The St. Joseph School Foundation is providing Appleseed Grant to teachers to help be more innovative in the classroom. 

This year the school district foundation gave out around 12 thousand dollars in grants to teachers throughout the district. 

Executive Director Julie Cobb says for the upcoming school year, the foundation will be expanding the program slightly, calling it Appleseed 2.0 

"That is going to be, I would call a little bit of a Shark Tank version, we are going to invite teachers to apply, and then a few finalists will be invited to present in front of a panel, a community panel," Cobb tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "Some community leaders, some educators, and just see who comes out on top." 

Cobb says as technology becomes more expensive many of the grants applied for are around that. 

"New technology comes out and it's a little pricy, it hasn't come down yet to where it's in a reasonable price range, so sometimes we have things like that," Cobb explains.  

Cobb says one of her favorite grants the group saw this year was from a teacher at Robidoux Middle School that wanted to take her students to the Nelson Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City.  

"Many of them, perhaps, in the Robidoux area haven't made to far off of St. Joseph Avenue, a few have, but one of the things in education is access, we want all students to have equal access to education regardless of their lifestyle or where they live," Cobb says. 

Cobb says the Appleseed grants are one of the key programs, calling it the founding premise of the St. Joseph School District Foundation. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724773694595.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The St. Joseph School Foundation is providing Appleseed Grant to teachers to help be more innovative in the classroom. This year the school district foundation gave out around 12 thousand dollars in grants to teachers throughout the district. Executive Director Julie Cobb says for the upcoming school year, the foundation will be expanding the program slightly, calling it Appleseed 2.0 "That is going to be, I would call a little bit of a Shark Tank version, we are going to invite teachers to apply, and then a few finalists will be invited to present in front of a panel, a community panel," Cobb tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "Some community leaders, some educators, and just see who comes out on top." Cobb says as technology becomes more expensive many of the grants applied for are around that. "New technology comes out and it's a little pricy, it hasn't come down yet to where it's in a reasonable price range, so sometimes we have things like that," Cobb explains. Cobb says one of her favorite grants the group saw this year was from a teacher at Robidoux Middle School that wanted to take her students to the Nelson Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City. "Many of them, perhaps, in the Robidoux area haven't made to far off of St. Joseph Avenue, a few have, but one of the things in education is access, we want all students to have equal access to education regardless of their lifestyle or where they live," Cobb says. Cobb says the Appleseed grants are one of the key programs, calling it the founding premise of the St. Joseph School District Foundation. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph School Foundation helping teachers be more innovative with Appleseed Grants

Playoffs are here and it's the first round of districts in Missouri and Kansas! Below is a list of all of the games being played in the KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area!

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

Chillicothe vs Northeast Kansas City- Friday @ 7pm

Van Horn vs Excelsior Springs- Friday @ 7pm

St. Pius vs William Chrisman- Friday @ 7pm

Fort Osage vs Lincoln College Prep- Friday @ 7pm

Northland Christian vs Dekalb- Friday @ 7pm

Mound City vs East Atchison- Friday @ 7pm

Worth County vs Stanberry- Thursday @ 7:30pm

 winner will play winner of Jackson Heights vs Erie-  Firday @ 7pm

Riverside vs Jefferson County North- Friday @ 7pm

-winner will play winner of St. Mary's Colgan vs Horton - Thursday @ 6pm

-winner will play winner of Girard vs Bishop Ward- Friday @ 7pm

-winner will play winner of Lansing vs Eudora- Friday @ 7pm

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostPlayoffs are here and it's the first round of districts in Missouri and Kansas! Below is a list of all of the games being played in the KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area!Tune into KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com) for Friday Night Lights with Matt Pike every Friday night from 10- midnight. for scores and interviews with area coaches!Missouri 11-ManClass 1 District 4Gallatin vs Maysville- Thursday @ 7pmClass 2 District 8South Harrison vs Lawson- Friday @ 7pmMid-Buchanan vs Lathrop- Thursday @ 7pmEast Buchanan vs Trenton- Friday @ 7pmClass 3 District 8Cameron vs Benton- Friday @ 7pmMaryville vs Lafayette- Friday @ 7pmChillicothe vs Northeast Kansas City- Friday @ 7pmClass 4 District 8Savannah vs Southeast- Friday @ 7pmSmithville vs Center- Friday @ 7pmVan Horn vs Excelsior Springs- Friday @ 7pmClass 5 District 8Central vs Winnetonka- Friday @ 7pmSt. Pius vs William Chrisman- Friday @ 7pmFort Osage vs Lincoln College Prep- Friday @ 7pmMissouri 8-ManDistrict 5Plattsburg vs Stewartville- Friday @ 7pmNorthland Christian vs Dekalb- Friday @ 7pmDistrict 6Mound City vs East Atchison- Friday @ 7pmNorth Andew vs South Holt- Friday @ 7pmDistrict 7King City vs Pattonsburg- Friday @ 7pmWorth County vs Stanberry- Thursday @ 7:30pmKansas FootballClass 1ATroy @ Jayhawk Linn- Friday @ 7pm winner will play winner of Jackson Heights vs Erie- Firday @ 7pmRiverside vs Jefferson County North- Friday @ 7pm-winner will play winner of St. Mary's Colgan vs Horton - Thursday @ 6pmClass 3AHiawatha @ Hayden- Friday @ 7pm-winner will play winner of Girard vs Bishop Ward- Friday @ 7pmClass 4AAtchison vs Bonner Springs- Friday @ 7pm-winner will play winner of Lansing vs Eudora- Friday @ 7pmYou can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post Area High School Football District scoreboard Oct 31-Nov 1

HOLT COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Holt County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Volvo semi driven by Adam S. Jbory, 44, Overland Park, was southbound on Interstate 29 two miles east of Craig. The vehicle traveled off the road into the median and overturned.

