Western District Commissioner Ron Hook has increased his lead over Republican challenger Everett Goddard Junior after provisional and military ballots were counted by the Buchanan County Clerk's Office this afternoon 

On election night Hook led 7,851 to Goddard's 7,831. 

County Clerk Mary Baack Garvey announced the new numbers this afternoon 

"Ron Hook, 7,862, (Everett) Goddard, 7,839," Baack Garvey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

Baack Garvey says there will be a recount, though at this time they are unsure when that will happen 

"There might be a statewide recount on an amendment, so I would like to kill two birds with one stone, I'm just kind of waiting to see when the state might have that happen," Baack Garvey explains. "And I let Kristy Green, part of the Republican committee know that, so I'll be in touch with her next week." 

A recount is automatic when the margin is within 1%. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731098505008.jpeg" alt="Ron Hook (left) and Republican Challenger Everett Goddard Junior (right) during a panel hosted by Brent Martin (middle) at a breakfast hosted by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce/ photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Ron Hook (left) and Republican Challenger Everett Goddard Junior (right) during a panel hosted by Brent Martin (middle) at a breakfast hosted by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce/ photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostWestern District Commissioner Ron Hook has increased his lead over Republican challenger Everett Goddard Junior after provisional and military ballots were counted by the Buchanan County Clerk's Office this afternoon On election night Hook led 7,851 to Goddard's 7,831. County Clerk Mary Baack Garvey announced the new numbers this afternoon "Ron Hook, 7,862, (Everett) Goddard, 7,839," Baack Garvey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. Baack Garvey says there will be a recount, though at this time they are unsure when that will happen "There might be a statewide recount on an amendment, so I would like to kill two birds with one stone, I'm just kind of waiting to see when the state might have that happen," Baack Garvey explains. "And I let Kristy Green, part of the Republican committee know that, so I'll be in touch with her next week." A recount is automatic when the margin is within 1%. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Recount adds three votes to Buchanan Co Commissioner Hook's lead

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves confirms he has had
talks with the Trump transition team about the possibility of serving as
Transportation Secretary in the second Trump administration.

Graves, a Republican, is chair of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee.

An article by Politico names Graves as a possible
Transportation Secretary. Graves says he is talking with Trump’s people.

“I have been talking to Trump’s transition team and they have
informed me that they’ve got me on a short list for that,” Graves tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in a phone interview. “I’m obviously taking a very hard
look at it and (we’ll) see what happens. But it is certainly something that is
very intriguing to me.”

Republican Caucus rules would prohibit Graves from continuing
to serve as House Transportation Committee chair in the next term of Congress
unless he is granted a waiver. And that is contingent of course on Republicans
holding on to the majority in the United States House.

Graves says the next Transportation Secretary needs to
concentrate on physical infrastructure.

“That is roads and bridges and airports and pipelines and
ports and not do all of these things that are about a green agenda or about
woke policies or quota policies, whatever the case may be,” Graves says. “We
need to concentrate on traditional infrastructure and that’s what’s going to be
the challenge is unwinding so many of those things that happened in the
Biden-Harris administration.”

Grave has been critical of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure
bill signed into law by President Biden in late 2021, saying it became partisan
as it grew too large, authorizing spending outside what is considered
traditional infrastructure projects.

Graves says he is open to becoming part of a second Trump
administration, but emphasizes all discussions are in the early stages.

“It’s just preliminary at this point,” according to Graves. “They’re
just feeling me out on policy and what I would do and the things I would like
to see changed. It’s just preliminary at this point to be quite honest with
you.”

Graves won his 13th term in Congress on Tuesday. He
is the dean of the Missouri Congressional delegation.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731095158301.jpeg" alt="Congressman Sam Graves/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Congressman Sam Graves/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves confirms he has had
talks with the Trump transition team about the possibility of serving as
Transportation Secretary in the second Trump administration.Graves, a Republican, is chair of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee.An article by Politico names Graves as a possible
Transportation Secretary. Graves says he is talking with Trump’s people.“I have been talking to Trump’s transition team and they have
informed me that they’ve got me on a short list for that,” Graves tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in a phone interview. “I’m obviously taking a very hard
look at it and (we’ll) see what happens. But it is certainly something that is
very intriguing to me.”Republican Caucus rules would prohibit Graves from continuing
to serve as House Transportation Committee chair in the next term of Congress
unless he is granted a waiver. And that is contingent of course on Republicans
holding on to the majority in the United States House.Graves says the next Transportation Secretary needs to
concentrate on physical infrastructure.“That is roads and bridges and airports and pipelines and
ports and not do all of these things that are about a green agenda or about
woke policies or quota policies, whatever the case may be,” Graves says. “We
need to concentrate on traditional infrastructure and that’s what’s going to be
the challenge is unwinding so many of those things that happened in the
Biden-Harris administration.”Grave has been critical of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure
bill signed into law by President Biden in late 2021, saying it became partisan
as it grew too large, authorizing spending outside what is considered
traditional infrastructure projects.Graves says he is open to becoming part of a second Trump
administration, but emphasizes all discussions are in the early stages.“It’s just preliminary at this point,” according to Graves. “They’re
just feeling me out on policy and what I would do and the things I would like
to see changed. It’s just preliminary at this point to be quite honest with
you.”Graves won his 13th term in Congress on Tuesday. He
is the dean of the Missouri Congressional delegation.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Trump team talking with Congressman Graves about Transportation Sec. post

A bit more than 68% of the registered voters in Buchanan
County cast ballots during this General Election, spurred by an upsurge in
early voting.

Missouri allowed no-excuse absentee voting two weeks prior to
Election Day.

Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey says her office saw an
incredible spike in voters coming to the courthouse early to cast their ballot.

“I was an amazing turnout,” Baack-Garvey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph
Post. “We had 64-hundred people walk in this building to vote.”

Garvey says that in the past, Buchanan County would see 1,000
to 1,500 voters cast absentee ballots. Missouri state law has required absentee
voters provide a reason for voting early in the past. This year, state law
loosened absentee voting, allowing absentee ballots to be cast in the last two
weeks without requiring voters to provide a reason.

Baack-Garvey says early voting this year cannot really compare
to past election years.

“People that need an excuse, we might see an uptick in
November,” Baack-Garvey says. “But, with this no-excuse absentee voting, it’s really
not comparable. It’s amazing. I really enjoyed having it going on. I think the
employees of the courthouse were kind of impressed, to see all these people coming
in to vote.”

Baack-Garvey says despite the strong turnout, the county
didn’t experience problems or even long lines as the polls.

