was amazing.”

Garcia said having access to whole foods on a tight budget has given her children the ability to grow comfortable with eating new things.

“He would start baking and do cakes,” Garcia said. “And they were like, ‘Oh, they’re familiar. They’re very tasty. They’re good.’ And it was nice because then I was like, ‘Finally we’re eating healthy.’ We’re eating what is found locally, and at the same time, we are on a sharp budget.”

Garcia said she would like to use the program for as long as possible until she is in a position to pay it forward.

“It gives you that moral obligation once you are good,” Garcia said. “This is a program I need to look back at and also put some of my money in it. Because it did help me, and it can help others.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/food-is-medicine-farmers-market-food-bank-among-initiatives-dedicated-to-nourishing-missourians/article_5beeb2d8-63b8-11ee-88d4-2fc14992fb35.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701343135020.png" alt=" The Columbia Farmer’s Market (Adam Vogler/Missourian)." />
 <figcaption> The Columbia Farmer’s Market (Adam Vogler/Missourian).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kaseydunnavant/">KASEY DUNNAVANT</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>When Katie Molitor joined the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture in 2019, she knew Boone County needed to put nutritious, affordable food on more tables.Two years later, she came up with a plan: Give year-long prescriptions to patients for fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement their diet. The idea took root, and the result is Produce Prescription, which makes fresh produce available with a prescription.Compass Health writes the prescriptions for families with children under 19 to exchange for produce tokens at the Columbia Farmers Market. The vouchers can be redeemed at any of the market vendors.Since 2021, the program has distributed around $118,000 in fresh produce, with families getting up to $20 each to spend every week.“This seems to be a really effective type of public health intervention to help people with chronic diseases and people who are food insecure,” Molitor said.<h2>The bigger picture</h2>The United States is mired in a health and hunger crisis, including in the Midwest. Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lack of consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy life.As of 2021, at least 20,000 Boone County residents were considered food insecure, according to Feeding America.Food insecurity has cascading effects, not only for health, but for wallets. To cope with the inaccessibility of wholesome foods in recent years, 61% of households purchased the least expensive food available, even if it wasn’t the healthiest option, according to the Food Assistance and Hunger in the Heartland 2021 report.The reality is that nutritious food can be hard to come by and unaffordable for many people.On a larger economic scale, an estimated 90% of the $4.3 trillion annual cost of health care in the U.S. is spent on medical care for chronic diseases, according to the American Heart Association.One nationwide intervention to address the consequences of poor nutrition is the Food is Medicine movement. With initiatives backed by the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Heart Association, Kroger and more, the campaign does not have a single definition.Rather, it is underscored by the shared sentiment that the effects of diet-related diseases can be mitigated by health interventions.Such efforts include the promotion of food safety and education, offering produce vouchers to people facing diet-related diseases or food insecurity and issuing prescriptions for nutrient-rich food, much like the program in Boone County.“At Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, we’re all about Food is Medicine,” Molitor said. “We’ve had people tell us that they’re off insulin now, they’ve lost weight, their cholesterol has decreased.”<h2>A look at legislation</h2>Last fall, the Biden-Harris administration got on board, announcing its support for legislation that would extend Food is Medicine interventions to some Medicare recipients, as well as those on Medicaid.In a call to action, the administration urged states to “leverage all available federal authorities to expand coverage of ‘food is medicine’ interventions,” according to the administration’s September 2022 National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health report.According to the report, a Section 1115 waiver under the Social Security Act would permit Medicaid to officially implement pilot programs to cover the costs of nutrition interventions for patients.While MO HealthNet, the state’s branch of Medicaid, has active Section 1115 waivers for postpartum women and children in foster care, it has no waiver for nutrition interventions. If Missouri does apply, the waiver would be in effect for five years, with renewals up to three years.In the absence of a Section 1115 waiver, organizations like the Center for Urban Agriculture, the Farmers Market and The Food Bank for Central &amp; Northeast Missouri continue to be the backbone of support for the Columbia area.<h2>The Food Bank’s mission</h2>Alma Hopkins, registered dietitian for the Food Bank, is acutely aware of the link between food insecurity and chronic disease. For every 10 people the bank serves, she said, four to six are living with chronic, diet-related diseases.Since she joined the Food Bank team, Hopkins has addressed Boone County’s diet deficiencies through classes on how to use, store and benefit from fresh produce.By doing so, her program has joined the growing list of Missouri initiatives dedicated to fostering health equity through nourishing meals. By partnering with agencies and serving mobile food pantries, The Food Bank for Central &amp; Northeast Missouri served individuals and families through mobile food pantry distribution 118,000 times in 2022.While the bank has offered fresh produce for years, its director of communication, Katie Adkins, said it is still progressing from the canned goods food-banking model.“In general, the food bank is moving toward a fresh, healthy distribution,” Adkins said. “Right now, about 64% of what we share is what we call ‘foods to encourage.’”The gold standard includes fresh produce, dairy, lean protein and canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. Hopkins also advocated for whole foods, placing an emphasis on the healing power of vegetables, fruits and legumes.“It’s really inundated, the amount of testimony that’s out there that says food is medicine,” Hopkins said. “For example, green leafy vegetables, spinach, kale. They’re wonderful resources. They help slow macular degeneration, which is an aging process of losing sight.”In addition to adding cooking classes with her new Teaching Kitchen, Hopkins’ duties historically include offering food tastings, providing food safety materials and crafting health-conscious recipes for the public. In her words, the goal is simply “to grow appetites for the food that keeps people happy and healthy.”While a holistic approach to treating disease is not new, little research has been done on a consistent or large enough scale, however, to quantify the healing potential of food.<h2>Meanwhile at the market</h2>In addition to the Produce Prescription program, the Columbia Farmers Market has two programs that help those receiving food assistance, both designed to get fruits and vegetables from vendors’ gardens to consumers’ kitchens.The Access to Healthy Food Program caters to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Women, Infants and Children program who are Boone County residents and are either seniors, have a disability or have children 19 or under living at home.To receive matching benefits, recipients can swipe their EBT card for any amount or provide a cash match and receive up to $35 in tokens. These tokens can then be redeemed on eligible items at the market’s approximately 60 vendors.“The Access to Healthy Food Program has grown this year with the voucher recipients coming in,” said Jon Weekley, assistant manager of the farmers market. “At our peak season, we had about 100 to 120 transactions on a given Saturday.”The other program, Double Up Food Bucks, is a federally-funded initiative that matches up to $25 for SNAP recipients.For people like Indiana Garcia, the program’s small, green tokens were her ticket to bringing a little bit of home and health into her new kitchen.In pursuit of her master’s degree, Garcia left Nicaragua in 2020. By her side were her husband and two children, ages 6 and 15 at the time. For her children, the first six months of their residency were marred by uncertainty around all things food. While they were accustomed to Nicaraguan produce, the family was unfamiliar with the fruits and vegetables available in the Midwest.“When we came here, we didn’t know how to navigate the new customs, the new foods,” Garcia said. “So, you don’t want to spend money on things you don’t know if you’re gonna like or not, right?”That’s when the Columbia Farmers Market came in. Using the Double Up Food Bucks program, Garcia’s family is able to use SNAP benefits to help maintain the lifestyle they want and try new foods with no economic burden.Garcia’s son, Luis Guevara, now 18, said he has grown fond of experimenting in the kitchen. Among the family’s favorites is his pumpkin bread, made with ingredients picked up at the market.“I made everything from scratch. I bought a pumpkin and made it into a puree,” Guevara said. “That was the time the house was at its messiest, but that bread was amazing.”Garcia said having access to whole foods on a tight budget has given her children the ability to grow comfortable with eating new things.“He would start baking and do cakes,” Garcia said. “And they were like, ‘Oh, they’re familiar. They’re very tasty. They’re good.’ And it was nice because then I was like, ‘Finally we’re eating healthy.’ We’re eating what is found locally, and at the same time, we are on a sharp budget.”Garcia said she would like to use the program for as long as possible until she is in a position to pay it forward.“It gives you that moral obligation once you are good,” Garcia said. “This is a program I need to look back at and also put some of my money in it. Because it did help me, and it can help others.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/food-is-medicine-farmers-market-food-bank-among-initiatives-dedicated-to-nourishing-missourians/article_5beeb2d8-63b8-11ee-88d4-2fc14992fb35.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