A Holt County Sheriff's Deputy transported Jbory to Community Hospital of Fairfax. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

HOLT COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Holt County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Volvo semi driven by Adam S. Jbory, 44, Overland Park, was southbound on Interstate 29 two miles east of Craig. The vehicle traveled off the road into the median and overturned.A Holt County Sheriff's Deputy transported Jbory to Community Hospital of Fairfax. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Kansas man injured after semi overturns 

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Wednesday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Toyota Camry driven by Colleen M. McGrane, 60, Clyde, was southbound on Route M at MO 48 six miles west of King City.

The driver failed to stop at a stop sign. The car traveled into the path of an eastbound 2006 Jeep Liberty driven by Trent C. Lorraine 61, Amazonia. The Jeep struck the Toyota in the passenger side.&nbsp;

After impact the Toyota struck a stop sign and came to rest in a field and the Jeep struck a utility pole.

Grand River EMS transported Lorraine to Mosaic Life Care. McGrane was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Wednesday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Toyota Camry driven by Colleen M. McGrane, 60, Clyde, was southbound on Route M at MO 48 six miles west of King City.The driver failed to stop at a stop sign. The car traveled into the path of an eastbound 2006 Jeep Liberty driven by Trent C. Lorraine 61, Amazonia. The Jeep struck the Toyota in the passenger side.&nbsp;After impact the Toyota struck a stop sign and came to rest in a field and the Jeep struck a utility pole.Grand River EMS transported Lorraine to Mosaic Life Care. McGrane was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Mo. man hospitalized in St. Joe after 2-vehicle crash

High winds have blew over a tractor trailer in Holt County,
shutting down the southbound lanes of I-29 north of St. Joseph.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports high winds this afternoon toppled the truck at mile marker 91.

The Highway Patrol reports that southbound I-29 is now clear and reopened to drivers traveling that direction.

Heavy winds also blew over another tractor trailer near mile marker 93, however that one is not affecting traffic with it going into the median.&nbsp; The Highway Patrol advises drivers with these winds to be cautious driving alongside tractor trailers

The National Weather Service forecasts winds gusts of 50 to 60 mile per hour as a strong storm system moves into the area.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730321796702.jpeg" alt="Tow trucks pull up a trailer tractor that was blown over by high winds at Mile Marker 91/ Photo courtesy of MSHP Sergeant Shane Hux" />
 <figcaption>Tow trucks pull up a trailer tractor that was blown over by high winds at Mile Marker 91/ Photo courtesy of MSHP Sergeant Shane Hux</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTIN/MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostHigh winds have blew over a tractor trailer in Holt County,
shutting down the southbound lanes of I-29 north of St. Joseph.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports high winds this afternoon toppled the truck at mile marker 91.The Highway Patrol reports that southbound I-29 is now clear and reopened to drivers traveling that direction.Heavy winds also blew over another tractor trailer near mile marker 93, however that one is not affecting traffic with it going into the median.&nbsp; The Highway Patrol advises drivers with these winds to be cautious driving alongside tractor trailers<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730321957709.jpeg" alt="A tractor trailer was also blown over and into the median at Mile Marker 93 during a severe thunderstorm in Holt County/ Photo courtesy of Sergeant Shane Hux" />
 <figcaption>A tractor trailer was also blown over and into the median at Mile Marker 93 during a severe thunderstorm in Holt County/ Photo courtesy of Sergeant Shane Hux</figcaption>
 </figure>The National Weather Service forecasts winds gusts of 50 to 60 mile per hour as a strong storm system moves into the area.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Southbound I-29 north of St. Joseph reopened after winds blow truck over

HOLT COUNTY —A severe thunderstorm swept through Holt County, leaving damage to structures in its wake, according to a social media report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

"Thankfully, no injuries have been reported."

The National Weather service issued a tornado watch for parts of Kansas and Missouri until 10p.m. Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730325945805.png" alt="Photos MSHP Troop H" />
 <figcaption>Photos MSHP Troop H</figcaption>
 </figure>HOLT COUNTY —A severe thunderstorm swept through Holt County, leaving damage to structures in its wake, according to a social media report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol."Thankfully, no injuries have been reported."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730325835090.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The National Weather service issued a tornado watch for parts of Kansas and Missouri until 10p.m. Wednesday.

Storm damage reported in NW Missouri

The holidays are almost here and that means 'Shop St. Joseph' is about to begin. 

Kristi Bailey, with the St. Joe Chamber of Commerce, says the annual event is great way for shoppers to do their holiday shopping locally for a chance at winning prizes.

"It's a great way for local merchants to see new people come into their stores, but its also a fun way for local shoppers to potentially win big. There's a $10,000 grand prize and a '$2,500 shop small business bonus,' plus a lot of second-chance prizes."

Bailey adds that collecting tickets throughout the event is easy, "If you go into any participating business, you get a ticket just for walking in the door. Then you get another ticket for every ten dollars spent, up to a certain point."

Any local business that would like to participate still has time to sign up, Bailey adds, "The sooner they sign up, the more advertising they'll get. We're going to start putting all the businesses in ads so everyone knows where to shop."

'Shop St. Joseph' begins November 13th and runs through December 16th. 

Bailey says the prize drawing will take place December 18th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702315298098.jpeg" alt="christmas holiday shopping bags shopper pixabay.jpg" />
 <figcaption>christmas holiday shopping bags shopper pixabay.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHSt. Joseph PostThe holidays are almost here and that means 'Shop St. Joseph' is about to begin. Kristi Bailey, with the St. Joe Chamber of Commerce, says the annual event is great way for shoppers to do their holiday shopping locally for a chance at winning prizes."It's a great way for local merchants to see new people come into their stores, but its also a fun way for local shoppers to potentially win big. There's a $10,000 grand prize and a '$2,500 shop small business bonus,' plus a lot of second-chance prizes."Bailey adds that collecting tickets throughout the event is easy, "If you go into any participating business, you get a ticket just for walking in the door. Then you get another ticket for every ten dollars spent, up to a certain point."Any local business that would like to participate still has time to sign up, Bailey adds, "The sooner they sign up, the more advertising they'll get. We're going to start putting all the businesses in ads so everyone knows where to shop."'Shop St. Joseph' begins November 13th and runs through December 16th. Bailey says the prize drawing will take place December 18th.

