St. Joseph police dog, K-9 Max, lost his life late on June 21st
of 2021 and with that sacrifice likely saved the lives of St. Joseph police
officers.

Max’s handler, Officer Lucas Winder, will never forget Max
chasing, then attacking Valdez McDonald, 24 at the time, as McDonald fled from
5108 Barbara Street to avoid arrest. Max continued his attack even after
McDonald shot and fatally wounded the police dog.

“I think that was the most valiant, I don’t know if that’s
even a good word for it, the bravest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Winder
tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post as we wrap up our three-part series on efforts to
pass Max’s Law.

Winder says McDonald was heavily armed and seemingly gave up
only after his assault rifle jammed after he shot Max.

“So, he had every intention that day to kill whoever he
could,” according to Winder. “Fortunately, Max was there to stop that. I’m
still a firm believer if we weren’t there as a team that day, we probably would
have some officers lost that day.”

That evening started innocently enough. Winder got a call from
his sergeant, asking that he bring Max to the south end as the Special Response
Team served a warrant. It soon grew tense when officers learned more about the
situation.

The mother of McDonald had called police, stating McDonald had
beaten her with a two-by-four and threatened his grandmother. McDonald had
barricaded himself inside the residence. He had prepared for a confrontation; a
violent one.

Winder and Max set up behind the house. Winder saw McDonald
jump through a window and out the screened-in porch, attempting to escape
through an alley. Winder saw McDonald was armed with an assault weapon. He
worried McDonald would find cover and begin firing at officers. In a
split-second decision, Winder let Max loose without a command, knowing Max
could sense what to do.

Max chased McDonald, caught up with him, and attacked.

McDonald fired a single .223 round into Max’s shoulder. The
bullet lodged in the police dog’s chest. Max, though mortally wounded,
continued his attack, not stopping. McDonald’s rifle then jammed. He
surrendered.

It was only after officers cuffed McDonald and led him off
that Winder heard a yelp and knew Max was suffering. Winder went to his dog,
found the wound, but saw no exit hole. He put Max in his patrol car and sped
off to an emergency veterinarian in North Kansas City.

Max was too severely wounded to save, though the vets at Blue
Pearl worked for hours, attempting to save his life.

Winder firmly believes Max saved the lives of St. Joseph
police officers when he confronted McDonald, who had four 30-round magazines
tied together with spacers so he could fire 120-t0-130 rounds without stopping.

“I’m thankful that I had him,” Winder says of Max. “I’ll never
have a way to repay him. But the best I can do is continue to talk about his
legacy and what he had done for us and our department and this community”

Winder says losing Max was like losing an old friend.

“It’s bittersweet, because I know our time together was of the
highest quality, but it was cut short.”

Winder says Max has left a legacy, a legacy he hopes is not
just confined to the St. Joseph Police Department and the St. Joseph community.

“I think that Max’s Law is the legacy of losing Max,” Winder
says. “He was taken from us too soon. However, his loss has been the conduit
for change in Missouri. That’s my hope.”

The Missouri General Assembly considers Max’s Law for the
third year this legislative session. The measure ran out of time two years ago
and fell to a gubernatorial veto last year when Gov. Mike Parson vetoed the
anti-crime package that contained Max’s Law on an unrelated matter.

McDonald was sentenced to four years in prison for shooting
and killing Max. He received another eight years when prosecutors enhanced his
sentence by adding the charge of armed criminal action.

Winder hopes this is the year Max’s Law passes the legislature
and is signed into law by the governor, preserving Max’s legacy and honoring
the sacrifice he made, because to Winder, Max wasn’t just a dog.

“I’ve heard that a couple of times over the years, well he was
just a dog, what’s the big deal?” Winder says. “No. He was much more than a dog,
much more than a dog.”

Click <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34ddfc30-5b7d-4ec0-a3b6-4b7c18b9eb76">HERE</a> for Part One:&nbsp; Remembering Max

Click <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5d112593-6ae4-487b-8fb4-0655459fed3a">HERE</a> for Part Two:&nbsp; Preserving Max's Legacy

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705596511097.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder says goodbye to K-9 Max during the memorial service held at Civic Center Park./Photo by Tommy Rezac" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder says goodbye to K-9 Max during the memorial service held at Civic Center Park./Photo by Tommy Rezac</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph police dog, K-9 Max, lost his life late on June 21st
of 2021 and with that sacrifice likely saved the lives of St. Joseph police
officers.Max’s handler, Officer Lucas Winder, will never forget Max
chasing, then attacking Valdez McDonald, 24 at the time, as McDonald fled from
5108 Barbara Street to avoid arrest. Max continued his attack even after
McDonald shot and fatally wounded the police dog.“I think that was the most valiant, I don’t know if that’s
even a good word for it, the bravest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Winder
tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post as we wrap up our three-part series on efforts to
pass Max’s Law.Winder says McDonald was heavily armed and seemingly gave up
only after his assault rifle jammed after he shot Max.“So, he had every intention that day to kill whoever he
could,” according to Winder. “Fortunately, Max was there to stop that. I’m
still a firm believer if we weren’t there as a team that day, we probably would
have some officers lost that day.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705596612335.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac</figcaption>
 </figure>That evening started innocently enough. Winder got a call from
his sergeant, asking that he bring Max to the south end as the Special Response
Team served a warrant. It soon grew tense when officers learned more about the
situation.The mother of McDonald had called police, stating McDonald had
beaten her with a two-by-four and threatened his grandmother. McDonald had
barricaded himself inside the residence. He had prepared for a confrontation; a
violent one.Winder and Max set up behind the house. Winder saw McDonald
jump through a window and out the screened-in porch, attempting to escape
through an alley. Winder saw McDonald was armed with an assault weapon. He
worried McDonald would find cover and begin firing at officers. In a
split-second decision, Winder let Max loose without a command, knowing Max
could sense what to do.Max chased McDonald, caught up with him, and attacked.McDonald fired a single .223 round into Max’s shoulder. The
bullet lodged in the police dog’s chest. Max, though mortally wounded,
continued his attack, not stopping. McDonald’s rifle then jammed. He
surrendered.It was only after officers cuffed McDonald and led him off
that Winder heard a yelp and knew Max was suffering. Winder went to his dog,
found the wound, but saw no exit hole. He put Max in his patrol car and sped
off to an emergency veterinarian in North Kansas City.Max was too severely wounded to save, though the vets at Blue
Pearl worked for hours, attempting to save his life.Winder firmly believes Max saved the lives of St. Joseph
police officers when he confronted McDonald, who had four 30-round magazines
tied together with spacers so he could fire 120-t0-130 rounds without stopping.“I’m thankful that I had him,” Winder says of Max. “I’ll never
have a way to repay him. But the best I can do is continue to talk about his
legacy and what he had done for us and our department and this community”Winder says losing Max was like losing an old friend.“It’s bittersweet, because I know our time together was of the
highest quality, but it was cut short.”Winder says Max has left a legacy, a legacy he hopes is not
just confined to the St. Joseph Police Department and the St. Joseph community.“I think that Max’s Law is the legacy of losing Max,” Winder
says. “He was taken from us too soon. However, his loss has been the conduit
for change in Missouri. That’s my hope.”The Missouri General Assembly considers Max’s Law for the
third year this legislative session. The measure ran out of time two years ago
and fell to a gubernatorial veto last year when Gov. Mike Parson vetoed the
anti-crime package that contained Max’s Law on an unrelated matter.McDonald was sentenced to four years in prison for shooting
and killing Max. He received another eight years when prosecutors enhanced his
sentence by adding the charge of armed criminal action.Winder hopes this is the year Max’s Law passes the legislature
and is signed into law by the governor, preserving Max’s legacy and honoring
the sacrifice he made, because to Winder, Max wasn’t just a dog.“I’ve heard that a couple of times over the years, well he was
just a dog, what’s the big deal?” Winder says. “No. He was much more than a dog,
much more than a dog.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705596681927.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Part-Three-Preserving-Maxs-legacy-e2ek9g2" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Click <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34ddfc30-5b7d-4ec0-a3b6-4b7c18b9eb76">HERE</a> for Part One:&nbsp; Remembering MaxClick <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5d112593-6ae4-487b-8fb4-0655459fed3a">HERE</a> for Part Two:&nbsp; Preserving Max's LegacyYou can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Preserving Max's legacy:  the 3rd of a 3-part series on efforts to pass Max's Law

