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KFEQ Morning News

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>

Lawmakers voted to repeal the Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act, a 1988 law now seen as a property rights violation and barrier to a fresh start after prison

One of the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB495&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">most-watched bills</a>&nbsp;approved by Missouri lawmakers this year put the state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/26/gov-mike-kehoe-signs-bill-to-put-st-louis-police-under-state-control/">back in control</a>&nbsp;of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

The police takeover provisions made the bill one of the most controversial of the session, and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/05/civil-rights-law-firm-sues-to-block-missouri-from-taking-over-st-louis-police/">sparked a lawsuit</a>, set for trial Nov. 5. But tucked inside, and noticed only by those watching closely, the bill also includes bipartisan provisions ending the practice of seizing assets from incarcerated people that are unrelated to their crimes.

Known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=217.825&amp;bid=11876&amp;hl=" target="_blank">Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act</a>, the law was passed in 1988, when any idea intended to make life harder for criminals received a favorable hearing. Now, the law is viewed as a violation of property rights and a barrier to a law-abiding life.

“We need to pay our debts to society,” state Rep. Tara Peters, a Rolla Republican, said in an interview with The Independent. “Those who have paid their debt to society should have every opportunity to have a fresh start and to get out on the right foot when it comes time to go back into society.”

Peters sponsored a bill with the repeal, as did state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Columbia Democrat. It was added to the St. Louis police takeover bill to persuade Democrats in the Senate to end a filibuster.

Once enacted, it is one of two bills that will allow people under the control of the state to keep assets they would use when released. The other stops the state from taking&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/09/missouri-governor-signs-bill-banning-state-from-seizing-foster-kids-benefits/">foster children’s Social Security benefits</a>&nbsp;to cover the cost of foster care.

The incarceration reimbursement law was intended to take money from inmates to cover the cost of maintaining them in prison. The most recovered over the past five years is $523,000 in fiscal 2024, while the cost of operating the Department of Corrections is greater than $1 billion.

In the fiscal year that ended June 30, efforts to enforce the act brought in only $136,000.

“People who are incarcerated by the state should not have to pay like it’s a hotel or an Airbnb,” said Amy Malinowski, director of the Missouri office of the MacArthur Justice Center. “It’s a prison. It’s the state’s responsibility to maintain those prisons, not the people who are detained there.”

Missouri has laws allowing prosecutors to seize assets gained in a criminal enterprise, and the courts can enforce restitution for stolen or damaged property as part of a sentence. The incarceration reimbursement act allows the attorney general to seek other assets, such as a family inheritance or proceeds from the sale of a house, that are unrelated to the crime.

State Rep. Brad Christ, a Republican from St. Louis County, sponsored the St. Louis police bill and chaired a committee where Peters’ bill was discussed in February. It was an easy decision to accept Democratic requests to include the repeal, he said in an interview.

“Democrats support it from a criminal justice aspect and a number of Republicans supported this, too, because it’s just basic property rights,” Christ said.

Missouri’s prisons hold about 24,000 people. In any given year, about 11,000 will be released on parole or because they have completed their sentence. The goal of prison is to punish and to prepare inmates to live within society’s rules, Christ said.

The seized money can be an important part of avoiding a return to prison, he said.

“Whatever it may be, whether it’s two grand, 20 grand or 200 grand,” Christ said, “to knock someone down a peg while they are in prison, I thought, was a little unjust after their sentence has been fulfilled.”

Under the law, people sentenced to state prison are required to make a statement of their assets when they arrive in custody and, on release, allow the department to garnish their wages for five years.

The attorney general can file a lawsuit to seize any assets found or received by the incarcerated person.&nbsp;

With the repeal, the Department of Corrections is no longer requiring the statement of assets on entry, agency spokeswoman Karen Pojmann said in an email. But any current garnishments will be stopped only if the person making the payments petitions the courts to end them, she said.

At the House hearing in February, St. Louis attorney Bevis Schock, who has represented clients in civil litigation against the department, said he has won judgments that the attorney general then tried to seize.&nbsp;

Schock said he believes the law is unconstitutional and expected a court would rule that way in the future. But he still urged lawmakers to act.

“I hate criminals,” Schock said. “I don’t want to help them all. I want them to go to jail, but a criminal’s property should be as sacred as the property of a non-criminal.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756121643685.png" alt="State Rep. Tara Peters, R-Rolla, speaks during Missouri House floor debate in May. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)" />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Tara Peters, R-Rolla, speaks during Missouri House floor debate in May. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>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><h2>Lawmakers voted to repeal the Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act, a 1988 law now seen as a property rights violation and barrier to a fresh start after prison</h2>One of the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB495&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">most-watched bills</a>&nbsp;approved by Missouri lawmakers this year put the state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/26/gov-mike-kehoe-signs-bill-to-put-st-louis-police-under-state-control/">back in control</a>&nbsp;of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.The police takeover provisions made the bill one of the most controversial of the session, and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/05/civil-rights-law-firm-sues-to-block-missouri-from-taking-over-st-louis-police/">sparked a lawsuit</a>, set for trial Nov. 5. But tucked inside, and noticed only by those watching closely, the bill also includes bipartisan provisions ending the practice of seizing assets from incarcerated people that are unrelated to their crimes.Known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=217.825&amp;bid=11876&amp;hl=" target="_blank">Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act</a>, the law was passed in 1988, when any idea intended to make life harder for criminals received a favorable hearing. Now, the law is viewed as a violation of property rights and a barrier to a law-abiding life.“We need to pay our debts to society,” state Rep. Tara Peters, a Rolla Republican, said in an interview with The Independent. “Those who have paid their debt to society should have every opportunity to have a fresh start and to get out on the right foot when it comes time to go back into society.”Peters sponsored a bill with the repeal, as did state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Columbia Democrat. It was added to the St. Louis police takeover bill to persuade Democrats in the Senate to end a filibuster.Once enacted, it is one of two bills that will allow people under the control of the state to keep assets they would use when released. The other stops the state from taking&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/09/missouri-governor-signs-bill-banning-state-from-seizing-foster-kids-benefits/">foster children’s Social Security benefits</a>&nbsp;to cover the cost of foster care.The incarceration reimbursement law was intended to take money from inmates to cover the cost of maintaining them in prison. The most recovered over the past five years is $523,000 in fiscal 2024, while the cost of operating the Department of Corrections is greater than $1 billion.In the fiscal year that ended June 30, efforts to enforce the act brought in only $136,000.“People who are incarcerated by the state should not have to pay like it’s a hotel or an Airbnb,” said Amy Malinowski, director of the Missouri office of the MacArthur Justice Center. “It’s a prison. It’s the state’s responsibility to maintain those prisons, not the people who are detained there.”Missouri has laws allowing prosecutors to seize assets gained in a criminal enterprise, and the courts can enforce restitution for stolen or damaged property as part of a sentence. The incarceration reimbursement act allows the attorney general to seek other assets, such as a family inheritance or proceeds from the sale of a house, that are unrelated to the crime.State Rep. Brad Christ, a Republican from St. Louis County, sponsored the St. Louis police bill and chaired a committee where Peters’ bill was discussed in February. It was an easy decision to accept Democratic requests to include the repeal, he said in an interview.“Democrats support it from a criminal justice aspect and a number of Republicans supported this, too, because it’s just basic property rights,” Christ said.Missouri’s prisons hold about 24,000 people. In any given year, about 11,000 will be released on parole or because they have completed their sentence. The goal of prison is to punish and to prepare inmates to live within society’s rules, Christ said.The seized money can be an important part of avoiding a return to prison, he said.“Whatever it may be, whether it’s two grand, 20 grand or 200 grand,” Christ said, “to knock someone down a peg while they are in prison, I thought, was a little unjust after their sentence has been fulfilled.”Under the law, people sentenced to state prison are required to make a statement of their assets when they arrive in custody and, on release, allow the department to garnish their wages for five years.The attorney general can file a lawsuit to seize any assets found or received by the incarcerated person.&nbsp;With the repeal, the Department of Corrections is no longer requiring the statement of assets on entry, agency spokeswoman Karen Pojmann said in an email. But any current garnishments will be stopped only if the person making the payments petitions the courts to end them, she said.At the House hearing in February, St. Louis attorney Bevis Schock, who has represented clients in civil litigation against the department, said he has won judgments that the attorney general then tried to seize.&nbsp;Schock said he believes the law is unconstitutional and expected a court would rule that way in the future. But he still urged lawmakers to act.“I hate criminals,” Schock said. “I don’t want to help them all. I want them to go to jail, but a criminal’s property should be as sacred as the property of a non-criminal.”