Shop St. Joseph begins soon

Ranked choice voting, a relatively new concept,
is on the ballot in Missouri next week.

Only, Amendment 7 – placed on the ballot by the
Missouri legislature – would prohibit ranked choice voting.

House Elections Committee chair, Rep. Peggy
McGaugh of Carrollton, says ranked choice voting only confuses voters.

“Here in Missouri, we are built on the best man
for the job and that might be a woman as well,” McGaugh tells host Barry Birr
on the KFEQ Hotline.

But Larry Bradley with Better Ballot KC claims
the ballot in use today is antiquated and ineffective.

“And it has flaws in it that you can’t fix,”
Bradley tells Birr during his appearance on the KFEQ Hotline. “You know, with
software they talk about patches, patches for software. There’s no patching
this ballot. The only way to fix it is to change to something else, namely
ranked choice voting.”

Under ranked choice voting, voters select their
preferred candidate and then can select two alternatives. If no candidate in an
election garners a majority, those votes for second and third place enter the
calculation. The vote total is recalibrated and recounted until a candidate
receives a majority of the votes.

Only Alaska and Maine have experimented with the
concept.

McGaugh points out Alaska has placed on the
ballot an issue to overturn ranked choice voting.

“They adopted ranked choice voting for some of
their elections, but, matter of fact, Alaska now has it on the ballot to reverse
that choice,” McGaugh says. “So, it didn’t work in another state so I don’t
think Missouri wants to be a test pilot state, either.”

Disagreeing is Bradley, who says ranked choice
voting gives voters more options.

“Our problem is not that we have political parties
in this country,” according to Bradley. “Our problem is that we have
insufficient competition within and between political parties, because of the
ballot we’re using that limits our choices.”

Amendment 7 also makes a subtle, yet to McGaugh
significant change to who is eligible to vote in Missouri by changing a word in
the state constitution, from all citizens of the United States can vote to only
citizens in the U.S. can vote.

“And the reason why that’s necessary is that some
state court can change that in their jurisdiction to that non-citizens can vote
in local elections; the political subdivisions like the schools and the cities,”
McGaugh asserts.

But it’s the banning of ranked choice voting that
bothers Bradley, who says a national poll indicates a majority of Americans
don’t like what the two political parties offer.

“Let me explain something to you, you will never,
ever have more competition and more choices so long as you use the ballot today,”
according to Bradley.

Amendment 7 is one of six issues Missouri voters
will decide next week.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostRanked choice voting, a relatively new concept,
is on the ballot in Missouri next week.Only, Amendment 7 – placed on the ballot by the
Missouri legislature – would prohibit ranked choice voting.House Elections Committee chair, Rep. Peggy
McGaugh of Carrollton, says ranked choice voting only confuses voters.“Here in Missouri, we are built on the best man
for the job and that might be a woman as well,” McGaugh tells host Barry Birr
on the KFEQ Hotline.But Larry Bradley with Better Ballot KC claims
the ballot in use today is antiquated and ineffective.“And it has flaws in it that you can’t fix,”
Bradley tells Birr during his appearance on the KFEQ Hotline. “You know, with
software they talk about patches, patches for software. There’s no patching
this ballot. The only way to fix it is to change to something else, namely
ranked choice voting.”Under ranked choice voting, voters select their
preferred candidate and then can select two alternatives. If no candidate in an
election garners a majority, those votes for second and third place enter the
calculation. The vote total is recalibrated and recounted until a candidate
receives a majority of the votes.Only Alaska and Maine have experimented with the
concept.McGaugh points out Alaska has placed on the
ballot an issue to overturn ranked choice voting.“They adopted ranked choice voting for some of
their elections, but, matter of fact, Alaska now has it on the ballot to reverse
that choice,” McGaugh says. “So, it didn’t work in another state so I don’t
think Missouri wants to be a test pilot state, either.”Disagreeing is Bradley, who says ranked choice
voting gives voters more options.“Our problem is not that we have political parties
in this country,” according to Bradley. “Our problem is that we have
insufficient competition within and between political parties, because of the
ballot we’re using that limits our choices.”Amendment 7 also makes a subtle, yet to McGaugh
significant change to who is eligible to vote in Missouri by changing a word in
the state constitution, from all citizens of the United States can vote to only
citizens in the U.S. can vote.“And the reason why that’s necessary is that some
state court can change that in their jurisdiction to that non-citizens can vote
in local elections; the political subdivisions like the schools and the cities,”
McGaugh asserts.But it’s the banning of ranked choice voting that
bothers Bradley, who says a national poll indicates a majority of Americans
don’t like what the two political parties offer.“Let me explain something to you, you will never,
ever have more competition and more choices so long as you use the ballot today,”
according to Bradley.Amendment 7 is one of six issues Missouri voters
will decide next week.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Amendment 7 would ban ranked choice voting in Missouri

The Missouri Department of Transportation is reminding everyone of the importance of putting your phone down and buckling up as you drive.  

Buckle Up, Phone Down day has been happening for eight years, spreading awareness of the importance of avoiding distracted driving.  

Area Engineer Jose Rodriguez says one of the leading causes of fatal traffic accidents are unbuckled, distracted drivers. 

"In Missouri this year, 64% of individual vehicle occupants have been killed in traffic crashes that are unbuckled," Rodriguez tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And also distracted driving is one of the leading causes of crashes in Missouri and the United States." 

Rodriguez says in Missouri alone there were 106 fatal traffic crashes that were caused by distracted driving in 2023. 

Rodriguez says phones make things such as GPS and music more accessible, data showing just how often drivers use their phone while traveling. 

"Drivers actually interacted with their phones on nearly 58% of their trips, and so that's a pretty high amount," Rodriguez explains. "And also found that 34% of drivers were distracted within one minute before the time they crashed." 

Rodriguez says there is definite data showing that people interacting with their phones it's almost instantaneous that they could crash, which is why MoDOT is working to spread awareness on this day.  

Rodriguez says it's important to avoid distracted driving 

"Using your phone while you're driving, it takes your attention away from the driving task, so we're just wanting to remind everybody that as you put your phone down and you buckle up, it just makes your chances of getting to your destination that much greater," Rodriguez says. 