‘Food is medicine’: Farmers market, food bank dedicated to nourishing Missourians

By JASON HANCOCK,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Missouri House Ethics Committee will reconvene for a third time this week for a closed-door hearing into allegations of misconduct by Speaker Dean Plocher.&nbsp;

The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Dec. 6. The public notice says the committee will discuss&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/AllHearings.aspx?nid=8081&amp;sdid=12052023">a “personnel inquiry” and an ethics complaint</a>.&nbsp;

Though it doesn’t mention his name, the hearing’s focus is Plocher.

The inquiry was launched after The Independent reported last month that Plocher on numerous occasions&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/23/records-show-dean-plocher-charged-the-state-for-travel-already-paid-for-by-his-campaign/">illegally sought reimbursement from the legislature</a>&nbsp;for airfare, hotels and other travel costs already paid for by his campaign.&nbsp;

The revelation followed weeks of scrutiny surrounding Plocher’s unsuccessful push to award a contract to a company to manage constituent information and a decision to fire his chief of staff.&nbsp;

Plocher, a Republican from Des Peres running for lieutenant governor, has flatly denied any wrongdoing, chalking up false expense reports to a “checkbook error.” He paid back the illegal reimbursements, saying he and his wife — who is also his campaign treasurer — caught the mistakes and self-reported them.&nbsp;

But though the false reports went back years, Plocher didn’t begin making repayments until two weeks after The Independent submitted a Sunshine request seeking his expense reports.

Proceedings of the committee are confidential, and none of the discussions, testimony or evidence gathered is public until a report is issued. The 10-member committee is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats.

Plocher’s troubles spilled out into the public in September, when he was accused of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/22/missouri-lawmaker-accused-of-unlawful-conduct-in-push-for-contract-drawing-fbi-scrutiny/">threatening to fire nonpartisan legislative staff&nbsp;</a>as part of a push to get the House to award a lucrative contract to a private company to manage constituent information.&nbsp;

Records obtained by The Independent through the Missouri Sunshine Law document allegations that Plocher connected the success of the contract the 2024 campaign — in which he is running for lieutenant governor — and engaged in “unethical and perhaps unlawful conduct.”

The saga has garnered attention from federal law enforcement, with the FBI attending the September legislative hearing where the contract was discussed and voted down.

The FBI, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/public-corruption">investigates public corruption</a>, has also interviewed several individuals about Plocher.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A few weeks later, The Independent revealed that Plocher<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/23/records-show-dean-plocher-charged-the-state-for-travel-already-paid-for-by-his-campaign/">&nbsp;filed false expense reports</a>&nbsp;with the legislature going back to 2018 seeking reimbursement for costs already paid for by his campaign.&nbsp;

Submitting false expense reports could be prosecuted as stealing from the state, a class A misdemeanor. It could also be considered false declaration, a class B misdemeanor that involves knowingly submitting any written false statement. The House speaker could also have run afoul of laws prohibiting campaign contributions from being converted to personal use.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697056839654.png" alt=" Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON HANCOCK,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri House Ethics Committee will reconvene for a third time this week for a closed-door hearing into allegations of misconduct by Speaker Dean Plocher.&nbsp;The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Dec. 6. The public notice says the committee will discuss&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/AllHearings.aspx?nid=8081&amp;sdid=12052023">a “personnel inquiry” and an ethics complaint</a>.&nbsp;Though it doesn’t mention his name, the hearing’s focus is Plocher.The inquiry was launched after The Independent reported last month that Plocher on numerous occasions&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/23/records-show-dean-plocher-charged-the-state-for-travel-already-paid-for-by-his-campaign/">illegally sought reimbursement from the legislature</a>&nbsp;for airfare, hotels and other travel costs already paid for by his campaign.&nbsp;The revelation followed weeks of scrutiny surrounding Plocher’s unsuccessful push to award a contract to a company to manage constituent information and a decision to fire his chief of staff.&nbsp;Plocher, a Republican from Des Peres running for lieutenant governor, has flatly denied any wrongdoing, chalking up false expense reports to a “checkbook error.” He paid back the illegal reimbursements, saying he and his wife — who is also his campaign treasurer — caught the mistakes and self-reported them.&nbsp;But though the false reports went back years, Plocher didn’t begin making repayments until two weeks after The Independent submitted a Sunshine request seeking his expense reports.Proceedings of the committee are confidential, and none of the discussions, testimony or evidence gathered is public until a report is issued. The 10-member committee is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats.Plocher’s troubles spilled out into the public in September, when he was accused of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/22/missouri-lawmaker-accused-of-unlawful-conduct-in-push-for-contract-drawing-fbi-scrutiny/">threatening to fire nonpartisan legislative staff&nbsp;</a>as part of a push to get the House to award a lucrative contract to a private company to manage constituent information.&nbsp;Records obtained by The Independent through the Missouri Sunshine Law document allegations that Plocher connected the success of the contract the 2024 campaign — in which he is running for lieutenant governor — and engaged in “unethical and perhaps unlawful conduct.”The saga has garnered attention from federal law enforcement, with the FBI attending the September legislative hearing where the contract was discussed and voted down.The FBI, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/public-corruption">investigates public corruption</a>, has also interviewed several individuals about Plocher.&nbsp;&nbsp;A few weeks later, The Independent revealed that Plocher<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/23/records-show-dean-plocher-charged-the-state-for-travel-already-paid-for-by-his-campaign/">&nbsp;filed false expense reports</a>&nbsp;with the legislature going back to 2018 seeking reimbursement for costs already paid for by his campaign.&nbsp;Submitting false expense reports could be prosecuted as stealing from the state, a class A misdemeanor. It could also be considered false declaration, a class B misdemeanor that involves knowingly submitting any written false statement. The House speaker could also have run afoul of laws prohibiting campaign contributions from being converted to personal use.

