Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves defends sending
military aid to Ukraine as it continues to fight off the invasion of Russia.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, sparking a war
that continues to rage.

Graves, a Republican, says the United States must stop
Russia’s advance before it reaches the Baltic states.

“Those are allied nations with the United States. Those are NATO
nations,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And by the way, we already have
troops in those countries, but we will have U.S. military personnel fighting
Russians. So, we have to do everything we can to make sure that this is
executed in Ukraine and it doesn’t move into those NATO countries that have an alliance
with the United States.”

Graves, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also
backs military aid to Israel, saying the country needs to stand strong with its
best ally in the Middle East as it fights Hamas, which attacked Israel in
October in what Graves calls one of the most heinous attacks witnessed in
modern history.

“This idea that we should back off and give refuge to Hamas so
that they can reconstitute I think is just ridiculous,” Graves says. “I think
we need to stand strong with Israel and give them whatever they need when it
comes to arms. &nbsp;We can’t be weak; we can’t
show weakness and that is exactly what the United States is doing right now.”

Graves objects to President Joe Biden putting stipulations on
the military aid sent to Israel. And Graves says Hamas has used human shields
in defend itself against Israeli forces.

“Hamas is a terrorist organization and allowing them to
reconstitute, which is exactly what the president is going to do if he were to
get his way, I think it’s very weak and it shows a very weak posture,” according
to Graves.

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves defends sending
military aid to Ukraine as it continues to fight off the invasion of Russia.Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, sparking a war
that continues to rage.Graves, a Republican, says the United States must stop
Russia’s advance before it reaches the Baltic states.“Those are allied nations with the United States. Those are NATO
nations,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And by the way, we already have
troops in those countries, but we will have U.S. military personnel fighting
Russians. So, we have to do everything we can to make sure that this is
executed in Ukraine and it doesn’t move into those NATO countries that have an alliance
with the United States.”Graves, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also
backs military aid to Israel, saying the country needs to stand strong with its
best ally in the Middle East as it fights Hamas, which attacked Israel in
October in what Graves calls one of the most heinous attacks witnessed in
modern history.“This idea that we should back off and give refuge to Hamas so
that they can reconstitute I think is just ridiculous,” Graves says. “I think
we need to stand strong with Israel and give them whatever they need when it
comes to arms. &nbsp;We can’t be weak; we can’t
show weakness and that is exactly what the United States is doing right now.”Graves objects to President Joe Biden putting stipulations on
the military aid sent to Israel. And Graves says Hamas has used human shields
in defend itself against Israeli forces.“Hamas is a terrorist organization and allowing them to
reconstitute, which is exactly what the president is going to do if he were to
get his way, I think it’s very weak and it shows a very weak posture,” according
to Graves.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Congressman Graves backs military aid to Ukraine and Israel

KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas last month.

Now the school's president&nbsp;Stephen D. Minnis published an Op-Ed in USA Today to explain why the college did not say more in the midst of the&nbsp; debate on Butker's comments.

(Click below to watch Butker's commencement address)

Stephen Minnis comments and a link to the Op-Ed are below:

Thank you to everyone who has reached out since the commencement speech on our campus by Harrison Butker, the high scorer for the Kansas City Chiefs in the last two Super Bowls.

This morning&nbsp;USA Today&nbsp;published my Op-Ed about this year’s keynote commencement speech and the aftermath.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benedictine.edu/wp-content/uploads/files/external/benedictine-usatoday-oped-june-2024.pdf">Click here to read the Op-ed</a>.

“Community is the answer to the cancel culture; faith is the answer to the culture of unbelief; and scholarship is the answer to the culture of relativism.”

Also, please do not miss the full story of our amazing 2024 commencement:

Our hope is that we can make the most of the new attention being paid to Benedictine College to help people know more about what makes this place special. Our alumni and friends who support our mission have made our college what it is, and we could not do what we do without you.

KANSAS CITY—Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas last month.Now the school's president&nbsp;Stephen D. Minnis published an Op-Ed in USA Today to explain why the college did not say more in the midst of the&nbsp; debate on Butker's comments.(Click below to watch Butker's commencement address)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-JS7RIKSaCc?si=RNpBICNdkwwgUG5w" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Stephen Minnis comments and a link to the Op-Ed are below:Thank you to everyone who has reached out since the commencement speech on our campus by Harrison Butker, the high scorer for the Kansas City Chiefs in the last two Super Bowls.This morning&nbsp;USA Today&nbsp;published my Op-Ed about this year’s keynote commencement speech and the aftermath.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benedictine.edu/wp-content/uploads/files/external/benedictine-usatoday-oped-june-2024.pdf">Click here to read the Op-ed</a>.<ul>
 <li>The article explains why the college did not make a statement about the speech.</li><li>More importantly, it allows us to introduce Benedictine College and our strategic vision to Transform Culture in America through our mission of community, faith and scholarship. As the article puts it:</li>
 </ul>“Community is the answer to the cancel culture; faith is the answer to the culture of unbelief; and scholarship is the answer to the culture of relativism.”<ul>
 <li>It also shares the news about our new classically designed library on campus and the proposed new medical school we are considering.</li>
 </ul>Also, please do not miss the full story of our amazing 2024 commencement:<ul>
 <li>Our alum Lt. Gen. Arthur Greg, the first living American to have an Army base named for him, received an honorary degree at commencement.&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/XlSkqHE4ry4?si=vbCyzMS-ancwKsHm">Watch his remarks here</a>.</li><li>Our valedictorians delivered beautiful remarks about their experiences at the college.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRh2vI_7OvE&amp;t=591s">Watch those here</a>.</li><li>After the commencement, we have been releasing videos to introduce the general public to the college’s story. Watch our videos “<a href="https://youtu.be/yh7k86dNMK8?si=Eq8EUyTZBcXLw9Gl">We Are Benedictine College</a>” and “<a href="https://youtu.be/hMR9NR3PJHM?si=X8vDH0tfVCUd2f6K">Designed for Excellence: Benedictine College Engineering</a>” on YouTube.</li>
 </ul>Our hope is that we can make the most of the new attention being paid to Benedictine College to help people know more about what makes this place special. Our alumni and friends who support our mission have made our college what it is, and we could not do what we do without you.

