A St. Joseph man received a non-life-threatening stab wound
during a confrontation at the intersection of Hickory and South 13th
very early Wednesday morning.

St. Joseph police report the stabbing took place shortly after
one o’clock this morning.

Police say 44-year-old Ronnie Davis, Jr. suffered a wound to his hand.

No one has been arrested. The investigation continues.

This article has been updated since first published.

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA St. Joseph man received a non-life-threatening stab wound
during a confrontation at the intersection of Hickory and South 13th
very early Wednesday morning.St. Joseph police report the stabbing took place shortly after
one o’clock this morning.Police say 44-year-old Ronnie Davis, Jr. suffered a wound to his hand.No one has been arrested. The investigation continues.This article has been updated since first published.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph man wounded in stabbing

A St. Joseph man suspected in a domestic assault has been
taken into custody after a nearly five-hour standoff.

St. Joseph police report officers arrived at a residence in
the 2500 block of South 15th Street after receiving a report
about a domestic assault/robbery.

Police say the victim made a report at 6:30 Tuesday night. Officers located the suspect, a 28-year-old man, at a residence in the 2300 block of Felix Street, but he refused to give himself up. The Special Response
Team surrounded the residence and he finally gave up to police without
incident shortly before two o’clock Wednesday morning.

This article has been updated since first published.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA St. Joseph man suspected in a domestic assault has been
taken into custody after a nearly five-hour standoff.St. Joseph police report officers arrived at a residence in
the 2500 block of South 15th Street after receiving a report
about a domestic assault/robbery.Police say the victim made a report at 6:30 Tuesday night. Officers located the suspect, a 28-year-old man, at a residence in the 2300 block of Felix Street, but he refused to give himself up. The Special Response
Team surrounded the residence and he finally gave up to police without
incident shortly before two o’clock Wednesday morning.This article has been updated since first published.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Suspect in domestic dispute gives up to St. Joseph police after 5-hour standoff

St. Joseph police are investigating a shooting in which a St.
Joseph man suffered a non-life-threatening wound.

Police say they received multiple calls around 7:30 Tuesday night about shots being fired in the area of 9th and Powell.
Officers found 55-year-old Jeff Epps of St. Joseph wounded from a gunshot. Epps was treated and released from the local hospital. Investigators have
information on a suspect, but no one has been arrested at this time.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph police are investigating a shooting in which a St.
Joseph man suffered a non-life-threatening wound.Police say they received multiple calls around 7:30 Tuesday night about shots being fired in the area of 9th and Powell.
Officers found 55-year-old Jeff Epps of St. Joseph wounded from a gunshot. Epps was treated and released from the local hospital. Investigators have
information on a suspect, but no one has been arrested at this time.This article has been updated since first published.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph man shot and wounded

PLATTE COUNTY—Thieves targeted portions of Platte County on Tuesday.

 The Links Apartment Complex, Walnut Creek Subdivision and Thousand Oaks Subdivision were victim to suspects stealing from vehicles, according to a media release from the Platte County Sheriff. 

Crash, credit cards, electronics and firearms were the most common items taken. The preliminary time of occurrence is believed to be between 11:00p.m. on Monday and 3:30a.m. on Tuesday. 

 The Sheriff’s Office received reports from at least 20 victims from those apartment complexes.  Detectives are in the process of investigating leads to identify the suspects.

The sheriff reminds the public to be sure to keep your vehicle secured at all times and items of value either hidden or not in the vehicle at all.  A locked door is a deterrent, not a guarantee.

If you have any information related to these crimes, please contact us at 816-858-2424 or the Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (816-474-8477).

PLATTE COUNTY—Thieves targeted portions of Platte County on Tuesday. The Links Apartment Complex, Walnut Creek Subdivision and Thousand Oaks Subdivision were victim to suspects stealing from vehicles, according to a media release from the Platte County Sheriff. Crash, credit cards, electronics and firearms were the most common items taken. The preliminary time of occurrence is believed to be between 11:00p.m. on Monday and 3:30a.m. on Tuesday. The Sheriff’s Office received reports from at least 20 victims from those apartment complexes. Detectives are in the process of investigating leads to identify the suspects.The sheriff reminds the public to be sure to keep your vehicle secured at all times and items of value either hidden or not in the vehicle at all. A locked door is a deterrent, not a guarantee.If you have any information related to these crimes, please contact us at 816-858-2424 or the Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (816-474-8477).

20 victims report theft from vehicles in Platte County 

A wide-ranging education bill signed by Gov. Mike Parson last week will further press a reduced education budget with mandated lunch for preschoolers and items causing anxiety about the future

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>

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education anticipates asking lawmakers for more money later this year in order to meet the demands of a massive new education law and make up for reduced federal funding.

“My gut is… because you have a lot of federal authority deleted… ​​you’ll see the mother of all supplemental budgets, probably in a special session,” State Board of Education Chair Charlie Shields, of St. Joseph, said during Tuesday’s board meeting.

The budget approved by lawmakers for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is more than $1 billion short of the current year’s appropriation, despite a 3.2% bump in pay for the education department’s employees.&nbsp;

This is before any possible vetoes or budget withholds by Gov. Mike Parson.

Kari Monsees, the department’s commissioner of financial and administrative services, told the board that a “common theme” of the budget was reductions in federal funding. And that impacts the amount of general revenue required next year, he said.

“Is that normal?” Mary Schrag, a board member from West Plains asked. “Is it considered realistic that we’re not going to use all those federal funds moving forward from year to year?”

Some items usually funded by federal money may be part of a supplemental request, Monsees said. He is most worried about the child-care-subsidy program, which encourages child care providers to serve low-income families.

The budget approved by lawmakers last week gives the department almost $260 million for two child care subsidies — a reduction of $23.4 million from current funding. The amount pulled from the state’s general revenue fund is stagnant between the fiscal years, showing a reduction in federal funding.

“We are seeing the case loads increase to the point where we’re going to need some of that capacity moving forward,” Monsees said. “It lowers the overall state budget by reducing some of those federal funds. The question is, is there enough left there?”

House Budget Chair Cody Smith, a Republican from Carthage, told reporters in a press conference last week that the House consolidated federal fund requests based on how much was used in the previous year. According to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY_2025_Department_of_Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Budget_Request_with_Governor%27s_Recommendations.pdf">budget documents</a>, the program has a projected 92% utilization rate in the upcoming fiscal year. .

The budget, which squeaked through hours before the constitutional deadline, doesn’t include provisions of an omnibus education&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244">bill</a>&nbsp;recently signed into law by Parson.&nbsp;

The bill at its core expands the K-12 tax-credit scholarships called MOScholars. But it also includes public-education priorities like a raise to the base teacher pay and scholarships for future educators. House lawmakers, in a floor debate on the legislation, wondered if there would be enough money in the state’s budget in future years to help districts raise teacher salaries and other costly provisions.

Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, a board member from Pasadena Hills, noted the law’s projected price tag of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://senate.mo.gov/FiscalNotes/2024-1/3329S.24P.UPD.pdf">$468 million</a>&nbsp;when fully implemented.

“Do you feel like this budget adequately incorporates all the mandates that are outlined in this bill?” she asked Monsees. “There is a lot of concern from the educational community that there are a lot of unfunded mandates in this bill.”

A couple items, like expanding the small school grant program and providing lunch to pre-k students, are unfunded, Monsees said. He anticipates requesting the funding in a supplemental budget.

