With more than 6,000 open food service job listings and no coordinated plan to address staffing, Kansas City restaurant leaders worry they won’t be ready for the massive influx of World Cup visitors in 2026

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/thomaswhite/">Thomas White</a>

It’s a good idea to make dinner reservations for parties of more than six people. It allows the restaurant to be staffed and prepared for larger-than-usual groups.

Well, FIFA has made a reservation for up to 650,000 visitors to Kansas City for the six World Cup matches played at Arrowhead Stadium in 2026.

As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/sports/2025-09-09/kansas-city-world-cup-tickets-sale-buy-fifa-kc-2026-soccer-football" target="_blank">ticket sales begin</a>&nbsp;— including four group-stage matches, one round of 32 match and one quarterfinal match hosted in KC — some restaurant leaders are nervous that the area’s hospitality industry isn’t ready for the flood of guests that the World Cup will bring.

“I fear for Kansas City a year from now,” said Jenn Tosatto, beverage director for Penny’s Restaurant Group. “We’ve worked really hard to show that we aren’t just a flyover city and that we have things to offer in our food and beverage scene. But we’re not at our strongest right now.”

Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant, founder of The Prospect KC, a hospitality workforce development nonprofit, also is worried. She points to the job listing site Indeed, which currently shows more than 6,000&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=food+service&amp;l=Kansas+City%2C+MO&amp;radius=25&amp;from=searchOnDesktopSerp&amp;vjk=efb4275ee2ca79da" target="_blank">food service job openings</a>, as a cause for concern.

“We have a shortage of 6,000 jobs,” said McAfee-Bryant with the first World Cup match less than a year away. “So how prepared do you think that is? Not prepared at all.”

According to the Mid-America Regional Council, the area’s food service industry employment never fully recovered from COVID. The area is still roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marc.org/economy-housing/workforce-development/regional-occupation-report" target="_blank">1,100 jobs short</a>&nbsp;of the pre-pandemic employment level. Bureau of Labor Statistics data also shows that the larger hospitality and leisure sector in the KC area has&nbsp;<a href="https://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet" target="_blank">shed thousands of jobs</a>&nbsp;each month this year when compared to 2024.

McAfee-Bryant said those numbers mean that if the World Cup started today, Kansas City would be caught short-staffed.

“I know that the city is going to see a surge in demand for hospitality talent,” said McAfee-Bryant. “So what’s the plan to make sure that Kansas Citians reap the benefit of that surge?”

Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/19/is-kansas-city-world-cup-ready-2026/" target="_blank">regional cooperation</a>&nbsp;to address transportation, infrastructure, public safety and small-business readiness ahead of the World Cup, there’s currently no formal citywide or regional plan to address a potential boom in demand for hospitality workers.

“I really worry that we’re not going to put our best face forward when the entire world is watching, and that’s scary,” Tosatto said.

The World Cup dwarfs every major event Kansas City has hosted.

The 2026 World Cup is expected to be the largest sporting event in history with an expanded field of 48 countries playing 104 matches in 16 host cities sprinkled across North America. Each match captures Super Bowl-level television ratings worldwide.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-establishes-white-house-task-force-on-the-fifa-world-cup-2026/" target="_blank">The White House said</a>&nbsp;that each of the 16 host cities will see an influx of at least 450,000 visitors and a net potential economic impact of $480 million on average.

A spokesman for&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascityfwc26.com/" target="_blank">KC2026</a>, the regional nonprofit group in charge of area World Cup preparations, said that 650,000 visitors are expected across Kansas and Missouri with a projected economic impact of $650 million.

For comparison, the Big 12 Basketball Tournament brings roughly 100,000 ticketholders to downtown for two weeks and generates $23 million to $33.5 million annually.

Using KC2026’s figures, hosting the World Cup is like having nearly seven Big 12 tournaments at once — and it lasts nearly three times as long.

The closest example in Kansas City is the 2023 NFL Draft, which brought an estimated 302,000 visitors to a concentrated area of the city over three days. The World Cup matches are expected to bring more than twice that amount to the region over the tournament’s 39 days.

The 2023 NFL Draft was viewed by some in the local restaurant scene&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article274923706.html" target="_blank">as a dud</a>&nbsp;that failed to live up to expectations for their businesses. Some fear that restaurant owners will hear the World Cup hype and dismiss it, anticipating a repeat of the draft experience.

“We were very — very times a thousand — very, disappointed in our city and how the draft was communicated and marketed to our restaurants,” said Trey Meyers, director of marketing and communications with the Missouri Restaurant Association. “They were lied to, and we were very upset, disappointed, and we raised hell about that.”

He said that restaurants and vendors within the draft’s enclosed physical perimeters and immediate surrounding area saw a substantial boost in sales, but that not all the restaurants in the area saw the increased business that they were promised.

“We’re not going to have that same problem with the World Cup,” said Meyers.

Meyers said his trade group, which represents 12,000 restaurants in the region, has been in communication with City Council members, tourism bureaus and the sports commission. A KC2026 spokesman referred questions around hospitality readiness to the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Missouri Restaurant Association and Meyers. A spokesman for Kansas City, Missouri, did not respond for comment.

Meyers said a softening labor market may help resolve the staffing issue heading into the World Cup. He has observed staff reductions and an abundance of applications. Anecdotally, he said that one recently opened restaurant in Olathe, Kansas, saw 92 applications for their staff positions.

“I’d say we aren’t in a hospitality worker shortage,” Meyers said. “I’d say quite the opposite.”

He doesn’t dispute the government statistics or Indeed numbers but offers a different perspective. He said that due to high staff turnover rates in the industry, many employers don’t remove job listings because they are always looking for workers. He also said that the restaurant industry may never fully recover from pandemic job losses. He blames recent staff layoffs on a litany of issues including crime, inflation, third-party delivery charges and other increased operating costs.

“We’ve been having a massive staff overage because of all the layoffs from other industries,”&nbsp; Meyers said. “Everyone defaults to the hospitality industry just to make ends meet and we’ve always seen ourselves as an industry of opportunity.”

The job market here and across the country is beginning to soften. The Kansas City area unemployment rate, which was just 2.5% in May 2022, crept up to 4% in July 2025. In the same month, the number of job seekers outnumbered job listings nationwide for the first time since April 2021.

Restaurateurs who are worried about the World Cup staffing are fretting about the quality, not just the quantity of workers.

“I am getting a huge percentage of applications coming in from people who have never worked in the industry before at all,” Tosatto said. “We don’t just need to get a body in the building, we need someone with skills, ready to go, that can come in and get going. Those people just really aren’t out there right now.”

Demand for workers will rise no matter what

Regardless of whether area restaurants are over- or understaffed today,&nbsp; demand for service industry workers will increase ahead of the World Cup.

Missouri passed legislation allowing businesses to serve alcohol nearly 24/7 during the tournament. Extended hours mean extended staffing needs. Further, Kansas City’s population is 506,032, meaning that if projections are correct, more than a second city full of visitors will swarm the area for more than a month.

