Three newcomers to politics and a veteran city councilmember
appear on the St. Joseph municipal primary ballot tomorrow for mayor.

Gary Lewis says the timing seemed right to run for mayor after
spending years in health care administration and seeing that Mayor Bill McMurray
decided against running for re-election.

“Not really happy with the way things are being done right
now,” Lewis tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “So, instead of sitting
back and complaining about it, I just decided to go ahead and run for mayor of
St. Joe. Didn’t want to do city council. I had people talk to me and, let’s do
that route when it first started out. And I said, no, I think I’ve set my
sights on mayor and that’s kind of what I kind of want to do and I think I can
make some change from that office.”

Lewis describes himself as open, honest, and fair, adding he’s
approachable. 

“I want to hear ideas from people. I think ideas are our key
to success in this town; to change,” Lewis says. “For every 100 ideas you have,
probably 90 of them that really aren’t very good. You have five or six of them
are okay and you have two or three that are really, really good.”

Also running for office for the first time is Community Action
Partnership Executive Director Whitney Lanning, who moved from Kansas City to
take a job with St. Joseph Head Start.

“In the time that I’ve been in St. Joe, I’ve had the opportunity
to serve on a lot of different local boards and commissions and initiatives and
I’ve just seen where this is such a great town with great people in it, but we
could do better,” Lannings tells Birr during her appearance on the KFEQ
Hotline. “And, I’ve just seen kind of the ways that we’re not focusing on some
of the problems that are really apparent.”

Lanning says she wants St. Joseph to assert its regional
leadership.

“I understand the role that St. Joseph plays, not just for the
people that live here, but the people that live in small, rural towns that use us
for many of their day-to-day needs,” Lanning says. “They commute in and out. They
shop here. They visit here. We have tourism here. &nbsp;So, what I want them to know is that I’m going
to work hard. I am going to stay connected to the people. And I’m not doing
this to become a politician. I’m doing this to be a public servant.”

Executive John Josendale has decided to run for mayor after
retiring from Wire Rope, saying he remembers growing up in St. Joseph.

“You didn’t have to worry about locking the car or the door or
anything. But, we’ve seen that disappear,” Josendale tells Birr on the Hotline.
“We were an All-American city. Now, we’ve got crime. We’ve got the infrastructure
and I see a lot of problems with the red tape down at city hall. My background
in working in different aspects, I think, brings a lot to the table.”

Josendale says he will work with others to move the city
forward.

“I don’t want to go in with an agenda, one item,” Josendale
says. “You don’t want to go in and say I’m doing this, because you’ve got to
listen to everybody and it changes day-to-day. You watch what happens in St.
Joe every day. You’ve got to be willing to change your position. You’ve got to
willing to listen to what the people say and then do what’s right as a group.”

Gary Wilkinson has returned to St. Joseph after serving as
Superintendent of Streets for University City.

Wilkinson served three terms on the St. Joseph City Council
and served as Deputy Mayor in the mid-1980s to late 90s.

“I chose to run for mayor for a couple of reasons. I’ve been
on the council; been elected to the council three times,” Wilkinson tells Birr
on the Hotline. “It’s one of those been there, done that type of things. So I
said, I can do that job. I can do the job of mayor. As a matter of fact, I’ve
done it before, when I was deputy mayor.”

Wilkinson proposes the city take a pro-active approach to
improving the appearance of St. Joseph.

“We have an issue here in the city with our appearance,”
according to Wilkinson. “I think that could be something that would help us to take
a step forward in that aspect. If the city took charge of all installation and
maintenance of sidewalks, curbing, alley ways, I think we would have a better
looking city.”

St. Joseph voters will narrow the field to two tomorrow,
unless one candidate receives a majority of the votes and is elected outright.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThree newcomers to politics and a veteran city councilmember
appear on the St. Joseph municipal primary ballot tomorrow for mayor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644260458430.jpeg" alt="Gary Lewis/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Gary Lewis/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Gary Lewis says the timing seemed right to run for mayor after
spending years in health care administration and seeing that Mayor Bill McMurray
decided against running for re-election.“Not really happy with the way things are being done right
now,” Lewis tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “So, instead of sitting
back and complaining about it, I just decided to go ahead and run for mayor of
St. Joe. Didn’t want to do city council. I had people talk to me and, let’s do
that route when it first started out. And I said, no, I think I’ve set my
sights on mayor and that’s kind of what I kind of want to do and I think I can
make some change from that office.”Lewis describes himself as open, honest, and fair, adding he’s
approachable. “I want to hear ideas from people. I think ideas are our key
to success in this town; to change,” Lewis says. “For every 100 ideas you have,
probably 90 of them that really aren’t very good. You have five or six of them
are okay and you have two or three that are really, really good.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644260494329.jpeg" alt="Whitney Lanning/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Whitney Lanning/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Also running for office for the first time is Community Action
Partnership Executive Director Whitney Lanning, who moved from Kansas City to
take a job with St. Joseph Head Start.“In the time that I’ve been in St. Joe, I’ve had the opportunity
to serve on a lot of different local boards and commissions and initiatives and
I’ve just seen where this is such a great town with great people in it, but we
could do better,” Lannings tells Birr during her appearance on the KFEQ
Hotline. “And, I’ve just seen kind of the ways that we’re not focusing on some
of the problems that are really apparent.”Lanning says she wants St. Joseph to assert its regional
leadership.“I understand the role that St. Joseph plays, not just for the
people that live here, but the people that live in small, rural towns that use us
for many of their day-to-day needs,” Lanning says. “They commute in and out. They
shop here. They visit here. We have tourism here. &nbsp;So, what I want them to know is that I’m going
to work hard. I am going to stay connected to the people. And I’m not doing
this to become a politician. I’m doing this to be a public servant.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644260551684.jpeg" alt="John Josendale/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>John Josendale/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Executive John Josendale has decided to run for mayor after
retiring from Wire Rope, saying he remembers growing up in St. Joseph.“You didn’t have to worry about locking the car or the door or
anything. But, we’ve seen that disappear,” Josendale tells Birr on the Hotline.
“We were an All-American city. Now, we’ve got crime. We’ve got the infrastructure
and I see a lot of problems with the red tape down at city hall. My background
in working in different aspects, I think, brings a lot to the table.”Josendale says he will work with others to move the city
forward.“I don’t want to go in with an agenda, one item,” Josendale
says. “You don’t want to go in and say I’m doing this, because you’ve got to
listen to everybody and it changes day-to-day. You watch what happens in St.
Joe every day. You’ve got to be willing to change your position. You’ve got to
willing to listen to what the people say and then do what’s right as a group.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644260592620.jpeg" alt="Gary Wilkinson/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Gary Wilkinson/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Gary Wilkinson has returned to St. Joseph after serving as
Superintendent of Streets for University City.Wilkinson served three terms on the St. Joseph City Council
and served as Deputy Mayor in the mid-1980s to late 90s.“I chose to run for mayor for a couple of reasons. I’ve been
on the council; been elected to the council three times,” Wilkinson tells Birr
on the Hotline. “It’s one of those been there, done that type of things. So I
said, I can do that job. I can do the job of mayor. As a matter of fact, I’ve
done it before, when I was deputy mayor.”Wilkinson proposes the city take a pro-active approach to
improving the appearance of St. Joseph.“We have an issue here in the city with our appearance,”
according to Wilkinson. “I think that could be something that would help us to take
a step forward in that aspect. If the city took charge of all installation and
maintenance of sidewalks, curbing, alley ways, I think we would have a better
looking city.”St. Joseph voters will narrow the field to two tomorrow,
unless one candidate receives a majority of the votes and is elected outright.<div><link rel='stylesheet' href='https://www.680kfeq.com/wp-content/plugins/wpb-show-core/modules/jplayer_new/iframe-style.css' /><div class='audio-container embedded-advance-playlist-player'><iframe class='wpb_audioplayer advance-playlist-player-iframe' scrolling='no' width='600' height='400' frameborder='0' src='https://www.680kfeq.com/wp-content/plugins/wpb-show-core/modules/jplayer_new/jplayer_twitter_ver_1_playlist.php?podcastName=Mayoral+Candidates&podCastImage=&title=&siteurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.680kfeq.com&blogid=356&rss_feed_link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.680kfeq.com%2Fpodcast%2Fmayoral-candidates%2Ffeed%2F%3Fpost_type%3Depisode&podImg_URL=&podCastId=94&episodeId=0&audioPlayerOption=advance_playlist&gmf=-6&ckd=www.680kfeq.com&embedFlag=podcast&e_id_val=0'></iframe></div></div>

Three newcomers, one veteran on primary ballot for St. Joseph mayor

A 24-year-old St. Joseph has been taken into custody after
leaving the scene of a crash on Interstate 229 in St. Joseph and fleeing from
officers.

