Complaints keep
growing and now the Missouri House hopes to address them.

The Speaker of the
House has formed the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform and a
local state representative will sit on it.

Rep. Dean Van
Schoiack, a Republican from Savannah, is one of 20 members of the committee
appointed by House Speaker Jon Patterson. Van Schoiack says the committee must
balance protecting property owners from huge tax increases and the governmental
functions that rely on property tax revenue.

“We’ve got to
protect our 3rd and 4th Class counties from losing the
funding that they need,” Van Schoiack tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post, noting county
schools, fire department, ambulance districts, library boards and other
entities all depend on property tax revenue.

Van Schoiack says
it’s important that rural counties have representation on the committee,
because property tax revenue affects counties differently. Van Schoiack says counties
such as Andrew County cannot rely on sales tax revenue to replace property tax
revenue.

“Most people in
Andrew County come to St. Joseph and Buchanan County to do their grocery
shopping, to go out to eat at restaurants,” Van Schoiack says. “Some go to
Maryville. They’re close to Maryville and they go up that way. There’s a lot of
people living in Andrew County who business in other counties. Take DeKalb
County, for instance. The vast majority of their revenue from sales tax is from
Walmart in Cameron.”

While some
counties contemplate a shift to sales tax revenue to replace property tax
revenue that isn’t feasible to all counties, according to Van Schoiack, who
says some counties simply don’t generate much sales tax revenue.

Van Schoiack also
wants the committee to take a long look at the State Tax Commission. He says
the commission has forced smaller counties, such as Andrew County, to increase
property assessments to market value in one step.

“And that has hit
people hard,” Van Schoiack says. “They’ve contacted me and they’ve contacted
other legislators about it and rightfully so. They’re upset about it and
understand why. I wouldn’t like it either.”

Van Schoiack says
the State Tax Commission must acknowledge the differences between counties such
as Jackson in Kansas City which can rely on sales tax revenue and small
counties that cannot.

Van Schoiack insists
the commission doesn’t acknowledge the different makeup of counties across the
state, especially the differences between rural and urban counties.

“Try to reform the
way assessments are done,” Van Schoiack suggests. “I think that’s what our
problem is right now is the assessment process and how properties are valued in
that. And how we’re trying to make everything equal across the state when
really markets aren’t equal across the state. Markets vary from one location to
another.”

The first meeting
of the committee is scheduled for July 16th in Jefferson City. Some
meetings will be held across the state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751480074524.jpeg" alt="Rep_. Dean Van Schoiack/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep_. Dean Van Schoiack/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostComplaints keep
growing and now the Missouri House hopes to address them.The Speaker of the
House has formed the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform and a
local state representative will sit on it.Rep. Dean Van
Schoiack, a Republican from Savannah, is one of 20 members of the committee
appointed by House Speaker Jon Patterson. Van Schoiack says the committee must
balance protecting property owners from huge tax increases and the governmental
functions that rely on property tax revenue.“We’ve got to
protect our 3rd and 4th Class counties from losing the
funding that they need,” Van Schoiack tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post, noting county
schools, fire department, ambulance districts, library boards and other
entities all depend on property tax revenue.Van Schoiack says
it’s important that rural counties have representation on the committee,
because property tax revenue affects counties differently. Van Schoiack says counties
such as Andrew County cannot rely on sales tax revenue to replace property tax
revenue.“Most people in
Andrew County come to St. Joseph and Buchanan County to do their grocery
shopping, to go out to eat at restaurants,” Van Schoiack says. “Some go to
Maryville. They’re close to Maryville and they go up that way. There’s a lot of
people living in Andrew County who business in other counties. Take DeKalb
County, for instance. The vast majority of their revenue from sales tax is from
Walmart in Cameron.”While some
counties contemplate a shift to sales tax revenue to replace property tax
revenue that isn’t feasible to all counties, according to Van Schoiack, who
says some counties simply don’t generate much sales tax revenue.Van Schoiack also
wants the committee to take a long look at the State Tax Commission. He says
the commission has forced smaller counties, such as Andrew County, to increase
property assessments to market value in one step.“And that has hit
people hard,” Van Schoiack says. “They’ve contacted me and they’ve contacted
other legislators about it and rightfully so. They’re upset about it and
understand why. I wouldn’t like it either.”Van Schoiack says
the State Tax Commission must acknowledge the differences between counties such
as Jackson in Kansas City which can rely on sales tax revenue and small
counties that cannot.Van Schoiack insists
the commission doesn’t acknowledge the different makeup of counties across the
state, especially the differences between rural and urban counties.“Try to reform the
way assessments are done,” Van Schoiack suggests. “I think that’s what our
problem is right now is the assessment process and how properties are valued in
that. And how we’re trying to make everything equal across the state when
really markets aren’t equal across the state. Markets vary from one location to
another.”The first meeting
of the committee is scheduled for July 16th in Jefferson City. Some
meetings will be held across the state.

Special committee will review Missouri property taxes

A new class will be enshrined forever into the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame next month, a class that St. Joseph Sports Commission Executive Director Brett Esely says has a lot of depth 

Esely points out this class has a legendary broadcaster, the Hall of Fame’s first professional boxer, a personal trainer and power lifter, and two NFL athletes 

Esely says one name that stands out is the late Don Tabor 

"That stint that he coached at Benton in the early 90's, considering that team was in the state playoffs all four of those years he coached the only 11-man football team to ever play in a state championship game from St. Joseph," Esely tells KFEQmunnity host Brent Martin.  "Which I think is significant, given all seven state title games are here in St. Joe this year." 

Tabor is also a member of the Missouri Coaches Hall of Fame and the Bishop LeBlond Athletics Hall of Fame.  

Esely says another name on this year's list honors St. Joseph's rich history of men's fast pitch softball; one thing he felt was a focus when launching the Hall of Fame.  

Esely says when it comes to the best in St. Joseph, Chris Miljavac, is about as close as it gets 

"Chris, his resume speaks for itself, he's going into the USA Softball National Hall of Fame this fall, so just a very, very accomplished player," Esely says.  "And again on that very short list in a city that's got a ton of history of men's fastpitch softball, it's an honor to have him as part of this class." 

Esely says this class, like all of the Hall of Fame classes, is very deep touching many aspects of sport, from broadcasting to the first boxer, to golf, to coaching.  

A ceremony will be held August 24th at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center to honor the class of nine individuals, one team, and a special Olympian of the year.  

Esely says the crowds that come out to these ceremonies are always outstanding 

"We've had a couple of standing room only crowds, as I look at this class, I think there will be a ton of interest, and that's why I say don't wait," Esely explains.  "I set our capacity at 500 in that room, that's probably an overflow room, but at the same time I like to make sure family, friends, VIP's, people that have a tie to this class have an opportunity and so don't delay get those tickets now." 

Tickets to this year’s ceremony can be purchased online or by visiting the Sports commission offices at the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A new class will be enshrined forever into the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame next month, a class that St. Joseph Sports Commission Executive Director Brett Esely says has a lot of depth Esely points out this class has a legendary broadcaster, the Hall of Fame’s first professional boxer, a personal trainer and power lifter, and two NFL athletes Esely says one name that stands out is the late Don Tabor "That stint that he coached at Benton in the early 90's, considering that team was in the state playoffs all four of those years he coached the only 11-man football team to ever play in a state championship game from St. Joseph," Esely tells KFEQmunnity host Brent Martin. "Which I think is significant, given all seven state title games are here in St. Joe this year." Tabor is also a member of the Missouri Coaches Hall of Fame and the Bishop LeBlond Athletics Hall of Fame. Esely says another name on this year's list honors St. Joseph's rich history of men's fast pitch softball; one thing he felt was a focus when launching the Hall of Fame. Esely says when it comes to the best in St. Joseph, Chris Miljavac, is about as close as it gets "Chris, his resume speaks for itself, he's going into the USA Softball National Hall of Fame this fall, so just a very, very accomplished player," Esely says. "And again on that very short list in a city that's got a ton of history of men's fastpitch softball, it's an honor to have him as part of this class." Esely says this class, like all of the Hall of Fame classes, is very deep touching many aspects of sport, from broadcasting to the first boxer, to golf, to coaching. A ceremony will be held August 24th at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center to honor the class of nine individuals, one team, and a special Olympian of the year. Esely says the crowds that come out to these ceremonies are always outstanding "We've had a couple of standing room only crowds, as I look at this class, I think there will be a ton of interest, and that's why I say don't wait," Esely explains. "I set our capacity at 500 in that room, that's probably an overflow room, but at the same time I like to make sure family, friends, VIP's, people that have a tie to this class have an opportunity and so don't delay get those tickets now." Tickets to this year’s ceremony can be purchased online or by visiting the Sports commission offices at the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau. They cost $25 dollars.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

One month away from a new class being etched into St. Joseph sports history

The Missouri National Education Association hopes to stop the use of the state’s general revenue to fund private school scholarships

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

The Missouri National Education Association is suing the state in an effort to block the appropriation of $51 million to MOScholars, the state’s K-12 scholarship program.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Verified%20Petition%20for%20Declaratory%20Judgment%20and%20Injunctive%20Relief.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3602182" target="_blank">lawsuit filed in Cole County Circuit Court Monday</a>, MNEA argues that state funds cannot be directly given to MOScholars under the current statute.

