By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3ONdoCBQAEBaDGUMGssIr1?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

Individual tax rates for residences, farms, commercial buildings and personal property would prevent tax burden shifting, the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform was told at its final field hearing

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>

MACON — Separate tax rates for the four classes of taxed property would protect homeowners from large tax increases during reassessment, Chariton County Assessor Darrin Gladbach told a special Missouri House interim committee at its final field hearing.

If residential, commercial, farm and personal property each had a separate rate, any rate cuts due to growth above inflation would be confined to the classification where the growth is occurring, Gladbach said.

That is because when residential values rise faster than appraisals of commercial or farm property, it shifts the burden to homeowners because the Hancock Amendment was written so total property tax revenue growth doesn’t exceed inflation.

“Either the overall valuation does not go up enough to trigger a rollback, or if it does trigger a rollback, all the other subclasses also benefit from that rollback,” Gladbach said.

St. Louis County is the only county to separate property by subclass under a law making it optional.

Gladbach was the first person to testify Wednesday evening to the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform. The committee is looking at how rates are set, what share of true market value should be taxed and what needs to change to make property taxes simpler to understand and pay. It previously took&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/17/missouri-lawmakers-begin-dive-into-property-tax-problems/">testimony in Jefferson City</a>, Lebanon, Kansas City and St. Louis.&nbsp;

More than 100 people attended the hearing where, over the course of three hours, the 20-member committee heard from county officials and residents of north Missouri on what would make property taxes fairer, where assessments reflect actual values and rates reflect the constitutional limits on revenue growth.

Aggravation over higher property tax bills, fueled in part by a push at the&nbsp;<a href="https://stc.mo.gov/" target="_blank">State Tax Commission</a>&nbsp;to get assessors to recognize higher land and building values, has held the attention of state lawmakers for the past two years.

On Monday, elected officials from five counties who have refused commission orders to raise property valuations sued to block it from withholding funds that help pay for assessment activities.

During testimony that closed out the hearing, tax commission Chairman Gary Romine endorsed Gladbach’s proposal to tax each subclass of property at a separate rate.

“Assessed valuations going up should not be an increase in the constituents taxes,” Romine said.&nbsp;

One reason the tax commission has pushed assessors to make increases is to bring appraised values closer to actual market value, especially for residential property. But every appraisal is a guess, based on the sales price of comparable properties, and Missouri does not require sellers to report the value of the property as it is sold.

Romine&nbsp; said the commission has pushed for years for the legislature to enact a law requiring a certificate of value to be filed with the deed transfer.&nbsp;

“But we also realize that that data has to be protected, and it’s no secret the Realtors Association will kill any kind of (certificate of value) bill, if it gets out there, unless we can find a way to protect that data,” Romine said.

Lawmakers have tried to respond to constituent upset over property taxes with measures that allow local voters to freeze tax bills for people over 65, and, during a special session in June, put in place&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">caps on the growth</a>&nbsp;of individual tax bills in 97 of the state’s 114 counties.

But freezes and caps on bills can have the effect of shifting the burden to property not sheltered by the new laws because revenues for the 2,807 local government agencies that impose property taxes are allowed to increase by the rate of inflation and the value of new construction.

“When we freeze an area, the ones left in the pool pick up the slack, because we’ve got these fire districts and ambulance districts in rural Missouri, and the cost of funding is not going down,” Gladbach said.

Lawmakers provided lower-income seniors and people with disability more property tax relief during the regular session this year. The tax bill that eliminated taxes on capital gains also increased the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-approves-tax-cuts-for-capital-gains-diapers-and-low-income-seniors/">income limits and credit amounts</a>&nbsp;for the elderly and people with disabilities who use the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/tax-types/property-tax-credit/" target="_blank">Circuit Breaker tax credit</a>&nbsp;and, in June, put in place&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">caps on the growth</a>&nbsp;of tax bills in 97 of the state’s 114 counties.

The committee will meet again next Wednesday in Jefferson City as it takes the information from five public hearings held around the state and works on a bill to introduce for the 2026 legislative session, said state Rep. Tim Taylor, the Republican from Boonville who is chairman.

The committee may meet several times in early September if there is a special session on congressional redistricting, he said.

“It’s my goal to try to have this meeting over the public testimony in that week in Jefferson City, on whatever time frame, if it comes to fruition,” Taylor said. “And it would be my goal to even have one more after that, prior to December, so we might try to sit down and get a bill.”

The questions the committee must answer include whether constitutional changes are needed, whether the percentages of appraised value subject to tax should be changed and whether the tax commission should be expanded beyond three members.

“Part of the reason why I got this job is because I knew how complicated it was, and I complained that it was too complicated,” Taylor said. “So the speaker said, ‘well, if you want to complain, maybe you should try to help fix it.’”

The Missouri State Tax Commission provides oversight to the work of local assessors in 114 counties and the city of St. Louis. It sets the amounts used as the productive value of farmland, oversees the taxation of railroads and utility property, and is a place where owners can appeal property values when dissatisfied with the outcome reached by local boards of equalization.

In the lawsuit filed Monday in Polk County, officials in Audrain, DeKalb, Pike, Polk and Reynolds counties accuse the commission of exceeding its authority by demanding large jumps in assessed value and imposing impossible timelines.

Each county has received what the commission calls equalization orders, directing them to boost property values for real estate by up to 15%.&nbsp;

The commission’s orders “are an effort to force clerks, assessors, and boards of equalization to raise residential property assessments in an arbitrary and capricious manner without providing proper notice to the taxpayers affected by the increases,” the lawsuit states. “Upon information and belief, (the) commission has been made aware of this timing issue regarding the required notice to taxpayers and has failed to address these concerns.”

Members of the tax commission declined to comment on the lawsuit when asked at the interim committee hearing.

Local assessors are required to assign new values to all property in odd-numbered years, a process called general reassessment. The tax commission wants the values to fall between 90 and 110% of the true market value for the particular type of property.

When assessment increases are likely to cause tax bills to go up, notices must go out by June 1. Individual property owners are given a chance to appeal the new value to the local Board of Equalization, where they can argue over the price of comparable properties, or that factors such as age or storm damage make the valuation inaccurate.

Once the total value of all property in a taxing district is set in July, the governing boards calculate the impact on rates and set a public hearing. The rates for the year are set by Sept. 1 after public hearings.

DeKalb County, home to 42 taxing entities, was issued an equalization order dated July 22 demanding that it increase commercial assessments by 15%. That was too late to allow for appeals, County Clerk Melissa Meek said in an interview with The Independent.

The result, she said, would have been for the affected businesses to pay their taxes under protest, freezing the funds until appeals were resolved.

“I begged them to rescind their order and do it next year in a timely manner,” Meek said. “The patrons, the business owners, could meet with the Board of Equalization and they could bring their comps for comparable sales, and they could say why they shouldn’t have to pay and then let the (board) decide if the 15% increase was valid or not. But they didn’t give anybody that opportunity.”

The tax commission hasn’t formally threatened DeKalb County’s funding for assessment costs, which Meek said is about $25,000 a year. But the lawsuit says the commission is threatening to withhold more than $250,000 from the other four participating in the case.

The orders would force assessors to violate the law because any property where the value increases by 15% or more must be evaluated from the exterior in an inspection. The commission’s order to add the increase to any locally determined value for all residential properties would force assessors to violate the law, the lawsuit states

Along with forcing assessors to violate the law, blanket increases in assessments do not take into account individual conditions. Values may not change much, if at all, for properties in poor condition or in undesirable locations, the lawsuit states.