St. Joseph police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol
reports the pursuit began late Friday evening and ended early Saturday morning
with the arrest of Malone Hendrix.

The patrol says Hendrix was driving the wrong way on I-229
when he crashed near Highland Avenue. St. Joseph police spotted Hendrix coming
out of the woods near St. Jo Frontier Casino. Hendrix faces a number of
charges, including resisting arrest, leaving the scene of an accident, and speeding.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA 24-year-old St. Joseph has been taken into custody after
leaving the scene of a crash on Interstate 229 in St. Joseph and fleeing from
officers.St. Joseph police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol
reports the pursuit began late Friday evening and ended early Saturday morning
with the arrest of Malone Hendrix.The patrol says Hendrix was driving the wrong way on I-229
when he crashed near Highland Avenue. St. Joseph police spotted Hendrix coming
out of the woods near St. Jo Frontier Casino. Hendrix faces a number of
charges, including resisting arrest, leaving the scene of an accident, and speeding.

St. Joseph man taken into custody after fleeing police, patrol

A 30-year-old man gave up to St. Joseph police after officers
broke down a locked door and took him into custody.

Police say an officer attempted to arrest Trevor Harris in the
800 block of Sunset Drive last night when he ran into a house and locked
himself inside.

The St. Joseph Police Department reports the incident began
around 8:30 last night. Officers were looking for Harris on an active felony
warrant for assault as well as another misdemeanor warrant. Harris gave up
without incident once officers forced the door open about an hour after he fled
into the house.

This article has been updated to add the suspect's name.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA 30-year-old man gave up to St. Joseph police after officers
broke down a locked door and took him into custody.Police say an officer attempted to arrest Trevor Harris in the
800 block of Sunset Drive last night when he ran into a house and locked
himself inside.The St. Joseph Police Department reports the incident began
around 8:30 last night. Officers were looking for Harris on an active felony
warrant for assault as well as another misdemeanor warrant. Harris gave up
without incident once officers forced the door open about an hour after he fled
into the house.This article has been updated to add the suspect's name.

30-year-old taken into custody on assault warrants after St. Joseph police break down door

DEKALB COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Toyota Tacoma driven by Peter D. Tran, 21, Kansas City, was northbound on MO 33 just south of U.S. 36 three miles west of Osborn. The Toyota was following a 2016 Ford F150 driven by Zane C. Venema, 21, Kansas City/

The Toyota attempted to pass the Ford. The passenger side of the Toyota struck the drivers side of the Ford as it was turning westbound into a field entrance.

DeKalb County EMS transported Tran to Liberty Hospital. Venema was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Toyota Tacoma driven by Peter D. Tran, 21, Kansas City, was northbound on MO 33 just south of U.S. 36 three miles west of Osborn. The Toyota was following a 2016 Ford F150 driven by Zane C. Venema, 21, Kansas City/The Toyota attempted to pass the Ford. The passenger side of the Toyota struck the drivers side of the Ford as it was turning westbound into a field entrance.DeKalb County EMS transported Tran to Liberty Hospital. Venema was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man injured after 2-vehicle DeKalb Co. crash

After halting a COVID 19 testing program due to a lack of testing supplies, the test-to-stay program at Savannah schools will reopen on Monday&nbsp;

Savannah School District Spokesperson Jess Gillett says the district is glad they will be able to reopen the program, especially with a small number of students out after testing positive for COVID-19.&nbsp;

"There's some more testing supplies that were made available through our local health department, and because of that we are able to reopen the program, and hopefully get some of our students back on campus a little sooner," Gillett tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.&nbsp;

Gillett says the procedure will stay the same as it was previously for the program with testing available on campus for students and staff who tested positive for COVID-19.&nbsp;

Gillett says unfortunately the number of tests received from the Andrew County Health Department is limited, but it should be enough for now.&nbsp;

"So, it is a limited supply," Gillett says. "But we are hopeful that it is enough that it will get us through the hump until the state starts releasing the testing supplies on a regular basis again, like they were before."&nbsp;

Gillett says students should make appointments for the test to stay program through the nurses at the schools, rather than going to the health department.&nbsp;

"It just makes life a lot easier, because the health department is only offering the test by appointment only, and that would be the same of Urgent Care Express who we have our partnership with," Gillett says. "They're really good at working with us and being flexible, but that's a two-way street, and so that's why we do have to have appointments set up."&nbsp;

Gillett says the local health department in Savannah is also offering testing by appointment when Urgent Care Express is not available.&nbsp;

Testing will be available on campus every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find more information <a href="https://www.savannahr3.com/page/sr3-covid-19-response">HERE&nbsp;</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644015785003.png" alt="Photo provided by Savannah School District" />
 <figcaption>Photo provided by Savannah School District</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;After halting a COVID 19 testing program due to a lack of testing supplies, the test-to-stay program at Savannah schools will reopen on Monday&nbsp;Savannah School District Spokesperson Jess Gillett says the district is glad they will be able to reopen the program, especially with a small number of students out after testing positive for COVID-19.&nbsp;"There's some more testing supplies that were made available through our local health department, and because of that we are able to reopen the program, and hopefully get some of our students back on campus a little sooner," Gillett tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.&nbsp;Gillett says the procedure will stay the same as it was previously for the program with testing available on campus for students and staff who tested positive for COVID-19.&nbsp;Gillett says unfortunately the number of tests received from the Andrew County Health Department is limited, but it should be enough for now.&nbsp;"So, it is a limited supply," Gillett says. "But we are hopeful that it is enough that it will get us through the hump until the state starts releasing the testing supplies on a regular basis again, like they were before."&nbsp;Gillett says students should make appointments for the test to stay program through the nurses at the schools, rather than going to the health department.&nbsp;"It just makes life a lot easier, because the health department is only offering the test by appointment only, and that would be the same of Urgent Care Express who we have our partnership with," Gillett says. "They're really good at working with us and being flexible, but that's a two-way street, and so that's why we do have to have appointments set up."&nbsp;Gillett says the local health department in Savannah is also offering testing by appointment when Urgent Care Express is not available.&nbsp;Testing will be available on campus every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can find more information <a href="https://www.savannahr3.com/page/sr3-covid-19-response">HERE&nbsp;</a>

Savannah schools receive more COVID testing supplies, reopening program on Monday

Luke Theis has been named director and head coach of&nbsp;Griffon Esports&nbsp;at Missouri Western State University. Theis has served as interim director since September.

“Luke has been an important part of the Griffon Esports program from the beginning, and has provided outstanding leadership over the last several months,” said Theresa Grosbach, interim director of athletics. “I’m excited that he’s accepted the position on a permanent basis, and know that he will continue to lead our program to new heights.”

“I am beyond excited to continue the work we started with the esports program,” Theis said in a statement. “In 2015, when I stepped on campus as a student, I hoped one day Missouri Western would have an esports program. Never would I have thought I would be in this position today. I am honored to provide students an opportunity to pursue their passion of gaming and assist them on the journey to get their degree.”

Under Theis’ leadership as interim director this fall, several Griffon Esports varsity teams have had competitive success:

The Griffon Esports program has hosted events for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the YWCA Choices and Decisions program, and assists with esports programs at St. Joseph Parks and Recreation, Central High School and LevelUp Arena in Overland Park, Kansas.

In 2021, Griffon Esports produced two 24-hour live stream events in a partnership with Extra Life, raising a total of more than $5,200 for the Children’s Miracle Network.