MNEA vice president Rebeka McIntosh and member Kimberly Duvall, who serves as president of the Blue Springs chapter of the National Education Association, are suing on behalf of the organization’s 30,000 members.

“The General Assembly has far overstepped its authority and violated five provisions of the Missouri Constitution by using an appropriations bill to construct out of whole cloth a scheme to divert general revenues to what are essentially vouchers for the payment of private school tuition for elementary and secondary school students,” MNEA’s attorney Loretta Haggard wrote.

MOScholars currently operates using nonprofits dubbed “educational assistance organizations” to gather donations and distribute scholarships to students in private, parochial or home schools. Donors can receive a tax credit equal to 100% of their contribution but can use it to cover no more than half of their state tax liability.&nbsp;

State law allows 4% of donations to be reserved to cover the costs of administering the program, including marketing.

But the budget passed by the lawmakers&nbsp; “dramatically changes the landscape,” Haggard contends.

The budget signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe Monday includes an injection of general revenue to the MOScholars program, budgeting $50 million for scholarships and $1 million to assist marketing the program.

This, MNEA argues, breaks state law for multiple reasons.

The 2021 law that created MOScholars prescribes the use of tax-deductible donations to educational assistance organizations (EAOs), not general revenue, as a funding source.

“The money for (MOScholars) scholarships comes from donations that taxpayers make to EAOs, and EAOs then remit to families. The donated funds never come into the custody of the state, and the state does not select scholarship recipients,” Haggard wrote.

The direct appropriation to the program effectively amends the MOScholars statute, the lawsuit says, which violates laws requiring legislative authorization and limits bills to a single subject. Changing statute in a budget bill is not allowed.

The money would have to flow through a fund overseen by the State Treasurer’s Office which currently does not hold scholarship money. The fund is “to be used by the state treasurer for marketing and administrative expenses or the costs incurred in administering the program, whichever is less,” according to&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=135.715" target="_blank">state law</a>.

Using the fund to administer scholarships is “unauthorized,” the lawsuit says.

MNEA is asking for a preliminary injunction, which would block the $51 million appropriation from being transferred to the MOScholars fund while litigation ensues.

“Once the unlawful appropriations are disbursed to private entities or individuals, it will be difficult if not impossible to claw those funds back to the treasury where they belong,” the lawsuit says.

MNEA argues that the money, if given to MOScholars, would hurt public education statewide.

“Politicians in Jefferson City and their privatization lobbyists are stealing from our kids,” said Missouri NEA President Phil Murray. “In rural Missouri, that $51 million means losing our music teacher, canceling basketball, and watching our schools crumble. They’re killing our small towns.”

Missouri Treasurer Vivek Malek, in an interview with The Independent in May, addressed the possibility of a lawsuit.

“We will deal with it when that happens,” he said. “I cannot predict which course it will take.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719493597787.png" alt="The Cole County Courthouse in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption>The Cole County Courthouse in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Missouri National Education Association hopes to stop the use of the state’s general revenue to fund private school scholarships</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri National Education Association is suing the state in an effort to block the appropriation of $51 million to MOScholars, the state’s K-12 scholarship program.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Verified%20Petition%20for%20Declaratory%20Judgment%20and%20Injunctive%20Relief.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3602182" target="_blank">lawsuit filed in Cole County Circuit Court Monday</a>, MNEA argues that state funds cannot be directly given to MOScholars under the current statute.MNEA vice president Rebeka McIntosh and member Kimberly Duvall, who serves as president of the Blue Springs chapter of the National Education Association, are suing on behalf of the organization’s 30,000 members.“The General Assembly has far overstepped its authority and violated five provisions of the Missouri Constitution by using an appropriations bill to construct out of whole cloth a scheme to divert general revenues to what are essentially vouchers for the payment of private school tuition for elementary and secondary school students,” MNEA’s attorney Loretta Haggard wrote.MOScholars currently operates using nonprofits dubbed “educational assistance organizations” to gather donations and distribute scholarships to students in private, parochial or home schools. Donors can receive a tax credit equal to 100% of their contribution but can use it to cover no more than half of their state tax liability.&nbsp;State law allows 4% of donations to be reserved to cover the costs of administering the program, including marketing.But the budget passed by the lawmakers&nbsp; “dramatically changes the landscape,” Haggard contends.The budget signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe Monday includes an injection of general revenue to the MOScholars program, budgeting $50 million for scholarships and $1 million to assist marketing the program.This, MNEA argues, breaks state law for multiple reasons.The 2021 law that created MOScholars prescribes the use of tax-deductible donations to educational assistance organizations (EAOs), not general revenue, as a funding source.“The money for (MOScholars) scholarships comes from donations that taxpayers make to EAOs, and EAOs then remit to families. The donated funds never come into the custody of the state, and the state does not select scholarship recipients,” Haggard wrote.The direct appropriation to the program effectively amends the MOScholars statute, the lawsuit says, which violates laws requiring legislative authorization and limits bills to a single subject. Changing statute in a budget bill is not allowed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751451315710.png" alt="State Treasurer Vivek Malek speaks during the Disability Advocacy Day rally in the Missouri State Capitol Wednesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>State Treasurer Vivek Malek speaks during the Disability Advocacy Day rally in the Missouri State Capitol Wednesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>The money would have to flow through a fund overseen by the State Treasurer’s Office which currently does not hold scholarship money. The fund is “to be used by the state treasurer for marketing and administrative expenses or the costs incurred in administering the program, whichever is less,” according to&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=135.715" target="_blank">state law</a>.Using the fund to administer scholarships is “unauthorized,” the lawsuit says.MNEA is asking for a preliminary injunction, which would block the $51 million appropriation from being transferred to the MOScholars fund while litigation ensues.“Once the unlawful appropriations are disbursed to private entities or individuals, it will be difficult if not impossible to claw those funds back to the treasury where they belong,” the lawsuit says.MNEA argues that the money, if given to MOScholars, would hurt public education statewide.“Politicians in Jefferson City and their privatization lobbyists are stealing from our kids,” said Missouri NEA President Phil Murray. “In rural Missouri, that $51 million means losing our music teacher, canceling basketball, and watching our schools crumble. They’re killing our small towns.”Missouri Treasurer Vivek Malek, in an interview with The Independent in May, addressed the possibility of a lawsuit.“We will deal with it when that happens,” he said. “I cannot predict which course it will take.”

Missouri educators sue state over $51 million appropriation to private school vouchers

The St. Joseph Mustangs will celebrate the Fourth of July all weekend long, starting early with Thursday with three days of fireworks extravaganzas at Phil Welch Stadium.  

General Manager and Owner Ky Turner says playing at a stadium within a community, it's unique to play at Phil Welch on the Fourth of July 

"Here's a ballpark and there's houses all around us, well what do those houses do around that holiday? They shoot off fireworks too, so it's really kind of like a 360 of fireworks when you're sitting there watching a baseball game," Turner says on the KFEQmunnity show.  "You know, they talk about the batter's eye and being able to pay attention to that pitch, I don't know how you do that when you've got fireworks going off all around you, but it makes for a great show for us in the stands." 

