BROWN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Monday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Buick Encore driven by&nbsp;Britney L.&nbsp;Achten, 23, Netawaka, Kansas, was northbound on U.S. 75 just north of Kansas 20 highway. The SUV struck a deer crossing the roadway and stopped on the outside shoulder.

EMS transporte Achten to the&nbsp;Holton Community Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to&nbsp; the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Monday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Buick Encore driven by&nbsp;Britney L.&nbsp;Achten, 23, Netawaka, Kansas, was northbound on U.S. 75 just north of Kansas 20 highway. The SUV struck a deer crossing the roadway and stopped on the outside shoulder.EMS transporte Achten to the&nbsp;Holton Community Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to&nbsp; the KHP.

Kansas woman injured after SUV strikes a deer

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

Delta-8 THC products — including a large variety of drinks that are popular at bars and available at gas stations throughout the state — can be sold in Missouri stores because they are made from hemp, which is federally legal

Proposed legislation to regulate intoxicating hemp products could potentially ban the majority of the Delta-8 drinks and edibles on the market in Missouri today, the state’s top marijuana regulator told an industry meeting late last week in St. Louis.&nbsp;

“This is really an unanswered question,” said Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation.

Moore was among a panel of speakers at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Missouri Stakeholder Summit who discussed legislation in the state House and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=834">Senate</a>&nbsp;that would create the “Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act.”

Currently, Delta-8 THC products — including a large variety of drinks that are popular at bars and available at gas stations throughout the state — can be sold in Missouri stores because the intoxicating ingredient is derived from hemp, not marijuana.

Hemp is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/11/farm-bill-debate-includes-hemp-regulation-as-issue-takes-center-stage-in-missouri-recall/">federally legal</a>.

There’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy them or stores can’t sell them to minors — though some stores and vendors have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up.&nbsp;

The legislation would place these products under the same constitutional framework and rules that the marijuana industry must abide by — including an age restriction, labeling and testing requirements and a mandate that products are only sold at licensed dispensaries regulated by the cannabis division within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.&nbsp;

However, the state’s rules also currently ban the “chemical conversion” process used to create the majority of hemp-derived THC products.&nbsp;

When asked how many hemp-derived THC products would still be left on Missouri shelves if the legislation passed and this rule was enforced, Moore said the department would have to take a hard look at the “intent” of the law.

“Everyone knows the rules are part of our regulatory framework,” Moore said in an interview with The Independent after the summit. “Does that indicate intent that chemical conversion, at least, remain prohibited?”

Or, she said, it could also be the law’s intent to simply put these products under the same guidelines marijuana products follow, and the state would need to adapt its rules to be able to keep them on the market.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We don’t really have a position right now about what that would mean in the future,” she said.

Three weeks ago, Krey Distributing Company, the wholesale company for Anheuser Busch, released hemp-derived Delta-9 THC drinks, and it’s already selling them to nearly 120 bars, liquor stores and convenience across the state.&nbsp;

The products aren’t made using a chemical conversion process, so they wouldn’t be banned if the legislation goes into effect. But sales would definitely plummet if they could only be sold in dispensaries, said Steven Busch, the company’s president.&nbsp;

“This legislation would really hurt our business,” Busch said. “It would also limit the business our customers are doing already, and it would also limit consumer choice by forcing consumers to go into a dispensary to buy these products.”

Hemp is often known for being the part of the cannabis plant that doesn’t get people high.&nbsp;

It’s full of CBD, a nonpyschoactive cannabinoid that helps people relax and often found in massage oils and sleep aids.

But much has changed since hemp was taken off the controlled substance list in 2018 by the last&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2">U.S. Agriculture Improvement Act</a>, more commonly known as the farm bill.&nbsp;

Now state regulators can barely keep up with the constantly evolving ways that people have found to make intoxicating products from hemp — largely through a chemical process of converting CBD to THC. The market for things like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">Delta-8 drinks</a>&nbsp;and edibles is one of the fastest growing markets in the country.&nbsp;

The fact that it is legal federally was the basis for St. Louis Democratic Sen. Karla May’s opposition to a bill sponsored by&nbsp;state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance.&nbsp;

“The feds are not stopping the sale of this product,” May said, during a Senate floor debate last week. “What you’re saying is we need to shut down all the businesses that are currently selling this product and making revenue from this product, and then transfer them to all of the people that have gotten marijuana licenses.”&nbsp;

While May was the most vocal critic in the Senate last week, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have pushed back on the idea of forcing the hemp industry under the umbrella of DHSS, saying that would allow the “marijuana monopoly” to take over this market given the limited number of licenses for dispensaries available.

After voters passed a constitutional amendment allowing medical marijuana in 2018, competition for licenses became fierce when the state capped the number of applications it would approve — initially issuing 338 licenses to sell, grow and process marijuana.

Widespread reports of irregularities in how applications were scored fueled criticism of the industry and accusations that insiders were building a monopoly. That criticism spilled into the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in 2022, though the proposal still won voter approval.

Some applicants who didn’t land medical marijuana licenses turned to producing hemp-derived THC products.

May and others have expressed concern that because hemp is federally legal, lumping it in with the regulations of a controlled substance could result in lawsuits.

Schroer told The Independent in December that he’s closely watching the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/07/three-day-hearing-reveals-behind-the-scenes-details-of-missouri-marijuana-recall/">ongoing legal case</a>&nbsp;of Robertsville-based marijuana manufacturer Delta Extraction.

Delta Extraction had its<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">&nbsp;license to manufacture cannabis products revoked</a>&nbsp;in November, months after a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/16/state-faces-pushback-from-missouri-marijuana-industry-over-product-recall/">massive recall</a>&nbsp;pulled more than 60,000 products off the shelves — which the state says were illegally made with a hemp-derived THC concentrate imported from out of state.

While hemp is federally legal, state regulators argue that once hemp-derived THC comes into the marijuana realm, they can regulate it.&nbsp;

The question currently before the Administrative Hearing Commission is whether or not Missouri regulators have the authority to prohibit licensed companies from infusing Missouri-grown marijuana products with hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;

If the company loses its appeal before the commission, then Delta will continue to fight in court, the company’s attorneys have said.

And Delta will be arguing the state has no authority to regulate hemp products at all.&nbsp;

“The Division of Cannabis Regulation’s authority to regulate is limited to non-hemp marijuana and does not depend on whether it is used to make THC,” Delta’s attorney, Chuck Hatfield, wrote in a recent letter to the state.&nbsp;

Interestingly, one of the processes the state cracked down on Delta for wouldn’t be banned under the Schroer’s bill. Delta was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/missouri-cannabis-recall-hemp/">importing THC-A</a>, a cannabinoid that’s extracted from the hemp plant the same way it is with marijuana. It did not go through the banned chemical conversion process, and Moore said the THC-A process would likely be allowed.

However, state rules also require that&nbsp;THC in marijuana products can only be derived from marijuana cultivated by a Missouri-licensed cultivation facility. Most hemp-derived THC is currently brought in from other states.

The panelists at the summit Thursday were overwhelmingly in support of Schroer’s bill and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1781&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">companion bill</a>&nbsp;sponsored by&nbsp;state Rep. Chad Perkins, a Bowling Green Republican.&nbsp;

Mitch Meyers, partner at BeLeaf Medical and another panelist at the summit, said the intent of the bill was to put the hemp-derived products under the strict packaging and other requirements that marijuana companies must go through.

“So that’s why we’re just in complete amazement that this stuff just can be out there without any of these checks and balances,” Meyers said.

The Missouri Hemp Trade Association has continuously advocated for measures such as prohibiting sales to minors and mandating clear user instructions and rigorous product testing.