As the graduate assistant, Theis led Coaching Coaches - a program that equipped student coaches with the tools to coach varsity teams. He also coordinated the summer youth camp last July.&nbsp;

Theis was a punter on the Griffon football team as an undergraduate. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology in 2020, and is in his second year in the Master of Applied Science-Sport and Fitness Management program.

Missouri Western launched its team-based competitive video gaming program in Fall 2020. Missouri Western has also added an Esports Management concentration to its Recreation Sport Management major.

The Griffon Esports Arena in the Blum Student Union is open to all students, faculty and staff six days a week. It was dedicated on March 4, 2021.

To celebrate the first anniversary, the arena will host a Griffon Esports Experience for prospective students this March 4.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644007849198.jpeg" alt="Luke Theis. Photo via Missouri Western." />
 <figcaption>Luke Theis. Photo via Missouri Western.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostLuke Theis has been named director and head coach of&nbsp;Griffon Esports&nbsp;at Missouri Western State University. Theis has served as interim director since September.“Luke has been an important part of the Griffon Esports program from the beginning, and has provided outstanding leadership over the last several months,” said Theresa Grosbach, interim director of athletics. “I’m excited that he’s accepted the position on a permanent basis, and know that he will continue to lead our program to new heights.”“I am beyond excited to continue the work we started with the esports program,” Theis said in a statement. “In 2015, when I stepped on campus as a student, I hoped one day Missouri Western would have an esports program. Never would I have thought I would be in this position today. I am honored to provide students an opportunity to pursue their passion of gaming and assist them on the journey to get their degree.”Under Theis’ leadership as interim director this fall, several Griffon Esports varsity teams have had competitive success:<ul>
 <li>The Overwatch team advanced to the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Championship in Florence, South Carolina, the first postseason appearance and first in-person event in the brief history of the Griffon Esports program.</li><li>The League of Legends team won the ECAC Pink Division Championship with a 3-1 victory over Bloomfield College in the championship match.</li><li>The Fortnite team reached the ECAC Semifinals, finishing 9th out of more than 50 teams competing.</li>
 </ul>The Griffon Esports program has hosted events for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the YWCA Choices and Decisions program, and assists with esports programs at St. Joseph Parks and Recreation, Central High School and LevelUp Arena in Overland Park, Kansas.In 2021, Griffon Esports produced two 24-hour live stream events in a partnership with Extra Life, raising a total of more than $5,200 for the Children’s Miracle Network.As the graduate assistant, Theis led Coaching Coaches - a program that equipped student coaches with the tools to coach varsity teams. He also coordinated the summer youth camp last July.&nbsp;Theis was a punter on the Griffon football team as an undergraduate. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology in 2020, and is in his second year in the Master of Applied Science-Sport and Fitness Management program.Missouri Western launched its team-based competitive video gaming program in Fall 2020. Missouri Western has also added an Esports Management concentration to its Recreation Sport Management major.The Griffon Esports Arena in the Blum Student Union is open to all students, faculty and staff six days a week. It was dedicated on March 4, 2021.To celebrate the first anniversary, the arena will host a Griffon Esports Experience for prospective students this March 4.&nbsp;

Luke Theis named as Missouri Western esports director, head coach

Mosaic Life Care has announced a leadership shake up, with the
top two executives leaving the St. Joseph health care provider.

An announcement issued by the Mosaic Life Care Board of
Trustees states Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mark Laney has taken early
retirement. Chief Operating Officer Michael Pulido is also leaving Mosaic.

No additional explanation about their departure has been offered by Mosaic.

The Mosaic board thanked Laney and Pulido for their years of
service, stating Mosaic is in excellent financial condition due in part “to
their responsible stewardship of Mosaic’s resources.” Laney came to Mosaic in
2009 from the Cook Children’s Health Care System. Pulido became COO in 2017.

A national search to replace Laney will begin immediately. It
is expected to take between six to nine months. An interim CEO will be
appointed soon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644005570659.jpeg" alt="Dr. Mark Laney/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Mark Laney/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMosaic Life Care has announced a leadership shake up, with the
top two executives leaving the St. Joseph health care provider.An announcement issued by the Mosaic Life Care Board of
Trustees states Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mark Laney has taken early
retirement. Chief Operating Officer Michael Pulido is also leaving Mosaic.No additional explanation about their departure has been offered by Mosaic.The Mosaic board thanked Laney and Pulido for their years of
service, stating Mosaic is in excellent financial condition due in part “to
their responsible stewardship of Mosaic’s resources.” Laney came to Mosaic in
2009 from the Cook Children’s Health Care System. Pulido became COO in 2017.A national search to replace Laney will begin immediately. It
is expected to take between six to nine months. An interim CEO will be
appointed soon.

Top 2 executives out at Mosaic Life Care

Three candidates are on the ballot for Tuesday’s municipal
primary, hoping to replace St. Joseph Municipal Judge John Boeh, who is
retiring.

Assistant City Attorney Jason Soper says his experience as a
public defender and a city prosecutor prepares him for the position.

“The whole idea about being a judge is all about balance,”
Soper tells the KFEQ Hotline. “You have to be equal to both sides. You have to
give everyone their chance to speak. You have to give everyone their say. And
having been on both sides and argued both sides, I think gives me kind of a leg
up if you will on being able to do that.”

Soper received his law degree from UMKC. He has work as a
public defender and in private practice before joining the St. Joseph city
attorney’s office.

Soper advocates bringing back the homeless court and suggests
creativity might be needed in cases such as property management in which a fine
might be levied to make repairs or clean-up a property.

Soper sees the role as that of a public servant.

“There will be opportunity to do things for the city that I
would not normally have through that job,” Soper says. “I think I would be able
to do it.”

Another assistant city attorney is in the race.

Assistant City Attorney Theodore “Ted” Elo says he has
represented young people in municipal court.

“A lot of them I would see once or twice on a few minor
violations,” Elo says during a telephone interview on the KFEQ Hotline. “They
cleaned up their act or slowed down and did what I was advising them to do and
what their parents were and they went on down the road and they never got in
trouble again.”

Elo received his law degree from St. Louis University. He
worked in the private sector before joining the St. Joseph city attorney’s
office.

Elo says St. Joseph should consider holding night court
periodically for those who have trouble attending court during the work day.

“They can’t get away and go down and wait in municipal court
for a couple of hours and cost them two or three hours of wages.”

Attorney Terri Lowdon says she has practiced in municipal
courts from Maryville to Kansas City during her 30-plus years in private
practice.

“I’ve done other things for the city and I thought this is
something that I think I’ll be not just well qualified, but I have the
disposition and the background to succeed at and it would be a good service,”
Lowdon says during her appearance on the KFEQ Hotline.

Lowdon received a law degree from UMKC and has experience in
criminal practice as well as family law. She is in private practice. Lowdon has
been a member of the St. Joseph Zoning Board of Adjustment and serves on the
city Human Rights Commission.

Lowdon says a municipal judge must be both lenient and tough.
She advocates leniency for first-time offenders and says if probation is given,
it needs to be enforced.

“If we’re going to allow probation, which in most cases
should, if it’s a first offense, then let’s make sure it’s the only case they
have,” Lowdon says. “And let’s get them some tools to help them be successful
on probation, but let’s also hold them accountable.”