The mandated raise to teachers base pay doesn’t take effect until fiscal year 2026, he said. The state has been offering an opt-in matching grant program to raise teacher pay to $38,000, subject to annual reappropriation. This year, that amount will bump up to $40,000 before the new law forces districts to raise salaries with a grant program that will also require funds annually.

“The requests that you’re gonna see for fiscal year (2026) will be significant,” Monsees told board members. “It was going to be significant anyway, and (the new law) makes it where it will be an even bigger request.”

“I think you are two to three years out from having a huge challenge,” he said.

Shields and Monsees agreed that they had never seen a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/09/missouri-senate-avoids-impasse-over-budget-to-make-constitutional-deadline/">budget process like the one that occurred last week</a>, with closed-door negotiations and without a conference committee where lawmakers openly compromise on the budget.

The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715729851386.png" alt=" Missouri State Board of Education members look line by line at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education budget Tuesday morning during their board meeting (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri State Board of Education members look line by line at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education budget Tuesday morning during their board meeting (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A wide-ranging education bill signed by Gov. Mike Parson last week will further press a reduced education budget with mandated lunch for preschoolers and items causing anxiety about the future</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>The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education anticipates asking lawmakers for more money later this year in order to meet the demands of a massive new education law and make up for reduced federal funding.“My gut is… because you have a lot of federal authority deleted… ​​you’ll see the mother of all supplemental budgets, probably in a special session,” State Board of Education Chair Charlie Shields, of St. Joseph, said during Tuesday’s board meeting.The budget approved by lawmakers for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is more than $1 billion short of the current year’s appropriation, despite a 3.2% bump in pay for the education department’s employees.&nbsp;This is before any possible vetoes or budget withholds by Gov. Mike Parson.Kari Monsees, the department’s commissioner of financial and administrative services, told the board that a “common theme” of the budget was reductions in federal funding. And that impacts the amount of general revenue required next year, he said.“Is that normal?” Mary Schrag, a board member from West Plains asked. “Is it considered realistic that we’re not going to use all those federal funds moving forward from year to year?”Some items usually funded by federal money may be part of a supplemental request, Monsees said. He is most worried about the child-care-subsidy program, which encourages child care providers to serve low-income families.The budget approved by lawmakers last week gives the department almost $260 million for two child care subsidies — a reduction of $23.4 million from current funding. The amount pulled from the state’s general revenue fund is stagnant between the fiscal years, showing a reduction in federal funding.“We are seeing the case loads increase to the point where we’re going to need some of that capacity moving forward,” Monsees said. “It lowers the overall state budget by reducing some of those federal funds. The question is, is there enough left there?”House Budget Chair Cody Smith, a Republican from Carthage, told reporters in a press conference last week that the House consolidated federal fund requests based on how much was used in the previous year. According to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY_2025_Department_of_Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Budget_Request_with_Governor%27s_Recommendations.pdf">budget documents</a>, the program has a projected 92% utilization rate in the upcoming fiscal year. .The budget, which squeaked through hours before the constitutional deadline, doesn’t include provisions of an omnibus education&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244">bill</a>&nbsp;recently signed into law by Parson.&nbsp;The bill at its core expands the K-12 tax-credit scholarships called MOScholars. But it also includes public-education priorities like a raise to the base teacher pay and scholarships for future educators. House lawmakers, in a floor debate on the legislation, wondered if there would be enough money in the state’s budget in future years to help districts raise teacher salaries and other costly provisions.Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, a board member from Pasadena Hills, noted the law’s projected price tag of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://senate.mo.gov/FiscalNotes/2024-1/3329S.24P.UPD.pdf">$468 million</a>&nbsp;when fully implemented.“Do you feel like this budget adequately incorporates all the mandates that are outlined in this bill?” she asked Monsees. “There is a lot of concern from the educational community that there are a lot of unfunded mandates in this bill.”A couple items, like expanding the small school grant program and providing lunch to pre-k students, are unfunded, Monsees said. He anticipates requesting the funding in a supplemental budget.The mandated raise to teachers base pay doesn’t take effect until fiscal year 2026, he said. The state has been offering an opt-in matching grant program to raise teacher pay to $38,000, subject to annual reappropriation. This year, that amount will bump up to $40,000 before the new law forces districts to raise salaries with a grant program that will also require funds annually.“The requests that you’re gonna see for fiscal year (2026) will be significant,” Monsees told board members. “It was going to be significant anyway, and (the new law) makes it where it will be an even bigger request.”Shields also foresees budget woes.“I think you are two to three years out from having a huge challenge,” he said.Shields and Monsees agreed that they had never seen a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/09/missouri-senate-avoids-impasse-over-budget-to-make-constitutional-deadline/">budget process like the one that occurred last week</a>, with closed-door negotiations and without a conference committee where lawmakers openly compromise on the budget.The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

Missouri education department prepares for ‘mother of all supplemental budgets’

St. Joseph voters will be asked in August to increase the
school levy by 59-cents to increase teacher pay.

Assistant Superintendent Robert Sigrist says the increase in
the school levy will also pay for raises for all St. Joseph School District
employees, such as cooks and janitors.

“Our staff that are at the lower end of those pay scales, we
would really like to bring those pay scales up, at the bottom especially,”
Sigrist tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So this would be a good step in doing
that.”

In fact, the St. Joseph School Board has indicated it wants to
give district employees a flat $2,400 to $2,750 pay raise the first year if
voters approve the levy increase. That would provide St. Joseph School District
employees making the least the largest percentage pay raise.

The St. Joseph School District proposes giving up its
Proposition C waiver in favor of the 59-cent increase to its levy. Proposition
C created a special statewide sales tax Missouri school districts could use for
teacher pay. Nearly all of Missouri’s school districts have given up their Prop
C waiver in favor of larger local levies.

Sigrist says the St. Joseph School District no longer has competitive
salaries as compared with the 32 comparable districts. Sigrist says the St.
Joseph district has fallen behind in teacher pay.

“Again, that would be a large step in that direction of making
us much more competitive,” Sigrist says. “It’s not going to put us anywhere near
the top of those 32 districts that we kind of compare to, but at least would
put us in a much more competitive space than what we are right now.”

Right now, St. Joseph ranks near the bottom of those 32
districts in teacher pay, despite the school board moving to add $1,300 to the base
pay for teachers in the district.

Sigrist says the St. Joseph district needs to catch up with comparable
districts.

“Education jobs are very competitive right now as a whole,
from an industry-wide place, especially in the state of Missouri,” according to
Sigrist. “We have a lot more teachers at retirement age than we do have teachers
coming in out of colleges right now. And so, that space has become very, very
competitive in the last few years and I think that will continue to become more
competitive over the next several years.”