“I thought it was great,” Baack-Gavey says. “The day went
smooth. We had tons of phone calls; no real hiccups at all. So, I’m pleased
with the turnout, definitely.”

Buchanan County has 53,099 registered voters; 36,171 voted in the
General Election. That’s a turnout of 68.1%.

The Missouri Secretary of State reports 4.4 million votes were
cast in the General Election, a turnout of 67%.

The Kansas Secretary of State reports a preliminary voter
total of 1.3 million votes cast, which would be a 64% voter turnout.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA bit more than 68% of the registered voters in Buchanan
County cast ballots during this General Election, spurred by an upsurge in
early voting.Missouri allowed no-excuse absentee voting two weeks prior to
Election Day.Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey says her office saw an
incredible spike in voters coming to the courthouse early to cast their ballot.“I was an amazing turnout,” Baack-Garvey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph
Post. “We had 64-hundred people walk in this building to vote.”Garvey says that in the past, Buchanan County would see 1,000
to 1,500 voters cast absentee ballots. Missouri state law has required absentee
voters provide a reason for voting early in the past. This year, state law
loosened absentee voting, allowing absentee ballots to be cast in the last two
weeks without requiring voters to provide a reason.Baack-Garvey says early voting this year cannot really compare
to past election years.“People that need an excuse, we might see an uptick in
November,” Baack-Garvey says. “But, with this no-excuse absentee voting, it’s really
not comparable. It’s amazing. I really enjoyed having it going on. I think the
employees of the courthouse were kind of impressed, to see all these people coming
in to vote.”Baack-Garvey says despite the strong turnout, the county
didn’t experience problems or even long lines as the polls.“I thought it was great,” Baack-Gavey says. “The day went
smooth. We had tons of phone calls; no real hiccups at all. So, I’m pleased
with the turnout, definitely.”Buchanan County has 53,099 registered voters; 36,171 voted in the
General Election. That’s a turnout of 68.1%.The Missouri Secretary of State reports 4.4 million votes were
cast in the General Election, a turnout of 67%.The Kansas Secretary of State reports a preliminary voter
total of 1.3 million votes cast, which would be a 64% voter turnout.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Loosened absentee voting rules spur 68% turnout in Buchanan County

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with entrepreneur Kris Munsch.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_j7J8c_66g?si=kAHfEv8jxgGZL6_b" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with entrepreneur Kris Munsch.

🎤Forward Ever: Entrepreneur Kris Munsch

Playoffs continue to roll on with the second round of districts in Missouri and Kansas this evening! Below is a list of all of the games being played in the KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area!

Tune into KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com) for Friday Night Lights with Matt Pike every Friday night from 10- midnight. for scores and interviews with area coaches!

Putnam County vs Scotland County- Fri @7pm

St. Joseph Christian vs Plattsburg- Fri @7pm

Riverside @ Pittsburg St. Mary's Colgan- Fri @6pm

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostPlayoffs continue to roll on with the second round of districts in Missouri and Kansas this evening! Below is a list of all of the games being played in the KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area!Tune into KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com) for Friday Night Lights with Matt Pike every Friday night from 10- midnight. for scores and interviews with area coaches!Missouri 11-Man FootballClass 1 District 4Hamilton vs Maysville- Fri @7pmWest Platte vs Polo- Fri @7pmMilan vs North Platte- Fri @7pmPutnam County vs Scotland County- Fri @7pmClass 2 District 8Brookfield vs Lawson- Fri @7pmMid-Buchanan vs East Buchanan- Fri @7pmClass 3 District 8Richmond vs Cameron- Fri @7pmMaryville vs Chillicothe- Fri @7pmClass 4 District 8Savannah @ Smithville- Fri @7pmKearney vs Van Horn- Fri @7pmClass 5 District 8Central @ Platte County- Fri @7pmSt. Pius vs Fort Osage- Fri @7pmMissouri 8-Man FootballDistrict 5Bishop LeBlond vs Dekalb- Fri @7pmSt. Joseph Christian vs Plattsburg- Fri @7pmDistrict 6Rock Port vs East Atchison- Fri @7pmNodaway Holt vs North Andrew- Fri @7pmDistrict 7Albany vs King City- Fri @7pmPlatte Valley vs Worth County- Fri @7pmKansas 11-Man FootballClass 1ATroy @Jackson Heights- Fri @7pmRiverside @ Pittsburg St. Mary's Colgan- Fri @6pmRossville vs McClouth- Fri @7pm-Will play winner of Troy matchupCentralia vs Olpe- Fri @7pm-Will play winner of Riverside matchupClass 4AAtchison vs Lansing- Fri @7pmFort Scott vs Tonganoxie- Fri @7pm-Will pay winner of Atchison matchupYou can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post Area High School district football schedule Nov. 8th

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement and USD 430 officials were busy investigating a reported school threat on Thursday.

Just before 8a.m., Brown County sheriff's office dispatchers were alerted to a possible person with a gun at the Everest Middle School, 221 South 7th Street in Everest, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Horton Police, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Brown County Sheriff's Office and Kickapoo police immediately responded. 

After an initial investigation was conducted, it was determined that a credible threat was never present and was a simple miscommunication.

School personnel, students and staff acted very quickly and appropriately per protocol to make sure all were safe and secure.

Merchant wrote, "We would like to remind parents and caregivers of students that USD #430and law enforcement consider the safety of your loved ones a top priority and appreciate your continued support and concerns."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731020120113.png" alt="Everest Middle School-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Everest Middle School-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement and USD 430 officials were busy investigating a reported school threat on Thursday.Just before 8a.m., Brown County sheriff's office dispatchers were alerted to a possible person with a gun at the Everest Middle School, 221 South 7th Street in Everest, according to Sheriff John Merchant.Horton Police, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Brown County Sheriff's Office and Kickapoo police immediately responded. After an initial investigation was conducted, it was determined that a credible threat was never present and was a simple miscommunication.School personnel, students and staff acted very quickly and appropriately per protocol to make sure all were safe and secure.Merchant wrote, "We would like to remind parents and caregivers of students that USD #430and law enforcement consider the safety of your loved ones a top priority and appreciate your continued support and concerns."

Sheriff's deputies investigate reported gun at Kan. middle school

BROWN COUNTY, Kan. —One person was injured in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Thursday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Codie A. Horton, 36, Excelsior Springs, Missouri, was eastbound on U.S. 36 one mile west of Hiawatha.

The van traveled left of center and sideswiped a westbound 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by&nbsp; Moser, Cameron P. Moser, Blaine, Kansas. After impact the van traveled into the north ditch.