Meyers said the exact number of visitors can’t really be estimated until we figure out who’s coming to town when the World Cup draws matchups at random in December.

“It really depends on who’s coming here and who we are catering to,” said Meyers. “If we land a group of major soccer nations like England, Brazil, France and the Netherlands, we’re probably looking at close to a million people here over the 40 days.”

McAfee-Bryant said the situation may seem intimidating but it also presents an opportunity. She sees the World Cup as Kansas City’s chance to lift vulnerable residents out of poverty permanently.

“This is an opportunity for Kansas City to intentionally build a more diverse hospitality workforce,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who could really use this uptick in commerce and additional funds in their pocket to get on the path towards economic mobility.”

Her organization, The Prospect KC, runs a 16-week training program combining food service skills with wraparound support services to bring people in the urban core out of chronic poverty and into a more stable hospitality career. The nonprofit operates a community kitchen at 750 The Paseo and a coffee shop in Kansas City’s Central Library that offer on-the-job training.

McAfee-Bryant wants to see community-based recruitment in neighborhoods with high unemployment, taking opportunities directly to residents most affected by unemployment and poverty.

“The city has used the World Cup to attract funding for a lot of other things in the city,” said McAfee-Bryant. “So why can’t we use the same World Cup to attract funding and support to help the city strengthen its workforce development pipeline?”

McAfee-Bryant said her organization has limited space and could only train 100 people at a time. She envisions a group of nonprofits, governments, hotels, restaurants, large employers and hiring managers that come together to coordinate a plan to get at least 1,000 workers trained, ready and secure in a new career.

“It’s not something that one organization could take on all alone,” she said. “Everyone is going to have to come to the table to figure it out.”

While larger hotel and restaurant chains can bring in workers from other cities, McAfee-Bryant and Tosatto would like to see local long-term skilled hospitality workers come out of the World Cup.

Mike Burris, the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association’s executive director, tends to agree. He acknowledges World Cup staffing concerns but emphasizes quality over quantity of hospitality jobs going forward.

“I want to make sure that when we put people into the industry that we’re not looking for temporary help, but we’re looking for long-term help,” said Burris. “That’s always been an issue in the restaurant business.”

Boosters say the World Cup represents Kansas City’s chance to cement its status as a destination for more international events. The city has invested heavily in preparations like infrastructure and logistics.

But McAfee-Bryant said if the area doesn’t address the supply of hospitality workers, the World Cup in Kansas City will be like a beautiful wedding that has slow service and gross food.

“Poor hospitality is the thing that will ruin this experience for everybody,” McAfee-Bryant said.

The clock is ticking. Kansas City has less than a year to prepare for the biggest food service industry challenge in its history. The reservation for 650,000 is confirmed.

The world will be watching next summer. Visitors to the area will talk about their experience for years. Their reviews could influence Kansas City’s reputation — and its future as a host city — for decades to come.