Ethics investigation into Missouri House Speaker continues this week

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on new allegations after an arrest.

On Thursday, police arrested 36-year-old Jacob D. Layton of Atchison on a Buchanan County Missouri warrant for failure to appear in court and a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court.

He met the requirement ofr the bond and is no longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701439657771.png" alt="Layton-photo Buchanan County" />
 <figcaption>Layton-photo Buchanan County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on new allegations after an arrest.On Thursday, police arrested 36-year-old Jacob D. Layton of Atchison on a Buchanan County Missouri warrant for failure to appear in court and a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court.He met the requirement ofr the bond and is no longer in custody.

Kansas man jailed on Buchanan Co. warrant for skipping court

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

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Buick Lucerne driven by Randolph G. Hansen, 75, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was southbound on Interstate 35 five miles south of Bethany.

The driver lost control on the slush covered road. The car traveled off the road down an embankment and overturned.

NTA ambulance transported Hansen to Harrison County Community Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Buick Lucerne driven by Randolph G. Hansen, 75, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was southbound on Interstate 35 five miles south of Bethany.The driver lost control on the slush covered road. The car traveled off the road down an embankment and overturned.NTA ambulance transported Hansen to Harrison County Community Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Man injured after car travels down embankment, overturns

BUCHANAN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Friday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Edge driven by Larry E. Whiley, 85, Griswold, Iowa, was westbound on U.S. 36 four and one half miles east of St. Joseph.

The SUV rear-ended a 2011 Ford F350 driven by John G. Burton, 57, Clarksdale, who had slowed to make a right turn onto Route Z.

Buchanan County EMS transported a passenger in the SUV Shirley A. Whiley, 85, Griswold, Iowa, to Mosaic in St. Joseph. The drivers were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

BUCHANAN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Friday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Edge driven by Larry E. Whiley, 85, Griswold, Iowa, was westbound on U.S. 36 four and one half miles east of St. Joseph.The SUV rear-ended a 2011 Ford F350 driven by John G. Burton, 57, Clarksdale, who had slowed to make a right turn onto Route Z.Buchanan County EMS transported a passenger in the SUV Shirley A. Whiley, 85, Griswold, Iowa, to Mosaic in St. Joseph. The drivers were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Woman hospitalized in St. Joe after rear-end crash

ATCHISON—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on new allegations after a seventh arrest over the past 6 months.

Skylar D. Coady, 26, Atchison, was arrested on Thursday on a District Court warrant for failure to appear in court. Taken to County Jail.

Since May, she has been in and out of custody seven times on drug and theft allegations and for bond and probation violations, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701440119268.png" alt="Coady -photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Coady -photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on new allegations after a seventh arrest over the past 6 months.Skylar D. Coady, 26, Atchison, was arrested on Thursday on a District Court warrant for failure to appear in court. Taken to County Jail.Since May, she has been in and out of custody seven times on drug and theft allegations and for bond and probation violations, according to online jail records.

Kan. woman jailed 7th time in six months

The inside of the Plymouth Building in downtown St. Joseph might look nearly unrecognizable as progress is being made on the future Children's Discovery Center.  

One year after ground was broken on the new Childrens Discovery Center in downtown St. Joseph, construction is progressing nicely.  

Mosaic Life Care Foundation President Julie Gaddie says the amount of work that has gone in to get the building where it is today is remarkable. 

"From the basement, clear through the rooftop, there have been workers from all across our region who have been in this building daily to help bring it to life," Gaddie tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Gaddie says with several partners stepping up and helping in fundraising efforts for the project, the foundation is down to the final four percent of the goal.  

"We just have more and more people stepping forward every day to say this is going to make a generational difference in our community, and we're so grateful for those that want to be a part of the project," Gaddie says.  

Gaddie says as construction continues the facility is still set to be open when the foundation had scheduled. 

"We're on track to open right at the end of the year next year, and there's been no changes to that timeline since we've began, we've been very, very fortunate," Gaddie explains. 

Gaddie led a tour of partners and city leaders throughout the building showing off progress on the ground floor, mezzanine, and second floor of the facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701455237543.jpeg" alt="Mosaic Life Care President Julie Gaddie shows off progress of the ground floor of the future Children's Discovery Center/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Mosaic Life Care President Julie Gaddie shows off progress of the ground floor of the future Children's Discovery Center/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The inside of the Plymouth Building in downtown St. Joseph might look nearly unrecognizable as progress is being made on the future Children's Discovery Center. One year after ground was broken on the new Childrens Discovery Center in downtown St. Joseph, construction is progressing nicely. Mosaic Life Care Foundation President Julie Gaddie says the amount of work that has gone in to get the building where it is today is remarkable. "From the basement, clear through the rooftop, there have been workers from all across our region who have been in this building daily to help bring it to life," Gaddie tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701455441582.jpeg" alt="Mosaic Life Care President Julie Gaddie shows off the second floor of the Plymouth Building, the site of the future Children's Discovery Center, and what it will be used for/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Mosaic Life Care President Julie Gaddie shows off the second floor of the Plymouth Building, the site of the future Children's Discovery Center, and what it will be used for/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Gaddie says with several partners stepping up and helping in fundraising efforts for the project, the foundation is down to the final four percent of the goal. "We just have more and more people stepping forward every day to say this is going to make a generational difference in our community, and we're so grateful for those that want to be a part of the project," Gaddie says. Gaddie says as construction continues the facility is still set to be open when the foundation had scheduled. "We're on track to open right at the end of the year next year, and there's been no changes to that timeline since we've began, we've been very, very fortunate," Gaddie explains. Gaddie led a tour of partners and city leaders throughout the building showing off progress on the ground floor, mezzanine, and second floor of the facility.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701455334542.jpeg" alt="A group of city leaders and partners of the Children's Discovery Center participate in a tour led by Mosaic Life Care President Julie Gaddie of the future facility/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>A group of city leaders and partners of the Children's Discovery Center participate in a tour led by Mosaic Life Care President Julie Gaddie of the future facility/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>

