ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.

Just before 7:30p.m. Sunday,&nbsp; an officer on patrol observed 51-year-old George Milson III of Atchison in the 1400 block Commercial Street and took him into custody on a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court. During the arrest Milson was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760368604785.png" alt="Milson photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Milson photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.Just before 7:30p.m. Sunday,&nbsp; an officer on patrol observed 51-year-old George Milson III of Atchison in the 1400 block Commercial Street and took him into custody on a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court. During the arrest Milson was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.&nbsp;

Police found meth, marijuana during Kan. man's arrest

An organization that promotes economic development in northwest Missouri is conducting a follow up survey to one it took five years ago. 

Maximize Northwest Missouri covers 18 counties across the northwest region of Missouri, and it wants to hear from residents once again. 

Director Christel Gollnick says the last survey was important because it showed why people wanted to live in northwest Missouri 

"Because the one thing that really got us concerned at the beginning of this effort, is that our population is declining, like many rural areas across America,” Gollnick says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “But our population has been declining over a century, and so what is the slow but long-term impact of that, and how can we help people really want to live here, stay here if they grew up here, return maybe if they grew up here.” 

Gollick says they learned that outside of jobs some of the biggest reasons people stay are family, social connections, and education opportunities. 

Gollnick says the goal of the follow-up survey is to get a five-year comparison and to see what might have changed 

"What we want to do with it, it will close soon, October 20th is the end of the survey we’ve kind of had it out over the summer and early fall here, so we’re really pushing here towards the end to get more responses because we just want to know are perceptions different now five years later than they were in 2020,” Gollnick explains. 

Gollnick says they also want to have the data on hand so that anyone that wants it can be provided for decision making purposes, such as local organizations, business leaders, or elected officials. 

Gollnick says rarely are people asked questions that can really make a difference within their communities 

"The data that we’re collecting, the questions that we’re asking, it takes less than 10 minutes by the way, so it’s super easy to help out and participate and really know that your voice is actually going to be listened to," Gollnick says.  “It matters, every voice matters, and so I think that’s one reason why people, at least that’s what people tell me, who took the survey that “never take surveys” right.” 

Gollnick says Maximize Northwest Missouri wants to hear from residents about what is affecting communities in northwest Missouri.  

You can take the survey by clicking <a href="https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dgSpb9WQnMwqmtU">HERE</a>.&nbsp; It must be completed before October 20th.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760460530967.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Maximize NWMO" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Maximize NWMO</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEAn organization that promotes economic development in northwest Missouri is conducting a follow up survey to one it took five years ago. Maximize Northwest Missouri covers 18 counties across the northwest region of Missouri, and it wants to hear from residents once again. Director Christel Gollnick says the last survey was important because it showed why people wanted to live in northwest Missouri "Because the one thing that really got us concerned at the beginning of this effort, is that our population is declining, like many rural areas across America,” Gollnick says on the KFEQmunnity show. “But our population has been declining over a century, and so what is the slow but long-term impact of that, and how can we help people really want to live here, stay here if they grew up here, return maybe if they grew up here.” Gollick says they learned that outside of jobs some of the biggest reasons people stay are family, social connections, and education opportunities. Gollnick says the goal of the follow-up survey is to get a five-year comparison and to see what might have changed "What we want to do with it, it will close soon, October 20th is the end of the survey we’ve kind of had it out over the summer and early fall here, so we’re really pushing here towards the end to get more responses because we just want to know are perceptions different now five years later than they were in 2020,” Gollnick explains. Gollnick says they also want to have the data on hand so that anyone that wants it can be provided for decision making purposes, such as local organizations, business leaders, or elected officials. Gollnick says rarely are people asked questions that can really make a difference within their communities "The data that we’re collecting, the questions that we’re asking, it takes less than 10 minutes by the way, so it’s super easy to help out and participate and really know that your voice is actually going to be listened to," Gollnick says. “It matters, every voice matters, and so I think that’s one reason why people, at least that’s what people tell me, who took the survey that “never take surveys” right.” Gollnick says Maximize Northwest Missouri wants to hear from residents about what is affecting communities in northwest Missouri. You can take the survey by clicking <a href="https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dgSpb9WQnMwqmtU">HERE</a>.&nbsp; It must be completed before October 20th.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760460371023.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Maximize NWMO" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Maximize NWMO</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

Maximize NWMO seeks resident input, once again

A group of 16 is
reviewing the Missouri school funding formula, seeking to recommend an update
for the legislature to consider.

Missouri Gov. Mike
Kehoe appointed the <a href="https://dese.mo.gov/financial-admin-services/school-finance/missouri-school-funding-modernization-task-force-executive-order-25-14">Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force</a> and
selected state Sen. Rusty Black of Chillicothe as its chair.

Black says its
members, in its first three meetings, are already understanding the difficulty
of trying to bring property tax relief to Missourians while properly funding
public schools. Black says the task force must also have an understanding of
how changes might impact local governmental entities which rely on property tax
revenue to operate.

“I believe we’re
going to come up with one or two plans to go forward as long as we can have
some sense of being sure that that local taxing entity doesn’t get blown up
before our eyes,” Black tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Missouri’s public
school funding formula is 20 years old. Former state Sen. Charlie Shields, a
Republican from St. Joseph, devised the current formula in the 2005 legislative
session. It went into effect in the 2006-2007 school year.

Black says members
hope to retain portions of the formula that are forward thinking while updating
portions that are showing their age.

“Some states are
trying to get to something that looks somewhat like ours, similar to ours,” Black
says. “But does ours have some outdated stuff to it? It certainly does that as
well. And then Rusty Black, as chair of the committee letting the committee do their
work, they may come up with a completely different plan that I’ve not even
thought about.”

Missouri lawmakers
have been considering various proposals to ease the property tax burden on
Missouri homeowners. Those efforts are tempered by awareness that lowering
property taxes could negatively impact local governmental entities. Missouri has
around 2,500 local governments that rely on property tax revenue.

Black says as for
this the group, it has to consider easing the tax burden on property owners
while properly funding public schools. 

“I think our task
force has to be very thoughtful,” Black says. “Are we going to see big changes
in personal and real property taxes going forward or are there going to be some
things happen that keeps some consistency there without just blowing the place
up?”

Black says the
task force must walk a tightrope.

“How do we effect
change without creating crisis?”

The Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force is to provide a public school funding model in a final report to be delivered to Gov. Kehoe December 1, 2026.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760459273888.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINA group of 16 is
reviewing the Missouri school funding formula, seeking to recommend an update
for the legislature to consider.Missouri Gov. Mike
Kehoe appointed the <a href="https://dese.mo.gov/financial-admin-services/school-finance/missouri-school-funding-modernization-task-force-executive-order-25-14">Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force</a> and
selected state Sen. Rusty Black of Chillicothe as its chair.Black says its
members, in its first three meetings, are already understanding the difficulty
of trying to bring property tax relief to Missourians while properly funding
public schools. Black says the task force must also have an understanding of
how changes might impact local governmental entities which rely on property tax
revenue to operate.“I believe we’re
going to come up with one or two plans to go forward as long as we can have
some sense of being sure that that local taxing entity doesn’t get blown up
before our eyes,” Black tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.Missouri’s public
school funding formula is 20 years old. Former state Sen. Charlie Shields, a
Republican from St. Joseph, devised the current formula in the 2005 legislative
session. It went into effect in the 2006-2007 school year.Black says members
hope to retain portions of the formula that are forward thinking while updating
portions that are showing their age.“Some states are
trying to get to something that looks somewhat like ours, similar to ours,” Black
says. “But does ours have some outdated stuff to it? It certainly does that as
well. And then Rusty Black, as chair of the committee letting the committee do their
work, they may come up with a completely different plan that I’ve not even
thought about.”Missouri lawmakers
have been considering various proposals to ease the property tax burden on
Missouri homeowners. Those efforts are tempered by awareness that lowering
property taxes could negatively impact local governmental entities. Missouri has
around 2,500 local governments that rely on property tax revenue.Black says as for
this the group, it has to consider easing the tax burden on property owners
while properly funding public schools. “I think our task
force has to be very thoughtful,” Black says. “Are we going to see big changes
in personal and real property taxes going forward or are there going to be some
things happen that keeps some consistency there without just blowing the place
up?”Black says the
task force must walk a tightrope.“How do we effect
change without creating crisis?”The Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force is to provide a public school funding model in a final report to be delivered to Gov. Kehoe December 1, 2026.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Task force has tough task ahead in reviewing how Missouri funds schools

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/0CuisniYRpkkPVpIAscQMN?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning Sports

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4gqmC4MNPtJQtxoP1inxtH?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning News

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">Meg Cunningham</a>

Seven Missouri Head Start centers are set to receive nearly $2 million in funding for upgrades and educational resources

Community gardens, educational programs and breastfeeding rooms are all part of Missouri’s plan to take advantage of one-time federal funding for Head Start programs.

Seven Missouri Head Start kitchens are set to receive nearly $2 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of the office’s efforts to promote healthy eating and nutritious foods.

The funding comes as part of a push from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/09/09/nx-s1-5534412/rfk-maha-report-childrens-health" target="_blank">rolled out&nbsp;</a>the “Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy” in early September. HHS said in a press release that $61 million in funding will assist more than 100,000 children and families across the country.

In Missouri, it will pay for kitchen upgrades, community gardens, bulk cooking lessons and more.

How Head Start programs are taking on nutrition education&nbsp;

July&nbsp;<a href="https://foodsecurity.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Missouri-Hunger-Atlas-2025_Final.pdf" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;from the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security at the University of Missouri found that between 2021 and 2023, an average of 12.7% of Missouri homes experienced food insecurity, a 10% increase compared to the period between 2018 and 2020.

That equates to nearly 780,000 Missourians. Of those, about 356,000 are experiencing very low food security, where eating habits are interrupted.

For many children, a meal at Head Start schools will be the most nutritious they get all day, 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cacfp.org/assets/pdf/SNACS_Report/" target="_blank">research</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows.

Lunches provided in Head Start centers provided more than the benchmark levels for vegetables, grains, bread, dairy and protein foods, while breakfasts exceeded benchmark levels for fruit, grains and dairy.

On days when children were in child care programs, meals and snacks contributed to 40% of calories a child consumed that day. And in Missouri, Head Start kitchens play a crucial role in addressing increasing food insecurity rates. In April, the federal government closed five of the 10 regional Head Start offices and fired staff, although legal challenges are&nbsp;<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5420965-trump-administration-cuts-head-start/" target="_blank">underway</a>.

For nutrition coordinators across the state’s Head Start programs, the funding presented a rare opportunity for essential upgrades. Many Head Start kitchens use commercial kitchen equipment, which can cost thousands of dollars to upgrade or replace.

“The majority of our money does go directly to providing the services for the children,” said Kayla Marmaud, the community relations director for the Community Action Partnership of Greater St. Joseph. “When you have funding that goes for the children in your care directly, some of the other things are put on the back burner.”

HHS required that half of the overall funding be used for materials, supplies and equipment for farm-to-table strategies, cooking demonstrations and appliance upgrades. Another quarter of the funding goes toward food service upgrades and sourcing local nutritious foods, while the remainder of the money will contribute to education, workshops and community events.

In Springfield, Head Start staff kept a running list of upgrades that were needed. When the funding was announced, they were able to check that list and pick top priorities.

“We selected the things that we felt like were the most pressing issues, or the ones that could give us the biggest bang for our buck, knowing that this is a one-time and not continuing project,” said Kimberly Shinn-Brown, the Head Start program director at Ozarks Area Community Action in Springfield.

They plan to make food service upgrades, as well as a slew of upgrades to their Head Start locations that have residential-style kitchens. Part of that means making the kitchens easier to use and work in for their staff, Shinn-Brown said.

Ozarks Area Community Action and others are also pursuing educational programs to help benefit their families. In Springfield, they requested money to bring on a new nutrition education program aimed at Gen Z families. The program sends out tidbits of information over text, so families can more easily incorporate nutrition education into their lives.

“They don’t want to talk to someone on the phone, and they don’t necessarily want to have a face-to-face meeting with you,” Shinn-Brown said. “But they do tend to be responsive if you text them.”

“It doesn’t matter how great your resources are if people won’t use them,” she said. “So we wanted to look at how our parents are accessing information, and what are their preferences?”

Daphne Graham, the health and nutrition coordinator at Ozark Action in West Plains, Missouri, knew the organization would have five new Early Head Start centers opening this fall, and requested funds to help with breastfeeding rooms for their families in those new centers.

They also are expanding meal options for parents of kids enrolled in Head Start to help showcase some of the cooking and exposure to different foods their kids get at school. The organization also plans to purchase more than 40 vacuum seal kits to give away to families across their 22 Head Start classrooms, with plans to help families learn more about batch cooking and preservation.

“Our demographic is very low-income … families that are sometimes just barely getting by as it is, and maybe education is not something they enjoy,” said Graham. “They don’t want to sit and listen to a lecture, but they would take in so much more in-person, so that’s where our education is going.”