However, the association opposes requiring the products to be made and sold by marijuana licensed facilities. A number of hemp businesses testified&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/13/push-for-restrictions-on-intoxicating-hemp-products-spurs-clash-over-who-should-regulate/">during committee hearings in February</a>&nbsp;about the harmful impact the bill would have on them.

Several legislators said they were sympathetic to these businesses’ concerns and that they’d only agree to advance the bill if Schroer negotiated with the hemp industry and found a way to protect hemp businesses.

At the summit Thursday, Jamey Murphy, Schroer’s chief of staff and another of the panelists, said negotiations can only go so far.&nbsp;

“We have to make sure that when we do negotiate, that we’re doing what we set out to do,” Murphy said, “which is make sure that these things are sold in the correct way in the correct setting, and that they’re not harmful to the consumer.”&nbsp;

The hemp association has demanded the products don’t come under the Division of Cannabis Regulation’s framework, but instead be regulated by the same rules that tobacco and alcohol products abide by under the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Alcohol and Tobacco.

Murphy said he’s not sure they have a “perfect solution” to solve these differences.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“There’s some other bills in other states that we’re definitely going to look at to see if we could solve some of those,” he said. “I wouldn’t say that the bill we have now is potentially the bill that we can get across the finish line.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1711980898936.png" alt=" Amy Moore, (right) director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, talks with attendees at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s summit on March 28, 2024 in St. Louis (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Amy Moore, (right) director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, talks with attendees at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s summit on March 28, 2024 in St. Louis (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By REBECCA RIVAS,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Delta-8 THC products — including a large variety of drinks that are popular at bars and available at gas stations throughout the state — can be sold in Missouri stores because they are made from hemp, which is federally legal</h2>Proposed legislation to regulate intoxicating hemp products could potentially ban the majority of the Delta-8 drinks and edibles on the market in Missouri today, the state’s top marijuana regulator told an industry meeting late last week in St. Louis.&nbsp;“This is really an unanswered question,” said Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation.Moore was among a panel of speakers at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Missouri Stakeholder Summit who discussed legislation in the state House and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=834">Senate</a>&nbsp;that would create the “Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act.”Currently, Delta-8 THC products — including a large variety of drinks that are popular at bars and available at gas stations throughout the state — can be sold in Missouri stores because the intoxicating ingredient is derived from hemp, not marijuana.Hemp is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/11/farm-bill-debate-includes-hemp-regulation-as-issue-takes-center-stage-in-missouri-recall/">federally legal</a>.There’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy them or stores can’t sell them to minors — though some stores and vendors have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up.&nbsp;The legislation would place these products under the same constitutional framework and rules that the marijuana industry must abide by — including an age restriction, labeling and testing requirements and a mandate that products are only sold at licensed dispensaries regulated by the cannabis division within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.&nbsp;However, the state’s rules also currently ban the “chemical conversion” process used to create the majority of hemp-derived THC products.&nbsp;When asked how many hemp-derived THC products would still be left on Missouri shelves if the legislation passed and this rule was enforced, Moore said the department would have to take a hard look at the “intent” of the law.“Everyone knows the rules are part of our regulatory framework,” Moore said in an interview with The Independent after the summit. “Does that indicate intent that chemical conversion, at least, remain prohibited?”Or, she said, it could also be the law’s intent to simply put these products under the same guidelines marijuana products follow, and the state would need to adapt its rules to be able to keep them on the market.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We don’t really have a position right now about what that would mean in the future,” she said.Three weeks ago, Krey Distributing Company, the wholesale company for Anheuser Busch, released hemp-derived Delta-9 THC drinks, and it’s already selling them to nearly 120 bars, liquor stores and convenience across the state.&nbsp;The products aren’t made using a chemical conversion process, so they wouldn’t be banned if the legislation goes into effect. But sales would definitely plummet if they could only be sold in dispensaries, said Steven Busch, the company’s president.&nbsp;“This legislation would really hurt our business,” Busch said. “It would also limit the business our customers are doing already, and it would also limit consumer choice by forcing consumers to go into a dispensary to buy these products.”<h2>Pushback from both sides</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1711980960475.png" alt=" State Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, discusses legislation on the Senate floor (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, discusses legislation on the Senate floor (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Hemp is often known for being the part of the cannabis plant that doesn’t get people high.&nbsp;It’s full of CBD, a nonpyschoactive cannabinoid that helps people relax and often found in massage oils and sleep aids.But much has changed since hemp was taken off the controlled substance list in 2018 by the last&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2">U.S. Agriculture Improvement Act</a>, more commonly known as the farm bill.&nbsp;Now state regulators can barely keep up with the constantly evolving ways that people have found to make intoxicating products from hemp — largely through a chemical process of converting CBD to THC. The market for things like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">Delta-8 drinks</a>&nbsp;and edibles is one of the fastest growing markets in the country.&nbsp;The fact that it is legal federally was the basis for St. Louis Democratic Sen. Karla May’s opposition to a bill sponsored by&nbsp;state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance.&nbsp;“The feds are not stopping the sale of this product,” May said, during a Senate floor debate last week. “What you’re saying is we need to shut down all the businesses that are currently selling this product and making revenue from this product, and then transfer them to all of the people that have gotten marijuana licenses.”&nbsp;While May was the most vocal critic in the Senate last week, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have pushed back on the idea of forcing the hemp industry under the umbrella of DHSS, saying that would allow the “marijuana monopoly” to take over this market given the limited number of licenses for dispensaries available.After voters passed a constitutional amendment allowing medical marijuana in 2018, competition for licenses became fierce when the state capped the number of applications it would approve — initially issuing 338 licenses to sell, grow and process marijuana.Widespread reports of irregularities in how applications were scored fueled criticism of the industry and accusations that insiders were building a monopoly. That criticism spilled into the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in 2022, though the proposal still won voter approval.Some applicants who didn’t land medical marijuana licenses turned to producing hemp-derived THC products.May and others have expressed concern that because hemp is federally legal, lumping it in with the regulations of a controlled substance could result in lawsuits.Schroer told The Independent in December that he’s closely watching the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/07/three-day-hearing-reveals-behind-the-scenes-details-of-missouri-marijuana-recall/">ongoing legal case</a>&nbsp;of Robertsville-based marijuana manufacturer Delta Extraction.Delta Extraction had its<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">&nbsp;license to manufacture cannabis products revoked</a>&nbsp;in November, months after a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/16/state-faces-pushback-from-missouri-marijuana-industry-over-product-recall/">massive recall</a>&nbsp;pulled more than 60,000 products off the shelves — which the state says were illegally made with a hemp-derived THC concentrate imported from out of state.While hemp is federally legal, state regulators argue that once hemp-derived THC comes into the marijuana realm, they can regulate it.&nbsp;The question currently before the Administrative Hearing Commission is whether or not Missouri regulators have the authority to prohibit licensed companies from infusing Missouri-grown marijuana products with hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;If the company loses its appeal before the commission, then Delta will continue to fight in court, the company’s attorneys have said.And Delta will be arguing the state has no authority to regulate hemp products at all.&nbsp;“The Division of Cannabis Regulation’s authority to regulate is limited to non-hemp marijuana and does not depend on whether it is used to make THC,” Delta’s attorney, Chuck Hatfield, wrote in a recent letter to the state.&nbsp;Interestingly, one of the processes the state cracked down on Delta for wouldn’t be banned under the Schroer’s bill. Delta was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/missouri-cannabis-recall-hemp/">importing THC-A</a>, a cannabinoid that’s extracted from the hemp plant the same way it is with marijuana. It did not go through the banned chemical conversion process, and Moore said the THC-A process would likely be allowed.However, state rules also require that&nbsp;THC in marijuana products can only be derived from marijuana cultivated by a Missouri-licensed cultivation facility. Most hemp-derived THC is currently brought in from other states.<h2>Cannabis summit</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1711981072283.png" alt=" John Pennington, CEO of Proper Brands; Jamey Murphy, chief of staff for Sen. Nick Schroer; Mitch Meyers, partner at BeLeaf Medical; Amy Moore, director of the Division of Cannabis Regulation; and John Payne, managing partner at Amendment 2 Consultants, discuss legislation at an industry summit in downtown St. Louis on March 28 (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> John Pennington, CEO of Proper Brands; Jamey Murphy, chief of staff for Sen. Nick Schroer; Mitch Meyers, partner at BeLeaf Medical; Amy Moore, director of the Division of Cannabis Regulation; and John Payne, managing partner at Amendment 2 Consultants, discuss legislation at an industry summit in downtown St. Louis on March 28 (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure>The panelists at the summit Thursday were overwhelmingly in support of Schroer’s bill and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1781&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">companion bill</a>&nbsp;sponsored by&nbsp;state Rep. Chad Perkins, a Bowling Green Republican.&nbsp;Mitch Meyers, partner at BeLeaf Medical and another panelist at the summit, said the intent of the bill was to put the hemp-derived products under the strict packaging and other requirements that marijuana companies must go through.“So that’s why we’re just in complete amazement that this stuff just can be out there without any of these checks and balances,” Meyers said.The Missouri Hemp Trade Association has continuously advocated for measures such as prohibiting sales to minors and mandating clear user instructions and rigorous product testing.However, the association opposes requiring the products to be made and sold by marijuana licensed facilities. A number of hemp businesses testified&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/13/push-for-restrictions-on-intoxicating-hemp-products-spurs-clash-over-who-should-regulate/">during committee hearings in February</a>&nbsp;about the harmful impact the bill would have on them.Several legislators said they were sympathetic to these businesses’ concerns and that they’d only agree to advance the bill if Schroer negotiated with the hemp industry and found a way to protect hemp businesses.At the summit Thursday, Jamey Murphy, Schroer’s chief of staff and another of the panelists, said negotiations can only go so far.&nbsp;“We have to make sure that when we do negotiate, that we’re doing what we set out to do,” Murphy said, “which is make sure that these things are sold in the correct way in the correct setting, and that they’re not harmful to the consumer.”&nbsp;The hemp association has demanded the products don’t come under the Division of Cannabis Regulation’s framework, but instead be regulated by the same rules that tobacco and alcohol products abide by under the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Alcohol and Tobacco.Murphy said he’s not sure they have a “perfect solution” to solve these differences.&nbsp;&nbsp;“There’s some other bills in other states that we’re definitely going to look at to see if we could solve some of those,” he said. “I wouldn’t say that the bill we have now is potentially the bill that we can get across the finish line.”