Progress continues on the future Mosaic Children's Discovery Center downtown

CLINTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 1a.m. Friday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Hino 258 driven by Serkiy A. Skrypka, 59, Baltimore, Maryland, was southbound on Interstate 35 three miles north of Lathrop.

The truck traveled off the road into the median and overturned. Tri County ambulance transported Skrypka to Liberty Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

CLINTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 1a.m. Friday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Hino 258 driven by Serkiy A. Skrypka, 59, Baltimore, Maryland, was southbound on Interstate 35 three miles north of Lathrop.The truck traveled off the road into the median and overturned. Tri County ambulance transported Skrypka to Liberty Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Driver hospitalized after truck overturns

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Thursday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Calvin T. Burton, 31, Chillicothe, was northbound on Interstate 35 three miles east of Lathrop.

The car rear-ended a 2004 Chevy Blazer driven by Cory W. Omera, 53, Independence.

Tri County ambulance transported Omera to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Burton was not injured and not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Thursday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Calvin T. Burton, 31, Chillicothe, was northbound on Interstate 35 three miles east of Lathrop.The car rear-ended a 2004 Chevy Blazer driven by Cory W. Omera, 53, Independence.Tri County ambulance transported Omera to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Burton was not injured and not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man hospitalized after rear-end crash

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen on drug allegations.

Just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday, police arrested&nbsp; Robert Olp, 18, of Hiawatha, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

 Olp was arrested on a Brown County District Court warrant for possession of opiate, opium, narcotic, or certain stimulant and criminal damage to property.&nbsp; Brown&nbsp; posted bond and is no longer in custody.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen on drug allegations.Just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday, police arrested&nbsp; Robert Olp, 18, of Hiawatha, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. Olp was arrested on a Brown County District Court warrant for possession of opiate, opium, narcotic, or certain stimulant and criminal damage to property.&nbsp; Brown&nbsp; posted bond and is no longer in custody.

NE Kansas teen jailed on a warrant for drug possession

A World League Wrestling event in St. Joseph this weekend will raise money to offset the medical bills of a wrestler injured during a match.&nbsp;

World League Wrestling will hold a show at the ROC Fellowship Church on Saturday night. A portion of the proceeds will go to St. Joseph wrestler, and member of WLW, Lori Tovey, who suffered a neck injury wrestling.&nbsp;

Professional Wrestler Leland Race says it’s a privilege to get to hold a wrestling event in St. Joseph, because of its rich wrestling history that dates back decades.&nbsp;

"Not just with Harley Race, not just with World League Wrestling, but if you look at KQ2 they held All Star Championship Wrestling and wrestling every week on their TV station, and again it dates back decades and decades," Race tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.&nbsp;

World League Wrestling was formed by Missouri wrestler Harley Race in the late 90's.&nbsp; Race began his wrestling career under St. Joseph wrestling promoter Gust Karras in 1959.&nbsp;

Race says while most know wrestling from watching it on TV, what WLW offers is geared towards those in attendance&nbsp;

"That are at the live wrestling event, and they're going to walk away knowing that they got to see live pro wrestling and they got to be engaged with it a lot more," Race explains.&nbsp;

The event will begin on Saturday at 6pm.&nbsp; Tickets can be purchased online prior to the event or at the door.&nbsp;

Race encourages people to come experience the event for a couple of different reasons. &nbsp;

"Knowing that it's pro wrestling first and foremost fans should give that a shot, if you haven't been, give it a shot, I promise you you're not going to leave angry that's for sure," Race points out. "Number two, knowing that its directly helping somebody that's from St. Joe is just an even better experience, especially during the holidays times are tough for everybody."&nbsp;

By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;A World League Wrestling event in St. Joseph this weekend will raise money to offset the medical bills of a wrestler injured during a match.&nbsp;World League Wrestling will hold a show at the ROC Fellowship Church on Saturday night. A portion of the proceeds will go to St. Joseph wrestler, and member of WLW, Lori Tovey, who suffered a neck injury wrestling.&nbsp;Professional Wrestler Leland Race says it’s a privilege to get to hold a wrestling event in St. Joseph, because of its rich wrestling history that dates back decades.&nbsp;"Not just with Harley Race, not just with World League Wrestling, but if you look at KQ2 they held All Star Championship Wrestling and wrestling every week on their TV station, and again it dates back decades and decades," Race tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.&nbsp;World League Wrestling was formed by Missouri wrestler Harley Race in the late 90's.&nbsp; Race began his wrestling career under St. Joseph wrestling promoter Gust Karras in 1959.&nbsp;Race says while most know wrestling from watching it on TV, what WLW offers is geared towards those in attendance&nbsp;"That are at the live wrestling event, and they're going to walk away knowing that they got to see live pro wrestling and they got to be engaged with it a lot more," Race explains.&nbsp;The event will begin on Saturday at 6pm.&nbsp; Tickets can be purchased online prior to the event or at the door.&nbsp;Race encourages people to come experience the event for a couple of different reasons. &nbsp;"Knowing that it's pro wrestling first and foremost fans should give that a shot, if you haven't been, give it a shot, I promise you you're not going to leave angry that's for sure," Race points out. "Number two, knowing that its directly helping somebody that's from St. Joe is just an even better experience, especially during the holidays times are tough for everybody."&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Harley-Races-World-League-Wrestling-coming-to-St--Joseph-e2ckqpb" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

St. Joseph World League Wrestling event to benefit local wrestler hurt in ring

An American agricultural leader says China can be a very
profitable market for United States grains, but a difficult one to navigate.