New Missouri law means state is no longer allowed to seize assets of prison inmates

The newest class enshrined into the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame were all great at what they did, but one word can define many of them: Impact.  

Longtime KFEQ broadcaster and 'Voice of the Griffons' Bob Orf says at the time, he didn't realize the impact he was having on others around him

"People will tell you that later on, and you didn't have any idea that you had that kind of impact, so it's a big deal," Orf tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

Orf says reflecting on his career and adding this accomplishment to the list, adds a lot to an already historic legacy 

"I hate to say it's a cherry on top, but it kind of is, it's really cool to have all the Missouri Western games for a long time, got to do some boxing matches, it was a lot of fun, it really was," Orf says.

Another member that had quite the impact on area football teams was the coach Don Tabor, who coached at Bishop LeBlond and Benton.

Mary Jane Tabor, Tabor's wife, says she heard from many about the impact her late husband had on their lives

"We're grateful for that and he'd be very pleased and happy," Tabor proudly says.

To see her husband join the ranks of the immortal on the walls of the hall of fame, Tabor says she and the family are very pleased and happy

"And very grateful for the honor that's been bestowed upon him," Tabor says.  "And he would say that this is really nice, he would appreciate it very much."

Outside of the hall of fame class, another individual was honored with the Bill Snyder Woman of Impact award

And for the first time, it was awarded to a student athlete in former Central golfer Ali Perry

"It feels so, so awesome that my accomplishments are being shown and everything and all my hard work is paying off," Perry says.  "It really feels so, so good."

Perry earned the award after an outstanding freshman season at Arkansas-Fort Smith, and says in her sophomore season she's hoping to earn more Top 10 and top five finishes

"I mean it would be great to win one or two tournaments, and I know that I'm dedicated enough to and stuff, but I just have expectations that I can score in the Top 10 in almost all of the tournaments," Perry explains.

Perry was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year and won the NCAA Division II Central Regional Individual Championship in Edmond, Oklahoma, helping to qualify her teammates to compete in the  NCAA National Championship.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756082011908.jpeg" alt="The 2025 class of the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame/ Photo courtesy of the St. Joseph Sports Commision" />
 <figcaption>The 2025 class of the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame/ Photo courtesy of the St. Joseph Sports Commision</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe newest class enshrined into the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame were all great at what they did, but one word can define many of them: Impact. Longtime KFEQ broadcaster and 'Voice of the Griffons' Bob Orf says at the time, he didn't realize the impact he was having on others around him"People will tell you that later on, and you didn't have any idea that you had that kind of impact, so it's a big deal," Orf tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. Orf says reflecting on his career and adding this accomplishment to the list, adds a lot to an already historic legacy "I hate to say it's a cherry on top, but it kind of is, it's really cool to have all the Missouri Western games for a long time, got to do some boxing matches, it was a lot of fun, it really was," Orf says.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756086507166.jpeg" alt="Bob Orf/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Bob Orf/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Another member that had quite the impact on area football teams was the coach Don Tabor, who coached at Bishop LeBlond and Benton.Mary Jane Tabor, Tabor's wife, says she heard from many about the impact her late husband had on their lives"We're grateful for that and he'd be very pleased and happy," Tabor proudly says.To see her husband join the ranks of the immortal on the walls of the hall of fame, Tabor says she and the family are very pleased and happy"And very grateful for the honor that's been bestowed upon him," Tabor says. "And he would say that this is really nice, he would appreciate it very much."Outside of the hall of fame class, another individual was honored with the Bill Snyder Woman of Impact awardAnd for the first time, it was awarded to a student athlete in former Central golfer Ali Perry"It feels so, so awesome that my accomplishments are being shown and everything and all my hard work is paying off," Perry says. "It really feels so, so good."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756086536301.jpeg" alt="Ali Perry/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Ali Perry/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>Perry earned the award after an outstanding freshman season at Arkansas-Fort Smith, and says in her sophomore season she's hoping to earn more Top 10 and top five finishes"I mean it would be great to win one or two tournaments, and I know that I'm dedicated enough to and stuff, but I just have expectations that I can score in the Top 10 in almost all of the tournaments," Perry explains.Perry was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year and won the NCAA Division II Central Regional Individual Championship in Edmond, Oklahoma, helping to qualify her teammates to compete in the NCAA National Championship.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

New St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame class filled with impact makers

In Missouri, nearly 42% of counties are defined as maternity care deserts, higher than the nationwide average. Rural families face fewer options and greater distances to get OB-GYN care

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">Meg Cunningham</a>

For Dr. Kelsey Davis-Humes, practicing medicine in rural Missouri is a way of life. She’s on call almost constantly in northeast Missouri’s Scotland County, where she cares for patients from their birth until their death.

As an osteopath practicing in a rural community, part of her job includes caring for patients throughout their pregnancies.

“I do inpatient hospital coverage,” Davis-Humes said. “I deliver babies and do women’s health. I do pediatric care, newborn care. I am in the clinic. I go to the nursing home.”

While her area hasn’t lost an obstetrics unit in recent years, Davis-Humes has seen the impact on the state as a whole as pregnancy care becomes more difficult to access.