“What do you think all the people are going to talk about?” McAfee-Bryant asks.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/09/10/kansas-citys-hospitality-industry-braces-for-world-cup/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</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/2025/9/1757799785542.png" alt="Soccer fans react to the official FIFA World Cup host city announcement on Thursday, June 16, 2022, at the Kansas City Power and Light District in Kansas City (Zachary Linhares/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption>Soccer fans react to the official FIFA World Cup host city announcement on Thursday, June 16, 2022, at the Kansas City Power and Light District in Kansas City (Zachary Linhares/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>With more than 6,000 open food service job listings and no coordinated plan to address staffing, Kansas City restaurant leaders worry they won’t be ready for the massive influx of World Cup visitors in 2026</h2>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/thomaswhite/">Thomas White</a>It’s a good idea to make dinner reservations for parties of more than six people. It allows the restaurant to be staffed and prepared for larger-than-usual groups.Well, FIFA has made a reservation for up to 650,000 visitors to Kansas City for the six World Cup matches played at Arrowhead Stadium in 2026.As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/sports/2025-09-09/kansas-city-world-cup-tickets-sale-buy-fifa-kc-2026-soccer-football" target="_blank">ticket sales begin</a>&nbsp;— including four group-stage matches, one round of 32 match and one quarterfinal match hosted in KC — some restaurant leaders are nervous that the area’s hospitality industry isn’t ready for the flood of guests that the World Cup will bring.“I fear for Kansas City a year from now,” said Jenn Tosatto, beverage director for Penny’s Restaurant Group. “We’ve worked really hard to show that we aren’t just a flyover city and that we have things to offer in our food and beverage scene. But we’re not at our strongest right now.”Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant, founder of The Prospect KC, a hospitality workforce development nonprofit, also is worried. She points to the job listing site Indeed, which currently shows more than 6,000&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=food+service&amp;l=Kansas+City%2C+MO&amp;radius=25&amp;from=searchOnDesktopSerp&amp;vjk=efb4275ee2ca79da" target="_blank">food service job openings</a>, as a cause for concern.“We have a shortage of 6,000 jobs,” said McAfee-Bryant with the first World Cup match less than a year away. “So how prepared do you think that is? Not prepared at all.”According to the Mid-America Regional Council, the area’s food service industry employment never fully recovered from COVID. The area is still roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marc.org/economy-housing/workforce-development/regional-occupation-report" target="_blank">1,100 jobs short</a>&nbsp;of the pre-pandemic employment level. Bureau of Labor Statistics data also shows that the larger hospitality and leisure sector in the KC area has&nbsp;<a href="https://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet" target="_blank">shed thousands of jobs</a>&nbsp;each month this year when compared to 2024.McAfee-Bryant said those numbers mean that if the World Cup started today, Kansas City would be caught short-staffed.“I know that the city is going to see a surge in demand for hospitality talent,” said McAfee-Bryant. “So what’s the plan to make sure that Kansas Citians reap the benefit of that surge?”Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/19/is-kansas-city-world-cup-ready-2026/" target="_blank">regional cooperation</a>&nbsp;to address transportation, infrastructure, public safety and small-business readiness ahead of the World Cup, there’s currently no formal citywide or regional plan to address a potential boom in demand for hospitality workers.“I really worry that we’re not going to put our best face forward when the entire world is watching, and that’s scary,” Tosatto said.<h2>Scale of the World Cup challenge</h2>The World Cup dwarfs every major event Kansas City has hosted.The 2026 World Cup is expected to be the largest sporting event in history with an expanded field of 48 countries playing 104 matches in 16 host cities sprinkled across North America. Each match captures Super Bowl-level television ratings worldwide.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-establishes-white-house-task-force-on-the-fifa-world-cup-2026/" target="_blank">The White House said</a>&nbsp;that each of the 16 host cities will see an influx of at least 450,000 visitors and a net potential economic impact of $480 million on average.A spokesman for&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascityfwc26.com/" target="_blank">KC2026</a>, the regional nonprofit group in charge of area World Cup preparations, said that 650,000 visitors are expected across Kansas and Missouri with a projected economic impact of $650 million.For comparison, the Big 12 Basketball Tournament brings roughly 100,000 ticketholders to downtown for two weeks and generates $23 million to $33.5 million annually.Using KC2026’s figures, hosting the World Cup is like having nearly seven Big 12 tournaments at once — and it lasts nearly three times as long.The closest example in Kansas City is the 2023 NFL Draft, which brought an estimated 302,000 visitors to a concentrated area of the city over three days. The World Cup matches are expected to bring more than twice that amount to the region over the tournament’s 39 days.<h2>Learning from the past</h2>The 2023 NFL Draft was viewed by some in the local restaurant scene&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article274923706.html" target="_blank">as a dud</a>&nbsp;that failed to live up to expectations for their businesses. Some fear that restaurant owners will hear the World Cup hype and dismiss it, anticipating a repeat of the draft experience.“We were very — very times a thousand — very, disappointed in our city and how the draft was communicated and marketed to our restaurants,” said Trey Meyers, director of marketing and communications with the Missouri Restaurant Association. “They were lied to, and we were very upset, disappointed, and we raised hell about that.”He said that restaurants and vendors within the draft’s enclosed physical perimeters and immediate surrounding area saw a substantial boost in sales, but that not all the restaurants in the area saw the increased business that they were promised.“We’re not going to have that same problem with the World Cup,” said Meyers.Meyers said his trade group, which represents 12,000 restaurants in the region, has been in communication with City Council members, tourism bureaus and the sports commission. A KC2026 spokesman referred questions around hospitality readiness to the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Missouri Restaurant Association and Meyers. A spokesman for Kansas City, Missouri, did not respond for comment.<h2>Rising unemployment&nbsp;</h2>Meyers said a softening labor market may help resolve the staffing issue heading into the World Cup. He has observed staff reductions and an abundance of applications. Anecdotally, he said that one recently opened restaurant in Olathe, Kansas, saw 92 applications for their staff positions.“I’d say we aren’t in a hospitality worker shortage,” Meyers said. “I’d say quite the opposite.”He doesn’t dispute the government statistics or Indeed numbers but offers a different perspective. He said that due to high staff turnover rates in the industry, many employers don’t remove job listings because they are always looking for workers. He also said that the restaurant industry may never fully recover from pandemic job losses. He blames recent staff layoffs on a litany of issues including crime, inflation, third-party delivery charges and other increased operating costs.“We’ve been having a massive staff overage because of all the layoffs from other industries,”&nbsp; Meyers said. “Everyone defaults to the hospitality industry just to make ends meet and we’ve always seen ourselves as an industry of opportunity.”The job market here and across the country is beginning to soften. The Kansas City area unemployment rate, which was just 2.5% in May 2022, crept up to 4% in July 2025. In the same month, the number of job seekers outnumbered job listings nationwide for the first time since April 2021.Restaurateurs who are worried about the World Cup staffing are fretting about the quality, not just the quantity of workers.“I am getting a huge percentage of applications coming in from people who have never worked in the industry before at all,” Tosatto said. “We don’t just need to get a body in the building, we need someone with skills, ready to go, that can come in and get going. Those people just really aren’t out there right now.”<h2>Demand for workers will rise no matter what</h2>Regardless of whether area restaurants are over- or understaffed today,&nbsp; demand for service industry workers will increase ahead of the World Cup.Missouri passed legislation allowing businesses to serve alcohol nearly 24/7 during the tournament. Extended hours mean extended staffing needs. Further, Kansas City’s population is 506,032, meaning that if projections are correct, more than a second city full of visitors will swarm the area for more than a month.Meyers said the exact number of visitors can’t really be estimated until we figure out who’s coming to town when the World Cup draws matchups at random in December.“It really depends on who’s coming here and who we are catering to,” said Meyers. “If we land a group of major soccer nations like England, Brazil, France and the Netherlands, we’re probably looking at close to a million people here over the 40 days.”<h2>Opportunity meets economic mobility</h2>McAfee-Bryant said the situation may seem intimidating but it also presents an opportunity. She sees the World Cup as Kansas City’s chance to lift vulnerable residents out of poverty permanently.“This is an opportunity for Kansas City to intentionally build a more diverse hospitality workforce,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who could really use this uptick in commerce and additional funds in their pocket to get on the path towards economic mobility.”Her organization, The Prospect KC, runs a 16-week training program combining food service skills with wraparound support services to bring people in the urban core out of chronic poverty and into a more stable hospitality career. The nonprofit operates a community kitchen at 750 The Paseo and a coffee shop in Kansas City’s Central Library that offer on-the-job training.McAfee-Bryant wants to see community-based recruitment in neighborhoods with high unemployment, taking opportunities directly to residents most affected by unemployment and poverty.“The city has used the World Cup to attract funding for a lot of other things in the city,” said McAfee-Bryant. “So why can’t we use the same World Cup to attract funding and support to help the city strengthen its workforce development pipeline?”McAfee-Bryant said her organization has limited space and could only train 100 people at a time. She envisions a group of nonprofits, governments, hotels, restaurants, large employers and hiring managers that come together to coordinate a plan to get at least 1,000 workers trained, ready and secure in a new career.“It’s not something that one organization could take on all alone,” she said. “Everyone is going to have to come to the table to figure it out.”While larger hotel and restaurant chains can bring in workers from other cities, McAfee-Bryant and Tosatto would like to see local long-term skilled hospitality workers come out of the World Cup.Mike Burris, the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association’s executive director, tends to agree. He acknowledges World Cup staffing concerns but emphasizes quality over quantity of hospitality jobs going forward.“I want to make sure that when we put people into the industry that we’re not looking for temporary help, but we’re looking for long-term help,” said Burris. “That’s always been an issue in the restaurant business.”<h2>KC’s reputation at stake</h2>Boosters say the World Cup represents Kansas City’s chance to cement its status as a destination for more international events. The city has invested heavily in preparations like infrastructure and logistics.But McAfee-Bryant said if the area doesn’t address the supply of hospitality workers, the World Cup in Kansas City will be like a beautiful wedding that has slow service and gross food.“Poor hospitality is the thing that will ruin this experience for everybody,” McAfee-Bryant said.The clock is ticking. Kansas City has less than a year to prepare for the biggest food service industry challenge in its history. The reservation for 650,000 is confirmed.The world will be watching next summer. Visitors to the area will talk about their experience for years. Their reviews could influence Kansas City’s reputation — and its future as a host city — for decades to come.“What do you think all the people are going to talk about?” McAfee-Bryant asks.This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/09/10/kansas-citys-hospitality-industry-braces-for-world-cup/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</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://thebeaconnews.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=29333" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Reservation for 650,000: KC's hospitality industry braces for World Cup workforce scramble

A former St. Joseph health executive is giving St. Joseph students membership to the InspireU Children's Discovery Center.  

Lowell Kruse, the former CEO of Heartland Health, and his wife Leslie are helping to give over 700 families throughout the St. Joseph School District a yearlong membership to the museum in downtown St. Joseph.  