Fireworks extravaganza will highlight the end of each Mustangs home game during the holiday. Turner says there are also some other fun things going on as well 

"On the 3rd we are hosting Sluggerrr from the Kansas City Royals and Fredbird, thanks to Eagle Radio, from the St. Louis Cardinals, they'll be there for a meet and greet, we'll have pregame skydivers, notice I didn't say Sluggerrr and Fredbird are skydiving but they will be there," Turner says.  "And then the 4th we have a Mr. and Miss Mustangs competition which is a blast." 

On Saturday the 5th, the Mustangs will also honor area fire, police, and EMT personnel.  The pregame police versus fire softball game will also be held on that day.

Turner says the games will also be an opportunity to thank some of our nation’s heroes 

"On the 3rd all veterans and active military receive two free general admission tickets, we're going to honor some local military heroes for pregame that night, and then on the 4th all retired and active military can get two free party deck tickets, we do encourage people to reserve those in advance as they can sell out," Turner explains.  "But we're here to celebrate and honor America playing America's game, you know America's pastime is baseball, we've got fireworks, of course we've got the hot dogs." 

The Mustangs kick off things on Thursday against the Chillicothe Mudcats.  All games over the holiday begin at 7pm.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751389450759.jpeg" alt="The St. Joseph Mustangs will celebrate the Fourth of July holiday for three consecutive days at Phil Welch Stadium, starting on Thursday and going through Saturday/ Photo courtesy of the St. Joseph Mustangs Facebook" />
 <figcaption>The St. Joseph Mustangs will celebrate the Fourth of July holiday for three consecutive days at Phil Welch Stadium, starting on Thursday and going through Saturday/ Photo courtesy of the St. Joseph Mustangs Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE The St. Joseph Mustangs will celebrate the Fourth of July all weekend long, starting early with Thursday with three days of fireworks extravaganzas at Phil Welch Stadium. General Manager and Owner Ky Turner says playing at a stadium within a community, it's unique to play at Phil Welch on the Fourth of July "Here's a ballpark and there's houses all around us, well what do those houses do around that holiday? They shoot off fireworks too, so it's really kind of like a 360 of fireworks when you're sitting there watching a baseball game," Turner says on the KFEQmunnity show. "You know, they talk about the batter's eye and being able to pay attention to that pitch, I don't know how you do that when you've got fireworks going off all around you, but it makes for a great show for us in the stands." Fireworks extravaganza will highlight the end of each Mustangs home game during the holiday. Turner says there are also some other fun things going on as well "On the 3rd we are hosting Sluggerrr from the Kansas City Royals and Fredbird, thanks to Eagle Radio, from the St. Louis Cardinals, they'll be there for a meet and greet, we'll have pregame skydivers, notice I didn't say Sluggerrr and Fredbird are skydiving but they will be there," Turner says. "And then the 4th we have a Mr. and Miss Mustangs competition which is a blast." On Saturday the 5th, the Mustangs will also honor area fire, police, and EMT personnel. The pregame police versus fire softball game will also be held on that day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751389710599.jpeg" alt="Fireworks over Phil Welch Stadium/ Photo courtesy of St. Joseph Mustangs" />
 <figcaption>Fireworks over Phil Welch Stadium/ Photo courtesy of St. Joseph Mustangs</figcaption>
 </figure>Turner says the games will also be an opportunity to thank some of our nation’s heroes "On the 3rd all veterans and active military receive two free general admission tickets, we're going to honor some local military heroes for pregame that night, and then on the 4th all retired and active military can get two free party deck tickets, we do encourage people to reserve those in advance as they can sell out," Turner explains. "But we're here to celebrate and honor America playing America's game, you know America's pastime is baseball, we've got fireworks, of course we've got the hot dogs." The Mustangs kick off things on Thursday against the Chillicothe Mudcats. All games over the holiday begin at 7pm.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fstjoemustangs%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0vfXmb8aPfutw5FibuSVnV7UZFJGDSzWwDpukgp2jgASDzmNFAbViXo7fugNFJJral&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="730" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Celebrate Fourth of July with the St. Joseph Mustangs 

It has changed
ownership, but it hasn’t changed its commitment to customers.

Kruse’s Auto
Center has celebrated 30 years in business with a ribbon cutting from the St.
Joseph Chamber of Commerce and a reception for its customers in late June.

The business has been honored with a resolution passed by the Missouri General Assembly.

Founded by David
Kruse, Kruse’s Auto Center is now owned by Craig Collings and Jeff Schomburg.
Both new owners attribute the success of the business to sticking to its roots
as a family-oriented business that is involved with the community.

Kruse sold the
business to Collings and Schomburg in 2009.

Kruse’s Auto
Center, located at 901 North Fourth Street, providing a wide variety of auto
services.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751395180869.jpeg" alt="Resolution honoring Kruse's Auto Center approved by the Missouri General Assembly" />
 <figcaption>Resolution honoring Kruse's Auto Center approved by the Missouri General Assembly</figcaption>
 </figure>It has changed
ownership, but it hasn’t changed its commitment to customers.Kruse’s Auto
Center has celebrated 30 years in business with a ribbon cutting from the St.
Joseph Chamber of Commerce and a reception for its customers in late June.The business has been honored with a resolution passed by the Missouri General Assembly.Founded by David
Kruse, Kruse’s Auto Center is now owned by Craig Collings and Jeff Schomburg.
Both new owners attribute the success of the business to sticking to its roots
as a family-oriented business that is involved with the community.Kruse sold the
business to Collings and Schomburg in 2009.Kruse’s Auto
Center, located at 901 North Fourth Street, providing a wide variety of auto
services.

Kruse's Auto Center:  serving autos for more than 30 years

There should be
plenty of fireworks and prices shouldn’t be too much higher than last year,
despite the trade war between the United States and China.

That, according to
Stacy Schneitter-Blake with Schneitters Fireworks and Importers of St. Joseph.
Schneitter-Blake, the president of the National Fireworks Association, says
nearly all the fireworks we shoot off this Independence Day are imported.

“For the consumer
fireworks it’s 95 to 99% comes from China,” Schneitter-Blake tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post.

Schneitter-Blake
says most fireworks stands bought their fireworks early, before tariffs drove
up the price. Fireworks wholesalers and retailers didn’t have to worry much
about tariffs in the past. Schneitter-Blake says federal policy exempted
fireworks from tariffs until 2019. Now, fireworks are in the thick of trade
talks, especially this time of year.

Schneitter-Blake
says she hasn’t seen a big impact on National Fireworks Association members
this year.

“What I’m seeing
right now, the prices are very similar as they have been in the past years,” Schneitter-Blake
says. “They might have some, you know, maybe a little, slight difference in
price.”

“We did leave some
product in China,” according to Schneitter-Blake. “We have a lot of fireworks
here, but I would encourage people to shop early in case there are certain
items that we might be limited on.”

Schneitter-Blake
says some fireworks manufacturers in China had to shut down production. They
don’t have warehouse space and increasingly higher tariffs dampened demand from
America. A 10% tariff early in the year quickly doubled and as the trade war
escalated, tariffs on goods from China soared to 145% at one time.

Schneitter-Blake does
advise consumers to shop early for their fireworks this Independence Day
holiday. She says fireworks stands might be short on some items. Still, she
doesn’t see much of an interruption to the celebrations this year.

“So, going into
the 2026 season, we’re a little more leery about what that might happen to for
next year, going into the 250th, semiquincentennial of our country,”
Schneitter-Blake says.

The concern for
next year is heightened by the approaching 250th anniversary
celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“My concerns right
now are going into 2026,” Schneitter-Blake says. “Next year, for the
semiquincentennial, the 4th of July lands on a Saturday. It’s kind
of the perfect storm for a 250th anniversary of our country landing on
a Saturday as well, on a weekend.”

Schneitter-Blake
says the National Fireworks Association and the American Pyrotechnics
Association are working together to lobby the federal government to once again exempt
fireworks from tariffs.