The city of St. Joseph and Buchanan County will combine money they received from an opioid settlement to help in the battle against a growing problem with opioid addiction. 

Assistant St. Joseph Health Director Kendra Bundy says the money will pay for treatment, prevention, and education. 

"And there's a pretty long laundry list through the application process of things that are approved uses, but it really is geared towards treatment, prevention and education, and those would be specific to anything within the city of St. Joseph or Buchanan County," Bundy tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  

Just over $150,000 will be made available annually between the city and county. 

Bundy says groups are already hard at work attacking the problem with limited to no money, and these funds will help fill the gaps in substance abuse recovery and education. 

"Maybe start education at an earlier level and enhance the education, really promote that to youth and families, and have a different impact there," Bundy explains. "Or treatment and recovery, where people maybe aren't always aware of treatment and recovery resources, or maybe we can expand treatment and recovery options and other prevention options within the city." 

Bundy says the effort will help get those resources out into the community to the people that need them, as well as help expand educational opportunities to prevent substance abuse for generations moving forward.  

Bundy says this problem isn't new and several agencies have been working to combat it for years.  

"Given that this problem is here and now we have some funding to put towards the services and expanding the different options available, expanding resources, and really taking a deeper dive into some of the gaps in the community and maybe being able to do something about that, that's very exciting," Bundy says.  

The city will contribute $105,000 with Buchanan County adding $52,000 annually through December of 2039. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The city of St. Joseph and Buchanan County will combine money they received from an opioid settlement to help in the battle against a growing problem with opioid addiction. Assistant St. Joseph Health Director Kendra Bundy says the money will pay for treatment, prevention, and education. "And there's a pretty long laundry list through the application process of things that are approved uses, but it really is geared towards treatment, prevention and education, and those would be specific to anything within the city of St. Joseph or Buchanan County," Bundy tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. Just over $150,000 will be made available annually between the city and county. Bundy says groups are already hard at work attacking the problem with limited to no money, and these funds will help fill the gaps in substance abuse recovery and education. "Maybe start education at an earlier level and enhance the education, really promote that to youth and families, and have a different impact there," Bundy explains. "Or treatment and recovery, where people maybe aren't always aware of treatment and recovery resources, or maybe we can expand treatment and recovery options and other prevention options within the city." Bundy says the effort will help get those resources out into the community to the people that need them, as well as help expand educational opportunities to prevent substance abuse for generations moving forward. Bundy says this problem isn't new and several agencies have been working to combat it for years. "Given that this problem is here and now we have some funding to put towards the services and expanding the different options available, expanding resources, and really taking a deeper dive into some of the gaps in the community and maybe being able to do something about that, that's very exciting," Bundy says. The city will contribute $105,000 with Buchanan County adding $52,000 annually through December of 2039.

St. Joseph and Buchanan CO work together to fight opioid addiction

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

At the same time when courts are required to dig through decades of non-digitized records for expungements, they are also involved in a large redacting project to make court records accessible online

Missouri circuit courts have cleared more than 100,000 marijuana charges from people’s criminal records so far — a mandate that was a big<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/01/st-louis-mayor-tishaura-jones-announces-opposition-to-missouri-marijuana-amendment/">&nbsp;selling point</a>&nbsp;for those who voted to pass the constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.

However, court officials said it’s hard to determine how many more charges are left because many court records are not digitized.&nbsp;

The state initially identified digital cases that could potentially be eligible for expungement and gave that information to the circuit courts.

“We’ve had about 100,000 cases expunged,” said Betsy AuBuchon, clerk of the Missouri Supreme Court, during a House appropriations&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Committees.aspx?category=all&amp;committee=2933&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R&amp;cluster=true">committee</a>&nbsp;meeting Wednesday, “but I can’t tell you of that how many more there are to go.”

She said the current rate of cases reviewed and deemed eligible is about 10%.

AuBuchon requested another $3.7 million in the coming budget year for Missouri courts to complete marijuana expungements.

By law, any revenue the state collects from taxes on recreational marijuana sales, along with fees the businesses pay, must first go towards the state’s costs of regulating the program. Then it goes to expenses incurred by the court system for expunging certain marijuana offenses from people’s criminal records.

Last year lawmakers signed off on $4.5 million for state courts to pay their employees overtime or to hire temp workers to complete the<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/13/courts-hopeful-missouri-lawmakers-can-provide-funds-to-help-with-marijuana-expungements/">&nbsp;massive number of expungements</a>&nbsp;required by law. They approved an additional $2.5 million in a<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB15&amp;year=2023&amp;code=R">&nbsp;supplemental budget</a>&nbsp;on May 5.&nbsp;

Circuit courts must request funds to reimburse their expenses for completing expungements from the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=185279">&nbsp;Circuit Court Budget Committee</a>, which oversees the special assistance program.&nbsp;

So far, the committee has given $4.2 million to the county courts, said Beth Riggert, communications counsel of the Missouri Supreme Court. And the committee has allocated the funds to any circuit court that has requested it, she said.&nbsp;

“Some circuit courts have advised they have not requested special assistance funds because they did not have current court clerks willing or able to work overtime,” Riggert said, “and/or have been unable to find qualified individuals to provide special assistance because the analysis required is complicated and better done by experienced personnel, such as retired clerks.”

As of Jan. 2, Missouri courts have granted 103,558 expungements. Out of all the counties, Greene County has received the most funding, nearly $940,000, and has completed the most expungements at 4,306.&nbsp;

After Greene, the counties that have completed the most expungements are not necessarily the largest counties or the ones that have received the most money.&nbsp;

The second highest number is 3,515 from Laclede County, which has a population of 36,000. The county has received a little more than $35,000 from the special assistance program.