The three candidates will be on the Tuesday ballot.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThree candidates are on the ballot for Tuesday’s municipal
primary, hoping to replace St. Joseph Municipal Judge John Boeh, who is
retiring.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643994987123.jpeg" alt="Jason Soper/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Jason Soper/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Assistant City Attorney Jason Soper says his experience as a
public defender and a city prosecutor prepares him for the position.“The whole idea about being a judge is all about balance,”
Soper tells the KFEQ Hotline. “You have to be equal to both sides. You have to
give everyone their chance to speak. You have to give everyone their say. And
having been on both sides and argued both sides, I think gives me kind of a leg
up if you will on being able to do that.”Soper received his law degree from UMKC. He has work as a
public defender and in private practice before joining the St. Joseph city
attorney’s office.Soper advocates bringing back the homeless court and suggests
creativity might be needed in cases such as property management in which a fine
might be levied to make repairs or clean-up a property.Soper sees the role as that of a public servant.“There will be opportunity to do things for the city that I
would not normally have through that job,” Soper says. “I think I would be able
to do it.”Another assistant city attorney is in the race.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643995035254.jpeg" alt="Theodore "Ted" Elo/candidate photo" />
 <figcaption>Theodore "Ted" Elo/candidate photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Assistant City Attorney Theodore “Ted” Elo says he has
represented young people in municipal court.“A lot of them I would see once or twice on a few minor
violations,” Elo says during a telephone interview on the KFEQ Hotline. “They
cleaned up their act or slowed down and did what I was advising them to do and
what their parents were and they went on down the road and they never got in
trouble again.”Elo received his law degree from St. Louis University. He
worked in the private sector before joining the St. Joseph city attorney’s
office.Elo says St. Joseph should consider holding night court
periodically for those who have trouble attending court during the work day.“They can’t get away and go down and wait in municipal court
for a couple of hours and cost them two or three hours of wages.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643995118997.jpeg" alt="Terri Lowdon/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Terri Lowdon/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Attorney Terri Lowdon says she has practiced in municipal
courts from Maryville to Kansas City during her 30-plus years in private
practice.“I’ve done other things for the city and I thought this is
something that I think I’ll be not just well qualified, but I have the
disposition and the background to succeed at and it would be a good service,”
Lowdon says during her appearance on the KFEQ Hotline.Lowdon received a law degree from UMKC and has experience in
criminal practice as well as family law. She is in private practice. Lowdon has
been a member of the St. Joseph Zoning Board of Adjustment and serves on the
city Human Rights Commission.Lowdon says a municipal judge must be both lenient and tough.
She advocates leniency for first-time offenders and says if probation is given,
it needs to be enforced.“If we’re going to allow probation, which in most cases
should, if it’s a first offense, then let’s make sure it’s the only case they
have,” Lowdon says. “And let’s get them some tools to help them be successful
on probation, but let’s also hold them accountable.”The three candidates will be on the Tuesday ballot.<div><link rel='stylesheet' href='https://www.680kfeq.com/wp-content/plugins/wpb-show-core/modules/jplayer_new/iframe-style.css' /><div class='already-embed audio-container embedded-advance-playlist-player '><iframe class='wpb_audioplayer advance-playlist-player-iframe' scrolling='no' width='600' height='400' frameborder='0' src='https://www.680kfeq.com/wp-content/plugins/wpb-show-core/modules/jplayer_new/jplayer_twitter_ver_1_playlist.php?podcastName=Municipal+Judge+Candidates&podCastImage=&title=&siteurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.680kfeq.com&blogid=356&rss_feed_link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.680kfeq.com%2Fpodcast%2Fmunicipal-judge-candidates%2Ffeed%2F%3Fpost_type%3Depisode&podImg_URL=&podCastId=93&episodeId=0&audioPlayerOption=advance_playlist&gmf=-6&ckd=www.680kfeq.com&embedFlag_old=podcast&e_id_val_old=0&embedFlag=podcast&e_id_val=108200'></iframe></div></div>

Three candidates on St. Joseph primary municipal judge race

By TESSA WEINBERG <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/04/bipartisan-missouri-bills-aim-to-ban-out-of-school-suspensions-through-the-third-grade/">Missouri Independent</a>

As a student in Hickory County R-1 
school district, state Rep. Ian Mackey often struggled with following 
the rules of a classroom.

“My way to express myself was usually
 really loud and really invasive,” said Mackey, D-St. Louis. “There were
 a lot of teachers who wanted to send me home, and in some cases did.”

For Mackey, getting sent home often 
meant packing up and going to another classroom — one of his parents, 
who were both teachers in the same school district.

“My parents being teachers in the building probably saved me from a lot of out-of-school suspensions,” he said.

Most Missouri students facing suspension — especially Black students who are disproportionately suspended — aren’t so lucky.

In the 2018-19 school year, the most 
recent not impacted by the pandemic, there were 1,014 in-school 
suspensions lasting 10 or more days and 10,675 out-of-school 
suspensions, according to state data.

While the numbers have declined over the past decade, disparities have persisted. Black students and students with disabilities <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aclu-mo.org/en/press-releases/aclu-missouri-finds-public-schools-continue-unequally-discipline-students">are suspended at disproportionately higher rates than peers</a>.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers filed bills this year that aim to make suspensions a last resort. A <a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1899&amp;year=2022&amp;code=R">trio of similar bills</a> filed by Mackey, <a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2533&amp;year=2022&amp;code=R&amp;emci=0e1a1e42-bb7f-ec11-94f6-c896650d4442&amp;emdi=e5d88f01-6280-ec11-94f6-c896650d4442&amp;ceid=21939796">Rep. Dottie Bailey</a>, R-Eureka, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/22info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=71259717">Sen. Lauren Arthur</a>,
 D-Kansas City, would require schools to report and make more accessible
 suspension data and encourage alternatives be considered.

They would also prohibit out-of-school suspensions and expulsions from pre-kindergarten through the third grade.

“It’s really hard for me to wrap my 
head around the idea that a 6-year-old is doing something so egregious 
that they can no longer learn in a classroom setting. That’s really 
surprising,” Arthur said, later adding: “Our focus right now is making 
sure that we’re setting kids up for success later in life by supporting 
them early on.”

In addition to banning suspensions 
through the third grade, the bills also stipulate that truancy or prior 
disciplinary actions cannot be the sole basis for a student’s suspension
 or expulsion.&nbsp;

At a hearing to determine a student’s
 removal, the bills would require school boards to consider alternatives
 to suspensions and expulsions, like restorative justice techniques or 
behavioral supports.

In recent years, a handful of districts in the St. Louis area <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stlamerican.com/news/local_news/three-county-districts-join-slps-pledge-to-ban-suspensions-in-early-grades/article_bf135e40-b118-11e6-9ca3-cb7986ac8de9.html">limited the use of suspensions</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/education/2017-07-27/missouri-school-districts-eschew-suspensions-turn-to-calming-disciplinary-techniques">for their youngest students</a>, including St. Louis Public Schools.

Last year, Kansas City Public Schools also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-06-25/kansas-city-public-schools-says-it-is-transforming-the-way-we-do-discipline-with-new-policy">approved a new policy</a>
 that students through the fifth grade will not be suspended unless in 
instances when they cause harm to themselves or others or violate the 
law. The policy is set to go into effect for the next school year, said 
Lateshia Woodley, an assistant superintendent of student support at 
Kansas City Public Schools.

Coupled with the new suspension 
policy is a range of other initiatives, including funds to ensure a 
school counselor is in every school building, and to provide training 
and professional development to staff.

“Without adding additional support 
for students and training for staff,” Woodley said, “just changing the 
policy will not have the desired impact.”

Mackey said in the past, opposition 
to banning suspensions has stemmed from concerns around school safety 
issues, like if a student threatens to bring a weapon to class. He’s 
filed a version of the bill since 2019, but it’s never received a 
committee hearing — one of the first steps to a bill becoming law.

He said the state’s largest districts
 already moving toward limiting suspensions leaves him optimistic it can
 be a successful statewide policy.

“If it’s working for them,” Mackey 
said, “it can work anywhere else. It can work in Hickory County where I 
graduated from — 48 kids in my class.”

Other states have implemented suspension bans of their own, with varying results.

Texas and Connecticut passed bans on out-of-school suspensions through the second grade — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Texas-banned-out-of-school-suspensions-for-most-14398476.php">but still saw thousands of suspensions</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Despite-law-young-students-still-being-suspended-11119702.php">issued to their youngest students</a>.

Meanwhile, six years after the Los 
Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest district in the 
country, banned “willful defiance” suspensions for all students, there 
was a 75% drop across all suspension categories and racial disparities 
narrowed, <a target="_blank" href="https://edsource.org/2019/how-l-a-unifieds-ban-on-willful-defiance-suspensions-turned-out-six-years-later/620949">according to EdSource</a>.

But advocates worry the pandemic may upend school discipline reforms, and they’ve already seen new trends arise.

