The Northwest Missouri State University football team fell to the Pittsburgh State Gorillas at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, losing 27-14 and settling for a shared regular season MIAA title.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Despite the Bearcats outgaining the Gorillas in both rushing and passing yards, four first half fumbles were to much to overcome for Northwest.

Head Coach John McMenamin gave credit to Pittsburgh State and says they just played a better game than Northwest

"I told our guys it's a good spot to be in, what I'm saying is they walked out conference champs, they're walking in conference champs, they're going to be a playoff team and that's all we can ask for," McMenamin says in his postgame press conference.&nbsp; "It didn't go our way today, but I think there's some things we can fix to play, and anytime you lose four fumbles it's not a good recipe for winning."

A strong offensive drive from the Bearcats, highlighted by a 65 yard run from Quincy Torry, opened the game to lead to a quick lead for Northwest as&nbsp;Zechariah Owens threw a three yard touchdown pass to Erwin Nash.&nbsp; On the ensuing Pitt State drive, the Bearcats forced a punt, but their first fumble of the game gave the ball right back to the Gorillas, allowing them to tie up the game.&nbsp;

Jackson Berry threw a 14 yard touchdown pass in the front corner of the endzone to Jaelon Travis.&nbsp; Then, on the next drive Pittsburgh State forced Owens to fumble, and then took advantage to take the lead, Berry throwing a 78 yard touchdown pass to TyJuan Atkins Jr, despite pressure from Carter Edwards, to go ahead 14-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, the third fumble of the half gave the ball back to Pittsburgh State, Cooper Warren fumbling the kickoff, but this time the Bearcats defense stepped up to force a punt, getting the ball back into their offenses hands.&nbsp; Northwest though was unable to do anything with it and had to punt it right back to start the second quarter.&nbsp;

Northwest's special teams unit prevented the Gorillas from scoring next, Edwards blocking a 47 yard field goal attempt, but again the Bearcats were forced to punt, and after getting the ball back on a Pittsburgh State punt, the fourth fumble extended the lead more, Madixx Morriss fumbling a reception from Chris Ruhnke, and freshman Quintin Kirby taking the ball 71 yards to the house for a 21-7 lead.&nbsp;

Near the end of the first half, Gorillas kicker Austin Schmitt hit a 28 yard field goal.&nbsp; Northwest attempted to drive the field for a late score in the half, but a sack on Ruhnke would wind down the remaining time of the first half and Pittsburgh State took a 24-7 lead into the halftime break.&nbsp;

Northwest could never overcome the four first half fumbles,&nbsp;McMenamin saying there's a difference between getting your butt kicked and self sabotage.

"We contributed to much to their victory," McMenamin says.&nbsp; "And we needed to play more secure football and I think all our guys know that they can, and so it's picking their heads up, we'll come back to work there's a formula for it, and we put it to work today but it just didn't work out."

The third quarter flew by with both defenses holding each other scoreless, the Bearcats finally breaking back onto the scoreboard midway into the final quarter with a five yard pass from Ruhnke to Gannon Gragert, just Gragert's second touchdown catch of the season.&nbsp; But, it was to little, to late, Pitt State consuming almost five minutes of clock, with Schmitt hitting a 30 yard field goal to seal the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ruhnke was 20 for 30 through the air for 202 yards with one touchdown, adding 35 rushing yards.&nbsp; Owens was a perfect 5 for 5 with one touchdown pass and 40 yards through the air, running for 13 yards.&nbsp; Torry rushed eight times for 101 yards.&nbsp; Nash had seven catches for 81 yards and a score.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Northwest finishes the regular season 9-2, 8-1 in the MIAA. They'll now turn their attention to the playoffs with the NCAA DII Selection Show coming up on Sunday at 5pm.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763262044785.jpeg" alt="Chris Ruhnke (15) scrambles with the ball, attempting to score late in the game/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Chris Ruhnke (15) scrambles with the ball, attempting to score late in the game/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEThe Northwest Missouri State University football team fell to the Pittsburgh State Gorillas at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, losing 27-14 and settling for a shared regular season MIAA title.&nbsp; &nbsp;Despite the Bearcats outgaining the Gorillas in both rushing and passing yards, four first half fumbles were to much to overcome for Northwest.Head Coach John McMenamin gave credit to Pittsburgh State and says they just played a better game than Northwest"I told our guys it's a good spot to be in, what I'm saying is they walked out conference champs, they're walking in conference champs, they're going to be a playoff team and that's all we can ask for," McMenamin says in his postgame press conference.&nbsp; "It didn't go our way today, but I think there's some things we can fix to play, and anytime you lose four fumbles it's not a good recipe for winning."A strong offensive drive from the Bearcats, highlighted by a 65 yard run from Quincy Torry, opened the game to lead to a quick lead for Northwest as&nbsp;Zechariah Owens threw a three yard touchdown pass to Erwin Nash.&nbsp; On the ensuing Pitt State drive, the Bearcats forced a punt, but their first fumble of the game gave the ball right back to the Gorillas, allowing them to tie up the game.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">1Q ||| 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐒 😤 Owens -&gt; Nash -&gt; 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝟔 PAT is GOOD. 7-0, Bearcats. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OABAAB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OABAAB</a> ||| <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RISE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RISE</a> <a href="https://t.co/YhuExq1pu0">pic.twitter.com/YhuExq1pu0</a>&mdash; Northwest Football (@NWBearcat_FB) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWBearcat_FB/status/1989781565946101904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Jackson Berry threw a 14 yard touchdown pass in the front corner of the endzone to Jaelon Travis.&nbsp; Then, on the next drive Pittsburgh State forced Owens to fumble, and then took advantage to take the lead, Berry throwing a 78 yard touchdown pass to TyJuan Atkins Jr, despite pressure from Carter Edwards, to go ahead 14-7.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763262750393.jpeg" alt="Carter Edwards hits Pittsburgh State quarterback Jackson Berry (1) as Berry gets the ball off for a 78 yard touchdown pass/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Carter Edwards hits Pittsburgh State quarterback Jackson Berry (1) as Berry gets the ball off for a 78 yard touchdown pass/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure> On the ensuing kickoff, the third fumble of the half gave the ball back to Pittsburgh State, Cooper Warren fumbling the kickoff, but this time the Bearcats defense stepped up to force a punt, getting the ball back into their offenses hands.&nbsp; Northwest though was unable to do anything with it and had to punt it right back to start the second quarter.&nbsp;Northwest's special teams unit prevented the Gorillas from scoring next, Edwards blocking a 47 yard field goal attempt, but again the Bearcats were forced to punt, and after getting the ball back on a Pittsburgh State punt, the fourth fumble extended the lead more, Madixx Morriss fumbling a reception from Chris Ruhnke, and freshman Quintin Kirby taking the ball 71 yards to the house for a 21-7 lead.&nbsp;Near the end of the first half, Gorillas kicker Austin Schmitt hit a 28 yard field goal.&nbsp; Northwest attempted to drive the field for a late score in the half, but a sack on Ruhnke would wind down the remaining time of the first half and Pittsburgh State took a 24-7 lead into the halftime break.&nbsp;Northwest could never overcome the four first half fumbles,&nbsp;McMenamin saying there's a difference between getting your butt kicked and self sabotage."We contributed to much to their victory," McMenamin says.&nbsp; "And we needed to play more secure football and I think all our guys know that they can, and so it's picking their heads up, we'll come back to work there's a formula for it, and we put it to work today but it just didn't work out."The third quarter flew by with both defenses holding each other scoreless, the Bearcats finally breaking back onto the scoreboard midway into the final quarter with a five yard pass from Ruhnke to Gannon Gragert, just Gragert's second touchdown catch of the season.&nbsp; But, it was to little, to late, Pitt State consuming almost five minutes of clock, with Schmitt hitting a 30 yard field goal to seal the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐍&#39; Ruhnke -&gt; Gragert -&gt; 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝟔 PAT is GOOD. 24-14, Gorillas. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OABAAB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OABAAB</a> ||| <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RISE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RISE</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZaAQCr8ztP">pic.twitter.com/ZaAQCr8ztP</a>&mdash; Northwest Football (@NWBearcat_FB) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWBearcat_FB/status/1989815927634903268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Ruhnke was 20 for 30 through the air for 202 yards with one touchdown, adding 35 rushing yards.&nbsp; Owens was a perfect 5 for 5 with one touchdown pass and 40 yards through the air, running for 13 yards.&nbsp; Torry rushed eight times for 101 yards.&nbsp; Nash had seven catches for 81 yards and a score.&nbsp;&nbsp;Northwest finishes the regular season 9-2, 8-1 in the MIAA. They'll now turn their attention to the playoffs with the NCAA DII Selection Show coming up on Sunday at 5pm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763263731689.jpeg" alt="Zechariah Owens (10) drops back for a pass/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Zechariah Owens (10) drops back for a pass/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure> You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