Chair of the US Grain Council, Brent Boydston, says it would
be difficult to overstate the importance of China as an agricultural market.

“We were there a few weeks ago as part of a combined cooperator
group and seeing China first-hand, China is an incredibly important market to
the United States and United States agriculture,” Boydston tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post.

Boydston acknowledges it can be a difficult market.

“In the broad scope, there can be challenges, but I was left
with a sense after our meetings that there’s a willingness to work with their
agricultural trade partners to help try and get some of those challenges out of
the way,” Boydston says.

Boydston says during his time in China the delegation got a
chance to speak with Ambassador Nick Burns who Boydston says has been a big
advocate for United States agriculture in China.

“He made some comments that we can handle what we can handle
and then there are those issues that are government-to-government,” according
to Boydston. “So, we’re going to focus on what we can handle.”

Boydston says not only is the US Grain Council pushing corn
and sorghum sales to China, it also is touting ethanol and distillers’ s dried
grains. Boydston points out the Grain Council has had an office in China for 40
years.

“And we feel like we’re just now starting to see the fruits of
that office. We’ve had several directors in China and we’re now starting to get
into places that we haven’t been able to before and that’s because we have had
to have those relationships develop over time,” Boydston says “China is a very,
very long play, very slow play.”

Boydston says many believe agricultural trade between the US
and China could help ease the political tension between the two countries. Boydston
says the recent face-to-face meeting between President Biden and Chinese leader
Xi Jinping in San Francisco should help ease tensions between the two
countries.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostAn American agricultural leader says China can be a very
profitable market for United States grains, but a difficult one to navigate.Chair of the US Grain Council, Brent Boydston, says it would
be difficult to overstate the importance of China as an agricultural market.“We were there a few weeks ago as part of a combined cooperator
group and seeing China first-hand, China is an incredibly important market to
the United States and United States agriculture,” Boydston tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post.Boydston acknowledges it can be a difficult market.“In the broad scope, there can be challenges, but I was left
with a sense after our meetings that there’s a willingness to work with their
agricultural trade partners to help try and get some of those challenges out of
the way,” Boydston says.Boydston says during his time in China the delegation got a
chance to speak with Ambassador Nick Burns who Boydston says has been a big
advocate for United States agriculture in China.“He made some comments that we can handle what we can handle
and then there are those issues that are government-to-government,” according
to Boydston. “So, we’re going to focus on what we can handle.”Boydston says not only is the US Grain Council pushing corn
and sorghum sales to China, it also is touting ethanol and distillers’ s dried
grains. Boydston points out the Grain Council has had an office in China for 40
years.“And we feel like we’re just now starting to see the fruits of
that office. We’ve had several directors in China and we’re now starting to get
into places that we haven’t been able to before and that’s because we have had
to have those relationships develop over time,” Boydston says “China is a very,
very long play, very slow play.”Boydston says many believe agricultural trade between the US
and China could help ease the political tension between the two countries. Boydston
says the recent face-to-face meeting between President Biden and Chinese leader
Xi Jinping in San Francisco should help ease tensions between the two
countries.

US Grain Council says potential there for trade with China, despite tension

The St. Joseph School Board is looking to put a no-tax increase bond issue before voters next year.

The school board is considering placing a $20 million bond issue on either the April or August ballot in 2024 - a bond issue that would focus primarily on facilities.

School board member David Foster says the money would pay for new student activity facilities.

"Some of the things we're looking to do is maybe enhance our athletic department," Foster said during an appearance on KFEQ's The Hotline. "Maybe new football fields. Perhaps fine arts - a new theatre or two."

The School District overwhelmingly passed a measure in August 2022 - a tax levy renewal that went towards maintenance costs and teacher salary increases.&nbsp;More than 71 percent voters were in favor of that.

Foster says the school board will decide in January the size of the bond issue, and whether it will be on the April or August ballot.

Fellow board member Isaura Garcia says her top priorities for facility improvements are basic safety mechanisms, such as adding more sidewalks.

"There's still a lot of schools that don't have sidewalks," she said. "There's a lot of schools that need large maintenance work. So, putting the funds into really enhancing what we already have would be the best thing for me."

The school board could borrow up to $80 million without increasing taxes, but the goal is to keep it to within $20 million.

Foster notes that the public will have a say before the issue gets on the ballot.

"Some of this will be up to the comments and opinions of the public," he said. "It will be presented to our facilities planning committee. We can take all of this information, dissect it, take it to the board and see where it goes from there."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph School Board is looking to put a no-tax increase bond issue before voters next year.The school board is considering placing a $20 million bond issue on either the April or August ballot in 2024 - a bond issue that would focus primarily on facilities.School board member David Foster says the money would pay for new student activity facilities."Some of the things we're looking to do is maybe enhance our athletic department," Foster said during an appearance on KFEQ's The Hotline. "Maybe new football fields. Perhaps fine arts - a new theatre or two."The School District overwhelmingly passed a measure in August 2022 - a tax levy renewal that went towards maintenance costs and teacher salary increases.&nbsp;More than 71 percent voters were in favor of that.Foster says the school board will decide in January the size of the bond issue, and whether it will be on the April or August ballot.Fellow board member Isaura Garcia says her top priorities for facility improvements are basic safety mechanisms, such as adding more sidewalks."There's still a lot of schools that don't have sidewalks," she said. "There's a lot of schools that need large maintenance work. So, putting the funds into really enhancing what we already have would be the best thing for me."The school board could borrow up to $80 million without increasing taxes, but the goal is to keep it to within $20 million.Foster notes that the public will have a say before the issue gets on the ballot."Some of this will be up to the comments and opinions of the public," he said. "It will be presented to our facilities planning committee. We can take all of this information, dissect it, take it to the board and see where it goes from there."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

SJSD looks to put a no-tax increase facilities bond issue on the ballot in 2024

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen for alleged car theft.

On Tuesday, police arrested a 16-year-old boy male was arrested for the alleged theft of a vehicle, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The vehicle&nbsp; was taken from a family member on November 20, in the 1200 block North 5th Street in Atchison.

Following the arrest, police released the teen to a parent. Police also recovered the vehicle.

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen for alleged car theft.On Tuesday, police arrested a 16-year-old boy male was arrested for the alleged theft of a vehicle, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.The vehicle&nbsp; was taken from a family member on November 20, in the 1200 block North 5th Street in Atchison.Following the arrest, police released the teen to a parent. Police also recovered the vehicle.