Both Arthur and Mackey said they’ve 
heard from educators that not only are teachers under immense stress 
dealing with the pandemic, but students are as well — and that’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/threats-fights-on-the-rise-across-st-louis-schools-as-students-face-pandemic-stress/article_b6323bd2-b0f6-5452-969e-561b453599ea.html">manifested in challenging behaviors in the classroom</a>.

Arthur said the bills aren’t an attempt “to handcuff teachers” or take a tool away.

“But it’s to make sure that we are 
now working with best practice,” Arthur said, “which we know means 
keeping kids in school and helping them redirect some of the challenging
 behavior.”

Jan Parks, co-chair of the education 
task force for More2, a collective of faith organizations that advocated
 for KCPS’ new suspension policy, said the need for limiting suspensions
 has only increased with students missing out on time in-school amid the
 pandemic.&nbsp;

Parks said she’s concerned suspensions would only serve to hasten their removal from the classroom when they return.

“He or she’s barely gotten back, and already, they’re suspended again,” Parks said. “And that’s not helping anyone.”

Amanda Schneider, the managing 
attorney for the Education Justice Program, an initiative of the Legal 
Services of Eastern Missouri that provides legal assistance to keep kids
 in school and disrupt the school to prison pipeline, said the return to
 in-person education has not only led to an overuse of suspensions and 
removals, but a rise in students being relegated to virtual learning 
long-term in lieu of receiving suspensions.

Schneider called the phenomenon 
“virtualization,” and said she’s concerned that the students being 
placed on long-term virtual learning are often those who have already 
faced “immense setbacks” from online classes and that they may not be 
receiving adequate due process.

“When a student is virtualized,” 
Schneider said, “it really effectively means that many of the students 
that we work with, are and were completely without an education.”

The bills would also require schools 
to collect and report detailed data related to disciplinary removals, 
such as demographic data, the duration of the suspension and the types 
of alternative measures that were used prior to removing the student.&nbsp;

That data would in turn be part of 
schools’ accountability report cards published by the Department of 
Elementary and Secondary Education, or DESE, starting in the 2023-24 
school year.

Schools already report many of those 
categories, like grade level, gender and race, at both a state and 
federal level. However, national data on school suspensions is often 
several years delayed.

An <a target="_blank" href="https://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/lost-opportunities-how-disparate-school-discipline-continues-to-drive-differences-in-the-opportunity-to-learn/Lost-Opportunities-REPORT-v17.pdf">October 2020 report</a>
 from the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the UCLA Civil Rights 
Project that analyzed federal data for the 2015-16 school year, found 
that Black secondary students in Missouri lost 198 days as a result of 
out-of-school suspensions — 162 more days than their white peers.&nbsp;

Students with disabilities lost 119 days due to out-of-school suspensions, according to the study.

Meanwhile, demographic data on school suspensions, like race, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/k12_education/disparities-in-suspensions-stack-the-odds-against-missouris-black-students/article_8acaadc0-0470-11e9-b0c6-d798ac90697f.html">while collected at a state level</a>, is not made readily available <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.dese.mo.gov/MCDS/Visualizations.aspx?id=22">on DESE’s dashboard</a>.

Mallory McGowin, a spokeswoman for 
DESE, said additional demographic data is not displayed because, “the 
numbers are often so minimal that the data wouldn’t be shown to protect 
student privacy.”

Last year, Mackey and Bailey worked to pass a new law <a target="_blank" href="https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/new-seclusion-and-restraint-laws-going-into-effect-saturday/article_6f10b89c-b1d7-11eb-ad25-db1092703a8e.html">that requires schools to report each time a student is secluded or restrained</a>.
 Mackey said the need for more data on school suspensions was similarly 
borne out of a desire to better understand the scope of their use across
 the state.

Arthur’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/22info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=71259717">version of the bill</a>
 also stipulates that schools enrolling students who are participating 
in a forthcoming scholarship program must also collect and report data 
on suspensions to the Missouri empowerment scholarship accounts board.&nbsp;

Last year, lawmakers passed a tax 
credit program that funds donations for scholarships that can be used 
toward costs like private school tuition. The <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/01/10/lawmakers-eye-expansion-of-missouri-school-choice-program-but-can-it-get-the-votes/">program has not yet launched</a>.

“This is reasonable, good policy for 
all students,” Arthur said of the bill’s requirements. “And so I think 
it should apply to all students, especially in education settings that 
are accepting taxpayer dollars.”