First half fumbles hurt Bearcats in loss to Gorillas at Children's Mercy Park

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.

Just before 8p.m. Nov. 13, Sheriff's Deputies were attempting to locate a wanted Kansas man at 133 W. 13th Street in Horton, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

 A search warrant was granted for the residence and deputies&nbsp; executed the Warrant a short time later.&nbsp; &nbsp;Deputies found 45-year-old Gerald Adams of Horton hiding in a closet.&nbsp; He was arrested on a Brown County Felony Failure to Appear Warrant and is facing a charge of Felony Obstruction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763138131977.png" alt="Adams photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Adams photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.Just before 8p.m. Nov. 13, Sheriff's Deputies were attempting to locate a wanted Kansas man at 133 W. 13th Street in Horton, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant. A search warrant was granted for the residence and deputies&nbsp; executed the Warrant a short time later.&nbsp; &nbsp;Deputies found 45-year-old Gerald Adams of Horton hiding in a closet.&nbsp; He was arrested on a Brown County Felony Failure to Appear Warrant and is facing a charge of Felony Obstruction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sheriff: Wanted Kansas suspect found hiding in closet

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/0biwPzVOkq97kowbEI7v1q?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

Beginning Friday at President Trump's direction, records related to Amelia Earhart's final flight and disappearance 88 years ago will be declassified and shared with the American people, according to a statement from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

These records&nbsp;include reports, maps, and other documents tracing Earhart's final journey, her last known communications and location, and the initial search following her disappearance.

Thanks to President Trump's&nbsp;leadership, a historic initiative is underway to digitize and publicly release these records from across the federal government, including newly declassified files today from <a href="https://x.com/NSAgov">@NSAgov</a>.

As agencies identify additional files, the new documents will be uploaded to <a href="https://x.com/USNatArchives">@USNatArchives</a> on a rolling basis, alongside those previously released, at <a href="https://t.co/O9e08dK1wN" target="_blank">http://archives.gov/ameliaearhart</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763176244130.png" alt="Photo courtesy National Archives" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy National Archives</figcaption>
 </figure>Beginning Friday at President Trump's direction, records related to Amelia Earhart's final flight and disappearance 88 years ago will be declassified and shared with the American people, according to a statement from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

These records&nbsp;include reports, maps, and other documents tracing Earhart's final journey, her last known communications and location, and the initial search following her disappearance.

Thanks to President Trump's&nbsp;leadership, a historic initiative is underway to digitize and publicly release these records from across the federal government, including newly declassified files today from <a href="https://x.com/NSAgov">@NSAgov</a>.

As agencies identify additional files, the new documents will be uploaded to <a href="https://x.com/USNatArchives">@USNatArchives</a> on a rolling basis, alongside those previously released, at <a href="https://t.co/O9e08dK1wN" target="_blank">http://archives.gov/ameliaearhart</a>.

Records related to Amelia Earhart's final flight will be declassified

After evaluation, the Missouri Department of Transportation will keep the Gene Field Road Bridge over I-29 until next spring. 

The bridge was closed on Monday after being struck by an oversized load.  One of the bridge's support girders was badly damaged, causing it to separate from the bridge deck.  Due to this, and the pre-existing condition of the bridge, MoDOT will keep the bridge closed until it can be replaced. 

A project to replace the bridge was scheduled to begin in October of next year, but will now be accelerated to begin in the spring of next year.  Due to an ongoing project by the city of St. Joseph, road traffic is restricted between Karnes and Cook Road and is being detoured

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostAfter evaluation, the Missouri Department of Transportation will keep the Gene Field Road Bridge over I-29 until next spring. The bridge was closed on Monday after being struck by an oversized load. One of the bridge's support girders was badly damaged, causing it to separate from the bridge deck. Due to this, and the pre-existing condition of the bridge, MoDOT will keep the bridge closed until it can be replaced. A project to replace the bridge was scheduled to begin in October of next year, but will now be accelerated to begin in the spring of next year. Due to an ongoing project by the city of St. Joseph, road traffic is restricted between Karnes and Cook Road and is being detouredYou can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Gene Field Bridge closed closed until spring after MoDOT evaluation

Starting today, residents can go into the AFL-CIO Community Service offices, or online, and Adopt a Family in need this Christmas.  

AFL-CIO Executive Director Nichi Seckinger says already nearly 400 applications have come in for the program this year, which is a lot for this time of year.  

Seckinger says the hope is people are being proactive and applying early, but says the reality is, with the state of the economy, they could see more people 

"And we usually rule of thumb is the amount of applications we get in the first two weeks, it’s a crazy way to do it, but multiply that by three and that’s about how many applications we get for the entire season,” Seckinger tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “And if that is the case, if by the end of this week we have 425, we’ll be looking at over 1,200 families, and all my fingers are crossed that that doesn’t happen because that would set a record for us, but they are coming it at a pretty rapid rate this year.” 

Seckinger says it's just been the perfect storm as of late, with the recent federal government shutdown and the economy, that the number could end up higher that past years 

"Knowing that all those things are in flux going into the holidays, we know people are struggling, I think people who normally don’t have a problem paying bills are struggling some right now,” Seckinger explains.  “So, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see an increase in people applying and people that normally have normally not asked for help in the past being the ones who are tacking onto our numbers this year.” 

Seckinger says fear over food stamp benefits could have played a factor.  The recent bill signed by President Trump reopened the federal government and will fund SNAP until September 2026.  

Seckinger says the estimated cost to adopt a child 11 or older is $75 to $100.  The average cost for a child under the age of 10 is $50.  

Seckinger says under the circumstances of comparing to people's normal bills, spending that much money to have an impact on a kid, it's worth it 

"Sometimes these are the only new things they get all year, sometimes some of them haven’t celebrated Christmas every single year, we see that quite a bit with kids,” Seckinger says.  “A parent will apply and say I didn’t apply last year and we ended up not being able to do Christmas, so I made sure to apply this year, and that’s the last thing you want to think of is that there’s kids out there that don’t get to celebrate Christmas and there’s nothing under the tree when they do.” 

To find out more information about how to help with Adopt a Family, you can go online to AFL-CIO Community Services website, or into the offices.