The state of Missouri enacted a hands-free law in August of last year.  Starting in January, Tickets and fines will begin taking effect on January 1st of 2025. 

Since the creation of Buckle Up, Phone Down in 2017, Missouri’s seat belt usage rate reached an all-time high and the number of people killed who were unbuckled has decreased. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635185170229.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Missouri Department of Transportation is reminding everyone of the importance of putting your phone down and buckling up as you drive. Buckle Up, Phone Down day has been happening for eight years, spreading awareness of the importance of avoiding distracted driving. Area Engineer Jose Rodriguez says one of the leading causes of fatal traffic accidents are unbuckled, distracted drivers. "In Missouri this year, 64% of individual vehicle occupants have been killed in traffic crashes that are unbuckled," Rodriguez tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And also distracted driving is one of the leading causes of crashes in Missouri and the United States." Rodriguez says in Missouri alone there were 106 fatal traffic crashes that were caused by distracted driving in 2023. Rodriguez says phones make things such as GPS and music more accessible, data showing just how often drivers use their phone while traveling. "Drivers actually interacted with their phones on nearly 58% of their trips, and so that's a pretty high amount," Rodriguez explains. "And also found that 34% of drivers were distracted within one minute before the time they crashed." Rodriguez says there is definite data showing that people interacting with their phones it's almost instantaneous that they could crash, which is why MoDOT is working to spread awareness on this day. Rodriguez says it's important to avoid distracted driving "Using your phone while you're driving, it takes your attention away from the driving task, so we're just wanting to remind everybody that as you put your phone down and you buckle up, it just makes your chances of getting to your destination that much greater," Rodriguez says. The state of Missouri enacted a hands-free law in August of last year. Starting in January, Tickets and fines will begin taking effect on January 1st of 2025. Since the creation of Buckle Up, Phone Down in 2017, Missouri’s seat belt usage rate reached an all-time high and the number of people killed who were unbuckled has decreased. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MoDOT reminding drivers to buckle up and put your phone down as you travel

A truck driver escaped serious injury early this (WED) morning
when he got stuck at a railway crossing in south St. Joseph.

St. Joseph police report the truck driver attempted to cross
the train track at the 11-Hundred block of Alabama when the railroad crossing
safety arms came down as the train approached. The driver told police he
attempted to back off the tracks, but traffic blocked him in. He did get the
tractor off the tracks. The train hit the trailer and dragged it down the tracks.

The truck driver complained of only minor injuries.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA truck driver escaped serious injury early this (WED) morning
when he got stuck at a railway crossing in south St. Joseph.St. Joseph police report the truck driver attempted to cross
the train track at the 11-Hundred block of Alabama when the railroad crossing
safety arms came down as the train approached. The driver told police he
attempted to back off the tracks, but traffic blocked him in. He did get the
tractor off the tracks. The train hit the trailer and dragged it down the tracks.The truck driver complained of only minor injuries.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Truck driver escapes serious injury in vehicle-train crash in south St. Joseph

The 2022 law allowing two weeks of voting before Election Day is proving its popularity with turnouts approaching 20% of the total cast four years ago

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>

Don’t call it early voting. It is “no excuse absentee” voting.

Whatever the name, it is clearly popular in Missouri. As of late-morning Tuesday, more than&nbsp;<a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/411f2d97802e4f8ca81069c48cd7c092/page/Absentee-Turnout/" target="_blank">100,000 St. Louis County voters</a>&nbsp;had cast ballots. That is nearly 20% of the total vote recorded in the county in the 2020 presidential race.

Across the Missouri River in St. Charles County, the story is the same.&nbsp;

St. Charles, second in total 2020 ballots only to St. Louis County among Missouri’s 116 voting jurisdictions, had more than 35,000 votes cast when the offices closed on Monday, Kurt Bahr, the county’s director of elections.

Bahr is operating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sccmo.org/447/Absentee-Voting" target="_blank">two locations</a>&nbsp;for no-excuse absentee voting.&nbsp;

Missouri’s law allowing two weeks for no-excuse absentee voting&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/12/voter-id-bill-clears-missouri-legislature-despite-fierce-criticism-from-black-democrats/">passed in 2022</a>. It was included in a bill that also mandated the use of a government-issued identification for voting.

The two weeks of early voting was the price state Senate Democrats extracted for allowing the bill to come to a vote.

Some of the early votes in the St. Charles County tally are traditional absentee ballots, for people who will be out of town or physically unable to go to the polls Nov. 5, Bahr said. But the vast majority are people who are taking advantage of the new law to cast ballots when every election authority in the state is open for in-person voting.

“If I do another 5,000 today, which we’re likely to do, between my office and the satellite location, we’re gonna get over the number of voters who voted in the April election in its entirety,” Bahr said.

In Greene County, which had the fourth largest vote recorded in 2020, about 2,500 people cast a ballot each day last week, increasing to 3,000 on Monday, Clerk Shane Schoeller said.

“I anticipate by the end of the no excuse absentee voting period that we will be somewhere between 20 and 25% turnout,” Schoeller said.&nbsp;

And in Boone County, which ranked ninth in 2020 with 91,130 votes cast for president, the number who have already voted is nearing the total absentee vote of 14,000 from 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic led a large number of people to use a vote-by-mail option.

Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said 2,000 people voted Saturday at polling locations in a shopping mall and a centrally located park. This weekend, she will take the mobile polling stations to Ashland and Centralia, the two largest communities in the county outside Columbia.

“It has been increasing every day,” Lennon said.

And in smaller jurisdictions, the turnout is just as strong. Cape Girardeau County in southeast Missouri had 1,400 ballots cast in the first two days of no-excuse absentee voting, Clerk Kara Clark Summers said last week.

“There are lines of people voting,” she said on Thursday. “I was here until 7:30 last night.”