EMS transported Horton to KU Medical Center. Moser was not injured. Horton was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY, Kan. —One person was injured in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Thursday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by Codie A. Horton, 36, Excelsior Springs, Missouri, was eastbound on U.S. 36 one mile west of Hiawatha.The van traveled left of center and sideswiped a westbound 2006 Peterbilt semi driven by&nbsp; Moser, Cameron P. Moser, Blaine, Kansas. After impact the van traveled into the north ditch.EMS transported Horton to KU Medical Center. Moser was not injured. Horton was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Missouri woman injured after van sideswipes a semi

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials have announced water
flows from Gavins Point Dam into the lower Missouri River will be reduced later
this month.

The Corps of Engineers is preparing flows from Gavins Point
into the Missouri for the winter months. Currently the Corps is releasing 32,000
cubic feet of water per second. On the 22nd, the Corps plans to
gradually reduce water flows by 3,000 cfs until reaching 15,000 cfs. Eventually
water releases will be reduced to 12,000, which is the winter rate.

The plan is to keep water flows from Gavins Point at
approximately 500 cubic feet per second less than full service through the end
of the navigation season, then settle to a level high enough to support utility
service and drinking water needs downstream on the Missouri River and prevent
ice dams on the river.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostU.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials have announced water
flows from Gavins Point Dam into the lower Missouri River will be reduced later
this month.The Corps of Engineers is preparing flows from Gavins Point
into the Missouri for the winter months. Currently the Corps is releasing 32,000
cubic feet of water per second. On the 22nd, the Corps plans to
gradually reduce water flows by 3,000 cfs until reaching 15,000 cfs. Eventually
water releases will be reduced to 12,000, which is the winter rate.The plan is to keep water flows from Gavins Point at
approximately 500 cubic feet per second less than full service through the end
of the navigation season, then settle to a level high enough to support utility
service and drinking water needs downstream on the Missouri River and prevent
ice dams on the river.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Army Corps of Engineers prepares to reduce flows from Gavins Point Dam

From winning a close race to losing narrowly, and then to
uncertainty.

Republican Buchanan County Western District Commissioner
candidate Everett Goddard, Jr. experienced a roller coaster of emotions on
election night.

“Yeah, it was quite the roller coaster ride,” Goddard tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I was watching the Buchanan County thing, you know, and
watching everything come through:&nbsp; said
100%, 100%. Then, news stations just started calling me telling me that I won.
Yeah, it was a roller coaster ride. Then, come to find out that I didn’t; yeah,
it was a lot.”

At first, it appeared Goddard had won the race by 104 votes.
After all the absentee votes were counted, Goddard had lost by 20 to incumbent
Democrat Ron Hook.

Unofficial totals from the Buchanan County Clerk’s office have
Hook up 7,851 to 7,831. Provisional ballots have not yet been processed.
Overseas military ballots must be received by noon Friday.

If, after all the ballots have been counted and the margin
remains within 1%, an automatic recount will take place.

“Obviously, yeah, I’d like to see a recount just from the
mixed emotions between I won by 104 then I lost by 20,” Goddard says. “Obviously,
yeah, I’d like to just see a recount. If I lost, I lost. That’s just a part of
it. Someone’s got to lose and someone’s got to win.”

Goddard says he will stick to his day-to-day life while
waiting to see what the final result is.

“You know, I run a bait shop in the south end. I’m a
sub-contractor for the Navy,” Goddard says. “So, I just go on, just keep
working, and see what happens.”

If after all the ballots are counted, and possibly recounted,
and he still finds himself short, Goddard doesn’t plan to give up.

“Well, if I lose for sure, I’ll see you in four years.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730993451226.jpeg" alt="Republican Everett Goddard, Jr. (right) participated in the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce candidate forum with Western District Commissioner Ron Hook/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican Everett Goddard, Jr. (right) participated in the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce candidate forum with Western District Commissioner Ron Hook/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostFrom winning a close race to losing narrowly, and then to
uncertainty.Republican Buchanan County Western District Commissioner
candidate Everett Goddard, Jr. experienced a roller coaster of emotions on
election night.“Yeah, it was quite the roller coaster ride,” Goddard tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I was watching the Buchanan County thing, you know, and
watching everything come through:&nbsp; said
100%, 100%. Then, news stations just started calling me telling me that I won.
Yeah, it was a roller coaster ride. Then, come to find out that I didn’t; yeah,
it was a lot.”At first, it appeared Goddard had won the race by 104 votes.
After all the absentee votes were counted, Goddard had lost by 20 to incumbent
Democrat Ron Hook.Unofficial totals from the Buchanan County Clerk’s office have
Hook up 7,851 to 7,831. Provisional ballots have not yet been processed.
Overseas military ballots must be received by noon Friday.If, after all the ballots have been counted and the margin
remains within 1%, an automatic recount will take place.“Obviously, yeah, I’d like to see a recount just from the
mixed emotions between I won by 104 then I lost by 20,” Goddard says. “Obviously,
yeah, I’d like to just see a recount. If I lost, I lost. That’s just a part of
it. Someone’s got to lose and someone’s got to win.”Goddard says he will stick to his day-to-day life while
waiting to see what the final result is.“You know, I run a bait shop in the south end. I’m a
sub-contractor for the Navy,” Goddard says. “So, I just go on, just keep
working, and see what happens.”If after all the ballots are counted, and possibly recounted,
and he still finds himself short, Goddard doesn’t plan to give up.“Well, if I lose for sure, I’ll see you in four years.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

After roller coaster ride on election night, Goddard awaits final results, possible recount

Progressive initiative petition campaigns keep finding success in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for statewide office since 2018

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missourians voted Tuesday night to protect abortion rights, raise the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave for workers.

They also voted by wide margins to send Republicans to Jefferson City who vehemently oppose those proposals and may try to roll them back.&nbsp;

It’s become a familiar pattern in Missouri — progressive ballot measures like Medicaid expansion and marijuana legalization finding success in a state where Republicans have dominated for more than a decade.

Exactly why this seems to play out cycle after cycle is a matter of debate.&nbsp;

Eljah Haahr, a former GOP speaker of the Missouri House, believes Tuesday’s split decision, in line with years of similar outcomes, can best be explained by money.

“Missouri is a conservative state,” Haahr said. “But if you have the money, you can build a winning campaign.”

The coalition that successfully campaigned for the abortion-rights amendment raised more than $31 million, while abortion opponents raised just a fraction of that amount.&nbsp;

Proposition A, which will gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave for hundreds of thousands of workers, was supported by a campaign that raised $6 million and faced little organized opposition.&nbsp;

Six years ago, opposition to a ballot measure expanding Medicaid never managed to get off the ground while the campaign in support raised $10 million.&nbsp;

In each case,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article244192572.html" target="_blank">out-of-state progressive groups that aren’t required to disclose their donors</a>&nbsp;cut massive checks to support the ballot measures.&nbsp;

“They had the resources to present their side,” said James Harris, a longtime GOP consultant. “Opponents lacked the money to educate voters in any meaningful way.”

