Officials with the Convention and Visitors Bureau say tourism in St. Joseph continued to grow last year, giving the local economy a big boost. 

Executive Director Marci Bennett says the bureau saw a big leap in the economic impact from tourism in Buchanan County between 2022 and 2023. 

"This past year, we went from $216 million in Buchanan County of economic impact to $229 million, that's incredible," Bennett tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "During 2020 we were way down of course on everything, but it has rebounded and exceeded anything before 2020." 

Bennett points to events such as the recent Bill Snyder Classic between Missouri and Kansas State women’s basketball as well as the Division II Women's Elite Eight as some of the highlights from 2023 that helped boost the economy.  

After a successful 2023, officials now turn their attention to having an even more successful 2024. 

Director of Marketing and Communications Christian Mengel says he's excited about the return of the Missouri Film tax credit. 

Mengel says the tax credit gives filmmakers an incentive to film in rural communities, providing an economic boost to those communities. 

"They can hire local someone credited, who is you'd say qualified someone like a Jason Hudson who locally directs plenty of films and everyone knows is the filmmaker, but he can be credited on a big picture that comes in from Hollywood because he's qualified to be like an assistant director or an assistant producer or something and kind of shadow under someone that you'd say was big name Hollywood," Mengel explains. 

Mengel says the credit also applies to the hiring of local editors and crew, and even Uber drivers, which in turn puts money back into Buchanan County.  

Bennett says events that drew in large crowds last year, will be back this year, including the Division II Women's Elite Eight 

"Women's basketball March 25th and 29th, our second marathon, now it can be an annual not an inaugural marathon, will be September 28th so mark your calendars to be either a runner or a volunteer," Bennett says. 

Bennett says the Bill Snyder Classic will also return this December, though teams have not been decided.  She also says there is currently a bid in place to try to bring the state 8-man football championship game to St. Joseph. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Officials with the Convention and Visitors Bureau say tourism in St. Joseph continued to grow last year, giving the local economy a big boost. Executive Director Marci Bennett says the bureau saw a big leap in the economic impact from tourism in Buchanan County between 2022 and 2023. "This past year, we went from $216 million in Buchanan County of economic impact to $229 million, that's incredible," Bennett tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "During 2020 we were way down of course on everything, but it has rebounded and exceeded anything before 2020." Bennett points to events such as the recent Bill Snyder Classic between Missouri and Kansas State women’s basketball as well as the Division II Women's Elite Eight as some of the highlights from 2023 that helped boost the economy. After a successful 2023, officials now turn their attention to having an even more successful 2024. Director of Marketing and Communications Christian Mengel says he's excited about the return of the Missouri Film tax credit. Mengel says the tax credit gives filmmakers an incentive to film in rural communities, providing an economic boost to those communities. "They can hire local someone credited, who is you'd say qualified someone like a Jason Hudson who locally directs plenty of films and everyone knows is the filmmaker, but he can be credited on a big picture that comes in from Hollywood because he's qualified to be like an assistant director or an assistant producer or something and kind of shadow under someone that you'd say was big name Hollywood," Mengel explains. Mengel says the credit also applies to the hiring of local editors and crew, and even Uber drivers, which in turn puts money back into Buchanan County. Bennett says events that drew in large crowds last year, will be back this year, including the Division II Women's Elite Eight "Women's basketball March 25th and 29th, our second marathon, now it can be an annual not an inaugural marathon, will be September 28th so mark your calendars to be either a runner or a volunteer," Bennett says. Bennett says the Bill Snyder Classic will also return this December, though teams have not been decided. She also says there is currently a bid in place to try to bring the state 8-man football championship game to St. Joseph.

St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau looking to 2024 after successful 2023

DAVIESS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Wednesday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford F450 driven by Ethan A. Brown, 22, Hale, was eastbound on MO 190 seven miles south of Jamesport.

The truck crested a hill and struck a horse drawn buggy driven by Eli T. Detweiler, 84, Jamesport. After impact the buggy traveled off the east side of the road and overturned.

Daviess County EMS transported Detweiler to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Hale was properly restrained and refused treatment at the scene, according to the MSHP.

DAVIESS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Wednesday in Daviess County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford F450 driven by Ethan A. Brown, 22, Hale, was eastbound on MO 190 seven miles south of Jamesport.The truck crested a hill and struck a horse drawn buggy driven by Eli T. Detweiler, 84, Jamesport. After impact the buggy traveled off the east side of the road and overturned.Daviess County EMS transported Detweiler to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Hale was properly restrained and refused treatment at the scene, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man injured after truck strikes horse drawn buggy

ATCHISON COUNTY Law enforcement authorities are once again investigating a suspect on two warrants.

On Jan. 2, police arrested 26-year-old Zane T. Boldridge of Atchison,&nbsp; on a Johnson County Kansas warrant for failure to appear in court and an Atchison Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court. 

In September, he was booked into the Atchison County jail on similar allegations.

Boldridge was booked into the Johnson County, Kansas jail in July of 2022 on felony possession allegations and was scheduled for a court appearance in August, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704298046357.png" alt="Boldridge-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Boldridge-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY Law enforcement authorities are once again investigating a suspect on two warrants.On Jan. 2, police arrested 26-year-old Zane T. Boldridge of Atchison,&nbsp; on a Johnson County Kansas warrant for failure to appear in court and an Atchison Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court. In September, he was booked into the Atchison County jail on similar allegations.Boldridge was booked into the Johnson County, Kansas jail in July of 2022 on felony possession allegations and was scheduled for a court appearance in August, according to online jail records.

Kan. man jailed again for skipping court in 2 counties

No charges will be filed in a St. Joseph Police officer-involved shooting that happened on December 26th following a police pursuit.

Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Davidson says the determination was made after careful review of statements, videos and police reports surrounding an incident, in which St. Joseph police officer Justin McElroy fired his weapon after 39-year-old Nicholas Glen Newton&nbsp; pointed a handgun in his direction.

St. Joseph Police were attempting to stop a stolen U-Haul truck believed to have been involved in multiple thefts. The vehicle fled from officers.

Officers eventually deployed spike strips, and Newton lost control of the truck in the 1600 block of Garfield Street. The truck went off the street and got stuck on railroad tracks.

McElroy approached the vehicle, and Newton pointed a handgun at him. McElroy discharged his weapon, though no one was injured.

The weapon Newton brandished was a stolen&nbsp;45-caliber handgun.&nbsp;Police say Newton had an active parole violation warrant out for him and had a long list of previous convictions, including eight citations for failure to appear in court.