“The equalization orders specifically are discriminatory to taxpayers owning low-value properties in that a 15% increase will cause those properties to be assessed higher as compared to their market value than other properties within the counties,” the filing states.

Only the local assessor can know where it is appropriate to set higher values and which properties have not changed, Meek said.&nbsp;

“We know our county,” Meek said. “We know what our people can do and what they can’t do.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756478196794.png" alt=" Members of the House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform, chaired by state Rep. Tim Taylor, fifth from right, listen to testimony at a hearing Wednesday in Macon. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> Members of the House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform, chaired by state Rep. Tim Taylor, fifth from right, listen to testimony at a hearing Wednesday in Macon. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Individual tax rates for residences, farms, commercial buildings and personal property would prevent tax burden shifting, the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform was told at its final field hearing</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>MACON — Separate tax rates for the four classes of taxed property would protect homeowners from large tax increases during reassessment, Chariton County Assessor Darrin Gladbach told a special Missouri House interim committee at its final field hearing.If residential, commercial, farm and personal property each had a separate rate, any rate cuts due to growth above inflation would be confined to the classification where the growth is occurring, Gladbach said.That is because when residential values rise faster than appraisals of commercial or farm property, it shifts the burden to homeowners because the Hancock Amendment was written so total property tax revenue growth doesn’t exceed inflation.“Either the overall valuation does not go up enough to trigger a rollback, or if it does trigger a rollback, all the other subclasses also benefit from that rollback,” Gladbach said.St. Louis County is the only county to separate property by subclass under a law making it optional.Gladbach was the first person to testify Wednesday evening to the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform. The committee is looking at how rates are set, what share of true market value should be taxed and what needs to change to make property taxes simpler to understand and pay. It previously took&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/17/missouri-lawmakers-begin-dive-into-property-tax-problems/">testimony in Jefferson City</a>, Lebanon, Kansas City and St. Louis.&nbsp;More than 100 people attended the hearing where, over the course of three hours, the 20-member committee heard from county officials and residents of north Missouri on what would make property taxes fairer, where assessments reflect actual values and rates reflect the constitutional limits on revenue growth.Aggravation over higher property tax bills, fueled in part by a push at the&nbsp;<a href="https://stc.mo.gov/" target="_blank">State Tax Commission</a>&nbsp;to get assessors to recognize higher land and building values, has held the attention of state lawmakers for the past two years.On Monday, elected officials from five counties who have refused commission orders to raise property valuations sued to block it from withholding funds that help pay for assessment activities.During testimony that closed out the hearing, tax commission Chairman Gary Romine endorsed Gladbach’s proposal to tax each subclass of property at a separate rate.“Assessed valuations going up should not be an increase in the constituents taxes,” Romine said.&nbsp;One reason the tax commission has pushed assessors to make increases is to bring appraised values closer to actual market value, especially for residential property. But every appraisal is a guess, based on the sales price of comparable properties, and Missouri does not require sellers to report the value of the property as it is sold.Romine&nbsp; said the commission has pushed for years for the legislature to enact a law requiring a certificate of value to be filed with the deed transfer.&nbsp;“But we also realize that that data has to be protected, and it’s no secret the Realtors Association will kill any kind of (certificate of value) bill, if it gets out there, unless we can find a way to protect that data,” Romine said.Lawmakers have tried to respond to constituent upset over property taxes with measures that allow local voters to freeze tax bills for people over 65, and, during a special session in June, put in place&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">caps on the growth</a>&nbsp;of individual tax bills in 97 of the state’s 114 counties.But freezes and caps on bills can have the effect of shifting the burden to property not sheltered by the new laws because revenues for the 2,807 local government agencies that impose property taxes are allowed to increase by the rate of inflation and the value of new construction.“When we freeze an area, the ones left in the pool pick up the slack, because we’ve got these fire districts and ambulance districts in rural Missouri, and the cost of funding is not going down,” Gladbach said.Lawmakers provided lower-income seniors and people with disability more property tax relief during the regular session this year. The tax bill that eliminated taxes on capital gains also increased the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-approves-tax-cuts-for-capital-gains-diapers-and-low-income-seniors/">income limits and credit amounts</a>&nbsp;for the elderly and people with disabilities who use the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/tax-types/property-tax-credit/" target="_blank">Circuit Breaker tax credit</a>&nbsp;and, in June, put in place&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">caps on the growth</a>&nbsp;of tax bills in 97 of the state’s 114 counties.The committee will meet again next Wednesday in Jefferson City as it takes the information from five public hearings held around the state and works on a bill to introduce for the 2026 legislative session, said state Rep. Tim Taylor, the Republican from Boonville who is chairman.The committee may meet several times in early September if there is a special session on congressional redistricting, he said.“It’s my goal to try to have this meeting over the public testimony in that week in Jefferson City, on whatever time frame, if it comes to fruition,” Taylor said. “And it would be my goal to even have one more after that, prior to December, so we might try to sit down and get a bill.”The questions the committee must answer include whether constitutional changes are needed, whether the percentages of appraised value subject to tax should be changed and whether the tax commission should be expanded beyond three members.“Part of the reason why I got this job is because I knew how complicated it was, and I complained that it was too complicated,” Taylor said. “So the speaker said, ‘well, if you want to complain, maybe you should try to help fix it.’”<h2>Tax Commission lawsuit</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756478161944.png" alt=" DeKalb County Clerk Melissa Meek, right, sits with with DeKalb County Assessor Tanya Zimmerman Wednesday during the hearing of the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform in Macon. Meek is one of the officials from five counties who are suing the State Tax Commission. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> DeKalb County Clerk Melissa Meek, right, sits with with DeKalb County Assessor Tanya Zimmerman Wednesday during the hearing of the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform in Macon. Meek is one of the officials from five counties who are suing the State Tax Commission. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Missouri State Tax Commission provides oversight to the work of local assessors in 114 counties and the city of St. Louis. It sets the amounts used as the productive value of farmland, oversees the taxation of railroads and utility property, and is a place where owners can appeal property values when dissatisfied with the outcome reached by local boards of equalization.In the lawsuit filed Monday in Polk County, officials in Audrain, DeKalb, Pike, Polk and Reynolds counties accuse the commission of exceeding its authority by demanding large jumps in assessed value and imposing impossible timelines.Each county has received what the commission calls equalization orders, directing them to boost property values for real estate by up to 15%.&nbsp;The commission’s orders “are an effort to force clerks, assessors, and boards of equalization to raise residential property assessments in an arbitrary and capricious manner without providing proper notice to the taxpayers affected by the increases,” the lawsuit states. “Upon information and belief, (the) commission has been made aware of this timing issue regarding the required notice to taxpayers and has failed to address these concerns.”Members of the tax commission declined to comment on the lawsuit when asked at the interim committee hearing.Local assessors are required to assign new values to all property in odd-numbered years, a process called general reassessment. The tax commission wants the values to fall between 90 and 110% of the true market value for the particular type of property.When assessment increases are likely to cause tax bills to go up, notices must go out by June 1. Individual property owners are given a chance to appeal the new value to the local Board of Equalization, where they can argue over the price of comparable properties, or that factors such as age or storm damage make the valuation inaccurate.Once the total value of all property in a taxing district is set in July, the governing boards calculate the impact on rates and set a public hearing. The rates for the year are set by Sept. 1 after public hearings.DeKalb County, home to 42 taxing entities, was issued an equalization order dated July 22 demanding that it increase commercial assessments by 15%. That was too late to allow for appeals, County Clerk Melissa Meek said in an interview with The Independent.The result, she said, would have been for the affected businesses to pay their taxes under protest, freezing the funds until appeals were resolved.“I begged them to rescind their order and do it next year in a timely manner,” Meek said. “The patrons, the business owners, could meet with the Board of Equalization and they could bring their comps for comparable sales, and they could say why they shouldn’t have to pay and then let the (board) decide if the 15% increase was valid or not. But they didn’t give anybody that opportunity.”The tax commission hasn’t formally threatened DeKalb County’s funding for assessment costs, which Meek said is about $25,000 a year. But the lawsuit says the commission is threatening to withhold more than $250,000 from the other four participating in the case.<ul>
 <li>Audrain County stands to lose $51,275. When the tax commission ordered the county to raise assessments, it did so by 12%. The commission demanded 15%, the lawsuit states.</li><li>Pike County would lose $47,180 because the commission determined that residential assessments decreased 0.72% versus a demand that they rise 13 to 15%.</li><li>Polk County would lose $65,406 in fiscal 2026 funding and denied $24,762 remaining from its fiscal 2025 allocation if it does not boost residential assessments by at least 14.99%.</li><li>Reynolds County was directed to raise residential land values and residential improvements by 15% or lose $34,329 in fiscal 2025 and another $34,527 for fiscal 2026.</li>
 </ul>The orders would force assessors to violate the law because any property where the value increases by 15% or more must be evaluated from the exterior in an inspection. The commission’s order to add the increase to any locally determined value for all residential properties would force assessors to violate the law, the lawsuit statesAlong with forcing assessors to violate the law, blanket increases in assessments do not take into account individual conditions. Values may not change much, if at all, for properties in poor condition or in undesirable locations, the lawsuit states.“The equalization orders specifically are discriminatory to taxpayers owning low-value properties in that a 15% increase will cause those properties to be assessed higher as compared to their market value than other properties within the counties,” the filing states.Only the local assessor can know where it is appropriate to set higher values and which properties have not changed, Meek said.&nbsp;“We know our county,” Meek said. “We know what our people can do and what they can’t do.”&nbsp;