While St. Louis County is the only top-10 voting jurisdiction to post turnout numbers on its website, news outlets across the state are reporting&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/politics/your-local-election-headquarters/long-wait-lines-continue-for-missouri-early-voting/" target="_blank">long lines</a>&nbsp;and many people waiting&nbsp;<a href="https://sgfcitizen.org/government/elections/absentee-voting-in-springfield-draws-huge-lines-wait-times/" target="_blank">45 minutes or an hour</a>&nbsp;to vote at many clerk’s offices.

But the delays don’t seem to deter anyone, Bahr said. There are parking issues at his central location and it can take up to a half hour or longer to find a parking spot. He runs a shuttle from a nearby church parking lot to ease traffic.

People are showing up in pairs and trios and generally are in a good mood, he said.

“Early voting tends to be a little bit more of a social event for voters,” Bahr said.

A traditional absentee ballot is cast because someone will be out of town or physically unable to go to the polls on Election Day. Liberal groups nationwide have pushed early voting as a way to boost participation, while it has generally been opposed by conservatives who argue it increases the chances for problems with the election.

The first election when the no-excuse early voting option was available in Missouri was November 2022.

This is the first presidential election using the new law and Lennon said she thinks part of the surge is word-of-mouth sharing from people who have already voted.

“It’s just people realizing that we have the option now,” she said. “But a lot of them, too, are just people worried that they’re not going to be able to make it to the polls on Election Day. They don’t want to have to worry about ‘what if an emergency happens’”

Kathy Ritter, a retired educator who voted Tuesday at the Boone County Government Center in Columbia, said she loved having the ability to just show up and vote at any time during the day.

“It’s a wonderful convenience for our community,” she said. “The line was long, but it went quickly.”

Missouri employers are&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.639&amp;bid=6261&amp;hl=" target="_blank">required by law</a>&nbsp;to give workers three hours leave to vote on Election Day, but only if the employee requests it in advance and does not have three hours when they are not working while the polls are open.

“Just having the flexibility of voting in the days before the one day, because that one day, especially for people who work, it can be difficult to squeeze in time to vote,” Ritter said.

The ties between early voting and the voter identification law aren’t just that they were included in the same bill. As their price for including it, Republicans demanded language that ended the no-excuse absentee voting if the identification provisions were thrown out by the courts.

Missouri Republicans have pushed what’s known as a photo-ID law through several times, and voters signed off on putting it in the state constitution in 2016, it has never withstood a legal challenge.&nbsp;

The new law is facing a court test and the ruling could come at any time. On Oct. 21, Circuit Judge Jon Beetem heard final arguments in a challenge filed in 2022 and took the case under advisement.

The lawsuit focuses on the burdens faced by three individuals obtaining state-issued identification. The problems include finding transportation to a state license office, misspellings on important documents or lack of those documents entirely due to age.

To qualify as acceptable for voting, the identification must be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/voterid" target="_blank">Missouri- or federally issued</a>&nbsp;with a photo, date of birth and an expiration date. Identification that has expired since the most recent general election is also acceptable.

A voter who does not have one of those forms of identification can cast a provisional ballot. For that ballot to be counted, the voter must return to the polling place and show an acceptable ID or hope that the signature on the ballot is considered a valid match with their signature on file.

Prior to the law taking effect in 2022, a voter could also use an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/05/ashcroft-estimates-voters-without-id/20705163007/" target="_blank">out-of-state driver’s license</a>&nbsp;or identification card, a student identification, a voter registration card issued by the local election authority, or a recent bank statement or utility bill mailed to them at their registered address.

If Beetem rules against the law, there will be demands that it be re-enacted without any caveats, said Bahr, a former state representative.

“There’d be an outcry because most voters, Republican, Democrat, general voters, like this accessibility to their ballot box and like the convenience of not having to worry about a single day,” Bahr said.

Schoeller, who also served in the legislature, said he, too, thinks there would be people pressuring for the law to be re-enacted if the courts strike down the identification law.

“I’ve always been a proponent of it, especially after becoming an election authority when you realize that when you concentrate all your problems on the day of the election, that creates a lot of challenges for voters,” he said.

The popularity of early voting does not appear to be partisan. St. Louis County voted 61% for Joe Biden in 2020 and St. Charles County voted 58% for Trump. Boone County&nbsp;

Election authorities like it as much, if not more, than voters, Bahr said.

“​​One, we like people voting. We like to help people,” Bahr said. “And two, if everything is in one day, you know, there’s always that fear of ‘what happens if something goes bad.’ But if we can handle issues early, then we can take care of it over a span of time.”

There will not be any delays in delivering election results to the public because of the extra early votes, both Bahr and Lennon said.

It generally takes her office about an hour after polls close to release absentee results and that won’t change, Lennon said.

The surge of early votes could point to a large increase in overall turnout, but election authorities are not forecasting much change from four years ago.

There are very high profile ballot measures this year for abortion rights and sports wagering, but the only statewide candidate race where large sums have been spent on advertising is the U.S. Senate contest.&nbsp;&nbsp;

About 70% of Missouri’s registered voters cast ballots in the 2020 election and that is the estimate Secretary of State Jay Ashcrorft is making for this year, spokesman JoDonn Chaney said.

That’s Lennon’s estimate for Boone County as well. The early voting period changes when people vote but she doesn’t expect it to lead to a big increase in participation.

“I’m sticking with 70,” she said. “It was 70% in 2020, so I feel pretty confident.”

Bahr said he anticipates 75% turnout in St. Charles County, about the same as 2020.

For Ritter, voting in Boone County, the urge to vote right away was overwhelming.

“I was so excited to vote and so motivated to vote that I couldn’t wait until Nov. 5 to do it,” she said.

She wants civility in politics, she said, and that’s what she voted for.