Read Benedictine College president's op-ed following Harrison Butker speech

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Monday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Honda ATV driven by Kenneth D. Kerns, 62, Stewartsville, was westbound on SW Kerns Road three miles east of Easton.&nbsp;

The ATV struck a southbound 2013 GMC pickup driven by Samuel G. Criger, 19, Stewartsville, who was pulling out of a private driver. After impact Kerns was ejected from the ATV.

DeKalb County ambulance transported Kerns to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Criger was not injured. Kerns was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Monday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Honda ATV driven by Kenneth D. Kerns, 62, Stewartsville, was westbound on SW Kerns Road three miles east of Easton.&nbsp;The ATV struck a southbound 2013 GMC pickup driven by Samuel G. Criger, 19, Stewartsville, who was pulling out of a private driver. After impact Kerns was ejected from the ATV.DeKalb County ambulance transported Kerns to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Criger was not injured. Kerns was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man injured after ATV, pickup crash

History came to life in front of the historic Patee House museum, the original home of the Pony Express, as the historic mail system rode again.   

People from near and far celebrated and sent off three riders to kick off the Pony Express re-ride, recreating the historic journey made from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.  

The Re-Ride is held every year by the National Pony Express Association, which covers all eight states of the journey.  

Penny Orrick has been taking part in the event for 23 years and says for her it started with her love for horses, but as she learned the history of the Pony Express.  

"I've learned to value the history behind it a lot more, especially now that my kids are old enough to be able to do it with me, it's fun to be able to explain to them why we're doing it besides just to have fun on a horse," Orrick tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

The journey will consist of 10 days, just like in 1860.  Orrick says if anything the journey is easier now than it was back in 1860.  

"We have better routes, we have escorts, that kind of thing," Orrick explains. "I know a lot of the times when they make the deciding factor on when to do the reenactment it has to do with the moon, to make sure there's enough moonlight during the night ride that kind of thing." 

Orrick says if anything the difficulty is it being a lost art with not as many people riding horses.  

National Pony Express Association president Pam Dixon Simmons says it takes about 700 volunteers to get the event done 

"It takes about 700 riders' horses to get across all eight states in the 10 days, and that's the goal, we want to do it in 10 days just like in 1860," Dixon Simmons says. 

The riders making the journey can be tracked by visiting the National Pony Express Association website, which can be found by clicking <a href="https://nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/follow-the-ride/">HERE</a>.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718665116787.jpeg" alt="Riders depart from in front of the Patee House in St. Joseph as part of the annual Pony Express Re-Ride/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Riders depart from in front of the Patee House in St. Joseph as part of the annual Pony Express Re-Ride/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post History came to life in front of the historic Patee House museum, the original home of the Pony Express, as the historic mail system rode again. People from near and far celebrated and sent off three riders to kick off the Pony Express re-ride, recreating the historic journey made from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. The Re-Ride is held every year by the National Pony Express Association, which covers all eight states of the journey. Penny Orrick has been taking part in the event for 23 years and says for her it started with her love for horses, but as she learned the history of the Pony Express. "I've learned to value the history behind it a lot more, especially now that my kids are old enough to be able to do it with me, it's fun to be able to explain to them why we're doing it besides just to have fun on a horse," Orrick tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718665245888.jpeg" alt="Riders take the oath of the Pony Express before departing on a 10 day journey recreating the journey from St. Joseph to Sacramento, Califronia/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Riders take the oath of the Pony Express before departing on a 10 day journey recreating the journey from St. Joseph to Sacramento, Califronia/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>The journey will consist of 10 days, just like in 1860. Orrick says if anything the journey is easier now than it was back in 1860. "We have better routes, we have escorts, that kind of thing," Orrick explains. "I know a lot of the times when they make the deciding factor on when to do the reenactment it has to do with the moon, to make sure there's enough moonlight during the night ride that kind of thing." Orrick says if anything the difficulty is it being a lost art with not as many people riding horses. National Pony Express Association president Pam Dixon Simmons says it takes about 700 volunteers to get the event done "It takes about 700 riders' horses to get across all eight states in the 10 days, and that's the goal, we want to do it in 10 days just like in 1860," Dixon Simmons says. The riders making the journey can be tracked by visiting the National Pony Express Association website, which can be found by clicking <a href="https://nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/follow-the-ride/">HERE</a>. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718665282936.jpeg" alt="Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Pony-Express-Re-Ride-departs-from-St--Joseph-e2l0cjc" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

History comes to life as the Pony Express rides again from St. Joseph

A former mental patient who confessed to the 1980 murder of a St.
Joseph State Hospital librarian will be released from the Chillicothe women’s prison
unless prosecutors decide to retry her.