In third place is St. Louis County, the state’s largest county with more than a million people, where court officials have processed 3,479 expungements. The county has received just over $135,000. The court has reviewed 11,300 files, a spokesman for the 21st Circuit Court said.&nbsp;

Franklin County, which has a population of 104,000, is fourth, completing 3,200 expungements and receiving about $53,000. Franklin is just ahead of Jackson County, which has a population of 717,000. Jackson has completed 2,900 and received nearly $195,000.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/07/experts-worry-expungements-under-missouri-marijuana-law-could-be-procedural-nightmare/">constitution mandates the courts</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;expunge all marijuana-related misdemeanors by June 8 and felonies by Dec. 8. State&nbsp;Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, asked AuBuchon how long it will take the courts to work through the backlog. AuBuchon, like circuit clerks statewide, couldn’t give an estimate.

“We are doing our best,” AuBuchon said.&nbsp;

Greene County Circuit Clerk Bryan Feemster told The Independent last week that he brought on four experienced retired clerks in February to work part-time on expungements and, “they hit the ground running.” Their work has been guided by a list of pre-screened cases, compiled by the Office of State Court Administrator.&nbsp;

The office searched for several criminal charge codes that potentially could involve marijuana and provided that list to the courts. The clerks must read through each case on the list thoroughly, he said.

“You have to look at every count in the case and see whether it actually had to do with marijuana or not,” he said.

Feemster submits timesheets and supporting documentation to the office, which then provides payment to employees on their paychecks for the expungement work.&nbsp;

He’s hired additional two people to embark on the heavy lifting of paper boxes and going through thousands of paper files that can’t be pre-screened by the state. Those six clerks are dedicated to expungements.&nbsp;

“They don’t do anything else,” he said.

During the 2022 campaign in support of the recreational marijuana ballot measure, supporters touted “automatic expungements” — meaning people who have already served their sentences for past charges don’t have to petition the court and go through a hearing to expunge those charges from their records.&nbsp;

The courts must locate their records and make it as if their past marijuana charges never existed.&nbsp;

“Let me be the first to tell you there is nothing automatic about that,” AuBuchon told legislators Wednesday.&nbsp;

It’s a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/07/experts-worry-expungements-under-missouri-marijuana-law-could-be-procedural-nightmare/">labor-intensive process</a>, she said, that requires someone with legal experience to look through court files. That’s why most courts are relying on retired clerks.&nbsp;

“It’s heavily frontloaded and probably not worth bringing in brand new full-time employees on the state dollar,” she said. “We really need people who know how to do that work. We are getting through those as quickly as we can.”

And that’s particularly the case with paper records, Feemster said, because it’s all manual.

“From 1989 back, we’re going through every single criminal record to find out whether there’s something in there that might qualify,” he said. “And it is, as you might imagine, very slow and tedious.”

While Greene County has a team of retired clerks who Feemster was able to recruit, other county clerks say they have one or two extra people helping complete the task.&nbsp;

Marcy Anderson was appointed to serve as Johnson County’s circuit clerk in July, and she inherited the expungement task. She said she has a judge and a retired clerk who come to help out as often as they can, in addition to what her regular team can accomplish.&nbsp;

“I have not done any kind of research to see how far along we are,” Anderson said. “We just continue to do it every day.”

Johnson County has a population of 54,000, and her team has completed 529 expungements, as of Jan. 2, receiving nearly $18,000 from the special assistance program.&nbsp;

However her office, like every other county statewide, is simultaneously working on a large redacting project that’s required now that people can access court records on CaseNet.&nbsp;

Both the redacting and expungement processes require extra help that she currently doesn’t have, but “more funds and more people” would be helpful.

In Jackson County, court clerks have reviewed more than 20,000 files that include both felony and misdemeanor drug charges, said Valerie Hartman, spokeswoman for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court. The court has expunged nearly 3,000 charges.

Some of those cases reviewed were related to marijuana, but many were not, she said.&nbsp;

The court reviewed cases from 1989 through 2022 using data provided by the Office of State Courts Administrator, the Missouri Corrections Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, she said. All files that contained drug charges were included in the review.

Now the court is researching how to access old criminal databases, in order to identify and review additional paper case files, Hartman said.&nbsp;