Newton was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703770787158.png" alt="Thirty-nine-year-old Nicholas Glen Newton pointed a weapon at St. Joseph Police Officer Justin McElroy during a police pursuit on December 26, 2023. McElroy fired his weapon, but no one was injured." />
 <figcaption>Thirty-nine-year-old Nicholas Glen Newton pointed a weapon at St. Joseph Police Officer Justin McElroy during a police pursuit on December 26, 2023. McElroy fired his weapon, but no one was injured.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostNo charges will be filed in a St. Joseph Police officer-involved shooting that happened on December 26th following a police pursuit.Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Davidson says the determination was made after careful review of statements, videos and police reports surrounding an incident, in which St. Joseph police officer Justin McElroy fired his weapon after 39-year-old Nicholas Glen Newton&nbsp; pointed a handgun in his direction.St. Joseph Police were attempting to stop a stolen U-Haul truck believed to have been involved in multiple thefts. The vehicle fled from officers.Officers eventually deployed spike strips, and Newton lost control of the truck in the 1600 block of Garfield Street. The truck went off the street and got stuck on railroad tracks.McElroy approached the vehicle, and Newton pointed a handgun at him. McElroy discharged his weapon, though no one was injured.The weapon Newton brandished was a stolen&nbsp;45-caliber handgun.&nbsp;Police say Newton had an active parole violation warrant out for him and had a long list of previous convictions, including eight citations for failure to appear in court.Newton was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.

No charges filed in St. Joseph officer-involved shooting from late December

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's five-month annual legislative session begins Wednesday, and top Republican leaders say passing more laws directed at LBGTQ+ people is not a priority.

Republicans spent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-legislation-legislature-missouri-sports-2dd6a4c599190a08aa72d12868215547">much of last session</a>&nbsp;crafting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-hormone-puberty-missouri-lawmakers-5a8922430ffab9e43cf9b7ce254bff9f">two new transgender-related laws</a>, despite considerable&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-children-jefferson-city-missouri-lgbtq-people-adb003aedb60a1ddacc077189955831d">pushback</a>&nbsp;from Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates.

One measure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-health-missouri-dfb348b44e4a11b18bda10c89744841a">outlawed</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming surgeries for minors and instituted a four-year ban on the use of hormones and puberty blockers as a part of gender-affirming health care for minors who were not already receiving those medications. Another law limits athletes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-k12-schools-state-restrictions-ec0b1d2ea162855131264c88bb992e2e">school sports teams</a>&nbsp;based on their sex as assigned at birth, an act that also expires in August 2027.

Bills filed this session would repeal the expiration dates for both transgender-related laws, make public drag shows a crime, require teachers to notify parents if students express confusion about their gender, and put limits on what books are available to minors in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/books-bans-american-library-association-42b34a284a6363439de20bbb65bb43b4">public and school libraries</a>.

But Republican Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden said he does not expect work on transgender-related issues this year. And House Majority Floor Leader Jonathan Patterson said proposals dealing with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-drag-shows-florida-desantis-lgbtqhnmmwnsaz-88c6624e2e8a8be812e6eb63161a2631">drag shows</a>, LGBTQ+ discussions in schools and library books will take a back seat to top priorities that include expanding access to child care and charter and non-public schools.

“It’s a noble thing to try to protect kids. But you know, here in Missouri, we’ve got a good number of kids that can’t read at their grade level. One fifth of kids are obese. We have 40 kids a year that are killed by gun violence," Patterson said. “If we really want to help kids, I think we’ll do things that address crime and educational opportunities.”

The rift between the Republican majority and more extreme factions within the party likely will be on full display this year as GOP lawmakers try to win primary elections by moving farther and farther to the right.

With many Republican lawmakers competing against one another for higher state office, Gov. Mike Parson on Tuesday called for a focus on ways to make the state better “instead of trying to be so controversial.”

“There are plenty of people in the General Assembly that understand that that takes a balanced approach,” Parson said. “Common sense will prevail at the end of the day.”

This session, Republican legislative leaders said they will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ballot-initiative-petition-voter-missouri-republican-8e4d5b8293eb864235cf347410d5d7f5">try again</a>&nbsp;to make it harder to amend the Missouri Constitution.

But Patterson said Missouri lawmakers must acknowledge votes in other states “that all seem to show that the voters want the ability to engage in government this way.”

Republican-led legislatures in Arizona, Arkansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ohio-ballot-e3db04beec5c1edd860df5d648adfd60">Ohio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-politics-sd-state-wire-8f3bc1b141225856fa4fec842601da53">South Dakota</a>&nbsp;all recently placed measures on the ballot seeking to make it harder to approve future initiatives. Most failed.

“It’s going to be a difficult thing to do, but I think we’ll take a look at it," Patterson said.

Other high-priority issues Republican leaders outlined for this year include putting additional limits on foreign ownership of agricultural land.

Parson on Tuesday issued an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/foreign-land-missouri-agriculture-military-china-fcea4a00170ce64274d012a50934b0ab">executive order</a>&nbsp;banning citizens and companies from countries deemed threatening by the federal government from purchasing farms or other land within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of staffed military sites in the state.

The federal government lists China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as foreign adversaries.