A judge has overturned the conviction of Sandra Hemme in the death
of 31-year-old librarian Patricia Jeschke. Hemme, who is now 63, has spent 43
years in prison after her conviction in Jeschke’s death.

Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman found Hemme has a
credible claim of innocence. Prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether another
trial should be held.

The Innocence Project, which petitioned for Hemme’s release, claims
investigators ignored her mental state and evidence that implicated discredited
police officer Michael Holman, who was fired from the St. Joseph Police Department
and died in 2015. Judge Horsman wrote that no evidence points to Hemme, but
directly ties Holman to the murder scene.

An initial plea of guilty by Hemme was thrown out by the court,
but a jury convicted her of murder in 1985 after a one-day trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687623288901.png" alt="Sandra Hemme" />
 <figcaption>Sandra Hemme</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA former mental patient who confessed to the 1980 murder of a St.
Joseph State Hospital librarian will be released from the Chillicothe women’s prison
unless prosecutors decide to retry her.A judge has overturned the conviction of Sandra Hemme in the death
of 31-year-old librarian Patricia Jeschke. Hemme, who is now 63, has spent 43
years in prison after her conviction in Jeschke’s death.Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman found Hemme has a
credible claim of innocence. Prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether another
trial should be held.The Innocence Project, which petitioned for Hemme’s release, claims
investigators ignored her mental state and evidence that implicated discredited
police officer Michael Holman, who was fired from the St. Joseph Police Department
and died in 2015. Judge Horsman wrote that no evidence points to Hemme, but
directly ties Holman to the murder scene.An initial plea of guilty by Hemme was thrown out by the court,
but a jury convicted her of murder in 1985 after a one-day trial.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Judge orders Hemme released after serving 43 years for St. Joseph murder

North 36th
Street is closed to through traffic from Frederick Avenue to Beck Road while
workers upgrade the water main.

Sprague Excavating
says the closure will be at 1201 N. 36th Street.

Motorists
trying to get to LeBlond High School should enter from Frederick Avenue to the
south.&nbsp; All other business and
residential access north of the closure will be accessible by entering from
Beck Road to the north.

Sprague
Excavating urges caution in the area and advises motorists to plan alternate
routes if possible.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorth 36th
Street is closed to through traffic from Frederick Avenue to Beck Road while
workers upgrade the water main.Sprague Excavating
says the closure will be at 1201 N. 36th Street.Motorists
trying to get to LeBlond High School should enter from Frederick Avenue to the
south.&nbsp; All other business and
residential access north of the closure will be accessible by entering from
Beck Road to the north.Sprague
Excavating urges caution in the area and advises motorists to plan alternate
routes if possible.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

North 36th Street closed for water main work; access to LeBlond HS affected

The Kansas City Chiefs announced dates for training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

This marks the 14th year of training camp at Missouri Western. All times and dates are subject to change. All practices will take place on the Mosaic Training Fields. There'll be 19 practices in all.

Open practices begin July 21 and conclude&nbsp; August 15. All training camp practices will be free of charge to the public, unless otherwise noted.

Training camp tickets must be reserved in advance at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp/" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp/</a>.

Due to expected interest and demand, attendance each day will be limited. Ticket reservations will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 20 for Chiefs Season Ticket Members followed by the general public on Friday, June 21 at 10 a.m.

Fans can reserve a maximum of six tickets per practice, and can reserve tickets for a maximum of three separate practices.

Paid practice days will require advance payment to reserve tickets, while only Chiefs Season Ticket Members have the option to reserve tickets for the exclusive Season Ticket Member days.

Chiefs Tailgate Suites will be available for purchase in the North Endzone for groups of 10 or more. Tailgate Suites offer a private viewing space next to the field with food and beverage and climate-controlled access in the Tailgate Suite.&nbsp; For more information, or to reserve your tailgate suite, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp</a>.&nbsp;

All tickets are mobile entry only through the Chiefs Mobile app. Tickets and parking are subject to the Chiefs ticket terms which can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/tickets/terms/specialeventticketterms" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/tickets/terms/specialeventticketterms</a>.

Missouri Western will charge a $5 parking fee per vehicle per day, with the exception of the two exclusive Chiefs Season Ticket Member days when parking is free. Fans are required to pre-purchase parking, and that can be done during the ticket reservation process.

Missouri Western will charge a $5 admission fee on three different days – Sunday, July 21; Saturday, July 27 (Family Fun Day) and Sunday, August 4.