“We have no information,” she said, “nor an estimate on how many additional drug cases await our review.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705580505128.png" alt=" Dyllan Davault, a harvester at Robust Cannabis facility in Cuba, Mo., tends to greenhouse plants on May 2, 2023. (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).By&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption> Dyllan Davault, a harvester at Robust Cannabis facility in Cuba, Mo., tends to greenhouse plants on May 2, 2023. (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).By&nbsp;</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>At the same time when courts are required to dig through decades of non-digitized records for expungements, they are also involved in a large redacting project to make court records accessible online</h2>Missouri circuit courts have cleared more than 100,000 marijuana charges from people’s criminal records so far — a mandate that was a big<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/01/st-louis-mayor-tishaura-jones-announces-opposition-to-missouri-marijuana-amendment/">&nbsp;selling point</a>&nbsp;for those who voted to pass the constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.However, court officials said it’s hard to determine how many more charges are left because many court records are not digitized.&nbsp;The state initially identified digital cases that could potentially be eligible for expungement and gave that information to the circuit courts.“We’ve had about 100,000 cases expunged,” said Betsy AuBuchon, clerk of the Missouri Supreme Court, during a House appropriations&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Committees.aspx?category=all&amp;committee=2933&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R&amp;cluster=true">committee</a>&nbsp;meeting Wednesday, “but I can’t tell you of that how many more there are to go.”She said the current rate of cases reviewed and deemed eligible is about 10%.AuBuchon requested another $3.7 million in the coming budget year for Missouri courts to complete marijuana expungements.By law, any revenue the state collects from taxes on recreational marijuana sales, along with fees the businesses pay, must first go towards the state’s costs of regulating the program. Then it goes to expenses incurred by the court system for expunging certain marijuana offenses from people’s criminal records.Last year lawmakers signed off on $4.5 million for state courts to pay their employees overtime or to hire temp workers to complete the<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/13/courts-hopeful-missouri-lawmakers-can-provide-funds-to-help-with-marijuana-expungements/">&nbsp;massive number of expungements</a>&nbsp;required by law. They approved an additional $2.5 million in a<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB15&amp;year=2023&amp;code=R">&nbsp;supplemental budget</a>&nbsp;on May 5.&nbsp;Circuit courts must request funds to reimburse their expenses for completing expungements from the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=185279">&nbsp;Circuit Court Budget Committee</a>, which oversees the special assistance program.&nbsp;So far, the committee has given $4.2 million to the county courts, said Beth Riggert, communications counsel of the Missouri Supreme Court. And the committee has allocated the funds to any circuit court that has requested it, she said.&nbsp;“Some circuit courts have advised they have not requested special assistance funds because they did not have current court clerks willing or able to work overtime,” Riggert said, “and/or have been unable to find qualified individuals to provide special assistance because the analysis required is complicated and better done by experienced personnel, such as retired clerks.”As of Jan. 2, Missouri courts have granted 103,558 expungements. Out of all the counties, Greene County has received the most funding, nearly $940,000, and has completed the most expungements at 4,306.&nbsp;After Greene, the counties that have completed the most expungements are not necessarily the largest counties or the ones that have received the most money.&nbsp;The second highest number is 3,515 from Laclede County, which has a population of 36,000. The county has received a little more than $35,000 from the special assistance program.In third place is St. Louis County, the state’s largest county with more than a million people, where court officials have processed 3,479 expungements. The county has received just over $135,000. The court has reviewed 11,300 files, a spokesman for the 21st Circuit Court said.&nbsp;Franklin County, which has a population of 104,000, is fourth, completing 3,200 expungements and receiving about $53,000. Franklin is just ahead of Jackson County, which has a population of 717,000. Jackson has completed 2,900 and received nearly $195,000.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/07/experts-worry-expungements-under-missouri-marijuana-law-could-be-procedural-nightmare/">constitution mandates the courts</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;expunge all marijuana-related misdemeanors by June 8 and felonies by Dec. 8. State&nbsp;Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, asked AuBuchon how long it will take the courts to work through the backlog. AuBuchon, like circuit clerks statewide, couldn’t give an estimate.“We are doing our best,” AuBuchon said.&nbsp;<h2>How far along are the courts?</h2>Greene County Circuit Clerk Bryan Feemster told The Independent last week that he brought on four experienced retired clerks in February to work part-time on expungements and, “they hit the ground running.” Their work has been guided by a list of pre-screened cases, compiled by the Office of State Court Administrator.&nbsp;The office searched for several criminal charge codes that potentially could involve marijuana and provided that list to the courts. The clerks must read through each case on the list thoroughly, he said.“You have to look at every count in the case and see whether it actually had to do with marijuana or not,” he said.Feemster submits timesheets and supporting documentation to the office, which then provides payment to employees on their paychecks for the expungement work.&nbsp;He’s hired additional two people to embark on the heavy lifting of paper boxes and going through thousands of paper files that can’t be pre-screened by the state. Those six clerks are dedicated to expungements.&nbsp;“They don’t do anything else,” he said.During the 2022 campaign in support of the recreational marijuana ballot measure, supporters touted “automatic expungements” — meaning people who have already served their sentences for past charges don’t have to petition the court and go through a hearing to expunge those charges from their records.&nbsp;The courts must locate their records and make it as if their past marijuana charges never existed.&nbsp;“Let me be the first to tell you there is nothing automatic about that,” AuBuchon told legislators Wednesday.&nbsp;It’s a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/07/experts-worry-expungements-under-missouri-marijuana-law-could-be-procedural-nightmare/">labor-intensive process</a>, she said, that requires someone with legal experience to look through court files. That’s why most courts are relying on retired clerks.&nbsp;“It’s heavily frontloaded and probably not worth bringing in brand new full-time employees on the state dollar,” she said. “We really need people who know how to do that work. We are getting through those as quickly as we can.”And that’s particularly the case with paper records, Feemster said, because it’s all manual.“From 1989 back, we’re going through every single criminal record to find out whether there’s something in there that might qualify,” he said. “And it is, as you might imagine, very slow and tedious.”While Greene County has a team of retired clerks who Feemster was able to recruit, other county clerks say they have one or two extra people helping complete the task.&nbsp;Marcy Anderson was appointed to serve as Johnson County’s circuit clerk in July, and she inherited the expungement task. She said she has a judge and a retired clerk who come to help out as often as they can, in addition to what her regular team can accomplish.&nbsp;“I have not done any kind of research to see how far along we are,” Anderson said. “We just continue to do it every day.”Johnson County has a population of 54,000, and her team has completed 529 expungements, as of Jan. 2, receiving nearly $18,000 from the special assistance program.&nbsp;However her office, like every other county statewide, is simultaneously working on a large redacting project that’s required now that people can access court records on CaseNet.&nbsp;Both the redacting and expungement processes require extra help that she currently doesn’t have, but “more funds and more people” would be helpful.In Jackson County, court clerks have reviewed more than 20,000 files that include both felony and misdemeanor drug charges, said Valerie Hartman, spokeswoman for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court. The court has expunged nearly 3,000 charges.Some of those cases reviewed were related to marijuana, but many were not, she said.&nbsp;The court reviewed cases from 1989 through 2022 using data provided by the Office of State Courts Administrator, the Missouri Corrections Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, she said. All files that contained drug charges were included in the review.Now the court is researching how to access old criminal databases, in order to identify and review additional paper case files, Hartman said.&nbsp;“We have no information,” she said, “nor an estimate on how many additional drug cases await our review.”

Mo. courts request $3.7M to continue arduous marijuana expungement process

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

Shortly after 11p.m. Tuesday police officers responded to a disturbance involving two people in a parking lot in the 400 block U.S. 59 in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

During the investigation at the scene of the disturbance, police found convicted felon Shalamar Allen, 43, Kansas City in possession of a gun

Based on his criminal history, police took him into custody on requested charges of criminal possession of a weapon and possession of marijuana, according to Wilson.

Allen has previous convictions for theft, obstruction and for drug possession, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705502446411.png" alt="Allen-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Allen-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after an arrest.Shortly after 11p.m. Tuesday police officers responded to a disturbance involving two people in a parking lot in the 400 block U.S. 59 in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.During the investigation at the scene of the disturbance, police found convicted felon Shalamar Allen, 43, Kansas City in possession of a gunBased on his criminal history, police took him into custody on requested charges of criminal possession of a weapon and possession of marijuana, according to Wilson.Allen has previous convictions for theft, obstruction and for drug possession, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon back in jail on gun, drug allegations

A popular event for St. Joseph restaurants enters its fifth-year next month.  

St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Kristi Bailey says Restaurant Week is designed to give local restaurants the opportunity to try some new menu items.  

Bailey says it's also designed to encourage residents to try something other than their normal go to eateries 

"Everyone has their favorite places that they go, but when restaurant week happens, they look at the list and every year we have people say that they've tried somewhere new that they've never been before and that they've found a new favorite restaurant in St. Joe," Bailey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

Bailey says there are already many local restaurants that have signed up for the event.  

"We have some like immediately that as soon as last year’s had ended, they immediately say I want to do it again next year," Bailey says. "So, we already have a good base, but we're always looking to add more." 

Restaurant owners can sign up for the event before February 22nd at <a href="https://www.stjrestaurantweek.com/">STJRestaurantWeek.com</a>. A list of restaurants will also be available on the website during the event.

Bailey says participating restaurants are asked to donate a $25 gift card, which will then be given away on social media. 

"We'll encourage people on social media to answer with their favorite dishes or their favorite beverages at certain restaurants and that really gets a lot of participation and a lot of views and things to the different restaurants social media pages," Bailey explains. 

Restaurant week will run February 22nd through March 3rd.   