Kruse says education is the foundation of everything we do, so providing this opportunity to students was a no brainer 

"We've now been in St. Joseph about 40 years, and what's clear is that our kids deserve every chance they can get to do well in life," Kruse tells reporters.  "And the schools are great at helping them along the way, but all of us have to do something, InspireU was designed to give kids an additional experience that helps in brain development, all those things are important from my perspective in how healthy they are long term." 

Mosaic LIfe Care Foundation President Julie Gaddie says it really is a special time. 

"To see Lowell and Leslie Kruse come forward in our community to say that the children of this community are so important that they were willing to help over 700 families, kindergarten families in the school district, be able to the InspireU campus for an entire year with their whole family free of charge," Gaddie says.  "It really is something that is a moment in time that we won't soon forget." 

Kruse says with the success that the discovery center has seen so far, and the support it received from the community, and says this is one of those times when it's a good thing to pile on 

"We need to pile on, be inspired by InspireU with what they're trying to do with kids, partner with the school system, partner with the parents, whatever we can do in addition to InspireU, in addition to what we're doing, anything we can do to help kids have a good successful life," Kruse explains. 

Kruse says what he learned along the way in his career is that 90% of our brain development happens within the first four to five years of our lives 

"90% of our brain development, and so this is a crucial time, and we just can't invest enough in our kids," Kruse says. 

The membership will give district kindergartners membership starting today, through September 14th of next year.   

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757704941880.jpeg" alt="Students at Lindbergh Elementary celebrate after the announcement that kindergarteners throughout the St. Joseph School District will get free admission to the InspireU Children's Discovery Center for a full year./ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Students at Lindbergh Elementary celebrate after the announcement that kindergarteners throughout the St. Joseph School District will get free admission to the InspireU Children's Discovery Center for a full year./ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A former St. Joseph health executive is giving St. Joseph students membership to the InspireU Children's Discovery Center. Lowell Kruse, the former CEO of Heartland Health, and his wife Leslie are helping to give over 700 families throughout the St. Joseph School District a yearlong membership to the museum in downtown St. Joseph. Kruse says education is the foundation of everything we do, so providing this opportunity to students was a no brainer "We've now been in St. Joseph about 40 years, and what's clear is that our kids deserve every chance they can get to do well in life," Kruse tells reporters. "And the schools are great at helping them along the way, but all of us have to do something, InspireU was designed to give kids an additional experience that helps in brain development, all those things are important from my perspective in how healthy they are long term." Mosaic LIfe Care Foundation President Julie Gaddie says it really is a special time. "To see Lowell and Leslie Kruse come forward in our community to say that the children of this community are so important that they were willing to help over 700 families, kindergarten families in the school district, be able to the InspireU campus for an entire year with their whole family free of charge," Gaddie says. "It really is something that is a moment in time that we won't soon forget." Kruse says with the success that the discovery center has seen so far, and the support it received from the community, and says this is one of those times when it's a good thing to pile on "We need to pile on, be inspired by InspireU with what they're trying to do with kids, partner with the school system, partner with the parents, whatever we can do in addition to InspireU, in addition to what we're doing, anything we can do to help kids have a good successful life," Kruse explains. Kruse says what he learned along the way in his career is that 90% of our brain development happens within the first four to five years of our lives "90% of our brain development, and so this is a crucial time, and we just can't invest enough in our kids," Kruse says. The membership will give district kindergartners membership starting today, through September 14th of next year. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Former St. Joseph health executive gifts free admission to InspireU to students

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/53H3TuBT8rIUVfxjS3LSdI?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

The third annual St. Joseph Marathon is two weeks away.   

St. Joseph Sports Commission Executive Director Brett Esely says registration for the marathon has been fast and furious once again 

"You know in our first two years we have always had runners in our field from 20 plus states,” Esely says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “A lot of people don’t look at these events that way, but I always say runners are a different breed, they’re crazy.”  

Esely says this marathon has attracted three different demographics, national runners who want to run a marathon in different states, runners from the area 

"The third demographic, and I’ve said this a lot, I said this when we started this event, this event has given motivation to people that have always said I want to run a full marathon someday,” Esely explains. 

Esely says those are not running to win or qualify for the Boston marathon which this will help qualify for but running to solely take that from their bucket list. 

 Esely tells people to not let the word marathon scare you off from registering, because there are other options aside from the full marathon 

"We have a half marathon, so that’s your 13.1-mile race, and that year after year continues to be our most popular race, you know you have folks that want to run a half marathon, you have folks that maybe are running a half marathon that are building up to a full marathon, but that continues to be our most popular race distance,” Esely says.  “We obviously have your traditional 5k, 3.1 miles, we also feature a 10k which is 6.2 miles.” 

Runners can also register to run the marathon as a relay in a five-person team, with the route broken up into five segments.   

Registration is still open on the St. Joseph Sports Commission’s website.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe third annual St. Joseph Marathon is two weeks away. St. Joseph Sports Commission Executive Director Brett Esely says registration for the marathon has been fast and furious once again "You know in our first two years we have always had runners in our field from 20 plus states,” Esely says on the KFEQmunnity show. “A lot of people don’t look at these events that way, but I always say runners are a different breed, they’re crazy.” Esely says this marathon has attracted three different demographics, national runners who want to run a marathon in different states, runners from the area "The third demographic, and I’ve said this a lot, I said this when we started this event, this event has given motivation to people that have always said I want to run a full marathon someday,” Esely explains. Esely says those are not running to win or qualify for the Boston marathon which this will help qualify for but running to solely take that from their bucket list. Esely tells people to not let the word marathon scare you off from registering, because there are other options aside from the full marathon "We have a half marathon, so that’s your 13.1-mile race, and that year after year continues to be our most popular race, you know you have folks that want to run a half marathon, you have folks that maybe are running a half marathon that are building up to a full marathon, but that continues to be our most popular race distance,” Esely says. “We obviously have your traditional 5k, 3.1 miles, we also feature a 10k which is 6.2 miles.” Runners can also register to run the marathon as a relay in a five-person team, with the route broken up into five segments. Registration is still open on the St. Joseph Sports Commission’s website.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Third annual St. Joseph Marathon just two weeks away

DAVIESS COUNTY—Six. people were injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Friday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 GMC Sierra driven by a 45-year-old Gallatin man was stopped at the stop sign on Route CC at MO 6 two miles west of Gallatin. The driver pulled the pickup into the path of an eastbound 2014 Ford Fusion driven by a 24-year-old Kansas City, Mo. man. The car struck the drivers side of the pickup.

Life Flight transported the pickup driver to Truman Medical Center and one woman and in the pickup and one in the car to Liberty Hospital.