“I’m looking for some sanity in politics, and I just felt like my little voice could be heard,” Ritter said. “And if it could be heard, I’m going to put it out there today.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730288467947.png" alt="Boone County residents line up Tuesday for no-excuse absentee voting. Shortly before 10 a.m., there were 50 people in line at the Boone County Government Center in Columbia (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Boone County residents line up Tuesday for no-excuse absentee voting. Shortly before 10 a.m., there were 50 people in line at the Boone County Government Center in Columbia (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The 2022 law allowing two weeks of voting before Election Day is proving its popularity with turnouts approaching 20% of the total cast four years ago</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>Don’t call it early voting. It is “no excuse absentee” voting.Whatever the name, it is clearly popular in Missouri. As of late-morning Tuesday, more than&nbsp;<a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/411f2d97802e4f8ca81069c48cd7c092/page/Absentee-Turnout/" target="_blank">100,000 St. Louis County voters</a>&nbsp;had cast ballots. That is nearly 20% of the total vote recorded in the county in the 2020 presidential race.Across the Missouri River in St. Charles County, the story is the same.&nbsp;St. Charles, second in total 2020 ballots only to St. Louis County among Missouri’s 116 voting jurisdictions, had more than 35,000 votes cast when the offices closed on Monday, Kurt Bahr, the county’s director of elections.Bahr is operating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sccmo.org/447/Absentee-Voting" target="_blank">two locations</a>&nbsp;for no-excuse absentee voting.&nbsp;Missouri’s law allowing two weeks for no-excuse absentee voting&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/12/voter-id-bill-clears-missouri-legislature-despite-fierce-criticism-from-black-democrats/">passed in 2022</a>. It was included in a bill that also mandated the use of a government-issued identification for voting.The two weeks of early voting was the price state Senate Democrats extracted for allowing the bill to come to a vote.Some of the early votes in the St. Charles County tally are traditional absentee ballots, for people who will be out of town or physically unable to go to the polls Nov. 5, Bahr said. But the vast majority are people who are taking advantage of the new law to cast ballots when every election authority in the state is open for in-person voting.“If I do another 5,000 today, which we’re likely to do, between my office and the satellite location, we’re gonna get over the number of voters who voted in the April election in its entirety,” Bahr said.In Greene County, which had the fourth largest vote recorded in 2020, about 2,500 people cast a ballot each day last week, increasing to 3,000 on Monday, Clerk Shane Schoeller said.“I anticipate by the end of the no excuse absentee voting period that we will be somewhere between 20 and 25% turnout,” Schoeller said.&nbsp;And in Boone County, which ranked ninth in 2020 with 91,130 votes cast for president, the number who have already voted is nearing the total absentee vote of 14,000 from 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic led a large number of people to use a vote-by-mail option.Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said 2,000 people voted Saturday at polling locations in a shopping mall and a centrally located park. This weekend, she will take the mobile polling stations to Ashland and Centralia, the two largest communities in the county outside Columbia.“It has been increasing every day,” Lennon said.And in smaller jurisdictions, the turnout is just as strong. Cape Girardeau County in southeast Missouri had 1,400 ballots cast in the first two days of no-excuse absentee voting, Clerk Kara Clark Summers said last week.“There are lines of people voting,” she said on Thursday. “I was here until 7:30 last night.”While St. Louis County is the only top-10 voting jurisdiction to post turnout numbers on its website, news outlets across the state are reporting&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/politics/your-local-election-headquarters/long-wait-lines-continue-for-missouri-early-voting/" target="_blank">long lines</a>&nbsp;and many people waiting&nbsp;<a href="https://sgfcitizen.org/government/elections/absentee-voting-in-springfield-draws-huge-lines-wait-times/" target="_blank">45 minutes or an hour</a>&nbsp;to vote at many clerk’s offices.But the delays don’t seem to deter anyone, Bahr said. There are parking issues at his central location and it can take up to a half hour or longer to find a parking spot. He runs a shuttle from a nearby church parking lot to ease traffic.People are showing up in pairs and trios and generally are in a good mood, he said.“Early voting tends to be a little bit more of a social event for voters,” Bahr said.A traditional absentee ballot is cast because someone will be out of town or physically unable to go to the polls on Election Day. Liberal groups nationwide have pushed early voting as a way to boost participation, while it has generally been opposed by conservatives who argue it increases the chances for problems with the election.The first election when the no-excuse early voting option was available in Missouri was November 2022.This is the first presidential election using the new law and Lennon said she thinks part of the surge is word-of-mouth sharing from people who have already voted.“It’s just people realizing that we have the option now,” she said. “But a lot of them, too, are just people worried that they’re not going to be able to make it to the polls on Election Day. They don’t want to have to worry about ‘what if an emergency happens’”Kathy Ritter, a retired educator who voted Tuesday at the Boone County Government Center in Columbia, said she loved having the ability to just show up and vote at any time during the day.“It’s a wonderful convenience for our community,” she said. “The line was long, but it went quickly.”Missouri employers are&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.639&amp;bid=6261&amp;hl=" target="_blank">required by law</a>&nbsp;to give workers three hours leave to vote on Election Day, but only if the employee requests it in advance and does not have three hours when they are not working while the polls are open.“Just having the flexibility of voting in the days before the one day, because that one day, especially for people who work, it can be difficult to squeeze in time to vote,” Ritter said.<h2>Voter ID link</h2>The ties between early voting and the voter identification law aren’t just that they were included in the same bill. As their price for including it, Republicans demanded language that ended the no-excuse absentee voting if the identification provisions were thrown out by the courts.Missouri Republicans have pushed what’s known as a photo-ID law through several times, and voters signed off on putting it in the state constitution in 2016, it has never withstood a legal challenge.&nbsp;The new law is facing a court test and the ruling could come at any time. On Oct. 21, Circuit Judge Jon Beetem heard final arguments in a challenge filed in 2022 and took the case under advisement.The lawsuit focuses on the burdens faced by three individuals obtaining state-issued identification. The problems include finding transportation to a state license office, misspellings on important documents or lack of those documents entirely due to age.To qualify as acceptable for voting, the identification must be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/voterid" target="_blank">Missouri- or federally issued</a>&nbsp;with a photo, date of birth and an expiration date. Identification that has expired since the most recent general election is also acceptable.A voter who does not have one of those forms of identification can cast a provisional ballot. For that ballot to be counted, the voter must return to the polling place and show an acceptable ID or hope that the signature on the ballot is considered a valid match with their signature on file.Prior to the law taking effect in 2022, a voter could also use an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/05/ashcroft-estimates-voters-without-id/20705163007/" target="_blank">out-of-state driver’s license</a>&nbsp;or identification card, a student identification, a voter registration card issued by the local election authority, or a recent bank statement or utility bill mailed to them at their registered address.If Beetem rules against the law, there will be demands that it be re-enacted without any caveats, said Bahr, a former state representative.“There’d be an outcry because most voters, Republican, Democrat, general voters, like this accessibility to their ballot box and like the convenience of not having to worry about a single day,” Bahr said.Schoeller, who also served in the legislature, said he, too, thinks there would be people pressuring for the law to be re-enacted if the courts strike down the identification law.“I’ve always been a proponent of it, especially after becoming an election authority when you realize that when you concentrate all your problems on the day of the election, that creates a lot of challenges for voters,” he said.The popularity of early voting does not appear to be partisan. St. Louis County voted 61% for Joe Biden in 2020 and St. Charles County voted 58% for Trump. Boone County&nbsp;Election authorities like it as much, if not more, than voters, Bahr said.“​​One, we like people voting. We like to help people,” Bahr said. “And two, if everything is in one day, you know, there’s always that fear of ‘what happens if something goes bad.’ But if we can handle issues early, then we can take care of it over a span of time.”<h2>Election Day impact</h2>There will not be any delays in delivering election results to the public because of the extra early votes, both Bahr and Lennon said.It generally takes her office about an hour after polls close to release absentee results and that won’t change, Lennon said.The surge of early votes could point to a large increase in overall turnout, but election authorities are not forecasting much change from four years ago.There are very high profile ballot measures this year for abortion rights and sports wagering, but the only statewide candidate race where large sums have been spent on advertising is the U.S. Senate contest.&nbsp;&nbsp;About 70% of Missouri’s registered voters cast ballots in the 2020 election and that is the estimate Secretary of State Jay Ashcrorft is making for this year, spokesman JoDonn Chaney said.That’s Lennon’s estimate for Boone County as well. The early voting period changes when people vote but she doesn’t expect it to lead to a big increase in participation.“I’m sticking with 70,” she said. “It was 70% in 2020, so I feel pretty confident.”Bahr said he anticipates 75% turnout in St. Charles County, about the same as 2020.For Ritter, voting in Boone County, the urge to vote right away was overwhelming.“I was so excited to vote and so motivated to vote that I couldn’t wait until Nov. 5 to do it,” she said.She wants civility in politics, she said, and that’s what she voted for.“I’m looking for some sanity in politics, and I just felt like my little voice could be heard,” Ritter said. “And if it could be heard, I’m going to put it out there today.”