The Chiefs will host two free, exclusive Season Ticket Member days that are not open to the public – Monday, July 22 and Wednesday, August 7. Ambassador Day will take place on Monday, July 29 and Military Appreciation Day will be Thursday, August 15. Team autograph sessions are scheduled to take place July 21, July 22, July 27, August 4 and August 7.

Weather and field conditions are evaluated daily. All dates and times are subject to change. If practice is moved indoors due to&nbsp; weather, it will be closed to the general public. Fans will be notified by email and/or text message as soon as a decision is made.

Dates&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Times Sunday, July 21&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m $5 Admission *Team Autograph Session

Monday, July 22&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Exclusive Season Ticket Member Day - (Not Open to General Public)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Team Autograph Session

Tuesday, July 23&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; Autographs: Linebackers

Wednesday, July 24&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;Autographs: DBs

Thursday, July 25&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No Practice

Friday, July 26&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Autographs: Quarterbacks, Running Backs &amp; Specialists

Saturday, July 27&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. *$5 Admission– Family Fun Day -&nbsp;Team Autograph Session

Sunday, July 28&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;Autographs: WRs and TEs

Monday, July 29&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; Ambassador Day *Autographs: Offensive/Defensive Line

Tuesday, July 30&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No Practice

Wednesday, July 31&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Autographs: Linebackers

Thursday, Aug. 1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. Autographs: DBs

Friday, Aug. 2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. *Autographs: QBs, RBs, Special Teams

Saturday, Aug. 3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No Practice

Sunday, Aug. 4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.$5 Admission *Team Autograph Session

Monday, Aug. 5&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. Autographs: WRs, TEs

Tuesday, Aug. 6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. *Autographs: Offensive Line &amp; Defensive Line

Wednesday, Aug. 7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. Exclusive Season Ticket Member Day - (Not Open to General Public) *Team Autograph Session

Thursday, Aug. 8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No Practice

Friday, Aug. 9&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No Practice

Saturday, Aug. 10&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Preseason Game – Chiefs @ Jaguars – 6 p.m. CT

Sunday, Aug. 11 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No Practice

Monday, Aug. 12&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Practice – 10:15 a.m.&nbsp;Autographs: Linebackers

Tuesday, Aug. 13&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. Autographs: DBs

Wednesday, Aug. 14&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp;Autographs: OL/DL

Thursday, Aug. 15&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 8:15 a.m. *Military Appreciation Day – Final Camp Practice

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690280396128.png" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs announced dates for training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.This marks the 14th year of training camp at Missouri Western. All times and dates are subject to change. All practices will take place on the Mosaic Training Fields. There'll be 19 practices in all.Open practices begin July 21 and conclude&nbsp; August 15. All training camp practices will be free of charge to the public, unless otherwise noted.Training camp tickets must be reserved in advance at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp/" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp/</a>.Due to expected interest and demand, attendance each day will be limited. Ticket reservations will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 20 for Chiefs Season Ticket Members followed by the general public on Friday, June 21 at 10 a.m.Fans can reserve a maximum of six tickets per practice, and can reserve tickets for a maximum of three separate practices.Paid practice days will require advance payment to reserve tickets, while only Chiefs Season Ticket Members have the option to reserve tickets for the exclusive Season Ticket Member days.Chiefs Tailgate Suites will be available for purchase in the North Endzone for groups of 10 or more. Tailgate Suites offer a private viewing space next to the field with food and beverage and climate-controlled access in the Tailgate Suite.&nbsp; For more information, or to reserve your tailgate suite, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/trainingcamp</a>.&nbsp;All tickets are mobile entry only through the Chiefs Mobile app. Tickets and parking are subject to the Chiefs ticket terms which can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/tickets/terms/specialeventticketterms" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/tickets/terms/specialeventticketterms</a>.Missouri Western will charge a $5 parking fee per vehicle per day, with the exception of the two exclusive Chiefs Season Ticket Member days when parking is free. Fans are required to pre-purchase parking, and that can be done during the ticket reservation process.Missouri Western will charge a $5 admission fee on three different days – Sunday, July 21; Saturday, July 27 (Family Fun Day) and Sunday, August 4.The Chiefs will host two free, exclusive Season Ticket Member days that are not open to the public – Monday, July 22 and Wednesday, August 7. Ambassador Day will take place on Monday, July 29 and Military Appreciation Day will be Thursday, August 15. Team autograph sessions are scheduled to take place July 21, July 22, July 27, August 4 and August 7.Weather and field conditions are evaluated daily. All dates and times are subject to change. If practice is moved indoors due to&nbsp; weather, it will be closed to the general public. Fans will be notified by email and/or text message as soon as a decision is made.Dates&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Times Sunday, July 21&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m $5 Admission *Team Autograph SessionMonday, July 22&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Exclusive Season Ticket Member Day - (Not Open to General Public)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Team Autograph SessionTuesday, July 23&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; Autographs: LinebackersWednesday, July 24&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;Autographs: DBsThursday, July 25&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No PracticeFriday, July 26&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Autographs: Quarterbacks, Running Backs &amp; SpecialistsSaturday, July 27&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. *$5 Admission– Family Fun Day -&nbsp;Team Autograph SessionSunday, July 28&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;Autographs: WRs and TEsMonday, July 29&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp; Ambassador Day *Autographs: Offensive/Defensive LineTuesday, July 30&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No PracticeWednesday, July 31&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Autographs: LinebackersThursday, Aug. 1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. Autographs: DBsFriday, Aug. 2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. *Autographs: QBs, RBs, Special TeamsSaturday, Aug. 3&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No PracticeSunday, Aug. 4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.$5 Admission *Team Autograph SessionMonday, Aug. 5&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. Autographs: WRs, TEsTuesday, Aug. 6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. *Autographs: Offensive Line &amp; Defensive LineWednesday, Aug. 7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. Exclusive Season Ticket Member Day - (Not Open to General Public) *Team Autograph SessionThursday, Aug. 8&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No PracticeFriday, Aug. 9&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No PracticeSaturday, Aug. 10&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Preseason Game – Chiefs @ Jaguars – 6 p.m. CTSunday, Aug. 11 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No PracticeMonday, Aug. 12&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Practice – 10:15 a.m.&nbsp;Autographs: LinebackersTuesday, Aug. 13&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m. Autographs: DBsWednesday, Aug. 14&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 9:15 a.m.&nbsp;Autographs: OL/DLThursday, Aug. 15&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Practice – 8:15 a.m. *Military Appreciation Day – Final Camp Practice