Chalking up the success of initiative petitions to money oversimplifies the situation, said Stephen Webber, a former chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party who won a seat in the state Senate on Tuesday.&nbsp;

“The money might impact the margins,” Webber said, “but it doesn’t explain a voter casting a ballot for Amendment 3 and then voting for Mike Kehoe (for governor). If the money would make a difference to the outcome, the money would have been there.”&nbsp;

Voters are complex, Webber said, and pick candidates based on a combination of issues. And thanks to the initiative petition process, he said, Republican lawmakers are shielded from consequences when they stonewall voter priorities.&nbsp;

“Voters don’t seem to punish them for it,” he said, “they just seem to fix it through the ballot initiative process.”

Beyond money, Haahr said, is that the Democratic brand is tarnished in Missouri.&nbsp;

“Missouri Democrats’ brand is inextricably tied to the national Democrats,” he said “When they won in Missouri, the national Democratic brand was not considered as far left.”

Democratic candidates in Missouri are indeed getting “caught up in national noise,” said Claire Cook-Callen, director of campaigns with the liberal advocacy group Progress MO.&nbsp;

Conversely, ballot initiative campaigns “are conversations between Missourians,” Cook-Callen said. “It’s an ability to cut across a party line and talk to somebody about something that directly impacts them in their life.”

Peverill Squire, a professor of political science at the University of Missouri-Columbia, said the recent success of liberal ballot measures shows that Missourians are comfortable with the Democrats’ positions on many issues.&nbsp;

But rural Missourians, Squire said, have become “uncomfortable with Democratic candidates for the General Assembly who they often see as talking down to them and unable to relate to their problems.”

“Being popular in St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia isn’t sufficient,” he said.&nbsp;

Many Democratic candidates this year had hoped the abortion-rights amendment would have coattails that would help them claw back into relevancy in the legislature.&nbsp;

Webber said that sort of short-term thinking isn’t going to rebuild the party.&nbsp;

“The path back for Missouri Democrats is going to be a long road,” Webber said. “If anybody thinks there’s a shortcut, it’s an ambush. If anybody thinks that there’s a shiny object, it’s a trap. There’s no one race we can win. There’s no one thing we can do. We are going to have to slowly chip away over the next decade.”&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Republicans are faced with a quandary of their own.&nbsp;

After years of watching voters go around the GOP-dominated legislature through the initiative petition process, the party has become determined to make it harder to amend the state constitution. Year after year, however, Democratic resistance short circuits that push.&nbsp;

Yet now abortion has been enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, and a litany of Republican officials are calling for lawmakers to put another constitutional amendment on the ballot rolling back those rights.&nbsp;

“For years,” Harris said, “we’ve been discussing making it more difficult to put something in the state constitution. That’s something that Republicans need to have a discussion about in the coming months.”

<h2>Progressive initiative petition campaigns keep finding success in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for statewide office since 2018</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>Missourians voted Tuesday night to protect abortion rights, raise the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave for workers.They also voted by wide margins to send Republicans to Jefferson City who vehemently oppose those proposals and may try to roll them back.&nbsp;It’s become a familiar pattern in Missouri — progressive ballot measures like Medicaid expansion and marijuana legalization finding success in a state where Republicans have dominated for more than a decade.Exactly why this seems to play out cycle after cycle is a matter of debate.&nbsp;Eljah Haahr, a former GOP speaker of the Missouri House, believes Tuesday’s split decision, in line with years of similar outcomes, can best be explained by money.“Missouri is a conservative state,” Haahr said. “But if you have the money, you can build a winning campaign.”The coalition that successfully campaigned for the abortion-rights amendment raised more than $31 million, while abortion opponents raised just a fraction of that amount.&nbsp;Proposition A, which will gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave for hundreds of thousands of workers, was supported by a campaign that raised $6 million and faced little organized opposition.&nbsp;Six years ago, opposition to a ballot measure expanding Medicaid never managed to get off the ground while the campaign in support raised $10 million.&nbsp;In each case,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article244192572.html" target="_blank">out-of-state progressive groups that aren’t required to disclose their donors</a>&nbsp;cut massive checks to support the ballot measures.&nbsp;“They had the resources to present their side,” said James Harris, a longtime GOP consultant. “Opponents lacked the money to educate voters in any meaningful way.”Chalking up the success of initiative petitions to money oversimplifies the situation, said Stephen Webber, a former chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party who won a seat in the state Senate on Tuesday.&nbsp;“The money might impact the margins,” Webber said, “but it doesn’t explain a voter casting a ballot for Amendment 3 and then voting for Mike Kehoe (for governor). If the money would make a difference to the outcome, the money would have been there.”&nbsp;Voters are complex, Webber said, and pick candidates based on a combination of issues. And thanks to the initiative petition process, he said, Republican lawmakers are shielded from consequences when they stonewall voter priorities.&nbsp;“Voters don’t seem to punish them for it,” he said, “they just seem to fix it through the ballot initiative process.”Beyond money, Haahr said, is that the Democratic brand is tarnished in Missouri.&nbsp;“Missouri Democrats’ brand is inextricably tied to the national Democrats,” he said “When they won in Missouri, the national Democratic brand was not considered as far left.”Democratic candidates in Missouri are indeed getting “caught up in national noise,” said Claire Cook-Callen, director of campaigns with the liberal advocacy group Progress MO.&nbsp;Conversely, ballot initiative campaigns “are conversations between Missourians,” Cook-Callen said. “It’s an ability to cut across a party line and talk to somebody about something that directly impacts them in their life.”Peverill Squire, a professor of political science at the University of Missouri-Columbia, said the recent success of liberal ballot measures shows that Missourians are comfortable with the Democrats’ positions on many issues.&nbsp;But rural Missourians, Squire said, have become “uncomfortable with Democratic candidates for the General Assembly who they often see as talking down to them and unable to relate to their problems.”“Being popular in St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia isn’t sufficient,” he said.&nbsp;Many Democratic candidates this year had hoped the abortion-rights amendment would have coattails that would help them claw back into relevancy in the legislature.&nbsp;Webber said that sort of short-term thinking isn’t going to rebuild the party.&nbsp;“The path back for Missouri Democrats is going to be a long road,” Webber said. “If anybody thinks there’s a shortcut, it’s an ambush. If anybody thinks that there’s a shiny object, it’s a trap. There’s no one race we can win. There’s no one thing we can do. We are going to have to slowly chip away over the next decade.”&nbsp;Meanwhile, Republicans are faced with a quandary of their own.&nbsp;After years of watching voters go around the GOP-dominated legislature through the initiative petition process, the party has become determined to make it harder to amend the state constitution. Year after year, however, Democratic resistance short circuits that push.&nbsp;Yet now abortion has been enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, and a litany of Republican officials are calling for lawmakers to put another constitutional amendment on the ballot rolling back those rights.&nbsp;“For years,” Harris said, “we’ve been discussing making it more difficult to put something in the state constitution. That’s something that Republicans need to have a discussion about in the coming months.”