Police recover vehicle allegedly stolen by Kansas teen

The company was given a choice by a federal court to either shut down the Rush Island Energy Center or add expensive pollution controls

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

Missouri’s largest electric provider hopes to use a state law meant to help utilities add renewable energy to close a coal plant found in violation of federal clean air laws.&nbsp;

St. Louis-based Ameren Missouri, which serves 1.2 million customers, is planning to close its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ameren.com/-/media/missouri-site/files/aboutus/rush-island-factsheet.pdf?la=en-us-mo&amp;hash=E4A7BFFDEBACE901ADFE187BC1F2486054CF8EE4#:~:text=Rush%20Island%20is%20the%20third,safe%2C%20reliable%20and%20affordable%20energy.&amp;text=Rush%20Island%20is%20one%20of,the%20Midwest%20and%20the%20country.">Rush Island Energy Center</a>&nbsp;in Jefferson County next year under a court order forcing it to either install pollution controls or shut down the facility.

The company&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/12/14/ameren-to-shutter-rush-island-coal-plant-by-2024-following-clean-air-act-violation/">announced almost two years ago it would close the plant</a>, saying the pollution controls would be too expensive.

Last week, it&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://efis.psc.mo.gov/Case/Display/10206">filed with the Missouri Public Service Commission</a>&nbsp;seeking permission to use a new financing law known as securitization to recoup its investment at Rush Island.&nbsp;

In testimony filed with the Public Service Commission, Ameren Missouri President Mark Birk said continuing to operate coal plants had become “extremely challenging.”

“Faced with these realities, the only prudent option was to shut down Rush Island instead of adding scrubbers,” Birk said.&nbsp;

Rush Island is a two-unit coal plant south of St. Louis on the Mississippi River. Ameren had planned to operate Rush Island until 2039 before the court order.

Rush Island is old enough that the company was not required to install pollution controls when the facility’s two units were put into operation in 1976 and 1977. A 1977 update to the Clean Air Act required new power plants to do so. Older coal plants were grandfathered into the rule until they made upgrades beyond routine maintenance in a way that increased emissions.&nbsp;

Once Ameren overhauled the coal plant units in 2007 and 2010, it fell under the requirement, but it failed to apply for that permit,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/1122_00%20-%202019-09-30%20-%20Memorandum%20Opinion%20and%20Order.pdf">according to court filings</a>.&nbsp;

U.S. District Court Judge Rodney Sippel ordered Ameren in 2019 to obtain that permit, install scrubbers and meet standards for sulfur dioxide emissions. In 2021, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/health-science-environment/2021-08-20/federal-appeals-court-finds-ameren-violated-clean-air-act-must-install-pollution-controls-at-jeffco-plant">8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld that ruling</a>, though it struck down a requirement that Ameren also install scrubbers at the Labadie Energy Center in Franklin County.

Despite losing the argument in court, Ameren maintains its upgrades at Rush Island were not significant enough to trigger the required pollution control updates.&nbsp;

“Given the facts and circumstances as they existed at the time, no rational utility would have done anything differently with respect to Rush Island,” Birk said. “Having made prudent decisions, the securitization of the cost of retirement for Rush Island is appropriate.”

For the Public Service Commission to approve Ameren’s request, it must find the utility is acting prudently in retiring the plant. Even in its decision not to seek a permit for the upgrades to Rush Island, Ameren argues it has acted prudently.&nbsp;

“We believe we have a strong case that at the time the decision was made to (not) pursue a permit for this work, we had no regulatory directive to do so,” said Warren Wood, Ameren’s vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs.&nbsp;

Asked if he had any misgivings about Ameren using securitization in the case of a coal plant found in violation of the Clean Air Act, Andy Knott, with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, said the environmental nonprofit supports the use of the securitization to shutter coal plants.&nbsp;

“But Ameren must use the proceeds to invest back in renewables,” Knott said.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/07/06/parson-signs-bill-helping-utilities-shutter-coal-plants-transition-to-renewable-power/">relatively new securitization law</a>&nbsp;allows utilities to essentially refinance coal plants. A third party issues bonds to pay back the utility’s investment in building the plant. Then customers repay the bonds through their bills.

The policy — which was backed by an unusual alliance of environmental and consumer advocate groups and utility companies — is meant to incentivize companies to close coal plants early and invest the savings in renewable energy projects.

Ameren did not commit to additional clean energy investments if it is allowed to securitize Rush Island. Under its current “integrated resource plan,” filed with Missouri regulators, the company proposes adding 2,800 megawatts of wind and solar power, 400 megawatts of battery storage and an 800-megawatt natural gas plant by 2030.&nbsp;

“I can’t speak to if it provides opportunities to accelerate some of those investments,” Wood said. “It may, but it would certainly be helpful to moving ahead with the IRP plan that we most recently issued.”

According to Ameren’s filing, it’s seeking to securitize the remaining value at Rush Island of $475 million and other costs associated with decommissioning the plant. Including financing costs, the company hopes to securitize costs of more than $519 million.&nbsp;

Compared to recouping its investment at Rush Island from ratepayers, Ameren estimates customers will save almost $76 million in net present value over 15 years.&nbsp;