Proposed legislation could ban the majority of Delta-8 drinks and edibles in Missouri

A man suffered wounds significant enough to send him to the
hospital to be checked out after what St. Joseph police describe as a domestic
disturbance late Sunday night.

The St. Joseph Police Department reports the wounds to the
face and stomach weren’t severe. A woman was taken into custody after the
altercation in the 1600 block of Faraon Street. A juvenile in the home who tried
to break up the fight also suffered a cut.

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA man suffered wounds significant enough to send him to the
hospital to be checked out after what St. Joseph police describe as a domestic
disturbance late Sunday night.The St. Joseph Police Department reports the wounds to the
face and stomach weren’t severe. A woman was taken into custody after the
altercation in the 1600 block of Faraon Street. A juvenile in the home who tried
to break up the fight also suffered a cut.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Stabbing sends St. Joseph man to hospital in apparent domestic dispute

CALDWELL COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 2a.m. Sunday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Jacob Latimer, 21, Polo, was westbound on U.S. 36 just west of Route B four miles east of Hamilton.

The car traveled off the north side of the road, rolled and the driver was ejected. Life Flight transported Latimer to Truman Medical Center. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

CALDWELL COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 2a.m. Sunday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Jacob Latimer, 21, Polo, was westbound on U.S. 36 just west of Route B four miles east of Hamilton.The car traveled off the north side of the road, rolled and the driver was ejected. Life Flight transported Latimer to Truman Medical Center. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man air-lifted to hospital after rollover accident

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/trekent/">TRE KENT</a>&nbsp;

A recent legal settlement agreed to by the National Association of Realtors leaves Missouri realtors unsure of what the future holds.

The association, which represents about 1.5 million realtors nationally, announced March 15 that it will settle several antitrust lawsuits, pending court approval.

The industry group denied any wrongdoing, but it will pay out $418 million over approximately four years, remove compensation offers from multiple listing services, and require multiple listing service participants to enter written agreements with buyers.

A multiple listing service, commonly referred to as an MLS, is a private database used by real estate professionals to assist clients in buying and selling properties.

The settlement comes after a Kansas City jury in October ordered the National Association of Realtors and major real estate brokers to pay approximately $1.8 billion, finding they had used anti-competitive trade practices that resulted in inflated costs for Missourians selling their homes.

After this month’s settlement, people in the industry are waiting to determine what their next steps should be, according to Brian Toohey, CEO of the Columbia Board of Realtors.

“It’s really just wait and see where the settlement goes when the judge or the court approves it,” Toohey said, “and then seeing what changes we might potentially have to make at that point.”

The settlement will prohibit offers of broker compensation from being communicated on multiple listing services.

Historically, an MLS shows compensation, which allows users to know what is being paid out to buyers’ agents for homes listed on the database.

Jessica Simpson, a Columbia realtor, said the terms of the settlement address the potential ethical violation of some buyers’ agents using MLS postings to consider possible commissions before alerting clients to available houses.

Michael Ketchmark, the lead trial attorney for the plaintiffs in the Kansas City case against the National Association of Realtors, said the elimination of broker compensation from the MLS is a victory for consumers.

“We think it’s going to result in a tremendous benefit to home sellers and home buyers by lowering the amounts of commissions and costs of buying and selling a home,” Ketchmark said.

The association has emphasized that commission rates have been negotiable. However, some say agents have implied that rates are fixed at 6%. Simpson said that contributed to the lawsuits in the first place.

Ketchmark argued in the Kansas City case that large interests within the industry made efforts to present commissions as fixed.

“We put on evidence, live witness testimony, internal training videos and documents that showed … there actually had been collusion at the highest corporate levels to fix commissions at 6%,” Ketchmark said.

Another change under the settlement is that multiple listing service participants working with buyers must enter into written agreements specifying what services they will provide and at what cost.

In the past, brokers could wait until an offer was made to enter into this agreement. Starting in July, they will be required to do so before touring a home.

Some believe the changes within the industry could affect the overall housing market by contributing to houses sitting on the market longer.

“We’re just going to have to explore this and see how things go,” Simpson said. “I think that if sellers begin paying drastically less in commissions, it’s going to impact the sale of their home.”

Lower commissions may also turn away some agents, Simpson said. Agents must account for the costs they incur, and that could result in hesitancy to take on clients who want lower commissions.

To avoid commissions altogether, some home buyers do not use an agent. Simpson said that can be dangerous to those unfamiliar with the practice due to the gravity of the purchase.

“Purchasing a home is huge,” Simpson said. “A lot of times it’s the biggest purchase they have ever made in their life.”

Residential real estate is facing changes to the way business has been conducted for decades, Ketchmark said.

“There’s a hundred-year history of stabilizing the prices there …” he said. “The industry has used MLS and has used the (association’s) rules to stabilize prices, and they’re no longer able to do that.”

While these changes are still months away, their implementation will introduce uncertainty for the industry to navigate.

“I think this is all going to get messy before it gets smoothed out,” Simpson said. “But, it’s hard to say exactly what will happen, and we’re just going to have to wait and see.”