Missouri has lost 11 obstetric units since 2009, with seven of those in rural parts of the state, a&nbsp;<a href="https://rhrc.umn.edu/publication/loss-of-hospital-based-obstetric-services-in-rural-counties-in-the-united-states-2010-2022/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center found. The closure of hospital obstetric units means women have to travel farther for their appointments and their deliveries.

As the units have closed, more parts of the state have fallen into maternity care deserts — areas without access to birth units or maternity care providers.

Based on 2023 data, Missouri is marked by more maternity care deserts than the nation as a whole. March of Dimes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/state-summaries/missouri?lev=1&amp;obj=3&amp;reg=99&amp;slev=4&amp;sreg=29&amp;stop=55&amp;top=3" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;shows that 41.7% of Missouri’s counties are classified as maternity care deserts, compared to 32.6% nationwide.

Part of the problem for rural providers? Medicaid payments. The government-sponsored health insurance plans do not reimburse obstetric care fully, meaning for every baby they deliver, the hospital takes a loss.

“Every hospital who does birth services loses money,” said Alison Williams, vice president of clinical quality improvement at the Missouri Hospital Association. Williams also leads Missouri’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative, a statewide task force dedicated to improving outcomes for moms and babies across the state.

In Missouri, about 40% of the state’s births were&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2023/05/12/missouri-postpartum-medicaid-expansion-2023/" target="_blank">covered by Medicaid</a>&nbsp;in 2023, KFF&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/key-facts-about-hospitals/?entry=use-of-hospital-care-pregnancy-amp-hospitalizations" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;shows.

As Medicaid cuts under President Donald Trump’s budget plan begin to materialize, anywhere from 130,000 to 170,000 Missourians are expected to lose their coverage over the next five years. The budget also changes how states can pay for Medicaid patients — and how much.

“We are going to be paid less,” said Craig Thompson, the CEO of Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton.

That could put rural hospitals with obstetric units at higher risk when it comes to continuing to offer their services, and will require more creative thinking from Missouri and its health care providers.

Rural Missouri’s maternity care shortage&nbsp;

Missouri’s health care challenges are compounded when it comes to maternity care. As health care services become more difficult to access, chronic conditions rise and lead to more complicated pregnancies.

Then, obstetric providers and care teams must be prepared to take on more high-risk pregnancies.

In Missouri, 68.7% of counties have a high burden of chronic health conditions and a high rate of preterm births, March of Dimes data shows, higher than the nationwide average. An estimated 45.5% of women living in Missouri had one or more chronic health conditions, compared to 37.8% nationwide.

“In general, you see more high-risk patients,” Davis-Humes said. “People are sicker, they’re more unhealthy, so we just see more patients that have more of these high risk conditions during their pregnancy.”

An added layer is the growing distance that rural women in Missouri must travel to get their care. Women living in maternity deserts — just over 40% of the counties in Missouri — have to travel 3.6 times farther than women living in areas with full access to maternity care.

That means things like prenatal care and regular checkups are even farther out of reach, and missing appointments raises the risk during pregnancy even more.

That’s showing up in Clinton and impacting how Thompson and his team think about maternity care. At their hospital, 63% of about 350 deliveries that happen every year are considered high-risk.

“Many Medicaid patients don’t have access to transportation, either they cannot afford transportation or there is no public transportation in rural Missouri,” Thompson said. “So without transportation access, people don’t have the ability to access that prenatal care, which then causes poor birth outcomes.”

And with high-risk pregnancies, soon-to-be moms in rural areas are drawn to more robust hospital systems with more speciality providers.

The downside to that, Williams said, is people who have the ability to travel to a larger hospital often take their commercial insurance with them, driving up the rate of deliveries that are covered by Medicaid for their nearby hospital and making it even harder to continue providing labor and delivery services.

“It creates an even larger, disproportionate share of Medicaid and vulnerable patients, or patients who don’t end up engaging in prenatal services,” Williams said.

As a hospital leader, Thompson and his team are committed to continuing to provide obstetric services in their hospital. But because so many of their births are covered by Medicaid and cost more than what they are paid, they rely on other services to cover that loss.

“If we were to look at those services on their own, they would be a significant financial drain to the system,” Thompson said. “We are kind of robbing Peter to pay Paul, to some extent.”

Plus, obstetricians and gynecologists, like most other medical providers, are looking for work-life balance, such as splitting their patient loads with multiple providers and other upsides that often come with working in a more populated area.

It can be difficult for rural providers to balance all of those needs, especially since monitoring labor and deliveries are so sporadic.

“If you have enough providers, you will likely have enough (patient) volume,” Williams said of rural providers looking to keep their birth units open. “The challenge is making sure you can maintain enough providers to where they have that work-life balance.”

What do health leaders want to see for OB-GYN providers moving forward?&nbsp;

As providers look to fill the gaps in maternal care, they’re leaning on innovative ways to ensure that every Missouri mother has access to adequate care.

For example, providers in Harrison County, which sits in northwest Missouri along the Iowa border, created a partnership with North Kansas City Hospital for labor and deliveries. Expecting mothers get prenatal care in the county, but travel to Kansas City for their deliveries. Afterward, patients are handed back to their providers in Harrison County.

Those types of partnerships are key to ensuring that mothers are followed every step of the way throughout their pregnancies, Williams said. Creating similar partnerships is one of the state’s goals moving forward.

“It’s important to have that good flow of prenatal records,” Williams said. “It’s important to have that connectivity, that handoff for the patient, so the patient feels like people know what’s going on with their care.”

The state is also focusing on recruitment and retention as part of the path to solving the problem. Davis-Humes mentors many aspiring doctors, who say that the workload of being on call constantly in rural communities is a deterrent for them.

“You’ve got to have people that are willing to come to an area and wear multiple hats, and also be willing to be called in in the middle of the night, too,” she said.

But she also wants to see more unique ways of encouraging rural providers to continue providing a service that makes them lose money.

“I think the state needs to put their money where their mouth is,” Davis-Humes said.

“We keep seeing all these birth centers close. We keep seeing that OB has a hard time making money … I think there should be some type of reward there,” she said. “You keep your OB center open, every year you get some sort of incentive from the state that says ‘Thank you … we’re going to help support you so you can continue to keep that OB unit open.’”

Although hospital executives are expecting to reassess their finances and the services they provide in the coming years as a result of Medicaid cuts, they are encouraged that they are seeing a new willingness to discuss the financial difficulties rural providers face.