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostStarting today, residents can go into the AFL-CIO Community Service offices, or online, and Adopt a Family in need this Christmas. AFL-CIO Executive Director Nichi Seckinger says already nearly 400 applications have come in for the program this year, which is a lot for this time of year. Seckinger says the hope is people are being proactive and applying early, but says the reality is, with the state of the economy, they could see more people "And we usually rule of thumb is the amount of applications we get in the first two weeks, it’s a crazy way to do it, but multiply that by three and that’s about how many applications we get for the entire season,” Seckinger tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And if that is the case, if by the end of this week we have 425, we’ll be looking at over 1,200 families, and all my fingers are crossed that that doesn’t happen because that would set a record for us, but they are coming it at a pretty rapid rate this year.” Seckinger says it's just been the perfect storm as of late, with the recent federal government shutdown and the economy, that the number could end up higher that past years "Knowing that all those things are in flux going into the holidays, we know people are struggling, I think people who normally don’t have a problem paying bills are struggling some right now,” Seckinger explains. “So, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see an increase in people applying and people that normally have normally not asked for help in the past being the ones who are tacking onto our numbers this year.” Seckinger says fear over food stamp benefits could have played a factor. The recent bill signed by President Trump reopened the federal government and will fund SNAP until September 2026. Seckinger says the estimated cost to adopt a child 11 or older is $75 to $100. The average cost for a child under the age of 10 is $50. Seckinger says under the circumstances of comparing to people's normal bills, spending that much money to have an impact on a kid, it's worth it "Sometimes these are the only new things they get all year, sometimes some of them haven’t celebrated Christmas every single year, we see that quite a bit with kids,” Seckinger says. “A parent will apply and say I didn’t apply last year and we ended up not being able to do Christmas, so I made sure to apply this year, and that’s the last thing you want to think of is that there’s kids out there that don’t get to celebrate Christmas and there’s nothing under the tree when they do.” To find out more information about how to help with Adopt a Family, you can go online to AFL-CIO Community Services website, or into the offices.JOURNAL<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3PsinF50EB0kNRTq3tm8kr?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 and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Adopt a Family program in need of adopters with larger number of adoptees expected

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/67cEjUS3T9JZ8629dRvt2u?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 MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1oT2IHSajMfoaSYU2Z4UHA?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 

St. Joseph city officials have announced that as the Gene Field Road bridge remains closed with Missouri Department of Transportation crews evaluating the situation, new detours have been posted.&nbsp;

The bridge was struck on Monday by an oversize load traveling on Interstate 29, which runs beneath the structure. MoDOT crews are currently assessing the bridge’s condition and determining if repairs are necessary. The bridge will remain closed until MoDOT deems it safe to reopen.

Drivers traveling on the east side of the bridge are advised to travel east on Gene Field Road to Bishop Road, then go north to Cook Road to avoid Woodbine.&nbsp; Woodbine Road remains closed to general traffic daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the ongoing stabilization project. 

Local traffic will continue to have access throughout the duration of that work. The Woodbine project is expected to continue for about three more weeks, weather permitting.

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph city officials have announced that as the Gene Field Road bridge remains closed with Missouri Department of Transportation crews evaluating the situation, new detours have been posted.&nbsp;The bridge was struck on Monday by an oversize load traveling on Interstate 29, which runs beneath the structure. MoDOT crews are currently assessing the bridge’s condition and determining if repairs are necessary. The bridge will remain closed until MoDOT deems it safe to reopen.Drivers traveling on the east side of the bridge are advised to travel east on Gene Field Road to Bishop Road, then go north to Cook Road to avoid Woodbine.&nbsp; Woodbine Road remains closed to general traffic daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the ongoing stabilization project. Local traffic will continue to have access throughout the duration of that work. The Woodbine project is expected to continue for about three more weeks, weather permitting.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

New detours announced during Gene Field Bridge closure

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced Thursday that all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants in Missouri will receive their full November benefits, following the passage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371" target="_blank">FY26 Appropriations Act</a>. , according to a media release from the agency.

President Donald J. Trump signed the act into law on November 12, which restored full federal funding for SNAP benefits.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“With federal funding back in place, our team is moving swiftly to issue full November benefits,” said&nbsp;Jess Bax, DSS Director. “We know how important this assistance is to Missouri households, especially after the uncertainty of recent weeks, and we thank the public for being patient with us as we navigated communicating effectively.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

DSS is taking immediate steps to ensure Missouri families receive their full November benefits as quickly as possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;

DSS is working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) and the state’s electronic benefit transfer (EBT) vendor to distribute funds to participating families.&nbsp;

For more information or updates about SNAP benefits in Missouri, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts" target="_blank">https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761944916334.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced Thursday that all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants in Missouri will receive their full November benefits, following the passage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371" target="_blank">FY26 Appropriations Act</a>. , according to a media release from the agency.President Donald J. Trump signed the act into law on November 12, which restored full federal funding for SNAP benefits.&nbsp;&nbsp;“With federal funding back in place, our team is moving swiftly to issue full November benefits,” said&nbsp;Jess Bax, DSS Director. “We know how important this assistance is to Missouri households, especially after the uncertainty of recent weeks, and we thank the public for being patient with us as we navigated communicating effectively.”&nbsp;&nbsp;DSS is taking immediate steps to ensure Missouri families receive their full November benefits as quickly as possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>DSS will continue to distribute partial benefits until we complete the system updates to begin distributing full benefits. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Participants who already received a partial amount will receive the remainder as soon as possible. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Participants do not need to take any action to receive their benefits.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>DSS is working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) and the state’s electronic benefit transfer (EBT) vendor to distribute funds to participating families.&nbsp;For more information or updates about SNAP benefits in Missouri, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts" target="_blank">https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Full SNAP benefits returning for Missouri families following end of shutdown

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an alleged violent attack in Brown County.

Just before 3:30p.m. November 10, Brown County dispatched a deputy to a local hospital to take a report from a victim of alleged battery, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; &nbsp; The deputy obtained suspect&nbsp; information from the victim while at the hospital and then alerted other Brown County deputies. 

A short time later, deputies encountered the suspect, Gerry Rilinger, 43 of Sabetha in Fairview, Kansas.&nbsp; When a deputy approached Rilinger for questioning, he became argumentative, defiant and initiated a scuffle which resulted in Rilinger's arrest.&nbsp; He was then&nbsp; transported to the Brown County jail.

He is being held on a $2 million dollar bond on requested charges of&nbsp; 2nd Degree Attempted Murder, Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated kidnapping, Misdemeanor Battery on Law Enforcement Officers, Felony Battery on a Corrections Officer, Felony Obstruction and Transport an Open Container.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763067344001.png" alt="Rilinger photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Rilinger photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an alleged violent attack in Brown County.Just before 3:30p.m. November 10, Brown County dispatched a deputy to a local hospital to take a report from a victim of alleged battery, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; &nbsp; The deputy obtained suspect&nbsp; information from the victim while at the hospital and then alerted other Brown County deputies. A short time later, deputies encountered the suspect, Gerry Rilinger, 43 of Sabetha in Fairview, Kansas.&nbsp; When a deputy approached Rilinger for questioning, he became argumentative, defiant and initiated a scuffle which resulted in Rilinger's arrest.&nbsp; He was then&nbsp; transported to the Brown County jail.He is being held on a $2 million dollar bond on requested charges of&nbsp; 2nd Degree Attempted Murder, Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated kidnapping, Misdemeanor Battery on Law Enforcement Officers, Felony Battery on a Corrections Officer, Felony Obstruction and Transport an Open Container.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Kansas attempted murder suspect captured

It's been a productive fall sports season at Missouri Western State University, and at least two programs have deep playoff aspirations.    