Missouri House committee urged to silo property into separate classes for taxes

ANDREW COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Thursday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Impala driven by a 24-year-old Savannah man was westbound on Route B at U.S. 71 two miles west of Bolckow.&nbsp; The car traveled into the path of a southbound 2012 Kia Soul driven by&nbsp; a 19-year-old Kansas City, Missouri woman.

After impact the Chevy traveled off the west side of the road and struck a stop sign and then traveled over an embankment.

Andrew County EMS transported both driver to Mosaic Life Care. Both were properly resstrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Thursday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Impala driven by a 24-year-old Savannah man was westbound on Route B at U.S. 71 two miles west of Bolckow.&nbsp; The car traveled into the path of a southbound 2012 Kia Soul driven by&nbsp; a 19-year-old Kansas City, Missouri woman.After impact the Chevy traveled off the west side of the road and struck a stop sign and then traveled over an embankment.Andrew County EMS transported both driver to Mosaic Life Care. Both were properly resstrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

2 hospitalized in St. Joe after 2-vehicle crash

The fifth annual Leadership Northwest Music Jam is this weekend in Trenton at the Black Silo Winery.   

Jenna Stevens, an alumna of Leadership Northwest, says this year’s music jam will bring back former acts from the past year’s concerts, including headliner Ryan Griffin 

"He was kind of a crowd favorite, and he's a friend of Shane who heads our Music Jam committee and so we just thought what better way to celebrate five years than to go ahead and bring him back as well as all of the opening acts that we've had from here locally," Stevens tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

Stevens says the concert was always well attended, but is even more anticipated now that it's held during Trenton's alumni week 

"Alumni weekend in Trenton is a very big deal, there's thousands of people that come back for class reunions," Stevens explains.  "And we thought that would be a great way one to increase attendance, which it was, first year that we did that we definitely had more ticket sales, and it was just a great atmosphere having people excited to see each other and have live music." 

Stevens says what makes this concert exciting is many of the performers have performed in past iterations of the concert 

"From what I hear they're planning to do something together, not just individually, I think that is going to be really something special to see and to watch," Stevens says.  "All of those local talents are also alumni from Trenton High School, and so that makes it a little bit more special with it being Alumi Weekend as well." 

Doors open to the concert on Saturday at 6pm.  Tickets will be $25 dollars and will be available at the door. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756395134825.jpeg" alt="Leadership Northwest Missouri is bringing the highly anticipated Leadership Northwest Music Jam back to the Black Silo Winery in Trenton this weekend/ Photo courtesy of Leadership Northwest Missouri Facebook" />
 <figcaption>Leadership Northwest Missouri is bringing the highly anticipated Leadership Northwest Music Jam back to the Black Silo Winery in Trenton this weekend/ Photo courtesy of Leadership Northwest Missouri Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE The fifth annual Leadership Northwest Music Jam is this weekend in Trenton at the Black Silo Winery. Jenna Stevens, an alumna of Leadership Northwest, says this year’s music jam will bring back former acts from the past year’s concerts, including headliner Ryan Griffin "He was kind of a crowd favorite, and he's a friend of Shane who heads our Music Jam committee and so we just thought what better way to celebrate five years than to go ahead and bring him back as well as all of the opening acts that we've had from here locally," Stevens tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. Stevens says the concert was always well attended, but is even more anticipated now that it's held during Trenton's alumni week "Alumni weekend in Trenton is a very big deal, there's thousands of people that come back for class reunions," Stevens explains. "And we thought that would be a great way one to increase attendance, which it was, first year that we did that we definitely had more ticket sales, and it was just a great atmosphere having people excited to see each other and have live music." Stevens says what makes this concert exciting is many of the performers have performed in past iterations of the concert "From what I hear they're planning to do something together, not just individually, I think that is going to be really something special to see and to watch," Stevens says. "All of those local talents are also alumni from Trenton High School, and so that makes it a little bit more special with it being Alumi Weekend as well." Doors open to the concert on Saturday at 6pm. Tickets will be $25 dollars and will be available at the door. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756395252609.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Leadership Northwest Missouri Facebook" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Leadership Northwest Missouri Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Leadership Northwest Missouri hosts fifth annual Music Jam this weekend in Trenton

BROWN COUNTY—One person was in an accident just after 7a.m. Thursday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 International semi driven by David&nbsp;Gress, 68, Seneca, was eastbound on U.S. just west of Falcon Road.

The vehicle lost its left front tire. It entered the north ditch and rolled. The tire then struck a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica driven by John&nbsp;Zimmers, 45, Hiawatha.

EMS transported Gress to KU Medical.&nbsp; Zimmers was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY—One person was in an accident just after 7a.m. Thursday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 International semi driven by David&nbsp;Gress, 68, Seneca, was eastbound on U.S. just west of Falcon Road.The vehicle lost its left front tire. It entered the north ditch and rolled. The tire then struck a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica driven by John&nbsp;Zimmers, 45, Hiawatha.EMS transported Gress to KU Medical.&nbsp; Zimmers was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after semi lost a tire and rolled

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4sypinOwMlOvpTFpjXWz37?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning Sports

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/0tYXboinlFYpIwes1hJTai?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

St. Joseph needs
more housing. Buchanan County is helping.

The county is
moving toward approving the sale of land near The Shoppes at North Village for
a multi-family housing apartment complex.