“At some point, there has got to be real reform around reimbursement for rural health care services,” Thompson said. “We’re just not the same as our urban and suburban counterparts.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/22/maternity-care-closures-rural-missouri-hospitals-ob-gyn/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756035245972.png" alt="As health care services become more difficult to access, chronic conditions rise and lead to more complicated pregnancies (Naomi O’Donnell/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption>As health care services become more difficult to access, chronic conditions rise and lead to more complicated pregnancies (Naomi O’Donnell/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>In Missouri, nearly 42% of counties are defined as maternity care deserts, higher than the nationwide average. Rural families face fewer options and greater distances to get OB-GYN care</h2>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">Meg Cunningham</a>For Dr. Kelsey Davis-Humes, practicing medicine in rural Missouri is a way of life. She’s on call almost constantly in northeast Missouri’s Scotland County, where she cares for patients from their birth until their death.As an osteopath practicing in a rural community, part of her job includes caring for patients throughout their pregnancies.“I do inpatient hospital coverage,” Davis-Humes said. “I deliver babies and do women’s health. I do pediatric care, newborn care. I am in the clinic. I go to the nursing home.”While her area hasn’t lost an obstetrics unit in recent years, Davis-Humes has seen the impact on the state as a whole as pregnancy care becomes more difficult to access.Missouri has lost 11 obstetric units since 2009, with seven of those in rural parts of the state, a&nbsp;<a href="https://rhrc.umn.edu/publication/loss-of-hospital-based-obstetric-services-in-rural-counties-in-the-united-states-2010-2022/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center found. The closure of hospital obstetric units means women have to travel farther for their appointments and their deliveries.As the units have closed, more parts of the state have fallen into maternity care deserts — areas without access to birth units or maternity care providers.Based on 2023 data, Missouri is marked by more maternity care deserts than the nation as a whole. March of Dimes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/state-summaries/missouri?lev=1&amp;obj=3&amp;reg=99&amp;slev=4&amp;sreg=29&amp;stop=55&amp;top=3" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;shows that 41.7% of Missouri’s counties are classified as maternity care deserts, compared to 32.6% nationwide.Part of the problem for rural providers? Medicaid payments. The government-sponsored health insurance plans do not reimburse obstetric care fully, meaning for every baby they deliver, the hospital takes a loss.“Every hospital who does birth services loses money,” said Alison Williams, vice president of clinical quality improvement at the Missouri Hospital Association. Williams also leads Missouri’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative, a statewide task force dedicated to improving outcomes for moms and babies across the state.In Missouri, about 40% of the state’s births were&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2023/05/12/missouri-postpartum-medicaid-expansion-2023/" target="_blank">covered by Medicaid</a>&nbsp;in 2023, KFF&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/key-facts-about-hospitals/?entry=use-of-hospital-care-pregnancy-amp-hospitalizations" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;shows.As Medicaid cuts under President Donald Trump’s budget plan begin to materialize, anywhere from 130,000 to 170,000 Missourians are expected to lose their coverage over the next five years. The budget also changes how states can pay for Medicaid patients — and how much.“We are going to be paid less,” said Craig Thompson, the CEO of Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton.That could put rural hospitals with obstetric units at higher risk when it comes to continuing to offer their services, and will require more creative thinking from Missouri and its health care providers.<h2>Rural Missouri’s maternity care shortage&nbsp;</h2>Missouri’s health care challenges are compounded when it comes to maternity care. As health care services become more difficult to access, chronic conditions rise and lead to more complicated pregnancies.Then, obstetric providers and care teams must be prepared to take on more high-risk pregnancies.In Missouri, 68.7% of counties have a high burden of chronic health conditions and a high rate of preterm births, March of Dimes data shows, higher than the nationwide average. An estimated 45.5% of women living in Missouri had one or more chronic health conditions, compared to 37.8% nationwide.“In general, you see more high-risk patients,” Davis-Humes said. “People are sicker, they’re more unhealthy, so we just see more patients that have more of these high risk conditions during their pregnancy.”An added layer is the growing distance that rural women in Missouri must travel to get their care. Women living in maternity deserts — just over 40% of the counties in Missouri — have to travel 3.6 times farther than women living in areas with full access to maternity care.That means things like prenatal care and regular checkups are even farther out of reach, and missing appointments raises the risk during pregnancy even more.That’s showing up in Clinton and impacting how Thompson and his team think about maternity care. At their hospital, 63% of about 350 deliveries that happen every year are considered high-risk.“Many Medicaid patients don’t have access to transportation, either they cannot afford transportation or there is no public transportation in rural Missouri,” Thompson said. “So without transportation access, people don’t have the ability to access that prenatal care, which then causes poor birth outcomes.”And with high-risk pregnancies, soon-to-be moms in rural areas are drawn to more robust hospital systems with more speciality providers.The downside to that, Williams said, is people who have the ability to travel to a larger hospital often take their commercial insurance with them, driving up the rate of deliveries that are covered by Medicaid for their nearby hospital and making it even harder to continue providing labor and delivery services.“It creates an even larger, disproportionate share of Medicaid and vulnerable patients, or patients who don’t end up engaging in prenatal services,” Williams said.As a hospital leader, Thompson and his team are committed to continuing to provide obstetric services in their hospital. But because so many of their births are covered by Medicaid and cost more than what they are paid, they rely on other services to cover that loss.“If we were to look at those services on their own, they would be a significant financial drain to the system,” Thompson said. “We are kind of robbing Peter to pay Paul, to some extent.”Plus, obstetricians and gynecologists, like most other medical providers, are looking for work-life balance, such as splitting their patient loads with multiple providers and other upsides that often come with working in a more populated area.It can be difficult for rural providers to balance all of those needs, especially since monitoring labor and deliveries are so sporadic.“If you have enough providers, you will likely have enough (patient) volume,” Williams said of rural providers looking to keep their birth units open. “The challenge is making sure you can maintain enough providers to where they have that work-life balance.”<h2>What do health leaders want to see for OB-GYN providers moving forward?&nbsp;</h2>As providers look to fill the gaps in maternal care, they’re leaning on innovative ways to ensure that every Missouri mother has access to adequate care.For example, providers in Harrison County, which sits in northwest Missouri along the Iowa border, created a partnership with North Kansas City Hospital for labor and deliveries. Expecting mothers get prenatal care in the county, but travel to Kansas City for their deliveries. Afterward, patients are handed back to their providers in Harrison County.Those types of partnerships are key to ensuring that mothers are followed every step of the way throughout their pregnancies, Williams said. Creating similar partnerships is one of the state’s goals moving forward.“It’s important to have that good flow of prenatal records,” Williams said. “It’s important to have that connectivity, that handoff for the patient, so the patient feels like people know what’s going on with their care.”The state is also focusing on recruitment and retention as part of the path to solving the problem. Davis-Humes mentors many aspiring doctors, who say that the workload of being on call constantly in rural communities is a deterrent for them.“You’ve got to have people that are willing to come to an area and wear multiple hats, and also be willing to be called in in the middle of the night, too,” she said.But she also wants to see more unique ways of encouraging rural providers to continue providing a service that makes them lose money.“I think the state needs to put their money where their mouth is,” Davis-Humes said.“We keep seeing all these birth centers close. We keep seeing that OB has a hard time making money … I think there should be some type of reward there,” she said. “You keep your OB center open, every year you get some sort of incentive from the state that says ‘Thank you … we’re going to help support you so you can continue to keep that OB unit open.’”Although hospital executives are expecting to reassess their finances and the services they provide in the coming years as a result of Medicaid cuts, they are encouraged that they are seeing a new willingness to discuss the financial difficulties rural providers face.“At some point, there has got to be real reform around reimbursement for rural health care services,” Thompson said. “We’re just not the same as our urban and suburban counterparts.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/22/maternity-care-closures-rural-missouri-hospitals-ob-gyn/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

As rural maternity care units close, Missouri families lose options

ATCHISON COUNTY, Missouri —One person was injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Saturday in Atchison County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by a 53-year-old Platte City man was southbound on Interstate 29 nine miles north of Rock Port.&nbsp; The pickup traveled off the east side of the road, crossed into northbound lanes, struck a fence, a ditch and rolled onto its top.