The tax increase is expected to raise $7.1 million annually.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph voters will be asked in August to increase the
school levy by 59-cents to increase teacher pay.Assistant Superintendent Robert Sigrist says the increase in
the school levy will also pay for raises for all St. Joseph School District
employees, such as cooks and janitors.“Our staff that are at the lower end of those pay scales, we
would really like to bring those pay scales up, at the bottom especially,”
Sigrist tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So this would be a good step in doing
that.”In fact, the St. Joseph School Board has indicated it wants to
give district employees a flat $2,400 to $2,750 pay raise the first year if
voters approve the levy increase. That would provide St. Joseph School District
employees making the least the largest percentage pay raise.The St. Joseph School District proposes giving up its
Proposition C waiver in favor of the 59-cent increase to its levy. Proposition
C created a special statewide sales tax Missouri school districts could use for
teacher pay. Nearly all of Missouri’s school districts have given up their Prop
C waiver in favor of larger local levies.Sigrist says the St. Joseph School District no longer has competitive
salaries as compared with the 32 comparable districts. Sigrist says the St.
Joseph district has fallen behind in teacher pay.“Again, that would be a large step in that direction of making
us much more competitive,” Sigrist says. “It’s not going to put us anywhere near
the top of those 32 districts that we kind of compare to, but at least would
put us in a much more competitive space than what we are right now.”Right now, St. Joseph ranks near the bottom of those 32
districts in teacher pay, despite the school board moving to add $1,300 to the base
pay for teachers in the district.Sigrist says the St. Joseph district needs to catch up with comparable
districts.“Education jobs are very competitive right now as a whole,
from an industry-wide place, especially in the state of Missouri,” according to
Sigrist. “We have a lot more teachers at retirement age than we do have teachers
coming in out of colleges right now. And so, that space has become very, very
competitive in the last few years and I think that will continue to become more
competitive over the next several years.”The tax increase is expected to raise $7.1 million annually.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph voters will be asked to raise school levy to increase teacher pay

Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph works to help military students adjust to life outside of the military through the Center for Military and Veteran Services. 

Center director Chelsey Clark says the center helps military connected students and potential military students 

"Navigate everything in their education career, everything from those benefits to finding a community to just having an actual physical space that is for them and that is their own," Clark tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  

Missouri Western had about 300 military connected students on campus using the center. 

The Center for Military and Veteran Services on the St. Joseph campus was established in 2020 to provide assistance to military connected students.  

Clark says knowing what benefits are available to students can be difficult, but at Missouri Western they work to make it as easy as possible to navigate 

"Especially because a lot of students come to me and they don't even know what they qualify for, so I help them, I'll sit with them, we'll go through the VA together or maybe in the national guard, so I help them with those benefits," Clark explains.  

"Whatever it is I'll sit down with them and explain it to them in my opinion in a way that makes sense, and make sure that when they leave my office, they don't have any more questions." 

Clark says her office is a one stop shop to ensure students find all benefits available to them, and after that she works to ensure students are taken care of. 

Clark says she often sees challenges in the adjustment in veterans and older active service members 

"It is a challenge to go from this very structured, very sometimes black and white world of the military to a much more flexible, much more gray, much less structured civilian life," Clark points out. "And the education system is even more so." 

Two separate organizations honored Western this past fall.  Missouri Western earned a Military Friendly School gold designation and was named to the Military Times Best for Vets: colleges list.  

It's the second consecutive year Missouri Western earned the honors, which must be applied for every year.

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph works to help military students adjust to life outside of the military through the Center for Military and Veteran Services. Center director Chelsey Clark says the center helps military connected students and potential military students "Navigate everything in their education career, everything from those benefits to finding a community to just having an actual physical space that is for them and that is their own," Clark tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. Missouri Western had about 300 military connected students on campus using the center. The Center for Military and Veteran Services on the St. Joseph campus was established in 2020 to provide assistance to military connected students. Clark says knowing what benefits are available to students can be difficult, but at Missouri Western they work to make it as easy as possible to navigate "Especially because a lot of students come to me and they don't even know what they qualify for, so I help them, I'll sit with them, we'll go through the VA together or maybe in the national guard, so I help them with those benefits," Clark explains. "Whatever it is I'll sit down with them and explain it to them in my opinion in a way that makes sense, and make sure that when they leave my office, they don't have any more questions." Clark says her office is a one stop shop to ensure students find all benefits available to them, and after that she works to ensure students are taken care of. Clark says she often sees challenges in the adjustment in veterans and older active service members "It is a challenge to go from this very structured, very sometimes black and white world of the military to a much more flexible, much more gray, much less structured civilian life," Clark points out. "And the education system is even more so." Two separate organizations honored Western this past fall. Missouri Western earned a Military Friendly School gold designation and was named to the Military Times Best for Vets: colleges list. It's the second consecutive year Missouri Western earned the honors, which must be applied for every year.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western helping veterans and military members adjust to normal life

Sounds of Summer returns to downtown St. Joseph this Friday.

The annual free concert series will again be held at Coleman
Hawkins Park at Felix Street Square.

St. Joseph Downtown Association Executive Director Wendy Lilly
says the concerts draw a diverse audience to the downtown, adding, if you
haven’t been downtown for a while.

“Please check it out, because it has been revitalized,” Lilly
tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “So, to be able to be at night,
downtown, live music. It’s a really cool atmosphere that a lot of other towns
maybe don’t have. So, we’re real lucky to have that here.”

Sounds of Summer kicks off with a performance by Blue Oyster
Culture Club. The free concerts will be held every third Friday through
October. There will be two in June; Vinyl Revival on June 7th and
The Vincents on June 21st.

Patrons are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, but
no coolers. Drinks, including alcohol, and food will be available at the
concession area.

Lilly says it takes a lot of work to organize and pull off the
free concert series, adding the nonprofit association leans heavily on the
goodwill and work of its volunteers.

“We have volunteers that make this happen,” Lilly says. “So,
without having the volunteers, none of this would happen. The Downtown
Association is really for the promotion of downtown and the welfare of downtown
and making sure that there is a safe environment for things like this to
happen, for all of the events that we sponsor.”

The series kicks off Friday night at 6:30 at Coleman Hawkins
Park in Felix Street Square with a performance by Blue Oyster Culture Club.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715703303805.jpeg" alt="Coleman Hawkins Park/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Coleman Hawkins Park/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSounds of Summer returns to downtown St. Joseph this Friday.The annual free concert series will again be held at Coleman
Hawkins Park at Felix Street Square.St. Joseph Downtown Association Executive Director Wendy Lilly
says the concerts draw a diverse audience to the downtown, adding, if you
haven’t been downtown for a while.“Please check it out, because it has been revitalized,” Lilly
tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “So, to be able to be at night,
downtown, live music. It’s a really cool atmosphere that a lot of other towns
maybe don’t have. So, we’re real lucky to have that here.”Sounds of Summer kicks off with a performance by Blue Oyster
Culture Club. The free concerts will be held every third Friday through
October. There will be two in June; Vinyl Revival on June 7th and
The Vincents on June 21st.Patrons are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, but
no coolers. Drinks, including alcohol, and food will be available at the
concession area.Lilly says it takes a lot of work to organize and pull off the
free concert series, adding the nonprofit association leans heavily on the
goodwill and work of its volunteers.“We have volunteers that make this happen,” Lilly says. “So,
without having the volunteers, none of this would happen. The Downtown
Association is really for the promotion of downtown and the welfare of downtown
and making sure that there is a safe environment for things like this to
happen, for all of the events that we sponsor.”The series kicks off Friday night at 6:30 at Coleman Hawkins
Park in Felix Street Square with a performance by Blue Oyster Culture Club.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Sounds-of-Summer-returns-to-downtown-St--Joseph-e2jloco" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Sounds of Summer returns to downtown St. Joseph Friday

A 17-year-old St. Joseph man has pleaded guilty in the
shooting death of a teenager near the St. Joseph REC Center nearly one year
ago.