In St. Joseph, they are applying those same principles to build community gardens at some of their Head Start schools and to create a new demonstration kitchen that will bring families closer to food.

“With the cost of food increasing, our resources sometimes tend to be more limited,” said Marmaud. “We wanted to be able to provide an opportunity that we could have community partners come in and be able to teach people how to get the most out of their resources.”

That sort of hands-on learning is shown to increase uptake of nutritious foods, said Lauren Landfried, a dietitian and associate professor in the St. Louis University Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“Getting kids exposure early is hugely impactful for their future health,” Landfried said. “If the kids are able to be a part of any of this, they’re more likely to consume the food. They’re more likely to have that positive relationship to expose others, too.”

What is needed to create more nutritious meals for Head Start? &nbsp;

Although the one-time funding was a welcome start to the winter months, critics argue that the funding does not go far enough in the face of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and its sister program, SNAP-Ed, which provides nutrition education and other programs that address food insecurity.

“Any funding that goes to enhance nutrition education should be applauded and celebrated,” said Clarissa Hayes, the deputy director of child nutrition programs and policy at the Food Research and Action Center. “But at the end of the day, we know that this funding is not enough and it’s really putting a Band-Aid on the issue.”

Under&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/17/medicaid-snap-benefits-missouri-kansas-big-beautiful-bill/" target="_blank">new requirements</a>&nbsp;for SNAP, most individuals will be required to show proof of 80 hours of work, caregiving, schooling or volunteering to receive benefits. In Missouri, that could equate to about 150,000 people losing food assistance benefits.

And under a new waiver request from Gov. Mike Kehoe, the food items SNAP pays for are set to change. The changes would bar SNAP recipients from buying soda and candy, similar to recent&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/09/kansas-close-to-banning-soda-and-candy-purchases-with-food-stamps/" target="_blank">changes made in Kansas</a>.

“The problem is not everybody knows how to cook,” Landfried said. “The assumption is that the people know what to do with the food that they are prescribed, which is not the case. In my experience, I had to do a lot of education on how to cook.”

Both Landfried and Hayes see the reliance on other assistance like food banks increasing while families try to stretch their spending on food.

Ultimately, these one-time dollars won’t do much to address the food insecurity issues rising across Missouri, Hayes said.

“It’s not enough,” she said. “It’s very hypocritical in light of all of the other cuts that this administration has made to the nutrition safety net.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/10/08/new-funding-missouri-head-start-rfk-jr-hhs/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760380700179.png" alt=" In Missouri, it will pay for kitchen upgrades, community gardens, bulk cooking lessons and more (Meg Cunningham/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> In Missouri, it will pay for kitchen upgrades, community gardens, bulk cooking lessons and more (Meg Cunningham/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">Meg Cunningham</a><h2>Seven Missouri Head Start centers are set to receive nearly $2 million in funding for upgrades and educational resources</h2>Community gardens, educational programs and breastfeeding rooms are all part of Missouri’s plan to take advantage of one-time federal funding for Head Start programs.Seven Missouri Head Start kitchens are set to receive nearly $2 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of the office’s efforts to promote healthy eating and nutritious foods.The funding comes as part of a push from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/09/09/nx-s1-5534412/rfk-maha-report-childrens-health" target="_blank">rolled out&nbsp;</a>the “Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy” in early September. HHS said in a press release that $61 million in funding will assist more than 100,000 children and families across the country.In Missouri, it will pay for kitchen upgrades, community gardens, bulk cooking lessons and more.<h2>How Head Start programs are taking on nutrition education&nbsp;</h2>July&nbsp;<a href="https://foodsecurity.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Missouri-Hunger-Atlas-2025_Final.pdf" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;from the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security at the University of Missouri found that between 2021 and 2023, an average of 12.7% of Missouri homes experienced food insecurity, a 10% increase compared to the period between 2018 and 2020.That equates to nearly 780,000 Missourians. Of those, about 356,000 are experiencing very low food security, where eating habits are interrupted.For many children, a meal at Head Start schools will be the most nutritious they get all day, 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cacfp.org/assets/pdf/SNACS_Report/" target="_blank">research</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows.Lunches provided in Head Start centers provided more than the benchmark levels for vegetables, grains, bread, dairy and protein foods, while breakfasts exceeded benchmark levels for fruit, grains and dairy.On days when children were in child care programs, meals and snacks contributed to 40% of calories a child consumed that day. And in Missouri, Head Start kitchens play a crucial role in addressing increasing food insecurity rates. In April, the federal government closed five of the 10 regional Head Start offices and fired staff, although legal challenges are&nbsp;<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/education/5420965-trump-administration-cuts-head-start/" target="_blank">underway</a>.For nutrition coordinators across the state’s Head Start programs, the funding presented a rare opportunity for essential upgrades. Many Head Start kitchens use commercial kitchen equipment, which can cost thousands of dollars to upgrade or replace.“The majority of our money does go directly to providing the services for the children,” said Kayla Marmaud, the community relations director for the Community Action Partnership of Greater St. Joseph. “When you have funding that goes for the children in your care directly, some of the other things are put on the back burner.”HHS required that half of the overall funding be used for materials, supplies and equipment for farm-to-table strategies, cooking demonstrations and appliance upgrades. Another quarter of the funding goes toward food service upgrades and sourcing local nutritious foods, while the remainder of the money will contribute to education, workshops and community events.In Springfield, Head Start staff kept a running list of upgrades that were needed. When the funding was announced, they were able to check that list and pick top priorities.“We selected the things that we felt like were the most pressing issues, or the ones that could give us the biggest bang for our buck, knowing that this is a one-time and not continuing project,” said Kimberly Shinn-Brown, the Head Start program director at Ozarks Area Community Action in Springfield.They plan to make food service upgrades, as well as a slew of upgrades to their Head Start locations that have residential-style kitchens. Part of that means making the kitchens easier to use and work in for their staff, Shinn-Brown said.Ozarks Area Community Action and others are also pursuing educational programs to help benefit their families. In Springfield, they requested money to bring on a new nutrition education program aimed at Gen Z families. The program sends out tidbits of information over text, so families can more easily incorporate nutrition education into their lives.“They don’t want to talk to someone on the phone, and they don’t necessarily want to have a face-to-face meeting with you,” Shinn-Brown said. “But they do tend to be responsive if you text them.”“It doesn’t matter how great your resources are if people won’t use them,” she said. “So we wanted to look at how our parents are accessing information, and what are their preferences?”Daphne Graham, the health and nutrition coordinator at Ozark Action in West Plains, Missouri, knew the organization would have five new Early Head Start centers opening this fall, and requested funds to help with breastfeeding rooms for their families in those new centers.They also are expanding meal options for parents of kids enrolled in Head Start to help showcase some of the cooking and exposure to different foods their kids get at school. The organization also plans to purchase more than 40 vacuum seal kits to give away to families across their 22 Head Start classrooms, with plans to help families learn more about batch cooking and preservation.“Our demographic is very low-income … families that are sometimes just barely getting by as it is, and maybe education is not something they enjoy,” said Graham. “They don’t want to sit and listen to a lecture, but they would take in so much more in-person, so that’s where our education is going.”In St. Joseph, they are applying those same principles to build community gardens at some of their Head Start schools and to create a new demonstration kitchen that will bring families closer to food.“With the cost of food increasing, our resources sometimes tend to be more limited,” said Marmaud. “We wanted to be able to provide an opportunity that we could have community partners come in and be able to teach people how to get the most out of their resources.”That sort of hands-on learning is shown to increase uptake of nutritious foods, said Lauren Landfried, a dietitian and associate professor in the St. Louis University Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.“Getting kids exposure early is hugely impactful for their future health,” Landfried said. “If the kids are able to be a part of any of this, they’re more likely to consume the food. They’re more likely to have that positive relationship to expose others, too.”<h2>What is needed to create more nutritious meals for Head Start? &nbsp;</h2>Although the one-time funding was a welcome start to the winter months, critics argue that the funding does not go far enough in the face of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and its sister program, SNAP-Ed, which provides nutrition education and other programs that address food insecurity.“Any funding that goes to enhance nutrition education should be applauded and celebrated,” said Clarissa Hayes, the deputy director of child nutrition programs and policy at the Food Research and Action Center. “But at the end of the day, we know that this funding is not enough and it’s really putting a Band-Aid on the issue.”Under&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/17/medicaid-snap-benefits-missouri-kansas-big-beautiful-bill/" target="_blank">new requirements</a>&nbsp;for SNAP, most individuals will be required to show proof of 80 hours of work, caregiving, schooling or volunteering to receive benefits. In Missouri, that could equate to about 150,000 people losing food assistance benefits.And under a new waiver request from Gov. Mike Kehoe, the food items SNAP pays for are set to change. The changes would bar SNAP recipients from buying soda and candy, similar to recent&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/09/kansas-close-to-banning-soda-and-candy-purchases-with-food-stamps/" target="_blank">changes made in Kansas</a>.“The problem is not everybody knows how to cook,” Landfried said. “The assumption is that the people know what to do with the food that they are prescribed, which is not the case. In my experience, I had to do a lot of education on how to cook.”Both Landfried and Hayes see the reliance on other assistance like food banks increasing while families try to stretch their spending on food.Ultimately, these one-time dollars won’t do much to address the food insecurity issues rising across Missouri, Hayes said.“It’s not enough,” she said. “It’s very hypocritical in light of all of the other cuts that this administration has made to the nutrition safety net.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/10/08/new-funding-missouri-head-start-rfk-jr-hhs/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Upgrades coming to Missouri’s Head Start nutrition programs after new federal funding

