Prolonged drought and record heat are threatening soybean yields in several key growing states across the Midwest. 

With most of the soybean crop still in the critical pod-setting phase that depends on August moisture, persistent dry conditions are lowering yield production and raising concerns about the availability of supplies. 

CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange did research that found soybeans have a much tighter supply situation than corn due to the loss of planted acres.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“If hot and dry conditions continue in the Midwest and yield loss for soybeans increases, the U.S. soybean supply will tighten further,” says Tanner Ehmke, lead grains and oilseeds economist for CoBank. 

“That will result in stronger interior cash basis and lower exports.” More pods will likely get aborted if the hot and dry conditions continue. In addition to drought and heat stress, scouts on the recent Pro Farmer Crop Tour noticed sudden death syndrome across multiple soybean fields.

Prolonged drought and record heat are threatening soybean yields in several key growing states across the Midwest. With most of the soybean crop still in the critical pod-setting phase that depends on August moisture, persistent dry conditions are lowering yield production and raising concerns about the availability of supplies. CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange did research that found soybeans have a much tighter supply situation than corn due to the loss of planted acres.&nbsp;&nbsp;“If hot and dry conditions continue in the Midwest and yield loss for soybeans increases, the U.S. soybean supply will tighten further,” says Tanner Ehmke, lead grains and oilseeds economist for CoBank. “That will result in stronger interior cash basis and lower exports.” More pods will likely get aborted if the hot and dry conditions continue. In addition to drought and heat stress, scouts on the recent Pro Farmer Crop Tour noticed sudden death syndrome across multiple soybean fields.- NAFB

CoBank: Drought, heat threaten soybean crop at a critical stage

The cost of transporting harvested commodities down the Mississippi River is climbing. 

The rates are rapidly rising as shrinking water levels drive barge freight rates higher. 

The forecast calling for below-average rainfall isn’t offering any relief. 

Bloomberg says barge spot rates on August 29 were up 49 percent from the prior week and 42 percent from last year at $23.34 per ton. 

USDA data says that’s 85 percent higher than the three-year average.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last year, extremely low water levels stranded more than 2,000 barges on the Mississippi River, bringing commerce to a halt on the waterway.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Mississippi River carries more than 45 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports to ports in the South. Water levels resumed dropping in June, restricting the amount of grain allowed on each barge.&nbsp;&nbsp;In turn, that leads to a tighter supply of barges as more of them are required to transport the same amount of grain.

The cost of transporting harvested commodities down the Mississippi River is climbing. The rates are rapidly rising as shrinking water levels drive barge freight rates higher. The forecast calling for below-average rainfall isn’t offering any relief. Bloomberg says barge spot rates on August 29 were up 49 percent from the prior week and 42 percent from last year at $23.34 per ton. USDA data says that’s 85 percent higher than the three-year average.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last year, extremely low water levels stranded more than 2,000 barges on the Mississippi River, bringing commerce to a halt on the waterway.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Mississippi River carries more than 45 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports to ports in the South. Water levels resumed dropping in June, restricting the amount of grain allowed on each barge.&nbsp;&nbsp;In turn, that leads to a tighter supply of barges as more of them are required to transport the same amount of grain.- NAFB

Barge freight rates climb on lower water levels

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves has a few he likes,
but he hasn’t decided who he favors in the Republican presidential primary
race.

Graves says the first debate didn’t reveal that much, because
the stage was too crowded.

“It’s hard in a first debate, because you have so many
candidates up there it’s hard for them to really get their ideas and thoughts
out,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Graves says those ideas will become clearer as the field
narrows.

“As we go forward, we’re going to see fewer and fewer and
fewer candidates on the stage and that’s when I will probably pay more
attention than any other time, because that’s when they’ll be able to get more
of their ideas and what they stand for out,” Graves says.

Graves expects the Iowa Caucuses to whittle the field down.

“It will absolutely whittle the field quite a little bit and
New Hampshire,” Graves says. “In fact, all the early states, that will narrow
things considerably. And just the simple weight of running nationwide that’s
going to have an impact, too. I know some of the candidates are struggling just
to keep their fundraising numbers up and their poll numbers up. So, it will whittle
down pretty fast.”

“I really like DeSantis. I do like Nikki. Ramaswamy, I like
him as well,” Graves says. “So, I’m paying attention to those.”

Early speculation had Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a strong
challenger to former President Donald Trump, but that has materialized as
successive indictments seems to only solidify Trump’s status as the frontrunner
in the Republican presidential primary. Former South Carolina Governor and
United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has received positive marks for her
debate performance. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has aligned himself most
closely with the Trump agenda.

Graves says while each has strengths, he isn’t sure any is
strong enough to catch former Trump, the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination.

“I mean it’s hard to tell,” Graves says. “We’ve got a lot of
water to cross under the bridge between now and then. So, we’ll just have to
see what happens.”

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Vice President Mike
Pence also are considered strong candidates for the Republican nomination. Dark
horses in the contest include former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison, former New
Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Graves says he will support whoever the Republican nominee
turns out to be.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693927201584.jpeg" alt="Congressman Sam Graves/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Congressman Sam Graves/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves has a few he likes,
but he hasn’t decided who he favors in the Republican presidential primary
race.Graves says the first debate didn’t reveal that much, because
the stage was too crowded.“It’s hard in a first debate, because you have so many
candidates up there it’s hard for them to really get their ideas and thoughts
out,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.Graves says those ideas will become clearer as the field
narrows.“As we go forward, we’re going to see fewer and fewer and
fewer candidates on the stage and that’s when I will probably pay more
attention than any other time, because that’s when they’ll be able to get more
of their ideas and what they stand for out,” Graves says.Graves expects the Iowa Caucuses to whittle the field down.“It will absolutely whittle the field quite a little bit and
New Hampshire,” Graves says. “In fact, all the early states, that will narrow
things considerably. And just the simple weight of running nationwide that’s
going to have an impact, too. I know some of the candidates are struggling just
to keep their fundraising numbers up and their poll numbers up. So, it will whittle
down pretty fast.”Graves does have his favorites.“I really like DeSantis. I do like Nikki. Ramaswamy, I like
him as well,” Graves says. “So, I’m paying attention to those.”Early speculation had Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a strong
challenger to former President Donald Trump, but that has materialized as
successive indictments seems to only solidify Trump’s status as the frontrunner
in the Republican presidential primary. Former South Carolina Governor and
United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has received positive marks for her
debate performance. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has aligned himself most
closely with the Trump agenda.Graves says while each has strengths, he isn’t sure any is
strong enough to catch former Trump, the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination.“I mean it’s hard to tell,” Graves says. “We’ve got a lot of
water to cross under the bridge between now and then. So, we’ll just have to
see what happens.”South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Vice President Mike
Pence also are considered strong candidates for the Republican nomination. Dark
horses in the contest include former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison, former New
Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.Graves says he will support whoever the Republican nominee
turns out to be.