Athletic Director Andy Carter says MoWest Cross Country had the first ever national qualifier in program history.  Griffon women's soccer is also playing for a chance at the national tournament  

Carter says currently the Griffons are on the outside looking in, because conference tournament winners earn an automatic bid, meaning a higher seed, normally has a better chance, however  

“Since the top three seeds in our conference all lost in the first round of the conference tournament, we’re the highest seed remaining, there’s somebody in a low seed that would not have gotten into that regional tournament if we don’t win somebody’s going to get in and that could be at our demise,” Carter says on the KFEQmnunnity show.  “So, as I told our coach and our players, then it needs to be us, we need to go win the tournament and then earn our way into that tournament.” 

MoWest is the fourth seed in the MIAA tournament and will play Northeastern State today for a trip to the championship game at 3pm   

Volleyball also is on a roll at MoWest.  Carter says the momentum of the volleyball team is in large part thanks to the head coach Jessica Fey (Fi like Wi-Fi] just being able to get her team to play  

"It’s really hard for somebody who's better than the other team to really lose a whole match; they might lose a set and there might be times it doesn’t look good, but this thing plays out they’ve got to beat you three times,” Carter explains.  “And so the best teams just don’t get caught up in the emotion of a bad string of points or a bad set, and that’s what our team has shown is this tremendous resiliency.” 

Fey won her 100th career match on Friday against Central Missouri.  The Griffons are currently on an 11-match win streak.   

MoWest could claim its first MIAA crown since 2017 with matches tonight against Fort Hays State and tomorrow against Nebraska Kearney.  One win would guarantee at least a share of the title, winning both gives the title outright. 

MoWest football wraps up their season on Saturday against Central Oklahoma on Saturday, hoping to wrap up a disappointing season with one more win.  

Carter though, despite the current 3-7 record, he still believes this is one of the best coaching staffs he's worked with in his time as an AD 

"And they’re not all winning at the level we want to win at yet, but they’re people of high character, high integrity, we share the same values of what we want to see in the end result, and sometimes it just takes a little longer in some scenarios,” Carter says.  “I’ve seen things turned around in a year before, and I’ve things that take four years, so a full four years of recruiting, and it just depends.” 

Carter says when you decide to make a change, it has less to do with winning and losing, and more to do with things that the fans are not seeing off the field.  

MoWest and Central Oklahoma kickoff on Saturday at 2pm 

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostIt's been a productive fall sports season at Missouri Western State University, and at least two programs have deep playoff aspirations. Athletic Director Andy Carter says MoWest Cross Country had the first ever national qualifier in program history. Griffon women's soccer is also playing for a chance at the national tournament Carter says currently the Griffons are on the outside looking in, because conference tournament winners earn an automatic bid, meaning a higher seed, normally has a better chance, however “Since the top three seeds in our conference all lost in the first round of the conference tournament, we’re the highest seed remaining, there’s somebody in a low seed that would not have gotten into that regional tournament if we don’t win somebody’s going to get in and that could be at our demise,” Carter says on the KFEQmnunnity show. “So, as I told our coach and our players, then it needs to be us, we need to go win the tournament and then earn our way into that tournament.” MoWest is the fourth seed in the MIAA tournament and will play Northeastern State today for a trip to the championship game at 3pm Volleyball also is on a roll at MoWest. Carter says the momentum of the volleyball team is in large part thanks to the head coach Jessica Fey (Fi like Wi-Fi] just being able to get her team to play "It’s really hard for somebody who's better than the other team to really lose a whole match; they might lose a set and there might be times it doesn’t look good, but this thing plays out they’ve got to beat you three times,” Carter explains. “And so the best teams just don’t get caught up in the emotion of a bad string of points or a bad set, and that’s what our team has shown is this tremendous resiliency.” Fey won her 100th career match on Friday against Central Missouri. The Griffons are currently on an 11-match win streak. MoWest could claim its first MIAA crown since 2017 with matches tonight against Fort Hays State and tomorrow against Nebraska Kearney. One win would guarantee at least a share of the title, winning both gives the title outright. MoWest football wraps up their season on Saturday against Central Oklahoma on Saturday, hoping to wrap up a disappointing season with one more win. Carter though, despite the current 3-7 record, he still believes this is one of the best coaching staffs he's worked with in his time as an AD "And they’re not all winning at the level we want to win at yet, but they’re people of high character, high integrity, we share the same values of what we want to see in the end result, and sometimes it just takes a little longer in some scenarios,” Carter says. “I’ve seen things turned around in a year before, and I’ve things that take four years, so a full four years of recruiting, and it just depends.” Carter says when you decide to make a change, it has less to do with winning and losing, and more to do with things that the fans are not seeing off the field. MoWest and Central Oklahoma kickoff on Saturday at 2pm You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Productive fall sports season comes with successes and disappointments

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robbiesequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Missouri, Maine and Vermont are dealing with especially severe bus driver shortages

School districts have made some progress in addressing the national shortage of school bus drivers, but there still aren’t as many drivers as there were in 2019, according to a new study.

The number of drivers has increased by 2,300, or 1.1%, since last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/the-school-bus-driver-shortage-has-improved-slightly-but-continues-to-stress-k-12-public-education/" target="_blank">according to the Economic Policy Institute</a>, a left-leaning research group. But there are still 21,200 fewer bus drivers than there were&nbsp;in 2019, a decline of 9.5%.

The researchers link the employment gain to higher wages: Average hourly wages are up 4.2% in the past year, the largest jump since the COVID-19 pandemic.

During and after the pandemic, many bus drivers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.adpresearch.com/assets/the-missing-school-bus-drivers-a-look-at-employment-data-before-and-after-the-covid-19-pandemic/" target="_blank">retired</a>, left the workforce or in some cases, died. Districts across the country have had to scramble to find someone to take the wheel — be it substitute teachers, administrators or even parents.

The number of bus drivers decreased by 15% between September 2019 and September 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/the-school-bus-driver-shortage-remains-severe-without-job-quality-improvements-workers-children-and-parents-will-suffer/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the Economic Policy Institute. Private school bus contractors now account for 38% of the nation’s pupil transportation services, according to the National School Transportation Association.

Other school transportation options,&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/09/30/school-ride-hailing-services-may-be-nudging-aside-traditional-buses/" target="_blank">such as ride-hailing services</a>, have helped fill the gap in some places. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1811462116" target="_blank">roughly half</a>&nbsp;of all U.S. K–12 students rely on a school bus to get to school.

The report warns that school district budgets are tightening as federal pandemic relief funds&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-comes-next-now-that-pandemic-aid-for-education-has-ended/" target="_blank">have expired</a>, and notes that the Trump administration has delayed some federal K-12 funding in its bid to shrink and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/public-education-under-threat-4-trump-administration-actions-to-watch-in-the-2025-26-school-year/" target="_blank">eventually eliminate</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Department of Education.