The driver was air-lifted to University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ATCHISON COUNTY, Missouri —One person was injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Saturday in Atchison County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by a 53-year-old Platte City man was southbound on Interstate 29 nine miles north of Rock Port.&nbsp; The pickup traveled off the east side of the road, crossed into northbound lanes, struck a fence, a ditch and rolled onto its top.The driver was air-lifted to University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. man airlifted to hospital after pickup rollover crash

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/5vTBFBEemktXWHC1ZbX23y?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

ANDREW COUNTY —Four people were injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Friday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Ram 1500 driven by an 18-year-old Highland, Kansas, man was westbound on Route O near county Road 290 just west of Cosby. The driver lost control of the pickup. It traveled off the north side of the road, struck the ground with the front bumper, traveled down an embankment and struck the ground a second time.&nbsp; The vehicle was driven to a controlled stop.

EMS transported the driver and three passengers including a 19-year-old man and an 18-year-old man from St. Joseph and a 19-year-old woman from Sargent, Nebraska to Mosaic Life Care. Only the driver was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY —Four people were injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Friday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Ram 1500 driven by an 18-year-old Highland, Kansas, man was westbound on Route O near county Road 290 just west of Cosby. The driver lost control of the pickup. It traveled off the north side of the road, struck the ground with the front bumper, traveled down an embankment and struck the ground a second time.&nbsp; The vehicle was driven to a controlled stop.EMS transported the driver and three passengers including a 19-year-old man and an 18-year-old man from St. Joseph and a 19-year-old woman from Sargent, Nebraska to Mosaic Life Care. Only the driver was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

2 teens from St. Joe among 4 injured in pickup crash

CALDWELL COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just before 7p.m. Friday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 GMC Yukon driven by a 44-year-old Cowgil man was westbound on Highway F three miles south of Kingston. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at MO 13.&nbsp; A northbound 2022 Ford Escape driven by a 20-year-old Braymer woman struck the Yukon.

EMS transported the Ford driver to Mosaic Life Care and the driver and a passenger in the Yukon to Cameron Regional Medical Center.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

CALDWELL COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just before 7p.m. Friday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 GMC Yukon driven by a 44-year-old Cowgil man was westbound on Highway F three miles south of Kingston. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at MO 13.&nbsp; A northbound 2022 Ford Escape driven by a 20-year-old Braymer woman struck the Yukon.EMS transported the Ford driver to Mosaic Life Care and the driver and a passenger in the Yukon to Cameron Regional Medical Center.&nbsp; All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

3 hospitalized after SUVs collide on Missouri highway

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on new allegations after an arrest.

Shortly before 5p.m. on Thursday an officer on patrol observed 44-year-old Richard Burge II walking in the 900 Block of Main Street, according to. Police Chief Mike Wilson 

Burge was taken into custody on requested charges that include four outstanding District Court warrants for failure to appear in court. 

When taken into custody he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755869162621.png" alt="Burge photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Burge photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on new allegations after an arrest.Shortly before 5p.m. on Thursday an officer on patrol observed 44-year-old Richard Burge II walking in the 900 Block of Main Street, according to. Police Chief Mike Wilson Burge was taken into custody on requested charges that include four outstanding District Court warrants for failure to appear in court. When taken into custody he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.

Kan. man who keeps skipping court is caught with meth

Losing someone is difficult, and an annual program at Brookdale Presbyterian Church in St. Joseph helps those suffering through their grief.  

The GriefShare program brings together those who have experienced the loss of a loved one, to learn about and find their lives on the other side of that loss.  

Organizer Debbie Lyons says the group brings like-minded people together, no matter if it's the loss of a spouse, sibling, parent, or a child. 

"You’re feelings are different with each one, so when you meet people, like I lost my spouse and my sister, and when I meet people that have that same thinking in their head and they have suffered that same great loss we can connect, and it helps to hear from other people who have suffered the same loss,” Lyons says on the KFEQmunnity show. 

Lyons says this Sunday, the church will host an introduction to the GriefShare program with the Loss of Spouse seminar. 

"That’s just what it is and we help people who have lost their spouse, whether it was yesterday, last week, or 16 years ago, to understand what’s going on,” Lyons explains.  “There are things to do in the book, gentle reminders, messages from God, it’s a great resource for them to get, and again we’ll be at Brookdale Presbyterian Church.” 

The seminar will begin at 2pm on Sunday.  

Lyons says through the 13 weeks the courses will cover several topics of a person's grief journey 

"Why am I angry, is it normal to be angry?  What to do with secondary things, like we are no longer a we, we are a me, how do we get through that with the secondary jobs with trying to do everything at once,” Lyons says.  “There’s some on getting stuck in grief, there is one on am I normal? Well to me that is not a good word for grieving.” 

GriefShare will be held on Thursdays with sessions at 10am and 6pm at Brookdale, beginning on August 28th. 

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostLosing someone is difficult, and an annual program at Brookdale Presbyterian Church in St. Joseph helps those suffering through their grief. The GriefShare program brings together those who have experienced the loss of a loved one, to learn about and find their lives on the other side of that loss. Organizer Debbie Lyons says the group brings like-minded people together, no matter if it's the loss of a spouse, sibling, parent, or a child. "You’re feelings are different with each one, so when you meet people, like I lost my spouse and my sister, and when I meet people that have that same thinking in their head and they have suffered that same great loss we can connect, and it helps to hear from other people who have suffered the same loss,” Lyons says on the KFEQmunnity show. Lyons says this Sunday, the church will host an introduction to the GriefShare program with the Loss of Spouse seminar. "That’s just what it is and we help people who have lost their spouse, whether it was yesterday, last week, or 16 years ago, to understand what’s going on,” Lyons explains. “There are things to do in the book, gentle reminders, messages from God, it’s a great resource for them to get, and again we’ll be at Brookdale Presbyterian Church.” The seminar will begin at 2pm on Sunday. Lyons says through the 13 weeks the courses will cover several topics of a person's grief journey "Why am I angry, is it normal to be angry? What to do with secondary things, like we are no longer a we, we are a me, how do we get through that with the secondary jobs with trying to do everything at once,” Lyons says. “There’s some on getting stuck in grief, there is one on am I normal? Well to me that is not a good word for grieving.” GriefShare will be held on Thursdays with sessions at 10am and 6pm at Brookdale, beginning on August 28th. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Seminar helps those suffering from loss of a loved one

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/64naMR3ZKALvmJ5LFZpu2h?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/2TLr3W7NkWweIuFT7bGt7D?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 city officials have no comment on a lawsuit filed
against the city by 
Sandra Hemme, recently released from prison after being incarcerated for 43
years for a murder the courts found she didn’t commit.