Graves not sure any GOP candidate can catch Trump

The weekly Drought Monitor showed drought getting worse across areas in the Midwest, South, Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest. 

In the Midwest, extreme heat impacted areas like Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois. 

Record high temps were set in cities like Chicago (98), Milwaukee (101), and Minneapolis (101). 

Areas in the South, including the Texas Gulf Coast, Louisiana, and Southern Mississippi, saw continued drought-related deterioration on this week’s map. 

Temperatures continued to push over 100 degrees during the week, breaking records. Houston reached 109, San Antonio hit 104, Austin was 107, and Dallas topped out at 109. 

Some areas on the map did see some improvement, including southern Texas, where heavy rains from Tropical Storm Harold provided much-needed relief to the region. 

Rainfall accumulation along the southern Gulf Coast and South Texas Plains regions ranged from two to six inches. In the Southeast, areas of Florida were impacted by Hurricane Idalia.

The weekly Drought Monitor showed drought getting worse across areas in the Midwest, South, Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest. In the Midwest, extreme heat impacted areas like Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Record high temps were set in cities like Chicago (98), Milwaukee (101), and Minneapolis (101). Areas in the South, including the Texas Gulf Coast, Louisiana, and Southern Mississippi, saw continued drought-related deterioration on this week’s map. Temperatures continued to push over 100 degrees during the week, breaking records. Houston reached 109, San Antonio hit 104, Austin was 107, and Dallas topped out at 109. Some areas on the map did see some improvement, including southern Texas, where heavy rains from Tropical Storm Harold provided much-needed relief to the region. Rainfall accumulation along the southern Gulf Coast and South Texas Plains regions ranged from two to six inches. In the Southeast, areas of Florida were impacted by Hurricane Idalia.- NAFB

Drought intensifies in the weekly Drought Monitor

The state is moving forward to change how it calculates payment rates for its self-directed supports program — a situation families say took them by surprise and that they fear could mean rates for caretakers are frozen at low levels or become unpredictable

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

Nearly 40 years ago, Victoria McMullen and her husband traveled from St. Louis to Sikeston to adopt a six-year-old boy with severe developmental disabilities named Ron.&nbsp;

Now 44, Ron has cerebral palsy, autism and intellectual disabilities. He’s unable to live independently and for the last 23 years his parents have relied on a state service to help pay for in-home caregivers to provide the intensive assistance he needs.

The service, called&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/dev-disabilities/programs/self-directed-supports">self-directed supports</a>, lets McMullen hire, train and manage the staff herself, tailoring the help to Ron’s needs. Caretakers, many of them local university students, work with Ron 13 hours a day, helping him go to the bathroom, do physical therapy, bathe and dress, as well as doing social activities with him like cooking.

Without that funding, McMullen would be unable to care for him, especially after a back injury left her unable to physically support or help lift him.&nbsp;

“We could not do it without it negatively impacting our health,” she said.&nbsp;

This year, McMullen wrote to state lawmakers urging them to put more money into pay for direct care workers who assist those with developmental disabilities.

The staff hired through self-directed supports, as well as through traditional home health agencies, desperately need a pay bump, she said, noting one of Ron’s caregivers works 40 hours a week, needs to buy her own insurance and rarely can afford to take time off.

She was pleased in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/05/missouri-lawmakers-approve-largest-budget-in-state-history-almost-51-billion/">May</a>&nbsp;when the legislature voted to raise the rates for caregivers. But the good news quickly soured.&nbsp;

Missouri’s Department of Mental Health announced in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://moddcouncil.org/attention-public-comment-duesunday-aug-13-2023-for-the-mo-healthnet-home-and-community-based-services-hcbs-waiver/">July</a>&nbsp;that the program Ron and 3,030 individuals around the state rely on could be excluded from the rate increase.

Complicating matters even more, state regulators have proposed a change in how it calculates rates for the self-directed supports program, a situation advocates fear could mean rates are frozen at low levels or become unpredictable.

The proposed change in the rate calculation is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/sites/dmh/files/media/pdf/2023/08/blast9csr453080.pdf">open for public comment until&nbsp;Monday.&nbsp;</a>It would remove the regulation linking the rate the state pays for direct services to the rate they pay home health agencies.&nbsp;

“It makes it difficult to keep and maintain staff if we can’t offer competitive wages,” McMullen said, adding that the self-directed supports staff need higher wages than staff hired through home health agencies, because the former are not provided benefits.

The state has not offered a rationale for proposing the changes to the program’s rates, beyond the procedural. Debra Walker, spokesperson for the Department of Mental Health said that “Currently [self-directed supports] is the only service with rate parameters within [Missouri Code of State Regulations],” and the removal of that language from the regulations will&nbsp;allow the state to “fully align” rate methodologies for all of its Medicaid home and community-based services.&nbsp;

Families using self-directed supports say the changes caught them completely by surprise.

“If they’re going to make changes like this without our input, what other changes are they going to make?” McMullen asked.

Adam Sommer, an attorney and podcaster who lives in Warrensburg and has a daughter, Clara, with&nbsp;a rare genetic condition called Rett&nbsp;syndrome, uses self-directed supports to cover her caretaker. She can’t talk and uses a screen in front of her that allows her to communicate with her eyes.

He said the state hasn’t told them how they plan to calculate the new rates.&nbsp;

“What do we tell the employees who have these jobs what their future looks like?” he said.&nbsp;

“It’s a very complicated system, that they are changing while no one’s really looking in a way that creates more uncertainty and more complication. And that could cause some really big problems for people,” Sommer said.

‘Why should we be treated differently?’