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations and have him in custody for the second time in just over a month.

Just before 8:30p.m. Saturday an officer on patrol observed 54-year-old Dwight Downing in the 600 block South 7th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; The officer took&nbsp;him into custody on a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court. During the arrest Downing was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.

In August,&nbsp; police conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block U.S.59 in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. A passenger in the vehicle, identified as Downing, was arrested on outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court. During his arrest he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana, according to Wilson.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754320137120.png" alt="Downing photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Downing photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations and have him in custody for the second time in just over a month.Just before 8:30p.m. Saturday an officer on patrol observed 54-year-old Dwight Downing in the 600 block South 7th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; The officer took&nbsp;him into custody on a Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear in court. During the arrest Downing was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.In August,&nbsp; police conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block U.S.59 in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. A passenger in the vehicle, identified as Downing, was arrested on outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court. During his arrest he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana, according to Wilson.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. man accused again of skipping court, drug possession

St. Joseph has been honored with an award from the Missouri Division of Tourism.  

Specifically, Christian Mengel with the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau has been honored. Mengel received the Film Industry Champion Award.  

Mengel says this award was never on the bingo card of life, and it makes him reflect on his career since returning to St. Joseph after stints in Kansas City and Oregon. 

"When I was a student at Missouri Western like trying to make student film projects and not knowing where my career would lead, I’d have never thought that something like this would be on the table,” Mengel tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “So, to think that I guess I’m in a position to move that can actually move the needle a little bit on the industry is just a really big honor, it feels like it’s naturally a really big responsibility too.” 

Mengel feels he doesn't want to let filmmakers in the community down, or people that don't want to move to Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago and still work in the industry.  

Mengel says it's humbling to receive the award, but it's all about the local businesses who participated and helped  

“I mean we have residents in St. Joseph that opened up their homes, and they were like they can film here, and if it wasn’t for people like that these projects wouldn’t have happened,” Mengel explains.  “And this would have never been in the running let alone be awarded something like that, so it really is a humbling thing.” 

Mengel says looking at all the winners it really is humbling considering some of the bigger cities in the state represented 

"Winners were from Kansas City, St. Louis, the Missouri Department of Travel was in there for the Missouri River Runner, so there’s big players in there,” Mengel says.  “So, for us to get mentioned, it’s really cool for a community like us to get to share something like that, nothing against the major metros but it’s a nice win for the little guys.” 

Mengel says especially with the way the Film Tax Credit is written to help smaller communities more than the major metro cities like Kansas City and St. Louis.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760377887464.jpeg" alt="Christian Mengel and the team from the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau pose after Mengel was awarded with the Film Industry Champion award from the Missouri Division of Tourisim/ Photo courtesy of Christian Mengel" />
 <figcaption>Christian Mengel and the team from the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau pose after Mengel was awarded with the Film Industry Champion award from the Missouri Division of Tourisim/ Photo courtesy of Christian Mengel</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph has been honored with an award from the Missouri Division of Tourism. Specifically, Christian Mengel with the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau has been honored. Mengel received the Film Industry Champion Award. Mengel says this award was never on the bingo card of life, and it makes him reflect on his career since returning to St. Joseph after stints in Kansas City and Oregon. "When I was a student at Missouri Western like trying to make student film projects and not knowing where my career would lead, I’d have never thought that something like this would be on the table,” Mengel tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So, to think that I guess I’m in a position to move that can actually move the needle a little bit on the industry is just a really big honor, it feels like it’s naturally a really big responsibility too.” Mengel feels he doesn't want to let filmmakers in the community down, or people that don't want to move to Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago and still work in the industry. Mengel says it's humbling to receive the award, but it's all about the local businesses who participated and helped “I mean we have residents in St. Joseph that opened up their homes, and they were like they can film here, and if it wasn’t for people like that these projects wouldn’t have happened,” Mengel explains. “And this would have never been in the running let alone be awarded something like that, so it really is a humbling thing.” Mengel says looking at all the winners it really is humbling considering some of the bigger cities in the state represented "Winners were from Kansas City, St. Louis, the Missouri Department of Travel was in there for the Missouri River Runner, so there’s big players in there,” Mengel says. “So, for us to get mentioned, it’s really cool for a community like us to get to share something like that, nothing against the major metros but it’s a nice win for the little guys.” Mengel says especially with the way the Film Tax Credit is written to help smaller communities more than the major metro cities like Kansas City and St. Louis.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760382071120.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Christian Mengel" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Christian Mengel</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Film production puts St. Joseph in spotlight