The report points to&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://fox23maine.com/newsletter-daily/maine-school-districts-still-struggling-to-find-bus-drivers-education-transportation-brunswick" target="_blank">Maine</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/news/2025/09/22/some-st--louis-area-school-districts-still-struggle-to-hire--retain-bus-drivers" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wcax.com/2025/09/23/pay-boosts-route-cuts-school-districts-deal-with-bus-driver-shortages/" target="_blank">Vermont</a>&nbsp;as states that are dealing with especially severe bus driver shortages. It also notes that a dearth of drivers has a particularly pronounced&nbsp;effect on students with disabilities, and that not having enough drivers can lead to inconsistent bus schedules and routes, which contributes to absenteeism and missed school meals.

Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/11/12/national-school-bus-driver-shortage-persists-despite-recent-gains/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763047052915.png" alt=" Buses are lined up at the Kansas City Public Schools bus barn in Kansas City between morning and afternoon routes. School districts have made some progress in addressing the national shortage of school bus drivers, but there still aren’t as many drivers as there were in 2019 (Kevin Hardy/Stateline)." />
 <figcaption> Buses are lined up at the Kansas City Public Schools bus barn in Kansas City between morning and afternoon routes. School districts have made some progress in addressing the national shortage of school bus drivers, but there still aren’t as many drivers as there were in 2019 (Kevin Hardy/Stateline).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robbiesequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a><h2>Missouri, Maine and Vermont are dealing with especially severe bus driver shortages</h2>School districts have made some progress in addressing the national shortage of school bus drivers, but there still aren’t as many drivers as there were in 2019, according to a new study.The number of drivers has increased by 2,300, or 1.1%, since last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/the-school-bus-driver-shortage-has-improved-slightly-but-continues-to-stress-k-12-public-education/" target="_blank">according to the Economic Policy Institute</a>, a left-leaning research group. But there are still 21,200 fewer bus drivers than there were&nbsp;in 2019, a decline of 9.5%.The researchers link the employment gain to higher wages: Average hourly wages are up 4.2% in the past year, the largest jump since the COVID-19 pandemic.During and after the pandemic, many bus drivers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.adpresearch.com/assets/the-missing-school-bus-drivers-a-look-at-employment-data-before-and-after-the-covid-19-pandemic/" target="_blank">retired</a>, left the workforce or in some cases, died. Districts across the country have had to scramble to find someone to take the wheel — be it substitute teachers, administrators or even parents.The number of bus drivers decreased by 15% between September 2019 and September 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/the-school-bus-driver-shortage-remains-severe-without-job-quality-improvements-workers-children-and-parents-will-suffer/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the Economic Policy Institute. Private school bus contractors now account for 38% of the nation’s pupil transportation services, according to the National School Transportation Association.Other school transportation options,&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/09/30/school-ride-hailing-services-may-be-nudging-aside-traditional-buses/" target="_blank">such as ride-hailing services</a>, have helped fill the gap in some places. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1811462116" target="_blank">roughly half</a>&nbsp;of all U.S. K–12 students rely on a school bus to get to school.The report warns that school district budgets are tightening as federal pandemic relief funds&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-comes-next-now-that-pandemic-aid-for-education-has-ended/" target="_blank">have expired</a>, and notes that the Trump administration has delayed some federal K-12 funding in its bid to shrink and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/public-education-under-threat-4-trump-administration-actions-to-watch-in-the-2025-26-school-year/" target="_blank">eventually eliminate</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Department of Education.The report points to&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://fox23maine.com/newsletter-daily/maine-school-districts-still-struggling-to-find-bus-drivers-education-transportation-brunswick" target="_blank">Maine</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/news/2025/09/22/some-st--louis-area-school-districts-still-struggle-to-hire--retain-bus-drivers" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wcax.com/2025/09/23/pay-boosts-route-cuts-school-districts-deal-with-bus-driver-shortages/" target="_blank">Vermont</a>&nbsp;as states that are dealing with especially severe bus driver shortages. It also notes that a dearth of drivers has a particularly pronounced&nbsp;effect on students with disabilities, and that not having enough drivers can lead to inconsistent bus schedules and routes, which contributes to absenteeism and missed school meals.Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/11/12/national-school-bus-driver-shortage-persists-despite-recent-gains/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

National school bus driver shortage persists, despite recent gains

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6YjsUMm2wtBZmAwk0pSRWG?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7uKGnIFPXOkT4beAhh0VLe?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

You still have
time to apply for Leadership St. Joseph.

United Way of
Greater St. Joseph President, Kylee Strough, says applications will be accepted
through the end of the work day Friday.

“It is to develop
leaders within the community and also within their workplaces,” Strough tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So, it’s professional development, personal development,
and community development and knowledge.”

Leadership St.
Joseph began in 1982. It has graduated more than 1,000 participants.

Strough says the
United Way wants to keep the classes small, fewer than 30 people.

Stough says
Leadership St. Joseph is a rigorous program.

“It is a
tuition-based program. We’re looking for a commitment. There is a fee so that
we’re not using donor dollars to support the program,” Stough says. “But also,
we’re looking for a commitment beyond the fee of time.”

The year-long
program kicks off with a two-day retreat in early January. Then, participants
meet during business hours on the second Thursday of each month. The tuition is
$1,850.

Strough says many
businesses sponsor employees they consider ready for a promotion.

“And we want people
who are going to lean in at their business, into positions of responsibility
and authority, but are also going to share their expertise and talents with the
community,” says Stough. “Maybe they want to run for a position like Board of
Education. Maybe they want to serve on a board or on a committee or a panel and
this will give them some of the tools to be able to do that.”

Applications for
the 2026 class of Leadership St. Joseph will be taken until 5pm Friday.

Click <a href="https://www.stjosephunitedway.org/leadership-st.joseph">HERE</a> for details on Leadership St. Joseph.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostYou still have
time to apply for Leadership St. Joseph.United Way of
Greater St. Joseph President, Kylee Strough, says applications will be accepted
through the end of the work day Friday.“It is to develop
leaders within the community and also within their workplaces,” Strough tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So, it’s professional development, personal development,
and community development and knowledge.”Leadership St.
Joseph began in 1982. It has graduated more than 1,000 participants.Strough says the
United Way wants to keep the classes small, fewer than 30 people.Stough says
Leadership St. Joseph is a rigorous program.“It is a
tuition-based program. We’re looking for a commitment. There is a fee so that
we’re not using donor dollars to support the program,” Stough says. “But also,
we’re looking for a commitment beyond the fee of time.”The year-long
program kicks off with a two-day retreat in early January. Then, participants
meet during business hours on the second Thursday of each month. The tuition is
$1,850.Strough says many
businesses sponsor employees they consider ready for a promotion.“And we want people
who are going to lean in at their business, into positions of responsibility
and authority, but are also going to share their expertise and talents with the
community,” says Stough. “Maybe they want to run for a position like Board of
Education. Maybe they want to serve on a board or on a committee or a panel and
this will give them some of the tools to be able to do that.”Applications for
the 2026 class of Leadership St. Joseph will be taken until 5pm Friday.Click <a href="https://www.stjosephunitedway.org/leadership-st.joseph">HERE</a> for details on Leadership St. Joseph.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Time is running out to apply for Leadership St. Joseph

As petitioners gather signatures for a possible referendum, attorneys battled over the meaning of words that govern the redistricting process. One big dispute was over how to interpret words that are not in the Missouri Constitution

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>

The old cliche that “silence is golden” became “silence is confusing” on Wednesday in Cole County Circuit Court as attorneys argued over the power of Missouri lawmakers to gerrymander congressional maps in the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">middle of a decade</a>.&nbsp;

Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh must decide if language missing from the state Constitution’s directive on when and how to draw congressional district maps means lawmakers were allowed to redraw districts like they did in a September special session.&nbsp;

For those challenging the new map, the omission means lawmakers overstepped their authority.&nbsp;

Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing the challengers, said drafters of the constitution adopted in 1945 knew what they were doing when they left out the power to revise districts at will.