Chiefs, Missouri Western announce 2024 training camp schedule

A national trend shows a decline in the number of people going out to fish and hunt. 

However, Deputy Director at the Missouri Department of Conservation Aaron Jeffries, says Missouri hasn’t really seen that decline.  

"We don't have lotteries or any stuff like that, I mean you look at western states and it's getting ridiculous on how much their permits cost and they're prohibiting nonresidents or limiting nonresidents," Jeffries tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr and guest Kyle Carroll. "So, I think you have to look at the regulations we have, what is the programs we can offer to start up a new hunter." 

Jeffries, says though while the state has not seen much of a decline, it is evident that times are changing 

"Younger generations, they may not be interested in hunting and fishing, we need to work to find ways to engage them in there, but then also look at things beyond that," Jeffries explains.  "Some of our more popular educational programs are native plants, kayaking, and bird watching." 

Jeffries says that the trend is an outgrowth of a changing society. 

"To say folks aren't interested in the outdoors, I would say they may not be interested in hunting and fishing, but our surveys have shown they still have a lot of interest in nature," Jeffries says. "So, all state fishing and wildlife agencies are really trying to adapt and change right now to look beyond just hunters and anglers." 

Jeffries says Missouri has always focused on conservation from every angle which is why there are many nature centers and other programs outside of hunting and fishing. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A national trend shows a decline in the number of people going out to fish and hunt. However, Deputy Director at the Missouri Department of Conservation Aaron Jeffries, says Missouri hasn’t really seen that decline. "We don't have lotteries or any stuff like that, I mean you look at western states and it's getting ridiculous on how much their permits cost and they're prohibiting nonresidents or limiting nonresidents," Jeffries tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr and guest Kyle Carroll. "So, I think you have to look at the regulations we have, what is the programs we can offer to start up a new hunter." Jeffries, says though while the state has not seen much of a decline, it is evident that times are changing "Younger generations, they may not be interested in hunting and fishing, we need to work to find ways to engage them in there, but then also look at things beyond that," Jeffries explains. "Some of our more popular educational programs are native plants, kayaking, and bird watching." Jeffries says that the trend is an outgrowth of a changing society. "To say folks aren't interested in the outdoors, I would say they may not be interested in hunting and fishing, but our surveys have shown they still have a lot of interest in nature," Jeffries says. "So, all state fishing and wildlife agencies are really trying to adapt and change right now to look beyond just hunters and anglers." Jeffries says Missouri has always focused on conservation from every angle which is why there are many nature centers and other programs outside of hunting and fishing. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri avoiding nationwide trend of declining number of hunters and fishers

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/katelynmcilwain/">KATELYN MCILWAIN</a>

The recent UM System Board of Curators petition to remove racial and ethnic criteria from 53 donated scholarships and funds is a final step in a year-long process that has already removed such criteria from millions of dollars in student aid.

University of Missouri spokesperson Christian Basi said the university awarded $12.3 million in institutional financial aid with a race and ethnicity component in the 2022-23 academic year — about 6.4% of the university’s financial aid budget.

In the same year, Basi said the university awarded $457,000 in endowed donor scholarships that had a race and ethnicity component. This made up about 2.3% of money from endowed scholarships across the University Missouri System.

But after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling that outlawed race-based admissions — and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s same-day letter expanding that standard to scholarships, programs and employment — the system immediately started removing racial or ethnic criteria from institutional scholarships.

Basi said the university also started reviewing and altering race-based scholarships that are facilitated through endowments or donations.

“Many of the existing endowments already had a legal clause in them that allows us to change criteria, or other aspects of the gift, if those aspects become illegal,” Basi said.