Self-directed services are part of a national&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/long-term-services-supports/self-directed-services/index.html">trend</a>&nbsp;over the last few decades away from institutionalization and toward community-based support and integration — based on the belief that decisions about an individual’s care are best made by those closest to them.&nbsp;

The premise of self-directed supports “is that when individuals have control of their resources their quality of life will improve and the overall cost of services will decrease,” according to the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://manuals.momed.com/collections/collection_archive/collection_dmh/Print_03012021.pdf">manual on developmental disabilities</a>.&nbsp;

In self-directed supports, someone called a designated representative, often a family member, is in charge of overseeing staff, including recruiting, hiring, training and supervising them, and has the flexibility of choosing how to allocate a yearly budget. They are not paid for the administrative work.

That representative acts as the employer. It’s a task many families may not have the time or ability to do. But advocates argue that although the program is not right for everyone, it’s a choice that should be preserved.&nbsp;

McMullen said she performs an average of one hour a day administrative work, as Ron’s designated representative.

Larry Opinsky, a disability advocate and steering committee member of an advocacy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stladvocate.com/sds-family-support-group/">group</a>&nbsp;composed of over 700 Missouri families using self-directed supports, has been vocal in his opposition to the state’s proposals.

Opinsky’s 24-year-old daughter, Lilly, also has Rett syndrome, and is nonverbal and unable to walk. She “requires full-time assistance with everything she does.”&nbsp;

His family has been utilizing self-directed supports for around 12 years, Opinsky said, particularly drawing caregivers from local universities. The freedom for the caregivers to work within their schedules, making arrangements directly with the family and getting to know them closely “gives them a better opportunity to connect with [Lilly] and create a deeper caregiving bond.”

Opinsky said home health staffing agencies are often&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/24/push-to-spend-900m-to-help-missourians-with-developmental-disabilities-voted-down/#:~:text=By%3A%20Rudi%20Keller%20%2D%20March%2024%2C%202023%206%3A17%20am&amp;text=Republican%20lawmakers%20rejected%20an%20effort,hospitals%2C%20jails%20and%20homeless%20shelters">short-staffed</a>, so they’d be unlikely to find staff that way if they tried. And they prefer finding caregivers themselves: often they are community members who may not otherwise be brought into the formal caregiving world, he said, who forge bonds with Lilly.

The service allows him and his wife to work.&nbsp;

“Without this support,” he said, “without having self-directed services and this team that we were able to bring on, it would be on my wife and I…And we would be struggling to make the bills.”&nbsp;

He said the state’s appearance of preference for agency-based care over self-directed services is especially concerning.

“Why are they discriminating against us because we choose to self direct?” he asked. “Why should we be treated differently than the providers who are doing the exact same service in the exact same locations?”

The Department of Mental Health did not respond to requests for comment.

Opinsky said his group is in contact with Missouri Protection &amp; Advocacy, the federally-mandated program providing legal support to protect individuals with disability.&nbsp;

A staff attorney at the organization told The Independent by email that the group is “aware of this issue” and is “monitoring and evaluating the situation.”

Little discussion of true costs, advocates say

Advocates say a rate study should be conducted before any funding is changed— so that if a change is needed, the state could determine how best to calculate the self-directed supports rate moving forward, using data.

“They tried to pull this off without anybody paying attention…this needs to be done in the open with a full study,” Opinsky said.&nbsp;

The Missouri Department of Mental Health did not respond to requests for comment.

Advocates also say it’s not necessarily true that home health care agencies need higher rates to cover overhead costs.

Families say because they can’t provide employees benefits under self-directed services, but agencies can, they need to pay a higher wage to make up for it.

“Our employees need to be compensated at a higher rate, because we’re not able to provide the fringe benefits that providers can,” Opinsky said. “We not only won’t be able to necessarily attract the same quality employees, but we’ll also have difficulty retaining our employees if they de-link this.”

There was a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/media/pdf/2022-hcbs-rate-study-stakeholder-meeting-presentation-111022">rate study last year&nbsp;</a>the state conducted to determine average wages for staff serving home and community-based health services — but the survey did not evaluate self-directed waiver services.

Some advocates believe that self-directed services actually save the state money, because family members do the administrative work for free and it prevents some individuals from needing more-expensive institutionalized care.&nbsp;

And the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://manuals.momed.com/collections/collection_archive/collection_dmh/Print_03012021.pdf">manual</a>&nbsp;notes an overall cost of services decrease is part of the premise of the program.

The National Association for Home Care &amp; Hospice, which represents home care organizations across the country, said by email that although it doesn’t take positions on how states should establish different reimbursement levels, states should take into account the various responsibilities of providers when calculating rates.

“Many states&nbsp;place higher demands on homecare agencies than they do on self-directed providers, most commonly around things such as supervision, scheduling, physical office locations, quality reporting, and similar requirements,” said Damon Terzaghi, director of Medicaid Advocacy at National Association for Home Care &amp; Hospice.

“When there are more stringent requirements placed on agency providers, it is appropriate to have differentiated rates that take the variable mandates into account.”

Cheryl Dennison, of Chesterfield, whose son has has been using&nbsp;self-directed supports&nbsp;for around 11 years, said the staff she has hired have often stayed for years, rather than quickly turning over, and some have come to be like family to them — all of which has prevented her 27-year-old son from going into residential care.

Her son, Jake, has a brain malformation, along with a seizure disorder, cerebral palsy, and physical and intellectual disabilities.

“If we couldn’t take care of Jake in our home, he would move to some kind of institutional living, which costs significantly more than keeping them in our home,” Dennison said. “So I would think the state and federal agencies see that and that they would want to keep perpetuating that.”&nbsp;