Tessa Weinberg covers education, health care and the Legislature. She previously covered the Missouri statehouse for The Kansas City Star and The Columbia Missourian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643994445130.jpg" alt="In the 2018-19 school year, the most recent not impacted by the pandemic, there were 1,014 in-school suspensions lasting 10 or more days and 10,675 out-of-school suspensions, according to state data. Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>In the 2018-19 school year, the most recent not impacted by the pandemic, there were 1,014 in-school suspensions lasting 10 or more days and 10,675 out-of-school suspensions, according to state data. Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TESSA WEINBERG <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/04/bipartisan-missouri-bills-aim-to-ban-out-of-school-suspensions-through-the-third-grade/">Missouri Independent</a>As a student in Hickory County R-1 
school district, state Rep. Ian Mackey often struggled with following 
the rules of a classroom.“My way to express myself was usually
 really loud and really invasive,” said Mackey, D-St. Louis. “There were
 a lot of teachers who wanted to send me home, and in some cases did.”For Mackey, getting sent home often 
meant packing up and going to another classroom — one of his parents, 
who were both teachers in the same school district.“My parents being teachers in the building probably saved me from a lot of out-of-school suspensions,” he said.Most Missouri students facing suspension — especially Black students who are disproportionately suspended — aren’t so lucky.In the 2018-19 school year, the most 
recent not impacted by the pandemic, there were 1,014 in-school 
suspensions lasting 10 or more days and 10,675 out-of-school 
suspensions, according to state data.While the numbers have declined over the past decade, disparities have persisted. Black students and students with disabilities <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aclu-mo.org/en/press-releases/aclu-missouri-finds-public-schools-continue-unequally-discipline-students">are suspended at disproportionately higher rates than peers</a>.A bipartisan group of lawmakers filed bills this year that aim to make suspensions a last resort. A <a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1899&amp;year=2022&amp;code=R">trio of similar bills</a> filed by Mackey, <a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2533&amp;year=2022&amp;code=R&amp;emci=0e1a1e42-bb7f-ec11-94f6-c896650d4442&amp;emdi=e5d88f01-6280-ec11-94f6-c896650d4442&amp;ceid=21939796">Rep. Dottie Bailey</a>, R-Eureka, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/22info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=71259717">Sen. Lauren Arthur</a>,
 D-Kansas City, would require schools to report and make more accessible
 suspension data and encourage alternatives be considered.They would also prohibit out-of-school suspensions and expulsions from pre-kindergarten through the third grade.“It’s really hard for me to wrap my 
head around the idea that a 6-year-old is doing something so egregious 
that they can no longer learn in a classroom setting. That’s really 
surprising,” Arthur said, later adding: “Our focus right now is making 
sure that we’re setting kids up for success later in life by supporting 
them early on.”<h2>Banning suspensions</h2>In addition to banning suspensions 
through the third grade, the bills also stipulate that truancy or prior 
disciplinary actions cannot be the sole basis for a student’s suspension
 or expulsion.&nbsp;At a hearing to determine a student’s
 removal, the bills would require school boards to consider alternatives
 to suspensions and expulsions, like restorative justice techniques or 
behavioral supports.In recent years, a handful of districts in the St. Louis area <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stlamerican.com/news/local_news/three-county-districts-join-slps-pledge-to-ban-suspensions-in-early-grades/article_bf135e40-b118-11e6-9ca3-cb7986ac8de9.html">limited the use of suspensions</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/education/2017-07-27/missouri-school-districts-eschew-suspensions-turn-to-calming-disciplinary-techniques">for their youngest students</a>, including St. Louis Public Schools.Last year, Kansas City Public Schools also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2021-06-25/kansas-city-public-schools-says-it-is-transforming-the-way-we-do-discipline-with-new-policy">approved a new policy</a>
 that students through the fifth grade will not be suspended unless in 
instances when they cause harm to themselves or others or violate the 
law. The policy is set to go into effect for the next school year, said 
Lateshia Woodley, an assistant superintendent of student support at 
Kansas City Public Schools.Coupled with the new suspension 
policy is a range of other initiatives, including funds to ensure a 
school counselor is in every school building, and to provide training 
and professional development to staff.“Without adding additional support 
for students and training for staff,” Woodley said, “just changing the 
policy will not have the desired impact.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643994540642.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ian Mackey, D-St. Louis, speaks on the House floor on June 30, 2021 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ian Mackey, D-St. Louis, speaks on the House floor on June 30, 2021 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure>Mackey said in the past, opposition 
to banning suspensions has stemmed from concerns around school safety 
issues, like if a student threatens to bring a weapon to class. He’s 
filed a version of the bill since 2019, but it’s never received a 
committee hearing — one of the first steps to a bill becoming law.He said the state’s largest districts
 already moving toward limiting suspensions leaves him optimistic it can
 be a successful statewide policy.“If it’s working for them,” Mackey 
said, “it can work anywhere else. It can work in Hickory County where I 
graduated from — 48 kids in my class.”Other states have implemented suspension bans of their own, with varying results.Texas and Connecticut passed bans on out-of-school suspensions through the second grade — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Texas-banned-out-of-school-suspensions-for-most-14398476.php">but still saw thousands of suspensions</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Despite-law-young-students-still-being-suspended-11119702.php">issued to their youngest students</a>.Meanwhile, six years after the Los 
Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest district in the 
country, banned “willful defiance” suspensions for all students, there 
was a 75% drop across all suspension categories and racial disparities 
narrowed, <a target="_blank" href="https://edsource.org/2019/how-l-a-unifieds-ban-on-willful-defiance-suspensions-turned-out-six-years-later/620949">according to EdSource</a>.But advocates worry the pandemic may upend school discipline reforms, and they’ve already seen new trends arise.Both Arthur and Mackey said they’ve 
heard from educators that not only are teachers under immense stress 
dealing with the pandemic, but students are as well — and that’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/threats-fights-on-the-rise-across-st-louis-schools-as-students-face-pandemic-stress/article_b6323bd2-b0f6-5452-969e-561b453599ea.html">manifested in challenging behaviors in the classroom</a>.Arthur said the bills aren’t an attempt “to handcuff teachers” or take a tool away.“But it’s to make sure that we are 
now working with best practice,” Arthur said, “which we know means 
keeping kids in school and helping them redirect some of the challenging
 behavior.”Jan Parks, co-chair of the education 
task force for More2, a collective of faith organizations that advocated
 for KCPS’ new suspension policy, said the need for limiting suspensions
 has only increased with students missing out on time in-school amid the
 pandemic.&nbsp;Parks said she’s concerned suspensions would only serve to hasten their removal from the classroom when they return.“He or she’s barely gotten back, and already, they’re suspended again,” Parks said. “And that’s not helping anyone.”Amanda Schneider, the managing 
attorney for the Education Justice Program, an initiative of the Legal 
Services of Eastern Missouri that provides legal assistance to keep kids
 in school and disrupt the school to prison pipeline, said the return to
 in-person education has not only led to an overuse of suspensions and 
removals, but a rise in students being relegated to virtual learning 
long-term in lieu of receiving suspensions.Schneider called the phenomenon 
“virtualization,” and said she’s concerned that the students being 
placed on long-term virtual learning are often those who have already 
faced “immense setbacks” from online classes and that they may not be 
receiving adequate due process.“When a student is virtualized,” 
Schneider said, “it really effectively means that many of the students 
that we work with, are and were completely without an education.”<h2>Suspension data</h2>The bills would also require schools 
to collect and report detailed data related to disciplinary removals, 
such as demographic data, the duration of the suspension and the types 
of alternative measures that were used prior to removing the student.&nbsp;That data would in turn be part of 
schools’ accountability report cards published by the Department of 
Elementary and Secondary Education, or DESE, starting in the 2023-24 
school year.Schools already report many of those 
categories, like grade level, gender and race, at both a state and 
federal level. However, national data on school suspensions is often 
several years delayed.An <a target="_blank" href="https://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/school-discipline/lost-opportunities-how-disparate-school-discipline-continues-to-drive-differences-in-the-opportunity-to-learn/Lost-Opportunities-REPORT-v17.pdf">October 2020 report</a>
 from the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the UCLA Civil Rights 
Project that analyzed federal data for the 2015-16 school year, found 
that Black secondary students in Missouri lost 198 days as a result of 
out-of-school suspensions — 162 more days than their white peers.&nbsp;Students with disabilities lost 119 days due to out-of-school suspensions, according to the study.Meanwhile, demographic data on school suspensions, like race, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/k12_education/disparities-in-suspensions-stack-the-odds-against-missouris-black-students/article_8acaadc0-0470-11e9-b0c6-d798ac90697f.html">while collected at a state level</a>, is not made readily available <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.dese.mo.gov/MCDS/Visualizations.aspx?id=22">on DESE’s dashboard</a>.Mallory McGowin, a spokeswoman for 
DESE, said additional demographic data is not displayed because, “the 
numbers are often so minimal that the data wouldn’t be shown to protect 
student privacy.”Last year, Mackey and Bailey worked to pass a new law <a target="_blank" href="https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/new-seclusion-and-restraint-laws-going-into-effect-saturday/article_6f10b89c-b1d7-11eb-ad25-db1092703a8e.html">that requires schools to report each time a student is secluded or restrained</a>.
 Mackey said the need for more data on school suspensions was similarly 
borne out of a desire to better understand the scope of their use across
 the state.Arthur’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/22info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=71259717">version of the bill</a>
 also stipulates that schools enrolling students who are participating 
in a forthcoming scholarship program must also collect and report data 
on suspensions to the Missouri empowerment scholarship accounts board.&nbsp;Last year, lawmakers passed a tax 
credit program that funds donations for scholarships that can be used 
toward costs like private school tuition. The <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/01/10/lawmakers-eye-expansion-of-missouri-school-choice-program-but-can-it-get-the-votes/">program has not yet launched</a>.“This is reasonable, good policy for 
all students,” Arthur said of the bill’s requirements. “And so I think 
it should apply to all students, especially in education settings that 
are accepting taxpayer dollars.”Tessa Weinberg covers education, health care and the Legislature. She previously covered the Missouri statehouse for The Kansas City Star and The Columbia Missourian.

Mo. bills aim to ban out-of-school suspensions through third grade

The huge spike in COVID-19 cases we have seen locally is
easing.

The St. Joseph Health Department reports 297 new cases since last
issuing a report on Monday:&nbsp; 96 on
Tuesday, 105 on Wednesday, and 96 on Thursday. Daily cases have been higher
than 100 for the past few weeks with some daily counts edging toward 300.

The health department received notification of a death due to COVID-19
complications that occurred last month, a woman in her 60’s.

The Buchanan County positivity rate remains at 26.44%.

Buchanan County has recorded 23,695 total COVID cases since
the pandemic began, resulting in 245 deaths.

Andrew County reports 134 active COVID-19 cases with 78 new
cases in the last seven days. Andrew County has recorded 4,701 total cases
since the pandemic began and 46 deaths.

Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 62 COVID-19 patients
in its system; 60 in St. Joseph, one in Maryville, and one in Albany.

The St. Joseph Health Department reported 392 new COVID-19
cases in its official report issued January 31st and 792 new cases
in the report issued January 27th.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThe huge spike in COVID-19 cases we have seen locally is
easing.The St. Joseph Health Department reports 297 new cases since last
issuing a report on Monday:&nbsp; 96 on
Tuesday, 105 on Wednesday, and 96 on Thursday. Daily cases have been higher
than 100 for the past few weeks with some daily counts edging toward 300.The health department received notification of a death due to COVID-19
complications that occurred last month, a woman in her 60’s.The Buchanan County positivity rate remains at 26.44%.Buchanan County has recorded 23,695 total COVID cases since
the pandemic began, resulting in 245 deaths.Andrew County reports 134 active COVID-19 cases with 78 new
cases in the last seven days. Andrew County has recorded 4,701 total cases
since the pandemic began and 46 deaths.Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 62 COVID-19 patients
in its system; 60 in St. Joseph, one in Maryville, and one in Albany.The St. Joseph Health Department reported 392 new COVID-19
cases in its official report issued January 31st and 792 new cases
in the report issued January 27th.