But some of the endowments didn’t have that legal clause. So, the university had to seek permission from those donors to change the scholarship criteria. Basi said that of the donors the university tried to contact, 53 were unreachable. This was a small amount compared to the number of endowment funds they had already altered or sought permission to alter.

Now, the university is asking the 13th Circuit Court for Boone County to allow the removal of racial and ethnic criteria without input from the remaining 53 donors.

“There’s a long history of modification of gifts, and the petition explains the circumstances where it becomes unlawful or wasteful or impractical,” said Adrienne Davis, the William M. Van Cleve Professor of Law at Washington University. “An easy example is if someone made a gift to eradicate polio, and then polio gets eradicated. What do you do after that?”

But Davis said both the Missouri Attorney General and the UM System have applied a broad interpretation of the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College ruling. She said the petition will likely succeed, but that the effort isn’t necessary.

“It’s certainly not required at this point, because the scope of the decision only applies to admissions, not to scholarships, and certainly not to private gifts for scholarships at issue,” Davis said.

Gifts listed in the petition include funds like the Richard A. Holmes, M.D. Minority Medical Student Scholarship Fund, which was established in honor of Dr. Holmes after he died in July 2016. According to the Mizzou Give Direct website, Holmes was the first African American professor at the MU School of Medicine, and the scholarship named in his honor is meant to “further the education of medical students, particularly African American students and those seeking to care for the underserved.”

Another scholarship in the MU School of Medicine listed in the petition is the Doud Scholarship, which is meant to be given to “applicants of Irish descent.”

One person who set up an endowment fund for students in a racial minority spoke with KBIA and said he is not pleased with the proposed changes to the original endowment agreement. He requested to remain anonymous out of concern for how his perspective might affect the way the university works with him moving forward.

“I think the contract that they put in front of us is heavy-handed,” he said. His main concern was that the new contract does not provide as much detail about how the funds would be used, in comparison to their previous contract.

Basi said instead of awarding based on racial or ethnic criteria, the university will likely look at increasing the amount of money given to students who show financial need and/or who are first generation.

Jazlen Durgins is a former MU accelerated nursing student who benefited from a scholarship administered through the Mizzou Alumni Association. She said it was geared toward Black students from certain parts of St. Louis and paid for 50% of her student loan balance. To Durgins, specificity to marginalized communities matters.

“It is common knowledge that Black and brown students are at a disadvantage economically and systematically when compared to their white counterparts,” Durgins wrote in an email. She is currently a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurse. “Because of all the odds against us, we need some sort of way to get ahead. Scholarships help so many students pay for school and it’s still not even enough. I fear that this new policy will lead to a decline in Black/brown students being able to be admitted into these institutions and also finishing their degree.”

Davis said there are other options the university could have taken in response to the Supreme Court ruling last June.

“It could have sort of sat and said, ‘We’re going to see what happens with this, with the interpretation of the Supreme Court case. Right now, it’s only about admissions,’” Davis said.

Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, took a similar stance. He told Inside Higher Education in July 2023 that the association did not advise the decision the UM System made.

Students who received racial or ethnic-based awards before the SCOTUS ruling will continue to receive them until they graduate, leave the UM System or fall behind in their scholarship’s requirements. The incoming Fall 2024 class will be the first fall class since the SCOTUS ruling to arrive without access to scholarships with racial or ethnic criteria.

As current students using racial or ethnic-based awards phase out of the university, Basi said more of those funds will become available and re-purposed, likely to scholarships awarded to low-income and/or first-generation students. He added that students and families can reach out to financial aid if they need assistance.

“None of these scholarships are being discontinued,” Basi said. “We’re ensuring that money is available for students in the future to assist them with their costs in attending any one of the University of Missouri System universities.”

Davis said that though the petition on the remaining 53 scholarships with racial and ethnic criteria will likely succeed, donors could file their own petition to have the gifts returned to them after the current petition is resolved.

“We’ve seen this before, where universities have, for whatever reason, said that they can no longer honor a gift, and the donors, family, their children or grandchildren then petition to have the gift returned, or the gift forfeited,” Davis said.