Missouri voted for abortion-rights amendment and Republicans who vow to overturn it

GRUNDY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Wednesday in Grundy County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Peterbilt dump truck driven by a 32-year-old Edgerton, Missouri, man was westbound on MO 6 at Route Z three miles east of Trenton.

The truck rear-ended a 2019 Honda Civic driven by a 19-year-old woman from Meadville, who was stopped waiting to turn left onto Route Z.

Grundy County EMS transported the teen to Wright Memorial Hospital. Life Flight Eagle then transported her to Truman Medical Center. The truck driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

GRUNDY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Wednesday in Grundy County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Peterbilt dump truck driven by a 32-year-old Edgerton, Missouri, man was westbound on MO 6 at Route Z three miles east of Trenton.The truck rear-ended a 2019 Honda Civic driven by a 19-year-old woman from Meadville, who was stopped waiting to turn left onto Route Z.Grundy County EMS transported the teen to Wright Memorial Hospital. Life Flight Eagle then transported her to Truman Medical Center. The truck driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Mo. woman airlifted to hospital after dump truck rear-ends car

Not all the votes have been counted in that extremely close
race for Buchanan County Western District Commissioner.

“This is the closest race that I’ve ever seen in the 24 years
I’ve been in this office,” Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

The unofficial vote total released by Baack-Garvey’s office
late Tuesday night had incumbent Democrat Ron Hook up by only 20 votes over Republican
challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. Hook garnered 7,851 votes to Goddard’s 7,831
votes; a split of 49.96% to 49.83%.

That margin falls well within the requirements for an
automatic recount.

“There is a possibility of a recount,” Baack-Garvey says. “We
still have provisional ballots to process from yesterday (Tuesday) and we are
also waiting on military ballots to come in and those are allowed to arrive by
noon on Friday.”

Those will need to be added and the outcome could change. The
margin likely will not.

“If it’s less than one percent, it’s an automatic recount,”
Baack-Garvey says. “If it’s not, then yes, the opponent would have to pay for
the cost of having the recount done.”

If the margin widens to more than 1%, the trailing candidate would have to request a recount and finance it.

If there is a recount, a formal process will be followed.

“Well, we would have to get a few groups of bipartisan teams,”
according to Baack-Garvey. “We would have to get the machines out and those
teams would have to run every ballot that was voted in the Western District
through the machines again.”

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNot all the votes have been counted in that extremely close
race for Buchanan County Western District Commissioner.“This is the closest race that I’ve ever seen in the 24 years
I’ve been in this office,” Buchanan County Clerk Mary Baack-Garvey tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.The unofficial vote total released by Baack-Garvey’s office
late Tuesday night had incumbent Democrat Ron Hook up by only 20 votes over Republican
challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. Hook garnered 7,851 votes to Goddard’s 7,831
votes; a split of 49.96% to 49.83%.That margin falls well within the requirements for an
automatic recount.But not all the votes have been counted.“There is a possibility of a recount,” Baack-Garvey says. “We
still have provisional ballots to process from yesterday (Tuesday) and we are
also waiting on military ballots to come in and those are allowed to arrive by
noon on Friday.”Those will need to be added and the outcome could change. The
margin likely will not.“If it’s less than one percent, it’s an automatic recount,”
Baack-Garvey says. “If it’s not, then yes, the opponent would have to pay for
the cost of having the recount done.”If the margin widens to more than 1%, the trailing candidate would have to request a recount and finance it.If there is a recount, a formal process will be followed.“Well, we would have to get a few groups of bipartisan teams,”
according to Baack-Garvey. “We would have to get the machines out and those
teams would have to run every ballot that was voted in the Western District
through the machines again.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Not all votes have been counted in tight Western District Commissioner race

Western District Buchanan County Commissioner Ron Hook ekes
out a victory, winning by 20 votes according to the unofficial vote tally
reported by the Buchanan County Clerk’s office.

Hook, a Democrat, says he’s shocked his race against
Republican challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. was so tight.

“It’s still baffling to see that it was even this close after
the 16 years I’ve put into nothing but this community,” Hook tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “I mean I’m happy with the 20 extra votes over my opponent, but I
never thought it’d be this close.”

Unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk’s
office has Hook up on Goddard 7,851 to 7,831, a split of 49.96% to 49.83%.
There remain some votes to count, according to the clerk’s office. Provisional
ballots have yet to be processed and overseas military ballots have until
Friday to arrive.

Hook, a Democrat who has been in office since 2009, acknowledges
his political party affiliation likely cost him votes.

“There’s probably a lot of first-time voters out there,” Hook
says. “There’s a lot of people that just want the courthouse to be completely
Republican and red and whether you do a good job, I guess, or not in this
community it doesn’t make any difference.”

Hook also blames social media for the closeness of the race.
Hook claims there was a lot of “trash” put out on the Internet, such as Goodard’s
claims that his political signs had been stolen and Republican insinuations
that he hadn’t submitted required paperwork with the Missouri Ethics
Commission. Hook explains he didn’t have to submit the paperwork, because he
spent less than $1,000 on his re-election campaign.

“And so, there’s just a lot of trash out there and trash by
people that just obviously don’t know me,” Hook says. “It’s just the way it is.
That’s the way they want this community to be ran and it just baffles me. It
really does.”