Parson's order is limited, and he acknowledged there's more for lawmakers to do on the issue. He urged the Legislature not to go so far as to ban all foreign land ownership, which he said would shut out allies such as Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's five-month annual legislative session begins Wednesday, and top Republican leaders say passing more laws directed at LBGTQ+ people is not a priority.Republicans spent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-legislation-legislature-missouri-sports-2dd6a4c599190a08aa72d12868215547">much of last session</a>&nbsp;crafting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-hormone-puberty-missouri-lawmakers-5a8922430ffab9e43cf9b7ce254bff9f">two new transgender-related laws</a>, despite considerable&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-children-jefferson-city-missouri-lgbtq-people-adb003aedb60a1ddacc077189955831d">pushback</a>&nbsp;from Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates.One measure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-health-missouri-dfb348b44e4a11b18bda10c89744841a">outlawed</a>&nbsp;gender-affirming surgeries for minors and instituted a four-year ban on the use of hormones and puberty blockers as a part of gender-affirming health care for minors who were not already receiving those medications. Another law limits athletes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-k12-schools-state-restrictions-ec0b1d2ea162855131264c88bb992e2e">school sports teams</a>&nbsp;based on their sex as assigned at birth, an act that also expires in August 2027.Bills filed this session would repeal the expiration dates for both transgender-related laws, make public drag shows a crime, require teachers to notify parents if students express confusion about their gender, and put limits on what books are available to minors in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/books-bans-american-library-association-42b34a284a6363439de20bbb65bb43b4">public and school libraries</a>.But Republican Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden said he does not expect work on transgender-related issues this year. And House Majority Floor Leader Jonathan Patterson said proposals dealing with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-drag-shows-florida-desantis-lgbtqhnmmwnsaz-88c6624e2e8a8be812e6eb63161a2631">drag shows</a>, LGBTQ+ discussions in schools and library books will take a back seat to top priorities that include expanding access to child care and charter and non-public schools.“It’s a noble thing to try to protect kids. But you know, here in Missouri, we’ve got a good number of kids that can’t read at their grade level. One fifth of kids are obese. We have 40 kids a year that are killed by gun violence," Patterson said. “If we really want to help kids, I think we’ll do things that address crime and educational opportunities.”The rift between the Republican majority and more extreme factions within the party likely will be on full display this year as GOP lawmakers try to win primary elections by moving farther and farther to the right.With many Republican lawmakers competing against one another for higher state office, Gov. Mike Parson on Tuesday called for a focus on ways to make the state better “instead of trying to be so controversial.”“There are plenty of people in the General Assembly that understand that that takes a balanced approach,” Parson said. “Common sense will prevail at the end of the day.”This session, Republican legislative leaders said they will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ballot-initiative-petition-voter-missouri-republican-8e4d5b8293eb864235cf347410d5d7f5">try again</a>&nbsp;to make it harder to amend the Missouri Constitution.But Patterson said Missouri lawmakers must acknowledge votes in other states “that all seem to show that the voters want the ability to engage in government this way.”Republican-led legislatures in Arizona, Arkansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ohio-ballot-e3db04beec5c1edd860df5d648adfd60">Ohio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-politics-sd-state-wire-8f3bc1b141225856fa4fec842601da53">South Dakota</a>&nbsp;all recently placed measures on the ballot seeking to make it harder to approve future initiatives. Most failed.“It’s going to be a difficult thing to do, but I think we’ll take a look at it," Patterson said.Other high-priority issues Republican leaders outlined for this year include putting additional limits on foreign ownership of agricultural land.Parson on Tuesday issued an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/foreign-land-missouri-agriculture-military-china-fcea4a00170ce64274d012a50934b0ab">executive order</a>&nbsp;banning citizens and companies from countries deemed threatening by the federal government from purchasing farms or other land within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of staffed military sites in the state.The federal government lists China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as foreign adversaries.Parson's order is limited, and he acknowledged there's more for lawmakers to do on the issue. He urged the Legislature not to go so far as to ban all foreign land ownership, which he said would shut out allies such as Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Mo. GOP leaders: LGBTQ+ issues will take a back seat to child care, education policy in 2024

A study by the Council of Criminal Justice throughout the first half of 2023, showed crime in the US is down, but another poll shows Americans think it’s up. 

The study showed a significant drop in violent and overall crimes, but the Gallup poll shows that 77-percent of Americans perceive that crime is on the rise. 

St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster says social media could be having some impact on the perception of crime. 

"I always give the example, 20 years ago if something bad happened in California, it could be days or a week before we heard about it in Missouri and we can literally hear about it seconds later with social media," Luster tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  "So, that could definitely be adding to the perception that things are getting worse." 

Luster also says the way the media covers various crimes can sway people's perception on crime. 

Luster says people's perception of crime can certainly become their own reality.  

"The more you hear about crime or violent crime occurring, whether it's in St. Joe or another state, the perception can quickly come that Americans think crime is getting worse and worse so that soon becomes that reality," Luster says. 

Luster says overall St. Joseph has been going along with the trend of seeing the crime rate drop and hopes to see the trend continue. 

"We're experiencing similar numbers here in St. Joe where crime always ebbs and flows a little bit, but just in general our part one index crime is down on the year, close to 20%," Luster explains. "So, that's a good thing, certain categories tick up and others tick down a little bit, and we put a lot of focus and energy on that." 

Luster says part one crimes are identified as more serious crimes such as homicides, robberies, and auto thefts.

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A study by the Council of Criminal Justice throughout the first half of 2023, showed crime in the US is down, but another poll shows Americans think it’s up. The study showed a significant drop in violent and overall crimes, but the Gallup poll shows that 77-percent of Americans perceive that crime is on the rise. St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster says social media could be having some impact on the perception of crime. "I always give the example, 20 years ago if something bad happened in California, it could be days or a week before we heard about it in Missouri and we can literally hear about it seconds later with social media," Luster tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, that could definitely be adding to the perception that things are getting worse." Luster also says the way the media covers various crimes can sway people's perception on crime. Luster says people's perception of crime can certainly become their own reality. "The more you hear about crime or violent crime occurring, whether it's in St. Joe or another state, the perception can quickly come that Americans think crime is getting worse and worse so that soon becomes that reality," Luster says. Luster says overall St. Joseph has been going along with the trend of seeing the crime rate drop and hopes to see the trend continue. "We're experiencing similar numbers here in St. Joe where crime always ebbs and flows a little bit, but just in general our part one index crime is down on the year, close to 20%," Luster explains. "So, that's a good thing, certain categories tick up and others tick down a little bit, and we put a lot of focus and energy on that." Luster says part one crimes are identified as more serious crimes such as homicides, robberies, and auto thefts.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Many-Americans-say-crime-is-up--but-really-its-down-e2dubc7" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

St. Joseph Police Chief says crime is down, however many Americans believe it's up

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 12:30p.m. Tuesday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Dodge 1500 driven by Sherrill A. Roberts, 68, St. Joseph, was eastbound on MO 6 two miles west of Amity.

The pickup traveled off the north side of the road and struck a utility pole. A patrol vehicle transported Roberts to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 12:30p.m. Tuesday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Dodge 1500 driven by Sherrill A. Roberts, 68, St. Joseph, was eastbound on MO 6 two miles west of Amity.The pickup traveled off the north side of the road and struck a utility pole. A patrol vehicle transported Roberts to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Woman from St. Joe injured after pickup strikes utility pole

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas couple on drug allegations.

On Dec. 3o, deputies executed a search warrant was executed at 2941 Thrasher Road in BrownCounty, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;

Deputies arrested 65-year-old Kent Denton and 56-year-old Yvette Denton on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of&nbsp; Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; B

Both were released on $5,000&nbsp;own recognizance bonds per Judge Weingart.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704142234868.png" alt="Denton-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Denton-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas couple on drug allegations.On Dec. 3o, deputies executed a search warrant was executed at 2941 Thrasher Road in BrownCounty, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704142216147.png" alt="Denton-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Denton-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested 65-year-old Kent Denton and 56-year-old Yvette Denton on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of&nbsp; Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; BBoth were released on $5,000&nbsp;own recognizance bonds per Judge Weingart.

Couple accused of meth possession at Kansas home

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Companies from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-15/subtitle-A/part-7/subpart-A/section-7.4">China, Russia and other countries blacklisted</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. no longer can buy land near military sites in Missouri under an order enacted by the state's governor Tuesday.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson's executive order prohibits citizens and companies from countries deemed threatening by the federal government from purchasing farms or other land within 10 miles of staffed military sites in the state. The federal government lists China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as foreign adversaries.