Steven Hoffmann, an attorney in St. Louis, said it could take months for the university’s petition to be resolved.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/racial-criteria-already-removed-by-the-um-system-from-millions-of-dollars-in-student-aid/article_0b147e0a-2812-11ef-9365-eb4114e8aa12.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718457498857.png" alt="The University of Missouri-Columbia. (University of Missouri photo)" />
 <figcaption>The University of Missouri-Columbia. (University of Missouri photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/katelynmcilwain/">KATELYN MCILWAIN</a>The recent UM System Board of Curators petition to remove racial and ethnic criteria from 53 donated scholarships and funds is a final step in a year-long process that has already removed such criteria from millions of dollars in student aid.University of Missouri spokesperson Christian Basi said the university awarded $12.3 million in institutional financial aid with a race and ethnicity component in the 2022-23 academic year — about 6.4% of the university’s financial aid budget.In the same year, Basi said the university awarded $457,000 in endowed donor scholarships that had a race and ethnicity component. This made up about 2.3% of money from endowed scholarships across the University Missouri System.But after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling that outlawed race-based admissions — and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s same-day letter expanding that standard to scholarships, programs and employment — the system immediately started removing racial or ethnic criteria from institutional scholarships.Basi said the university also started reviewing and altering race-based scholarships that are facilitated through endowments or donations.“Many of the existing endowments already had a legal clause in them that allows us to change criteria, or other aspects of the gift, if those aspects become illegal,” Basi said.But some of the endowments didn’t have that legal clause. So, the university had to seek permission from those donors to change the scholarship criteria. Basi said that of the donors the university tried to contact, 53 were unreachable. This was a small amount compared to the number of endowment funds they had already altered or sought permission to alter.Now, the university is asking the 13th Circuit Court for Boone County to allow the removal of racial and ethnic criteria without input from the remaining 53 donors.“There’s a long history of modification of gifts, and the petition explains the circumstances where it becomes unlawful or wasteful or impractical,” said Adrienne Davis, the William M. Van Cleve Professor of Law at Washington University. “An easy example is if someone made a gift to eradicate polio, and then polio gets eradicated. What do you do after that?”But Davis said both the Missouri Attorney General and the UM System have applied a broad interpretation of the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College ruling. She said the petition will likely succeed, but that the effort isn’t necessary.“It’s certainly not required at this point, because the scope of the decision only applies to admissions, not to scholarships, and certainly not to private gifts for scholarships at issue,” Davis said.Gifts listed in the petition include funds like the Richard A. Holmes, M.D. Minority Medical Student Scholarship Fund, which was established in honor of Dr. Holmes after he died in July 2016. According to the Mizzou Give Direct website, Holmes was the first African American professor at the MU School of Medicine, and the scholarship named in his honor is meant to “further the education of medical students, particularly African American students and those seeking to care for the underserved.”Another scholarship in the MU School of Medicine listed in the petition is the Doud Scholarship, which is meant to be given to “applicants of Irish descent.”One person who set up an endowment fund for students in a racial minority spoke with KBIA and said he is not pleased with the proposed changes to the original endowment agreement. He requested to remain anonymous out of concern for how his perspective might affect the way the university works with him moving forward.“I think the contract that they put in front of us is heavy-handed,” he said. His main concern was that the new contract does not provide as much detail about how the funds would be used, in comparison to their previous contract.Basi said instead of awarding based on racial or ethnic criteria, the university will likely look at increasing the amount of money given to students who show financial need and/or who are first generation.Jazlen Durgins is a former MU accelerated nursing student who benefited from a scholarship administered through the Mizzou Alumni Association. She said it was geared toward Black students from certain parts of St. Louis and paid for 50% of her student loan balance. To Durgins, specificity to marginalized communities matters.“It is common knowledge that Black and brown students are at a disadvantage economically and systematically when compared to their white counterparts,” Durgins wrote in an email. She is currently a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurse. “Because of all the odds against us, we need some sort of way to get ahead. Scholarships help so many students pay for school and it’s still not even enough. I fear that this new policy will lead to a decline in Black/brown students being able to be admitted into these institutions and also finishing their degree.”Davis said there are other options the university could have taken in response to the Supreme Court ruling last June.“It could have sort of sat and said, ‘We’re going to see what happens with this, with the interpretation of the Supreme Court case. Right now, it’s only about admissions,’” Davis said.Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, took a similar stance. He told Inside Higher Education in July 2023 that the association did not advise the decision the UM System made.Students who received racial or ethnic-based awards before the SCOTUS ruling will continue to receive them until they graduate, leave the UM System or fall behind in their scholarship’s requirements. The incoming Fall 2024 class will be the first fall class since the SCOTUS ruling to arrive without access to scholarships with racial or ethnic criteria.As current students using racial or ethnic-based awards phase out of the university, Basi said more of those funds will become available and re-purposed, likely to scholarships awarded to low-income and/or first-generation students. He added that students and families can reach out to financial aid if they need assistance.“None of these scholarships are being discontinued,” Basi said. “We’re ensuring that money is available for students in the future to assist them with their costs in attending any one of the University of Missouri System universities.”Davis said that though the petition on the remaining 53 scholarships with racial and ethnic criteria will likely succeed, donors could file their own petition to have the gifts returned to them after the current petition is resolved.“We’ve seen this before, where universities have, for whatever reason, said that they can no longer honor a gift, and the donors, family, their children or grandchildren then petition to have the gift returned, or the gift forfeited,” Davis said.Steven Hoffmann, an attorney in St. Louis, said it could take months for the university’s petition to be resolved.This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/racial-criteria-already-removed-by-the-um-system-from-millions-of-dollars-in-student-aid/article_0b147e0a-2812-11ef-9365-eb4114e8aa12.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Racial criteria removed by University of Missouri system from millions of dollars in student aid

With $1 million contributed last week, Sinquefield has given $1 of every $3 raised for the race by the PAC backing Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe

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

Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/after-quiet-year-rex-sinquefield-donations-start-flowing-in-missouri-again/">most prolific political donor</a>&nbsp;dropped another $1 million into the campaign of his preferred candidate for governor last week, bringing the total he’s spent during the 2024 election cycle to almost $3 million.&nbsp;

Retired investor Rex Sinquefield has given more than $45 million in contributions since he became a significant donor around 2006 mostly to Republicans, though not exclusively.