Kaden Wilfong pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Buchanan
County Circuit Court, admitting involvement in the shooting death of
15-year-old Carter Smith at the intersection of 18th and Commercial
Streets during a robbery.

St. Joseph police officers responded to a shots fired call the
morning of June 15, 2023. Carter’s body was found in the southbound lane of 28th,
dead from a gunshot wound. Video footage led officers to execute a search
warrant at Wilfong’s residence, where they found the gun used in the shooting, bloody
clothing, and the victim’s bloody duffel bag.

Wilfong is scheduled to be sentenced in July.

The cases of two other defendants, 19-year-old
Jackson Griffith of Country Club and 18-year-old Teontre Kirby of St. Joseph,
are working their way through the court system. Kirby has a Friday court date.
Griffith is scheduled for a trial setting in early June.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA 17-year-old St. Joseph man has pleaded guilty in the
shooting death of a teenager near the St. Joseph REC Center nearly one year
ago.Kaden Wilfong pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Buchanan
County Circuit Court, admitting involvement in the shooting death of
15-year-old Carter Smith at the intersection of 18th and Commercial
Streets during a robbery.St. Joseph police officers responded to a shots fired call the
morning of June 15, 2023. Carter’s body was found in the southbound lane of 28th,
dead from a gunshot wound. Video footage led officers to execute a search
warrant at Wilfong’s residence, where they found the gun used in the shooting, bloody
clothing, and the victim’s bloody duffel bag.Wilfong is scheduled to be sentenced in July.The cases of two other defendants, 19-year-old
Jackson Griffith of Country Club and 18-year-old Teontre Kirby of St. Joseph,
are working their way through the court system. Kirby has a Friday court date.
Griffith is scheduled for a trial setting in early June.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph teen pleads guilty in death of 15-year-old one year ago

KANSAS CITY —A new report released Monday by Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick emphasizes the need for the state to establish a culture of security that takes cyber threats seriously and teaches employees how to protect state resources, according to a statement from Fitzpatrick's office.

&nbsp;<a href="https://auditor.mo.gov/AuditReport/ViewReport?report=2024035&amp;token=1110437132">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to read the complete report

The audit report looked at awareness and training efforts for 34 state government entities that include nearly 52,000 state employees and found both a need for improved oversight for awareness training efforts for some entities, and the need to implement effective training and phishing testing for others.

"The rapid advance of technology has undoubtedly made it possible for government to operate more efficiently, but has also brought with it greatly increased risk for data breaches and other hacking efforts that could disrupt essential services. With tens of thousands of our state employees using computers with internet access on a daily basis, it is extremely important for the state to make effective security awareness training a key component of its culture," said Fitzpatrick. "Our audit report makes recommendations that can help the state take additional steps to ensure state employees are trained appropriately and armed with the knowledge they need to avoid scams and phishing attempts. I'm glad to see our recommendations have been well received and the state is working to put them into place."

The audit report, which primarily looked at the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, examined the policies and procedures related to security awareness training for 18 state government entities that are overseen by, the Office of Administration Information Technology Services Division (ITSD), as well as 16 state entities that are structurally independent of the ITSD. For the consolidated entities (CEs) overseen by ITSD, the report found approximately 20 percent of employees did not complete any security awareness training during the test period despite the fact ITSD policy requires all employees who use state-owned systems to complete monthly security awareness training. Furthermore, the lack of training for one-fifth of the employees was not detected because ITSD policy does not require anyone to monitor the completion of security awareness training. Additionally, many of the CEs have employees who were unofficially exempted from training requirements.

The report recommends the ITSD update its security awareness training policy to require oversight procedures for CE security awareness training to ensure required trainings are being completed, and clarify whether CEs are allowed to exempt certain employees from training requirements. ITSD has agreed with the recommendation and is working to implement the changes.

For the non-consolidated entities (NCEs) not overseen by ITSD, the report found 4 of the 16 entities do not provide or obtain ongoing security awareness training for their employees. In addition, 9 of 16 NCEs do not perform or obtain phishing testing on their employees. The 4 NCEs that do not provide security awareness training to their employees are also included in the 9 entities that do not do phishing testing. As a result of these weaknesses, state resources such as data, systems, and/or monetary funds are at increased risk of loss or exposure. The report recommends the NCEs not performing training should consider the ITSD's security awareness training policy and phishing testing efforts and establish policies and procedures to ensure training and testing are completed regularly for their employees. Furthermore, NCEs not currently providing security training or phishing testing should consider using ITSD as a resource to implement such procedures.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712151509022.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A new report released Monday by Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick emphasizes the need for the state to establish a culture of security that takes cyber threats seriously and teaches employees how to protect state resources, according to a statement from Fitzpatrick's office.&nbsp;<a href="https://auditor.mo.gov/AuditReport/ViewReport?report=2024035&amp;token=1110437132">CLICK here</a>&nbsp;to read the complete reportThe audit report looked at awareness and training efforts for 34 state government entities that include nearly 52,000 state employees and found both a need for improved oversight for awareness training efforts for some entities, and the need to implement effective training and phishing testing for others."The rapid advance of technology has undoubtedly made it possible for government to operate more efficiently, but has also brought with it greatly increased risk for data breaches and other hacking efforts that could disrupt essential services. With tens of thousands of our state employees using computers with internet access on a daily basis, it is extremely important for the state to make effective security awareness training a key component of its culture," said Fitzpatrick. "Our audit report makes recommendations that can help the state take additional steps to ensure state employees are trained appropriately and armed with the knowledge they need to avoid scams and phishing attempts. I'm glad to see our recommendations have been well received and the state is working to put them into place."The audit report, which primarily looked at the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, examined the policies and procedures related to security awareness training for 18 state government entities that are overseen by, the Office of Administration Information Technology Services Division (ITSD), as well as 16 state entities that are structurally independent of the ITSD. For the consolidated entities (CEs) overseen by ITSD, the report found approximately 20 percent of employees did not complete any security awareness training during the test period despite the fact ITSD policy requires all employees who use state-owned systems to complete monthly security awareness training. Furthermore, the lack of training for one-fifth of the employees was not detected because ITSD policy does not require anyone to monitor the completion of security awareness training. Additionally, many of the CEs have employees who were unofficially exempted from training requirements.The report recommends the ITSD update its security awareness training policy to require oversight procedures for CE security awareness training to ensure required trainings are being completed, and clarify whether CEs are allowed to exempt certain employees from training requirements. ITSD has agreed with the recommendation and is working to implement the changes.For the non-consolidated entities (NCEs) not overseen by ITSD, the report found 4 of the 16 entities do not provide or obtain ongoing security awareness training for their employees. In addition, 9 of 16 NCEs do not perform or obtain phishing testing on their employees. The 4 NCEs that do not provide security awareness training to their employees are also included in the 9 entities that do not do phishing testing. As a result of these weaknesses, state resources such as data, systems, and/or monetary funds are at increased risk of loss or exposure. The report recommends the NCEs not performing training should consider the ITSD's security awareness training policy and phishing testing efforts and establish policies and procedures to ensure training and testing are completed regularly for their employees. Furthermore, NCEs not currently providing security training or phishing testing should consider using ITSD as a resource to implement such procedures.

Missouri state audit reveals need for improved cyber security training

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged altercation in Atchison.