Parson's move comes after a Chinese spy balloon's flight across the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-grand-forks-wyoming-state-government-north-dakota-montana-3d6a2f9a1bb06ab40b18a08cbf7c175d">lent momentum</a>&nbsp;to decadeslong national security concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e541895e692545ee80d0fc609cf40011">foreign land ownership</a>.

Ownership restriction supporters often speculate about foreign buyers’ motives and whether people with ties to adversaries such as China intend to use land for spying or exerting control over the U.S. food supply.

Parson, a cattle rancher, on Tuesday told reporters that he believes his action goes as far as legally allowable for executive orders. He said he’ll be watching to see what legislation, if any, state lawmakers can pass on the issue by the mid-May end of session.

Republican Senate President Caleb Rowden has said passing such a law is a top priority for the session that begins Wednesday.

“While we have had no issues at this point, we want to be proactive against any potential threats,” Parson said.

Parson added that foreign entities currently do not own any land within 10 miles of military sites in the state.

Foreign entities and individuals control less than 2% of all U.S. land, and Chinese companies control less than 1% of that, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/economic-and-policy-analysis/afida/index">latest available report</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which includes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2022_afida_annual_report_12_20_23.pdf">2022 data</a>. Canadian investors own the largest percentage of foreign-held land.

Missouri was among several Midwest states to pass laws in the 1970s that prohibited or restricted foreign land ownership amid concerns over Japanese investment. Missouri law completely banned foreign land ownership until 2013, when lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-36acdc64722b4ba486223937fe3d6c22">passed a bill</a>&nbsp;allowing as much as 1% of agricultural land to be sold to foreign entities.

Parson, along with every other state senator present for the vote, voted in favor of the bill, which also included changes to Missouri’s animal abuse and neglect law and a longer maximum prison sentence for stealing livestock.

Chinese entities owned 42,596 acres (172 square kilometers) of Missouri agricultural land as of 2021 — just a little under half of the roughly 100,000 agricultural acres (404 square kilometers) owned by all foreign entities, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Much of that land is used for corporate hog farms in northern Missouri and is owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/36acdc64722b4ba486223937fe3d6c22">a Chinese conglomerate that purchased Smithfield Foods Inc.</a>&nbsp;in 2013.

Limitations on foreign individuals or entities owning farmland vary widely throughout the U.S. At least 24 states have restrictions.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Companies from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-15/subtitle-A/part-7/subpart-A/section-7.4">China, Russia and other countries blacklisted</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. no longer can buy land near military sites in Missouri under an order enacted by the state's governor Tuesday.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovMikeParson%2Fvideos%2F1105504914152918%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=52" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Republican Gov. Mike Parson's executive order prohibits citizens and companies from countries deemed threatening by the federal government from purchasing farms or other land within 10 miles of staffed military sites in the state. The federal government lists China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as foreign adversaries.Parson's move comes after a Chinese spy balloon's flight across the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-grand-forks-wyoming-state-government-north-dakota-montana-3d6a2f9a1bb06ab40b18a08cbf7c175d">lent momentum</a>&nbsp;to decadeslong national security concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e541895e692545ee80d0fc609cf40011">foreign land ownership</a>.Ownership restriction supporters often speculate about foreign buyers’ motives and whether people with ties to adversaries such as China intend to use land for spying or exerting control over the U.S. food supply.Parson, a cattle rancher, on Tuesday told reporters that he believes his action goes as far as legally allowable for executive orders. He said he’ll be watching to see what legislation, if any, state lawmakers can pass on the issue by the mid-May end of session.Republican Senate President Caleb Rowden has said passing such a law is a top priority for the session that begins Wednesday.“While we have had no issues at this point, we want to be proactive against any potential threats,” Parson said.Parson added that foreign entities currently do not own any land within 10 miles of military sites in the state.Foreign entities and individuals control less than 2% of all U.S. land, and Chinese companies control less than 1% of that, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/economic-and-policy-analysis/afida/index">latest available report</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which includes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2022_afida_annual_report_12_20_23.pdf">2022 data</a>. Canadian investors own the largest percentage of foreign-held land.Missouri was among several Midwest states to pass laws in the 1970s that prohibited or restricted foreign land ownership amid concerns over Japanese investment. Missouri law completely banned foreign land ownership until 2013, when lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-36acdc64722b4ba486223937fe3d6c22">passed a bill</a>&nbsp;allowing as much as 1% of agricultural land to be sold to foreign entities.Parson, along with every other state senator present for the vote, voted in favor of the bill, which also included changes to Missouri’s animal abuse and neglect law and a longer maximum prison sentence for stealing livestock.Chinese entities owned 42,596 acres (172 square kilometers) of Missouri agricultural land as of 2021 — just a little under half of the roughly 100,000 agricultural acres (404 square kilometers) owned by all foreign entities, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Much of that land is used for corporate hog farms in northern Missouri and is owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/36acdc64722b4ba486223937fe3d6c22">a Chinese conglomerate that purchased Smithfield Foods Inc.</a>&nbsp;in 2013.Limitations on foreign individuals or entities owning farmland vary widely throughout the U.S. At least 24 states have restrictions.

🎥Mo. gov. bans Chinese and Russian companies from buying land near military sites

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on alleged sex crimes.

On New Year's Day, police arrested 21-year-old Joseph J. Gill, 21, Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Gill was jailed on $500,000 bond on a District Court warrant for rape and aggravated sexual battery.&nbsp; The arrest is in connection to a police investigation that began on October 25, 2020 focusing on a case involving a female victim.

He was also accused in a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704135951585.png" alt="Gill-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Gill-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on alleged sex crimes.On New Year's Day, police arrested 21-year-old Joseph J. Gill, 21, Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Gill was jailed on $500,000 bond on a District Court warrant for rape and aggravated sexual battery.&nbsp; The arrest is in connection to a police investigation that began on October 25, 2020 focusing on a case involving a female victim.He was also accused in a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court.

Kansas man arrested for rape case reported in 2020

St.
Joseph’s first baby of 2024 took his time.

Ezra
James Davis was born at 2:22am on the first day of this year. Ezra weighed 8 1/2 pounds and is 20 inches long. Ezra also was born the day after his
parents, Kylee and Josh Davis of St. Joseph, celebrated their third wedding
anniversary.

Mosaic
Life Care reports Kylee had a good pregnancy with both mother and baby doing
well.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704202425472.jpeg" alt="Ezra James Davis/Photo courtesy of Mosaic Life Care" />
 <figcaption>Ezra James Davis/Photo courtesy of Mosaic Life Care</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt.
Joseph’s first baby of 2024 took his time.Ezra
James Davis was born at 2:22am on the first day of this year. Ezra weighed 8 1/2 pounds and is 20 inches long. Ezra also was born the day after his
parents, Kylee and Josh Davis of St. Joseph, celebrated their third wedding
anniversary.Mosaic
Life Care reports Kylee had a good pregnancy with both mother and baby doing
well.