The cost to ratepayers to pay back the securitization bonds, the company estimates will be about $1.71 per month for the average customer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701344150978.png" alt="The Rush Island Energy Center on the Mississippi River will close following a federal court ruling (photo courtesy of Ameren Missouri)." />
 <figcaption>The Rush Island Energy Center on the Mississippi River will close following a federal court ruling (photo courtesy of Ameren Missouri).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The company was given a choice by a federal court to either shut down the Rush Island Energy Center or add expensive pollution controls</h2>By ALLISON KITE&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s largest electric provider hopes to use a state law meant to help utilities add renewable energy to close a coal plant found in violation of federal clean air laws.&nbsp;St. Louis-based Ameren Missouri, which serves 1.2 million customers, is planning to close its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ameren.com/-/media/missouri-site/files/aboutus/rush-island-factsheet.pdf?la=en-us-mo&amp;hash=E4A7BFFDEBACE901ADFE187BC1F2486054CF8EE4#:~:text=Rush%20Island%20is%20the%20third,safe%2C%20reliable%20and%20affordable%20energy.&amp;text=Rush%20Island%20is%20one%20of,the%20Midwest%20and%20the%20country.">Rush Island Energy Center</a>&nbsp;in Jefferson County next year under a court order forcing it to either install pollution controls or shut down the facility.The company&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/12/14/ameren-to-shutter-rush-island-coal-plant-by-2024-following-clean-air-act-violation/">announced almost two years ago it would close the plant</a>, saying the pollution controls would be too expensive.Last week, it&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://efis.psc.mo.gov/Case/Display/10206">filed with the Missouri Public Service Commission</a>&nbsp;seeking permission to use a new financing law known as securitization to recoup its investment at Rush Island.&nbsp;In testimony filed with the Public Service Commission, Ameren Missouri President Mark Birk said continuing to operate coal plants had become “extremely challenging.”“Faced with these realities, the only prudent option was to shut down Rush Island instead of adding scrubbers,” Birk said.&nbsp;Rush Island is a two-unit coal plant south of St. Louis on the Mississippi River. Ameren had planned to operate Rush Island until 2039 before the court order.Rush Island is old enough that the company was not required to install pollution controls when the facility’s two units were put into operation in 1976 and 1977. A 1977 update to the Clean Air Act required new power plants to do so. Older coal plants were grandfathered into the rule until they made upgrades beyond routine maintenance in a way that increased emissions.&nbsp;Once Ameren overhauled the coal plant units in 2007 and 2010, it fell under the requirement, but it failed to apply for that permit,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/1122_00%20-%202019-09-30%20-%20Memorandum%20Opinion%20and%20Order.pdf">according to court filings</a>.&nbsp;U.S. District Court Judge Rodney Sippel ordered Ameren in 2019 to obtain that permit, install scrubbers and meet standards for sulfur dioxide emissions. In 2021, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/health-science-environment/2021-08-20/federal-appeals-court-finds-ameren-violated-clean-air-act-must-install-pollution-controls-at-jeffco-plant">8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld that ruling</a>, though it struck down a requirement that Ameren also install scrubbers at the Labadie Energy Center in Franklin County.Despite losing the argument in court, Ameren maintains its upgrades at Rush Island were not significant enough to trigger the required pollution control updates.&nbsp;“Given the facts and circumstances as they existed at the time, no rational utility would have done anything differently with respect to Rush Island,” Birk said. “Having made prudent decisions, the securitization of the cost of retirement for Rush Island is appropriate.”For the Public Service Commission to approve Ameren’s request, it must find the utility is acting prudently in retiring the plant. Even in its decision not to seek a permit for the upgrades to Rush Island, Ameren argues it has acted prudently.&nbsp;“We believe we have a strong case that at the time the decision was made to (not) pursue a permit for this work, we had no regulatory directive to do so,” said Warren Wood, Ameren’s vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs.&nbsp;Asked if he had any misgivings about Ameren using securitization in the case of a coal plant found in violation of the Clean Air Act, Andy Knott, with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, said the environmental nonprofit supports the use of the securitization to shutter coal plants.&nbsp;“But Ameren must use the proceeds to invest back in renewables,” Knott said.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/07/06/parson-signs-bill-helping-utilities-shutter-coal-plants-transition-to-renewable-power/">relatively new securitization law</a>&nbsp;allows utilities to essentially refinance coal plants. A third party issues bonds to pay back the utility’s investment in building the plant. Then customers repay the bonds through their bills.The policy — which was backed by an unusual alliance of environmental and consumer advocate groups and utility companies — is meant to incentivize companies to close coal plants early and invest the savings in renewable energy projects.Ameren did not commit to additional clean energy investments if it is allowed to securitize Rush Island. Under its current “integrated resource plan,” filed with Missouri regulators, the company proposes adding 2,800 megawatts of wind and solar power, 400 megawatts of battery storage and an 800-megawatt natural gas plant by 2030.&nbsp;“I can’t speak to if it provides opportunities to accelerate some of those investments,” Wood said. “It may, but it would certainly be helpful to moving ahead with the IRP plan that we most recently issued.”According to Ameren’s filing, it’s seeking to securitize the remaining value at Rush Island of $475 million and other costs associated with decommissioning the plant. Including financing costs, the company hopes to securitize costs of more than $519 million.&nbsp;Compared to recouping its investment at Rush Island from ratepayers, Ameren estimates customers will save almost $76 million in net present value over 15 years.&nbsp;The cost to ratepayers to pay back the securitization bonds, the company estimates will be about $1.71 per month for the average customer.

Ameren seeks to shutter Mo. coal plant early, recoup investment from ratepayers

It appears a medical condition caused a crash in which a
vehicle plowed into a business on St. Joseph Avenue.

St. Joseph police report the crash late Tuesday night caused
damage to the front of Dick’s Bait and Tackle at 2604 St. Joseph Avenue.

Though a medical condition appears to have caused the
accident, the driver not only survived the wreck, but appears to have fully recovered.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostIt appears a medical condition caused a crash in which a
vehicle plowed into a business on St. Joseph Avenue.St. Joseph police report the crash late Tuesday night caused
damage to the front of Dick’s Bait and Tackle at 2604 St. Joseph Avenue.Though a medical condition appears to have caused the
accident, the driver not only survived the wreck, but appears to have fully recovered.

Medical condition appears to have caused car-building crash on St. Joseph Avenue

Missouri’s child welfare agency already offers guidance to foster care providers asking them to use a child’s ‘preferred name and pronouns’ and provide ‘physically and emotionally safe and supportive care and resources regardless of one’s personal attitudes and beliefs’

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

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey this week joined with 18 other states to oppose a proposed federal rule that aims to protect LGBTQ youth in foster care and provide them with necessary services.

The attorneys general argue in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023.11.27-Alabama-et-al.-Foster-Care-Comment-SUBMITTED.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. Department of Health &amp; Human Services that the proposed rule — which requires states to provide safe and appropriate placements with providers who are appropriately trained about the child’s sexual orientation or gender identity&nbsp; — amounts to religion-based discrimination and violates freedom of speech.

“As a foster parent myself,” Bailey said in a news release Tuesday, “I am deeply invested in protecting children and putting their best interests first.”