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A popular event for St. Joseph restaurants enters its fifth-year next month. St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Kristi Bailey says Restaurant Week is designed to give local restaurants the opportunity to try some new menu items. Bailey says it's also designed to encourage residents to try something other than their normal go to eateries "Everyone has their favorite places that they go, but when restaurant week happens, they look at the list and every year we have people say that they've tried somewhere new that they've never been before and that they've found a new favorite restaurant in St. Joe," Bailey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. Bailey says there are already many local restaurants that have signed up for the event. "We have some like immediately that as soon as last year’s had ended, they immediately say I want to do it again next year," Bailey says. "So, we already have a good base, but we're always looking to add more." Restaurant owners can sign up for the event before February 22nd at <a href="https://www.stjrestaurantweek.com/">STJRestaurantWeek.com</a>. A list of restaurants will also be available on the website during the event. Bailey says participating restaurants are asked to donate a $25 gift card, which will then be given away on social media. "We'll encourage people on social media to answer with their favorite dishes or their favorite beverages at certain restaurants and that really gets a lot of participation and a lot of views and things to the different restaurants social media pages," Bailey explains. Restaurant week will run February 22nd through March 3rd.

Explore St. Joseph restaurants as Restaurant Week returns next month

St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder returns to Jefferson
City today to testify before a Missouri Senate committee on Max’s Law.

Max’s Law is named after St. Joseph police dog, K-9 Max, shot
and killed chasing a suspect in the summer of 2021.

Winder, Max’s handler, discovered after the death of Max that
Missouri law treats the killing of a police animal as no more serious than a
property crime. Max’s Law would enhance the penalty.

“I’m not saying that humans and dogs are the same, all alike,
but if they lay down their lives, we need to show the proper respect and render
some appropriate justice for that,” Winder tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

This is the second in a three-part series on efforts to pass Max’s Law.

Winder will testify before the Missouri Senate Judiciary
Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, a Republican who
represents Platte and Buchanan Counties in the Missouri Senate.

Luetkemeyer sponsored Max’s Law at the prompting of Winder
after Luetkemeyer had come to the St. Joseph Police Department to formally
honor Max for his sacrifice.

“Actually, I asked my father, John Winder, who is a handler
now with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, and his dog Niko if they
could come down and be present while I testify,” Winder says. “And my father
and the leadership of Buchanan County said that would be just fine. So, now my
father’s going to join me in testifying on this go.”

Luetkemeyer ran out of time two years ago when he first
sponsored Max’s Law. Last year, he succeeded in amending an anti-crime bill he
sponsored to include Max’s Law. It passed the legislature, but Gov. Mike Parson
vetoed it, objecting to an unrelated matter in the measure.

Windsor was disappointed, but philosophical.

“Sometimes, the legislative machine tacks on things along the
way. I’m not in opposition to that, but at the same time, it’s a little
frustrating to watch sometimes,” Winder says. “But again, I’ve got faith it’s
going to pass this year and it’s going to be just fine.”

Winder recalls the evening in the summer of 2021 when Max made
the ultimate sacrifice when we conclude this series tomorrow.

Click <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5d112593-6ae4-487b-8fb4-0655459fed3a">HERE</a> for Part Three:&nbsp; Preserving Max's legacy

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705507901527.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder testifies two years ago before the Missouri Senate Judiciary Committee on Max's Law as Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R-Parkville) looks on./Photo courtesy of Sen. Luetkemeyer's office" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder testifies two years ago before the Missouri Senate Judiciary Committee on Max's Law as Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R-Parkville) looks on./Photo courtesy of Sen. Luetkemeyer's office</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder returns to Jefferson
City today to testify before a Missouri Senate committee on Max’s Law.Max’s Law is named after St. Joseph police dog, K-9 Max, shot
and killed chasing a suspect in the summer of 2021.Winder, Max’s handler, discovered after the death of Max that
Missouri law treats the killing of a police animal as no more serious than a
property crime. Max’s Law would enhance the penalty.“I’m not saying that humans and dogs are the same, all alike,
but if they lay down their lives, we need to show the proper respect and render
some appropriate justice for that,” Winder tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.This is the second in a three-part series on efforts to pass Max’s Law.Winder will testify before the Missouri Senate Judiciary
Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, a Republican who
represents Platte and Buchanan Counties in the Missouri Senate.Luetkemeyer sponsored Max’s Law at the prompting of Winder
after Luetkemeyer had come to the St. Joseph Police Department to formally
honor Max for his sacrifice.Winder will not be testifying alone.“Actually, I asked my father, John Winder, who is a handler
now with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, and his dog Niko if they
could come down and be present while I testify,” Winder says. “And my father
and the leadership of Buchanan County said that would be just fine. So, now my
father’s going to join me in testifying on this go.”Luetkemeyer ran out of time two years ago when he first
sponsored Max’s Law. Last year, he succeeded in amending an anti-crime bill he
sponsored to include Max’s Law. It passed the legislature, but Gov. Mike Parson
vetoed it, objecting to an unrelated matter in the measure.Windsor was disappointed, but philosophical.“Sometimes, the legislative machine tacks on things along the
way. I’m not in opposition to that, but at the same time, it’s a little
frustrating to watch sometimes,” Winder says. “But again, I’ve got faith it’s
going to pass this year and it’s going to be just fine.”Winder recalls the evening in the summer of 2021 when Max made
the ultimate sacrifice when we conclude this series tomorrow.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Part-2-of-3-Testifying-on-Maxs-Law-e2eilmb" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Click <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/34ddfc30-5b7d-4ec0-a3b6-4b7c18b9eb76">HERE</a> for Part One:&nbsp; Remembering MaxClick <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5d112593-6ae4-487b-8fb4-0655459fed3a">HERE</a> for Part Three:&nbsp; Preserving Max's legacyYou can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Testifying on Max's Law: the 2nd of a 3-part series on efforts to pass Max's Law

Lawmakers in 2022 repealed the state’s primary, so Democrats and Republicans are using different methods for picking national convention delegates

The presidential nominating process kicked off Monday in Iowa, with a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/15/iowa-caucus-night-live/">decisive victory</a>&nbsp;for former President Donald Trump in the Republican caucuses.&nbsp;

Missouri’s turn will come in March, when Republicans&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13b0dFs9V5-iu7YFW0wLwuc8nmWIwGwwy/view?usp=sharing">meet for caucuses</a>&nbsp;on March 2 and Democrats participate in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/07/mail-in-ballots-ranked-choice-voting-part-of-missouri-democrat-plan-for-presidential-primary/">party-run primary</a>&nbsp;on March 23.

From 2000 to 2020, Missouri had a state-run presidential primary. Lawmakers repealed the law authorizing the primary in 2022 and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/push-to-reinstate-missouri-presidential-primary-stalls-in-senate/">efforts to revive it last year fell short</a>&nbsp;when the state Senate descended into factional gridlock.

In an interview with The Independent, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said he would have preferred a primary. The system Missouri will use instead requires voters to do some work to participate, he said.

“Individuals that want to help nominate presidential candidates from Missouri will need to get involved with the local party with how they’re doing that,” Ashcroft said.