Hook says he expects a recount in the race.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730921854922.jpeg" alt="Buchanan County Western District Commissioner Ron Hook (left) debates challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. during a candidate forum/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Buchanan County Western District Commissioner Ron Hook (left) debates challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. during a candidate forum/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostWestern District Buchanan County Commissioner Ron Hook ekes
out a victory, winning by 20 votes according to the unofficial vote tally
reported by the Buchanan County Clerk’s office.Hook, a Democrat, says he’s shocked his race against
Republican challenger Everett Goddard, Jr. was so tight.“It’s still baffling to see that it was even this close after
the 16 years I’ve put into nothing but this community,” Hook tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “I mean I’m happy with the 20 extra votes over my opponent, but I
never thought it’d be this close.”Unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk’s
office has Hook up on Goddard 7,851 to 7,831, a split of 49.96% to 49.83%.
There remain some votes to count, according to the clerk’s office. Provisional
ballots have yet to be processed and overseas military ballots have until
Friday to arrive.Hook, a Democrat who has been in office since 2009, acknowledges
his political party affiliation likely cost him votes.“There’s probably a lot of first-time voters out there,” Hook
says. “There’s a lot of people that just want the courthouse to be completely
Republican and red and whether you do a good job, I guess, or not in this
community it doesn’t make any difference.”Hook also blames social media for the closeness of the race.
Hook claims there was a lot of “trash” put out on the Internet, such as Goodard’s
claims that his political signs had been stolen and Republican insinuations
that he hadn’t submitted required paperwork with the Missouri Ethics
Commission. Hook explains he didn’t have to submit the paperwork, because he
spent less than $1,000 on his re-election campaign.“And so, there’s just a lot of trash out there and trash by
people that just obviously don’t know me,” Hook says. “It’s just the way it is.
That’s the way they want this community to be ran and it just baffles me. It
really does.”Hook says he expects a recount in the race.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Buchanan CO Commissioner Hook baffled by close race; expects recount

St. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner breezed to re-election,
winning nearly 62% of the vote Tuesday.

Falkner, a Republican, defeated Democrat Andrew Gibson.

“Well, it’s a very humbling experience any time you put your
name out there and people vote for you,” Falkner tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’ve
been blessed that this city has supported me in the fashion that they have and
I will continue to fight for St. Joe down in Jefferson City.”

Falkner garnered 8,145 votes to Gibson’s 4,999, according to
unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk’s office. That’s a
split of 61.84% to 37.95%.

Falkner says he wants to help tackle the issue of child care
in the next legislative session.

“We’ve got to make it more affordable and maybe look at some
of the items that we are forcing providers to do,” Falkner says. “We want to
make sure that it continues to be safe for the children, but we want to make it
to where it can be profitable for the individuals that are running them.”

Falkner will enter his fourth term in January. He is prevented
by term limits from seeking a fifth term. Falkner says his experience that he
says will serve his district well.

“You usually have your relationships built up in Jefferson
City to where you can maneuver a little bit quicker and easier to where if you
want something put into a bill or taken out of a bill, you have a personal
relationship with the senators and the other representatives, because you’ve
been there awhile,” according to Falkner.

The Missouri General Assembly begins a new session in January.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730919747581.jpeg" alt="Rep. Bill Falkner/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Bill Falkner/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph state Rep. Bill Falkner breezed to re-election,
winning nearly 62% of the vote Tuesday.Falkner, a Republican, defeated Democrat Andrew Gibson.“Well, it’s a very humbling experience any time you put your
name out there and people vote for you,” Falkner tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’ve
been blessed that this city has supported me in the fashion that they have and
I will continue to fight for St. Joe down in Jefferson City.”Falkner garnered 8,145 votes to Gibson’s 4,999, according to
unofficial results released by the Buchanan County Clerk’s office. That’s a
split of 61.84% to 37.95%.Falkner says he wants to help tackle the issue of child care
in the next legislative session.“We’ve got to make it more affordable and maybe look at some
of the items that we are forcing providers to do,” Falkner says. “We want to
make sure that it continues to be safe for the children, but we want to make it
to where it can be profitable for the individuals that are running them.”Falkner will enter his fourth term in January. He is prevented
by term limits from seeking a fifth term. Falkner says his experience that he
says will serve his district well.“You usually have your relationships built up in Jefferson
City to where you can maneuver a little bit quicker and easier to where if you
want something put into a bill or taken out of a bill, you have a personal
relationship with the senators and the other representatives, because you’ve
been there awhile,” according to Falkner.The Missouri General Assembly begins a new session in January.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph state Rep. Falkner easily wins re-election to 4th term

The Kansas City Chiefs have a history of great coaches, from Marty Schottenheimer in the 90's all the way to Andy Reid today.  

Chiefs Hall of Famer Christian Okoye, during a visit to St. Joseph, played under Schottenheimer and says while both him and Reid are great coaches, they had two different styles 

"Andy is so easy going, Marty was so serious, and he knows his football too, they both know their football, but they come from different angles," Okoye tells reporters following a sit-down Q &amp; A with Chiefs fans. "Andy Reid is just a fun-loving guy, the players love to play with him, so did Marty too but they're two different coaches." 

Okoye also sees a lot of things he likes in the two running backs manning the Chiefs backfield these days.

Okoye says while he's had no advice for them, he's a big fan of both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco 

"When Hunt was here (before) I loved his style, I used to say that he played big even though he's a small guy, but he played big," Okoye explains.  "So is Pacheco too, Pacheco is one of those guys you think he's stomping weeds or something on the ground, but his running style is so unique and I love his tenacity, I love the way he approaches the game." 

Pacheco is currently on injured reserve, but is eyeing a return in late November, while Hunt just scored a walk off touchdown on Monday Night Football. 

The Chiefs are attempting to do something no NFL team has done before, win three Super Bowls in a row.  

And if he could still suit up and go for this team now, Okoye says he would run crazy on today's NFL 

"I always say that today's players don't know how to tackle," Okoye jokes. "So, if I played today, nobody could tackle me." 

In his career, Okoye rushed for 4,897 yards with 40 touchdowns.  He was named to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000. 

Okoye, along with former teammate and Chiefs Hall of Famer Neil Smith, visited with Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730852192876.jpeg" alt="Christian Okoye and Neil Smith talk to Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Christian Okoye and Neil Smith talk to Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Kansas City Chiefs have a history of great coaches, from Marty Schottenheimer in the 90's all the way to Andy Reid today. Chiefs Hall of Famer Christian Okoye, during a visit to St. Joseph, played under Schottenheimer and says while both him and Reid are great coaches, they had two different styles "Andy is so easy going, Marty was so serious, and he knows his football too, they both know their football, but they come from different angles," Okoye tells reporters following a sit-down Q &amp; A with Chiefs fans. "Andy Reid is just a fun-loving guy, the players love to play with him, so did Marty too but they're two different coaches." Okoye also sees a lot of things he likes in the two running backs manning the Chiefs backfield these days.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730852264804.jpeg" alt="Christian Okoye takes photos with Chiefs fans during an autograph session at the St. Jo Frontier Casino/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Christian Okoye takes photos with Chiefs fans during an autograph session at the St. Jo Frontier Casino/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Okoye says while he's had no advice for them, he's a big fan of both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco "When Hunt was here (before) I loved his style, I used to say that he played big even though he's a small guy, but he played big," Okoye explains. "So is Pacheco too, Pacheco is one of those guys you think he's stomping weeds or something on the ground, but his running style is so unique and I love his tenacity, I love the way he approaches the game." Pacheco is currently on injured reserve, but is eyeing a return in late November, while Hunt just scored a walk off touchdown on Monday Night Football. The Chiefs are attempting to do something no NFL team has done before, win three Super Bowls in a row. And if he could still suit up and go for this team now, Okoye says he would run crazy on today's NFL "I always say that today's players don't know how to tackle," Okoye jokes. "So, if I played today, nobody could tackle me." In his career, Okoye rushed for 4,897 yards with 40 touchdowns. He was named to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000. Okoye, along with former teammate and Chiefs Hall of Famer Neil Smith, visited with Chiefs fans at the St. Jo Frontier Casino. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Nigerian Nightmare talks football, Chiefs

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>

By the time the NFL playoffs begin in January, sports betting will be legal in Missouri.