“It’s such a brilliant program. They shouldn’t shoot themselves in the foot now to freeze the rates.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693916994531.png" alt="Lilly Opinsky, who has Rett disease, with her personal care attendant, Megan Wallis, at a Cardinals game this year. The family uses a program called self-directed supports to pay caretakers (Photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption>Lilly Opinsky, who has Rett disease, with her personal care attendant, Megan Wallis, at a Cardinals game this year. The family uses a program called self-directed supports to pay caretakers (Photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The state is moving forward to change how it calculates payment rates for its self-directed supports program — a situation families say took them by surprise and that they fear could mean rates for caretakers are frozen at low levels or become unpredictable</h2>By CLARA BATES<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Nearly 40 years ago, Victoria McMullen and her husband traveled from St. Louis to Sikeston to adopt a six-year-old boy with severe developmental disabilities named Ron.&nbsp;Now 44, Ron has cerebral palsy, autism and intellectual disabilities. He’s unable to live independently and for the last 23 years his parents have relied on a state service to help pay for in-home caregivers to provide the intensive assistance he needs.The service, called&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/dev-disabilities/programs/self-directed-supports">self-directed supports</a>, lets McMullen hire, train and manage the staff herself, tailoring the help to Ron’s needs. Caretakers, many of them local university students, work with Ron 13 hours a day, helping him go to the bathroom, do physical therapy, bathe and dress, as well as doing social activities with him like cooking.Without that funding, McMullen would be unable to care for him, especially after a back injury left her unable to physically support or help lift him.&nbsp;“We could not do it without it negatively impacting our health,” she said.&nbsp;This year, McMullen wrote to state lawmakers urging them to put more money into pay for direct care workers who assist those with developmental disabilities.The staff hired through self-directed supports, as well as through traditional home health agencies, desperately need a pay bump, she said, noting one of Ron’s caregivers works 40 hours a week, needs to buy her own insurance and rarely can afford to take time off.She was pleased in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/05/missouri-lawmakers-approve-largest-budget-in-state-history-almost-51-billion/">May</a>&nbsp;when the legislature voted to raise the rates for caregivers. But the good news quickly soured.&nbsp;Missouri’s Department of Mental Health announced in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://moddcouncil.org/attention-public-comment-duesunday-aug-13-2023-for-the-mo-healthnet-home-and-community-based-services-hcbs-waiver/">July</a>&nbsp;that the program Ron and 3,030 individuals around the state rely on could be excluded from the rate increase.Complicating matters even more, state regulators have proposed a change in how it calculates rates for the self-directed supports program, a situation advocates fear could mean rates are frozen at low levels or become unpredictable.The proposed change in the rate calculation is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/sites/dmh/files/media/pdf/2023/08/blast9csr453080.pdf">open for public comment until&nbsp;Monday.&nbsp;</a>It would remove the regulation linking the rate the state pays for direct services to the rate they pay home health agencies.&nbsp;“It makes it difficult to keep and maintain staff if we can’t offer competitive wages,” McMullen said, adding that the self-directed supports staff need higher wages than staff hired through home health agencies, because the former are not provided benefits.The state has not offered a rationale for proposing the changes to the program’s rates, beyond the procedural. Debra Walker, spokesperson for the Department of Mental Health said that “Currently [self-directed supports] is the only service with rate parameters within [Missouri Code of State Regulations],” and the removal of that language from the regulations will&nbsp;allow the state to “fully align” rate methodologies for all of its Medicaid home and community-based services.&nbsp;Families using self-directed supports say the changes caught them completely by surprise.“If they’re going to make changes like this without our input, what other changes are they going to make?” McMullen asked.Adam Sommer, an attorney and podcaster who lives in Warrensburg and has a daughter, Clara, with&nbsp;a rare genetic condition called Rett&nbsp;syndrome, uses self-directed supports to cover her caretaker. She can’t talk and uses a screen in front of her that allows her to communicate with her eyes.He said the state hasn’t told them how they plan to calculate the new rates.&nbsp;“What do we tell the employees who have these jobs what their future looks like?” he said.&nbsp;“It’s a very complicated system, that they are changing while no one’s really looking in a way that creates more uncertainty and more complication. And that could cause some really big problems for people,” Sommer said.<h2>‘Why should we be treated differently?’</h2>Self-directed services are part of a national&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/long-term-services-supports/self-directed-services/index.html">trend</a>&nbsp;over the last few decades away from institutionalization and toward community-based support and integration — based on the belief that decisions about an individual’s care are best made by those closest to them.&nbsp;The premise of self-directed supports “is that when individuals have control of their resources their quality of life will improve and the overall cost of services will decrease,” according to the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://manuals.momed.com/collections/collection_archive/collection_dmh/Print_03012021.pdf">manual on developmental disabilities</a>.&nbsp;In self-directed supports, someone called a designated representative, often a family member, is in charge of overseeing staff, including recruiting, hiring, training and supervising them, and has the flexibility of choosing how to allocate a yearly budget. They are not paid for the administrative work.That representative acts as the employer. It’s a task many families may not have the time or ability to do. But advocates argue that although the program is not right for everyone, it’s a choice that should be preserved.&nbsp;McMullen said she performs an average of one hour a day administrative work, as Ron’s designated representative.Larry Opinsky, a disability advocate and steering committee member of an advocacy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stladvocate.com/sds-family-support-group/">group</a>&nbsp;composed of over 700 Missouri families using self-directed supports, has been vocal in his opposition to the state’s proposals.Opinsky’s 24-year-old daughter, Lilly, also has Rett syndrome, and is nonverbal and unable to walk. She “requires full-time assistance with everything she does.”&nbsp;His family has been utilizing self-directed supports for around 12 years, Opinsky said, particularly drawing caregivers from local universities. The freedom for the caregivers to work within their schedules, making arrangements directly with the family and getting to know them closely “gives them a better opportunity to connect with [Lilly] and create a deeper caregiving bond.”Opinsky said home health staffing agencies are often&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/24/push-to-spend-900m-to-help-missourians-with-developmental-disabilities-voted-down/#:~:text=By%3A%20Rudi%20Keller%20%2D%20March%2024%2C%202023%206%3A17%20am&amp;text=Republican%20lawmakers%20rejected%20an%20effort,hospitals%2C%20jails%20and%20homeless%20shelters">short-staffed</a>, so they’d be unlikely to find staff that way if they tried. And they prefer finding caregivers themselves: often they are community members who may not otherwise be brought into the formal caregiving world, he said, who forge bonds with Lilly.The service allows him and his wife to work.&nbsp;“Without this support,” he said, “without having self-directed services and this team that we were able to bring on, it would be on my wife and I…And we would be struggling to make the bills.”&nbsp;He said the state’s appearance of preference for agency-based care over self-directed services is especially concerning.“Why are they discriminating against us because we choose to self direct?” he asked. “Why should we be treated differently than the providers who are doing the exact same service in the exact same locations?”The Department of Mental Health did not respond to requests for comment.Opinsky said his group is in contact with Missouri Protection &amp; Advocacy, the federally-mandated program providing legal support to protect individuals with disability.&nbsp;A staff attorney at the organization told The Independent by email that the group is “aware of this issue” and is “monitoring and evaluating the situation.”<h2>Little discussion of true costs, advocates say</h2>Advocates say a rate study should be conducted before any funding is changed— so that if a change is needed, the state could determine how best to calculate the self-directed supports rate moving forward, using data.“They tried to pull this off without anybody paying attention…this needs to be done in the open with a full study,” Opinsky said.&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Mental Health did not respond to requests for comment.Advocates also say it’s not necessarily true that home health care agencies need higher rates to cover overhead costs.Families say because they can’t provide employees benefits under self-directed services, but agencies can, they need to pay a higher wage to make up for it.“Our employees need to be compensated at a higher rate, because we’re not able to provide the fringe benefits that providers can,” Opinsky said. “We not only won’t be able to necessarily attract the same quality employees, but we’ll also have difficulty retaining our employees if they de-link this.”There was a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dmh.mo.gov/media/pdf/2022-hcbs-rate-study-stakeholder-meeting-presentation-111022">rate study last year&nbsp;</a>the state conducted to determine average wages for staff serving home and community-based health services — but the survey did not evaluate self-directed waiver services.Some advocates believe that self-directed services actually save the state money, because family members do the administrative work for free and it prevents some individuals from needing more-expensive institutionalized care.&nbsp;And the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://manuals.momed.com/collections/collection_archive/collection_dmh/Print_03012021.pdf">manual</a>&nbsp;notes an overall cost of services decrease is part of the premise of the program.The National Association for Home Care &amp; Hospice, which represents home care organizations across the country, said by email that although it doesn’t take positions on how states should establish different reimbursement levels, states should take into account the various responsibilities of providers when calculating rates.“Many states&nbsp;place higher demands on homecare agencies than they do on self-directed providers, most commonly around things such as supervision, scheduling, physical office locations, quality reporting, and similar requirements,” said Damon Terzaghi, director of Medicaid Advocacy at National Association for Home Care &amp; Hospice.“When there are more stringent requirements placed on agency providers, it is appropriate to have differentiated rates that take the variable mandates into account.”Cheryl Dennison, of Chesterfield, whose son has has been using&nbsp;self-directed supports&nbsp;for around 11 years, said the staff she has hired have often stayed for years, rather than quickly turning over, and some have come to be like family to them — all of which has prevented her 27-year-old son from going into residential care.Her son, Jake, has a brain malformation, along with a seizure disorder, cerebral palsy, and physical and intellectual disabilities.“If we couldn’t take care of Jake in our home, he would move to some kind of institutional living, which costs significantly more than keeping them in our home,” Dennison said. “So I would think the state and federal agencies see that and that they would want to keep perpetuating that.”&nbsp;“It’s such a brilliant program. They shouldn’t shoot themselves in the foot now to freeze the rates.”