“That will be the
first apartment complex, new apartment complex, in St. Joe in about 21 years,”
says St. Joseph City Manager, Mike Schumacher, who says plans call for a 178-unit
complex.

“It’s a large
apartment complex, first-class apartment complex with all the modern amenities if you will,” Schumacher says.

Schumacher acknowledges
residential growth hasn’t been strong.

“While other
communities around us, it sure has been,” Schumacher says. “We spend a lot of
time asking why? And I don’t know that we have great answers to the why. When
we’ve met with different developers from the region, the answer that I get
anyway is we haven’t really thought about the St. Joe market.”

Schumacher says a
lack of housing has hurt business employee recruitment, which has hurt
population growth. Schumacher says city is working with developers to
streamline the permitting process and considering incentives to lure them to
the city.

“The population
growth aspect of this is absolutely critical for the health of St. Joe, whether
that’s our school systems, whether it’s the city of St. Joe, we have to focus
on quality housing for our existing folks and to attract new folks and growth,”
Schumacher says. “That is absolutely key to the success of St. Joe and I believe
that 100%.”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph needs
more housing. Buchanan County is helping.The county is
moving toward approving the sale of land near The Shoppes at North Village for
a multi-family housing apartment complex.“That will be the
first apartment complex, new apartment complex, in St. Joe in about 21 years,”
says St. Joseph City Manager, Mike Schumacher, who says plans call for a 178-unit
complex.“It’s a large
apartment complex, first-class apartment complex with all the modern amenities if you will,” Schumacher says.Schumacher acknowledges
residential growth hasn’t been strong.“While other
communities around us, it sure has been,” Schumacher says. “We spend a lot of
time asking why? And I don’t know that we have great answers to the why. When
we’ve met with different developers from the region, the answer that I get
anyway is we haven’t really thought about the St. Joe market.”Schumacher says a
lack of housing has hurt business employee recruitment, which has hurt
population growth. Schumacher says city is working with developers to
streamline the permitting process and considering incentives to lure them to
the city.“The population
growth aspect of this is absolutely critical for the health of St. Joe, whether
that’s our school systems, whether it’s the city of St. Joe, we have to focus
on quality housing for our existing folks and to attract new folks and growth,”
Schumacher says. “That is absolutely key to the success of St. Joe and I believe
that 100%.”You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Buchanan County stepping up to add to St. Joseph housing

Teen accessories retailer Claire’s, known for ear piercing, now struggling with a big debt load and changing consumer tastes, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month.&nbsp; The retailer is closing nearly 300 stores including six locations in Missouri and seven in Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756388896738.png" alt="Image courtesy Claire's" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Claire's</figcaption>
 </figure>Teen accessories retailer Claire’s, known for ear piercing, now struggling with a big debt load and changing consumer tastes, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month.&nbsp; The retailer is closing nearly 300 stores including six locations in Missouri and seven in Kansas.<ul>
 <li>Claire’s: Capital Mall, Jefferson</li><li>Claire’s: Ward Parkway Center, Kansas City</li><li>Claire’s: Shoppes At North Village, St Joseph</li><li>Icing: West County Mall, Des Peres</li><li>Icing: Independence Center, Independence</li><li>Icing: Northpark Mall, Joplin</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Claire’s: Town Center Plaza, Leawood</li><li>Claire’s: Flinthills Mall, Emporia</li><li>Claire’s: Manhattan Town Center, Manhattan</li><li>Claire’s: Village Square Mall, Dodge City</li><li>Claire’s: Meadowbrook Mall, Pittsburg</li><li>Claire’s: New Market Square, Wichita</li><li>Claire’s: Garden City Shopping Center, Garden City</li>
 </ul>

Claire's set to close over 290 stores including 6 in Missouri

ATCHISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Wednesday in Atchison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chrysler Town &amp; Country driven by a 57-year-old Maryville woman was eastbound on MO 46 at Route EE nine miles east of Fairfax. The driver swerved to avoid a deer. The van traveled off the road and the front bumper struck an embankment.

Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the driver to Fairfax community hospital. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ATCHISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Wednesday in Atchison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chrysler Town &amp; Country driven by a 57-year-old Maryville woman was eastbound on MO 46 at Route EE nine miles east of Fairfax. The driver swerved to avoid a deer. The van traveled off the road and the front bumper struck an embankment.Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the driver to Fairfax community hospital. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri woman injured after van strikes embankment

DeKalb County has
joined four other counties to sue the Missouri Tax Commission.

The counties claim
in a lawsuit that demands by the commission to increase local property
assessments and unfair and exceed the commission’s authority. DeKalb is joined
by Polk, Audrain, Pike, and Reynolds Counties in the lawsuit which has been
filed in Polk County.

The Missouri Tax Commission
recently ordered counties to bring property values in line with market rates,
which could raise some assessment as high as 90 to 110%. Many local county
assessors argue the increases do not reflect local conditions and could lead to
steep tax hikes. The commission has threatened to withhold state reimbursement
funds if the counties do not comply.

“County officials are sworn to
protect the interests of their residents,” DeKalb County Presiding
Commissioner, Kyle Carroll, said in a written statement released by the county.
“The State Tax Commission’s directive would force small business owners to
shoulder steep tax increases without due consideration of the economic
realities in our communities.”

Carroll also raised concerns about
the timing of the Tax Commission order.

“Some of the counties involved
have already established their tax levy,” Carroll said in the written statement.
“By issuing this mandate so late in the levy-setting process, the State Tax
Commission has created unnecessary confusion. In fact, counties may not be able
to comply at all, because other deadlines under state law are August 31st.
This puts our County and entities in an impossible position.”

Melissa Meek, DeKalb County Clerk,
agreed.

“The timing of this order could
not be worse,” Meek said in a written statement “Local taxing entities would
either end up collecting far too much or not nearly enough to meet their
budgets. On top of that, taxpayers would not see the impact of these increases
until they receive their bills in November, giving businesses no time to plan
financially. It is both unfair and irresponsible to spring such a burden on our
local businesses at the last minute.”

The lawsuit challenges the State
Tax Commission’s authority to impose its mandate. It alleges the directive
undermines the rights of taxpayers and local control. The counties argue that
property assessments should reflect fair market value and be determined by
local officials.

The suit also requests that the state
be barred from withholding reimbursement funds as a punitive measure against
counties that resist the directive.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostDeKalb County has
joined four other counties to sue the Missouri Tax Commission.The counties claim
in a lawsuit that demands by the commission to increase local property
assessments and unfair and exceed the commission’s authority. DeKalb is joined
by Polk, Audrain, Pike, and Reynolds Counties in the lawsuit which has been
filed in Polk County.The Missouri Tax Commission
recently ordered counties to bring property values in line with market rates,
which could raise some assessment as high as 90 to 110%. Many local county
assessors argue the increases do not reflect local conditions and could lead to
steep tax hikes. The commission has threatened to withhold state reimbursement
funds if the counties do not comply.“County officials are sworn to
protect the interests of their residents,” DeKalb County Presiding
Commissioner, Kyle Carroll, said in a written statement released by the county.
“The State Tax Commission’s directive would force small business owners to
shoulder steep tax increases without due consideration of the economic
realities in our communities.”Carroll also raised concerns about
the timing of the Tax Commission order.“Some of the counties involved
have already established their tax levy,” Carroll said in the written statement.
“By issuing this mandate so late in the levy-setting process, the State Tax
Commission has created unnecessary confusion. In fact, counties may not be able
to comply at all, because other deadlines under state law are August 31st.
This puts our County and entities in an impossible position.”Melissa Meek, DeKalb County Clerk,
agreed.“The timing of this order could
not be worse,” Meek said in a written statement “Local taxing entities would
either end up collecting far too much or not nearly enough to meet their
budgets. On top of that, taxpayers would not see the impact of these increases
until they receive their bills in November, giving businesses no time to plan
financially. It is both unfair and irresponsible to spring such a burden on our
local businesses at the last minute.”The lawsuit challenges the State
Tax Commission’s authority to impose its mandate. It alleges the directive
undermines the rights of taxpayers and local control. The counties argue that
property assessments should reflect fair market value and be determined by
local officials.The suit also requests that the state
be barred from withholding reimbursement funds as a punitive measure against
counties that resist the directive.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

DeKalb County joins 4 others suing Missouri Tax Commission

A state grant will
help modernize the St. Joseph Communication Center which serves St. Joseph and
Buchanan County law enforcement and emergency responders.