This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/missouri_business/wait-and-see-realtors-brace-for-changes-after-settlement-over-commissions/article_9395114f-aefa-53d2-9199-bbf304be8aa1.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">the Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/trekent/">TRE KENT</a>&nbsp;A recent legal settlement agreed to by the National Association of Realtors leaves Missouri realtors unsure of what the future holds.The association, which represents about 1.5 million realtors nationally, announced March 15 that it will settle several antitrust lawsuits, pending court approval.The industry group denied any wrongdoing, but it will pay out $418 million over approximately four years, remove compensation offers from multiple listing services, and require multiple listing service participants to enter written agreements with buyers.A multiple listing service, commonly referred to as an MLS, is a private database used by real estate professionals to assist clients in buying and selling properties.The settlement comes after a Kansas City jury in October ordered the National Association of Realtors and major real estate brokers to pay approximately $1.8 billion, finding they had used anti-competitive trade practices that resulted in inflated costs for Missourians selling their homes.After this month’s settlement, people in the industry are waiting to determine what their next steps should be, according to Brian Toohey, CEO of the Columbia Board of Realtors.“It’s really just wait and see where the settlement goes when the judge or the court approves it,” Toohey said, “and then seeing what changes we might potentially have to make at that point.”<h2>Settlement terms</h2>The settlement will prohibit offers of broker compensation from being communicated on multiple listing services.Historically, an MLS shows compensation, which allows users to know what is being paid out to buyers’ agents for homes listed on the database.Jessica Simpson, a Columbia realtor, said the terms of the settlement address the potential ethical violation of some buyers’ agents using MLS postings to consider possible commissions before alerting clients to available houses.Michael Ketchmark, the lead trial attorney for the plaintiffs in the Kansas City case against the National Association of Realtors, said the elimination of broker compensation from the MLS is a victory for consumers.“We think it’s going to result in a tremendous benefit to home sellers and home buyers by lowering the amounts of commissions and costs of buying and selling a home,” Ketchmark said.The association has emphasized that commission rates have been negotiable. However, some say agents have implied that rates are fixed at 6%. Simpson said that contributed to the lawsuits in the first place.Ketchmark argued in the Kansas City case that large interests within the industry made efforts to present commissions as fixed.“We put on evidence, live witness testimony, internal training videos and documents that showed … there actually had been collusion at the highest corporate levels to fix commissions at 6%,” Ketchmark said.Another change under the settlement is that multiple listing service participants working with buyers must enter into written agreements specifying what services they will provide and at what cost.In the past, brokers could wait until an offer was made to enter into this agreement. Starting in July, they will be required to do so before touring a home.<h2>Industry impact</h2>Some believe the changes within the industry could affect the overall housing market by contributing to houses sitting on the market longer.“We’re just going to have to explore this and see how things go,” Simpson said. “I think that if sellers begin paying drastically less in commissions, it’s going to impact the sale of their home.”Lower commissions may also turn away some agents, Simpson said. Agents must account for the costs they incur, and that could result in hesitancy to take on clients who want lower commissions.To avoid commissions altogether, some home buyers do not use an agent. Simpson said that can be dangerous to those unfamiliar with the practice due to the gravity of the purchase.“Purchasing a home is huge,” Simpson said. “A lot of times it’s the biggest purchase they have ever made in their life.”Residential real estate is facing changes to the way business has been conducted for decades, Ketchmark said.“There’s a hundred-year history of stabilizing the prices there …” he said. “The industry has used MLS and has used the (association’s) rules to stabilize prices, and they’re no longer able to do that.”While these changes are still months away, their implementation will introduce uncertainty for the industry to navigate.“I think this is all going to get messy before it gets smoothed out,” Simpson said. “But, it’s hard to say exactly what will happen, and we’re just going to have to wait and see.”This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/missouri_business/wait-and-see-realtors-brace-for-changes-after-settlement-over-commissions/article_9395114f-aefa-53d2-9199-bbf304be8aa1.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">the Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

‘Wait and see’: Missouri Realtors brace for changes after settlement over commissions

GRUNDY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Grundy County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Yamaha Raptor driven by Anthony W. Hecker, 32, Laredo, was southbound on Railway Street in Laredo attempting a right turn on 3rd Street.

The driver was traveling too fast for roadway condition, according to the&nbsp; Patrol.&nbsp; The Sport ATV began to slide and struck the left side of an eastbound 2002 Yamaha Grizzly 660 driven by Patty M. Eckert, 50, Laredo.50, Laredo.

A private vehicle transported Eckert to Wright Memorial Hospital. Hecker did not seek medical treatment. They were not wearing helmets, according to the MSHP.

GRUNDY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Grundy County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Yamaha Raptor driven by Anthony W. Hecker, 32, Laredo, was southbound on Railway Street in Laredo attempting a right turn on 3rd Street.The driver was traveling too fast for roadway condition, according to the&nbsp; Patrol.&nbsp; The Sport ATV began to slide and struck the left side of an eastbound 2002 Yamaha Grizzly 660 driven by Patty M. Eckert, 50, Laredo.50, Laredo.A private vehicle transported Eckert to Wright Memorial Hospital. Hecker did not seek medical treatment. They were not wearing helmets, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after ATVs collide

Minnesota State women's basketball completed an inspired run through the NCAA tournament winning the Division II championship with an 89-73 win over Texas Woman's University on Friday night at Civic Arena in St. Joseph.

In front of a packed house, Minnesota State (32-5) was humming from the get-go, jumping out to a 26-13 lead by the end of the first quarter and a 46-32 lead at halftime.

The Mavericks' lead grew to 25 points at 76-51 with 8:56 to play. Texas Woman's (34-5) didn't give up, getting to within 81-71 with 2:09 to go, but the Mavericks made 8-of-10 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.

Like they normally do, Minnesota State's defense created a bunch of turnovers and scored a lot of points off of them. In this case, the Mavericks scored 40 points off of 30 Pioneers turnovers.

Minnesota State came away with 21 steals. The Mavericks also sunk 10-of-23 from long range. Sophomore Natalie Bremer led the way with a game-high 27 points. Ava Stier had 13 points and Emily Herzberg had 12.

Ashley Ingram led Texas Woman's in defeat with 24 points. Jada Celsur was close behind with 20.

The Pioneers shot a respectable 43.9 percent (25-of-57), but they lost the turnover battle 30-15.

Minnesota State, which ended the season on an 11-game winning streak, tied a school record with 32 wins and won its second national title in program history and its first since 2009.

The Mavericks, who started the season 2-4, got revenge on all four of those teams that beat them in that stretch; Fort Hays State in regional semifinals, Southern Nazarene in the regional championship, Minnesota-Duluth on January 30, and now Texas Woman's.

The Pioneers had beaten Minnesota State, 76-71, on November 4th in Billings, Montana.

The Mavericks got the last laugh, but for the team, that's the not the lasting message.