Today is Columbus
Day, a federal holiday. Congress returns to debate tomorrow to see if agreement
can be reached to re-open the federal government.

Eastern Kansas
Congressman Derek Schmidt, a Republican, says the stance of the top Democrat in
the House to reject a proposed one-year extension of Affordable Care Act
subsidies complicated things.

“Well, I think it’s
a mistake and this apparent decision to ramp up rather than toning down the conflict
I think is unhelpful,” Schmidt tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Democrats have
held out and held up efforts to reopen government, stating they want Republican
concessions on health care. Top House Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries of New York,
called laughable the proposal to extend subsidies for one year.

Schmidt says
Democrats have taken a different tact after agreeing to legislation that would
give budget negotiators an extra seven weeks to finalize budget bills.

“So we did exactly
what Hakeem and others wanted, we thought, they said, and then things melted
down when (the) minority party in the Senate said heck no, we’re not doing that,”
Schmidt says “And now, leader Jefferies has sort of upped the rhetoric and upped
the ante and turned it into more of an all or nothing fight.”

Schmidt says the
issue is in the hands of the Senate where Republicans will have to secure
enough Democratic votes to meet a 60-vote threshold to pass legislation.

Schmidt asserts great
progress was underway in approving the 12 bills that make up the federal budget
and would like to get back to that work.

“I at least and I
think most of my colleagues would like to get passed this so-called shutdown
fight, which appears to me to be all a political fight, and back to the policy
discussions,” Schmidt says. “And I hope that this doesn’t taint the well for
continuing collaboration going forward.”

Some Republicans
seem to be considering the idea of extending the ACA credits.

Schmidt opposes
extending the credits, but.

“I think there’s probably
support for doing something with the ACA credits,” Schmidt says. “My own view
has long been that they’re bad public policy, but they’re bad public policy that
people have come to rely upon. And so, just abruptly ending them is probably
not the best option. Rather, some reforms and maybe a phase out over time makes
a lot more sense.”

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostToday is Columbus
Day, a federal holiday. Congress returns to debate tomorrow to see if agreement
can be reached to re-open the federal government.Eastern Kansas
Congressman Derek Schmidt, a Republican, says the stance of the top Democrat in
the House to reject a proposed one-year extension of Affordable Care Act
subsidies complicated things.“Well, I think it’s
a mistake and this apparent decision to ramp up rather than toning down the conflict
I think is unhelpful,” Schmidt tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.Democrats have
held out and held up efforts to reopen government, stating they want Republican
concessions on health care. Top House Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries of New York,
called laughable the proposal to extend subsidies for one year.Schmidt says
Democrats have taken a different tact after agreeing to legislation that would
give budget negotiators an extra seven weeks to finalize budget bills.“So we did exactly
what Hakeem and others wanted, we thought, they said, and then things melted
down when (the) minority party in the Senate said heck no, we’re not doing that,”
Schmidt says “And now, leader Jefferies has sort of upped the rhetoric and upped
the ante and turned it into more of an all or nothing fight.”Schmidt says the
issue is in the hands of the Senate where Republicans will have to secure
enough Democratic votes to meet a 60-vote threshold to pass legislation.Schmidt asserts great
progress was underway in approving the 12 bills that make up the federal budget
and would like to get back to that work.“I at least and I
think most of my colleagues would like to get passed this so-called shutdown
fight, which appears to me to be all a political fight, and back to the policy
discussions,” Schmidt says. “And I hope that this doesn’t taint the well for
continuing collaboration going forward.”Some Republicans
seem to be considering the idea of extending the ACA credits.Schmidt opposes
extending the credits, but.“I think there’s probably
support for doing something with the ACA credits,” Schmidt says. “My own view
has long been that they’re bad public policy, but they’re bad public policy that
people have come to rely upon. And so, just abruptly ending them is probably
not the best option. Rather, some reforms and maybe a phase out over time makes
a lot more sense.”You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

After holiday, Congress will return still trying to reopen government

In the first month of direct state aid for Missouri’s K-12 scholarship program, 98% of funds went to religious institutions

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

State funding of private-school vouchers is primarily being used for students attending religious institutions, with nearly 98% of funding going toward Catholic, Christian, Jewish and Islamic schools.

This year, state lawmakers passed a budget that included a request from Gov. Mike Kehoe to supply the state-run K-12 scholarship program, MOScholars, with $50 million of general revenue. Previously, the impact to the state’s bottom line was indirect, with 100% tax-deductible donations fueling the program.

Donations are still part of MOScholars’ funding, but the state appropriation has more than doubled the number of scholarships available.

During the 2024-25 school year, MOScholars awarded $15.2 million in scholarships.

In August alone, the State Treasurer’s Office received invoices for scholarships totaling $15.6 million, according to documents obtained by The Independent under Missouri’s open records laws.

The invoice process is unique to the direct state funding of the program. The nonprofits that administer scholarships, called educational assistance organizations, were the sole keepers of scholarship funds. But now, the State Treasurer’s Office holds scholarship money derived from general revenue in an account previously only used for program marketing and administration.

The invoices contained data on which schools MOScholars students are attending and the scholarship amount.

Of the 2,329 scholarships awarded in August, only 59 went to students in nonreligious schools.

This number did not surprise Democratic lawmakers, who for years have warned that state revenue was going to be siphoned into religious schools.

“We are simply subsidizing, with tax dollars, parents who would already choose to send their kids to a private school,” state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, told The Independent. “And now we are using public dollars to pay for schools that are not transparent whatsoever in choosing who to educate and who not.”

Some schools have been criticized for admission requirements that push a moral standard.