Davies County EMS transported a 21-year-old female passenger in the pickup and two 1-year-old children from the car to Liberty Hospital. The driver of the car was not injured.&nbsp; All were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

DAVIESS COUNTY—Six. people were injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Friday in Daviess County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 GMC Sierra driven by a 45-year-old Gallatin man was stopped at the stop sign on Route CC at MO 6 two miles west of Gallatin. The driver pulled the pickup into the path of an eastbound 2014 Ford Fusion driven by a 24-year-old Kansas City, Mo. man. The car struck the drivers side of the pickup.Life Flight transported the pickup driver to Truman Medical Center and one woman and in the pickup and one in the car to Liberty Hospital.Davies County EMS transported a 21-year-old female passenger in the pickup and two 1-year-old children from the car to Liberty Hospital. The driver of the car was not injured.&nbsp; All were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

4 adults and 2 children injured in car, pickup crash

CLINTON COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announce the arrest of Robert C. Cox, 55, of Lathrop, Missouri, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, according to a media release. 

Cox’s arrest was the result of a narcotics investigation conducted by members of DDCC’s Narcotics/Vice Unit. The Patrol was assisted by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and the Northwest Missouri Drug Taskforce.

On September 10, 2025 Troopers and Deputies executed a search warrant at Cox’s home, in Lathrop. Once inside the residence, officers searched the premises and located evidence related to drug activity, including a white powdery substance and a loaded handgun. 

A presumptive test of the powdery substances was conducted, identifying the drugs as methamphetamine. Cox was arrested prior to executing the search warrant and placed on an investigative hold.

On September 11, 2025, the Clinton County Prosecuting Attorney formally charged Cox with one count of felony Possession of a Controlled Substance and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. 

He is being held at the Clinton County Jail without bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757715338078.png" alt="Cox photo Clinton County" />
 <figcaption>Cox photo Clinton County</figcaption>
 </figure>CLINTON COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announce the arrest of Robert C. Cox, 55, of Lathrop, Missouri, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, according to a media release. Cox’s arrest was the result of a narcotics investigation conducted by members of DDCC’s Narcotics/Vice Unit. The Patrol was assisted by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and the Northwest Missouri Drug Taskforce.On September 10, 2025 Troopers and Deputies executed a search warrant at Cox’s home, in Lathrop. Once inside the residence, officers searched the premises and located evidence related to drug activity, including a white powdery substance and a loaded handgun. A presumptive test of the powdery substances was conducted, identifying the drugs as methamphetamine. Cox was arrested prior to executing the search warrant and placed on an investigative hold.On September 11, 2025, the Clinton County Prosecuting Attorney formally charged Cox with one count of felony Possession of a Controlled Substance and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. He is being held at the Clinton County Jail without bond.

Suspect jailed after drug bust at Missouri home

Saturday will be a chance for the dogs to get into the pool in Savannah, all benefitting a new aquatics facility.&nbsp;

The Andrew County Aquatics Initiative is partnering with Fantastic Fido to host Dog Day at the Pool tomorrow from 10AM until Noon at the Savannah Aquatic Center.&nbsp; Following the success of their Splash Bash last weekend, this second fundraiser for ACAI will give dogs s a chance for a dip in the pool before the permanent closure of the facility at the end of this summer.

Each dog must be accompanied by at least one handler. This is a dog-only swim, no people will be allowed in the pool. Thirty-minute sessions are available and space is limited to 15 dogs per session. A minimum donation of $10 per dog is requested. 

The public is invited to the event. All donations are in support of building a new pool in Andrew County with a mission to preserve and reimagine a vital aquatic amenity for future generations.

You can register for the event by visiting the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative Facebook page.&nbsp;&nbsp;

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By MATT PIKESaturday will be a chance for the dogs to get into the pool in Savannah, all benefitting a new aquatics facility.&nbsp;The Andrew County Aquatics Initiative is partnering with Fantastic Fido to host Dog Day at the Pool tomorrow from 10AM until Noon at the Savannah Aquatic Center.&nbsp; Following the success of their Splash Bash last weekend, this second fundraiser for ACAI will give dogs s a chance for a dip in the pool before the permanent closure of the facility at the end of this summer.Each dog must be accompanied by at least one handler. This is a dog-only swim, no people will be allowed in the pool. Thirty-minute sessions are available and space is limited to 15 dogs per session. A minimum donation of $10 per dog is requested. The public is invited to the event. All donations are in support of building a new pool in Andrew County with a mission to preserve and reimagine a vital aquatic amenity for future generations.You can register for the event by visiting the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative Facebook page.&nbsp;&nbsp;You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dog day at the Savannah pool benefits new Andrew County aquatics facility 

Missouri Western
State University hosts its Family Day this weekend, culminating with the
Griffon football game at Spratt Stadium against Missouri S&amp;T Saturday
night.

Missouri Western
President, Elizabeth Kennedy, says the Center for Service will lead a charity
project Saturday as its Griffs Give Back Day of Service.

“We are teaming up
with the group, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, as part of their Bunks Across America
campaign,” Kennedy tells KFEQmmunity. “We did this last year.” 

Students will be
using the new Houlne Center for Convergent Technology to build beds.

“We’re going to
have students in the Houlne Center building bunk beds; two different shifts,”
Kennedy says. “They’re going to be building these beds and delivering them to
families in St. Joseph that need them. It’s a wonderful project.”

Missouri Western
will hold an open house at its newly renovated library. Kennedy says the
university was able to finance an overhaul with money authorized for the Houlne
Center, but not needed.

“I approached the
state and said, I have a library that hasn’t been renovated since 1988. How about
if we create spaces for students so that have study places, they have
collaboration places? There’s even a model classroom and there’s a 24/7 room
that’s open that students have access to,” Kennedy says.

Several activities
are planned on the St. Joseph campus Saturday, beginning a 10am with check in
at the Blum Union. There will be a Family Legacy Coffee, tours of the renovated
library, a walking tour of the St. Joseph campus, and an open house of Scanlon
Hall where the Chiefs stay during training camp.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western
State University hosts its Family Day this weekend, culminating with the
Griffon football game at Spratt Stadium against Missouri S&amp;T Saturday
night.Missouri Western
President, Elizabeth Kennedy, says the Center for Service will lead a charity
project Saturday as its Griffs Give Back Day of Service.“We are teaming up
with the group, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, as part of their Bunks Across America
campaign,” Kennedy tells KFEQmmunity. “We did this last year.” Students will be
using the new Houlne Center for Convergent Technology to build beds.“We’re going to
have students in the Houlne Center building bunk beds; two different shifts,”
Kennedy says. “They’re going to be building these beds and delivering them to
families in St. Joseph that need them. It’s a wonderful project.”Missouri Western
will hold an open house at its newly renovated library. Kennedy says the
university was able to finance an overhaul with money authorized for the Houlne
Center, but not needed.“I approached the
state and said, I have a library that hasn’t been renovated since 1988. How about
if we create spaces for students so that have study places, they have
collaboration places? There’s even a model classroom and there’s a 24/7 room
that’s open that students have access to,” Kennedy says.Several activities
are planned on the St. Joseph campus Saturday, beginning a 10am with check in
at the Blum Union. There will be a Family Legacy Coffee, tours of the renovated
library, a walking tour of the St. Joseph campus, and an open house of Scanlon
Hall where the Chiefs stay during training camp.