The only remaining question now that voters approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;is whether bettors will use platforms licensed in Missouri or if players will have to use accounts linked to licenses from other states.

The result on sports wagering wasn’t clear until the final votes were reported from Greene County after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The southwest Missouri county voted 55% against sports betting, narrowing the statewide margin to just over 14,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast.&nbsp;

The election didn’t go as well for the other gambling measure on the ballot. Voters said “no” to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>, which would have authorized a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks. It is only the third time since 1980 that Missouri voters rejected a proposal to expand gambling in the state.&nbsp;

With nearly all precincts reporting, Amendment 5 was losing 52% to 48%.

Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by the two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, poured a record of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/29/spending-on-missouri-ballot-measures-nears-100-million-as-campaign-enters-final-week/">almost $41 million</a>&nbsp;into the campaign. That proved to be just enough to overcome a $14 million opposition campaign funded by Caesars Entertainment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its television ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Election Day.

Initially polling with an advantage of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">20 percentage points</a>, the narrow vote on Tuesday shows how effectively an opposition campaign undermined support.

New constitutional amendments become law 30 days after the election, so the first legal bets in Missouri could be placed as early as Dec. 5.&nbsp;

Backers of Amendment 5, who spent $4.2 million to make the ballot and another $6 million on the fall campaign, were unable to overcome skepticism of the benefits of expanded gambling created by the anti-sports wagering campaign.&nbsp;

Missouri voters last defeated a gambling measure in 2004 when voters rejected a proposal similar to Amendment 5. That would have authorized a licensed casino for the White River near Rockaway Beach in southwest Missouri.&nbsp;

Under state law, casinos must be located within 1,000 feet of the main channel of either the Mississippi or Missouri rivers.

The only other gambling proposal to lose was a measure to allow wagering on simulcast horse races in 1992. Voters had approved parimutuel wagering on live horse races in 1984 but no track was built.

The initiative campaign to legalize sports betting emerged from years of frustration with the General Assembly, where a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/10/sports-wagering-bill-remains-mired-in-missouri-senate-split-over-gambling-expansion/">triangular debate</a>&nbsp;pitted casinos and sports teams against video lottery proponents against ‘gray market’ games vendors who profit from inaction.

“We’re not extremely optimistic that that’s going to happen,” Mike Whittle, general counsel for the St. Louis Cardinals,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">said last year</a>&nbsp;of the possibilities of legislative action. “I mean, we’ve kind of seen that movie way too many times.”

Missouri’s franchises from Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NHL, Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League provided the public face of the signature campaign.

The push to legalize sports wagering in Missouri began after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law against wagering on sporting events in 2018. More than 35 states have legalized some form of the gambling since the court decision, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/news/legal-sports-betting-united-states-projections" target="_blank">every state on Missouri’s border</a>&nbsp;except Oklahoma.

Under the provisions of the amendment, each of six major professional sports teams could create a retail sports betting location within a district near its stadium. The teams could also provide fans with a branded online betting platform.

Each of the state’s six casino companies could also open a retail sportsbook at their casinos as well as offer an online platform.

And there would be two licenses for online betting companies without a link to a Missouri casino or sports team.

The profits from gambling would be taxed at 10%, but the measure allows deductions for promotional offers and federal taxes before the state revenue is calculated.&nbsp;

An economic study produced for Winning for Missouri Education estimates that $21.8 billion will be wagered during the first five years after legalization and more than 98% of the bets will be placed online.

That same study pegs the net to the state over that period at $134 million. Revenue in the fifth year is estimated at $38.7 million, about $10 million more than the maximum annual revenue projected by the fiscal note for the ballot measure.

There will be gambling at the Lake of the Ozarks, but not in a casino licensed by the Missouri Gaming Commission.

The defeat of Amendment 5 means there will be no competition for a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/29/osage-nation-plans-casino-hotel-for-missouris-lake-of-the-ozarks/">project launched in 2021</a>&nbsp;by the Osage Nation to have a property in Miller County taken into trust as ancestral lands where it could operate a casino and convention center.

The project is awaiting approval from federal officials. After that, the tribe and the state will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nigc.gov/general-counsel/indian-gaming-regulatory-act" target="_blank">negotiate a compact</a>&nbsp;dividing responsibilities for law enforcement on the casino property. The agreement would also establish “taxation by the Indian tribe of such activity in amounts comparable to amounts assessed by the state for comparable activities.”&nbsp;

Tribes have the right to offer gambling that mirrors what the state allows “for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity.”

If the state refuses to negotiate a compact, or does not do so in good faith, the tribe may sue in federal court.