On the Republican side, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley did well enough in Iowa to continue their campaigns to next Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/vivek-ramaswamy-suspends-campaign-endorses-trump-after-iowa-caucuses/">dropped out</a>&nbsp;after finishing fourth in Iowa.

Democrats kick off their nominating contest Feb. 3 in South Carolina. No major candidate is challenging President Joe Biden’s bid for a second term. There are some long-shot contenders, including Marianne Williamson, a self-help author and former spiritual adviser to Oprah Winfrey, and U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota.

Which candidates will still be in the race and eligible to receive delegates from Missouri will be entirely up to the parties, Ashcroft said.

“I have no authority over how the Republicans, the Democrats or the Libertarians are selecting their presidential nominee from Missouri,” he said.

Both parties set a 15% threshold for a candidate’s supporters to win delegates and both parties will have voter caucus meetings to elect those delegates but that is where the similarities end.

On the Republican side, registered voters who did not participate in another party’s nominating contest are eligible. Voters must attend a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouri.gop/missouri-gop-2024-caucus/locate-your-caucus/">mass meeting in their county</a>&nbsp;on March 2 and be inside the room by 10 a.m. when the doors will be closed.

At the March 2 meetings, Republicans will elect delegates to congressional district and state conventions, with 1 delegate for each 2,000 votes for Trump in the 2020 election.

Other rules for the Republican caucuses include:

The people who will represent Missouri at the Republican National Convention will be selected April 6 at congressional district conventions and May 4 at the Republican State Convention in Springfield. Missouri will have 51 delegates at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Participating in the Democratic Party process will be a bit more complicated. Democratic voters will register their preferences in the party-run primary, with the delegates who will be bound by those preferences selected at county caucuses.

Like Republicans, Democrats will require every candidate to achieve at least 15% of the vote to win delegates, but without a winner-take-all rule.&nbsp;

Other rules for Democratic participation include:

Democratic National Convention delegates will be selected at congressional district conventions May 9 and the Democratic State Convention on June 22. Missouri will have 42 delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Whether Democrats will have voting locations in every county, as stated in the plan, is uncertain.&nbsp;

Party spokeswoman Chelsea Rodriguez, in a statement to The Independent, said locations where voting will occur and how to request ballots will be announced soon.

The election, she said, “will be a hybrid election to include in-person voting sites in select locations and a vote-by-mail option.”

Rodriguez did not respond to follow-up questions asking whether there will be in-person voting in every county.

A new wrinkle for voters is a state law allowing voters to “affiliate” with a political party as part of their voter registration.&nbsp;

“Voters may request a ballot if their registration reflects Democrat or Unaffiliated status,” the Democratic delegate selection plan states. “Voters affiliated with the Republican Party will not be permitted to receive a ballot.”

Voters who want to be sure they can participate should check their voter registration, Ashcroft said.

“They can do that by reaching out to their local election authority, their county clerk or their board of elections, depending on where they are,” he said. “They can also go to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/register">Secretary of State’s website</a>&nbsp;where they can not only register to vote if they’re not registered, but they can do their party affiliation if they so choose to do that.&nbsp;

The deadlines set by the parties for being a registered voter are organization rules, not state laws, Ashcroft noted.

“What I would say,” Ashcroft said, “is if you’re not registered, don’t wait.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705318898624.png" alt="Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Lawmakers in 2022 repealed the state’s primary, so Democrats and Republicans are using different methods for picking national convention delegates</h2>The presidential nominating process kicked off Monday in Iowa, with a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/15/iowa-caucus-night-live/">decisive victory</a>&nbsp;for former President Donald Trump in the Republican caucuses.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705317082134.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail in Iowa-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail in Iowa-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Missouri’s turn will come in March, when Republicans&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13b0dFs9V5-iu7YFW0wLwuc8nmWIwGwwy/view?usp=sharing">meet for caucuses</a>&nbsp;on March 2 and Democrats participate in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/07/mail-in-ballots-ranked-choice-voting-part-of-missouri-democrat-plan-for-presidential-primary/">party-run primary</a>&nbsp;on March 23.From 2000 to 2020, Missouri had a state-run presidential primary. Lawmakers repealed the law authorizing the primary in 2022 and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/push-to-reinstate-missouri-presidential-primary-stalls-in-senate/">efforts to revive it last year fell short</a>&nbsp;when the state Senate descended into factional gridlock.In an interview with The Independent, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said he would have preferred a primary. The system Missouri will use instead requires voters to do some work to participate, he said.“Individuals that want to help nominate presidential candidates from Missouri will need to get involved with the local party with how they’re doing that,” Ashcroft said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705324613627.png" alt="Florida Governor Ron Desantis-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Florida Governor Ron Desantis-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>On the Republican side, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley did well enough in Iowa to continue their campaigns to next Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/vivek-ramaswamy-suspends-campaign-endorses-trump-after-iowa-caucuses/">dropped out</a>&nbsp;after finishing fourth in Iowa.Democrats kick off their nominating contest Feb. 3 in South Carolina. No major candidate is challenging President Joe Biden’s bid for a second term. There are some long-shot contenders, including Marianne Williamson, a self-help author and former spiritual adviser to Oprah Winfrey, and U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota.Which candidates will still be in the race and eligible to receive delegates from Missouri will be entirely up to the parties, Ashcroft said.“I have no authority over how the Republicans, the Democrats or the Libertarians are selecting their presidential nominee from Missouri,” he said.Both parties set a 15% threshold for a candidate’s supporters to win delegates and both parties will have voter caucus meetings to elect those delegates but that is where the similarities end.On the Republican side, registered voters who did not participate in another party’s nominating contest are eligible. Voters must attend a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouri.gop/missouri-gop-2024-caucus/locate-your-caucus/">mass meeting in their county</a>&nbsp;on March 2 and be inside the room by 10 a.m. when the doors will be closed.At the March 2 meetings, Republicans will elect delegates to congressional district and state conventions, with 1 delegate for each 2,000 votes for Trump in the 2020 election.Other rules for the Republican caucuses include:<ul>
 <li>A winner-take-all rule that gives all a candidate with more than 50% of the participants all the delegates elected at the meeting. If no candidate meets that threshold, every candidate with backing from 15% or more of the participants will receive delegates. The same winner-take-all rule will apply at the congressional district and state conventions.&nbsp;</li><li>All delegates will be elected by a slate, with no individual nominations.</li><li>Counties that are split between Congressional districts – Boone, Clay, Jackson, Jefferson, St. Charles, St. Louis, Warren, and Webster counties – must apportion delegates by districts.&nbsp;</li><li>Most counties will have a single countywide meeting but in a handful of the largest counties, there will be multiple meetings to keep the size of the gathering manageable. For instance, St. Charles County will have separate meetings for voters in the 2nd and 3rd Congressional districts.</li>
 </ul>The people who will represent Missouri at the Republican National Convention will be selected April 6 at congressional district conventions and May 4 at the Republican State Convention in Springfield. Missouri will have 51 delegates at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.Participating in the Democratic Party process will be a bit more complicated. Democratic voters will register their preferences in the party-run primary, with the delegates who will be bound by those preferences selected at county caucuses.Like Republicans, Democrats will require every candidate to achieve at least 15% of the vote to win delegates, but without a winner-take-all rule.&nbsp;Other rules for Democratic participation include:<ul>
 <li>Only voters registered by Feb. 21 can participate.</li><li>Voters who wish to vote by mail can begin requesting ballots Feb. 1, with a March 12 cutoff. Mail-in ballots must be returned by noon March 23.</li><li>There will be four hours of in-person voting on March 23. The party intends to have a polling location open in every county from 8 a.m. to noon that day but could change the plan if fundraising goals – $175,000 by Dec. 31 and $250,000 to $450,000 total – are not met.</li><li>The Democratic Party plan anticipates announcing results by March 28. Democrats will meet in county caucus meetings on or before April 18 to select delegates to congressional district conventions based on those results.</li>
 </ul>Democratic National Convention delegates will be selected at congressional district conventions May 9 and the Democratic State Convention on June 22. Missouri will have 42 delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.Whether Democrats will have voting locations in every county, as stated in the plan, is uncertain.&nbsp;Party spokeswoman Chelsea Rodriguez, in a statement to The Independent, said locations where voting will occur and how to request ballots will be announced soon.The election, she said, “will be a hybrid election to include in-person voting sites in select locations and a vote-by-mail option.”Rodriguez did not respond to follow-up questions asking whether there will be in-person voting in every county.A new wrinkle for voters is a state law allowing voters to “affiliate” with a political party as part of their voter registration.&nbsp;“Voters may request a ballot if their registration reflects Democrat or Unaffiliated status,” the Democratic delegate selection plan states. “Voters affiliated with the Republican Party will not be permitted to receive a ballot.”Voters who want to be sure they can participate should check their voter registration, Ashcroft said.“They can do that by reaching out to their local election authority, their county clerk or their board of elections, depending on where they are,” he said. “They can also go to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/register">Secretary of State’s website</a>&nbsp;where they can not only register to vote if they’re not registered, but they can do their party affiliation if they so choose to do that.&nbsp;The deadlines set by the parties for being a registered voter are organization rules, not state laws, Ashcroft noted.“What I would say,” Ashcroft said, “is if you’re not registered, don’t wait.”