Hemme’s attorney, Justin Hill with the Chicago law firm Loevy and
Loevy, says the lawsuit names the city and several individuals employed by the
St. Joseph Police Department at the time of the 1980 case.

“This lawsuit seeks compensation for police taking advantage
of Sandy Hemme who was an extremely vulnerable 20-year-old woman who had
significant psychiatric impairments in 1980 and framing her for a murder that
she did not commit,” Hill tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Hill claims St. Joseph police coerced a confession from Hemme
to protect one of their own. The lawsuit states all the evidence in the murder
of St. Joseph librarian Patricia Jeschke in November of 1980 pointed to Officer
Michael Holman.

Livington County Circuit Judge, Ryan Horsman, found Hemme
innocent and ordered her release from the Chillicothe women’s prison. In his
ruling, Horsman called Hemme “the victim of a manifest injustice.”

The
lawsuit is very critical of the St. Joseph Police Department at the time of the
Jeschke case. It claims former Police Chief, Bob Hayes, fostered a culture
of impunity with the police department. Hayes is dead as are nearly all the
individuals named in the lawsuit.

Hill claims the department went to
extraordinary lengths to avoid embarrassment.

“And so, they wanted to avoid that news story and chose
to pen it on Sandy Hemme,” according to Hill.

“There’s also another young man named Melvin Lee Reynolds who
is similarly in a tough place in life and they framed him for the murder of a
young man named Eric Christgen around the same time.”

Reynolds was released from prison after the courts found he
had been falsely convicted in the murder of Christgen, four years old at the
time of his death. Charles Hatcher would later be convicted in the death of
Christgen and 11-year-old Michelle Steele.

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial. It doesn’t request specific
compensation.

Hill says it is difficult to place a price tag on losing 43
years of your life.

“Sandy lost almost all of her adult life and putting a number
on that is going to be a significant challenge for the jury,” Hill says. “But
we’re going to put it to them.”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755806344160.jpeg" alt="Sandra Hemme/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Sandra Hemme/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph city officials have no comment on a lawsuit filed
against the city by 
Sandra Hemme, recently released from prison after being incarcerated for 43
years for a murder the courts found she didn’t commit.Hemme’s attorney, Justin Hill with the Chicago law firm Loevy and
Loevy, says the lawsuit names the city and several individuals employed by the
St. Joseph Police Department at the time of the 1980 case.“This lawsuit seeks compensation for police taking advantage
of Sandy Hemme who was an extremely vulnerable 20-year-old woman who had
significant psychiatric impairments in 1980 and framing her for a murder that
she did not commit,” Hill tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.Hill claims St. Joseph police coerced a confession from Hemme
to protect one of their own. The lawsuit states all the evidence in the murder
of St. Joseph librarian Patricia Jeschke in November of 1980 pointed to Officer
Michael Holman.Livington County Circuit Judge, Ryan Horsman, found Hemme
innocent and ordered her release from the Chillicothe women’s prison. In his
ruling, Horsman called Hemme “the victim of a manifest injustice.”The
lawsuit is very critical of the St. Joseph Police Department at the time of the
Jeschke case. It claims former Police Chief, Bob Hayes, fostered a culture
of impunity with the police department. Hayes is dead as are nearly all the
individuals named in the lawsuit.Hill claims the department went to
extraordinary lengths to avoid embarrassment.“And so, they wanted to avoid that news story and chose
to pen it on Sandy Hemme,” according to Hill.Hill adds it wasn’t the first time.“There’s also another young man named Melvin Lee Reynolds who
is similarly in a tough place in life and they framed him for the murder of a
young man named Eric Christgen around the same time.”Reynolds was released from prison after the courts found he
had been falsely convicted in the murder of Christgen, four years old at the
time of his death. Charles Hatcher would later be convicted in the death of
Christgen and 11-year-old Michelle Steele.The lawsuit asks for a jury trial. It doesn’t request specific
compensation.Hill says it is difficult to place a price tag on losing 43
years of your life.“Sandy lost almost all of her adult life and putting a number
on that is going to be a significant challenge for the jury,” Hill says. “But
we’re going to put it to them.”<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3Xg4OYIgy3Ft3KGqXMz4NV?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755806394193.png" alt="Sandra Hemme, at the time of the 1980 murder, and from her time at the Chillicothe women's prison/Both photos courtesy of the Hemme family" />
 <figcaption>Sandra Hemme, at the time of the 1980 murder, and from her time at the Chillicothe women's prison/Both photos courtesy of the Hemme family</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

St. Joseph city officials have no comment on Hemme lawsuit

State tax dollars have already started flowing out of the State Treasurer’s Office to fund private-school scholarships. A lawsuit seeks to block what attorneys argue is an unauthorized use of taxpayer dollars

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>

Attorneys for Missouri’s largest teacher’s union are hoping to stop tax dollars from pouring into the state’s voucher program, arguing in Cole County Circuit Court Thursday that payments should be paused until a judge rules on the legality of the program’s funding.

The State Treasurer’s Office has already begun dipping into a $51 million appropriation of general revenue to award private-school scholarships under the MOScholars program, state attorneys said Thursday. Over 6,100 students have been promised scholarships, and any delay would be a “massive disruption to the MOScholars program,” William Seidleck, principal deputy solicitor general, told the judge.

But Loretta Haggard, attorney for the Missouri branch of the Missouri National Education Association, argued Thursday that MOScholars lacks authority to pull directly from general revenue, and taxpayers would be harmed by the illegal use of funds.&nbsp;

MNEA&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/01/missouri-educators-sue-state-over-51-million-appropriation-to-private-school-vouchers/">filed requests</a>&nbsp;at the end of June for a temporary restraining order to block the flow of funds until trial and a permanent injunction. But the attorney general’s office asked the judge to reject MNEA’s request for an expedited timeline,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/article_5f4f5093-90a6-4cfd-ad0c-d63e8bfd38de.html" target="_blank">citing the recent departure of two top attorneys.&nbsp;</a>

The delay pushed the hearing on the injunction past the start of the school year.&nbsp;

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

MOScholars was created in a 2021 law which set up the program to work through educational nonprofits approved by the state treasurer. Funding is initiated by donations, which taxpayers are able to receive back as a tax credit equal to 100% of their contribution.

The law set up a fund, the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts fund, “to be used by the state treasurer for marketing and administrative expenses or the costs incurred in administering the scholarship program, whichever is less.”

But last month, that account received a $48 million infusion, which the treasurer’s office is using to pay for student scholarships.

Haggard argues that using the fund this way is “inconsistent” with the 2021 law, telling the judge to block the outflow of funds before it is too late.