“We think that language is pretty clear on its face,” Hatfield said.

If the constitutional convention had intended to prevent mid-decade redistricting, the delegates would have included a prohibition, Louis Capozzi, solicitor general in Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office, told the judge Wednesday.&nbsp;

Instead, he noted, they didn’t even discuss it.

“The General Assembly has the power to act unless the Missouri Constitution expressly takes a particular power away,” he said.

Gov. Mike Kehoe called lawmakers into special session in September at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">insistence of President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to give Republicans seven instead of six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats.

The new Missouri map targets the Kansas-City based 5th District, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, to flip to the Republican Party.

Trump wants to preserve and expand the GOP’s slim majority in Congress, where they have a 219-213 edge in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats have countered with gerrymandering plans in states they control, with California on Nov. 5&nbsp; approving a plan to deliver up to five seats to Democrats.

The Missouri Republican Party, which intervened in the case, argued that Limbaugh didn’t have the power to consider the challenge. The federal Constitution grants state legislatures exclusive power over the time, place and manner of congressional elections, Washington, D.C., attorney John Gore said, subject only to federal law.

“That means courts, including this court, do not have free reign to review and invalidate state legislative enactments on federal elections, including congressional redistricting plans,” Gore said.

At the end of Wednesday’s 45-minute trial, Limbaugh gave attorneys on both sides 10 days to file proposed judgments. No decision will be delivered until after those filings.

The case is one of six pending in various courts concerning the new map.&nbsp;

One case, filed by the Missouri NAACP, challenged the authority of Kehoe to call lawmakers into a special session for redistricting. Limbaugh ruled against the NAACP but an appeal is certain.

The next case to be heard will be a Thursday trial before Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green over an effort to force a referendum on the map. The trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/03/judges-illness-delays-hearing-on-referendum-to-overturn-missouris-gerrymandered-map/">postponed from Nov. 3</a>, will be over whether a referendum petitioning effort can begin before legislation has been signed by the governor.

A federal trail scheduled for Nov. 25 will test whether a state referendum on a redistricting plan violates the U.S. Constitution.

Two other cases, filed in Jackson County, contest various aspects of the gerrymandered map, including whether a Kansas City voting district was inadvertently placed&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/18/court-battle-looms-over-kc-precinct-listed-twice-in-missouris-new-congressional-map/">into two separate districts</a>.&nbsp;

The constitutional directive on redistricting mandates that Missouri lawmakers revise district lines&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++45&amp;bid=31801&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">after census results</a>&nbsp;are delivered to the state. The provision mandates that the districts be as equal in population as possible and made up of compact, continuous territory.

The current district boundaries were set in 2022 after the 2020 census.

The provision creates an obligation to redistrict after a census and no obligation to do it at any other time, Capozzi said. But without an express prohibition, lawmakers are free to do so.

And, he added, the boundaries of congressional districts are a political question the courts should avoid.

“This court cannot wade into that political fight without an express warrant,” he said.

The case is more ordinary than Capozzi portrayed it, Hatfield said. He likened it to every other challenge to new legislation.

That means the courts must measure it against the prohibitions on legislative power, both expressly stated and interpreted. In the case of the silence on mid-decade congressional redistricting, he said, Limbaugh should look at the provisions governing how legislative districts are determined.

That provision&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++10&amp;bid=31748&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">allows districts</a>&nbsp;to be “altered from time to time as public convenience may require. The omission of that language is a conscious choice made by the drafters of the constitution, he said.

“The state’s view seems to say that you need a ‘thou shalt not’ sentence in here,” Hatfield said. “That’s never been the law in Missouri.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444658128.png" alt="Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago " />
 <figcaption>Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>As petitioners gather signatures for a possible referendum, attorneys battled over the meaning of words that govern the redistricting process. One big dispute was over how to interpret words that are not in the Missouri Constitution</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>The old cliche that “silence is golden” became “silence is confusing” on Wednesday in Cole County Circuit Court as attorneys argued over the power of Missouri lawmakers to gerrymander congressional maps in the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">middle of a decade</a>.&nbsp;Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh must decide if language missing from the state Constitution’s directive on when and how to draw congressional district maps means lawmakers were allowed to redraw districts like they did in a September special session.&nbsp;For those challenging the new map, the omission means lawmakers overstepped their authority.&nbsp;Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing the challengers, said drafters of the constitution adopted in 1945 knew what they were doing when they left out the power to revise districts at will.“We think that language is pretty clear on its face,” Hatfield said.If the constitutional convention had intended to prevent mid-decade redistricting, the delegates would have included a prohibition, Louis Capozzi, solicitor general in Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office, told the judge Wednesday.&nbsp;Instead, he noted, they didn’t even discuss it.“The General Assembly has the power to act unless the Missouri Constitution expressly takes a particular power away,” he said.Gov. Mike Kehoe called lawmakers into special session in September at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">insistence of President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to give Republicans seven instead of six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats.The new Missouri map targets the Kansas-City based 5th District, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, to flip to the Republican Party.Trump wants to preserve and expand the GOP’s slim majority in Congress, where they have a 219-213 edge in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats have countered with gerrymandering plans in states they control, with California on Nov. 5&nbsp; approving a plan to deliver up to five seats to Democrats.The Missouri Republican Party, which intervened in the case, argued that Limbaugh didn’t have the power to consider the challenge. The federal Constitution grants state legislatures exclusive power over the time, place and manner of congressional elections, Washington, D.C., attorney John Gore said, subject only to federal law.“That means courts, including this court, do not have free reign to review and invalidate state legislative enactments on federal elections, including congressional redistricting plans,” Gore said.At the end of Wednesday’s 45-minute trial, Limbaugh gave attorneys on both sides 10 days to file proposed judgments. No decision will be delivered until after those filings.The case is one of six pending in various courts concerning the new map.&nbsp;One case, filed by the Missouri NAACP, challenged the authority of Kehoe to call lawmakers into a special session for redistricting. Limbaugh ruled against the NAACP but an appeal is certain.The next case to be heard will be a Thursday trial before Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green over an effort to force a referendum on the map. The trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/03/judges-illness-delays-hearing-on-referendum-to-overturn-missouris-gerrymandered-map/">postponed from Nov. 3</a>, will be over whether a referendum petitioning effort can begin before legislation has been signed by the governor.A federal trail scheduled for Nov. 25 will test whether a state referendum on a redistricting plan violates the U.S. Constitution.Two other cases, filed in Jackson County, contest various aspects of the gerrymandered map, including whether a Kansas City voting district was inadvertently placed&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/18/court-battle-looms-over-kc-precinct-listed-twice-in-missouris-new-congressional-map/">into two separate districts</a>.&nbsp;The constitutional directive on redistricting mandates that Missouri lawmakers revise district lines&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++45&amp;bid=31801&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">after census results</a>&nbsp;are delivered to the state. The provision mandates that the districts be as equal in population as possible and made up of compact, continuous territory.The current district boundaries were set in 2022 after the 2020 census.The provision creates an obligation to redistrict after a census and no obligation to do it at any other time, Capozzi said. But without an express prohibition, lawmakers are free to do so.And, he added, the boundaries of congressional districts are a political question the courts should avoid.“This court cannot wade into that political fight without an express warrant,” he said.The case is more ordinary than Capozzi portrayed it, Hatfield said. He likened it to every other challenge to new legislation.That means the courts must measure it against the prohibitions on legislative power, both expressly stated and interpreted. In the case of the silence on mid-decade congressional redistricting, he said, Limbaugh should look at the provisions governing how legislative districts are determined.That provision&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++10&amp;bid=31748&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">allows districts</a>&nbsp;to be “altered from time to time as public convenience may require. The omission of that language is a conscious choice made by the drafters of the constitution, he said.“The state’s view seems to say that you need a ‘thou shalt not’ sentence in here,” Hatfield said. “That’s never been the law in Missouri.”