Missouri political parties prepare for life after the presidential primary

A St. Joseph woman suffered a single gunshot wound to her
shoulder during a shooting in the 1500 block of South 22nd
Street shortly after midnight.

St. Joseph police report the shooting occurred around 12:30 Wednesday morning. The victim, 44-year-old Rebecca Lawhon, suffered a wound considered to be non-life-threatening.

This article has been updated since first published.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA St. Joseph woman suffered a single gunshot wound to her
shoulder during a shooting in the 1500 block of South 22nd
Street shortly after midnight.St. Joseph police report the shooting occurred around 12:30 Wednesday morning. The victim, 44-year-old Rebecca Lawhon, suffered a wound considered to be non-life-threatening.Police are looking for a suspect.This article has been updated since first published.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Woman wounded in St. Joseph shooting

ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Wednesday in Atchison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Freightliner semi driven by Nogivenname Rajpal, 27, Sacramento, California, was southbound on Interstate 29 ten miles north of Rock Port.

The semi rear-ended a 2008 Chrysler Town &amp; Country driven by Christal J. Bobbitt, 44, Maple Heights, Ohio. After impact, the van slid off the west side of the highway&nbsp;

Hamburg ambulance transported Bobbitt to Grape Memorial Hospital. The semi driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 12:30a.m. Wednesday in Atchison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Freightliner semi driven by Nogivenname Rajpal, 27, Sacramento, California, was southbound on Interstate 29 ten miles north of Rock Port.The semi rear-ended a 2008 Chrysler Town &amp; Country driven by Christal J. Bobbitt, 44, Maple Heights, Ohio. After impact, the van slid off the west side of the highway&nbsp;Hamburg ambulance transported Bobbitt to Grape Memorial Hospital. The semi driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Woman injured after semi rear-ends a van

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for an alleged violent crime.

On Monday, police arrested 38-year-old Brandon J. Lemon of Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

He is being held on a $2500 bond for alleged domestic battery, assault, and criminal damage to property in the 1300 block North 17th Street.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705420995016.png" alt="Lemon-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Lemon-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for an alleged violent crime.On Monday, police arrested 38-year-old Brandon J. Lemon of Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.He is being held on a $2500 bond for alleged domestic battery, assault, and criminal damage to property in the 1300 block North 17th Street.&nbsp;

Kansas man accused of violent assault 

BROWN COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Brown County.

Just after 7:30a.m. Tuesday,&nbsp;&nbsp;a house fire was reported&nbsp; at 668 300th in Brown County, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Two people were reported to be inside the home. Jesse and Logan Ploeger and Rory Clements&nbsp; were able to get the residents, Henry and Carolyn Allen out of the home and took them to the Sabetha Hospital where they were treated for non life threatening injuries.

Carolyn Allen stated that their dog had alerted them to the fire and said that is what saved their lives.&nbsp; The dog unfortunately perished in the fire.

Emergency responders arrived on the scene very quickly in the frigid temperatures. The house is a total loss.&nbsp; 

According to Merchant, the family has lost&nbsp; their home, all of their possessions and a vehicle which was parked next to the house. 

Many&nbsp; have asked how they could help the family through this difficult time. Monetary&nbsp; donations or gift cards&nbsp; would be preferred and are being accepted at the Brown County Sheriff's Office, 709 Utah Street in Hiawatha or the Sabetha Hospital social worker Melinda can be contacted at 785-284-1518.&nbsp; 

This would be a start to helping them rebuild their lives.

Clothing sizes are Mens L shirts, 40X30 pants and 9 1/2 W shoes.&nbsp; Female sizes are medium shirt/pants and 6 1/2 shoes.

BROWN COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Brown County.Just after 7:30a.m. Tuesday,&nbsp;&nbsp;a house fire was reported&nbsp; at 668 300th in Brown County, according to Sheriff John Merchant.Two people were reported to be inside the home. Jesse and Logan Ploeger and Rory Clements&nbsp; were able to get the residents, Henry and Carolyn Allen out of the home and took them to the Sabetha Hospital where they were treated for non life threatening injuries.Carolyn Allen stated that their dog had alerted them to the fire and said that is what saved their lives.&nbsp; The dog unfortunately perished in the fire.Emergency responders arrived on the scene very quickly in the frigid temperatures. The house is a total loss.&nbsp; According to Merchant, the family has lost&nbsp; their home, all of their possessions and a vehicle which was parked next to the house. Many&nbsp; have asked how they could help the family through this difficult time. Monetary&nbsp; donations or gift cards&nbsp; would be preferred and are being accepted at the Brown County Sheriff's Office, 709 Utah Street in Hiawatha or the Sabetha Hospital social worker Melinda can be contacted at 785-284-1518.&nbsp; This would be a start to helping them rebuild their lives.Clothing sizes are Mens L shirts, 40X30 pants and 9 1/2 W shoes.&nbsp; Female sizes are medium shirt/pants and 6 1/2 shoes.