"Yeah it was a revenge tour, but it was a chance to prove to ourselves that we were a different basketball team," Minnesota State head coach Emilee Thiesee said. "It was never about 'we're better than anyone else out there.' It was just, let's do what we do and prove to ourselves that we're a different team, and I think that's what our team handled so well all season long."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711774290150.jpeg" alt="Members of the Minnesota State women's basketball team hoist the national championship trophy following an 89-73 win over Texas Woman's University at Civic Arena Friday night. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Members of the Minnesota State women's basketball team hoist the national championship trophy following an 89-73 win over Texas Woman's University at Civic Arena Friday night. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMinnesota State women's basketball completed an inspired run through the NCAA tournament winning the Division II championship with an 89-73 win over Texas Woman's University on Friday night at Civic Arena in St. Joseph.In front of a packed house, Minnesota State (32-5) was humming from the get-go, jumping out to a 26-13 lead by the end of the first quarter and a 46-32 lead at halftime.The Mavericks' lead grew to 25 points at 76-51 with 8:56 to play. Texas Woman's (34-5) didn't give up, getting to within 81-71 with 2:09 to go, but the Mavericks made 8-of-10 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.Like they normally do, Minnesota State's defense created a bunch of turnovers and scored a lot of points off of them. In this case, the Mavericks scored 40 points off of 30 Pioneers turnovers.Minnesota State came away with 21 steals. The Mavericks also sunk 10-of-23 from long range. Sophomore Natalie Bremer led the way with a game-high 27 points. Ava Stier had 13 points and Emily Herzberg had 12.Ashley Ingram led Texas Woman's in defeat with 24 points. Jada Celsur was close behind with 20.The Pioneers shot a respectable 43.9 percent (25-of-57), but they lost the turnover battle 30-15.Minnesota State, which ended the season on an 11-game winning streak, tied a school record with 32 wins and won its second national title in program history and its first since 2009.The Mavericks, who started the season 2-4, got revenge on all four of those teams that beat them in that stretch; Fort Hays State in regional semifinals, Southern Nazarene in the regional championship, Minnesota-Duluth on January 30, and now Texas Woman's.The Pioneers had beaten Minnesota State, 76-71, on November 4th in Billings, Montana.The Mavericks got the last laugh, but for the team, that's the not the lasting message."Yeah it was a revenge tour, but it was a chance to prove to ourselves that we were a different basketball team," Minnesota State head coach Emilee Thiesee said. "It was never about 'we're better than anyone else out there.' It was just, let's do what we do and prove to ourselves that we're a different team, and I think that's what our team handled so well all season long."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711775514196.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711775570072.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711775597668.jpeg" alt="A large flag was unfurled during the national anthem." />
 <figcaption>A large flag was unfurled during the national anthem.</figcaption>
 </figure>Photo album<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fstjoepost%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02LYVcqqvKmc73oXznHTwPvx2y9QKp42fyxtC6CwK6USTRrtT1sAYinak9FhfyxxGYl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="250" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">FINAL 🏆🏆🏆<a href="https://twitter.com/MinnStWBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MinnStWBB</a> 89 Texas Woman’s 73 Mavericks win it all for the 2nd time in their history and the first time since 2009. <a href="https://t.co/4aAfcrIMXP">pic.twitter.com/4aAfcrIMXP</a>&mdash; Tommy Rezac (@TommyKFEQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyKFEQ/status/1773897240152539571?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Minnesota State wins national title in St. Joseph Friday night at raucous Civic Arena

Legislation that would allow women to pick up annual supplies of birth control won bipartisan support this year in the Missouri House

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

Missourians overwhelmingly support access to contraceptives, but some fear their lawmakers could pass laws limiting that availability, a new poll shows.

<a target="_blank" href="https://t.co/1dKPOmnypv">The survey, released Thursday by The Right Time</a>, a family planning initiative through the Missouri Family Health Council Inc.,&nbsp;polled 1,000 Missourians between the ages of 18 and 35, split almost evenly between Democrats, Republicans and Independents.

Michelle Trupiano, executive director of the&nbsp;Missouri Family Health Council, said the poll confirmed what she already believed to be true: birth control is not controversial among Missourians.

“During a time when many issues divide people in our state,” she said. “Birth control enjoys near universal support.”

Many of those polled expressed concern that their lawmakers felt differently. About half the Republican respondents, 84% of the Democratic respondents and 61% of the independent respondents said they are very or somewhat concerned the legislature will push laws restricting birth control.&nbsp;

“We can’t take anything for granted in terms of what our freedoms and ability to access healthcare looks like,” Trupiano said. “Those that fought to undermine Roe v. Wade are also fighting to limit access to birth control, so yes, very understandable why people are worried.”

The respondents also pointed to both cost and insurance as their biggest barriers to accessing contraceptives.&nbsp;Asked if people should be allowed to access an annual supply of birth control, 77% said yes.

“Picking up your prescription every one month to three months at your pharmacist is an onerous to-do for the busy lives that people live today,” said&nbsp;Mandy Hagseth, the council’s director of policy and external affairs.

Hagseth said in talking with women and providers across Missouri, access to clinics, lack of consistent transportation and balancing work and children is often a barrier to picking up their contraception consistently, which can create gaps in use and increase the chances of an unintended pregnancy. Nearly all abortions are illegal in Missouri.

A bill worked on by the council and the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis would alleviate some of that burden, allowing women to fill an annual birth control prescription at a pharmacy once a year if they prefer.&nbsp;

They started pitching the legislation, which already exists in 25 states, including Texas, in 2019,&nbsp;Hagseth said.

This year,&nbsp;she said, it was finally prioritized by both Democrats and Republicans, including&nbsp;state&nbsp;Rep. Tara Peters, a Republican from Rolla.

<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2413&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">The legislation is now included in a larger bill&nbsp;</a>sponsored by Peters along with a smattering of other health care provisions.&nbsp;

“Women have to have access to birth control,” Peters said.

Peters, who opposes abortion,&nbsp; said she assumed every lawmaker would be on board. She says she quickly learned that wasn’t the case, as some Republican colleagues expressed concerns that the legislation was about&nbsp;abortifacients.&nbsp;

“You’ve got so many facets of people that believe certain things, so it’s very hard to convince this side that this is something that’s important,” Peters said Thursday. “It’s kind of been a frustrating process, I’m not going to lie about that.”

But largely, the birth-control legislation has had bipartisan support, with both Democratic and Republican co-sponsors in the House and Senate.

Peters, who hopes to bring her bill to the House floor in early April, said this legislation in particular could make the lives of women in her rural district easier.

According to data compiled by Power to Decide, more than 373,000 Missouri women live in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://powertodecide.org/what-we-do/contraceptive-deserts">contraceptive deserts,</a>&nbsp;which they define as a place where there’s not reasonable access to a full range of contraceptive methods. Most are in rural counties.

Peters said the moment is ripe. It’s an election year, polling shows Missourians are supportive of increased birth control access and an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/19/abortion-rights-amendment-missouri-election-trap-laws/">effort to legalize abortion</a>&nbsp;may end up on the ballot.

“There’s not a better time than now to make it count,” she said. “That we’re making an effort to show that women’s contraceptives is important.”&nbsp;