Spike in St. Joseph area COVID cases starting to ease

Lawmakers wondered aloud Thursday how a showdown between two federal agencies over the rollout of new high-speed wireless service reached crisis proportions last month, but they were short on answers to a dispute that raised concerns about interference with key equipment on some planes.

Some flights have been canceled since Verizon and AT&amp;T turned on their new networks last month, but predictions of widespread cancellations turned out to be wrong. The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared 90% of the nation’s airline fleet to land during poor visibility at airports near 5G cell towers.

Those approvals are being made each month, plane by plane, based on the model of radio altimeter that they use to measure their height above the ground. Some “lower-performing” planes are still restricted, and a permanent fix for the entire fleet is likely at least a year away, FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson said during a hearing of the House aviation subcommittee.

The CEOs of American Airlines and United Airlines have said they don’t expect any more disruptions. However, more than half of the planes operated by regional airlines remain restricted during bad weather, said Faye Malarkey Black, president of a trade group for the smaller carriers, some of which operate flights for American Eagle, United Express and Delta Connection.

Black said cancellations are still occurring, and more than one-fourth of flights at the three major airports in the New York City areas are operated by smaller planes that can’t land there during bad weather because of restrictions related to 5G.

Verizon and AT&amp;T agreed to two delays before launching most of their planned new 5G service on Jan. 19 except near airports, where they agreed not to turn on new cell towers for the time being.

Dozens of flights were canceled because of 5G concerns after the services went live, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-travel-lifestyle-business-air-travel-2e94c5d153ad6dd756196e9b1577dcd3">widespread cancellations were avoided</a>.

The current, temporary fix came&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-business-federal-aviation-administration-658c00d4d281bf11772b7ce457c3e244">after the White House stepped&nbsp;</a>in to settle a lack of cooperation between the FAA and the Federal Communications Commission that threatened to create massive disruptions for airlines and passengers.

Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., told Dickson that FAA’s last-minute directives about operating around 5G indicates “that you really didn’t have a plan and didn’t understand the gravity of the situation ahead of time.”

Dickson said FAA couldn’t authorize low-visibility flights near the new signals until it got information from the telecom companies about the location, height and power of their 5G towers.

The FAA chief said regulators and experts from both industries are now working together. Last week, the FAA said that new data from the companies cleared the way for activating more towers close to airports.

House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., blamed the clash on the FCC, which approved plans by Verizon and AT&amp;T to launch faster and more reliable 5G service using the C-Band part of the radio spectrum that is close to the range used by airplane altimeters, which are critical for landing in poor visibility.

DeFazio said he and aviation interests raised concerns about possible interference for several years, but the FCC ignored them and auctioned off 5G spectrum without ensuring there would be no interference with aviation.

“Having a dropped call is way less serious than having a dropped airplane,” he said.

The FCC has said it provided enough buffer between C-Band and radio altimeters to prevent interference.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel was invited to testify but had a conflict, according to an agency spokesman, who declined to describe the conflict. He said that Rosenworcel spoke separately on Wednesday with DeFazio and the chairman of the aviation subcommittee, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash.

The FCC and the telecom companies say that 40 other countries have rolled out C-Band 5G service without any reports of radio interference with planes. Aviation groups say those countries have lower-power 5G signals or impose other restrictions on the service to prevent interference, a claim that is disputed by the telecom industry.

Meredith Baker, president of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, said that an aviation group’s 2020 study that raised serious concern about interference was flawed and distorted by presenting worst-case scenarios.

DeFazio and Larsen countered that aviation safety requires considering even implausible events.

“That’s what we plan for — the worst case,” DeFazio said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643918987411.png" alt="Missouri 6th District Rep. Sam Graves, the Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the U.S. House of Representatives, during his opening statement Thursday-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Missouri 6th District Rep. Sam Graves, the Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the U.S. House of Representatives, during his opening statement Thursday-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID KOENIG, AP Airlines WriterLawmakers wondered aloud Thursday how a showdown between two federal agencies over the rollout of new high-speed wireless service reached crisis proportions last month, but they were short on answers to a dispute that raised concerns about interference with key equipment on some planes.Some flights have been canceled since Verizon and AT&amp;T turned on their new networks last month, but predictions of widespread cancellations turned out to be wrong. The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared 90% of the nation’s airline fleet to land during poor visibility at airports near 5G cell towers.Those approvals are being made each month, plane by plane, based on the model of radio altimeter that they use to measure their height above the ground. Some “lower-performing” planes are still restricted, and a permanent fix for the entire fleet is likely at least a year away, FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson said during a hearing of the House aviation subcommittee.The CEOs of American Airlines and United Airlines have said they don’t expect any more disruptions. However, more than half of the planes operated by regional airlines remain restricted during bad weather, said Faye Malarkey Black, president of a trade group for the smaller carriers, some of which operate flights for American Eagle, United Express and Delta Connection.Black said cancellations are still occurring, and more than one-fourth of flights at the three major airports in the New York City areas are operated by smaller planes that can’t land there during bad weather because of restrictions related to 5G.Verizon and AT&amp;T agreed to two delays before launching most of their planned new 5G service on Jan. 19 except near airports, where they agreed not to turn on new cell towers for the time being.Dozens of flights were canceled because of 5G concerns after the services went live, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-travel-lifestyle-business-air-travel-2e94c5d153ad6dd756196e9b1577dcd3">widespread cancellations were avoided</a>.The current, temporary fix came&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-business-federal-aviation-administration-658c00d4d281bf11772b7ce457c3e244">after the White House stepped&nbsp;</a>in to settle a lack of cooperation between the FAA and the Federal Communications Commission that threatened to create massive disruptions for airlines and passengers.Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., told Dickson that FAA’s last-minute directives about operating around 5G indicates “that you really didn’t have a plan and didn’t understand the gravity of the situation ahead of time.”Dickson said FAA couldn’t authorize low-visibility flights near the new signals until it got information from the telecom companies about the location, height and power of their 5G towers.The FAA chief said regulators and experts from both industries are now working together. Last week, the FAA said that new data from the companies cleared the way for activating more towers close to airports.House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., blamed the clash on the FCC, which approved plans by Verizon and AT&amp;T to launch faster and more reliable 5G service using the C-Band part of the radio spectrum that is close to the range used by airplane altimeters, which are critical for landing in poor visibility.DeFazio said he and aviation interests raised concerns about possible interference for several years, but the FCC ignored them and auctioned off 5G spectrum without ensuring there would be no interference with aviation.“Having a dropped call is way less serious than having a dropped airplane,” he said.The FCC has said it provided enough buffer between C-Band and radio altimeters to prevent interference.FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel was invited to testify but had a conflict, according to an agency spokesman, who declined to describe the conflict. He said that Rosenworcel spoke separately on Wednesday with DeFazio and the chairman of the aviation subcommittee, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash.The FCC and the telecom companies say that 40 other countries have rolled out C-Band 5G service without any reports of radio interference with planes. Aviation groups say those countries have lower-power 5G signals or impose other restrictions on the service to prevent interference, a claim that is disputed by the telecom industry.Meredith Baker, president of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, said that an aviation group’s 2020 study that raised serious concern about interference was flawed and distorted by presenting worst-case scenarios.DeFazio and Larsen countered that aviation safety requires considering even implausible events.“That’s what we plan for — the worst case,” DeFazio said.___

Rep. Graves takes up controversy over 5G service near airports

A state senator who represents the greater St. Joseph area wants
to keep property taxes in check by tying real estate assessments to the rate of
inflation.

Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville says his legislation was
prompted by the experience of Missouri property owners the past couple of tax
cycles.

“We’ve seen, really around the state, some dramatic increases
in people’s real estate property assessments, which controls the tax rate that
you pay,” Luetkemeyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Luetkemeyer proposes capping the amount real estate
assessments can rise at 5% or the consumer price index, whichever is greater.