St. Joseph Deputy
Police Chief, Jason Strong, says the nearly $1 million grant from the Missouri
9-1-1 Service Board will be used to purchase new equipment from the Comm Center.

“It gets us off of
the copper 9-1-1 lines and moves us to VOIP, which is the future of police communication
centers.” Strong says. “It gives you redundancy, because it allows us to bring
in cable, fiber, and first net so that the Comm Center can continue to take
9-1-1 calls in the event that one of those providers goes down.” 

The transition to
VOIP – Voice Over Internet Protocol – is already underway.

Strong says the
money will be used to move the current Comm Center off of outdated
communication equipment into the latest version.

“The way that calls
are routed right now is the way it’s been for a long time, analog off of copper
lines,” according to Strong who adds that infrastructure is very limited. “And
so, it’s becoming very cost prohibitive to stay on copper lines, because they
don’t have, like I said, the infrastructure and the equipment to replace it.”

Strong points out
the Comm Center serves more than just the St. Joseph Police Department.

“It serves the sheriff’s
office. It serves the fire department, rural county. We take medical calls and
transfer them to Buchanan County EMS. We serve a lot of different entities,”
Strong says. “It takes a lot of coordination. It takes a lot of equipment. I’ve
been there. I’ve been in that assignment so I have a tremendous respect for everybody
that does that job.”

Work on the
project began this month. It is expected to be completed by early next year.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA state grant will
help modernize the St. Joseph Communication Center which serves St. Joseph and
Buchanan County law enforcement and emergency responders.St. Joseph Deputy
Police Chief, Jason Strong, says the nearly $1 million grant from the Missouri
9-1-1 Service Board will be used to purchase new equipment from the Comm Center.“It gets us off of
the copper 9-1-1 lines and moves us to VOIP, which is the future of police communication
centers.” Strong says. “It gives you redundancy, because it allows us to bring
in cable, fiber, and first net so that the Comm Center can continue to take
9-1-1 calls in the event that one of those providers goes down.” The transition to
VOIP – Voice Over Internet Protocol – is already underway.Strong says the
money will be used to move the current Comm Center off of outdated
communication equipment into the latest version.“The way that calls
are routed right now is the way it’s been for a long time, analog off of copper
lines,” according to Strong who adds that infrastructure is very limited. “And
so, it’s becoming very cost prohibitive to stay on copper lines, because they
don’t have, like I said, the infrastructure and the equipment to replace it.”Strong points out
the Comm Center serves more than just the St. Joseph Police Department.“It serves the sheriff’s
office. It serves the fire department, rural county. We take medical calls and
transfer them to Buchanan County EMS. We serve a lot of different entities,”
Strong says. “It takes a lot of coordination. It takes a lot of equipment. I’ve
been there. I’ve been in that assignment so I have a tremendous respect for everybody
that does that job.”Work on the
project began this month. It is expected to be completed by early next year.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Modernization underway at St. Joseph Communication Center

The need for upgraded C-130 planes for the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Memorial Airport continues to be a hot topic.  

St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce President Natalie Hawn spent her time at the Missouri State Fair during the Governors Ham Breakfast advocating for the 139th with state officials. 

Hawn says she got the opportunity to speak with Missouri Adjutant General, Charles Hausman, as well as both Congressman Mark Alford and Senator Eric Schmitt. 

"To remind them of our need to get the J model, so we need upgraded C-130's,” Hawn says on the KFEQmunnity program.  “And so it was a great time to get in front of them as a nice reminder since we do our fly in, we do some of the things in DC, but it’s nice to catch them in a casual setting where you can remind them of the needs that your community has in the state.” 

Hawn says the reserve base at Rosecrans is often overlooked because of funding to the Air Force, which is understandable, but says the guard base that is a reserve base should also be a top priority 

"And a lot of times we’re looked on equipment, though we will be the ones that will be serving with national security at home,” Hawn explains.  “So, if the New Madrid fault for example would happen to go off in Missouri, we’re the ones that get deployed to help with those services, and if we don’t have adequate equipment to be able to serve our state, and our community, and the whole US appropriately, it does affect the residents of Missouri.” 

Hawn says another reason they are fighting so hard for the "J" Model is the Air Tactics Training Center, where pilots come from around the world to train and need to learn how to fly those J model planes. 

Hawn says it's important to keep the 139th in St. Joseph, because obviously St. Joseph benefits from having them here at Rosecrans 

"Because that means we have a reason that we’re getting a brand-new runway and a brand-new tower, that wouldn’t be happening without being the home of the 139th,” Hawn says.  “So, the folks that use the airport on maybe the civilian or the business side they get the benefit of that as well, so we have to make sure that we continue to fight for the 139th, so they can continue to call St. Joseph home for many years.” 

Hawn says anytime you're not getting those upgraded planes she likes to say you're one administration away from potentially losing your flying mission, so advocation for the 139th needs to continue to be a priority. 

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe need for upgraded C-130 planes for the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Memorial Airport continues to be a hot topic. St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce President Natalie Hawn spent her time at the Missouri State Fair during the Governors Ham Breakfast advocating for the 139th with state officials. Hawn says she got the opportunity to speak with Missouri Adjutant General, Charles Hausman, as well as both Congressman Mark Alford and Senator Eric Schmitt. "To remind them of our need to get the J model, so we need upgraded C-130's,” Hawn says on the KFEQmunnity program. “And so it was a great time to get in front of them as a nice reminder since we do our fly in, we do some of the things in DC, but it’s nice to catch them in a casual setting where you can remind them of the needs that your community has in the state.” Hawn says the reserve base at Rosecrans is often overlooked because of funding to the Air Force, which is understandable, but says the guard base that is a reserve base should also be a top priority "And a lot of times we’re looked on equipment, though we will be the ones that will be serving with national security at home,” Hawn explains. “So, if the New Madrid fault for example would happen to go off in Missouri, we’re the ones that get deployed to help with those services, and if we don’t have adequate equipment to be able to serve our state, and our community, and the whole US appropriately, it does affect the residents of Missouri.” Hawn says another reason they are fighting so hard for the "J" Model is the Air Tactics Training Center, where pilots come from around the world to train and need to learn how to fly those J model planes. Hawn says it's important to keep the 139th in St. Joseph, because obviously St. Joseph benefits from having them here at Rosecrans "Because that means we have a reason that we’re getting a brand-new runway and a brand-new tower, that wouldn’t be happening without being the home of the 139th,” Hawn says. “So, the folks that use the airport on maybe the civilian or the business side they get the benefit of that as well, so we have to make sure that we continue to fight for the 139th, so they can continue to call St. Joseph home for many years.” Hawn says anytime you're not getting those upgraded planes she likes to say you're one administration away from potentially losing your flying mission, so advocation for the 139th needs to continue to be a priority. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Fight continues to get 139th Airlift Wing new upgraded planes

A community needs a vaccination rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected from measles outbreaks. In Missouri, the rate of vaccinated kindergarteners stands at 90%

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 percentage of kindergarten students in Missouri vaccinated against diseases like measles and whooping cough is dropping each year as more parents turn in non-medical exemptions prior to their child’s first day of school.