Schneitters
Fireworks and Importers is a retail, wholesale company that supplies fireworks
to many companies that put on fireworks displays. It is celebrating its 130th
anniversary. Schneitter-Blake says her parents and grandparents were founding
members of the National Fireworks Association to have more of a say in federal policy.
Schneitter-Blake has made several trips to Washington, D.C. to lobby for
association members.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThere should be
plenty of fireworks and prices shouldn’t be too much higher than last year,
despite the trade war between the United States and China.That, according to
Stacy Schneitter-Blake with Schneitters Fireworks and Importers of St. Joseph.
Schneitter-Blake, the president of the National Fireworks Association, says
nearly all the fireworks we shoot off this Independence Day are imported.“For the consumer
fireworks it’s 95 to 99% comes from China,” Schneitter-Blake tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post.Schneitter-Blake
says most fireworks stands bought their fireworks early, before tariffs drove
up the price. Fireworks wholesalers and retailers didn’t have to worry much
about tariffs in the past. Schneitter-Blake says federal policy exempted
fireworks from tariffs until 2019. Now, fireworks are in the thick of trade
talks, especially this time of year.Schneitter-Blake
says she hasn’t seen a big impact on National Fireworks Association members
this year.“What I’m seeing
right now, the prices are very similar as they have been in the past years,” Schneitter-Blake
says. “They might have some, you know, maybe a little, slight difference in
price.”Supply might be a
different story.“We did leave some
product in China,” according to Schneitter-Blake. “We have a lot of fireworks
here, but I would encourage people to shop early in case there are certain
items that we might be limited on.”Schneitter-Blake
says some fireworks manufacturers in China had to shut down production. They
don’t have warehouse space and increasingly higher tariffs dampened demand from
America. A 10% tariff early in the year quickly doubled and as the trade war
escalated, tariffs on goods from China soared to 145% at one time.Schneitter-Blake does
advise consumers to shop early for their fireworks this Independence Day
holiday. She says fireworks stands might be short on some items. Still, she
doesn’t see much of an interruption to the celebrations this year.Next year could be
a different story.“So, going into
the 2026 season, we’re a little more leery about what that might happen to for
next year, going into the 250th, semiquincentennial of our country,”
Schneitter-Blake says.The concern for
next year is heightened by the approaching 250th anniversary
celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.“My concerns right
now are going into 2026,” Schneitter-Blake says. “Next year, for the
semiquincentennial, the 4th of July lands on a Saturday. It’s kind
of the perfect storm for a 250th anniversary of our country landing on
a Saturday as well, on a weekend.”Schneitter-Blake
says the National Fireworks Association and the American Pyrotechnics
Association are working together to lobby the federal government to once again exempt
fireworks from tariffs.Schneitters
Fireworks and Importers is a retail, wholesale company that supplies fireworks
to many companies that put on fireworks displays. It is celebrating its 130th
anniversary. Schneitter-Blake says her parents and grandparents were founding
members of the National Fireworks Association to have more of a say in federal policy.
Schneitter-Blake has made several trips to Washington, D.C. to lobby for
association members.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Trade war with China shouldn't affect your 4th celebration, at least not much

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3LT9D6EXjcFJijZq221EVx?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning Sports

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2ui4W2jbNZdY0mE4yEz9Qt?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning News

The Trump administration wants Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to raid worksites in the agriculture and hospitality industries, despite an initial reprieve this month. Experts say the policy could hurt businesses that rely on immigrant workers.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia" target="_blank">Harvest Public Media</a>

Under orders from the Trump administration, ICE is ramping up arrests and deportations, with a reported goal to make a minimum of 3,000 arrests each day. That includes raids on farms, ranches and dairies.

The approach to immigration enforcement among farm workers continues to swing back and forth under the Trump administration.

On Friday, President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-is-looking-new-steps-farm-labor-2025-06-20/" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;he’s considering a new policy that would allow the agriculture industry to keep employing immigrants who are not authorized to work, if farmers and ranchers can assume “responsibility” for their workers.

“We're looking at doing something where, in the case of good, reputable farmers, they can take responsibility for the people that they hire and let them have responsibility, because we can't put the farms out of business," Trump said at a recent press conference. "And at the same time we don't want to hurt people that aren't criminals."

Yet last week, the Department of Homeland Security told Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/06/16/trump-farms-hotels-immigration-raids/?utm_campaign=wp_main&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank">continue raids</a>&nbsp;on farms, ranches and dairies across the United States.

That directive was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/us/politics/trump-ice-raids-farms-hotels.html" target="_blank">briefly paused</a>&nbsp;by Trump following large ICE operations earlier this month — including the arrests of more than 70 people at a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/people-are-scared-ice-agents-raid-facilities-in-omaha/" target="_blank">meat-packing facility</a>&nbsp;in Omaha, Nebraska. At the time, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114670684664650262" target="_blank">wrote on Truth Social</a>&nbsp;that the policy was “very aggressive” and could take long-time immigrant workers away from farms.

Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/06/16/nx-s1-5430846/farming-industry-immigration-ice-worksite-enforcement-trump" target="_blank">pushback</a>&nbsp;from some leaders in the agriculture industry, as well as people advocating for immigrant worker rights, the Trump administration then&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/19/trump-immigration-raids-farms-hotels-border-czar" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;it will continue targeting agriculture worksites, as well as in the hospitality industry, with a focus on people with a criminal background.

Many in the agriculture industry are concerned the policy will constrict labor and hurt both the farm business and everyday consumers. That includes Matt Teagarden, the head of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kla.org/" target="_blank">Kansas Livestock Association</a>, which represents more than 5,000 members in the state.

“These raids disrupt our food supply and contribute to higher food prices,” Teagarden said. “In addition to the workers who’ve been detained, these raids contribute to fear in these communities and lead to workers— fully legal workers — staying home out of fear.”

Under orders from the Trump administration, ICE is ramping up arrests and deportations around the U.S., with a reported goal to make a minimum of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ices-tactics-draw-criticism-it-triples-daily-arrest-targets-2025-06-10/" target="_blank">3,000 arrests</a>&nbsp;each day.

“There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, during an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/homeland-security-official-on-the-trump-administrations-immigration-policy-changes" target="_blank">interview with PBS</a>. “Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safeguard public safety, national security and economic stability.”

For immigrant workers and the rural communities who depend on their labor, the potential for incoming raids is concerning, said Sonia Parras, an immigration attorney in Des Moines, Iowa.

“The unintended consequence is that they destroyed the lives of the immigrant community, but also the industries, the mom-and-pops shops, and businesses,” Parras said. “Is the cost of a raid — on U.S. citizens and the economy of a town and surrounding areas — worth extracting or detaining immigrants in the area?”

In 2008, Parras provided pro-bono legal services when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2008/06/09/91327136/immigration-raid-leaves-mark-on-iowa-town" target="_blank">ICE raided a meat-packing plant</a>&nbsp;and arrested nearly 400 people in Postville, Iowa. This past week, she said her phone has been ringing “off the hook” with people calling in a panic, asking for help if they get arrested.

“When the administration — to me — prioritizes punitive enforcement that targets these workers, it creates a bit of a paradox where the very workforce that the farmers relied upon is being driven into the shadows,” said Parras.

Throughout the country, 42% of farm workers were not legally authorized to work in the U.S. in 2022, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/chart-detail?chartId=63466" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Another 19% were immigrants authorized to work through visas or who had legal permanent resident status.

Although Teagarden and others in the agriculture industry support immigration enforcement in the form of “securing” the southern U.S. border and “removing violent criminals,” he said they want to work with Trump and Congress to address the issue in a “reasonable way” that supports the industry.

“It really is clear to me that the people pushing for these raids that target farms and feed yards and dairies, have no idea how farms operate.” Teagarden said. “You can’t just turn off a cow. It doesn’t work that way. Cows have to be milked, cattle have to be fed.”

Work from immigrants in the agriculture industry has allowed labor costs for farmers and ranchers to remain low, and ultimately keep food prices lower for consumers, according to David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University.

“The agricultural sector relies heavily on migrant workers in order to do some of those critical activities that many U.S. born workers are either unable or unwilling to perform,” Ortega said. “Things like harvesting, planting, working in meatpacking plants, all of the critical activities that are needed to get food from the farm all the way to the table.”

Some agriculture stakeholders throughout the Midwest, particularly in the specialty crop sector who rely on immigrant labor, are already raising concerns, Ortega said. Without some protections in place for immigrants working in the agriculture industry, the enforcement policy is having a “chilling effect” on workers who are not easily replaced — even those who are authorized to work in the U.S. — he said.

“It's not surprising that we're seeing producers reach out to individuals in elected positions, noting that these activities, the rhetoric that the Trump administration has on illegal immigration and these mass deportations, are affecting their business,” Ortega said.