“Really what we’re talking about is you can’t raise someone’s
taxes by more than the rate of inflation.”

Luetkemeyer says too many Missouri homeowners have seen huge
increases in their real estate assessments. Luetkemeyer says the sharp
increases drive up property taxes and threaten homeowners from being able to keep
their homes.

“Particularly for people who are on fixed incomes, whether
they are elderly folks who are retired, whether it’s somebody who is disabled
and not able to work,” Luetkemeyer says. “People on fixed incomes, when they
see their property taxes skyrocket like that, you’re literally talking about a
situation where the government is forcing somebody out of their home and that
is unacceptable and we should never by okay with that.”

Luetkemeyer proposes keeping the assessments in line with the
rate of inflation, arguing that if the assessment goes up in a hot real estate
market, they will never go down, even if the real estate market turns cold.

“My fear is is that whenever real estate values maybe dip back
down, oftentimes the assessors will not go out and lower people’s tax rates,”
Luetkemeyer says. “Usually, when you see assessments, they’re only going up, you
don’t really ever see them come back down. So, my concern is that in some point
in the future, these assessments are going to be overvalued and people are
going to be over taxed on the property that they have.”

Luetkemeyer says many Missourians from all over the state have
seen huge spikes in the assessment of their homes, which will translate into
higher property taxes.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA state senator who represents the greater St. Joseph area wants
to keep property taxes in check by tying real estate assessments to the rate of
inflation.Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville says his legislation was
prompted by the experience of Missouri property owners the past couple of tax
cycles.“We’ve seen, really around the state, some dramatic increases
in people’s real estate property assessments, which controls the tax rate that
you pay,” Luetkemeyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.Luetkemeyer proposes capping the amount real estate
assessments can rise at 5% or the consumer price index, whichever is greater.“Really what we’re talking about is you can’t raise someone’s
taxes by more than the rate of inflation.”Luetkemeyer says too many Missouri homeowners have seen huge
increases in their real estate assessments. Luetkemeyer says the sharp
increases drive up property taxes and threaten homeowners from being able to keep
their homes.“Particularly for people who are on fixed incomes, whether
they are elderly folks who are retired, whether it’s somebody who is disabled
and not able to work,” Luetkemeyer says. “People on fixed incomes, when they
see their property taxes skyrocket like that, you’re literally talking about a
situation where the government is forcing somebody out of their home and that
is unacceptable and we should never by okay with that.”Luetkemeyer proposes keeping the assessments in line with the
rate of inflation, arguing that if the assessment goes up in a hot real estate
market, they will never go down, even if the real estate market turns cold.“My fear is is that whenever real estate values maybe dip back
down, oftentimes the assessors will not go out and lower people’s tax rates,”
Luetkemeyer says. “Usually, when you see assessments, they’re only going up, you
don’t really ever see them come back down. So, my concern is that in some point
in the future, these assessments are going to be overvalued and people are
going to be over taxed on the property that they have.”Luetkemeyer says many Missourians from all over the state have
seen huge spikes in the assessment of their homes, which will translate into
higher property taxes.

State senator wants to cap property tax assessments

Mosaic health officials hope a community survey will help them assess some of the biggest health needs in the community.

Coordinator of Community Health Marcy George says while the survey is put out every three years as a IRS requirement, there is one more big reason the survey is useful.

"We also do it because it's a really good way of making sure that we are aligning with the community, that we are directing our time and our resources towards the issues, the health issues, that our community thinks are important," George tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

The survey can be found online (we have a link below) and will wrap up next week.&nbsp;

George says once all the results are compiled, they will be sent off to an unbiased third party.

"Because that's best practice with the CHNA," George says. "So that we just don't select the health needs that we think are important, it's all done without any bias by a third party." 

The third party will also reach out to key stakeholders, which are people that work with community health, such as Catholic Charities and Pivotal Point Transitional Housing.

George says once Mosaic gets that analysis back, it's pretty easy to assess the biggest needs

"You can tell by the survey results what most people think that those are, there always seem to be three that rise to the top from this assessment," George says. "For example, mental health is always in our top three, so I would be very surprised if mental health was not one of the top three once we get all the data back."

The survey is conducted every three years, a requirement of the Affordable Care Act.  Results from the last survey showed some of the biggest needs were mental health, substance abuse, and access to care particularly for those in poverty

If you are interested in taking the survey you can click <a href="https://mosaic2022chnasurvey.questionpro.com/">HERE</a>&nbsp;and you can find out more information about the Community Health Needs Assessment <a href="https://www.mymlc.com/General/Community-Health-Needs-Assessment/">HERE</a>.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostMosaic health officials hope a community survey will help them assess some of the biggest health needs in the community.Coordinator of Community Health Marcy George says while the survey is put out every three years as a IRS requirement, there is one more big reason the survey is useful."We also do it because it's a really good way of making sure that we are aligning with the community, that we are directing our time and our resources towards the issues, the health issues, that our community thinks are important," George tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.The survey can be found online (we have a link below) and will wrap up next week.&nbsp;George says once all the results are compiled, they will be sent off to an unbiased third party."Because that's best practice with the CHNA," George says. "So that we just don't select the health needs that we think are important, it's all done without any bias by a third party." The third party will also reach out to key stakeholders, which are people that work with community health, such as Catholic Charities and Pivotal Point Transitional Housing.George says once Mosaic gets that analysis back, it's pretty easy to assess the biggest needs"You can tell by the survey results what most people think that those are, there always seem to be three that rise to the top from this assessment," George says. "For example, mental health is always in our top three, so I would be very surprised if mental health was not one of the top three once we get all the data back."The survey is conducted every three years, a requirement of the Affordable Care Act. Results from the last survey showed some of the biggest needs were mental health, substance abuse, and access to care particularly for those in povertyIf you are interested in taking the survey you can click <a href="https://mosaic2022chnasurvey.questionpro.com/">HERE</a>&nbsp;and you can find out more information about the Community Health Needs Assessment <a href="https://www.mymlc.com/General/Community-Health-Needs-Assessment/">HERE</a>.

Finding area health care needs the aim of community survey

Three northeast Kansas projects will benefit from USDA grants,
part of the federal Agriculture Department’s $2.77 million economic development
boost to 12 Kansas communities.

“The USDA is committed to helping rural,
agricultural businesses expand and diversify their products,” USDA Acting State Director for Rural
Development Kansas Dan Fischer said in a written statement. “Today’s
investments will help companies hire more workers and reach new customers. It
will help entrepreneurs and farmers create jobs, grow businesses and find new
and better markets for the items they produce.”

The USDA has provided a $210,000 grant to help pay for the expansion of
Central Grazing Company’s package lamb meat product line. The Lawrence company
can use the money to process supplies and expand storage.

Another USDA grant, totaling $250,000, will be use to expand Z&amp;M
Twisted Vines Wines and Winery’s hard cider product. The Leavenworth company
can use the federal funds hire staff, in its marketing efforts, and for
supplies.

Another $250,000 USDA grant has been given to Diamond C Food Service of
Atchison to expand its beef and pork processing facility, also to diversify
into new markets.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThree northeast Kansas projects will benefit from USDA grants,
part of the federal Agriculture Department’s $2.77 million economic development
boost to 12 Kansas communities.“The USDA is committed to helping rural,
agricultural businesses expand and diversify their products,” USDA Acting State Director for Rural
Development Kansas Dan Fischer said in a written statement. “Today’s
investments will help companies hire more workers and reach new customers. It
will help entrepreneurs and farmers create jobs, grow businesses and find new
and better markets for the items they produce.”The USDA has provided a $210,000 grant to help pay for the expansion of
Central Grazing Company’s package lamb meat product line. The Lawrence company
can use the money to process supplies and expand storage.Another USDA grant, totaling $250,000, will be use to expand Z&amp;M
Twisted Vines Wines and Winery’s hard cider product. The Leavenworth company
can use the federal funds hire staff, in its marketing efforts, and for
supplies.Another $250,000 USDA grant has been given to Diamond C Food Service of
Atchison to expand its beef and pork processing facility, also to diversify
into new markets.

Local