Missouri Western hosts Family Day Saturday

The Democratic congressman from Kanas City skipped votes in Washington to testify, but the panel advanced the proposed new map a few hours later

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

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver warned Missouri lawmakers Thursday that the effort to redraw the 5th District seat to favor Republicans will be long remembered by voters who resent being swapped by politicians seeking to increase their power.

Speaking to the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee, Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, noted that Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/04/2025-texas-redistricting-maps/" target="_blank">has already revised district lines</a>&nbsp;this year to favor Republicans and California will vote later this year on a&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-vote/" target="_blank">plan that favors Democrats</a>.

President Donald Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">demanding the changes</a>&nbsp;to help Republicans keep their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Democrats are fighting back in the states they control.

“If we fight fire with fire long enough,” Cleaver said, “all we’ll have left is ashes.”

Cleaver’s warning went unheeded and the committee, on a 6-2 party-line vote a few hours later, sent the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1&amp;year=2025&amp;code=S2" target="_blank">redistricting plan</a>, which has already&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">passed the Missouri House</a>, to the Senate for debate. By the same vote, the committee also approved a proposal altering how majorities are calculated for constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">proposed by initiative petition</a>.

Both pieces of legislation will be debated Friday, with Republicans apparently ready to shut down debate as they did to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">push through rules changes</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.

During the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, said he expects little or no debate on Friday.

“They’re going to shut us down,” Beck said. “They’re not going to let us speak on this, because it’s inconvenient.”

There was some grumbling about the process from one Republican, state Sen. Joe Nicola of Grain Valley, who said he has been told he can speak on the floor about the legislation but that no amendments will be accepted.

“When I don’t have my voice, the 185,000 people I represent also lose their voice, and that’s extremely irritating to me,” Nicola said. “I’ve seen many processes here, and even recently, the rules being broken. And it’s just a shame. It’s a real shame for this institution.”

Nicola voted for both pieces of legislation in the committee.

Missouri has eight congressional districts, with six currently represented by Republicans. Cleaver represents the 5th DIstrict, which includes most of Kansas City and Jackson County. The other Democrat, U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell, represents the 1st District in St. Louis.

Cleaver said he skipped votes in Washington to make the rare appearance for a member of Congress before a state legislative committee.&nbsp;

“I chose to miss (Wednesday) votes, and I chose to miss the ones today, because I thought this was extremely important,” Cleaver said.

The 5th District, which he has represented since 2005, would be carved up, with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts while heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County, would be added to the remaining Kansas City portions.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Cleaver said he is saddened by the bill and the need to explain how he works to represent all points of view and work with Missouri Republicans in Congress on the state’s behalf.

Polling, Cleaver said, shows voters oppose the redistricting plan.&nbsp;

“This is immensely unpopular, so I was not just here representing myself,” Cleaver said. “I’m representing the people of this district.”

And, he said, he intends to seek re-election.

“A lot goes into making another decision,” Cleaver said. “But right now, I’m running.”

No one from the public spoke in favor of the bill. While state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel who sponsored the bill, was testifying, he was challenged by state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, on the origin of the new map.

Deaton said it was drawn in Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office before the special session was called.&nbsp;

“I think it is a lot of BS what you guys keep doing, that you’re saying that this map was drawn in the state of Missouri,” Nurrenbern said. “We all know the truth, representative. We all know that this came straight from D.C.”

Deaton said he accepted Kehoe’s word that the bill was drafted in his office.&nbsp;

“People in Washington, D.C., as I’ve observed them, are not shy,” Deaton said. “If they had a map, I assume they would have been willing to put it out there and say, ‘we think this is a wonderful map. We hope Missouri would adopt it.’”

Final passage on Friday won’t automatically put the maps into place for next year’s election. The bill will take effect 90 days after the special session ends, but plans are being made by labor unions and others to seek a referendum, which would delay implementation until a statewide vote.

And opponents promised the bill will be challenged in court. The Missouri Constitution directs lawmakers to draw new congressional district lines after every decennial census. The current map was passed in 2022 and the next census is in 2030.

Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition said she believes the constitution does not allow a new map to be imposed now.

“This map is also subject to a challenge under the Voting Rights Act for the dilution of African-American votes,” Lieberman said.&nbsp;

Cleaver is Black and the line chosen for part of the district boundary, Troost Avenue, was the line separating Black and white sections of Kansas City when housing segregation was legal, Lieberman said.

“This is an unprecedented power grab here in Missouri,” she said.

The hearing on the changes to the initiative process brought some testy exchanges between Democrats and Republicans.

Currently, any proposal placed on a statewide ballot needs only a majority of votes to pass. That is the standard for constitutional amendments, statutory changes and proposals subject to a referendum.

The proposed changes, which would be on a ballot and subject to the current standard for passage, would only apply to constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petitions. Along with a statewide majority, those constitutional amendments would also need a majority vote in their favor in all eight congressional districts.

If one district opposed a ballot measure while the other seven passed it, as few as 5.3% of voters could control the outcome for the whole state.

“The main purpose is to protect the Constitution from changes that the majority of all the voters in Missouri, in every area of the state, don’t agree with,” said state Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly, as he presented the bill to the Senate committee.

As the committee was voting, Beck tried to make it subject to the same majority requirements it would impose on citizen initiative petitions.

“If this is such a great idea and we are going to change the constitution, and this is the best way to do it, why don’t we use that same standard for the legislature changing it as the initiative process,” Beck said.

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, said Beck was being “too clever” and joined other Republicans in voting down the proposal.