<h2>Legislation that would allow women to pick up annual supplies of birth control won bipartisan support this year in the Missouri House</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Missourians overwhelmingly support access to contraceptives, but some fear their lawmakers could pass laws limiting that availability, a new poll shows.<a target="_blank" href="https://t.co/1dKPOmnypv">The survey, released Thursday by The Right Time</a>, a family planning initiative through the Missouri Family Health Council Inc.,&nbsp;polled 1,000 Missourians between the ages of 18 and 35, split almost evenly between Democrats, Republicans and Independents.Michelle Trupiano, executive director of the&nbsp;Missouri Family Health Council, said the poll confirmed what she already believed to be true: birth control is not controversial among Missourians.“During a time when many issues divide people in our state,” she said. “Birth control enjoys near universal support.”Many of those polled expressed concern that their lawmakers felt differently. About half the Republican respondents, 84% of the Democratic respondents and 61% of the independent respondents said they are very or somewhat concerned the legislature will push laws restricting birth control.&nbsp;“We can’t take anything for granted in terms of what our freedoms and ability to access healthcare looks like,” Trupiano said. “Those that fought to undermine Roe v. Wade are also fighting to limit access to birth control, so yes, very understandable why people are worried.”<h2>The respondents also pointed to both cost and insurance as their biggest barriers to accessing contraceptives.&nbsp;Asked if people should be allowed to access an annual supply of birth control, 77% said yes.</h2>“Picking up your prescription every one month to three months at your pharmacist is an onerous to-do for the busy lives that people live today,” said&nbsp;Mandy Hagseth, the council’s director of policy and external affairs.Hagseth said in talking with women and providers across Missouri, access to clinics, lack of consistent transportation and balancing work and children is often a barrier to picking up their contraception consistently, which can create gaps in use and increase the chances of an unintended pregnancy. Nearly all abortions are illegal in Missouri.A bill worked on by the council and the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis would alleviate some of that burden, allowing women to fill an annual birth control prescription at a pharmacy once a year if they prefer.&nbsp;They started pitching the legislation, which already exists in 25 states, including Texas, in 2019,&nbsp;Hagseth said.This year,&nbsp;she said, it was finally prioritized by both Democrats and Republicans, including&nbsp;state&nbsp;Rep. Tara Peters, a Republican from Rolla.<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2413&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">The legislation is now included in a larger bill&nbsp;</a>sponsored by Peters along with a smattering of other health care provisions.&nbsp;“Women have to have access to birth control,” Peters said.Peters, who opposes abortion,&nbsp; said she assumed every lawmaker would be on board. She says she quickly learned that wasn’t the case, as some Republican colleagues expressed concerns that the legislation was about&nbsp;abortifacients.&nbsp;It is not.&nbsp;“You’ve got so many facets of people that believe certain things, so it’s very hard to convince this side that this is something that’s important,” Peters said Thursday. “It’s kind of been a frustrating process, I’m not going to lie about that.”But largely, the birth-control legislation has had bipartisan support, with both Democratic and Republican co-sponsors in the House and Senate.Peters, who hopes to bring her bill to the House floor in early April, said this legislation in particular could make the lives of women in her rural district easier.According to data compiled by Power to Decide, more than 373,000 Missouri women live in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://powertodecide.org/what-we-do/contraceptive-deserts">contraceptive deserts,</a>&nbsp;which they define as a place where there’s not reasonable access to a full range of contraceptive methods. Most are in rural counties.Peters said the moment is ripe. It’s an election year, polling shows Missourians are supportive of increased birth control access and an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/19/abortion-rights-amendment-missouri-election-trap-laws/">effort to legalize abortion</a>&nbsp;may end up on the ballot.“There’s not a better time than now to make it count,” she said. “That we’re making an effort to show that women’s contraceptives is important.”&nbsp;

Poll: Missourians want better access to birth control. Bipartisan bill could grant it

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

Just after 1a.m. Thursday, police a&nbsp;stopped the vehicle at 10th and U.S.59 Highway in Atchison and took&nbsp; 20-year-old Caitlin M. Elias into custody, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp;

She is accused in the theft of a vehicle from the 1100 block South 10th Street in Atchison.&nbsp; She is being held on requested charges of theft by deception and&nbsp;Failure to Report Accident; Resulting in damage to unattended vehicle or property, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711654779877.png" alt="Elias-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Elias-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman for alleged car theft.Just after 1a.m. Thursday, police a&nbsp;stopped the vehicle at 10th and U.S.59 Highway in Atchison and took&nbsp; 20-year-old Caitlin M. Elias into custody, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp;She is accused in the theft of a vehicle from the 1100 block South 10th Street in Atchison.&nbsp; She is being held on requested charges of theft by deception and&nbsp;Failure to Report Accident; Resulting in damage to unattended vehicle or property, according to online jail records.

Police: Kansas woman accused of car theft

The NCAA Division II women’s basketball national championship game is all set for Friday night in St. Joseph.

Civic Arena will play host to the game as Minnesota State (31-5) faces Texas Woman’s University (34-4). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

This will be a rematch of a contest from earlier this season. Texas Woman's beat Minnesota State in a non-conference game back on November 4, 76-71, in Billings, Montana.

Minnesota State head coach Emilee Thiesee says it’s a full circle moment to be playing the Pioneers again - this time for a championship.

"Full circle to be back playing Texas Woman's after seeing them so early in the season," Thiesee said. "A great battle that game was. We know full well it'll be another great battle. We're just so excited for this opportunity and these experiences."

Minnesota State reached the title game <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b0145c49-f0ee-474b-822f-50838b07407e">after a 70-68 win over Cal State-San Marcos</a> in the Final Four Wednesday night. They won on a go-ahead layup with 0.2 seconds left.

Minnesota State seeks its second national title in women’s hoops and its first since 2009.

All eight teams who qualified for the Elite Eight this year did community events with schools in the St. Joseph area last weekend.

Texas Woman's paid a visit to Mid-Buchanan High School this past Sunday, where elementary and junior high students handed out welcome packages for the team and took part in games and drills with the team.

 Many Mid-Buchanan students and parents have also shown up in large numbers this week to support the Pioneers.

Texas Woman's head coach Beth Jillson says her team didn't hesitate to show their appreciation to the Mid-Buch students.

"They just were playing basketball games with (the students)," Jillson shared. "I think our players, they know their names. It's really important that we are great examples for the future generation and that we're empowering young girls."

"Our players love seeing them at games. Some of them have gotten there an hour before with signs."

Texas Woman's has set a school record with 34 wins this season and the Pioneers have reached the national title game for the first time in history.

For fans who cannot make the game, it's being televised on CBS Sports Network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711740146699.jpeg" alt="Texas Woman's University players greet some young fans after their Final Four win over Ferris State on Wednesday night at Civic Arena. Texas Woman's faces Minnesota State for the DII national title on Friday night at Civic Arena. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Texas Woman's University players greet some young fans after their Final Four win over Ferris State on Wednesday night at Civic Arena. Texas Woman's faces Minnesota State for the DII national title on Friday night at Civic Arena. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe NCAA Division II women’s basketball national championship game is all set for Friday night in St. Joseph.Civic Arena will play host to the game as Minnesota State (31-5) faces Texas Woman’s University (34-4). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.This will be a rematch of a contest from earlier this season. Texas Woman's beat Minnesota State in a non-conference game back on November 4, 76-71, in Billings, Montana.Minnesota State head coach Emilee Thiesee says it’s a full circle moment to be playing the Pioneers again - this time for a championship."Full circle to be back playing Texas Woman's after seeing them so early in the season," Thiesee said. "A great battle that game was. We know full well it'll be another great battle. We're just so excited for this opportunity and these experiences."Minnesota State reached the title game <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b0145c49-f0ee-474b-822f-50838b07407e">after a 70-68 win over Cal State-San Marcos</a> in the Final Four Wednesday night. They won on a go-ahead layup with 0.2 seconds left.Minnesota State seeks its second national title in women’s hoops and its first since 2009.All eight teams who qualified for the Elite Eight this year did community events with schools in the St. Joseph area last weekend.Texas Woman's paid a visit to Mid-Buchanan High School this past Sunday, where elementary and junior high students handed out welcome packages for the team and took part in games and drills with the team. Many Mid-Buchanan students and parents have also shown up in large numbers this week to support the Pioneers.Texas Woman's head coach Beth Jillson says her team didn't hesitate to show their appreciation to the Mid-Buch students."They just were playing basketball games with (the students)," Jillson shared. "I think our players, they know their names. It's really important that we are great examples for the future generation and that we're empowering young girls.""Our players love seeing them at games. Some of them have gotten there an hour before with signs."Texas Woman's has set a school record with 34 wins this season and the Pioneers have reached the national title game for the first time in history.For fans who cannot make the game, it's being televised on CBS Sports Network.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711741197378.jpeg" alt="Members of the Texas Woman's University basketball team sported Mid-Buchanan gear during a visit to the high school last Sunday. Photo via Chris Kendrick." />
 <figcaption>Members of the Texas Woman's University basketball team sported Mid-Buchanan gear during a visit to the high school last Sunday. Photo via Chris Kendrick.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711740927270.jpeg" alt="Emily Herzberg (40) hit the winning shot with 0.2 seconds left Wednesday to lift the Mavericks to a 70-68 win over Cal State-San Marcos on Wednesday night. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Emily Herzberg (40) hit the winning shot with 0.2 seconds left Wednesday to lift the Mavericks to a 70-68 win over Cal State-San Marcos on Wednesday night. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

NCAA DII women's basketball national title game set for Friday night in St. Joseph

Missouri lawmakers have brought back a tax credit that they let lapse in 2013 to help incentivize filmmakers to bring their projects to the state.  