Judge hears arguments over legality of gerrymandered Missouri congressional map

Tom Crouse of Gallatin is headed to the National Rodeo Finals for the first time in his career. 

Crouse, just 24 years old, sat number eight in the world in season winnings this year, clinching his spot in Las Vegas this December.  

Crouse has been calf roping his entire life, growing up on a farm involved with cattle and going to rodeos with his family, but says he's worked towards this the last several years 

"I’ve had my pro PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) card for this is my fourth year, so I’ve been working towards this for four years,” Crouse tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “But, getting ready to go, I’ve probably been seriously thinking about it since I was 14 or 15 years old, so about 10 years of trying to reach this goal.” 

Crouse says the moment he found out he qualified was unbelievable  

"Where we’re from in the calf roping world, people don’t get here from northwest Missouri. That’s kind of more Texas and southern areas where rodeo is more popular than it is around here,” Crouse explains.  “And it was just unbelievable for me to qualify and win as much money as I did, and just totally blessed.” 

The National Rodeo Finals take place December 4th through the 13th in Las Vegas.  Crouse says  he's not going to take a single moment for granted 

"But when its time to rope I’m going to be ready to rope and I’m going to try to win as much as possible, so I’m going to be going at them and if it works it works and if it don’t it don’t,” Crouse says.  “But I’m going to take some chances and try it on, so a little bit of both.” 

The Gallatin Livestock Auction will have a kickoff party for Crouse this Sunday at 3pm to celebrate.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762969960889.jpeg" alt="Tom Crouse of Gallatin qualified to compete in the National Rodeo Finals next month for the first time in his career/ Photo courtesy of BTC Bank on Facebook" />
 <figcaption>Tom Crouse of Gallatin qualified to compete in the National Rodeo Finals next month for the first time in his career/ Photo courtesy of BTC Bank on Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostTom Crouse of Gallatin is headed to the National Rodeo Finals for the first time in his career. Crouse, just 24 years old, sat number eight in the world in season winnings this year, clinching his spot in Las Vegas this December. Crouse has been calf roping his entire life, growing up on a farm involved with cattle and going to rodeos with his family, but says he's worked towards this the last several years "I’ve had my pro PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) card for this is my fourth year, so I’ve been working towards this for four years,” Crouse tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “But, getting ready to go, I’ve probably been seriously thinking about it since I was 14 or 15 years old, so about 10 years of trying to reach this goal.” Crouse says the moment he found out he qualified was unbelievable "Where we’re from in the calf roping world, people don’t get here from northwest Missouri. That’s kind of more Texas and southern areas where rodeo is more popular than it is around here,” Crouse explains. “And it was just unbelievable for me to qualify and win as much money as I did, and just totally blessed.” The National Rodeo Finals take place December 4th through the 13th in Las Vegas. Crouse says he's not going to take a single moment for granted "But when its time to rope I’m going to be ready to rope and I’m going to try to win as much as possible, so I’m going to be going at them and if it works it works and if it don’t it don’t,” Crouse says. “But I’m going to take some chances and try it on, so a little bit of both.” The Gallatin Livestock Auction will have a kickoff party for Crouse this Sunday at 3pm to celebrate.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=293&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F61569934799211%2Fvideos%2F697532049814598%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="293" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Local rodeo standout heads to Vegas next month for National Finals

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/38yVWsLjN8n0rcpQYXbGoB?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/5oaZMWdAMocSidqq4vrZYj?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

Compromise
legislation approved in the United States Senate to end the federal government
shutdown has the support of northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, a Republican.

“I’m going to
support the compromise that the Senate is sending over. I’m glad it’s finally
over. You know, in a shutdown like this, nobody wins.&nbsp; Republicans don’t win. Democrats don’t win. And
it’s extraordinarily frustrating,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And who
loses is the American public.”

Graves, though,
does have one concern about the House considering the Senate bill.

“We have the votes
in the House on the Republican side to pass it, but I think we’ll get, it will
be bipartisan, I really do,” Graves says. “The biggest problem to be quite
honest with you is everyone coming back and how the flight delays and the cancelations
are going to affect people being on the floor. That’s going to be a bigger problem
than anything else.”

Graves doesn’t
expect it to take long for the federal government to become fully operational
again once the legislature is signed.

“The government
will get up and running right away. It will take a little bit longer for our
flight service to get back to normal. The airlines have got to ramp back up
again,” Graves says. “I think it will be pretty much back to normal by the
holiday season, by Thanksgiving.”

Graves does expect
some Democrats to vote for the measure.

If the House
approves the measure, it would go to President Trump who has indicated he will
sign it.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostCompromise
legislation approved in the United States Senate to end the federal government
shutdown has the support of northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, a Republican.“I’m going to
support the compromise that the Senate is sending over. I’m glad it’s finally
over. You know, in a shutdown like this, nobody wins.&nbsp; Republicans don’t win. Democrats don’t win. And
it’s extraordinarily frustrating,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And who
loses is the American public.”Graves, though,
does have one concern about the House considering the Senate bill.“We have the votes
in the House on the Republican side to pass it, but I think we’ll get, it will
be bipartisan, I really do,” Graves says. “The biggest problem to be quite
honest with you is everyone coming back and how the flight delays and the cancelations
are going to affect people being on the floor. That’s going to be a bigger problem
than anything else.”Graves doesn’t
expect it to take long for the federal government to become fully operational
again once the legislature is signed.“The government
will get up and running right away. It will take a little bit longer for our
flight service to get back to normal. The airlines have got to ramp back up
again,” Graves says. “I think it will be pretty much back to normal by the
holiday season, by Thanksgiving.”Graves does expect
some Democrats to vote for the measure.If the House
approves the measure, it would go to President Trump who has indicated he will
sign it.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Graves supports legislation that would reopen the federal government

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The northern lights were visible across northwest Missouri tonight, putting on a colorful display for skywatchers. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NorthernLights?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NorthernLights</a> <a href="https://t.co/v3y1gf9cOu">pic.twitter.com/v3y1gf9cOu</a>&mdash; MSHP Troop H (@MSHPTrooperH) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperH/status/1988453310014078980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Even the northern lights are excited for the big game against Pitt State as the sky shines green and red! 🟢⚪️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThisIsNorthwest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThisIsNorthwest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gocats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gocats</a> <a href="https://t.co/pNnWEmD9MN">pic.twitter.com/pNnWEmD9MN</a>&mdash; Northwest Missouri State University (@NWMOSTATE) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWMOSTATE/status/1988451949419610617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Beautiful display: Northern lights show off across NW Missouri

More than 40,000 Missouri food establishments and stores are estimated to be impacted by federal regulations on hemp products

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

John Grady and his wife Kara opened up their hemp emporium in Rosebud on July 4 — and they say about 60% of their customers are veterans, like Grady, who are treating chronic pain or PTSD with intoxicating hemp products.