“The whole point of this is to set those standards and to change those standards,” Brattin said, “but it has to be adopted by the current standard.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757695774249.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, testifies Thursday against a redistricting plan that would gerrymander his district in favor of Republicans (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, testifies Thursday against a redistricting plan that would gerrymander his district in favor of Republicans (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Democratic congressman from Kanas City skipped votes in Washington to testify, but the panel advanced the proposed new map a few hours later</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver warned Missouri lawmakers Thursday that the effort to redraw the 5th District seat to favor Republicans will be long remembered by voters who resent being swapped by politicians seeking to increase their power.Speaking to the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee, Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, noted that Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/04/2025-texas-redistricting-maps/" target="_blank">has already revised district lines</a>&nbsp;this year to favor Republicans and California will vote later this year on a&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-vote/" target="_blank">plan that favors Democrats</a>.President Donald Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">demanding the changes</a>&nbsp;to help Republicans keep their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Democrats are fighting back in the states they control.“If we fight fire with fire long enough,” Cleaver said, “all we’ll have left is ashes.”Cleaver’s warning went unheeded and the committee, on a 6-2 party-line vote a few hours later, sent the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1&amp;year=2025&amp;code=S2" target="_blank">redistricting plan</a>, which has already&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">passed the Missouri House</a>, to the Senate for debate. By the same vote, the committee also approved a proposal altering how majorities are calculated for constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">proposed by initiative petition</a>.Both pieces of legislation will be debated Friday, with Republicans apparently ready to shut down debate as they did to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">push through rules changes</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.During the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, said he expects little or no debate on Friday.“They’re going to shut us down,” Beck said. “They’re not going to let us speak on this, because it’s inconvenient.”There was some grumbling about the process from one Republican, state Sen. Joe Nicola of Grain Valley, who said he has been told he can speak on the floor about the legislation but that no amendments will be accepted.“When I don’t have my voice, the 185,000 people I represent also lose their voice, and that’s extremely irritating to me,” Nicola said. “I’ve seen many processes here, and even recently, the rules being broken. And it’s just a shame. It’s a real shame for this institution.”Nicola voted for both pieces of legislation in the committee.Missouri has eight congressional districts, with six currently represented by Republicans. Cleaver represents the 5th DIstrict, which includes most of Kansas City and Jackson County. The other Democrat, U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell, represents the 1st District in St. Louis.Cleaver said he skipped votes in Washington to make the rare appearance for a member of Congress before a state legislative committee.&nbsp;“I chose to miss (Wednesday) votes, and I chose to miss the ones today, because I thought this was extremely important,” Cleaver said.The 5th District, which he has represented since 2005, would be carved up, with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts while heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County, would be added to the remaining Kansas City portions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757695727180.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, speaks to reporters Thursday after testifying against a redistricting plan that would gerrymander his district in favor of Republicans (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, speaks to reporters Thursday after testifying against a redistricting plan that would gerrymander his district in favor of Republicans (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Cleaver said he is saddened by the bill and the need to explain how he works to represent all points of view and work with Missouri Republicans in Congress on the state’s behalf.Polling, Cleaver said, shows voters oppose the redistricting plan.&nbsp;“This is immensely unpopular, so I was not just here representing myself,” Cleaver said. “I’m representing the people of this district.”And, he said, he intends to seek re-election.“A lot goes into making another decision,” Cleaver said. “But right now, I’m running.”No one from the public spoke in favor of the bill. While state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel who sponsored the bill, was testifying, he was challenged by state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, on the origin of the new map.Deaton said it was drawn in Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office before the special session was called.&nbsp;Nurrenbern said she did not believe it.“I think it is a lot of BS what you guys keep doing, that you’re saying that this map was drawn in the state of Missouri,” Nurrenbern said. “We all know the truth, representative. We all know that this came straight from D.C.”Deaton said he accepted Kehoe’s word that the bill was drafted in his office.&nbsp;“People in Washington, D.C., as I’ve observed them, are not shy,” Deaton said. “If they had a map, I assume they would have been willing to put it out there and say, ‘we think this is a wonderful map. We hope Missouri would adopt it.’”Final passage on Friday won’t automatically put the maps into place for next year’s election. The bill will take effect 90 days after the special session ends, but plans are being made by labor unions and others to seek a referendum, which would delay implementation until a statewide vote.And opponents promised the bill will be challenged in court. The Missouri Constitution directs lawmakers to draw new congressional district lines after every decennial census. The current map was passed in 2022 and the next census is in 2030.Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition said she believes the constitution does not allow a new map to be imposed now.“This map is also subject to a challenge under the Voting Rights Act for the dilution of African-American votes,” Lieberman said.&nbsp;Cleaver is Black and the line chosen for part of the district boundary, Troost Avenue, was the line separating Black and white sections of Kansas City when housing segregation was legal, Lieberman said.“This is an unprecedented power grab here in Missouri,” she said.<h2>Initiative petition changes</h2>The hearing on the changes to the initiative process brought some testy exchanges between Democrats and Republicans.Currently, any proposal placed on a statewide ballot needs only a majority of votes to pass. That is the standard for constitutional amendments, statutory changes and proposals subject to a referendum.The proposed changes, which would be on a ballot and subject to the current standard for passage, would only apply to constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petitions. Along with a statewide majority, those constitutional amendments would also need a majority vote in their favor in all eight congressional districts.If one district opposed a ballot measure while the other seven passed it, as few as 5.3% of voters could control the outcome for the whole state.“The main purpose is to protect the Constitution from changes that the majority of all the voters in Missouri, in every area of the state, don’t agree with,” said state Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly, as he presented the bill to the Senate committee.As the committee was voting, Beck tried to make it subject to the same majority requirements it would impose on citizen initiative petitions.“If this is such a great idea and we are going to change the constitution, and this is the best way to do it, why don’t we use that same standard for the legislature changing it as the initiative process,” Beck said.State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, said Beck was being “too clever” and joined other Republicans in voting down the proposal.“The whole point of this is to set those standards and to change those standards,” Brattin said, “but it has to be adopted by the current standard.”

Emanuel Cleaver testifies against redistricting plan before Missouri Senate committee

Local law
enforcement is paying attention to the investigation unfolding in Utah after
the shooting and killing of conservative, Charlie Kirk, while he spoke with
students on a Utah university campus.

Captain Shawn
Collie with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office says no longer can area
residents dismiss such incidents and think they could never happen here.

“The violence
across the country is something that has, obviously I think, become a grave
concern for a lot of citizens and for law enforcement in general,” Collie says
during an appearance on KFEQmmunity.

Collie says the
Kirk shooting adds to a list of gruesome violent acts throughout the country.
He says local law enforcement must redouble its effort to keep crowds safe at
events and citizens must prepare before attending such events in order to stay
safe.

A gunman shot and
killed Kirk as he spoke to students on the Utah Valley University campus. Kirk
was 31. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.

Collie says many
questions arise in wake of such violence.

“As you look at
this and whether you look at the political side, which a lot of times we try to
take that out of, obviously that’s something that’s just there, but you look at
the mental health and the drug abuse,” Collie says. “What is causing the crimes
of violence we’re seeing throughout the country?”

Collie says local
law enforcement work hard to keep crowds safe at gatherings. He says outdoor
settings pose more security risks than indoor events, because it is harder to
secure a large area outdoors.

Collie says law
enforcement takes steps to ensure the safety of crowds, but he urges families
to make plans prior to attending such events.