The Missouri film tax credit gives filmmakers tax breaks for using local talent in both their projects and on production of those films.  

St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau spokesperson Christian Mengel says Georgia really set the standard in these tax breaks used to sprout a major film industry 

"Because it was so cheap in those days, it's not now, but when they brought that back it was so cheap to go there that you could just buy property, buy land, and it would be cheaper than renting studio time in LA," Mengel tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr.  

The last major film to be made in Missouri was Gone Girl filmed in Cape Girardeau.  

Mengel says even with money in the film industry, filmmakers should still be drawn to come to Missouri. 

"They only make money if they can find a way to cut costs, and the best way to cut costs is getting out of LA honestly, and a lot of them realize that" Mengel explains. "Because you rent that studio time and your numbers just skyrocket, and then you find out oh Missouri I can just buy something as a studio out there and it's cheaper than renting here." 

Mengel says there is blossoming potential for the industry here in St. Joseph, with many people already filming and producing projects in the city. 

In fact, Mengel says there are already film projects happening here consistently. 

"It might not be the big Hollywood productions that are coming here, but we have a solid cast of local film talent and filmmakers that are here, at least in the region, and realize how much potential there is to shoot here," Mengel points out. "We have so many architecture structures, parks, everything that you need to make a good film, almost no matter what your genre is." 

For example, filmmaker Jason Hudson has filmed two movies in St. Joseph with 'Christmas at the Chateau' and Accidental Family.   

Lawmakers brought back the incentive after seeing the Netflix show Ozark, which is based in Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks, was filmed in Georgia.

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Missouri lawmakers have brought back a tax credit that they let lapse in 2013 to help incentivize filmmakers to bring their projects to the state. The Missouri film tax credit gives filmmakers tax breaks for using local talent in both their projects and on production of those films. St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau spokesperson Christian Mengel says Georgia really set the standard in these tax breaks used to sprout a major film industry "Because it was so cheap in those days, it's not now, but when they brought that back it was so cheap to go there that you could just buy property, buy land, and it would be cheaper than renting studio time in LA," Mengel tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. The last major film to be made in Missouri was Gone Girl filmed in Cape Girardeau. Mengel says even with money in the film industry, filmmakers should still be drawn to come to Missouri. "They only make money if they can find a way to cut costs, and the best way to cut costs is getting out of LA honestly, and a lot of them realize that" Mengel explains. "Because you rent that studio time and your numbers just skyrocket, and then you find out oh Missouri I can just buy something as a studio out there and it's cheaper than renting here." Mengel says there is blossoming potential for the industry here in St. Joseph, with many people already filming and producing projects in the city. In fact, Mengel says there are already film projects happening here consistently. "It might not be the big Hollywood productions that are coming here, but we have a solid cast of local film talent and filmmakers that are here, at least in the region, and realize how much potential there is to shoot here," Mengel points out. "We have so many architecture structures, parks, everything that you need to make a good film, almost no matter what your genre is." For example, filmmaker Jason Hudson has filmed two movies in St. Joseph with 'Christmas at the Chateau' and Accidental Family. Lawmakers brought back the incentive after seeing the Netflix show Ozark, which is based in Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks, was filmed in Georgia.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Film-Tax-Credit-is-back-in-Missouri-e2hnqdp" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph hopes to take advantage of renewed film tax credit

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson doesn’t expect much
from this legislative session.

Parson, a Republican, says the legislature likely
will complete its main task, passing the state budget, and not much else.

“Look, it’s a political year, I don’t think
you’re going to see a lot of movement out of anything too much,” Parson tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I hope we get the budget done. If we get that done,
across the finish line, I think that’s the main, number one issue that we have
to get done. We’ll see what else happens with some of the other legislation out
there, but it’s too early to find out what’s going to get across the finish
line.”

The big hold up in Jefferson City is the Missouri
Senate. Very conservative Republican state senators have broken away from
Republican leadership to create their own caucus:&nbsp; the Freedom Caucus. That Freedom Caucus has
shut down the Senate at times with filibusters, holding hostage a host of
bills, limiting what the legislature has approved this session.

Parson says little is getting done in Jefferson
City, because of politics with some senators, the governor believes, holding up
legislation and launching filibusters to raise their own profiles going into
this election year.

Parson worries national politics will also take
its toll.

“There’s a lot of division on the federal level,”
Parson says. “We just hope that that don’t really get down to the state level
and we start just dividing up amongst ourselves and fighting, in-fighting along
with just all the other political things you’ve got to deal with. Everybody
just needs to sit back and take a step back and say, look, we got sent up here
by the people of Missouri. We’re supposed to be here representing them, not our
personal careers or not who we think we are, but you just got to remember we’re
public servants.”

Parson, a former state senator, suggests a little
reflection, especially on the first day they entered the state Capitol in
Jefferson City, would do legislators a lot of good.

“Everybody needs to go back to that day when they
first entered that building, realize how humble they were to be there and
remember that’s what the real reason we’re there for.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711720097148.jpeg" alt="Gov Mike Parson speaks with reporters during his recent stop in St. Joseph/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Gov Mike Parson speaks with reporters during his recent stop in St. Joseph/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri Gov. Mike Parson doesn’t expect much
from this legislative session.Parson, a Republican, says the legislature likely
will complete its main task, passing the state budget, and not much else.“Look, it’s a political year, I don’t think
you’re going to see a lot of movement out of anything too much,” Parson tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I hope we get the budget done. If we get that done,
across the finish line, I think that’s the main, number one issue that we have
to get done. We’ll see what else happens with some of the other legislation out
there, but it’s too early to find out what’s going to get across the finish
line.”The big hold up in Jefferson City is the Missouri
Senate. Very conservative Republican state senators have broken away from
Republican leadership to create their own caucus:&nbsp; the Freedom Caucus. That Freedom Caucus has
shut down the Senate at times with filibusters, holding hostage a host of
bills, limiting what the legislature has approved this session.Parson says little is getting done in Jefferson
City, because of politics with some senators, the governor believes, holding up
legislation and launching filibusters to raise their own profiles going into
this election year.Parson worries national politics will also take
its toll.“There’s a lot of division on the federal level,”
Parson says. “We just hope that that don’t really get down to the state level
and we start just dividing up amongst ourselves and fighting, in-fighting along
with just all the other political things you’ve got to deal with. Everybody
just needs to sit back and take a step back and say, look, we got sent up here
by the people of Missouri. We’re supposed to be here representing them, not our
personal careers or not who we think we are, but you just got to remember we’re
public servants.”Parson, a former state senator, suggests a little
reflection, especially on the first day they entered the state Capitol in
Jefferson City, would do legislators a lot of good.“Everybody needs to go back to that day when they
first entered that building, realize how humble they were to be there and
remember that’s what the real reason we’re there for.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Gov. Parson:  politics undermining legislative session

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

Even after a compromise passed the Missouri Senate, an ideologically diverse constellation of groups continue to voice concerns about the legislation

Homeschooling families and lobbyists representing public school groups renewed their opposition to a wide-ranging&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/bts_web/bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244">education bill</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, outnumbering advocates who testified during a House committee hearing.