This story was produced in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia" target="_blank">Harvest Public Media</a>, a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest and Great Plains. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751055280443.png" alt="A Mason /&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement" />
 <figcaption>A Mason /&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Trump administration wants Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to raid worksites in the agriculture and hospitality industries, despite an initial reprieve this month. Experts say the policy could hurt businesses that rely on immigrant workers.</h2><a href="https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia" target="_blank">Harvest Public Media</a>Under orders from the Trump administration, ICE is ramping up arrests and deportations, with a reported goal to make a minimum of 3,000 arrests each day. That includes raids on farms, ranches and dairies.The approach to immigration enforcement among farm workers continues to swing back and forth under the Trump administration.On Friday, President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-is-looking-new-steps-farm-labor-2025-06-20/" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;he’s considering a new policy that would allow the agriculture industry to keep employing immigrants who are not authorized to work, if farmers and ranchers can assume “responsibility” for their workers.“We're looking at doing something where, in the case of good, reputable farmers, they can take responsibility for the people that they hire and let them have responsibility, because we can't put the farms out of business," Trump said at a recent press conference. "And at the same time we don't want to hurt people that aren't criminals."Yet last week, the Department of Homeland Security told Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/06/16/trump-farms-hotels-immigration-raids/?utm_campaign=wp_main&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank">continue raids</a>&nbsp;on farms, ranches and dairies across the United States.That directive was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/us/politics/trump-ice-raids-farms-hotels.html" target="_blank">briefly paused</a>&nbsp;by Trump following large ICE operations earlier this month — including the arrests of more than 70 people at a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/people-are-scared-ice-agents-raid-facilities-in-omaha/" target="_blank">meat-packing facility</a>&nbsp;in Omaha, Nebraska. At the time, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114670684664650262" target="_blank">wrote on Truth Social</a>&nbsp;that the policy was “very aggressive” and could take long-time immigrant workers away from farms.Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/06/16/nx-s1-5430846/farming-industry-immigration-ice-worksite-enforcement-trump" target="_blank">pushback</a>&nbsp;from some leaders in the agriculture industry, as well as people advocating for immigrant worker rights, the Trump administration then&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/19/trump-immigration-raids-farms-hotels-border-czar" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;it will continue targeting agriculture worksites, as well as in the hospitality industry, with a focus on people with a criminal background.Many in the agriculture industry are concerned the policy will constrict labor and hurt both the farm business and everyday consumers. That includes Matt Teagarden, the head of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kla.org/" target="_blank">Kansas Livestock Association</a>, which represents more than 5,000 members in the state.“These raids disrupt our food supply and contribute to higher food prices,” Teagarden said. “In addition to the workers who’ve been detained, these raids contribute to fear in these communities and lead to workers— fully legal workers — staying home out of fear.”Under orders from the Trump administration, ICE is ramping up arrests and deportations around the U.S., with a reported goal to make a minimum of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ices-tactics-draw-criticism-it-triples-daily-arrest-targets-2025-06-10/" target="_blank">3,000 arrests</a>&nbsp;each day.“There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, during an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/homeland-security-official-on-the-trump-administrations-immigration-policy-changes" target="_blank">interview with PBS</a>. “Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safeguard public safety, national security and economic stability.”For immigrant workers and the rural communities who depend on their labor, the potential for incoming raids is concerning, said Sonia Parras, an immigration attorney in Des Moines, Iowa.“The unintended consequence is that they destroyed the lives of the immigrant community, but also the industries, the mom-and-pops shops, and businesses,” Parras said. “Is the cost of a raid — on U.S. citizens and the economy of a town and surrounding areas — worth extracting or detaining immigrants in the area?”In 2008, Parras provided pro-bono legal services when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2008/06/09/91327136/immigration-raid-leaves-mark-on-iowa-town" target="_blank">ICE raided a meat-packing plant</a>&nbsp;and arrested nearly 400 people in Postville, Iowa. This past week, she said her phone has been ringing “off the hook” with people calling in a panic, asking for help if they get arrested.“When the administration — to me — prioritizes punitive enforcement that targets these workers, it creates a bit of a paradox where the very workforce that the farmers relied upon is being driven into the shadows,” said Parras.Throughout the country, 42% of farm workers were not legally authorized to work in the U.S. in 2022, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/chart-detail?chartId=63466" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Another 19% were immigrants authorized to work through visas or who had legal permanent resident status.Although Teagarden and others in the agriculture industry support immigration enforcement in the form of “securing” the southern U.S. border and “removing violent criminals,” he said they want to work with Trump and Congress to address the issue in a “reasonable way” that supports the industry.“It really is clear to me that the people pushing for these raids that target farms and feed yards and dairies, have no idea how farms operate.” Teagarden said. “You can’t just turn off a cow. It doesn’t work that way. Cows have to be milked, cattle have to be fed.”Work from immigrants in the agriculture industry has allowed labor costs for farmers and ranchers to remain low, and ultimately keep food prices lower for consumers, according to David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University.“The agricultural sector relies heavily on migrant workers in order to do some of those critical activities that many U.S. born workers are either unable or unwilling to perform,” Ortega said. “Things like harvesting, planting, working in meatpacking plants, all of the critical activities that are needed to get food from the farm all the way to the table.”Some agriculture stakeholders throughout the Midwest, particularly in the specialty crop sector who rely on immigrant labor, are already raising concerns, Ortega said. Without some protections in place for immigrants working in the agriculture industry, the enforcement policy is having a “chilling effect” on workers who are not easily replaced — even those who are authorized to work in the U.S. — he said.“It's not surprising that we're seeing producers reach out to individuals in elected positions, noting that these activities, the rhetoric that the Trump administration has on illegal immigration and these mass deportations, are affecting their business,” Ortega said.This story was produced in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia" target="_blank">Harvest Public Media</a>, a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest and Great Plains. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.

ICE raids push farm workers to stay home ‘out of fear.’ That could hurt U.S. food production

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Shortly before 2:30 a.m. Saturday, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on U.S. Highway 75, near 126th Road for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. 

The driver, Tim Wurzbacher, 37, of Atchison, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail&nbsp; on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751298708768.png" alt="Wurzbacher photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Wurzbacher photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Shortly before 2:30 a.m. Saturday, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on U.S. Highway 75, near 126th Road for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The driver, Tim Wurzbacher, 37, of Atchison, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail&nbsp; on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: NE Kansas man caught transporting meth

University of
Missouri officials say they suffered a setback, not a death blow to the idea of
creating a dental school in St. Joseph.

It seemed certain
a $7 million appropriation for the University of Missouri-Kansas City to
establish a dental school in St. Joseph would pass during the legislative
session this year. That is, until it didn’t

UMKC Chancellor,
Mauli Agrawal, says the school still plans to start a dental school on the
Missouri Western State University campus.

“It usually takes
a little bit to collect all the money together to launch something this big and
it will get done,” Agrawal tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Agrawal says
though UMKC didn’t get the money it expected during the legislative session,
the project isn’t dead.

“Oh, no, no, we
will continue to work at this,” Agrawal says. “It’s a very large project, as I
said. It usually takes a little bit of time to get everything together. We have
full intent to get this done. It may be delayed a little bit, but we’ll get it
done.”

The dental school
funding was one of the dozens of victims when the Missouri House Budget chair,
Dirk Deaton of Seneca, unexpectedly skipped over House Bill 19 toward the end
of the session, never bringing it to the House floor for a vote. The move even
caught fellow House Republicans off guard. Deaton failed to give a hint to his
own caucus that he never planned to allow the $513 million capital improvement
package to come to a vote. Afterward, he simply said the state couldn’t afford
the bill and there was nothing vital in it.

Though shocking,
the move hasn’t shaken the commitment of UMKC to establish a dental school in
St. Joseph or, at least, so it seems when talking with University of Missouri officials
during their visit to St. Joseph for a Board of Curators meeting at the St.
Joseph Country Club last week.

Agrawal says the
university understands rural northwest Missouri needs dentists and dental
hygienists, a point Agrawal says was made clear to him during visits throughout
the region.

“Health care delivery
is a need,” Agrawal says. “Both medicine and dental were brought up and since
we are the only public dental school for the state it’s on us to see what we
can do to address those issues.”