“Keep your eyes
open. Don’t just try to focus on one thing, but know your surroundings,” Collie
advises. “Think about if something does happen, where am I going to go? Where
am I going to take my family to? If we get separated, where are we going to meet
at? And just try to have the overall planning of the what if?”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostLocal law
enforcement is paying attention to the investigation unfolding in Utah after
the shooting and killing of conservative, Charlie Kirk, while he spoke with
students on a Utah university campus.Captain Shawn
Collie with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office says no longer can area
residents dismiss such incidents and think they could never happen here.“The violence
across the country is something that has, obviously I think, become a grave
concern for a lot of citizens and for law enforcement in general,” Collie says
during an appearance on KFEQmmunity.Collie says the
Kirk shooting adds to a list of gruesome violent acts throughout the country.
He says local law enforcement must redouble its effort to keep crowds safe at
events and citizens must prepare before attending such events in order to stay
safe.A gunman shot and
killed Kirk as he spoke to students on the Utah Valley University campus. Kirk
was 31. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.Collie says many
questions arise in wake of such violence.“As you look at
this and whether you look at the political side, which a lot of times we try to
take that out of, obviously that’s something that’s just there, but you look at
the mental health and the drug abuse,” Collie says. “What is causing the crimes
of violence we’re seeing throughout the country?”Collie says local
law enforcement work hard to keep crowds safe at gatherings. He says outdoor
settings pose more security risks than indoor events, because it is harder to
secure a large area outdoors.Collie says law
enforcement takes steps to ensure the safety of crowds, but he urges families
to make plans prior to attending such events.“Keep your eyes
open. Don’t just try to focus on one thing, but know your surroundings,” Collie
advises. “Think about if something does happen, where am I going to go? Where
am I going to take my family to? If we get separated, where are we going to meet
at? And just try to have the overall planning of the what if?”<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/31FyV6YCJIiWE5mpwRTHrX?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Local law enforcement reviews security in wake of Kirk killing

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/0xMPaQjk8uPaXpm3y4JKEt?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/2XJB0QUVWI037X47ZRXcpE?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

CLINTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Honda Shadow driven by a 36-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, woman was northbound on Interstate 35 six miles south of Cameron. The motorcycle traveled off the east side of the road and overturned.

A private vehicle transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

CLINTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Honda Shadow driven by a 36-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, woman was northbound on Interstate 35 six miles south of Cameron. The motorcycle traveled off the east side of the road and overturned.A private vehicle transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Kansas woman hospitalized after motorcyce accident

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a&nbsp; suspect for an alleged violent domestic incident.

Just after 8:30p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;responded to a disturbance in the 700 block S Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; It was determined the disturbance had occurred between two mn who were known to each other and both had been at a residence there. 

One of the men, a 30-year-old victim, had left the scene and had been taken to Amberwell Hospital by a family member to be treated for injuries sustained during the altercation. The victim had sustained head and facial injuries from being struck with fists and kicked. 

Following an investigation, police took 40-year-old Ryan White into custody on requested charges of aggravated battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757618795848.png" alt="White photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>White photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a&nbsp; suspect for an alleged violent domestic incident.Just after 8:30p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;responded to a disturbance in the 700 block S Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; It was determined the disturbance had occurred between two mn who were known to each other and both had been at a residence there. One of the men, a 30-year-old victim, had left the scene and had been taken to Amberwell Hospital by a family member to be treated for injuries sustained during the altercation. The victim had sustained head and facial injuries from being struck with fists and kicked. Following an investigation, police took 40-year-old Ryan White into custody on requested charges of aggravated battery.

Police: Kan. man's violent attack sent victim to a hospital

St. Joseph Police report that two individuals are in critical condition after a serious vehicle crash early Thursday morning. 

St. Joseph Police report that around 5:30 on Thursday morning officers responded to a serious motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Messanie Street and Meadow Lane.  Officers say a preliminary investigation reveals that a vehicle that contained four individuals, one a juvenile, was traveling westbound on Messanie when it collided into a car being driven by a single driver that was turning east onto Meadow Lane.  

All involved in the crash were transported to Mosaic Life Care with moderate to severe injuries.  Two remain at Mosaic in critical condition St. Joseph Police report.

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Police report that two individuals are in critical condition after a serious vehicle crash early Thursday morning. St. Joseph Police report that around 5:30 on Thursday morning officers responded to a serious motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Messanie Street and Meadow Lane. Officers say a preliminary investigation reveals that a vehicle that contained four individuals, one a juvenile, was traveling westbound on Messanie when it collided into a car being driven by a single driver that was turning east onto Meadow Lane. All involved in the crash were transported to Mosaic Life Care with moderate to severe injuries. Two remain at Mosaic in critical condition St. Joseph Police report.The crash remains under investigation.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Two in critical condition after early morning St. Joseph crash

A group raising money in hopes of building a new pool facility in Andrew County saw success during its first fundraiser over the weekend.  

The group Andrew County Aquatics Initiative set out to raise $50,000 during the Splash Bash fundraiser, but by the end of Saturday, raised nearly $60,000.  

Chairperson Diane Gould says the goal of $50,000 was a sort of litmus test from the group, making sure they were doing the right thing 

"Are we representing a loud voice in our community?  We thought that if we could hit that $50,000 mark at our first kickoff event, we know that we are heading in the right direction and we’re doing the right thing,” Gould tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

The group was formed in response to the Savannah Parks and Recreation department announcing this would be the final summer for the pool which has been open for more than 60 years.  

Gould says the goal of the initiative is to build a new facility, which would serve not only Savannah, but all of Andrew County, as well as the surrounding area. 

Gould says though, in the quest to build a new pool facility, while that money helps clear the first hurdle it's not nearly enough for what they need. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757608600436.jpeg" alt="Several participated in the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative's Splash Bash this past Saturday, raising money in the quest to build a new pool facility in Andrew County/ Photo courtesy of Andrew County Aquatics Initiative" />
 <figcaption>Several participated in the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative's Splash Bash this past Saturday, raising money in the quest to build a new pool facility in Andrew County/ Photo courtesy of Andrew County Aquatics Initiative</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEA group raising money in hopes of building a new pool facility in Andrew County saw success during its first fundraiser over the weekend. The group Andrew County Aquatics Initiative set out to raise $50,000 during the Splash Bash fundraiser, but by the end of Saturday, raised nearly $60,000. Chairperson Diane Gould says the goal of $50,000 was a sort of litmus test from the group, making sure they were doing the right thing "Are we representing a loud voice in our community? We thought that if we could hit that $50,000 mark at our first kickoff event, we know that we are heading in the right direction and we’re doing the right thing,” Gould tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. The group was formed in response to the Savannah Parks and Recreation department announcing this would be the final summer for the pool which has been open for more than 60 years. Gould says the goal of the initiative is to build a new facility, which would serve not only Savannah, but all of Andrew County, as well as the surrounding area. Gould says though, in the quest to build a new pool facility, while that money helps clear the first hurdle it's not nearly enough for what they need. "We feel like we’re getting ready to eat an elephant but we’re going to eat it one bite at a time,” Gould explains. “So, we are in the process of applying for a grant for $500,000, if we can raise $500,000 it would be matched dollar for dollar by the Land and Water Conservation fund, and that’s actually the same grant that built our pool initially back in 1964.” Gould says if they hope to build something comparable to what is currently in Savannah, the cost of the project could be around $4.5 million. Gould says the ultimate goal with the new facility would be to continue offering those much-needed outdoor pool spaces that are limited in the area. "Family, fun, music playing, kids socializing type of venue,” Gould says. “It’s the only amenity in our area where kids can come and spend their whole day and be supervised and mentored and work on their swimming skills as well as their life skills.” Gould also sees the new facility as a complementary piece to the new indoor facility coming to the YMCA in St. Joseph in the future.FULL INTERVIEW WITH DIANE GOULD<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7dLq0O6EWRHKbQeurUplUQ?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;