“The money will be gone (if the court doesn’t pause payments),” she said. “Nobody seriously thinks that this court will be able to order the families or the schools to discard the money. That will be gone.”

Seidleck argued that although state law doesn’t explicitly allow for the direct spending of general revenue, there are no provisions that directly forbid it. “Statutory silence,” he said, is not enough.

When deciding whether to issue a temporary restraining order, Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe must consider the potential harm to affected parties against the public interest. This piece was a large part of the state’s and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/04/parents-intervene-in-missouri-voucher-lawsuit-with-help-from-herzog-foundation-leader/">intervenor EdChoice</a>’s arguments.

EdChoice Legal Advocates joined the case earlier this month, representing three parents who say the influx of state funding will expand their access to scholarships.

Prior to the $51 million appropriation, MOScholars had a growing waitlist, said EdChoice attorney Bryan Cleveland. With the added funding, the program is now more reliable for those who were previously awarded scholarships, and parents are hopeful to get their other children access as well.

“The plaintiffs have asserted taxpayer standing but they haven’t stated any personal harm,” he said. “In contrast, the families have demonstrated irreparable harm because they need the scholarships to pay not just for tuition but also to pay for reading tutors.”

Seidleck emphasized that the program prioritizes students with an individualized education plan, which serves students with learning and physical disabilities.

MNEA, which is a union of public-school teachers, won’t be harmed by the vouchers, he argued, saying it might help public schools by “facilitating smaller class sizes.” MNEA President Rebeka McIntosh, who was watching the arguments, chuckled at his argument.

Stumpe had few questions Thursday, apart from asking Cleveland how the intervening families would be harmed. He told attorneys he plans on ruling by the end of the day Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755859705105.png" alt="Cole County Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe hears arguments for and against pausing the use of general revenue for private-school vouchers Thursday afternoon (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Cole County Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe hears arguments for and against pausing the use of general revenue for private-school vouchers Thursday afternoon (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>State tax dollars have already started flowing out of the State Treasurer’s Office to fund private-school scholarships. A lawsuit seeks to block what attorneys argue is an unauthorized use of taxpayer dollars</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>Attorneys for Missouri’s largest teacher’s union are hoping to stop tax dollars from pouring into the state’s voucher program, arguing in Cole County Circuit Court Thursday that payments should be paused until a judge rules on the legality of the program’s funding.The State Treasurer’s Office has already begun dipping into a $51 million appropriation of general revenue to award private-school scholarships under the MOScholars program, state attorneys said Thursday. Over 6,100 students have been promised scholarships, and any delay would be a “massive disruption to the MOScholars program,” William Seidleck, principal deputy solicitor general, told the judge.But Loretta Haggard, attorney for the Missouri branch of the Missouri National Education Association, argued Thursday that MOScholars lacks authority to pull directly from general revenue, and taxpayers would be harmed by the illegal use of funds.&nbsp;MNEA&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/01/missouri-educators-sue-state-over-51-million-appropriation-to-private-school-vouchers/">filed requests</a>&nbsp;at the end of June for a temporary restraining order to block the flow of funds until trial and a permanent injunction. But the attorney general’s office asked the judge to reject MNEA’s request for an expedited timeline,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/article_5f4f5093-90a6-4cfd-ad0c-d63e8bfd38de.html" target="_blank">citing the recent departure of two top attorneys.&nbsp;</a>The delay pushed the hearing on the injunction past the start of the school year.&nbsp;“You can’t just turn on a hose of $51 million in general revenue and force it through the tax credit framework,” Haggard said. “There are gaps in that framework.”MOScholars was created in a 2021 law which set up the program to work through educational nonprofits approved by the state treasurer. Funding is initiated by donations, which taxpayers are able to receive back as a tax credit equal to 100% of their contribution.The law set up a fund, the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts fund, “to be used by the state treasurer for marketing and administrative expenses or the costs incurred in administering the scholarship program, whichever is less.”But last month, that account received a $48 million infusion, which the treasurer’s office is using to pay for student scholarships.Haggard argues that using the fund this way is “inconsistent” with the 2021 law, telling the judge to block the outflow of funds before it is too late.“The money will be gone (if the court doesn’t pause payments),” she said. “Nobody seriously thinks that this court will be able to order the families or the schools to discard the money. That will be gone.”Seidleck argued that although state law doesn’t explicitly allow for the direct spending of general revenue, there are no provisions that directly forbid it. “Statutory silence,” he said, is not enough.When deciding whether to issue a temporary restraining order, Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe must consider the potential harm to affected parties against the public interest. This piece was a large part of the state’s and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/04/parents-intervene-in-missouri-voucher-lawsuit-with-help-from-herzog-foundation-leader/">intervenor EdChoice</a>’s arguments.EdChoice Legal Advocates joined the case earlier this month, representing three parents who say the influx of state funding will expand their access to scholarships.Prior to the $51 million appropriation, MOScholars had a growing waitlist, said EdChoice attorney Bryan Cleveland. With the added funding, the program is now more reliable for those who were previously awarded scholarships, and parents are hopeful to get their other children access as well.“The plaintiffs have asserted taxpayer standing but they haven’t stated any personal harm,” he said. “In contrast, the families have demonstrated irreparable harm because they need the scholarships to pay not just for tuition but also to pay for reading tutors.”Seidleck emphasized that the program prioritizes students with an individualized education plan, which serves students with learning and physical disabilities.MNEA, which is a union of public-school teachers, won’t be harmed by the vouchers, he argued, saying it might help public schools by “facilitating smaller class sizes.” MNEA President Rebeka McIntosh, who was watching the arguments, chuckled at his argument.Stumpe had few questions Thursday, apart from asking Cleveland how the intervening families would be harmed. He told attorneys he plans on ruling by the end of the day Friday.

Missouri teachers union asks judge to freeze private-school-voucher payments

CALDWELL COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Thursday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1992 Freightliner semi driven by a 65-year-old Hamilton man was northbound on MO 13 at East Putnum just north of Hamilton. The semi traveled off the right side of the road and the driver overcorrected. The vehicle traveled off the south side of the road and came to rest on its wheels.

Caldwell County EMS transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

CALDWELL COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Thursday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1992 Freightliner semi driven by a 65-year-old Hamilton man was northbound on MO 13 at East Putnum just north of Hamilton. The semi traveled off the right side of the road and the driver overcorrected. The vehicle traveled off the south side of the road and came to rest on its wheels.Caldwell County EMS transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man injured after semi accident

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a drug bust at a Kansas home.