Mo. advocates decry proposed change to at-home disability care funding

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect on drug allegations after an traffic accident.

Shortly before 1p.m. Sept. 1, police responded to a vehicle accident in the 800 block South 5th Street in Atchison, according to Police Mike Wilson. 

A Dodge Charger driven by 21-year-old Quinn Gamino, Atchison, had been southbound on 5th Street when it struck a parked vehicle. 

EMS was on the scene and evaluated Gamino but he refused medical treatment. While officers were working the traffic accident they discovered controlled substances that included hundreds of pills, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. The investigation at the scene led to Gamino’s arrest.

He was jailed on requested charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693866780972.png" alt="Gamino-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Gamino-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a suspect on drug allegations after an traffic accident.Shortly before 1p.m. Sept. 1, police responded to a vehicle accident in the 800 block South 5th Street in Atchison, according to Police Mike Wilson. A Dodge Charger driven by 21-year-old Quinn Gamino, Atchison, had been southbound on 5th Street when it struck a parked vehicle. EMS was on the scene and evaluated Gamino but he refused medical treatment. While officers were working the traffic accident they discovered controlled substances that included hundreds of pills, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. The investigation at the scene led to Gamino’s arrest.He was jailed on requested charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Wilson.

Police: Alleged Kansas drug dealer captured after car crash

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Monday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Yamaha motorcycle driven by James L. Banks, 76, Plattsburg, was northbound on route A one mile south of&nbsp; Cameron.

The motorcycle crossed the center line, traveled off the west side of the road, struck the ground and overturned.

Cameron EMS transported Banks to Mosaic in St. Joseph. He was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Monday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Yamaha motorcycle driven by James L. Banks, 76, Plattsburg, was northbound on route A one mile south of&nbsp; Cameron.The motorcycle crossed the center line, traveled off the west side of the road, struck the ground and overturned.Cameron EMS transported Banks to Mosaic in St. Joseph. He was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man hospitalized in St. Joe after motorcycle crash

NODAWAY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Sunday in Nodaway County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Honda motorcycle driven by Seger V. Mace, 18, Coin, Iowa, was norghbound on Railroad Street in Elmo. A 2002 Chevy 1500 driven by Darrin E. Harvey, 54, Elmo, was westbound on Route C.&nbsp; The vehicles approached the intersection of the two roads.&nbsp;

The motorcycle driver failed to yield to the pickup as it entered the intersection. The pickup attempted to avoid the motorcycle, partially ran off the road and began to skid. The motorcycle began to skid, overturned and struck the pickup's towed unit.

Seger was transported to Clarinda Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased just after 7:40p.m. Harvey was not injured. Mace was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

NODAWAY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Sunday in Nodaway County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Honda motorcycle driven by Seger V. Mace, 18, Coin, Iowa, was norghbound on Railroad Street in Elmo. A 2002 Chevy 1500 driven by Darrin E. Harvey, 54, Elmo, was westbound on Route C.&nbsp; The vehicles approached the intersection of the two roads.&nbsp;The motorcycle driver failed to yield to the pickup as it entered the intersection. The pickup attempted to avoid the motorcycle, partially ran off the road and began to skid. The motorcycle began to skid, overturned and struck the pickup's towed unit.Seger was transported to Clarinda Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased just after 7:40p.m. Harvey was not injured. Mace was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

Man dies after motorcycle, pickup crash in Nodaway Co.

MERCER COUNTY–One person was injured in an accident just after 7:30p.m. Sunday in Mercer County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 KTM motorcycle driven by Wyler C. Evans, 21,&nbsp; Princeton, was northbound on Route U five miles north of Princeton.