Only 90%&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">of Missouri kindergarten students</a>&nbsp;were immunized against measles, mumps and rubella last year, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services</a>. That’s down from 94.6% five years prior. Some counties&nbsp;have rates nearing 75%.

According to the CDC and World Health Organization, a community needs a vaccination rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected from measles outbreaks.

“We are sweating,” Dr. Laura Morris, a University of Missouri Health Care family medicine physician and liaison to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, told The Independent. “There are a couple of diseases that are very infectious that require really high rates of vaccination to provide herd immunity.”

Missouri exceeds the national average of non-medical exemptions. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5% of Missouri kindergarteners had non-medical exemptions on file last school year, compared to a nationwide rate of 3.4%.

This percentage, which has been on a steady incline since the 2020-21 school year, is troubling public health experts who say vaccination rates are dipping below safe levels.

“The number of children in a particular school that might be vulnerable or unvaccinated, it’s going to vary by community,” Morris said. “There are definitely some places and communities where there are a lot more unvaccinated kiddos, and then there are some communities where the rate might be 97% or even higher.”

Morris added: “It is going to be a bit of a firestorm if those infections get into some of those places.”&nbsp;

As vaccination rates drop, measles is popping up&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/measles-reaches-highest-level-in-33-years-now-in-39-states/">at levels not seen since 1992</a>. Seven cases of the disease have been confirmed in Missouri this year — five of which occurred in Cedar County, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state with&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">74.4% of kindergarteners vaccinated against measles</a>.

It is not just the MMR vaccine worrying health providers. The percentage of kindergarten-aged children with updated DTP vaccines (which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) has declined over the past 10 years from 96% to 90% in Missouri.

This is much steeper than the national drop, which went from 94.3% in the 2014-15 school year to 92.1% last year.

Rachel Hassani, director of education and engagement for the Missouri Rural Health Association, told The Independent that family hesitancy as well as access issues are contributing to the declining vaccination rates.

“Across the board, access to care is more limited in rural Missouri. Access to specialists, pediatricians, things like that is far more challenging,” she said. “And these workforce issues are really growing.”

Marvia Jones, director of the Kansas City Health Department, told The Independent that the city has been working to make vaccines more easily available. The health department has extended office hours to be convenient for working parents and scheduled more informational events in the community.

The result is a strong level of vaccination in the majority of the city, but Jones is noticing lower rates in suburban areas like the Northland.

“It is more of a hesitance issue,” she said. “A lot of misinformation and some of the political issues have been added to the discussions around public health vaccination in the past three to five years.”

The trend of lower vaccination rates and more religious exemptions in Missouri begins around the 2020-21 school year, which is when the COVID-19 vaccine was released. That year, only 2.4% of Missouri kindergarteners had a religious exemption from vaccination — less than half the rate of the 2024-25 school year.

“It has been just a big backslide in terms of the misinformation and inaccurate information,” Morris said. “It has become so prevalent to see so many things that are completely inaccurate.”

She has seen misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines spill into patient concerns about regularly scheduled vaccinations.

Health officials hope ease of access and proper education will help reverse the trend. But Missouri and the United States as a whole is also facing newfound systemic issues.

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/27/repub/u-s-department-of-health-and-human-services-to-slash-10000-jobs-close-5-regional-offices/">Cuts in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>&nbsp;has trickled down to Missouri programs. This spring, the Missouri Immunization Coalition shuttered after losing federal funding, and the Missouri Rural Health Association lost a $1 million grant intended to study immunizations in rural health clinics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/health-science-environment/2025-04-16/federal-government-cuts-missouri-vaccine-funds-as-immunizations-dip" target="_blank">as reported by St. Louis Public Radio</a>.

And in June, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9" target="_blank">replaced all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices</a>, a group that guides the CDC on vaccine policy.&nbsp;

Morris, a non-voting liaison to the committee, is still serving in an advisory role.

“The process of where those (vaccine) recommendations come from has been subverted over the last couple of months, and that (group) is no longer a source that has the same merit and the same kind of evidence-based background that it previously did,” she said.

Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2417/1746" target="_blank">joined a lawsuit challenging the federal cuts</a>&nbsp;to public health programs. The state has taken no such action.

Since 2021, Missouri lawmakers have&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/09/15/missouri-lawmakers-look-to-undermine-biden-covid-vaccine-mandate/">spoken against COVID-19 vaccine mandates</a>, filing bills annually that seek to make such mandates illegal.

“It’s hard to know which direction things go. Does our state have less of an appreciation and trust of public health, so it funds it at lower levels? Or because of the low levels of funding, do people see us and respect us as an authority on these matters less?” Jones said. “It is an interesting kind of conundrum.”

Missouri ranks last in per-capita funding of public health, at $7 per person,&nbsp;<a href="https://statehealthcompare.shadac.org/rank/117/per-person-state-public-health-funding#2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52/a/76/154/false/lowest" target="_blank">according to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center</a>.