St. Joseph's 1st baby of 2024 was in no hurry

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

Missouri lawmakers return to Jefferson City on Wednesday afternoon for the start of the 2024 legislative session, and expectations aren’t high.&nbsp;

GOP infighting has mired the Missouri Senate in gridlock the last three years, and the wounds at the center of the turmoil&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BillEigel/status/1736148765818462357">seem to have only gotten worse</a>. Across the Capitol rotunda in the House, an ethics investigation into Speaker Dean Plocher could upend the agenda and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/23/records-show-dean-plocher-charged-the-state-for-travel-already-paid-for-by-his-campaign/">cost Plocher his job</a>.&nbsp;

Election year politics hang over both chambers, with a handful of state representatives facing off in the August primary for Senate seats and five senators vying for statewide office.&nbsp;

Complicating matters further, medical provider taxes that are vital to sustaining the state’s Medicaid program expire this year. The last time the taxes needed to be renewed, the issue derailed the Senate and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/06/26/missouri-senate-approves-fra-rejects-push-to-ban-planned-parenthood-from-medicaid/">required a special legislative session during the summer</a>.&nbsp;

“I would guess that a sizable amount of the session is going to be spent navigating people making campaign commercials on the House and Senate floor, bickering at each other and trying to force recorded votes that turn into campaign mailers,” said state Rep. Tony Lovasco, R-O’Fallon.&nbsp;

Democratic state Rep. LaDonna Appelbaum of St. Louis shares Lovasco’s sense of pessimism.

“I am greatly concerned that, because it is a campaign year, it’s going to be a s**tshow,” she said.&nbsp;

Last year’s legislative session nearly set a record for futility.&nbsp;

Over the last 30 years, only the COVID-shortened 2020 legislative session saw lawmakers adjourn with fewer bills successfully passed and sent to the governor.&nbsp;

A group of Republican senators who had previously been aligned under the banner of the “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article258677728.html">conservative caucus</a>” openly warred with GOP leadership all session in 2023, often turning to procedural maneuvers to mire the chamber in gridlock.&nbsp;

The drama culminated in the session’s final week, when filibusters by Republican Sens. Mike Moon of Ash Grove and Bill Eigel of Weldon Spring doomed any hopes of a functioning Senate.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, six Republican senators — most of whom were part of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/15/missouri-senate-conservative-caucus-disbands-after-two-years-of-ugly-gop-infighting/">disbanded conservative caucus</a>&nbsp;— announced the formation of the Freedom Caucus.&nbsp;

“We’re now a part of a national network, and my hope is that all 24 Republican senators would be part of a Freedom Caucus,” said state Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Republican from Warrensburg who is running for secretary of state. “But unfortunately, as we’ve seen in the past, some Republican senators don’t look too conservative like they promised their constituents.”

The network is designed to provide research and staff support to members. But some expect the caucus to deepen the fissures that have plagued the Senate for years and fuel more dysfunction.&nbsp;

“It’s going to add another layer of complication every day that we go out there on the Senate floor,” said state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican and chairman of the Senate appropriations committee.

Factional divides in the Senate are already raising fear of a replay of the 2021 session, when the normally routine process of renewing taxes on hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies and ambulances — known as the federal reimbursement allowance, or FRA — splintered the Senate.&nbsp;

Renewal of the FRA is crucial for funding Medicaid. When it came up in 2021,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/06/16/parson-set-to-call-special-session-for-next-week-on-tax-crucial-for-medicaid-funding/">the conservative caucus demanded that the FRA include an amendment</a>&nbsp;barring the state from paying for some contraceptive medications and devices, and preventing Planned Parenthood from being a Medicaid provider.

When infighting killed a renewal during the regular session, lawmakers were forced to return over the summer. The FRA was renewed for three years only after 11 of the 23 Republicans present voted with all 10 Democrats to defeat the conservative caucus’ amendment.&nbsp;

A repeat of that turmoil — especially during an election year — is the doomsday scenario for those hoping for a smooth session.&nbsp;

“There’s gonna be a whole lot of people that do things for political reasons, as always,” Hough said. “It’s just gotten worse and worse and worse.”

Hoskins argues the issues being advocated by the Freedom Caucus shouldn’t be particularly controversial for Republicans.&nbsp;

“Some big red Republican priorities have been stymied by what I call campaign conservatives,” he said, “those Republicans that campaign as a conservative then vote as a Democrat once they get to Jefferson City.”

Not everyone is feeling as gloomy about the 2024 session.&nbsp;

“I mean, I think we’ll get things done,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican. “Will we get everything done that we want to do? No, we never do. But I’m an optimist.”

Democrats and Republicans share many of the same goals, O’Laughlin said, and progress can be made if people are willing to sit down and talk about how to reach those goals.

“So all we need to do is figure out how do we get there, which is often the sticking point,” she said. “But it can be done if you want to do it.”

All signs point towards “continued and amplified dysfunction,” said Democratic state Rep. Peter Merideth of St. Louis. But it’s always possible “that the same motivations of needing to get some boxes checked for their campaigns may actually cause them to get things across the finish line.”

But that wouldn’t be great news for Democrats, Merideth said. Republican infighting, he said, has helped sink a lot of GOP priorities in recent years.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I’m going to remain hopeful,” Merideth said, “that if the last couple of years are any indication, adding more fuel to the fire this year will only help kill a lot of the things that are really toxic.”

State Sen. Lauren Arthur, a Kansas City Democrat, hopes there are uncontroversial issues that people can rally around “that we can get done and deliver for the people we represent.”

And there are certain things — like passing the budget or extending the FRA — that are core functions of government that need to happen, she said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“I hope that the policies I dislike,” she said, “are the ones that fail because of the dysfunction.”