The motorcycle struck a deer in the road. Mercer Co. ambulance transported Evans to Liberty Hospital.&nbsp; &nbsp;The MSHP reported no additional details.

MERCER COUNTY–One person was injured in an accident just after 7:30p.m. Sunday in Mercer County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 KTM motorcycle driven by Wyler C. Evans, 21,&nbsp; Princeton, was northbound on Route U five miles north of Princeton.The motorcycle struck a deer in the road. Mercer Co. ambulance transported Evans to Liberty Hospital.&nbsp; &nbsp;The MSHP reported no additional details.

Missouri man injured after motorcycle strikes a deer

CEDAR COUNTY —Two people including a woman from St. Joseph were injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Sunday in Cedar County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1994 Harley Davidson driven by Mitchell W. Praiswater, 47, King City, was northbound on Route J thre miles north of Stockton.

The motorcycle had a tire malfunction, overturned and the two occupants were ejected.&nbsp;

EMS transported Praiswater and a passenger Madison K. Rucker, 23, St. Joseph, to Citizen's Memorial Hospital in Boliver. Both were wearing helmets, according to the MSHP.

CEDAR COUNTY —Two people including a woman from St. Joseph were injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Sunday in Cedar County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1994 Harley Davidson driven by Mitchell W. Praiswater, 47, King City, was northbound on Route J thre miles north of Stockton.The motorcycle had a tire malfunction, overturned and the two occupants were ejected.&nbsp;EMS transported Praiswater and a passenger Madison K. Rucker, 23, St. Joseph, to Citizen's Memorial Hospital in Boliver. Both were wearing helmets, according to the MSHP.

St. Joe woman hospitalized after motorcycle accident

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly announced that $750,000 in federal funding will go toward preserving historic properties in the downtown commercial cores of Kansas' rural communities with populations under 30,000. 

The Kansas Historical Society’s State Historic Preservation Office, which administers the Kansas Rural Main Street Grants, was among 13 subgrant programs in 12 states to receive the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Kansas is home to many historical and cultural sites that tell the story of our state’s and our nation’s past,” Kelly said.&nbsp;“Thanks to the National Park Service and the Kansas Historical Society, we can protect our rural communities for future generations to learn from and enjoy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The National Park Service awarded nearly $9.7 million in 2023 to support the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities across America. The Paul Bruhn Historical Revitalization Grants are named for a former executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.&nbsp;

Congress appropriates funding for various programs through the Historic Preservation Fund, including the Paul Bruhn Revitalization Grant. The fund, authorized through 2023, uses revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, assisting with a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.&nbsp;

The Kansas State Historical Society will be scheduling a grant workshop soon. 

To be placed on a notification list for further details on the available subgrants, contact Katrina Ringler, Cultural Resources Division director, by phone at 785-272-8681, ext. 217, or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:katrina.ringler@ks.gov">katrina.ringler@ks.gov</a>.

More details about the subgrant program are available&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmtzaHMub3JnL3Ava2Fuc2FzLXJ1cmFsLXByZXNlcnZhdGlvbi8yMDQzMCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA4MTguODEzMzYzMDEifQ.6iN3-rzCjqJ17hA6AZcwSSiaJnmwdZLo23AP7utD3Nw/s/1303179659/br/224491116185-l" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;

More information about the Paul Bruhn Revitalization Grant can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5wcy5nb3Yvc3ViamVjdHMvaGlzdG9yaWNwcmVzZXJ2YXRpb25mdW5kL3BhdWwtYnJ1aG4taGlzdG9yaWMtcmV2aXRhbGl6YXRpb24tZ3JhbnRzLXByb2dyYW0uaHRtIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDgxOC44MTMzNjMwMSJ9.lHB5z8MmP0cFPy90egv8MCDQzg3GiGHE8qZieYstCjU/s/1303179659/br/224491116185-l" target="_blank">go.nps.gov/revitalization</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691699200016.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Gov.TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly announced that $750,000 in federal funding will go toward preserving historic properties in the downtown commercial cores of Kansas' rural communities with populations under 30,000. The Kansas Historical Society’s State Historic Preservation Office, which administers the Kansas Rural Main Street Grants, was among 13 subgrant programs in 12 states to receive the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Kansas is home to many historical and cultural sites that tell the story of our state’s and our nation’s past,” Kelly said.&nbsp;“Thanks to the National Park Service and the Kansas Historical Society, we can protect our rural communities for future generations to learn from and enjoy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The National Park Service awarded nearly $9.7 million in 2023 to support the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities across America. The Paul Bruhn Historical Revitalization Grants are named for a former executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.&nbsp;Congress appropriates funding for various programs through the Historic Preservation Fund, including the Paul Bruhn Revitalization Grant. The fund, authorized through 2023, uses revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, assisting with a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.&nbsp;The Kansas State Historical Society will be scheduling a grant workshop soon. To be placed on a notification list for further details on the available subgrants, contact Katrina Ringler, Cultural Resources Division director, by phone at 785-272-8681, ext. 217, or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:katrina.ringler@ks.gov">katrina.ringler@ks.gov</a>. More details about the subgrant program are available&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmtzaHMub3JnL3Ava2Fuc2FzLXJ1cmFsLXByZXNlcnZhdGlvbi8yMDQzMCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA4MTguODEzMzYzMDEifQ.6iN3-rzCjqJ17hA6AZcwSSiaJnmwdZLo23AP7utD3Nw/s/1303179659/br/224491116185-l" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;More information about the Paul Bruhn Revitalization Grant can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5wcy5nb3Yvc3ViamVjdHMvaGlzdG9yaWNwcmVzZXJ2YXRpb25mdW5kL3BhdWwtYnJ1aG4taGlzdG9yaWMtcmV2aXRhbGl6YXRpb24tZ3JhbnRzLXByb2dyYW0uaHRtIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDgxOC44MTMzNjMwMSJ9.lHB5z8MmP0cFPy90egv8MCDQzg3GiGHE8qZieYstCjU/s/1303179659/br/224491116185-l" target="_blank">go.nps.gov/revitalization</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Historic preservation grants available for rural Kansas downtown areas

CALDWELL COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 1:30a.m. Saturday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford Escape driven by Kaitlyn S. Castro, 19, Moberly, was eastbound on U.S. 36 two miles east of Cameron.&nbsp;

The SUV traveled off the north side of the road, became airborne, went over a creek and struck an embankment.