Christian Fellowship School in Columbia, which received scholarships for 63 MOScholars students in August, requires “at least one parent of enrolled students professes faith in Christ and agrees with the admission policies and the philosophy and doctrinal statements of the school,” according to its&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F-pfYc2664C0toFkKlJqr36C50f1Dh2D7ZZrsa4CTjo/edit?tab=t.0" target="_blank">handbook</a>.&nbsp;

These statements include disapproval of homosexuality.

“The school reserves the right, within its sole discretion, to refuse admission of an applicant or to discontinue enrollment of a student,” the handbook continues.

With around 430 K-12 students enrolled at Christian Fellowship School, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&amp;SchoolName=christian+fellowship+school&amp;NumOfStudentsRange=more&amp;IncGrade=-1&amp;LoGrade=-1&amp;HiGrade=-1&amp;ID=A9103769" target="_blank">National Center for Educational Statistics survey data</a>, MOScholars makes up a sizable portion of its funding. But it is not the only school with a large number of scholarship recipients.

Torah Prep School in St. Louis had 229 K-12 students during the 2023-24 school year. And in August, 197 MOScholars students received funding to attend the school. Torah Prep did not respond to a request for comment.

The high number of students attending religious schools with MOScholars funding is somewhat incidental, somewhat by design.

The MOScholars program allows its six educational assistance organizations to choose what scholarships they are willing to support.&nbsp;

Religious organizations stepped into the role to help connect congregants with affiliated schools. Only two of the six educational assistance organizations partner with schools unaffiliated with religion.

The Catholic dioceses of Kansas City-St. Joseph and Springfield-Cape Girardeau run the educational assistance organization Bright Futures Fund, which administered nearly half of the scholarships awarded in August.

The educational assistance organization Agudath Israel of Missouri focuses on Jewish education, partnering with four Jewish day schools.

The organization’s director Hillel Anton told The Independent that students are attracted to the program for more than just religious reasons.

“(Parents’) first and foremost concern is where their child is going to be able to be in the best learning environment,” Anton said. “And you may have a faith-based school that is fantastic and is able to provide that.”

State-funded scholarships administered in August, by location

This data was compiled from MOScholars invoices issued in August — the first month that scholarships were administered through a state appropriation. During August, over 2000 students received funding through the program.

The demand for the program has long&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/21/funding-lag-creates-barrier-for-missouri-private-school-tax-credit-program/">exceeded funding availability</a>. Going into August, organizations had waitlists of students eligible for a scholarship but without funding secured.

Agudath Israel of Missouri couldn’t guarantee scholarships for all of the returning students, Anton said, until the state funding was official.

“Because a lot of the funding is done towards the end of the year… we had everyone on a wait list,” he said. “Because we didn’t know necessarily how much funding we were going to have, we weren’t awarding anyone (the funding).”

Because the program was previously powered by 100% tax-deductible donations, the majority of funds poured in around December. But families need the money months sooner, with tuition due at the start of the school year.

Some educational assistance organizations prefunded scholarships, dipping into their savings to front expenses in the fall. Others had schools that would accept students and wait for payment.

The funding from the state, though, has resolved the backlog and allowed organizations to give scholarships to everyone on their wait list.

“Everyone who qualified for a scholarship this year received one,” Ashlie Hand, Bright Futures Fund’s director of communications, told The Independent.

Bright Futures Fund nearly doubled the number of students it serves, from 1,050 to 1,909.

Agudath Israel of Missouri is growing, too. The new funding helped the organization expand from 175 scholarships last year to 277 this year.

Some expect the state funding to continue next year to support this year’s windfall of scholarships. State Treasurer Vivek Malek&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/04/new-funding-for-private-school-vouchers-will-set-precedent-for-future-missouri-budgets/">told The Independent in May</a>&nbsp;that if donations fall short, he will request state funds to support the new students through graduation.