The Independent’s Rudi Keller, Allison Kite, Clara Bates and Anna Spoerre contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704198327621.png" alt="The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, as pictured September 26, 2023 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, as pictured September 26, 2023 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON HANCOCK,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri lawmakers return to Jefferson City on Wednesday afternoon for the start of the 2024 legislative session, and expectations aren’t high.&nbsp;GOP infighting has mired the Missouri Senate in gridlock the last three years, and the wounds at the center of the turmoil&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BillEigel/status/1736148765818462357">seem to have only gotten worse</a>. Across the Capitol rotunda in the House, an ethics investigation into Speaker Dean Plocher could upend the agenda and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/23/records-show-dean-plocher-charged-the-state-for-travel-already-paid-for-by-his-campaign/">cost Plocher his job</a>.&nbsp;Election year politics hang over both chambers, with a handful of state representatives facing off in the August primary for Senate seats and five senators vying for statewide office.&nbsp;Complicating matters further, medical provider taxes that are vital to sustaining the state’s Medicaid program expire this year. The last time the taxes needed to be renewed, the issue derailed the Senate and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/06/26/missouri-senate-approves-fra-rejects-push-to-ban-planned-parenthood-from-medicaid/">required a special legislative session during the summer</a>.&nbsp;“I would guess that a sizable amount of the session is going to be spent navigating people making campaign commercials on the House and Senate floor, bickering at each other and trying to force recorded votes that turn into campaign mailers,” said state Rep. Tony Lovasco, R-O’Fallon.&nbsp;Democratic state Rep. LaDonna Appelbaum of St. Louis shares Lovasco’s sense of pessimism.“I am greatly concerned that, because it is a campaign year, it’s going to be a s**tshow,” she said.&nbsp;<h2>Freedom Caucus</h2>Last year’s legislative session nearly set a record for futility.&nbsp;Over the last 30 years, only the COVID-shortened 2020 legislative session saw lawmakers adjourn with fewer bills successfully passed and sent to the governor.&nbsp;A group of Republican senators who had previously been aligned under the banner of the “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article258677728.html">conservative caucus</a>” openly warred with GOP leadership all session in 2023, often turning to procedural maneuvers to mire the chamber in gridlock.&nbsp;The drama culminated in the session’s final week, when filibusters by Republican Sens. Mike Moon of Ash Grove and Bill Eigel of Weldon Spring doomed any hopes of a functioning Senate.&nbsp;Earlier this month, six Republican senators — most of whom were part of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/08/15/missouri-senate-conservative-caucus-disbands-after-two-years-of-ugly-gop-infighting/">disbanded conservative caucus</a>&nbsp;— announced the formation of the Freedom Caucus.&nbsp;“We’re now a part of a national network, and my hope is that all 24 Republican senators would be part of a Freedom Caucus,” said state Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Republican from Warrensburg who is running for secretary of state. “But unfortunately, as we’ve seen in the past, some Republican senators don’t look too conservative like they promised their constituents.”The network is designed to provide research and staff support to members. But some expect the caucus to deepen the fissures that have plagued the Senate for years and fuel more dysfunction.&nbsp;“It’s going to add another layer of complication every day that we go out there on the Senate floor,” said state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican and chairman of the Senate appropriations committee.Factional divides in the Senate are already raising fear of a replay of the 2021 session, when the normally routine process of renewing taxes on hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies and ambulances — known as the federal reimbursement allowance, or FRA — splintered the Senate.&nbsp;Renewal of the FRA is crucial for funding Medicaid. When it came up in 2021,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/06/16/parson-set-to-call-special-session-for-next-week-on-tax-crucial-for-medicaid-funding/">the conservative caucus demanded that the FRA include an amendment</a>&nbsp;barring the state from paying for some contraceptive medications and devices, and preventing Planned Parenthood from being a Medicaid provider.When infighting killed a renewal during the regular session, lawmakers were forced to return over the summer. The FRA was renewed for three years only after 11 of the 23 Republicans present voted with all 10 Democrats to defeat the conservative caucus’ amendment.&nbsp;A repeat of that turmoil — especially during an election year — is the doomsday scenario for those hoping for a smooth session.&nbsp;“There’s gonna be a whole lot of people that do things for political reasons, as always,” Hough said. “It’s just gotten worse and worse and worse.”Hoskins argues the issues being advocated by the Freedom Caucus shouldn’t be particularly controversial for Republicans.&nbsp;“Some big red Republican priorities have been stymied by what I call campaign conservatives,” he said, “those Republicans that campaign as a conservative then vote as a Democrat once they get to Jefferson City.”<h2>‘We’ll get things done’</h2>Not everyone is feeling as gloomy about the 2024 session.&nbsp;“I mean, I think we’ll get things done,” said Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican. “Will we get everything done that we want to do? No, we never do. But I’m an optimist.”Democrats and Republicans share many of the same goals, O’Laughlin said, and progress can be made if people are willing to sit down and talk about how to reach those goals.“So all we need to do is figure out how do we get there, which is often the sticking point,” she said. “But it can be done if you want to do it.”All signs point towards “continued and amplified dysfunction,” said Democratic state Rep. Peter Merideth of St. Louis. But it’s always possible “that the same motivations of needing to get some boxes checked for their campaigns may actually cause them to get things across the finish line.”But that wouldn’t be great news for Democrats, Merideth said. Republican infighting, he said, has helped sink a lot of GOP priorities in recent years.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I’m going to remain hopeful,” Merideth said, “that if the last couple of years are any indication, adding more fuel to the fire this year will only help kill a lot of the things that are really toxic.”State Sen. Lauren Arthur, a Kansas City Democrat, hopes there are uncontroversial issues that people can rally around “that we can get done and deliver for the people we represent.”And there are certain things — like passing the budget or extending the FRA — that are core functions of government that need to happen, she said.&nbsp;But after that?&nbsp;“I hope that the policies I dislike,” she said, “are the ones that fail because of the dysfunction.”The Independent’s Rudi Keller, Allison Kite, Clara Bates and Anna Spoerre contributed to this story.

GOP infighting, election year politics could shape 2024 Missouri legislative session

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect with a history of crime on new allegations.

On Friday police arrested 43-year-ol Vanessa L. Gerber of Atchison in the 1300 block Santa Fe, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

She remains in custody on requested charges that include interference with law enforcement and District Court warrants for failure to appear in court.&nbsp; &nbsp;In April she was jailed on a city of Atchison warrant and in November of 2o22 she was accused of possession of meth, marijuana and driving while suspended, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704141155334.png" alt="Gerber-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Gerber-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect with a history of crime on new allegations.On Friday police arrested 43-year-ol Vanessa L. Gerber of Atchison in the 1300 block Santa Fe, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.She remains in custody on requested charges that include interference with law enforcement and District Court warrants for failure to appear in court.&nbsp; &nbsp;In April she was jailed on a city of Atchison warrant and in November of 2o22 she was accused of possession of meth, marijuana and driving while suspended, according to online jail records.

Kansas woman with a history of crime is back in jail

PLATTE COUNTY—The search for a missing Kansas City man ended overnight Saturday in rural Platte County.

On December 28, Kansas City police announced a Silver Alert for 70-year-old William M. Jensen. He was last seen at 8:30a.m. December 23, in the area of NW Prairie View Drive and NW Transcon Drive, according to KCPD.

He was observed leaving in his 2005 Toyota 4 door Gold Rav 4 with Missouri Plate LC3-M9E.

Police detectives and Platte County investigators found Jensen in his vehicle in rural Platte County after it went off the roadway and crashed into a tree line, according to KCPD.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1704041738993.png" alt="Jensen-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Jensen-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTE COUNTY—The search for a missing Kansas City man ended overnight Saturday in rural Platte County.On December 28, Kansas City police announced a Silver Alert for 70-year-old William M. Jensen. He was last seen at 8:30a.m. December 23, in the area of NW Prairie View Drive and NW Transcon Drive, according to KCPD.He was observed leaving in his 2005 Toyota 4 door Gold Rav 4 with Missouri Plate LC3-M9E.Police detectives and Platte County investigators found Jensen in his vehicle in rural Platte County after it went off the roadway and crashed into a tree line, according to KCPD.