Shortly after 1:30p.m. Sunday, officers responded to the 900 block North 7th&nbsp; in Atchison where a 20-year-old man reported he had been confronted by another man known to him, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson

&nbsp;During the confrontation the suspect allegedly struck the victim several times in the face with his fist. EMS transported the victim to Amberwell Hospital&nbsp;for treatment of injuries. The suspect, identified as 20-year-old George Phillips had left the area but was located by officers at his residence and taken into custody.

He is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715607150348.png" alt="Phillips-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Phillips-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged altercation in Atchison.Shortly after 1:30p.m. Sunday, officers responded to the 900 block North 7th&nbsp; in Atchison where a 20-year-old man reported he had been confronted by another man known to him, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson&nbsp;During the confrontation the suspect allegedly struck the victim several times in the face with his fist. EMS transported the victim to Amberwell Hospital&nbsp;for treatment of injuries. The suspect, identified as 20-year-old George Phillips had left the area but was located by officers at his residence and taken into custody.He is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery.

Suspect accused of injuring man during altercation

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

Lawmakers trying to ban child marriage in Missouri hope a last-minute push in the legislative session’s final days can overcome opposition from some Republicans that put the bill’s chances in doubt.&nbsp;

A bill outlawing 16 and 17 years old from getting married stalled in a House committee when a handful of Republicans voiced opposition. There are five days left before lawmakers adjourn for the year.

Republican state Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder of Scott City told The Independent last week that a last-ditch effort to save the legislation could take place as early as Monday, when she expects it to be added as an amendment to another bill.&nbsp;

“There’s more opposition than I thought there would be,” she said. “But you know, I think that overall, it’s generational, and I haven’t had any women opposed come and talk to me about this.”

Under current Missouri law, anyone under 16 is prohibited from getting married. But 16 and 17 year olds can get married with parental consent to anyone under 21.

Those in favor of the ban argue child marriage is coercive and can transform into forced marriage, especially because children&nbsp;lack the legal rights of adulthood. Almost all minors married to adults are girls, data shows, and child marriage is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://19thnews.org/2023/07/explaining-child-marriage-laws-united-states/">associated with</a>&nbsp;higher rates of dropping out of high school and later poverty.

But while Rehder’s bill, which she co-sponsored with Democratic state Sen. Lauren Arthur of Kansas City, sailed through the Senate nearly unanimously, it is stuck in a House committee due to critics who say a ban constitutes government overreach and would clash with parental rights.&nbsp;

Fraidy Reiss, an activist who founded the nonprofit against forced marriage Unchained at Last and has been active in testifying in support of the bill in Missouri, called the opposition “horrifying.”

“How can anybody be opposed to legislation that costs nothing, harms no one and ends a human rights abuse?” Fraidy said in an interview with The Independent. “It is shameful it has not already passed and shameful that we’re coming up against the end of the legislative session. And we still don’t know for sure whether legislators are going to do this.”

Proponents hope to tack on the child marriage ban as an amendment to another of Rehder’s bills that deals with children. Rehder said she wants a roll call vote on the amendment, rather than a voice vote, which would show exactly how many and which legislators are opposed.

Republican state Rep. Jim Murphy of St. Louis chairs the House committee where the child marriage ban is stuck. He told The Independent that he supports ending child marriage but doesn’t have the votes to advance the bill to the full House.&nbsp;

Murphy said he was “surprised” that changing the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18 got as much pushback as it did.&nbsp;

State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, Republican of Savannah and the vice chair of the committee, was one of the voices in opposition.

“It’s government intrusion in people’s lives,” he said in an interview with The Independent on Friday.&nbsp;

Asked what would be lost if 16 and 17 year olds couldn’t get marriage permits anymore, Van Schoiack replied, “Liberties that people currently have.”

“After what’s been through the press and what people are doing, I’m not changing my position now,” he said. “I don’t typically change my mind very easily.”

Other lawmakers who voiced concerns about the bill in committee include GOP state Reps. Ben Baker of Neosho and Mitch Boggs of LaRussell.

Rehder said the concerns about government overreach are “ridiculous” because the state government already sets a minimum age, “so why not set it at the age of when you’re an adult?”

“To me, a parent should not be signing their child into a lifetime commitment. That’s a decision you make for yourself as an adult,” said Rehder, who got married at 15 and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/29/missouri-lawmakers-seek-to-ban-child-marriage-without-exception/">has said</a>&nbsp;she didn’t realize at the time she was not operating under an adult mindset.

Until the legislature voted to raise the minimum marriage age to 16 in 2018, Missouri had among the most&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article204329774.html">lenient</a>&nbsp;child marriage laws in the nation — making it an especially popular state for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article204287484.html">15-year-olds</a>&nbsp;to travel to be married.

Despite the 2018 change, Missouri law still does not align with international human rights standards, which set the minimum age at 18.&nbsp;

Fraidy said around 70 minors every year are entered into marriage in Missouri.

“There’s no input required from the minor when they’re married — it’s their parent signing a form. There’s no recourse for a teen that doesn’t want to marry.

“And then once they’re married, they’re trapped because they can’t even file for divorce. So it’s about ending this nightmarish legal trap,” Fraidy said.

Missouri would join 12 states that have in recent years banned child marriage if the legislation passes.

Rehder said she hopes the House will attach the ban to a wide-ranging&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=229">bill</a>&nbsp;about children that bars the state from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/29/legislation-aims-to-stop-missouri-from-taking-federal-benefits-owed-to-foster-kids/">seizing foster children’s Social Security benefits.</a>&nbsp;That bill will be handled by Republican state Rep. Wendy Hausman, Rehder said. Republican state Rep. Chris Dinkins, who is handling the House version of the child marriage bill, will be working to help Hausman get the amendment on, Rehder said.&nbsp;

Timing is critical, as any changes to the bill would require it to return to the Senate, which has been bogged down in gridlock for much of the legislative session.&nbsp;