Agrawal says the
success of the UMKC medical school in St. Joseph has provided momentum for
starting a dental school on the Missouri Western campus. The model for the
dental school would be different, according to Agrawal, with dental students
spending two years on the Kansas City campus before finishing their training at
the clinic in St. Joseph.

Agrawal says the
failure of the capital improvement package in the last days of the legislative
session is a mere setback for the proposal.

“None of these
things work the first time around,” according to Agrawal. “Even the medical
school, it took us a little while to get everything together and this one will
come together. Almost did this time, but I’m pretty sure and confident that it
will next time.”

UMKC has operated
a medical school in St. Joseph on the Mosaic Life Care campus. It moves into a
new building this fall.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751307596372.jpeg" alt="UMKC Medical school under construction/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>UMKC Medical school under construction/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostUniversity of
Missouri officials say they suffered a setback, not a death blow to the idea of
creating a dental school in St. Joseph.It seemed certain
a $7 million appropriation for the University of Missouri-Kansas City to
establish a dental school in St. Joseph would pass during the legislative
session this year. That is, until it didn’tUMKC Chancellor,
Mauli Agrawal, says the school still plans to start a dental school on the
Missouri Western State University campus.“It usually takes
a little bit to collect all the money together to launch something this big and
it will get done,” Agrawal tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.Agrawal says
though UMKC didn’t get the money it expected during the legislative session,
the project isn’t dead.“Oh, no, no, we
will continue to work at this,” Agrawal says. “It’s a very large project, as I
said. It usually takes a little bit of time to get everything together. We have
full intent to get this done. It may be delayed a little bit, but we’ll get it
done.”The dental school
funding was one of the dozens of victims when the Missouri House Budget chair,
Dirk Deaton of Seneca, unexpectedly skipped over House Bill 19 toward the end
of the session, never bringing it to the House floor for a vote. The move even
caught fellow House Republicans off guard. Deaton failed to give a hint to his
own caucus that he never planned to allow the $513 million capital improvement
package to come to a vote. Afterward, he simply said the state couldn’t afford
the bill and there was nothing vital in it.Though shocking,
the move hasn’t shaken the commitment of UMKC to establish a dental school in
St. Joseph or, at least, so it seems when talking with University of Missouri officials
during their visit to St. Joseph for a Board of Curators meeting at the St.
Joseph Country Club last week.Agrawal says the
university understands rural northwest Missouri needs dentists and dental
hygienists, a point Agrawal says was made clear to him during visits throughout
the region.“Health care delivery
is a need,” Agrawal says. “Both medicine and dental were brought up and since
we are the only public dental school for the state it’s on us to see what we
can do to address those issues.”Agrawal says the
success of the UMKC medical school in St. Joseph has provided momentum for
starting a dental school on the Missouri Western campus. The model for the
dental school would be different, according to Agrawal, with dental students
spending two years on the Kansas City campus before finishing their training at
the clinic in St. Joseph.Agrawal says the
failure of the capital improvement package in the last days of the legislative
session is a mere setback for the proposal.“None of these
things work the first time around,” according to Agrawal. “Even the medical
school, it took us a little while to get everything together and this one will
come together. Almost did this time, but I’m pretty sure and confident that it
will next time.”UMKC has operated
a medical school in St. Joseph on the Mosaic Life Care campus. It moves into a
new building this fall.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

UMKC still sets its eyes on St. Joseph for dental clinic, despite legislative loss

In August, the United Way of Greater St. Joseph will Stuff the Bus with school supplies to be provided to students in need ahead of a new school year. 

But ahead of the event, the United Way is calling for volunteers for one of the largest volunteer events held by the agency. 

Director of Community Investment Jodi Flurry says Stuff the Bus is a fun and easy way for people to volunteer

"It's a short time commitment, shifts are only an hour and a half which is good because you are standing out by a parking lot in the beginning of August, so it's pretty toasty out there, but the shifts are only an hour and a half," Flurry tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "And this is a volunteer activity that also works for people of all ages, my son started volunteering for United Way Stuff the Bus when he was three."

 Flurry says a large number of volunteers are needed for this event

"Over the course of the two days we'll have more than 200 people who share their time with United Way collecting the school supplies, so we are calling for a lot of people to come out and volunteer," Flurry explains.  "It is a short, fun, easy time commitment and volunteer opportunity that people of all ages can do, so we encourage you to come out and volunteer."

Flurry says the event is a great opportunity for families to volunteer together and is really easy for anyone

"Last year our oldest volunteer was 87 years old, which is pretty amazing that she's still able to go out and help and volunteer in her late 80's," Flurry says. 

Flurry says it's also a great volunteer opportunity for groups or organizations

"They register for five or six spots and they're going to send their team from work or their ball team out, their service club takes a shift, because it's a fun group activity that's easy to do, it's an easy way to give back to the community, and it's a pretty short time commitment," Flurry says.

Stuff the Bus will be held August 1st and the 2nd at both Walmart locations in St. Joseph.  If you are interested in volunteering, you can contact the United Way.

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostIn August, the United Way of Greater St. Joseph will Stuff the Bus with school supplies to be provided to students in need ahead of a new school year. But ahead of the event, the United Way is calling for volunteers for one of the largest volunteer events held by the agency. Director of Community Investment Jodi Flurry says Stuff the Bus is a fun and easy way for people to volunteer"It's a short time commitment, shifts are only an hour and a half which is good because you are standing out by a parking lot in the beginning of August, so it's pretty toasty out there, but the shifts are only an hour and a half," Flurry tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And this is a volunteer activity that also works for people of all ages, my son started volunteering for United Way Stuff the Bus when he was three." Flurry says a large number of volunteers are needed for this event"Over the course of the two days we'll have more than 200 people who share their time with United Way collecting the school supplies, so we are calling for a lot of people to come out and volunteer," Flurry explains. "It is a short, fun, easy time commitment and volunteer opportunity that people of all ages can do, so we encourage you to come out and volunteer."Flurry says the event is a great opportunity for families to volunteer together and is really easy for anyone"Last year our oldest volunteer was 87 years old, which is pretty amazing that she's still able to go out and help and volunteer in her late 80's," Flurry says. Flurry says it's also a great volunteer opportunity for groups or organizations"They register for five or six spots and they're going to send their team from work or their ball team out, their service club takes a shift, because it's a fun group activity that's easy to do, it's an easy way to give back to the community, and it's a pretty short time commitment," Flurry says.Stuff the Bus will be held August 1st and the 2nd at both Walmart locations in St. Joseph. If you are interested in volunteering, you can contact the United Way.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

United Way of Greater St. Joseph calling for volunteers to help Stuff the Bus

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2rpc4WSeMA1EVUO1pNloHG?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/5QLPjIKXVv98OBRnwgfp56?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

ATCHISON COUNTY, Mo. —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Sunday in Atchison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Kia Sedona driven by a 75-year-old Kansas City, Kansas woman was southbound in the northbound passing lane of Interstate 29 five miles north of Rock Port. The minivan struck a northbound 2019 Infinity QX8 driven by a 30-year-old Dennison, Iowa, woman.&nbsp; After impact the minivan skidded into the grass median. The rear of the Infinity became partially airborne. A northbound 2012 Kia Sorento driven by a 28-year-old Ward, South Carolina woman, struck the undercarriage of the Infinity

The driver of the minivan was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics.&nbsp; Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the driver of the Infinity and two passengers including a 5-year-old girl and an adult male to Grape Memorial Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. There were no other injuries reported.

The MSHP had incomplete seat belt usage information. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ATCHISON COUNTY, Mo. —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Sunday in Atchison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Kia Sedona driven by a 75-year-old Kansas City, Kansas woman was southbound in the northbound passing lane of Interstate 29 five miles north of Rock Port. The minivan struck a northbound 2019 Infinity QX8 driven by a 30-year-old Dennison, Iowa, woman.&nbsp; After impact the minivan skidded into the grass median. The rear of the Infinity became partially airborne. A northbound 2012 Kia Sorento driven by a 28-year-old Ward, South Carolina woman, struck the undercarriage of the InfinityThe driver of the minivan was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics.&nbsp; Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the driver of the Infinity and two passengers including a 5-year-old girl and an adult male to Grape Memorial Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. There were no other injuries reported.The MSHP had incomplete seat belt usage information. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Woman dead,  2 adults and 5-year-old injured in wrong-way crash

ATCHISON COUNTY, Mo. —One person was injured in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Saturday in Atchison County

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 2013 Jeep Wrangler driven by a 23-year-old Susanville, California, man was northbound on Interstate 29 ten miles north of Watson. The driver changed lanes and lost control of the vehicle. The Jeep rear-ended a 2005 GMC Savannah driven by 39-year-old Chicago, Illinois, man. After impact the van overturned.

Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the van driver to Grape Community Hospital. The Jeep driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ATCHISON COUNTY, Mo. —One person was injured in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Saturday in Atchison CountyThe Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 2013 Jeep Wrangler driven by a 23-year-old Susanville, California, man was northbound on Interstate 29 ten miles north of Watson. The driver changed lanes and lost control of the vehicle. The Jeep rear-ended a 2005 GMC Savannah driven by 39-year-old Chicago, Illinois, man. After impact the van overturned.Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the van driver to Grape Community Hospital. The Jeep driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Driver injured after Jeep rear-ends a van

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/33CnPowpmvnCUpdVitleBx?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Week in Review

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

Hallsville, a town of about 2,000 people northeast of Columbia, was peppered with homemade purple and gold “Yes on Prop 2” signs adorning front lawns early this spring.

The Hallsville School District was asking for a $6.5 million bond issue to finance more parking for the growing high school, a new elementary classroom and increased security for schools. And on April 8,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.showmeboone.com/clerk/elections/results/20250408SGM.pdf" target="_blank">nearly 75% of voters</a>&nbsp;approved the measure, and the district launched pre-construction and design work.

But the project came to a halt the afternoon of June 6 when Superintendent Tyler Walker learned the district hadn’t met public-notice requirements before the election. So their bond counsel, the law firm Gilmore &amp; Bell, couldn’t submit the bond issue for certification to the Missouri State Auditor’s Office.

“This was not the fault of the school district,” Walker told The Independent, “yet the school district and the students we educate are unfortunately being punished.”

Hallsville is the only school district to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/k12_education/voters-approve-hallsville-school-bond-issue-but-state-auditor-says-no/article_d4619f98-a255-4bda-a630-61dca5fa6015.html" target="_blank">publicly acknowledge</a>&nbsp;issues with its bond measure, but there could be as many as 10 political subdivisions forced to throw out the results of the April election.

Mark Grimm, an attorney with Gilmore &amp; Bell, said in a June 3 email to the auditor’s office that eight to 10 of his firm’s clients may need to put voter-approved bonds back on the ballot because they appear to have fallen short of&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.127" target="_blank">the state law laying out public notice requirements in the run up to an election</a>.&nbsp;

Notice of a bond issue must be published in local newspapers twice — once two weeks prior to the election and again within one week of the election. In each instance, Grimm wrote, notice ran three and two weeks before the election.

Exactly which bond measures are in jeopardy isn’t clear. The firm couldn’t comment on specifics about its clients, and the auditor’s office — which must certify that local bond measures comply with state law — was not provided with a list.

In an interview with The Independent, Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick said the state law is clear. The last thing he wanted to do was disqualify a voter-approved measure, Fitzpatrick said, but his hands are tied because public notice requirements are very specific and allow no flexibility.&nbsp;

“If we’re aware of the deficiency,” he said “we can’t knowingly certify that the bonds comply with all the laws.”

Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Shell Knob, acknowledged similar issues with public notice have gone undetected over the years. In fact, an $8.5 million bond measure for the Centralia R-VI School District, Hallsville’s neighbor to the northeast, was certified with similar problems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The office has historically relied on bond attorneys like Gilmore &amp; Bell, Fitzpatrick said, to ensure their clients are in compliance with state laws before submitting paperwork for certification. While his staff ensures publication takes place, “it was not part of our process to closely check the dates of the publications.”

“There’s a level of trust that has been historically built into this process,” he said, “because this is a sporadic thing. It’s not something where we have a team of people sitting around all day and their only job is to review these bonds and check every single law.”

Bill Burns, general counsel for Gilmore &amp; Bell, doesn’t agree with the auditor’s position. He believes Missouri law gives Fitzpatrick enough wiggle room to certify voter-approved bonds despite “minor deficiencies relating to publication notices that would not in any way affect the outcome of the election.”

But Fitzpatrick said the law firm should have been on the lookout for these sorts of problems after a dust up in February involving the Higbee Fire Protection District — another Gilmore &amp; Bell client — resulted in a bond measure being refused certification over similar issues.&nbsp;

“I am surprised that we’re dealing with this now,” he said. “I would expect that bond counsel will be more proactive and communicate with the county clerk on these deals moving forward to make sure the publication dates are where they need to be. But I would have also thought that following the February deal.”

Over the course of two elections last year, voters in Randolph County approved $1.6 million in bonds to support the Higbee Fire Protection District. It was only supposed to take one election, but the county clerk put the wrong total on the August ballot, requiring the rest of the bonds to be approved in November.&nbsp;

By February, all that was left for the bonds to finally be issued was the certification of the auditor’s office.

Fitzpatrick’s staff kept asking for a copy of the sample ballot that was published in the newspaper prior to the election. Erick Creach, an attorney with Gilmore &amp; Bell representing the district, instead sent affidavits attesting that the county clerk published a sample ballot.

As it turns out, the reason Creach couldn’t share a copy of the sample ballot was because it was never published as required by law.&nbsp;

“Erick called first thing this morning,” wrote Leslie Korte, general counsel for the auditor’s office, in a Feb. 26 email obtained by The Independent through Missouri’s Sunshine Law. “He admitted that despite their prior representations and the certification of the clerk, they in fact did not publish the notice as required. For any election. He basically wanted us to let that slide.”

Korte wrote that she informed Creach that the auditor “cannot certify a bond that we know does not comply with state law.”

“I also addressed the secondary issue, which is Gilmore &amp; Bell sending us documents certifying to facts that are not true, and him providing us documents yesterday afternoon identifying them as something they are not,” she wrote. “I told him all bond packages we receive from them going forward will be under heightened scrutiny, and if anything like this happens again, how it is addressed by our office will be escalated.”

Creach responded later that day reiterating that sharing the affidavits wasn’t an attempt to fool anyone but rather to “keep your office updated as I was piecing together the information, which to your point should have been addressed prior to submission of the transcript in the first place.”

The firm, Creach wrote, will “have a call today internally to discuss best practices regarding&nbsp;submission of transcripts and review of documentation to ensure this doesn’t happen in the future.”

Fitzpatrick said in an interview this week that Gilmore &amp; Bell “kind of intended to mislead us on that one, and we were unable to certify those bonds because no publication took place.”