Missing man found dead in his SUV in rural Platte County

The University of Kansas surveyed more than 200 workers in chain retail settings about their job satisfaction. “They've been treated, in a lot of cases, like a commodity instead of a health care worker,” one industry professional said.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/bek-shackelford">Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga</a> <a href="https://www.kcur.org/">Kansas News Service&nbsp;</a>

Pharmacy work is a tough job, according to Amanda Applegate with the Kansas Pharmacists Association. There are, of course, many prescriptions to fill. Filling those also means keeping in mind whether the prescribed medication is best for the patient, whether it is covered by their insurance and more.

And it gets more difficult when it’s inside a bustling retail store, like Walgreens or Target. That’s a recipe for a hectic job.

“If you are in a hospital environment, you don't necessarily have somebody walking by you and asking where the steaks on sale are or where the Tylenol is,” Applegate said. “There is an additional layer of distraction.”

Applegate said retail pharmacists and pharmacy technicians also struggle with performance quotas set by their employers.

A study by professors at the University of Kansas illustrates the differences between pharmacy work in retail and independent or hospital settings.

The study, recently published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.japha.org/article/S1544-3191(23)00363-1/fulltext" target="_blank">Journal of American Pharmacists Association</a>, surveyed 129 pharmacists and 111 pharmacy technicians at both retail and independent pharmacies in Kansas and Missouri.

Angela Gist-Mackey was the lead author of the paper. Her team began collecting data in 2019 and finished in 2020, just before the pandemic. Survey participants were categorized into three pharmacy settings: retail, independent and health care systems.

Going into the study, Gist-Mackey hypothesized that a person’s role in a pharmacy would determine their overall satisfaction.

“But surprisingly, that was not the case. Role didn't predict any of that,” Gist-Mackey said. “In fact, it was more of the context that people were working in.”

The survey showed that pharmacy workers in retail situations, though paid the same as their independent or hospital pharmacist counterparts, were far less satisfied with pay and benefits.

“Maybe it's because what I have to put up with in my chain pharmacy workplace doesn't seem worth the pay,” Gist-Mackey said.

Applegate agrees. She now serves as director of practice development for the Kansas Pharmacists Association, but she previously worked in the retail pharmacy field for more than a decade. Applegate said the workload at retail pharmacies can often be hard to handle, especially because a lot of retail pharmacies only staff one pharmacist at a time and don’t schedule enough technicians to help.

Concerns about working conditions, pay and staffing came to a head this fall, when workers at CVS and Walgreens stores across the nation walked out. At least a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/podcast/up-to-date/2023-09-29/kansas-city-cvs-pharmacists-just-walked-out-on-the-job-heres-why" target="_blank">dozen CVS locations</a>&nbsp;in the Kansas City metro, on both sides of the state line, shuttered temporarily while workers were on strike.

Applegate said work safety was one of the No. 1 priorities for striking workers. She said sometimes, retail pharmacists have up to 1,000 prescriptions to fill and not enough support to safely fill them. In addition, they often work long hours without breaks.

“It's oftentimes very hard to step away from that workflow to go to the bathroom, to get a bite to eat, to take a breath after something very difficult has happened,” she said. “That day-to-day environment is a pressure cooker in a lot of cases.”

Applegate said to her knowledge, Walgreens and CVS have made some changes to how stores are operated, but pharmacists are still spread thin.

Gist-Mackey said when she and her team presented their work to editors at the Journal of American Pharmacists editors, they received pushback on their findings.

“One of the reviewers … said, ‘You're taking a stab at retail pharmacies, specifically. I'm not sure that your data really supports this,’” Gist-Mackey said.

The editors dropped their complaints when the strikes began, Gist-Mackey said.

She imagines conditions have gotten worse for retail pharmacy workers post-pandemic, as they are essential health care workers.

During her time at a retail pharmacy, Applegate said her worst shift was on Christmas Eve.

“It's a time of a lot of anxiety; tensions are running high in a lot of cases anyways,” Applegate said. “So something very small may turn into a very big thing that leads to a patient harassing a pharmacist or a member of their staff.”

Applegate said overall, harassment of pharmacists and pharmacy workers is on the rise. During this holiday season, Applegate said she’s received more calls from pharmacy workers reporting harassment in the past two weeks than she has in the past year.

In Applegate’s opinion, a lot of the harassment is because the public does not see pharmacy workers as health care professionals.

“They've been treated, in a lot of cases, like a commodity instead of a health care worker,” she said.

Applegate said customers sometimes don’t understand that pharmacists cannot control things like medicine prices.