Sheriff: Dog alerts Kansas family to house fire

It has been more than two years since St. Joseph police dog K-9
Max was shot and killed chasing a suspect.

Missouri law, which relegates the killing of a police animal
to no more than a property crime, still hasn’t changed.

St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder recalls choosing Max in
2019. Winder says handlers and trainers told him if you stay on him in
training, he would be a good police dog.

“Training with the KC Police Department, some of those guys that
were on their second and third dog and they said the exact same thing:&nbsp; if you stay on him, continue to work him the
way you are, he’s going to be one of the best dogs,” Winder tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “And, lo and behold, he was.”

The death of Max prompted a push to change state law to
increase the penalty for killing a police animal. Gov. Mike Parson vetoed the anti-crime
bill that included Max’s Law last year, due to an objection to an unrelated
matter.

The Missouri General Assembly will consider the measure for
the third time this year.

This is the first in a three-part series on efforts to pass
Max’s Law.

Winder initially tried out another police canine at Vohne
Liche Kennels in Denver, Indiana. No bond developed between the two. Winder
then took a walk with Max.

“I go and I hook him up and then we walk out into the middle
of this field and while we were out there, he jumps up, puts both paws on my
shoulders and looks me right in the face,” Winder says. “And I’m like, yeah, I
think you’re the one buddy. So, after that, I mean, it was nothing but history.”

Max was a Czech Shepherd. Winder retains his Slovakian passport
as a memento. He answered to commands in both English and Dutch.

Max was two different dogs, according to Winder. At home, Max
acted as any house dog would. Winder’s daughter would go to his pen and greet
Max in the morning. They would play. At work, Max grew serious and understood
his mission.

Max worked narcotics, trained to detect marijuana, cocaine,
heroin, and methamphetamine. Max also did patrol work.

“In all my years in the military, all my years in the police
department, there was no better companion that I had than Max.”

Winder returns to Jefferson City to testify in favor of Max’s
Law during a Missouri Senate committee hearing. We discuss that tomorrow in
part two.

Click <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/462f5b31-c248-49dd-a7b9-e51b9539a49e">HERE</a> for Part Two:&nbsp; Testifying on Max's Law

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705426035271.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Police Dept. photo" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Police Dept. photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostIt has been more than two years since St. Joseph police dog K-9
Max was shot and killed chasing a suspect.Missouri law, which relegates the killing of a police animal
to no more than a property crime, still hasn’t changed.St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder recalls choosing Max in
2019. Winder says handlers and trainers told him if you stay on him in
training, he would be a good police dog.“Training with the KC Police Department, some of those guys that
were on their second and third dog and they said the exact same thing:&nbsp; if you stay on him, continue to work him the
way you are, he’s going to be one of the best dogs,” Winder tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “And, lo and behold, he was.”The death of Max prompted a push to change state law to
increase the penalty for killing a police animal. Gov. Mike Parson vetoed the anti-crime
bill that included Max’s Law last year, due to an objection to an unrelated
matter.The Missouri General Assembly will consider the measure for
the third time this year.This is the first in a three-part series on efforts to pass
Max’s Law.Winder initially tried out another police canine at Vohne
Liche Kennels in Denver, Indiana. No bond developed between the two. Winder
then took a walk with Max.“I go and I hook him up and then we walk out into the middle
of this field and while we were out there, he jumps up, puts both paws on my
shoulders and looks me right in the face,” Winder says. “And I’m like, yeah, I
think you’re the one buddy. So, after that, I mean, it was nothing but history.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705426094688.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder and K-9 Max/St. Joseph Police Dept. photo" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Police Officer Lucas Winder and K-9 Max/St. Joseph Police Dept. photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Max was a Czech Shepherd. Winder retains his Slovakian passport
as a memento. He answered to commands in both English and Dutch.Max was two different dogs, according to Winder. At home, Max
acted as any house dog would. Winder’s daughter would go to his pen and greet
Max in the morning. They would play. At work, Max grew serious and understood
his mission.Max worked narcotics, trained to detect marijuana, cocaine,
heroin, and methamphetamine. Max also did patrol work.Winder remembers Max fondly.“In all my years in the military, all my years in the police
department, there was no better companion that I had than Max.”Winder returns to Jefferson City to testify in favor of Max’s
Law during a Missouri Senate committee hearing. We discuss that tomorrow in
part two.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Part-1-of-3-Officer-Winder--K9-Max--and-Maxs-Law-e2ehcg0" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Click <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/462f5b31-c248-49dd-a7b9-e51b9539a49e">HERE</a> for Part Two:&nbsp; Testifying on Max's LawClick <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5d112593-6ae4-487b-8fb4-0655459fed3a">HERE</a> for Part Three:&nbsp; Preserving Max's legacyYou can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Remembering Max: the 1st of a 3-part series on efforts to pass Max's Law

The recent weather storm also affected the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art, delaying the launch of the 50th annual membership exhibition in the museum. 

Executive Director Eric Fuson says the annual exhibition shows off the talent of existing members at the museum 

"People come in all the time and say I'm just kind of blown away by the level of work," Fuson tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "There are professionals and there are kind of middle range and beginners, there's all levels in that, and it's such a great thing to put your work out in front of people and get some feedback and be able to see it in a different light, it's really, really fun." 

Fuson says over 140 artists submitted 245 works of art to the exhibition which will be in the upstairs gallery of the museum starting Friday. 

The weather also pushed back the opening of an exhibition titled Stillness and Life in Colored Pencil featuring works from Wanda Taylor. 

Executive Director Eric Fuson says the work Taylor does with a colored pencil is amazing. 

"So many times, I hear somebody say it looks like a photograph, and it really. really does, until you get really, really close and then you start to see oh it is a drawing isn't it," Fuson explains. "The downstairs galleries are just full of her work." 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The recent weather storm also affected the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art, delaying the launch of the 50th annual membership exhibition in the museum. Executive Director Eric Fuson says the annual exhibition shows off the talent of existing members at the museum "People come in all the time and say I'm just kind of blown away by the level of work," Fuson tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "There are professionals and there are kind of middle range and beginners, there's all levels in that, and it's such a great thing to put your work out in front of people and get some feedback and be able to see it in a different light, it's really, really fun." Fuson says over 140 artists submitted 245 works of art to the exhibition which will be in the upstairs gallery of the museum starting Friday. The weather also pushed back the opening of an exhibition titled Stillness and Life in Colored Pencil featuring works from Wanda Taylor. Executive Director Eric Fuson says the work Taylor does with a colored pencil is amazing. "So many times, I hear somebody say it looks like a photograph, and it really. really does, until you get really, really close and then you start to see oh it is a drawing isn't it," Fuson explains. "The downstairs galleries are just full of her work." Fuson says nearly every work in the downstairs gallery was done over Taylor just over the last two years. Both exhibits are scheduled to open on Friday.

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