“We need lawmakers and certainly our medical community to be evidence-driven,” Jones said. “And to not stray away from tried and true public health interventions due to any political leanings.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671049425198.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A community needs a vaccination rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected from measles outbreaks. In Missouri, the rate of vaccinated kindergarteners stands at 90%</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 percentage of kindergarten students in Missouri vaccinated against diseases like measles and whooping cough is dropping each year as more parents turn in non-medical exemptions prior to their child’s first day of school.Only 90%&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">of Missouri kindergarten students</a>&nbsp;were immunized against measles, mumps and rubella last year, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services</a>. That’s down from 94.6% five years prior. Some counties&nbsp;have rates nearing 75%.According to the CDC and World Health Organization, a community needs a vaccination rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected from measles outbreaks.“We are sweating,” Dr. Laura Morris, a University of Missouri Health Care family medicine physician and liaison to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, told The Independent. “There are a couple of diseases that are very infectious that require really high rates of vaccination to provide herd immunity.”Missouri exceeds the national average of non-medical exemptions. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5% of Missouri kindergarteners had non-medical exemptions on file last school year, compared to a nationwide rate of 3.4%.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756290483222.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>This percentage, which has been on a steady incline since the 2020-21 school year, is troubling public health experts who say vaccination rates are dipping below safe levels.“The number of children in a particular school that might be vulnerable or unvaccinated, it’s going to vary by community,” Morris said. “There are definitely some places and communities where there are a lot more unvaccinated kiddos, and then there are some communities where the rate might be 97% or even higher.”Morris added: “It is going to be a bit of a firestorm if those infections get into some of those places.”&nbsp;As vaccination rates drop, measles is popping up&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/measles-reaches-highest-level-in-33-years-now-in-39-states/">at levels not seen since 1992</a>. Seven cases of the disease have been confirmed in Missouri this year — five of which occurred in Cedar County, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state with&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">74.4% of kindergarteners vaccinated against measles</a>.It is not just the MMR vaccine worrying health providers. The percentage of kindergarten-aged children with updated DTP vaccines (which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) has declined over the past 10 years from 96% to 90% in Missouri.This is much steeper than the national drop, which went from 94.3% in the 2014-15 school year to 92.1% last year.Rachel Hassani, director of education and engagement for the Missouri Rural Health Association, told The Independent that family hesitancy as well as access issues are contributing to the declining vaccination rates.“Across the board, access to care is more limited in rural Missouri. Access to specialists, pediatricians, things like that is far more challenging,” she said. “And these workforce issues are really growing.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756290569089.png" alt="Map: Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri IndependenSource: Missouri Department of Health and Senior ServicesGet the dataCreated with Datawrapper " />
 <figcaption>Map: Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri IndependenSource: Missouri Department of Health and Senior ServicesGet the dataCreated with Datawrapper </figcaption>
 </figure>Marvia Jones, director of the Kansas City Health Department, told The Independent that the city has been working to make vaccines more easily available. The health department has extended office hours to be convenient for working parents and scheduled more informational events in the community.The result is a strong level of vaccination in the majority of the city, but Jones is noticing lower rates in suburban areas like the Northland.“It is more of a hesitance issue,” she said. “A lot of misinformation and some of the political issues have been added to the discussions around public health vaccination in the past three to five years.”The trend of lower vaccination rates and more religious exemptions in Missouri begins around the 2020-21 school year, which is when the COVID-19 vaccine was released. That year, only 2.4% of Missouri kindergarteners had a religious exemption from vaccination — less than half the rate of the 2024-25 school year.“It has been just a big backslide in terms of the misinformation and inaccurate information,” Morris said. “It has become so prevalent to see so many things that are completely inaccurate.”She has seen misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines spill into patient concerns about regularly scheduled vaccinations.Health officials hope ease of access and proper education will help reverse the trend. But Missouri and the United States as a whole is also facing newfound systemic issues.<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/27/repub/u-s-department-of-health-and-human-services-to-slash-10000-jobs-close-5-regional-offices/">Cuts in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>&nbsp;has trickled down to Missouri programs. This spring, the Missouri Immunization Coalition shuttered after losing federal funding, and the Missouri Rural Health Association lost a $1 million grant intended to study immunizations in rural health clinics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/health-science-environment/2025-04-16/federal-government-cuts-missouri-vaccine-funds-as-immunizations-dip" target="_blank">as reported by St. Louis Public Radio</a>.And in June, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9" target="_blank">replaced all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices</a>, a group that guides the CDC on vaccine policy.&nbsp;Morris, a non-voting liaison to the committee, is still serving in an advisory role.“The process of where those (vaccine) recommendations come from has been subverted over the last couple of months, and that (group) is no longer a source that has the same merit and the same kind of evidence-based background that it previously did,” she said.Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2417/1746" target="_blank">joined a lawsuit challenging the federal cuts</a>&nbsp;to public health programs. The state has taken no such action.Since 2021, Missouri lawmakers have&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/09/15/missouri-lawmakers-look-to-undermine-biden-covid-vaccine-mandate/">spoken against COVID-19 vaccine mandates</a>, filing bills annually that seek to make such mandates illegal.“It’s hard to know which direction things go. Does our state have less of an appreciation and trust of public health, so it funds it at lower levels? Or because of the low levels of funding, do people see us and respect us as an authority on these matters less?” Jones said. “It is an interesting kind of conundrum.”Missouri ranks last in per-capita funding of public health, at $7 per person,&nbsp;<a href="https://statehealthcompare.shadac.org/rank/117/per-person-state-public-health-funding#2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52/a/76/154/false/lowest" target="_blank">according to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center</a>.“We need lawmakers and certainly our medical community to be evidence-driven,” Jones said. “And to not stray away from tried and true public health interventions due to any political leanings.”

‘We are sweating’: Missouri kindergarten vaccination rates fall below immunity threshold

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the theft of an expensive bicycle have made an arrest.

On August 8,&nbsp; a 76 year old man from Williamsburg, Virginia stopped in Atchison, Kansas, as h traveled across America on his&nbsp;Surly Disc Trucker bicycle on his way to Oregon, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The bicycle was stolen at 11:00AM in the 700 block Commercial as the victim was in a local laundromat. Police recovered the bicycle a short time later just across the bridge in Missouri. 

Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police arrested 50-year-old Jody B. Erickson of Atchison in the 700 block M Street on a District Court warrant charging him with felony theft. Erickson was taken to the County Jail and is being held on a $10,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756222412660.png" alt="Erickson Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Erickson Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the theft of an expensive bicycle have made an arrest.On August 8,&nbsp; a 76 year old man from Williamsburg, Virginia stopped in Atchison, Kansas, as h traveled across America on his&nbsp;Surly Disc Trucker bicycle on his way to Oregon, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.The bicycle was stolen at 11:00AM in the 700 block Commercial as the victim was in a local laundromat. Police recovered the bicycle a short time later just across the bridge in Missouri. Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police arrested 50-year-old Jody B. Erickson of Atchison in the 700 block M Street on a District Court warrant charging him with felony theft. Erickson was taken to the County Jail and is being held on a $10,000 bond.

Kan. man accused of bicycle theft from man riding cross-country

The St. Joseph Fire Department has applied for and been awarded grant money to help in training its firefighters better to protect the city of St. Joseph.  

A $130,000 grant will allow St. Joseph firefighters to train with the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Memorial Airport to gain better knowledge and training.  

City Manager Mike Schumacher says it's critical that St. Joseph's fire fighters are well trained 

"And that’s why Ivan the Fire Chief has been so focused on it, that we want our folks safe and if they’re not training and they’re not keeping certain certifications up, then you’ve got to worry we’re sending them out into harm's way without being really equipped with knowledge and training,” Schumacher says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “And the 139th feels the same way, and that’s what makes that collaboration so fantastic.” 

Schumacher says the 139th helps supply abilities in firefighting that will be helpful to St. Joseph firefighters 

"They are very important to this community, but perhaps on an even more important note they’re in partnership with this community, so they’re not out there on an island so to speak,” Schumacher explains.  “They’re very much plugged into this community as a whole and really just a great partner and partnership, that’s one of the really fantastic things about St. Joseph, is the collaboration between all these different organizations.” 

Schumacher says the city plans on applying two additional years to the grant to help make sure St. Joseph's firefighters are current on their certifications and well trained. 

Schumacher also points out collaborations between the city and entities like the 139th is important to continue helping the city become a better place to live.    

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Fire Department has applied for and been awarded grant money to help in training its firefighters better to protect the city of St. Joseph. A $130,000 grant will allow St. Joseph firefighters to train with the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Memorial Airport to gain better knowledge and training. City Manager Mike Schumacher says it's critical that St. Joseph's fire fighters are well trained "And that’s why Ivan the Fire Chief has been so focused on it, that we want our folks safe and if they’re not training and they’re not keeping certain certifications up, then you’ve got to worry we’re sending them out into harm's way without being really equipped with knowledge and training,” Schumacher says on the KFEQmunnity show. “And the 139th feels the same way, and that’s what makes that collaboration so fantastic.” Schumacher says the 139th helps supply abilities in firefighting that will be helpful to St. Joseph firefighters "They are very important to this community, but perhaps on an even more important note they’re in partnership with this community, so they’re not out there on an island so to speak,” Schumacher explains. “They’re very much plugged into this community as a whole and really just a great partner and partnership, that’s one of the really fantastic things about St. Joseph, is the collaboration between all these different organizations.” Schumacher says the city plans on applying two additional years to the grant to help make sure St. Joseph's firefighters are current on their certifications and well trained. Schumacher also points out collaborations between the city and entities like the 139th is important to continue helping the city become a better place to live. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Grant will help provide high quality training to St. Joseph firefighters 

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4ZuKJxZUb3nNWpbgPaVbQe?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4fIyjkVQphCfNQ8vjWfOXA?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

The judge also denied a motion to dismiss the case, meaning Missouri tax dollars will continue to fund the voucher program as the lawsuit progresses

The Missouri State Treasurer’s Office can continue to subsidize private-school scholarships from a $51 million allotment of state revenue while a lawsuit challenging the fund’s constitutionality makes its way through the system, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe ruled Monday morning.