“I think the best thing is to be kind to everybody,” Applegate said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703784990382.png" alt="A CVS pharmacy at 9521 Mission Road in Overland Park, Kansas. This location, and about a dozen others in the Kansas City metro, closed temporarily this fall due to staff walkouts. Photo by Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A CVS pharmacy at 9521 Mission Road in Overland Park, Kansas. This location, and about a dozen others in the Kansas City metro, closed temporarily this fall due to staff walkouts. Photo by Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The University of Kansas surveyed more than 200 workers in chain retail settings about their job satisfaction. “They've been treated, in a lot of cases, like a commodity instead of a health care worker,” one industry professional said.</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/bek-shackelford">Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga</a> <a href="https://www.kcur.org/">Kansas News Service&nbsp;</a>Pharmacy work is a tough job, according to Amanda Applegate with the Kansas Pharmacists Association. There are, of course, many prescriptions to fill. Filling those also means keeping in mind whether the prescribed medication is best for the patient, whether it is covered by their insurance and more.And it gets more difficult when it’s inside a bustling retail store, like Walgreens or Target. That’s a recipe for a hectic job.“If you are in a hospital environment, you don't necessarily have somebody walking by you and asking where the steaks on sale are or where the Tylenol is,” Applegate said. “There is an additional layer of distraction.”Applegate said retail pharmacists and pharmacy technicians also struggle with performance quotas set by their employers.A study by professors at the University of Kansas illustrates the differences between pharmacy work in retail and independent or hospital settings.The study, recently published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.japha.org/article/S1544-3191(23)00363-1/fulltext" target="_blank">Journal of American Pharmacists Association</a>, surveyed 129 pharmacists and 111 pharmacy technicians at both retail and independent pharmacies in Kansas and Missouri.Angela Gist-Mackey was the lead author of the paper. Her team began collecting data in 2019 and finished in 2020, just before the pandemic. Survey participants were categorized into three pharmacy settings: retail, independent and health care systems.Going into the study, Gist-Mackey hypothesized that a person’s role in a pharmacy would determine their overall satisfaction.“But surprisingly, that was not the case. Role didn't predict any of that,” Gist-Mackey said. “In fact, it was more of the context that people were working in.”The survey showed that pharmacy workers in retail situations, though paid the same as their independent or hospital pharmacist counterparts, were far less satisfied with pay and benefits.“Maybe it's because what I have to put up with in my chain pharmacy workplace doesn't seem worth the pay,” Gist-Mackey said.Applegate agrees. She now serves as director of practice development for the Kansas Pharmacists Association, but she previously worked in the retail pharmacy field for more than a decade. Applegate said the workload at retail pharmacies can often be hard to handle, especially because a lot of retail pharmacies only staff one pharmacist at a time and don’t schedule enough technicians to help.<h2>Retail workers on strike</h2>Concerns about working conditions, pay and staffing came to a head this fall, when workers at CVS and Walgreens stores across the nation walked out. At least a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/podcast/up-to-date/2023-09-29/kansas-city-cvs-pharmacists-just-walked-out-on-the-job-heres-why" target="_blank">dozen CVS locations</a>&nbsp;in the Kansas City metro, on both sides of the state line, shuttered temporarily while workers were on strike.Applegate said work safety was one of the No. 1 priorities for striking workers. She said sometimes, retail pharmacists have up to 1,000 prescriptions to fill and not enough support to safely fill them. In addition, they often work long hours without breaks.“It's oftentimes very hard to step away from that workflow to go to the bathroom, to get a bite to eat, to take a breath after something very difficult has happened,” she said. “That day-to-day environment is a pressure cooker in a lot of cases.”Applegate said to her knowledge, Walgreens and CVS have made some changes to how stores are operated, but pharmacists are still spread thin.Gist-Mackey said when she and her team presented their work to editors at the Journal of American Pharmacists editors, they received pushback on their findings.“One of the reviewers … said, ‘You're taking a stab at retail pharmacies, specifically. I'm not sure that your data really supports this,’” Gist-Mackey said.The editors dropped their complaints when the strikes began, Gist-Mackey said.She imagines conditions have gotten worse for retail pharmacy workers post-pandemic, as they are essential health care workers.<h2>Holidays pile on stress</h2>During her time at a retail pharmacy, Applegate said her worst shift was on Christmas Eve.“It's a time of a lot of anxiety; tensions are running high in a lot of cases anyways,” Applegate said. “So something very small may turn into a very big thing that leads to a patient harassing a pharmacist or a member of their staff.”Applegate said overall, harassment of pharmacists and pharmacy workers is on the rise. During this holiday season, Applegate said she’s received more calls from pharmacy workers reporting harassment in the past two weeks than she has in the past year.In Applegate’s opinion, a lot of the harassment is because the public does not see pharmacy workers as health care professionals.“They've been treated, in a lot of cases, like a commodity instead of a health care worker,” she said.Applegate said customers sometimes don’t understand that pharmacists cannot control things like medicine prices.“I think the best thing is to be kind to everybody,” Applegate said.

Retail pharmacy workers in Kansas, Missouri are unhappy with their pay and working conditions

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

On Thursday, police in Atchison arrested 55-year-old Jack J. Walker II, of Wise West Virginia, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

He is being held without bond on a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703862788945.png" alt="Walker-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Walker-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after an arrest.On Thursday, police in Atchison arrested 55-year-old Jack J. Walker II, of Wise West Virginia, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.He is being held without bond on a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court.&nbsp;

West Virginia man jailed in Kansas for skipping court

ATCHISON COUNTY, MO. —One person was injured in an accident just after noon Friday in Atchison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Ford Escape driven by Robin J. Henning, 67, Tarkio, was southbound on U.S. 59 one mile north of Tarkio.

The driver was distracted by an animal in a field.&nbsp; The SUV crossed the center of the road, traveled off the east side of the highway and struck a ditch.

Atchison Holt EMS transported Henning to Fairfax Community Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

ATCHISON COUNTY, MO. —One person was injured in an accident just after noon Friday in Atchison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Ford Escape driven by Robin J. Henning, 67, Tarkio, was southbound on U.S. 59 one mile north of Tarkio.The driver was distracted by an animal in a field.&nbsp; The SUV crossed the center of the road, traveled off the east side of the highway and struck a ditch.Atchison Holt EMS transported Henning to Fairfax Community Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after SUV crash

Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner Scott Nelson says the county courthouse roof and dome project is nearing completion.

"The roof and dome project is 99% complete inside and out," Nelson said on KFEQ's The Hotline with Barry Birr. "I think there's still a few shingles on the roof that need to be done. They're waiting for temperatures to get over 40 (degrees Fahrenheit)."

Work on the roof and dome project began this past July. Ambrozi Contracting is handling the $1.2 million project. Scaffolding had been assembled inside the courthouse, while the roof and dome were being worked on.

Nelson says the dome now has a new lighting feature. The dome had been lit up in red and green recently in observation of the Christmas holiday.

"In the night sky, when it's dark, and before dawn," Nelson says, "if you look at the dome, we are capable of changing the color of the light in the dome."

Nelson notes that this color feature can be used for varying purposes throughout the year.

"It's going to be a real treat throughout the year," he said. "You know, like (Breast Cancer Awareness) month, make it pink. We can use the colors of primary, secondary and tertiary I think."

A lighting ceremony for the Dome will be held on Saturday, December 30 at 5:30 p.m. on the North Side of the Courthouse.

The lighting system was privately designed and donated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703877470282.jpeg" alt="Repairs being made at the Buchanan County Courthouse this past summer. Photo by Brent Martin." />
 <figcaption>Repairs being made at the Buchanan County Courthouse this past summer. Photo by Brent Martin.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBuchanan County Presiding Commissioner Scott Nelson says the county courthouse roof and dome project is nearing completion."The roof and dome project is 99% complete inside and out," Nelson said on KFEQ's The Hotline with Barry Birr. "I think there's still a few shingles on the roof that need to be done. They're waiting for temperatures to get over 40 (degrees Fahrenheit)."Work on the roof and dome project began this past July. Ambrozi Contracting is handling the $1.2 million project. Scaffolding had been assembled inside the courthouse, while the roof and dome were being worked on.Nelson says the dome now has a new lighting feature. The dome had been lit up in red and green recently in observation of the Christmas holiday."In the night sky, when it's dark, and before dawn," Nelson says, "if you look at the dome, we are capable of changing the color of the light in the dome."Nelson notes that this color feature can be used for varying purposes throughout the year."It's going to be a real treat throughout the year," he said. "You know, like (Breast Cancer Awareness) month, make it pink. We can use the colors of primary, secondary and tertiary I think."A lighting ceremony for the Dome will be held on Saturday, December 30 at 5:30 p.m. on the North Side of the Courthouse.The lighting system was privately designed and donated.

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