In May, the auditor’s office refused to certify bonds for the Brookfield R-III School District in Linn County, again due to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kttn.com/clerical-mistake-halts-school-bond-approvals-in-brookfield-and-meadville-school-districts/" target="_blank">public notice deficiencies</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670081515655.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Hallsville, a town of about 2,000 people northeast of Columbia, was peppered with homemade purple and gold “Yes on Prop 2” signs adorning front lawns early this spring.The Hallsville School District was asking for a $6.5 million bond issue to finance more parking for the growing high school, a new elementary classroom and increased security for schools. And on April 8,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.showmeboone.com/clerk/elections/results/20250408SGM.pdf" target="_blank">nearly 75% of voters</a>&nbsp;approved the measure, and the district launched pre-construction and design work.But the project came to a halt the afternoon of June 6 when Superintendent Tyler Walker learned the district hadn’t met public-notice requirements before the election. So their bond counsel, the law firm Gilmore &amp; Bell, couldn’t submit the bond issue for certification to the Missouri State Auditor’s Office.“This was not the fault of the school district,” Walker told The Independent, “yet the school district and the students we educate are unfortunately being punished.”Hallsville is the only school district to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/k12_education/voters-approve-hallsville-school-bond-issue-but-state-auditor-says-no/article_d4619f98-a255-4bda-a630-61dca5fa6015.html" target="_blank">publicly acknowledge</a>&nbsp;issues with its bond measure, but there could be as many as 10 political subdivisions forced to throw out the results of the April election.Mark Grimm, an attorney with Gilmore &amp; Bell, said in a June 3 email to the auditor’s office that eight to 10 of his firm’s clients may need to put voter-approved bonds back on the ballot because they appear to have fallen short of&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.127" target="_blank">the state law laying out public notice requirements in the run up to an election</a>.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751110830433.png" alt=" Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick speaks to reporters about a critical report of the Secretary of State’s office on Jan. 23, 2024 (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick speaks to reporters about a critical report of the Secretary of State’s office on Jan. 23, 2024 (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Notice of a bond issue must be published in local newspapers twice — once two weeks prior to the election and again within one week of the election. In each instance, Grimm wrote, notice ran three and two weeks before the election.Exactly which bond measures are in jeopardy isn’t clear. The firm couldn’t comment on specifics about its clients, and the auditor’s office — which must certify that local bond measures comply with state law — was not provided with a list.In an interview with The Independent, Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick said the state law is clear. The last thing he wanted to do was disqualify a voter-approved measure, Fitzpatrick said, but his hands are tied because public notice requirements are very specific and allow no flexibility.&nbsp;“If we’re aware of the deficiency,” he said “we can’t knowingly certify that the bonds comply with all the laws.”Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Shell Knob, acknowledged similar issues with public notice have gone undetected over the years. In fact, an $8.5 million bond measure for the Centralia R-VI School District, Hallsville’s neighbor to the northeast, was certified with similar problems.&nbsp;&nbsp;The office has historically relied on bond attorneys like Gilmore &amp; Bell, Fitzpatrick said, to ensure their clients are in compliance with state laws before submitting paperwork for certification. While his staff ensures publication takes place, “it was not part of our process to closely check the dates of the publications.”“There’s a level of trust that has been historically built into this process,” he said, “because this is a sporadic thing. It’s not something where we have a team of people sitting around all day and their only job is to review these bonds and check every single law.”Bill Burns, general counsel for Gilmore &amp; Bell, doesn’t agree with the auditor’s position. He believes Missouri law gives Fitzpatrick enough wiggle room to certify voter-approved bonds despite “minor deficiencies relating to publication notices that would not in any way affect the outcome of the election.”But Fitzpatrick said the law firm should have been on the lookout for these sorts of problems after a dust up in February involving the Higbee Fire Protection District — another Gilmore &amp; Bell client — resulted in a bond measure being refused certification over similar issues.&nbsp;“I am surprised that we’re dealing with this now,” he said. “I would expect that bond counsel will be more proactive and communicate with the county clerk on these deals moving forward to make sure the publication dates are where they need to be. But I would have also thought that following the February deal.”<h2>Higbee Fire Protection District</h2>Over the course of two elections last year, voters in Randolph County approved $1.6 million in bonds to support the Higbee Fire Protection District. It was only supposed to take one election, but the county clerk put the wrong total on the August ballot, requiring the rest of the bonds to be approved in November.&nbsp;By February, all that was left for the bonds to finally be issued was the certification of the auditor’s office.And that’s where things went sideways.Fitzpatrick’s staff kept asking for a copy of the sample ballot that was published in the newspaper prior to the election. Erick Creach, an attorney with Gilmore &amp; Bell representing the district, instead sent affidavits attesting that the county clerk published a sample ballot.As it turns out, the reason Creach couldn’t share a copy of the sample ballot was because it was never published as required by law.&nbsp;“Erick called first thing this morning,” wrote Leslie Korte, general counsel for the auditor’s office, in a Feb. 26 email obtained by The Independent through Missouri’s Sunshine Law. “He admitted that despite their prior representations and the certification of the clerk, they in fact did not publish the notice as required. For any election. He basically wanted us to let that slide.”Korte wrote that she informed Creach that the auditor “cannot certify a bond that we know does not comply with state law.”“I also addressed the secondary issue, which is Gilmore &amp; Bell sending us documents certifying to facts that are not true, and him providing us documents yesterday afternoon identifying them as something they are not,” she wrote. “I told him all bond packages we receive from them going forward will be under heightened scrutiny, and if anything like this happens again, how it is addressed by our office will be escalated.”Creach responded later that day reiterating that sharing the affidavits wasn’t an attempt to fool anyone but rather to “keep your office updated as I was piecing together the information, which to your point should have been addressed prior to submission of the transcript in the first place.”The firm, Creach wrote, will “have a call today internally to discuss best practices regarding&nbsp;submission of transcripts and review of documentation to ensure this doesn’t happen in the future.”Fitzpatrick said in an interview this week that Gilmore &amp; Bell “kind of intended to mislead us on that one, and we were unable to certify those bonds because no publication took place.”<h2>Brookfield R-III School District</h2>In May, the auditor’s office refused to certify bonds for the Brookfield R-III School District in Linn County, again due to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kttn.com/clerical-mistake-halts-school-bond-approvals-in-brookfield-and-meadville-school-districts/" target="_blank">public notice deficiencies</a>.&nbsp;Though the school district was not a Gilmore &amp; Bell client, the firm took note and decided it would “submit certain hypothetical fact situations” to the auditor in the hopes of clarifying what could disqualify a bond measure, said Burns, the firm’s general counsel.&nbsp;One of the hypotheticals the firm submitted was publication three weeks and two weeks before the election. The auditor’s office confirmed it would not certify under those circumstances.&nbsp;Grim responded that “we believe there are 8-10 bond elections from April for political subdivisions we represent where the election authority complied with all publication requirements except the publications fell slightly outside of the two week/one week provision.”One of those was Hallsville.&nbsp;“While we definitely agree that good public policy is to ensure compliance with election laws,” Grimm wrote, “failing to register bonds due to election law technicalities has the result of effectively annulling an election.”He requested the auditor’s office consider certifying bonds regardless of the public notice issue, with the understanding that “going forward, no such grace will be provided.” And he noted the auditor’s office had just certified a bond for one of the firm’s other clients, Centralia, that had the exact same deficiencies.&nbsp;Korte responded in a June 4 email that for Centralia, the auditor’s office “relied on the representation of bond counsel that the bonds complied with all state laws, including state law that dictates when those publications must take place.”Given the number of state laws that exist to cover the issuance of bonds, Korte wrote, it would not be surprising if over the years a bond was certified “despite having an unknown or undisclosed legal defect.”“That should never be taken as a tacit approval of any failure to comply with state law,” she wrote. “If anything, it should be used by bond counsel as a cautionary tale causing them to double down on their efforts to ensure they are monitoring their clients’ bonds and advising on how to issue bonds in full compliance.”<h2>Hallsville School District</h2>Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon, who oversees elections including publishing notices,&nbsp; told The Independent that her office intentionally chose to publish sample ballots three and two weeks before the election.“We have tried, especially this past time, to make sure that we have some (safeguard),” she said. “So if there is a mistake that’s made in one of the weekly papers, we still have a grace period to be able to publish.”A changing newspaper industry has made it harder to publish sample ballots. After a local paper was bought by a large corporation, Lennon’s office struggled to get edits made of notices and receive proofs prior to printing.Lennon didn’t think her notice strategy would run into statutory issues, since the heart of the law is to ensure voters are informed. Her office goes beyond the law’s requirements and sends sample ballots in the mail to voters and posts them online in advance of all elections.Hallsville plans on resubmitting the bond issue for November’s election, which Walker estimates will cost the district “between $10,000 and $20,000.” Until the issue is funded and approved by the state, no payment is due to Gilmore &amp; Bell.The cost of delaying construction isn’t quantifiable, he said, and will cause “significant planning issues for the district,” with improvements critically needed.“The safety and education of our students is of utmost importance to all of us in Hallsville,” he said.Walker felt he had no reason to doubt the district’s bond counsel, since Hallsville previously passed three bond issues with Gilmore &amp; Bell’s assistance, and he knew the firm’s reputation as “one of the best.”“Districts rely on bond counsel because the process to pass a bond issue and finance a successful issue is a complicated one,” he said. “It requires the assistance of a bond counsel to navigate the legal and financial complexities that are involved in the process from start to finish.”Fitzpatrick said his office will begin requiring bond counsel to sign an affidavit when submitting paperwork for certification of a bond measure “basically saying that, to the best of their knowledge, all laws have been complied with.”State lawmakers have also reached out to him, Fitzpatrick said, with interest in changing the public notice law when the legislature reconvenes in January. Burns said his firm agrees that the law needs to be adjusted.&nbsp;“The main thing I think that really needs to be changed is becoming more lenient with the date of the publication,” Fitzpatrick said, adding: “There’s a lot of kind of antiquated aspects of it.”

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