Based on an intensive investigation by the Brown&nbsp; County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force,&nbsp; a search warrant was applied for and granted for a residence at 645 West 13th Street in Horton, Kansas, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Just after 7:30 p.m. August 19, deputies initiated the search warrant at that residence.&nbsp; Approximately 7 grams of Methamphetamine, Over 2 pounds of Marijuana, various meth pipes, bongs, marijuana pipes, scales, grinders, baggies&nbsp; and numerous&nbsp; firearms were located as well as a .22 pistol which was&nbsp; confirmed stolen out of Michigan and&nbsp; seized as evidence.&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Up onconclusion of the warrant, Gayleen Koon&nbsp;&nbsp; 43 Horton was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of DrugParaphernalia, Distribution of Meth 3.5&lt;100 Grams, Distribution ofMarijuana 450 Grams&gt;30 KG and No Drug Tax Stamp.&nbsp; Horton police assisted with the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755708932837.png" alt="Photo Brown Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Brown Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a drug bust at a Kansas home.Based on an intensive investigation by the Brown&nbsp; County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force,&nbsp; a search warrant was applied for and granted for a residence at 645 West 13th Street in Horton, Kansas, according to Sheriff John Merchant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755708861920.png" alt="Koon photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Koon photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 7:30 p.m. August 19, deputies initiated the search warrant at that residence.&nbsp; Approximately 7 grams of Methamphetamine, Over 2 pounds of Marijuana, various meth pipes, bongs, marijuana pipes, scales, grinders, baggies&nbsp; and numerous&nbsp; firearms were located as well as a .22 pistol which was&nbsp; confirmed stolen out of Michigan and&nbsp; seized as evidence.&nbsp;&nbsp; Up onconclusion of the warrant, Gayleen Koon&nbsp;&nbsp; 43 Horton was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of DrugParaphernalia, Distribution of Meth 3.5&lt;100 Grams, Distribution ofMarijuana 450 Grams&gt;30 KG and No Drug Tax Stamp.&nbsp; Horton police assisted with the investigation.

Deputies seize meth, marijuana and stolen gun at Kansas home

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Toyota Corolla driven by a 22-year-old St. Joseph man was northbound on U.S. 71 two miles west of Savannah. The car struck a deer, traveled off the road, down an embankment and overturned..&nbsp;

Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30 a.m. Thursday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Toyota Corolla driven by a 22-year-old St. Joseph man was northbound on U.S. 71 two miles west of Savannah. The car struck a deer, traveled off the road, down an embankment and overturned..&nbsp;Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patol no longer releases names of accident victims.

St. Joe man injured after car strikes a deer, overturns

Soil samples have been taken. Tests will
be done. Then, it will be up to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers whether
dredging can begin as Buchanan County attempts to restore Lake Contrary.

Western District Buchanan County
Commissioner, Ron Hook, says the final soil test plots were taken on Monday and
sent to the lab. That comes after herbicide was spread to kill the weeds which
have overtaken Lake Contrary.

“It’s worked in spots. We’ve had probably
70% of it take hold of the spray,” Hook says during an appearance on
KFEQmmunity. “Our contracted person is going to come back and view it again
before fall. If it needs to be re-sprayed in some areas, he’s going to do
that.”

Hook says the weeds must be removed
before dredging can begin.

Dredging will not be allowed unless the
Army Corps of Engineers grants Buchanan County a permit.

Hook says work to restore Lake Contrary
has been a long time coming.

“We’ve been working on this off-and-on
throughout my whole tenure of county commissioner,” Hooks says. “So that’s been
16 years. This is the closest we’ve been at this point.”

At present, the lake south of St. Joseph
resembles more of a field than a lake. There is little water in Lake Contrary.
There are plenty of weeds. Those weeds don’t just suffocate the lake, they
would wreak havoc on any attempts to dredge, stubbornly clinging to the earth
and clogging any efforts to uproot them.

Hook says the process of restoring Lake
Contrary has dragged on for years.

“We’re moving in the right direction,”
Hook says. “And I think with these soil samples, it’s going to show and prove
to the Corps of Engineers that what we’re going to do is going to be a positive
for the community.”

Hook says the final 34 soil samples were
taken on Monday. The Corps of Engineers will examine the results to determine
whether to permit Buchanan County to dredge the lake and deposit soil back into
the Missouri River.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755792417277.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSoil samples have been taken. Tests will
be done. Then, it will be up to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers whether
dredging can begin as Buchanan County attempts to restore Lake Contrary.Western District Buchanan County
Commissioner, Ron Hook, says the final soil test plots were taken on Monday and
sent to the lab. That comes after herbicide was spread to kill the weeds which
have overtaken Lake Contrary.“It’s worked in spots. We’ve had probably
70% of it take hold of the spray,” Hook says during an appearance on
KFEQmmunity. “Our contracted person is going to come back and view it again
before fall. If it needs to be re-sprayed in some areas, he’s going to do
that.”Hook says the weeds must be removed
before dredging can begin.Dredging will not be allowed unless the
Army Corps of Engineers grants Buchanan County a permit.Hook says work to restore Lake Contrary
has been a long time coming.“We’ve been working on this off-and-on
throughout my whole tenure of county commissioner,” Hooks says. “So that’s been
16 years. This is the closest we’ve been at this point.”At present, the lake south of St. Joseph
resembles more of a field than a lake. There is little water in Lake Contrary.
There are plenty of weeds. Those weeds don’t just suffocate the lake, they
would wreak havoc on any attempts to dredge, stubbornly clinging to the earth
and clogging any efforts to uproot them.Hook says the process of restoring Lake
Contrary has dragged on for years.“We’re moving in the right direction,”
Hook says. “And I think with these soil samples, it’s going to show and prove
to the Corps of Engineers that what we’re going to do is going to be a positive
for the community.”Hook says the final 34 soil samples were
taken on Monday. The Corps of Engineers will examine the results to determine
whether to permit Buchanan County to dredge the lake and deposit soil back into
the Missouri River.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Work continues on efforts to revive Lake Contrary

The Jefferson County Humane Society in Valley Falls, Kansas is promoting adoption of pets in a fun and unique way.   

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755793251450.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Jefferson County Humane Society in Valley Falls, Kansas is promoting adoption of pets in a fun and unique way. A kid's fair will be hosted in the parking lot of the shelter this Saturday, with many fun activities and games. Jenni Cubbison with the Humane Society says this event centers around the Clear the Shelter event which is held every year "With our fair we hope to have fair games, concessions, prizes for the kids, hair coloring, and we're also going to have a cake walk," Cubbison says on the KFEQmunnity show. "So that should be fun for everyone." Cubbison says while this event is about fun, it also stresses the importance of adoption, with this being a time of year where many unwanted cats and dogs show up at the shelter. "We strive to give every animal a second chance at a loving home, but unfortunately it is a situation with all shelters I think within our area, and around America unfortunately, that there's such an overpopulation of animals that are in need," Cubbison says. The event is a free will donation, with everything donated going to the animal shelter. Cubbison says on the day you can also view pets that are available for adoption. The fair will run from 1 to 5pm on Saturday at 15295 K4 Hwy Valley Falls, Kansas. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755793347192.jpeg" alt="Kid's Fair event poster/ Photo courtesy of Jefferson County Humane Society" />
 <figcaption>Kid's Fair event poster/ Photo courtesy of Jefferson County Humane Society</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

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