“Biden’s proposed rule does exactly the opposite by enacting policies meant to exclude people with deeply held religious beliefs from being foster parents.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701262449456.png" alt=" A qualifying foster parent under the proposed federal rule would need to be educated on the needs of the child’s sexuality or gender identity and, if the child wishes, “facilitate the child's access to age-appropriate resources, services, and activities that support their health and well-being" (photo illustration by Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)." />
 <figcaption> A qualifying foster parent under the proposed federal rule would need to be educated on the needs of the child’s sexuality or gender identity and, if the child wishes, “facilitate the child's access to age-appropriate resources, services, and activities that support their health and well-being" (photo illustration by Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri’s child welfare agency already offers guidance to foster care providers asking them to use a child’s ‘preferred name and pronouns’ and provide ‘physically and emotionally safe and supportive care and resources regardless of one’s personal attitudes and beliefs’</h2>By CLARA BATES&nbsp;AND&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey this week joined with 18 other states to oppose a proposed federal rule that aims to protect LGBTQ youth in foster care and provide them with necessary services.The attorneys general argue in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023.11.27-Alabama-et-al.-Foster-Care-Comment-SUBMITTED.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. Department of Health &amp; Human Services that the proposed rule — which requires states to provide safe and appropriate placements with providers who are appropriately trained about the child’s sexual orientation or gender identity&nbsp; — amounts to religion-based discrimination and violates freedom of speech.“As a foster parent myself,” Bailey said in a news release Tuesday, “I am deeply invested in protecting children and putting their best interests first.”“Biden’s proposed rule does exactly the opposite by enacting policies meant to exclude people with deeply held religious beliefs from being foster parents.”The rule is part of a package of federal proposals on foster care and is an extension of the Biden administration’s broader&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/15/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-sign-historic-executive-order-advancing-lgbtqi-equality-during-pride-month/">push</a>&nbsp;to protect LGBTQ kids in foster care.“Because of family rejection and abuse,” the Biden administration&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/27/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-support-children-and-families-in-foster-care/#:~:text=The%20proposed%20rule%20would%20require,on%20how%20to%20meet%20their">said in a September press release,</a>&nbsp;LGBTQ children are “overrepresented in foster care where they face poor outcomes, including mistreatment and discrimination because of who they are.”State agencies would be required under the rule to provide safe and appropriate foster care placements for those who are “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex,” along with children who are “non-binary or have non-conforming gender identity or expression.”A qualifying foster parent would need to be educated on the needs of the child’s sexuality or gender identity and, if the child wishes, “facilitate the child’s access to age-appropriate resources, services, and activities that support their health and well-being.”An example of a safe and appropriate placement is one where a provider is “expected to utilize the child’s identified pronouns, chosen name, and allow the child to dress in an age-appropriate manner,” according to the proposal, “that the child believes reflects their self-identified gender identity and expression.”The attorneys general characterize that as “forcing an individual to use another’s preferred pronouns by government fiat,” in violation of the First Amendment.Robert Fischer, director of communications for Missouri LGBTQ advocacy organization PROMO, said the freedom of religion “doesn’t give any person the right to impose those beliefs on others, particularly to discriminate.”&nbsp;“Any state official who claims to put ‘children’s interests first’ and in the same breath is willing to risk their well-being and opportunity to thrive in the name of religion — I think that speaks for itself,” Fischer told The Independent.&nbsp;The rule prohibits retaliation against children who identify as LGBTQ or are perceived as LGBTQ.Public agencies would need to notify children about the option to request foster homes identified as “safe and appropriate” and tell them how to report concerns about their placement.Agencies would also have to go through extra steps before placing transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming children in group care settings that are divided by sex.The “majority” of states, according to the proposed rule, would have to “expand their efforts” to recruit and identify providers who could meet the needs of LGBTQ children.<h2>Missouri guidelines</h2>Laws and policies for protecting LGBTQ youth in foster care — relating to kids’ rights, supports, placement considerations, caregiver qualifications and definitions — currently vary by state.&nbsp;According to a federal report published in January, which reviewed states’ laws and policies, Missouri&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/state/?CWIGFunctionsaction=statestatutes:main.getResults">does not have laws or policies</a>&nbsp;explicitly addressing any of those five categories.Most states — 39 states and Washington, D.C. — have “explicit protections from harassment or discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression,” according to a federal&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/LGBTyouth.pdf">report</a>, as of January. Missouri is not one of them.&nbsp;Twenty-two&nbsp; states and D.C. as of January, require agencies to provide tailored services and supports to LGBTQ youth, and eight states and D.C. offer case management and facilitate access to “gender-affirming medical, mental health and social services.”Children’s Division, the agency within the Missouri Department of Social Services that oversees foster care, offers guidance on their website for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/cd/foster-care/files/best-practice-guide-for-placement-providers.pdf">providers</a>&nbsp;and child welfare&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/cd/older-youth-program/files/best-practice-guide-for-staff.pdf">staff</a>&nbsp;in “supporting LGBTQ youth in foster care,” but still does not appear to have official policy on the issue.A spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Social Services did not respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;Those guidelines include using the child’s “preferred name and pronouns,” along with establishing a supportive environment and providing “physically and emotionally safe and supportive care and resources regardless of one’s personal attitudes and beliefs.”The Department of Social Services is part of the administration of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, and the guidelines were in place the entire time Bailey was serving as Parson’s general counsel — the second highest ranking job in the governor’s office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bailey’s spokesperson did not immediately respond when asked whether he raised any objections to the guidelines during his tenure with Parson.<h2>AG arguments</h2>The 19 attorneys general contend the federal rule would “remove faith-based providers from the foster care system” because of their “religious beliefs on sexual orientation and gender identity.”They cite Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a U.S. Supreme Court case that ruled a public agency couldn’t force private, religious foster agencies to allow same-sex foster parents.The proposed rule itself also acknowledges the Supreme Court case and alleges that by not requiring religious foster-care providers to welcome LGBTQ children, it is complying with the court’s precedent.But the attorneys general do not believe this is enough. Their letter argues the proposal violates freedom of religion because those unwilling to support LGBTQ foster children “would be excluded from providing care to as many as one-third of foster children ages 12-21.”“In addition to discriminating against religion, the proposed rule will harm children by limiting the number of available foster homes, harm families by risking kinship placements, and harm states by increasing costs and decreasing care options,” the letter says.The rule would “discourage individuals and organizations of faith from joining or continuing in foster care,” the attorneys general argue, and “reduce family setting options.” Without faith-based foster parents, the attorneys general say, children would be more likely to be placed in congregate settings.They also say the rule could disqualify family members who volunteer as placement, or kinship care, if the family member does not agree to support the child’s sexuality or gender identity with age-appropriate resources, as the rule entails.

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