The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760357050374.png" alt=" Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and School in Jefferson City, as pictured Sept. 20, 2024, received scholarships for 22 students this August through the MOScholars program. MOScholars, which provides private school vouchers, expanded this fall with an infusion of state funds (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and School in Jefferson City, as pictured Sept. 20, 2024, received scholarships for 22 students this August through the MOScholars program. MOScholars, which provides private school vouchers, expanded this fall with an infusion of state funds (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>In the first month of direct state aid for Missouri’s K-12 scholarship program, 98% of funds went to religious institutions</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hansha</a>w <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>State funding of private-school vouchers is primarily being used for students attending religious institutions, with nearly 98% of funding going toward Catholic, Christian, Jewish and Islamic schools.This year, state lawmakers passed a budget that included a request from Gov. Mike Kehoe to supply the state-run K-12 scholarship program, MOScholars, with $50 million of general revenue. Previously, the impact to the state’s bottom line was indirect, with 100% tax-deductible donations fueling the program.Donations are still part of MOScholars’ funding, but the state appropriation has more than doubled the number of scholarships available.During the 2024-25 school year, MOScholars awarded $15.2 million in scholarships.In August alone, the State Treasurer’s Office received invoices for scholarships totaling $15.6 million, according to documents obtained by The Independent under Missouri’s open records laws.The invoice process is unique to the direct state funding of the program. The nonprofits that administer scholarships, called educational assistance organizations, were the sole keepers of scholarship funds. But now, the State Treasurer’s Office holds scholarship money derived from general revenue in an account previously only used for program marketing and administration.The invoices contained data on which schools MOScholars students are attending and the scholarship amount.Of the 2,329 scholarships awarded in August, only 59 went to students in nonreligious schools.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760356915792.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>This number did not surprise Democratic lawmakers, who for years have warned that state revenue was going to be siphoned into religious schools.“We are simply subsidizing, with tax dollars, parents who would already choose to send their kids to a private school,” state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, told The Independent. “And now we are using public dollars to pay for schools that are not transparent whatsoever in choosing who to educate and who not.”Some schools have been criticized for admission requirements that push a moral standard.Christian Fellowship School in Columbia, which received scholarships for 63 MOScholars students in August, requires “at least one parent of enrolled students professes faith in Christ and agrees with the admission policies and the philosophy and doctrinal statements of the school,” according to its&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F-pfYc2664C0toFkKlJqr36C50f1Dh2D7ZZrsa4CTjo/edit?tab=t.0" target="_blank">handbook</a>.&nbsp;These statements include disapproval of homosexuality.“The school reserves the right, within its sole discretion, to refuse admission of an applicant or to discontinue enrollment of a student,” the handbook continues.With around 430 K-12 students enrolled at Christian Fellowship School, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&amp;SchoolName=christian+fellowship+school&amp;NumOfStudentsRange=more&amp;IncGrade=-1&amp;LoGrade=-1&amp;HiGrade=-1&amp;ID=A9103769" target="_blank">National Center for Educational Statistics survey data</a>, MOScholars makes up a sizable portion of its funding. But it is not the only school with a large number of scholarship recipients.Torah Prep School in St. Louis had 229 K-12 students during the 2023-24 school year. And in August, 197 MOScholars students received funding to attend the school. Torah Prep did not respond to a request for comment.The high number of students attending religious schools with MOScholars funding is somewhat incidental, somewhat by design.The MOScholars program allows its six educational assistance organizations to choose what scholarships they are willing to support.&nbsp;Religious organizations stepped into the role to help connect congregants with affiliated schools. Only two of the six educational assistance organizations partner with schools unaffiliated with religion.The Catholic dioceses of Kansas City-St. Joseph and Springfield-Cape Girardeau run the educational assistance organization Bright Futures Fund, which administered nearly half of the scholarships awarded in August.The educational assistance organization Agudath Israel of Missouri focuses on Jewish education, partnering with four Jewish day schools.The organization’s director Hillel Anton told The Independent that students are attracted to the program for more than just religious reasons.“(Parents’) first and foremost concern is where their child is going to be able to be in the best learning environment,” Anton said. “And you may have a faith-based school that is fantastic and is able to provide that.”<h2>State-funded scholarships administered in August, by location</h2>This data was compiled from MOScholars invoices issued in August — the first month that scholarships were administered through a state appropriation. During August, over 2000 students received funding through the program.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760356993957.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The demand for the program has long&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/21/funding-lag-creates-barrier-for-missouri-private-school-tax-credit-program/">exceeded funding availability</a>. Going into August, organizations had waitlists of students eligible for a scholarship but without funding secured.Agudath Israel of Missouri couldn’t guarantee scholarships for all of the returning students, Anton said, until the state funding was official.“Because a lot of the funding is done towards the end of the year… we had everyone on a wait list,” he said. “Because we didn’t know necessarily how much funding we were going to have, we weren’t awarding anyone (the funding).”Because the program was previously powered by 100% tax-deductible donations, the majority of funds poured in around December. But families need the money months sooner, with tuition due at the start of the school year.Some educational assistance organizations prefunded scholarships, dipping into their savings to front expenses in the fall. Others had schools that would accept students and wait for payment.The funding from the state, though, has resolved the backlog and allowed organizations to give scholarships to everyone on their wait list.“Everyone who qualified for a scholarship this year received one,” Ashlie Hand, Bright Futures Fund’s director of communications, told The Independent.Bright Futures Fund nearly doubled the number of students it serves, from 1,050 to 1,909.Agudath Israel of Missouri is growing, too. The new funding helped the organization expand from 175 scholarships last year to 277 this year.Some expect the state funding to continue next year to support this year’s windfall of scholarships. State Treasurer Vivek Malek&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/04/new-funding-for-private-school-vouchers-will-set-precedent-for-future-missouri-budgets/">told The Independent in May</a>&nbsp;that if donations fall short, he will request state funds to support the new students through graduation.The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

Nearly all state funding for Missouri school vouchers used for religious schools

NODAWAY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Sunday in Nodaway County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Nissan Rogue driven by a 72-year-old Maryville man was northbound on U.S. 71 just north of Route A. The Nissan rear-ended a 2000 Kenworth Conventional.

Nodaway County ambulance transported the Nissan driver to Mosaic in Maryville. The 77-year-old semi driver from Maitland was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.&nbsp; The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

NODAWAY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Sunday in Nodaway County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Nissan Rogue driven by a 72-year-old Maryville man was northbound on U.S. 71 just north of Route A. The Nissan rear-ended a 2000 Kenworth Conventional.Nodaway County ambulance transported the Nissan driver to Mosaic in Maryville. The 77-year-old semi driver from Maitland was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.&nbsp; The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man injured after rear-end crash

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Sunday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Freightliner semi driven by a 46-year-old Montgomery Village man was westbound on U.S. 36 two miles west of Osborn. The vehicle traveled off the north side of the road, returned to the road, traveled off the south side of the road, returned to the road a second time and overturned.

DeKalb Clinton ambulance transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Sunday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Freightliner semi driven by a 46-year-old Montgomery Village man was westbound on U.S. 36 two miles west of Osborn. The vehicle traveled off the north side of the road, returned to the road, traveled off the south side of the road, returned to the road a second time and overturned.DeKalb Clinton ambulance transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man hospitalized after semi overturns

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9:30p.m. Saturday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2025 Freightliner semi driven by a 49-year-old Ankeny, Iowa man was northbound on Interstate 35 three miles south of Pattonsburg. The vehicle crossed the median into southbound traffic, traveled off the west side of the road into trees and came to rest ot its wheels.

Daviess County EMS transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9:30p.m. Saturday in Daviess County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2025 Freightliner semi driven by a 49-year-old Ankeny, Iowa man was northbound on Interstate 35 three miles south of Pattonsburg. The vehicle crossed the median into southbound traffic, traveled off the west side of the road into trees and came to rest ot its wheels.Daviess County EMS transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Driver hospitalized after semi crash into trees

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Saturday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Polaris Titan driven by a 46-year-old Denver, Missouri man was southbound on 127th Avenue just north of West 385h Street. The vehicle traveled off the right side of the road and struck an embankment. The driver was ejected and the vehicle came to rest on top of him.

Grand River EMS transported the driver to Liberty Hospital. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Saturday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Polaris Titan driven by a 46-year-old Denver, Missouri man was southbound on 127th Avenue just north of West 385h Street. The vehicle traveled off the right side of the road and struck an embankment. The driver was ejected and the vehicle came to rest on top of him.Grand River EMS transported the driver to Liberty Hospital. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man injured in snowmobile accident

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

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1982 Honda 3-wheeler driven by a 43-year-old Cameron man was northbound on MO 13 just south of Coffey.&nbsp; The driver lost control of the vehicle. It overturned and the driver was ejected.

North Missouri EMS transported the driver to Liberty Hospital. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Daviess County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1982 Honda 3-wheeler driven by a 43-year-old Cameron man was northbound on MO 13 just south of Coffey.&nbsp; The driver lost control of the vehicle. It overturned and the driver was ejected.North Missouri EMS transported the driver to Liberty Hospital. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man injured after 3-wheeler overturns

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4BBzGvtT6gLEDVDRKdJQWw?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Week in Review 

CLINTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Friday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Honda HRV driven by a 21-year-old Gardner, Kansas woman; a 2019 Kia Ronda driven by a 19-year-old Ozark, Missouri, woman and a 2004 Nissan Sentra driven by 27-year-old Des Moines, Iowa, man were southouthbound in the passing lane of Interstate 35 two miles south of Cameron. A 2023 Hyundai Sonota driven by a 65-year-old Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, woman was southbound in the driving lane.