All bills must be approved and sent to the governor by 6 p.m. Friday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715627548875.png" alt=" Sen. Holly Rehder, R-Scott City, presents a resolution on the Senate floor Feb. 12 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Sen. Holly Rehder, R-Scott City, presents a resolution on the Senate floor Feb. 12 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By CLARA BATES&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Lawmakers trying to ban child marriage in Missouri hope a last-minute push in the legislative session’s final days can overcome opposition from some Republicans that put the bill’s chances in doubt.&nbsp;A bill outlawing 16 and 17 years old from getting married stalled in a House committee when a handful of Republicans voiced opposition. There are five days left before lawmakers adjourn for the year.Republican state Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder of Scott City told The Independent last week that a last-ditch effort to save the legislation could take place as early as Monday, when she expects it to be added as an amendment to another bill.&nbsp;“There’s more opposition than I thought there would be,” she said. “But you know, I think that overall, it’s generational, and I haven’t had any women opposed come and talk to me about this.”Under current Missouri law, anyone under 16 is prohibited from getting married. But 16 and 17 year olds can get married with parental consent to anyone under 21.Those in favor of the ban argue child marriage is coercive and can transform into forced marriage, especially because children&nbsp;lack the legal rights of adulthood. Almost all minors married to adults are girls, data shows, and child marriage is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://19thnews.org/2023/07/explaining-child-marriage-laws-united-states/">associated with</a>&nbsp;higher rates of dropping out of high school and later poverty.But while Rehder’s bill, which she co-sponsored with Democratic state Sen. Lauren Arthur of Kansas City, sailed through the Senate nearly unanimously, it is stuck in a House committee due to critics who say a ban constitutes government overreach and would clash with parental rights.&nbsp;Fraidy Reiss, an activist who founded the nonprofit against forced marriage Unchained at Last and has been active in testifying in support of the bill in Missouri, called the opposition “horrifying.”“How can anybody be opposed to legislation that costs nothing, harms no one and ends a human rights abuse?” Fraidy said in an interview with The Independent. “It is shameful it has not already passed and shameful that we’re coming up against the end of the legislative session. And we still don’t know for sure whether legislators are going to do this.”Proponents hope to tack on the child marriage ban as an amendment to another of Rehder’s bills that deals with children. Rehder said she wants a roll call vote on the amendment, rather than a voice vote, which would show exactly how many and which legislators are opposed.Republican state Rep. Jim Murphy of St. Louis chairs the House committee where the child marriage ban is stuck. He told The Independent that he supports ending child marriage but doesn’t have the votes to advance the bill to the full House.&nbsp;Murphy said he was “surprised” that changing the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18 got as much pushback as it did.&nbsp;State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, Republican of Savannah and the vice chair of the committee, was one of the voices in opposition.“It’s government intrusion in people’s lives,” he said in an interview with The Independent on Friday.&nbsp;Asked what would be lost if 16 and 17 year olds couldn’t get marriage permits anymore, Van Schoiack replied, “Liberties that people currently have.”“After what’s been through the press and what people are doing, I’m not changing my position now,” he said. “I don’t typically change my mind very easily.”Other lawmakers who voiced concerns about the bill in committee include GOP state Reps. Ben Baker of Neosho and Mitch Boggs of LaRussell.Rehder said the concerns about government overreach are “ridiculous” because the state government already sets a minimum age, “so why not set it at the age of when you’re an adult?”“To me, a parent should not be signing their child into a lifetime commitment. That’s a decision you make for yourself as an adult,” said Rehder, who got married at 15 and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/29/missouri-lawmakers-seek-to-ban-child-marriage-without-exception/">has said</a>&nbsp;she didn’t realize at the time she was not operating under an adult mindset.Until the legislature voted to raise the minimum marriage age to 16 in 2018, Missouri had among the most&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article204329774.html">lenient</a>&nbsp;child marriage laws in the nation — making it an especially popular state for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article204287484.html">15-year-olds</a>&nbsp;to travel to be married.Despite the 2018 change, Missouri law still does not align with international human rights standards, which set the minimum age at 18.&nbsp;Fraidy said around 70 minors every year are entered into marriage in Missouri.“There’s no input required from the minor when they’re married — it’s their parent signing a form. There’s no recourse for a teen that doesn’t want to marry.“And then once they’re married, they’re trapped because they can’t even file for divorce. So it’s about ending this nightmarish legal trap,” Fraidy said.Missouri would join 12 states that have in recent years banned child marriage if the legislation passes.Rehder said she hopes the House will attach the ban to a wide-ranging&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=229">bill</a>&nbsp;about children that bars the state from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/29/legislation-aims-to-stop-missouri-from-taking-federal-benefits-owed-to-foster-kids/">seizing foster children’s Social Security benefits.</a>&nbsp;That bill will be handled by Republican state Rep. Wendy Hausman, Rehder said. Republican state Rep. Chris Dinkins, who is handling the House version of the child marriage bill, will be working to help Hausman get the amendment on, Rehder said.&nbsp;Timing is critical, as any changes to the bill would require it to return to the Senate, which has been bogged down in gridlock for much of the legislative session.&nbsp;All bills must be approved and sent to the governor by 6 p.m. Friday.&nbsp;

Last-ditch push to ban child marriage in Missouri must overcome resistance in House

An effort to clean up the Missouri River in St.
Joseph gets underway Saturday.

<a href="https://riverrelief.org/">Missouri River Relief</a> sponsors clean-up efforts
up and down the Missouri, from Omaha to St. Louis.

Alyssa Thomas with Missouri River Relief says
many who volunteer receive a bit of a shock about what is pulled out of the
Missouri River. 

“Everyone’s pretty surprised, especially their
first time out on the river,” Thomas tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “As an
organization that does this pretty consistently, we’re not really surprised by
anything anymore. But we have a little activity we do call the trash contest. When
we send volunteers out, we ask them to bring some cool finds that they find.”

The Saturday morning clean-up begins at nine o’clock
at the French Bottom river access. As many as 150 volunteers will work to fish
trash out of the Missouri River over a 10-mile stretch. The clean-up will take
about two hours. Volunteers will be fed lunch.

Thomas says too many people fail to understand
the importance of the Missouri River.

“It’s our drinking water for a lot of Missourians,”
Thomas says. “It’s a resource that we should be protecting and a lot of people
need to be aware of that.”

Missouri River Relief sponsors river clean-ups
from Omaha to St. Louis.

Thomas says the aim of the effort is
two-fold:&nbsp; clean up the Missouri River
and connect people with the Missouri.

“We are doing something big as far as cleanups go,”
Thomas says. “We pull out tons of trash, but also, the best results come from
people getting out there, experiencing an amazing resource that they probably
have never been out on before; taking that back home to their community,
spreading that awareness.”

Missouri River Relief works with the Missouri
Department of Conservation as well as the City of St. Joseph and Buchanan
County. Sponsors of the project include Spire, Missouri American Water, and Hy
Vee. Its partners include Beautify St. Joseph, Sustainable Environmental Action
Committee of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Water Protections, the Missouri Stream
Team, and the Missouri River Bird Observatory.

The Missouri River Bird Observatory will conduct
an audit of the trash pulled from the river in an effort to determine is
origin.

Click <a href="https://riverrelief.org/programs/river-cleanups/upcoming-cleanups/">HERE</a> for more information on volunteering.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715614421588.jpeg" alt="Missouri River/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Missouri River/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostAn effort to clean up the Missouri River in St.
Joseph gets underway Saturday.<a href="https://riverrelief.org/">Missouri River Relief</a> sponsors clean-up efforts
up and down the Missouri, from Omaha to St. Louis.Alyssa Thomas with Missouri River Relief says
many who volunteer receive a bit of a shock about what is pulled out of the
Missouri River. “Everyone’s pretty surprised, especially their
first time out on the river,” Thomas tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “As an
organization that does this pretty consistently, we’re not really surprised by
anything anymore. But we have a little activity we do call the trash contest. When
we send volunteers out, we ask them to bring some cool finds that they find.”The Saturday morning clean-up begins at nine o’clock
at the French Bottom river access. As many as 150 volunteers will work to fish
trash out of the Missouri River over a 10-mile stretch. The clean-up will take
about two hours. Volunteers will be fed lunch.Thomas says too many people fail to understand
the importance of the Missouri River.“It’s our drinking water for a lot of Missourians,”
Thomas says. “It’s a resource that we should be protecting and a lot of people
need to be aware of that.”Missouri River Relief sponsors river clean-ups
from Omaha to St. Louis.Thomas says the aim of the effort is
two-fold:&nbsp; clean up the Missouri River
and connect people with the Missouri.“We are doing something big as far as cleanups go,”
Thomas says. “We pull out tons of trash, but also, the best results come from
people getting out there, experiencing an amazing resource that they probably
have never been out on before; taking that back home to their community,
spreading that awareness.”Missouri River Relief works with the Missouri
Department of Conservation as well as the City of St. Joseph and Buchanan
County. Sponsors of the project include Spire, Missouri American Water, and Hy
Vee. Its partners include Beautify St. Joseph, Sustainable Environmental Action
Committee of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Water Protections, the Missouri Stream
Team, and the Missouri River Bird Observatory.The Missouri River Bird Observatory will conduct
an audit of the trash pulled from the river in an effort to determine is
origin.Click <a href="https://riverrelief.org/programs/river-cleanups/upcoming-cleanups/">HERE</a> for more information on volunteering.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Cleaning-up-the-muddy-Missouri-e2jjp88" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

To clean up a river:  Missouri River clean-up effort launches in St. Joseph Saturday

St. Joseph police are investigating an early morning shooting.