‘Increasing every day’: Voters line up across Missouri for chance to cast ballot early

Missouri voters will decide whether to reinstitute a court fee
that had been collected for nearly 40 years, but has now been ruled
unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court.

Amendment 6, on the ballot next week, would amend the Missouri
constitution to include a three-dollar court fee to fund pensions for sheriffs
and prosecutors.

State Sen. Rusty Black, a Republican from Chillicothe,
sponsored the amendment during the legislative session after what he considers
a baffling Supreme Court ruling that claims the fee is not part of an
“administration of justice.” 

“The plaintiffs were arguing that sheriffs had nothing to do
with administration of justice, which to me doesn’t make sense,” Black tells
host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Who protects our judicial system inside
courthouses? It’s sheriffs.”

The Missouri General Assembly approved the three-dollar court
fee to fund the pensions of sheriffs and prosecutors in 1983. A lawsuit brought
in 2015 challenged the constitutionally of fee.

“The Supreme Court ended up overturning that,” Black explains.
“And when they overturned that, because in quotes, ‘sheriffs are not part of
the administration of justice as found in our constitution,’ that made that fee
illegal.”

The Missouri Supreme Court made its decision in 2021, throwing
the financial system for undergirding the pension plans into uncertainty.

“If we don’t find another system, or if this doesn’t pass,
then the retirement system, I think within eight of nine years will be defunct,”
Black says.

Black says, at present, five percent of a sheriff’s salary
goes into the retirement system. The court fee would fund the remainder.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri voters will decide whether to reinstitute a court fee
that had been collected for nearly 40 years, but has now been ruled
unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court.Amendment 6, on the ballot next week, would amend the Missouri
constitution to include a three-dollar court fee to fund pensions for sheriffs
and prosecutors.State Sen. Rusty Black, a Republican from Chillicothe,
sponsored the amendment during the legislative session after what he considers
a baffling Supreme Court ruling that claims the fee is not part of an
“administration of justice.” “The plaintiffs were arguing that sheriffs had nothing to do
with administration of justice, which to me doesn’t make sense,” Black tells
host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Who protects our judicial system inside
courthouses? It’s sheriffs.”The Missouri General Assembly approved the three-dollar court
fee to fund the pensions of sheriffs and prosecutors in 1983. A lawsuit brought
in 2015 challenged the constitutionally of fee.“The Supreme Court ended up overturning that,” Black explains.
“And when they overturned that, because in quotes, ‘sheriffs are not part of
the administration of justice as found in our constitution,’ that made that fee
illegal.”The Missouri Supreme Court made its decision in 2021, throwing
the financial system for undergirding the pension plans into uncertainty.“If we don’t find another system, or if this doesn’t pass,
then the retirement system, I think within eight of nine years will be defunct,”
Black says.Black says, at present, five percent of a sheriff’s salary
goes into the retirement system. The court fee would fund the remainder.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri voters could reinstate fee for sheriff pensions

A coalition through the St. Joseph Youth Alliance has been chosen for a $625,000 federal grant that will assist in combatting youth substance abuse.  

Substance Use Prevention Director Julie Wiedmer says it’s an honor to receive this grant because of how competitive it is 

"A lot of applicants, so we were very grateful to be selected," Wiedmer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "It really just lets us continue the work that we've already started and gives us the funding that we need to keep doing the prevention work that's so needed in our community." 

Wiedmer says the money will go towards advancing existing programs the alliance has been working on.  

Wiedmer says one of those programs is in St. Joseph middle schools, showing students that there are ways to have fun and be social, without drugs.  