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>By the time the NFL playoffs begin in January, sports betting will be legal in Missouri.The only remaining question now that voters approved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-160.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 2</a>&nbsp;is whether bettors will use platforms licensed in Missouri or if players will have to use accounts linked to licenses from other states.The result on sports wagering wasn’t clear until the final votes were reported from Greene County after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The southwest Missouri county voted 55% against sports betting, narrowing the statewide margin to just over 14,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast.&nbsp;The election didn’t go as well for the other gambling measure on the ballot. Voters said “no” to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2024-165.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 5</a>, which would have authorized a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks. It is only the third time since 1980 that Missouri voters rejected a proposal to expand gambling in the state.&nbsp;With nearly all precincts reporting, Amendment 5 was losing 52% to 48%.Winning for Missouri Education, the committee funded by the two biggest online bookmakers, FanDuel and DraftKings, poured a record of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/29/spending-on-missouri-ballot-measures-nears-100-million-as-campaign-enters-final-week/">almost $41 million</a>&nbsp;into the campaign. That proved to be just enough to overcome a $14 million opposition campaign funded by Caesars Entertainment, which&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its television ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before Election Day.Initially polling with an advantage of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">20 percentage points</a>, the narrow vote on Tuesday shows how effectively an opposition campaign undermined support.New constitutional amendments become law 30 days after the election, so the first legal bets in Missouri could be placed as early as Dec. 5.&nbsp;Backers of Amendment 5, who spent $4.2 million to make the ballot and another $6 million on the fall campaign, were unable to overcome skepticism of the benefits of expanded gambling created by the anti-sports wagering campaign.&nbsp;Missouri voters last defeated a gambling measure in 2004 when voters rejected a proposal similar to Amendment 5. That would have authorized a licensed casino for the White River near Rockaway Beach in southwest Missouri.&nbsp;Under state law, casinos must be located within 1,000 feet of the main channel of either the Mississippi or Missouri rivers.The only other gambling proposal to lose was a measure to allow wagering on simulcast horse races in 1992. Voters had approved parimutuel wagering on live horse races in 1984 but no track was built.<h2>Amendment 2</h2>The initiative campaign to legalize sports betting emerged from years of frustration with the General Assembly, where a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/10/sports-wagering-bill-remains-mired-in-missouri-senate-split-over-gambling-expansion/">triangular debate</a>&nbsp;pitted casinos and sports teams against video lottery proponents against ‘gray market’ games vendors who profit from inaction.“We’re not extremely optimistic that that’s going to happen,” Mike Whittle, general counsel for the St. Louis Cardinals,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/14/record-spending-fuels-missouri-campaigns-to-legalize-sports-gambling-new-casino/">said last year</a>&nbsp;of the possibilities of legislative action. “I mean, we’ve kind of seen that movie way too many times.”Missouri’s franchises from Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NHL, Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League provided the public face of the signature campaign.The push to legalize sports wagering in Missouri began after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law against wagering on sporting events in 2018. More than 35 states have legalized some form of the gambling since the court decision, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/news/legal-sports-betting-united-states-projections" target="_blank">every state on Missouri’s border</a>&nbsp;except Oklahoma.Under the provisions of the amendment, each of six major professional sports teams could create a retail sports betting location within a district near its stadium. The teams could also provide fans with a branded online betting platform.Each of the state’s six casino companies could also open a retail sportsbook at their casinos as well as offer an online platform.And there would be two licenses for online betting companies without a link to a Missouri casino or sports team.The profits from gambling would be taxed at 10%, but the measure allows deductions for promotional offers and federal taxes before the state revenue is calculated.&nbsp;An economic study produced for Winning for Missouri Education estimates that $21.8 billion will be wagered during the first five years after legalization and more than 98% of the bets will be placed online.That same study pegs the net to the state over that period at $134 million. Revenue in the fifth year is estimated at $38.7 million, about $10 million more than the maximum annual revenue projected by the fiscal note for the ballot measure.<h2>Amendment 5</h2>There will be gambling at the Lake of the Ozarks, but not in a casino licensed by the Missouri Gaming Commission.The defeat of Amendment 5 means there will be no competition for a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/29/osage-nation-plans-casino-hotel-for-missouris-lake-of-the-ozarks/">project launched in 2021</a>&nbsp;by the Osage Nation to have a property in Miller County taken into trust as ancestral lands where it could operate a casino and convention center.The project is awaiting approval from federal officials. After that, the tribe and the state will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nigc.gov/general-counsel/indian-gaming-regulatory-act" target="_blank">negotiate a compact</a>&nbsp;dividing responsibilities for law enforcement on the casino property. The agreement would also establish “taxation by the Indian tribe of such activity in amounts comparable to amounts assessed by the state for comparable activities.”&nbsp;Tribes have the right to offer gambling that mirrors what the state allows “for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity.”If the state refuses to negotiate a compact, or does not do so in good faith, the tribe may sue in federal court.

Missouri voters narrowly approve sports betting amendment

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

An effort to hike the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave won the support of Missouri voters Tuesday night.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730884985514.png" alt=" Daniel Tucker, a leader with the Missouri Workers Center, teaches chants customized to an initiative petition to raise the minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave outside of the Secretary of State’s office building in Jefferson City in May (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Daniel Tucker, a leader with the Missouri Workers Center, teaches chants customized to an initiative petition to raise the minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave outside of the Secretary of State’s office building in Jefferson City in May (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>An effort to hike the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and guarantee paid sick leave won the support of Missouri voters Tuesday night.&nbsp;Proposition A was approved by Missouri voters 58% to 41%.The approval follows a trend of Missourians using the initiative petition process to increase the minimum wage — and more broadly, of Missourians using that process to advance policies at odds with the beliefs of the state’s Republican dominated legislature.Proposition A was&nbsp;<a href="https://mohealthyfamilies.org/endorsements/" target="_blank">backed by</a>&nbsp;various unions and workers’ advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights organizations,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessforafairminimumwage.org/statement/Missouri2024" target="_blank">over 500 state business owners</a>&nbsp;and others.&nbsp;Some business groups, including the state Chamber of Commerce, have opposed it, especially the guaranteed sick leave portion. But there wasn’t a coordinated opposition campaign.&nbsp;The campaign in favor of the measure, called Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, raised nearly $6 million — including from out-of-state groups that don’t disclose their donors — and collected 210,000 signatures to have the issue placed on the statewide ballot.The current minimum wage in Missouri is $12.30, which is equivalent to $492 per week, before taxes. The ballot measure would raise the state’s minimum wage to $13.75 next year and $15 in January 2026.&nbsp;The increase would affect over 562,000 workers in the state, according to the Missouri Budget Project, or nearly 1 in 4 workers. The minimum wage would be adjusted based on inflation every year after 2026.Voters approved a minimum-wage hike in 2006, with 75% of the vote, and again in 2018, with 62% of the vote.And businesses will be required to provide one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to five days per year for small businesses and seven days per year for larger businesses. Small businesses are those with fewer than 15 employees.The paid sick time provision will go into effect on May 1, 2025.Without sick leave, proponents argue, workers have to choose between their financial and physical wellbeing — going into work sick or losing out on a needed paycheck.Missouri will join 15 states that require employers to provide paid sick leave. The United States, unlike nearly every other country, lacks federal paid sick leave, so states, as well as cities, have taken the lead.&nbsp;Some business groups raised alarm particularly with the sick leave provisions, saying the proposal constitutes government overreach in what should be the decisions of business owners.At the same time, a coalition of hundreds of businesspeople in the state have signed on to support the ballot measure, arguing the policies help their bottom line, causing lower employee turnover, increased productivity and better health and safety conditions.The ballot measure would change the state law but not the constitution, meaning the legislature could overturn it, but those on both sides of the issue told The Independent last month they see that as unlikely.

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