Police say it appears the passenger in a vehicle shot 5-to-7
shots into the air at the corner of 10th and Henry around 2:30 this morning.

No one was harmed in the shooting and it appears no property
was damaged.

Police do have a suspect vehicle. No suspect has been taken
into custody. The investigation continues.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph police are investigating an early morning shooting.Police say it appears the passenger in a vehicle shot 5-to-7
shots into the air at the corner of 10th and Henry around 2:30 this morning.No one was harmed in the shooting and it appears no property
was damaged.Police do have a suspect vehicle. No suspect has been taken
into custody. The investigation continues.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Shots fired in St. Joseph, no one harmed

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/dmitrymartirosov/">DMITRY MARTIROSOV</a>

There’s been a steady push by Republicans this legislative session to regulate voting laws in Missouri.

It isn’t new, but it’s been gaining steam.

The bills seek to regulate — or restrict — provisions around who can vote and how, the way votes are counted and other matters related to election security.

Almost all aim to address concerns that either don’t exist or to prevent changes from ever happening.

Republicans want to ensure that only U.S. citizens can vote, but the Missouri Constitution and voting requirements from the secretary of state’s office already outline that requirement.

Republicans want to ban foreign governments from funding constitutional amendments, but the Missouri Constitution addresses foreign influence in elections as well.

Republicans want to ramp up election security by creating a new division that would investigate claims of election fraud, but such division already exists and has been active for more than 10 years.

Republicans want to ban ranked-choice voting, but the voting practice is not established in state law. St. Louis practices a version of it for local elections.

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that is often cited by Republicans, has ranked Missouri sixth nationally in its Election Integrity Scorecard.

What is driving Republicans to pursue these voting measures?

For one lawmaker, it’s about election integrity. For another, it’s about being proactive.

Opponents say these efforts are driven by “anti-immigrant bigotry” and a desire for “consolidation of power.”

Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican, has been vocal all session about amending the Missouri Constitution to clarify that only U.S. citizens can vote in Missouri. He takes issue with language in the state constitution that he believes isn’t clear enough on who can and cannot vote in the state.

Article 8 Section 2 of the Missouri Constitution states that “All citizens of the United States … over the age of eighteen who are residents of this state … are entitled to vote.” Hoskins wants “All” changed to “Only” to tame the possibility of noncitizens voting in elections.

But opponents say the constitution is unambiguous on the issue and point to what they believe is behind this rhetoric.

“That just taps into this whole anti-immigrant bigotry fueled by (former President Donald) Trump and is kind of the norm in our American society today,” said Rep. David Tyson Smith, a Democrat from Columbia.

“You keep pushing this envelope, like, ‘How far can I push this?’ and that leads to other things,” Smith added. “And that’s dangerous.”

Hoskins might get his wish later this year if a proposal aiming to increase the threshold needed to approve constitutional amendments gets one more affirmative vote in the Senate.

In addition to the threshold requirement, the proposal, sponsored by Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, a Republican from Arnold, would ask voters whether the constitution should be changed to reflect that only U.S. citizens can vote on constitutional amendments and to ban constitutional amendments sponsored by foreign governments.

The proposal has been a focus of Democrats who claim the intention of the two latter provisions is to mislead voters and act as a distraction.

“It takes away from the conversation — and that’s the point of it,” said Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, a Democrat from Independence.

Rizzo, now in his 14th and final year in the legislature, said the push behind Coleman’s proposed changes to the threshold for approving constitutional amendments is driven in part by a desire for Republicans to consolidate power.

“They have had the supermajority for so long now that the only thing left for them to take away is the ability for people to go around them,” he said. “It just drives them crazy that there is an ability for people to have a voice in government that doesn’t go through them.”

“What we’ve seen is, since Missouri has become a more red Republican state, the minority and out-of-state special interests have come in and sponsored some ballot measures in order to try and get something passed,” Hoskins said.

“So it seems like the liberal special interests are, since they can’t get stuff through the legislature because we have supermajorities of all Republicans … they’re coming in and trying to bypass the legislature and put something on the ballot,” he said.

Out of all the proposals by Republicans this session aimed at regulating voting, Coleman’s has drawn the most opposition and scorn. But it isn’t the only one.

Ranked-choice voting does not occur in Missouri. It’s a practice where voters rank their preferred candidates on one ballot so their votes can be redistributed among top vote getters until a winner is declared after receiving a majority of the vote. Yet Republicans want it banned, saying it’s too confusing.

“I don’t see a good justification to insert a great deal of chaos into the ballot box,” said Rep. Alex Riley, a Springfield Republican.

Riley said he fears ranked-choice voting would create unnecessary turmoil for voters who might not follow the necessary steps needed to fill in a ballot.

The proposal to ban ranked-choice voting, sponsored by Sen. Ben Brown, a Republican Washington, is one vote away from being placed on the ballot and has received increased attention this session partly because, similar to Coleman’s bill, it would also ask voters whether the state constitution should be amended to allow only U.S. citizens to vote.

But whereas Coleman’s proposal only addresses constitutional amendments when referring to the citizenship requirement, Brown’s proposal includes all voting in the state.

Smith, who’s had a front-row seat to discussions regarding voting as a member of the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee, doesn’t see the point.

“We don’t have an epidemic of voting problems in America with undocumented people voting,” he said. “That’s not an epidemic, that’s not a problem, that’s not a crisis.”

Smith is correct as far as Missouri’s concerned.

“I’m not aware of that sort of activity on any kind of a large scale,” said JoDonn Chaney, director of communications for the secretary of state’s office, referring to non-U.S. citizens voting in Missouri.