"So we're trying to kind of get away from that social norm that you have to have drugs and alcohol to have a good time," Wiedmer explains. "So, we want to have the students plan events and parties that don't include those substances, and they can see that they can still be social, meet new friends, have a good time without that." 

Wiedmer says one other initiative the alliance is working on is a Youth Prevention Summit that will bring students from each area high school to have a day of education in drug prevention within their schools. 

Wiedmer says it’s important to start prevention as early as possible 

"There's so much out there now, and especially with marijuana being legalizedw we want to make sure kids know that legal doesn't mean safe," Wiedmer says. 

Wiedmer says the goal for youth is to show them different types of coping mechanisms 

"For stress and anxiety and also have those opportunities to have fun and enjoy being a kid without all the dangers of substance use," Wiedmer explains.  

Wiedmer says getting a grant like this is huge and allows them to hire someone full time to do that work, that without the federal funds the organization probably wouldn't be able to continue. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730220298768.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A coalition through the St. Joseph Youth Alliance has been chosen for a $625,000 federal grant that will assist in combatting youth substance abuse. Substance Use Prevention Director Julie Wiedmer says it’s an honor to receive this grant because of how competitive it is "A lot of applicants, so we were very grateful to be selected," Wiedmer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "It really just lets us continue the work that we've already started and gives us the funding that we need to keep doing the prevention work that's so needed in our community." Wiedmer says the money will go towards advancing existing programs the alliance has been working on. Wiedmer says one of those programs is in St. Joseph middle schools, showing students that there are ways to have fun and be social, without drugs. "So we're trying to kind of get away from that social norm that you have to have drugs and alcohol to have a good time," Wiedmer explains. "So, we want to have the students plan events and parties that don't include those substances, and they can see that they can still be social, meet new friends, have a good time without that." Wiedmer says one other initiative the alliance is working on is a Youth Prevention Summit that will bring students from each area high school to have a day of education in drug prevention within their schools. Wiedmer says it’s important to start prevention as early as possible "There's so much out there now, and especially with marijuana being legalizedw we want to make sure kids know that legal doesn't mean safe," Wiedmer says. Wiedmer says the goal for youth is to show them different types of coping mechanisms "For stress and anxiety and also have those opportunities to have fun and enjoy being a kid without all the dangers of substance use," Wiedmer explains. Wiedmer says getting a grant like this is huge and allows them to hire someone full time to do that work, that without the federal funds the organization probably wouldn't be able to continue. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Federal money helps St. Joseph Youth Alliance continue drug prevention efforts

ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —A Kansas boy was injured in an accident Monday in Atchison.

Just after 4p.m., police officers arrived on the scene of an injured 9-year-old bicyclist at the intersection of 6th and U.S.59, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The boy had been northbound on 6th Street and entered the intersection on a red light where multiple vehicles avoided hitting the bike.&nbsp; Although no vehicles struck the bicyclist he did fall off his bike and sustained minor injuries. He was treated at the scene by EMS and taken home by a parent, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730211324796.png" alt="EMS treating the boy for minor injuries -photo courtesy Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>EMS treating the boy for minor injuries -photo courtesy Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —A Kansas boy was injured in an accident Monday in Atchison.Just after 4p.m., police officers arrived on the scene of an injured 9-year-old bicyclist at the intersection of 6th and U.S.59, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.The boy had been northbound on 6th Street and entered the intersection on a red light where multiple vehicles avoided hitting the bike.&nbsp; Although no vehicles struck the bicyclist he did fall off his bike and sustained minor injuries. He was treated at the scene by EMS and taken home by a parent, according to Wilson.

Police: Boy avoids serious injury after ignoring red light at intersection

GENTRY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Gentry County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Chevy Silverado driven by Michael S. Cole, 56, Fish Creek, Wisconsin, was eastbound on Route E one half mile west of Darlington.

The driver attempted to turn north on Route H and crossed into the path of a westbound 1979 Suzuki CB850 driven by Brandon M. Church, 43, St. Joseph. The motorcycle struck the front of the pickup.

Life Flight Eagle transported Church to Truman Medical Center. Cole was not injured. Church was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

GENTRY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Gentry County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Chevy Silverado driven by Michael S. Cole, 56, Fish Creek, Wisconsin, was eastbound on Route E one half mile west of Darlington.The driver attempted to turn north on Route H and crossed into the path of a westbound 1979 Suzuki CB850 driven by Brandon M. Church, 43, St. Joseph. The motorcycle struck the front of the pickup.Life Flight Eagle transported Church to Truman Medical Center. Cole was not injured. Church was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

St. Joseph man airlifted to hospital after motorcycle, pickup crash

BUCHANAN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Ford E 250 van driven by Gordon L. Linder, 64, Lake Charles, Louisiana, was southbound in the passing lane of Interstate 29 two miles south of Faucett.

The the van traveled off the east side of the road, struck the median cable barrier and rolled.&nbsp; As it returned to the road, a southbound 2000 Peterbilt semi driven by Michael R. Cunningham, 28, Gardner, Kansas, struck the van.

Buchanan County EMS transported Linder to Mosaic Life Care. Cunningham was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

BUCHANAN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Ford E 250 van driven by Gordon L. Linder, 64, Lake Charles, Louisiana, was southbound in the passing lane of Interstate 29 two miles south of Faucett.The the van traveled off the east side of the road, struck the median cable barrier and rolled.&nbsp; As it returned to the road, a southbound 2000 Peterbilt semi driven by Michael R. Cunningham, 28, Gardner, Kansas, struck the van.Buchanan County EMS transported Linder to Mosaic Life Care. Cunningham was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Man injured after semi strikes a van in Buchanan County

ATCHISON —A Kansas man wanted in Arizona is in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730124424659.png" alt="Duran photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Duran photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON —A Kansas man wanted in Arizona is in custody.On October 25, police in Atchison arrested Adrian M. Duran, 28, Atchison, on a State of Arizona warrant for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. He was originally jailed on drug charges, according to Wilson.Duran is being held without bond, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

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