The Hyundia and the Nissan slowed to avoid congestion from the construction zone. The Kia slowed and merged into the driving lane to avoid the Nissan. The Honda rear-ended the Kia and the Nissan. The impact pushed the Nissan into the rear of Hyundai.

Cameron ambulance transported the Nissan driver to Liberty Hospital. There were no other injuries. All four drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

CLINTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Friday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Honda HRV driven by a 21-year-old Gardner, Kansas woman; a 2019 Kia Ronda driven by a 19-year-old Ozark, Missouri, woman and a 2004 Nissan Sentra driven by 27-year-old Des Moines, Iowa, man were southouthbound in the passing lane of Interstate 35 two miles south of Cameron. A 2023 Hyundai Sonota driven by a 65-year-old Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, woman was southbound in the driving lane.The Hyundia and the Nissan slowed to avoid congestion from the construction zone. The Kia slowed and merged into the driving lane to avoid the Nissan. The Honda rear-ended the Kia and the Nissan. The impact pushed the Nissan into the rear of Hyundai.Cameron ambulance transported the Nissan driver to Liberty Hospital. There were no other injuries. All four drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Driver hospitalized after 4-vehicle crash on Mo. highway

BUCHANAN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after noon Friday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway. Patrol reported a 2010 Ford Fusion driven by a 29-year-old St. Joseph woman was southbound on Interstate 29 taking the exit to eastbound U.S. 36 in St. Joseph.&nbsp; The Ford rear-ended a 2023 Nissan Rogue driven by a 57-year-old Omaha woman who had stopped at the bottom of the ramp due to heavy traffic.

Buchanan County EMS transported the Ford driver to Mosaic Life Care. The other&nbsp; driver was not injured.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

BUCHANAN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after noon Friday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway. Patrol reported a 2010 Ford Fusion driven by a 29-year-old St. Joseph woman was southbound on Interstate 29 taking the exit to eastbound U.S. 36 in St. Joseph.&nbsp; The Ford rear-ended a 2023 Nissan Rogue driven by a 57-year-old Omaha woman who had stopped at the bottom of the ramp due to heavy traffic.Buchanan County EMS transported the Ford driver to Mosaic Life Care. The other&nbsp; driver was not injured.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

St. Joe woman injured after rear-end crash

 The Civic Arena missed out on hosting the MIAA basketball championships to Kansas City’s Municipal Arena, but another conference cashed in on using the venue in the future. 

The Great Lakes Valley Conference chose a bid from the St. Joseph Sports Commission to host its men’s and women's basketball tournaments in downtown St. Joseph, starting in 2027.  

Executive Director Brett Esely says his office put together a bid for the tournament during the spring after speaking with the GLVC's commissioner 

"Worked through some things with upper administration of that league over the summer, and then in the month of September about three weeks ago, we had an opportunity to make a final pitch to the university's athletics directors and the upper administration of that league and felt very good about it walking away,” Esely tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “And we got a very good, exciting phone call about 10 days ago from the conference commissioner expressing tremendous interest in St. Joe.” 

The tournaments had previously been hosted at Lindenwood, a former GLVC member, but were looking for a new home after their university moved to Division One.  

Esely says it's been a quest to get an annual March Madness event inside the Civic Arena 

"We are very fortunate and thankful for the confidence that the administration and the athletic directors from the Great Lakes Valley Conference have put in us and given us the opportunity to host what is one of the marquee championships in their league,” Esely explains.  “And certainly, look forward to the opportunity and we hope the community of St. Joseph and the surrounding area is excited and takes the opportunity to engage as well.” 

The GLVC Tournament this year will take place in St. Louis.  Civic Arena will first host the tournament March 4th-7th, 2027 

With a year still to plan for the tournament, Esely says a big part of these championships will be community engagement.  

Esely says much like with the Women's Elite Eight, he'd like to get young people in the building, with relationships with surrounding school districts 

"Not only trying to get young people exposed to a high level of college basketball and a championship experience, but the beauty of Division II with engagement, and have had some opportunities outside the arena with those teams engaging with our young people here in our community,” Esely says.  “And we envision something very similar with this particular championship, and almost kind of an adopted fan base maybe for the week they’re here.” 

Esely says also he hopes the city gets invested in the opportunity to see championship basketball in March in the community, which should not be taken for granted.  

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679502589475.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
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 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post The Civic Arena missed out on hosting the MIAA basketball championships to Kansas City’s Municipal Arena, but another conference cashed in on using the venue in the future. The Great Lakes Valley Conference chose a bid from the St. Joseph Sports Commission to host its men’s and women's basketball tournaments in downtown St. Joseph, starting in 2027. Executive Director Brett Esely says his office put together a bid for the tournament during the spring after speaking with the GLVC's commissioner "Worked through some things with upper administration of that league over the summer, and then in the month of September about three weeks ago, we had an opportunity to make a final pitch to the university's athletics directors and the upper administration of that league and felt very good about it walking away,” Esely tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And we got a very good, exciting phone call about 10 days ago from the conference commissioner expressing tremendous interest in St. Joe.” The tournaments had previously been hosted at Lindenwood, a former GLVC member, but were looking for a new home after their university moved to Division One. Esely says it's been a quest to get an annual March Madness event inside the Civic Arena "We are very fortunate and thankful for the confidence that the administration and the athletic directors from the Great Lakes Valley Conference have put in us and given us the opportunity to host what is one of the marquee championships in their league,” Esely explains. “And certainly, look forward to the opportunity and we hope the community of St. Joseph and the surrounding area is excited and takes the opportunity to engage as well.” The GLVC Tournament this year will take place in St. Louis. Civic Arena will first host the tournament March 4th-7th, 2027 With a year still to plan for the tournament, Esely says a big part of these championships will be community engagement. Esely says much like with the Women's Elite Eight, he'd like to get young people in the building, with relationships with surrounding school districts "Not only trying to get young people exposed to a high level of college basketball and a championship experience, but the beauty of Division II with engagement, and have had some opportunities outside the arena with those teams engaging with our young people here in our community,” Esely says. “And we envision something very similar with this particular championship, and almost kind of an adopted fan base maybe for the week they’re here.” Esely says also he hopes the city gets invested in the opportunity to see championship basketball in March in the community, which should not be taken for granted. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

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