Caldwll County EMS transported Castro to Liberty Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

CALDWELL COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 1:30a.m. Saturday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford Escape driven by Kaitlyn S. Castro, 19, Moberly, was eastbound on U.S. 36 two miles east of Cameron.&nbsp; The SUV traveled off the north side of the road, became airborne, went over a creek and struck an embankment.Caldwll County EMS transported Castro to Liberty Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after SUV went airborne over creek

BUCHANAN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Friday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 GMC pickup driven by Tomas R. Ramos, 47, El Paso, Texas, was eastbound on Mitchell Road two miles east of St. Joseph.

The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road. The pickup traveled off the south side of the road, struck an embankment, continued eastbound in the ditch, struck another embankment and the driver was ejected.

Ramos was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Meierhoffer Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

BUCHANAN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Friday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 GMC pickup driven by Tomas R. Ramos, 47, El Paso, Texas, was eastbound on Mitchell Road two miles east of St. Joseph.The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road. The pickup traveled off the south side of the road, struck an embankment, continued eastbound in the ditch, struck another embankment and the driver was ejected.Ramos was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Meierhoffer Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Man dies after ejected in Buchanan Co. pickup crash

A Country Club man faces six counts of possessing child
pornography after an arrest this week by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The patrol states 42-year-old Travis Gross was taken into
custody after investigators found child pornography video files on an electronic
device during a search of his residence. The patrol states Gross confessed to
downloading and possessing child pornography after investigators executed the
search warrant of his home.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA Country Club man faces six counts of possessing child
pornography after an arrest this week by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.The patrol states 42-year-old Travis Gross was taken into
custody after investigators found child pornography video files on an electronic
device during a search of his residence. The patrol states Gross confessed to
downloading and possessing child pornography after investigators executed the
search warrant of his home.

Country Club man arrested on child porn charges

To some it was a minor issue. To others it veered too close to
infringing on constitutional rights.

St. Joseph School Board members have agreed to a set of ethics
rules to comply with the Missouri School Improvement Program, but not without
dissent. Two members voted against the code of conduct, suggesting it could
infringe on their First Amendment rights of free speech.

Board member Kim Miller doesn’t view it as an infringement,
saying it simply restricts what a member can say if speaking for the board as a
whole.

“The concern is always, as board members, sometimes we’re
asked to not speak on topics if we are representing the school board itself,”
Miller tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.

Miller says board members can always express their own opinion
about board action. They aren’t free though, according to Miller, to say
whatever they want if speaking for the St. Joseph School Board.

Miller says the code does not restrict how board members express
their opinion of board policy.

“We are elected by constituents who want to know what our
thoughts are on different things that are coming before us as a board and as a
community,” Miller says.

Board member Whitney Lanning says some members previously pushed
to have the board president speak for the board, but that never took effect.

“If that’s what we agreed to, but that’s not what we’re going
to do, and that gets a little murky, then let’s just go forward and let’s talk
about our own opinions and we’re seven different people with seven different
agendas,” Lanning tells Birr during her appearance with Miller on the KFEQ
Hotline.

Lanning denies the disagreement on the issue had anything to
do with the board’s silence after Superintendent Gabe Edgar pleaded guilty to a
misdemeanor drunk driving charge earlier this year.

“I think as a board we’ve been really clear about the
expectations and Dr. Edgar has been completely compliant and completely working
forward,” Lanning says. “That has nothing to do with this.”

Lanning says the move by the board was a simple compliance
measure with state requirements.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostTo some it was a minor issue. To others it veered too close to
infringing on constitutional rights.St. Joseph School Board members have agreed to a set of ethics
rules to comply with the Missouri School Improvement Program, but not without
dissent. Two members voted against the code of conduct, suggesting it could
infringe on their First Amendment rights of free speech.Board member Kim Miller doesn’t view it as an infringement,
saying it simply restricts what a member can say if speaking for the board as a
whole.“The concern is always, as board members, sometimes we’re
asked to not speak on topics if we are representing the school board itself,”
Miller tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.Miller says board members can always express their own opinion
about board action. They aren’t free though, according to Miller, to say
whatever they want if speaking for the St. Joseph School Board.Miller says the code does not restrict how board members express
their opinion of board policy.“We are elected by constituents who want to know what our
thoughts are on different things that are coming before us as a board and as a
community,” Miller says.Board member Whitney Lanning says some members previously pushed
to have the board president speak for the board, but that never took effect.“If that’s what we agreed to, but that’s not what we’re going
to do, and that gets a little murky, then let’s just go forward and let’s talk
about our own opinions and we’re seven different people with seven different
agendas,” Lanning tells Birr during her appearance with Miller on the KFEQ
Hotline.Lanning denies the disagreement on the issue had anything to
do with the board’s silence after Superintendent Gabe Edgar pleaded guilty to a
misdemeanor drunk driving charge earlier this year.“I think as a board we’ve been really clear about the
expectations and Dr. Edgar has been completely compliant and completely working
forward,” Lanning says. “That has nothing to do with this.”Lanning says the move by the board was a simple compliance
measure with state requirements.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/St--Joseph-School-Board-adopts-code-of-ethics-e28q8cs" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

A code of compliance or a gag? St. Joseph School Board splits on issue

Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuels trade association, filed briefs to intervene in three cases this week to support the Environmental Protection Agency. 

More specifically, Growth Energy supports the agency’s decisions to deny small-refinery exemptions for refiners who are seeking to avoid complying with their blending obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard. 

Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, says petitioners have tried over and over again to avoid complying with the RFS because less biofuel in America’s fuel supply means more money in their pockets. 

“Thankfully, EPA has continued to rightly deny the exemptions, having demonstrated again and again that refiners have no good reason not to meet their blending obligations,” she says. 

“In this week’s filings, Growth Energy continues to seek to defend the RFS, which is the nation’s most successful climate policy to date, from any attempts to weaken it.” The filings in each case are available at growthenergy.org.

Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuels trade association, filed briefs to intervene in three cases this week to support the Environmental Protection Agency. More specifically, Growth Energy supports the agency’s decisions to deny small-refinery exemptions for refiners who are seeking to avoid complying with their blending obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard. Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, says petitioners have tried over and over again to avoid complying with the RFS because less biofuel in America’s fuel supply means more money in their pockets. “Thankfully, EPA has continued to rightly deny the exemptions, having demonstrated again and again that refiners have no good reason not to meet their blending obligations,” she says. “In this week’s filings, Growth Energy continues to seek to defend the RFS, which is the nation’s most successful climate policy to date, from any attempts to weaken it.” The filings in each case are available at growthenergy.org.- NAFB

EPA is right to deny refinery exemptions

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says his agency is awarding $266 million in loans and grants to agriculture producers and rural small businesses. 

The funds will be for making investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements that will lower energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen the resilience of their operations. 

“Creating opportunity for rural communities means investing in farmers, ranchers, and small businesses,” Vilsack says. 

“These funds will make sure our producers and business owners are not only a part of the clean energy economy but are also directly benefiting from it.” 

The secretary also says these once-in-a-generation investments in renewable energy, like wind and solar, and energy-efficient technologies create new markets and deliver real cost savings for our small and mid-sized agricultural operations and Main Street businesses, building and keeping wealth in rural America. 

The department is making the funds available through the Rural Energy for America Program.

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says his agency is awarding $266 million in loans and grants to agriculture producers and rural small businesses. The funds will be for making investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements that will lower energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen the resilience of their operations. “Creating opportunity for rural communities means investing in farmers, ranchers, and small businesses,” Vilsack says. “These funds will make sure our producers and business owners are not only a part of the clean energy economy but are also directly benefiting from it.” The secretary also says these once-in-a-generation investments in renewable energy, like wind and solar, and energy-efficient technologies create new markets and deliver real cost savings for our small and mid-sized agricultural operations and Main Street businesses, building and keeping wealth in rural America. The department is making the funds available through the Rural Energy for America Program.- NAFB

USDA funding will help farmers lower energy costs

A benefit concert in Trenton is being held this weekend to help benefit the Leadership Northwest Missouri program.  

The program brings in participants from a 19-county region in northwest Missouri, designed to help build community leaders within the region.  

Leadership Northwest Missouri alum Jenna Stevens says the group meets monthly throughout the region with different focuses during each class. 

"One focus would be on a regional issue and then another focus for that day would be on a leadership skill," Stevens tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So, it's a great program to help develop, not only personally, but as a leader within your community and your region." 

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2024 class until November 1st.  

The concert, which is in its third year, was developed by a class in the program as part of an assignment to hold a community event or give back to the community. 

Stevens was a member of the class that put on the first ever benefit concert to help benefit the community and the program. 

"We were just coming out of COVID, sponsorships for the program itself were down, so we thought well this will be a good way to give back to the program as well as our community," Stevens explains. "So, we started it, it was a huge success the first year, and so we've just continued doing it each year since." 

Rising country artist Greylen James will headline the event with three local artists from Trenton, MO opening up the concert before James takes the stage.  

Jenna Stevens says the committee believes it's important to have local talent on the program. 

"So, we are giving these local artists an opportunity to take the stage, meet somebody who's in the industry, whether the local person is really wanting to pursue something or not it's just great exposure for them," Stevens says. 

Stevens is a member of the committee that puts on the concert each year.  The concert will be held at Black Silo Winery in Trenton. Doors open at 6:30pm with music starting at 7:30. 

You can find more information about the concert <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/leadership-northwest-music-jam-featuring-greylan-james-tickets-615104814057?fbclid=IwAR031prlXLcqZOtNMFz-cSwVwv2KIWvM9c4in7reSmX8TNZQDudK3UxWcHM">HERE </a>

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A benefit concert in Trenton is being held this weekend to help benefit the Leadership Northwest Missouri program. The program brings in participants from a 19-county region in northwest Missouri, designed to help build community leaders within the region. Leadership Northwest Missouri alum Jenna Stevens says the group meets monthly throughout the region with different focuses during each class. "One focus would be on a regional issue and then another focus for that day would be on a leadership skill," Stevens tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So, it's a great program to help develop, not only personally, but as a leader within your community and your region." Applications are currently being accepted for the 2024 class until November 1st. The concert, which is in its third year, was developed by a class in the program as part of an assignment to hold a community event or give back to the community. Stevens was a member of the class that put on the first ever benefit concert to help benefit the community and the program. "We were just coming out of COVID, sponsorships for the program itself were down, so we thought well this will be a good way to give back to the program as well as our community," Stevens explains. "So, we started it, it was a huge success the first year, and so we've just continued doing it each year since." Rising country artist Greylen James will headline the event with three local artists from Trenton, MO opening up the concert before James takes the stage. Jenna Stevens says the committee believes it's important to have local talent on the program. "So, we are giving these local artists an opportunity to take the stage, meet somebody who's in the industry, whether the local person is really wanting to pursue something or not it's just great exposure for them," Stevens says. Stevens is a member of the committee that puts on the concert each year. The concert will be held at Black Silo Winery in Trenton. Doors open at 6:30pm with music starting at 7:30. You can find more information about the concert <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/leadership-northwest-music-jam-featuring-greylan-james-tickets-615104814057?fbclid=IwAR031prlXLcqZOtNMFz-cSwVwv2KIWvM9c4in7reSmX8TNZQDudK3UxWcHM">HERE </a>

Leadership Northwest Missouri music jam benefit concert being held on Saturday

NODAWAY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Thursday in Nodaway County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Can-Am driven by Geoffroy L. Kemlin, 44, Solesmes, France, was northbound on Highway J three miles southeast of Conception.

The ATV rear-ended a 2023 Polaris driven by Caden M. Farnan, 24, Stanberry, who had slowed to turn into a private drive. After impact, the Can-Am overturned and the driver was ejected.&nbsp;

Nodaway County EMS transported Kemlin to Mosaic Life Care. Farnan was not injured.&nbsp;

NODAWAY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Thursday in Nodaway County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Can-Am driven by Geoffroy L. Kemlin, 44, Solesmes, France, was northbound on Highway J three miles southeast of Conception.The ATV rear-ended a 2023 Polaris driven by Caden M. Farnan, 24, Stanberry, who had slowed to turn into a private drive. After impact, the Can-Am overturned and the driver was ejected.&nbsp;Nodaway County EMS transported Kemlin to Mosaic Life Care. Farnan was not injured.&nbsp;

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