The criticism echoed previous concerns with the bill, despite a litany of new provisions&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/12/missouri-senate-strikes-deal-to-boost-public-school-funding-in-private-school-tax-credit-bill/">added by the Senate</a>&nbsp;designed to win over Democrats and public school advocates.

The bill began as an expansion to the state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarship program, called MOScholars, with provisions to bump the income cap for program eligibility and end geographic restrictions. After negotiations, over a 100 pages added to the legislation by the Senate, including boosts to public-school funding, teacher recruitment efforts and the authorization of charter schools in Boone County.

<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/12/expansion-of-tax-credit-scholarships-faces-criticism-of-missouri-homeschoolers/">Homeschoolers have questioned their inclusion</a>&nbsp;in the MOScholars program, with many families saying they worry it will have negative long-term consequences for the larger homeschooling community.

The bill’s sponsor — Republican state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester — created a new category in the legislation designed to assuage those concerns. Dubbed “family-paced education,” the group would mirror homeschool statute but would be allowed to participate in MOScholars.

“That way, at any point in time in the future, if there were some kind of strings that were attached, homeschoolers will be protected,” Koenig told the House’s Special Committee on Education Reform Thursday morning.

But homeschooling parents who testified Thursday were not won over.

“(Family-paced education) or homeschooling, whatever you want to call it, is the same thing as homeschooling. Legally, a court is likely to interpret (family-paced education) as homeschooling,” Melissa Jacobs, who homeschools her eight children, told the committee Thursday morning. “We do not want to have to be under the same regulations as a public school as far as curriculum goes.”

Jacobs said she heard from the Home School Legal Defense Association that the two terms — family-paced education and homeschooling — could be considered the same in a courtroom.

“In the future, the concern is that it would not be an opt-in thing and that would be required for all homeschoolers to register with the state and do state testing and change,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711708378882.png" alt=" State Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, filed his candidacy for State Treasurer at the end of February. If elected, he would oversee the MOScholars program — a K-12 tax-credit scholarship he seeks to expand in his bill, SB727 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, filed his candidacy for State Treasurer at the end of February. If elected, he would oversee the MOScholars program — a K-12 tax-credit scholarship he seeks to expand in his bill, SB727 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">ANNELISE HANSHAW</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Even after a compromise passed the Missouri Senate, an ideologically diverse constellation of groups continue to voice concerns about the legislation</h2>Homeschooling families and lobbyists representing public school groups renewed their opposition to a wide-ranging&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/bts_web/bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244">education bill</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, outnumbering advocates who testified during a House committee hearing.The criticism echoed previous concerns with the bill, despite a litany of new provisions&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/12/missouri-senate-strikes-deal-to-boost-public-school-funding-in-private-school-tax-credit-bill/">added by the Senate</a>&nbsp;designed to win over Democrats and public school advocates.The bill began as an expansion to the state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarship program, called MOScholars, with provisions to bump the income cap for program eligibility and end geographic restrictions. After negotiations, over a 100 pages added to the legislation by the Senate, including boosts to public-school funding, teacher recruitment efforts and the authorization of charter schools in Boone County.<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/12/expansion-of-tax-credit-scholarships-faces-criticism-of-missouri-homeschoolers/">Homeschoolers have questioned their inclusion</a>&nbsp;in the MOScholars program, with many families saying they worry it will have negative long-term consequences for the larger homeschooling community.The bill’s sponsor — Republican state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester — created a new category in the legislation designed to assuage those concerns. Dubbed “family-paced education,” the group would mirror homeschool statute but would be allowed to participate in MOScholars.“That way, at any point in time in the future, if there were some kind of strings that were attached, homeschoolers will be protected,” Koenig told the House’s Special Committee on Education Reform Thursday morning.But homeschooling parents who testified Thursday were not won over.“(Family-paced education) or homeschooling, whatever you want to call it, is the same thing as homeschooling. Legally, a court is likely to interpret (family-paced education) as homeschooling,” Melissa Jacobs, who homeschools her eight children, told the committee Thursday morning. “We do not want to have to be under the same regulations as a public school as far as curriculum goes.”Jacobs said she heard from the Home School Legal Defense Association that the two terms — family-paced education and homeschooling — could be considered the same in a courtroom.“In the future, the concern is that it would not be an opt-in thing and that would be required for all homeschoolers to register with the state and do state testing and change,” she said.Some homeschooling families have requested to be completely removed from state programs like MOScholars to guarantee their independence.In November, there were 13 homeschooled children enrolled in the MOScholars program, according to data from the State Treasurer’s Office.The Senate’s efforts to mollify concerns of the public school community weren’t any more successful.&nbsp;Groups like the Missouri School Boards Association and the Missouri Association of School Administrators spoke in opposition to the bill even though it includes provisions to raise the base teacher pay and other increases to school funding.Otto Fajen, lobbyist for the Missouri branch of the National Education Association, said he has financing worries beyond his objection to expanding MOScholars.“There are provisions in here that substantially increase funding obligations,” he said.He foresees a challenge for next year’s General Assembly, if the legislation passes, to fully fund the programs&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-house-again-votes-to-cut-corporate-income-taxes/">alongside a potential cut to corporate income taxes</a>.Additionally, the formula that funds Missouri’s public schools was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/14/lawmakers-consider-boosting-missouri-public-education-funding-by-300-million/">recalculated in the fall</a>, costing approximately $120 million in fiscal year 2025 and $300 million in fiscal year 2026.Those who testified in favor of the bill on Thursday focused on things like the increase to teacher pay and the increased choice provided by the tax-credit scholarships.Becki Uccello, whose daughter Izzi is a MOScholars recipient and uses a wheelchair, said the program allowed Izzi to attend an accessible school. Uccello told the committee her neighborhood school couldn’t make wheelchair-friendly modifications, offering to put it on a five-year plan.&nbsp;A nearby parochial school, she said, was more accommodating.“Fortunately, Izzi qualified for a MOScholars scholarship because we live in Springfield and she has an (individualized education plan),” Uccello said. “But what about the families in nearby Nixa with students who have dyslexia and are not being taught to read?”She said the bill’s proposal to open MOScholars statewide would be helpful to kids with similar experiences to her daughter’s.Private schools are not required to accept students with individualized education plans, which outline goals and accommodations for students with disabilities, even with a MOScholars scholarship.One person told the committee she believed that was an “equity issue.”Representatives from conservative groups, like Lisa Pannett of ArmorVine and James Holderman of Stand for Health Freedom, also panned the legislation.Holderman said he thought the MOScholars program could lead to government oversight of private schools, labeling it part of a “United Nations” and “globalist” agenda.Pannett dubbed the legislation a “Democrat bill,” saying Senate Democrats — who unanimously voted against the bill — would have voted in favor of it “if they had to.”Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, an Independence Democrat, told reporters Thursday that his caucus does not agree with the expansion of MOScholars, which he called a “voucher system.“We’ve seen these voucher systems be taken advantage of in other states and bankrupt public education systems, and doing all these other terrible things,” he said.&nbsp;In a compromise, Senators negotiated to boost public education funding.“It’s a good compromise because everybody can find something they dislike in it, and everybody can find something they really do like in it,” Rizzo said.House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat and gubernatorial candidate, told reporters that House Democrats have mixed opinions on the bill.“Some of our members do support the voucher program, but I will tell you, personally, some of the concerns that I have is that we are taking away the cap of how much money we’re spending on (MOScholars),” she said.The amount of tax credits allocated to MO Scholars expands and contracts proportional to the per-pupil funding of public school districts.Quade said her focus is to maintain the investment in public schools as the House looks at the legislation.The House’s Special Committee on Education Reform did not take action on the bill Thursday but is scheduled to vote on it Tuesday.

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