Last night, they watched the U.S. Senate vote to approve a spending package to end a record-breaking federal government shutdown. But what drew their attention was a provision tucked in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/agfy26conf.pdf" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;that would prohibit hemp products from having more than .4 milligrams of total THC per container. If the House approves it and the president signs it, the prohibition will go into effect in one year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The change, Grady said, will devastate his business.&nbsp;

“When this is done,” he said, “we’ll lose 52% of our revenue, meaning we won’t be able to stay in business.”&nbsp;

On Tuesday – a day they would normally be focused on honoring veterans – the couple said they didn’t have the energy.&nbsp;

“You’re sick to your stomach all day long,” said Kara Grady, “knowing your hard work is for not.”

State officials&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/03/cost-to-enforce-ban-on-intoxicating-hemp-products-in-missouri-estimated-at-nearly-900k/">estimated last year</a>&nbsp;that 40,000 food establishments and smoke shops and 1,800 food manufacturers were selling products that would be banned under the proposed federal regulations.&nbsp;

That estimate was part of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ 2025 budget estimate to enforce former Gov. Mike Parson’s abandoned<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">&nbsp;2024 order that would have banned intoxicating hemp products</a>&nbsp;in the state.

Hemp was legalized in the 2018 Farm bill and naturally has very little THC, the intoxicating component mostly associated with marijuana.&nbsp;

But that potency can be increased with some&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">science</a>.

While marijuana products must be sold in dispensaries and be grown and manufactured in state-regulated facilities,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/with-missouri-regulations-in-flux-whats-the-difference-between-hemp-and-marijuana/">intoxicating hemp products are completely unregulated</a>&nbsp;by any governmental agency.&nbsp;

There’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy them or stores can’t sell them to minors. However, some stores and vendors in Missouri have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up.

Missouri state Rep. Dave Himan, a Republican from O’Fallon, said he was planning on pre-filing legislation on Dec. 1 that would have established a licensing system to allow Missouri businesses to sell the low-dose hemp-derived THC beverages and edibles.&nbsp;

If the federal spending bill passes, his bill will reflect the .4 milligram limit of THC per package – and that also includes THC-A, which transforms into THC when heated.

“We are really kind of looking now to see what the federal government’s going to do,” he said, “and if we need to make adjustments in my bill to mirror what the federal government’s going to put in place.”

This will be Hinman’s second year — and Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">fourth year</a>&nbsp;– trying to regulate intoxicating hemp products. Previous attempts failed because the proposed bills, backed by the marijuana industry, would have banned the products.&nbsp;

Last year, several bills failed to advance because the hemp industry itself couldn’t agree on provisions for things including THC limits and licensing requirements.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;<a href="https://missourihemphoax.com/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;released last month by the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association, which represents the marijuana industry, tested&nbsp;55 intoxicating hemp products purchased from smoke shops and gas stations statewide. Results showed that nearly all of them were above the total THC limit that’s outlined in the pending federal spending bill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762945513387.png" alt=" Slaphappy Hemp farm in Rosebud (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption> Slaphappy Hemp farm in Rosebud (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>More than 40,000 Missouri food establishments and stores are estimated to be impacted by federal regulations on hemp products</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>John Grady and his wife Kara opened up their hemp emporium in Rosebud on July 4 — and they say about 60% of their customers are veterans, like Grady, who are treating chronic pain or PTSD with intoxicating hemp products.Last night, they watched the U.S. Senate vote to approve a spending package to end a record-breaking federal government shutdown. But what drew their attention was a provision tucked in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/agfy26conf.pdf" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;that would prohibit hemp products from having more than .4 milligrams of total THC per container. If the House approves it and the president signs it, the prohibition will go into effect in one year.&nbsp;&nbsp;The change, Grady said, will devastate his business.&nbsp;“When this is done,” he said, “we’ll lose 52% of our revenue, meaning we won’t be able to stay in business.”&nbsp;On Tuesday – a day they would normally be focused on honoring veterans – the couple said they didn’t have the energy.&nbsp;“You’re sick to your stomach all day long,” said Kara Grady, “knowing your hard work is for not.”State officials&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/03/cost-to-enforce-ban-on-intoxicating-hemp-products-in-missouri-estimated-at-nearly-900k/">estimated last year</a>&nbsp;that 40,000 food establishments and smoke shops and 1,800 food manufacturers were selling products that would be banned under the proposed federal regulations.&nbsp;That estimate was part of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ 2025 budget estimate to enforce former Gov. Mike Parson’s abandoned<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">&nbsp;2024 order that would have banned intoxicating hemp products</a>&nbsp;in the state.Hemp was legalized in the 2018 Farm bill and naturally has very little THC, the intoxicating component mostly associated with marijuana.&nbsp;But that potency can be increased with some&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">science</a>.While marijuana products must be sold in dispensaries and be grown and manufactured in state-regulated facilities,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/with-missouri-regulations-in-flux-whats-the-difference-between-hemp-and-marijuana/">intoxicating hemp products are completely unregulated</a>&nbsp;by any governmental agency.&nbsp;There’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy them or stores can’t sell them to minors. However, some stores and vendors in Missouri have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up.Missouri state Rep. Dave Himan, a Republican from O’Fallon, said he was planning on pre-filing legislation on Dec. 1 that would have established a licensing system to allow Missouri businesses to sell the low-dose hemp-derived THC beverages and edibles.&nbsp;If the federal spending bill passes, his bill will reflect the .4 milligram limit of THC per package – and that also includes THC-A, which transforms into THC when heated.“We are really kind of looking now to see what the federal government’s going to do,” he said, “and if we need to make adjustments in my bill to mirror what the federal government’s going to put in place.”This will be Hinman’s second year — and Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">fourth year</a>&nbsp;– trying to regulate intoxicating hemp products. Previous attempts failed because the proposed bills, backed by the marijuana industry, would have banned the products.&nbsp;Last year, several bills failed to advance because the hemp industry itself couldn’t agree on provisions for things including THC limits and licensing requirements.&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://missourihemphoax.com/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;released last month by the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association, which represents the marijuana industry, tested&nbsp;55 intoxicating hemp products purchased from smoke shops and gas stations statewide. Results showed that nearly all of them were above the total THC limit that’s outlined in the pending federal spending bill.While the debate in previous years has often been seen as a marijuana industry versus the hemp industry, both of those players have a growing common foe – the black-market marijuana products that are posing as certified hemp products, Hinman said.&nbsp;“There are some great people out there that own mom-and-pop shops that really are doing the right thing,” Hinman said.&nbsp;However, just last week, Hinman met with a group that brought in packages of about 40 different THC products purchased throughout the state that resemble Skittles, M&amp;M’s and chips that would easily be mistaken by children as regular products.&nbsp;“That continues to proliferate throughout our state,” he said, “and it’s just getting worse and worse. So we’ve got to do something. And it’s actually not even hemp, it’s truly marijuana out there, and it’s really hurting the business.”Eapen Thampy, a lobbyist who represents several hemp businesses, agreed that the “bad actors” have expanded and pose a threat to legitimate hemp businesses.“We’re under attack from the marijuana industry that wants to protect their monopoly,” Thampy said, “and we’re under attack from bad actors who don’t care who they hurt to make a buck. We’re sort of the collateral damage in that picture.”Thampy said the hemp industry is hopeful that Congress will take up the issue before the ban is implemented in a year, if the spending bill is approved. However, a Senate amendment to remove the language was defeated last night by a 76-24 vote, making the success of a separate bill unlikely.&nbsp;President Donald Trump told reporters Monday that he supports the deal and the House could vote on the bill as early as Wednesday.