Still, Republicans say they want to be proactive.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667579490352.jpeg" alt="- Republicans want to ensure that only U.S. citizens can vote, but the Missouri Constitution and voting requirements from the secretary of state’s office already outline that requirement" />
 <figcaption>- Republicans want to ensure that only U.S. citizens can vote, but the Missouri Constitution and voting requirements from the secretary of state’s office already outline that requirement</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/dmitrymartirosov/">DMITRY MARTIROSOV</a>There’s been a steady push by Republicans this legislative session to regulate voting laws in Missouri.It isn’t new, but it’s been gaining steam.The bills seek to regulate — or restrict — provisions around who can vote and how, the way votes are counted and other matters related to election security.Almost all aim to address concerns that either don’t exist or to prevent changes from ever happening.Republicans want to ensure that only U.S. citizens can vote, but the Missouri Constitution and voting requirements from the secretary of state’s office already outline that requirement.Republicans want to ban foreign governments from funding constitutional amendments, but the Missouri Constitution addresses foreign influence in elections as well.Republicans want to ramp up election security by creating a new division that would investigate claims of election fraud, but such division already exists and has been active for more than 10 years.Republicans want to ban ranked-choice voting, but the voting practice is not established in state law. St. Louis practices a version of it for local elections.The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that is often cited by Republicans, has ranked Missouri sixth nationally in its Election Integrity Scorecard.What is driving Republicans to pursue these voting measures?For one lawmaker, it’s about election integrity. For another, it’s about being proactive.Opponents say these efforts are driven by “anti-immigrant bigotry” and a desire for “consolidation of power.”<h2>Justifying causes</h2>Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican, has been vocal all session about amending the Missouri Constitution to clarify that only U.S. citizens can vote in Missouri. He takes issue with language in the state constitution that he believes isn’t clear enough on who can and cannot vote in the state.Article 8 Section 2 of the Missouri Constitution states that “All citizens of the United States … over the age of eighteen who are residents of this state … are entitled to vote.” Hoskins wants “All” changed to “Only” to tame the possibility of noncitizens voting in elections.But opponents say the constitution is unambiguous on the issue and point to what they believe is behind this rhetoric.“That just taps into this whole anti-immigrant bigotry fueled by (former President Donald) Trump and is kind of the norm in our American society today,” said Rep. David Tyson Smith, a Democrat from Columbia.“You keep pushing this envelope, like, ‘How far can I push this?’ and that leads to other things,” Smith added. “And that’s dangerous.”Hoskins might get his wish later this year if a proposal aiming to increase the threshold needed to approve constitutional amendments gets one more affirmative vote in the Senate.In addition to the threshold requirement, the proposal, sponsored by Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, a Republican from Arnold, would ask voters whether the constitution should be changed to reflect that only U.S. citizens can vote on constitutional amendments and to ban constitutional amendments sponsored by foreign governments.The proposal has been a focus of Democrats who claim the intention of the two latter provisions is to mislead voters and act as a distraction.“It takes away from the conversation — and that’s the point of it,” said Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, a Democrat from Independence.Rizzo, now in his 14th and final year in the legislature, said the push behind Coleman’s proposed changes to the threshold for approving constitutional amendments is driven in part by a desire for Republicans to consolidate power.“They have had the supermajority for so long now that the only thing left for them to take away is the ability for people to go around them,” he said. “It just drives them crazy that there is an ability for people to have a voice in government that doesn’t go through them.”Hoskins has an opposite point of view.“What we’ve seen is, since Missouri has become a more red Republican state, the minority and out-of-state special interests have come in and sponsored some ballot measures in order to try and get something passed,” Hoskins said.“So it seems like the liberal special interests are, since they can’t get stuff through the legislature because we have supermajorities of all Republicans … they’re coming in and trying to bypass the legislature and put something on the ballot,” he said.Out of all the proposals by Republicans this session aimed at regulating voting, Coleman’s has drawn the most opposition and scorn. But it isn’t the only one.<h2>Preemptive or premature?</h2>Ranked-choice voting does not occur in Missouri. It’s a practice where voters rank their preferred candidates on one ballot so their votes can be redistributed among top vote getters until a winner is declared after receiving a majority of the vote. Yet Republicans want it banned, saying it’s too confusing.“I don’t see a good justification to insert a great deal of chaos into the ballot box,” said Rep. Alex Riley, a Springfield Republican.Riley said he fears ranked-choice voting would create unnecessary turmoil for voters who might not follow the necessary steps needed to fill in a ballot.The proposal to ban ranked-choice voting, sponsored by Sen. Ben Brown, a Republican Washington, is one vote away from being placed on the ballot and has received increased attention this session partly because, similar to Coleman’s bill, it would also ask voters whether the state constitution should be amended to allow only U.S. citizens to vote.But whereas Coleman’s proposal only addresses constitutional amendments when referring to the citizenship requirement, Brown’s proposal includes all voting in the state.Smith, who’s had a front-row seat to discussions regarding voting as a member of the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee, doesn’t see the point.“We don’t have an epidemic of voting problems in America with undocumented people voting,” he said. “That’s not an epidemic, that’s not a problem, that’s not a crisis.”Smith is correct as far as Missouri’s concerned.“I’m not aware of that sort of activity on any kind of a large scale,” said JoDonn Chaney, director of communications for the secretary of state’s office, referring to non-U.S. citizens voting in Missouri.Still, Republicans say they want to be proactive.“Putting some additional protections within the constitution itself … whether we have massive numbers of illegal immigrants voting in Missouri, I can’t point to that and say, ‘Yeah, we do.’ I can’t say that we don’t. I think that’d be really hard to tell,” Riley said.“But, to address that issue going forward … it makes sense to me to put some additional language, some additional safeguards in the state constitution itself,” he said.Republicans take a similar approach of placing protective measures around foreign governments’ ability to make contributions to election campaigns or ballot initiatives.Hoskins, a candidate for secretary of state, said he believes foreign interference in elections is occurring in Missouri. But when asked if he could provide an example, Hoskins said he couldn’t because of the complexity of the process.“I believe that foreign governments would not just give directly to one PAC that is promoting or trying to kill an initiative or something that’s on the ballot,” he said.“It’s probably funneled through a million different ways, four or five different LLCs or companies or PACs or non-for-profits before it actually got to the place where they bought the ads or radio, TV, social media, newspaper, whatever it is,” Hoskins said. “And that’s where it’s very tough to follow the money trail.”Elizabeth Ziegler, executive director of the Missouri Ethics Commission, which is charged with overseeing campaign finance reports, said the agency doesn’t have “any final enforcement actions toward contributions (to) campaign finance committees from foreign nationals.”Article 8 Section 23, paragraph (16) of the Missouri Constitution also provides protections against contributions made by foreign governments, whether they go toward a candidate committee, campaign committee or a ballot measure:“(16) No campaign committee, candidate committee, continuing committee, exploratory committee, political party committee, and political party shall knowingly accept contributions from:(a) Any natural person who is not a citizen of the United States;(b) A foreign government; or(c) Any foreign corporation that does not have the authority to transact business in this state pursuant to chapter 347, RSMo, as amended from time to time.”<h2>‘People versus politicians’</h2>Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Missouri, said there are two underlying reasons he believes are behind Republicans’ motivation to push measures intended to make it harder to vote.“First, it is a way to appeal to GOP primary voters,” Squire said. “Republican incumbents want to make sure that they are not vulnerable to a challenge from their right. Second, there is a calculation that making voting harder will hurt Democratic voters more than Republican voters, though that may not prove to be the case.”This is an election year for state offices and many Republican incumbents who are termed-out in the legislature are running for various statewide offices. As a result, rhetoric on the Senate floor this session has been filled with talk that sounded more and more like campaign speeches.“Ultimately, this push, it’s more of the national narrative bleeding down into the state,” said Connor Luebbert, a lead advocate for the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition.Or it just may be a fight between people and their politicians.“In the baseball game of politics,” Rizzo said, “it’s people versus politicians and the politicians want their home runs to count for double.”This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/whats-driving-republican-lawmakers-to-shore-up-voting-laws-in-missouri/article_f46aad9c-0fa1-11ef-9b86-f73b22e607c7.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">the Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

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