Stumpe rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/01/missouri-educators-sue-state-over-51-million-appropriation-to-private-school-vouchers/">arguments by the Missouri branch of the National Education Association</a>&nbsp;that the flow of funds should be stopped in order to prevent unauthorized spending of state funds that can’t be “clawed back.”

But he didn’t outright deny the teachers union’s case, also turning down the state’s motion to dismiss Monday.

Still, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who is in his final days in office before stepping into a federal position as co-deputy director of the FBI, labeled the ruling a “victory.”

“Parents, not unions, not bureaucrats, know what’s best for their kids,” he said in a press release. “This case is about freedom and opportunity, and today’s ruling is a huge step toward securing both.”

At the center of the case is the MOScholars program, which until the infusion of general revenue landed last month funded private-school scholarships through a tax credit program.

The lawsuit challenges the shift from a program dependent on donations&nbsp; — which taxpayers are able to receive back as a tax credit equal to 100% of their contribution — to a state-sponsored voucher program.

Both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/21/missouri-teachers-union-asks-judge-to-freeze-private-school-voucher-payments/">met in circuit court last Thursday</a>&nbsp;for the first in-person hearing of what will likely be a months-long legal battle. MNEA’s attorney Loretta Haggard argued that the appropriation lacks authority from state statute.

“You can’t just turn on a hose of $51 million in general revenue and force it through the tax credit framework,” she said. “There are gaps in that framework.”

But the attorney general’s office and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/04/parents-intervene-in-missouri-voucher-lawsuit-with-help-from-herzog-foundation-leader/">intervenors from Indiana-based advocacy group EdChoice</a>&nbsp;argued the legislature’s authority in the budget process was sufficient.

“Just because (the budget bill) funds a program set up by other statutes does not make a new appropriation unlawful—new funding is a common, necessary, and entirely unsurprising

feature of general-revenue bills,” Bailey’s office wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/SIS%20Defendants%20Motion%20to%20Dismiss,%20SIO%20Plaintiffs%20Motion%20for%20TRO.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3645329" target="_blank">in a filing submitted Aug. 15</a>.

The digital case record does not include Stumpe’s reasoning for the two denials Monday.

MNEA President Rebeka McIntosh shared her concerns about the unhampered flow of tax dollars to private schools in a statement.

“Politicians think they’ve won, but Missouri NEA’s 45,000 educators know better. We’ll prove in court what rural Missouri already knows: when you kill the school, you kill the town,” she said. “These vouchers violate our constitution and hurt our kids.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719493597787.png" alt="&nbsp;Cole County Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe issues an influential ruling in a lawsuit challenging a $51 million appropriation to the MOScholars program Monday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Cole County Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe issues an influential ruling in a lawsuit challenging a $51 million appropriation to the MOScholars program Monday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The judge also denied a motion to dismiss the case, meaning Missouri tax dollars will continue to fund the voucher program as the lawsuit progresses</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 State Treasurer’s Office can continue to subsidize private-school scholarships from a $51 million allotment of state revenue while a lawsuit challenging the fund’s constitutionality makes its way through the system, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe ruled Monday morning.Stumpe rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/01/missouri-educators-sue-state-over-51-million-appropriation-to-private-school-vouchers/">arguments by the Missouri branch of the National Education Association</a>&nbsp;that the flow of funds should be stopped in order to prevent unauthorized spending of state funds that can’t be “clawed back.”But he didn’t outright deny the teachers union’s case, also turning down the state’s motion to dismiss Monday.Still, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who is in his final days in office before stepping into a federal position as co-deputy director of the FBI, labeled the ruling a “victory.”“Parents, not unions, not bureaucrats, know what’s best for their kids,” he said in a press release. “This case is about freedom and opportunity, and today’s ruling is a huge step toward securing both.”At the center of the case is the MOScholars program, which until the infusion of general revenue landed last month funded private-school scholarships through a tax credit program.The lawsuit challenges the shift from a program dependent on donations&nbsp; — which taxpayers are able to receive back as a tax credit equal to 100% of their contribution — to a state-sponsored voucher program.Both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/21/missouri-teachers-union-asks-judge-to-freeze-private-school-voucher-payments/">met in circuit court last Thursday</a>&nbsp;for the first in-person hearing of what will likely be a months-long legal battle. MNEA’s attorney Loretta Haggard argued that the appropriation lacks authority from state statute.“You can’t just turn on a hose of $51 million in general revenue and force it through the tax credit framework,” she said. “There are gaps in that framework.”But the attorney general’s office and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/04/parents-intervene-in-missouri-voucher-lawsuit-with-help-from-herzog-foundation-leader/">intervenors from Indiana-based advocacy group EdChoice</a>&nbsp;argued the legislature’s authority in the budget process was sufficient.“Just because (the budget bill) funds a program set up by other statutes does not make a new appropriation unlawful—new funding is a common, necessary, and entirely unsurprisingfeature of general-revenue bills,” Bailey’s office wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/SIS%20Defendants%20Motion%20to%20Dismiss,%20SIO%20Plaintiffs%20Motion%20for%20TRO.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3645329" target="_blank">in a filing submitted Aug. 15</a>.The digital case record does not include Stumpe’s reasoning for the two denials Monday.MNEA President Rebeka McIntosh shared her concerns about the unhampered flow of tax dollars to private schools in a statement.“Politicians think they’ve won, but Missouri NEA’s 45,000 educators know better. We’ll prove in court what rural Missouri already knows: when you kill the school, you kill the town,” she said. “These vouchers violate our constitution and hurt our kids.”The case does not yet have a trial date.

Judge denies request to freeze Missouri private-school voucher payments

The St. Joseph Police Department participated along with other area local law enforcement&nbsp; this past weekend in Saturation Saturday. 

St. Joseph Police report that during the targeted enforcement on August 23rd, officers conducted a total of 48 traffic stops. Additionally, seven vehicles refused to stop, prompting further investigative follow-ups. The department issued 19 citations and delivered 29 warnings for a variety of traffic violations.

Saturation Saturday is a nationwide campaign hosted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving aimed at deterring impaired and dangerous driving on local roadways.  The enforcement resulted in two arrests for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and two additional arrests for outstanding warrants.

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Police Department participated along with other area local law enforcement&nbsp; this past weekend in Saturation Saturday. St. Joseph Police report that during the targeted enforcement on August 23rd, officers conducted a total of 48 traffic stops. Additionally, seven vehicles refused to stop, prompting further investigative follow-ups. The department issued 19 citations and delivered 29 warnings for a variety of traffic violations.Saturation Saturday is a nationwide campaign hosted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving aimed at deterring impaired and dangerous driving on local roadways. The enforcement resulted in two arrests for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and two additional arrests for outstanding warrants.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;