His donations last week included $1 million to American Dream PAC, which supports the gubernatorial campaign of Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, and $250,000 to Liberty and Justice PAC, which supports Attorney General Andrew Bailey.&nbsp;

Sinquefield has donated roughly a third of all money received by American Dream PAC since the beginning of 2023.

American Dream PAC, which can raise money alongside Kehoe but must spend its funds independently of his official campaign, is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/16/missouri-republican-candidates-build-cash-advantage-over-democrats-as-primary-races-heat-up/">already the richest</a>&nbsp;in the race for governor. It reported $4.5 million on hand on March 31, more than double the amount in the PAC backing Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and four times the funding available for BILL PAC, which is supporting state Sen. Bill Eigel.

The Sinquefield checks, one for $250,000 and another for $750,000, were reported Thursday to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Other large donors have given Kehoe’s PAC $182,674 since the last full report was filed.

The commission requires contributions of more than $5,000 to be reported within 48 hours of receipt.

Ashcroft’s spokesman, Jason Roe, said Kehoe “has been bankrolled by the Jefferson City lobbyists and special interest groups because they know what they are going to get — a transactional big government governor. He has the endorsement of nearly every special interest group in the state because they know he will raise taxes, they know he will increase spending and they know they will be the beneficiaries.”

Ashcroft’s PAC, Committee for Liberty, has raised $155,661 in large donations since March 31. The largest, $50,000, was from his mother, former First Lady Janet Ashcroft. With those reports, it has reported raising just under $1 million since the beginning of 2023.

The committee reported $1.9 million on hand on March 31.

Sophia Shore, Eigel’s campaign manager, said Kehoe “is no doubt the establishment donors choice; he has enough money to burn a wet mule.”

Eigel’s joint fundraising committee, BILL PAC, has received only one donation greater than $5,000 since March 31 — $10,000 from Joan Langenberg of St. Louis on May 6. The PAC has raised $2 million since Jan. 1, 2023.

Sinquefield has a long history of cutting massive checks for his preferred candidates. He has often focused his efforts on cutting income taxes and changes to the state’s education system.

In 2016, he bankrolled a slate of candidates in GOP statewide primaries, spending nearly $11 million supporting candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer.&nbsp;

Of the candidates he supported, only one prevailed.

In September 2020, Sinquefield&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2020/09/08/sinquefield-splits-from-pelopidas-brown.html">parted ways</a>&nbsp;with his longtime advisors, Pelopidas, owned by Travis Brown. He made no political contributions&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/after-quiet-year-rex-sinquefield-donations-start-flowing-in-missouri-again/">until late 2021</a>, and since the beginning of 2022 has made $4.3 million donations, including $1.7 million reported since Jan. 1.

Pelopidas closed its doors after Sinquefield withdrew his backing. In 2021, a Missouri appeals court ordered Brown and the firm&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/08/10/missouri-court-rules-pelopidas-travis-brown-must-pay-former-partner-7-5-million/">to pay $7.5 million to Rachel Keller</a>, Brown’s former wife and business partner, in a case filed in 2016, two years after the couple.

Both Eigel and Ashcroft have received donations from Sinquefield, but not since he fired Pelopidas as his consulting firm.

As a candidate for state Senate in 2014, Ashcroft received a donation of $25,000 from Sinquefield. In 2020, when he sought re-election as secretary of state, Sinquefield contributed $2,650.

There were no limits on contributions directly to candidate committees in 2014. Those limits were imposed by a constitutional amendment and for this year’s elections, the limit for statewide candidates is $2,825.

BILL PAC received $225,000 from Sinquefield in 2019 and 2020, when Eigel sought re-election to the state Senate.

<h2>With $1 million contributed last week, Sinquefield has given $1 of every $3 raised for the race by the PAC backing Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/after-quiet-year-rex-sinquefield-donations-start-flowing-in-missouri-again/">most prolific political donor</a>&nbsp;dropped another $1 million into the campaign of his preferred candidate for governor last week, bringing the total he’s spent during the 2024 election cycle to almost $3 million.&nbsp;Retired investor Rex Sinquefield has given more than $45 million in contributions since he became a significant donor around 2006 mostly to Republicans, though not exclusively.His donations last week included $1 million to American Dream PAC, which supports the gubernatorial campaign of Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, and $250,000 to Liberty and Justice PAC, which supports Attorney General Andrew Bailey.&nbsp;Sinquefield has donated roughly a third of all money received by American Dream PAC since the beginning of 2023.American Dream PAC, which can raise money alongside Kehoe but must spend its funds independently of his official campaign, is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/16/missouri-republican-candidates-build-cash-advantage-over-democrats-as-primary-races-heat-up/">already the richest</a>&nbsp;in the race for governor. It reported $4.5 million on hand on March 31, more than double the amount in the PAC backing Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and four times the funding available for BILL PAC, which is supporting state Sen. Bill Eigel.The Sinquefield checks, one for $250,000 and another for $750,000, were reported Thursday to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Other large donors have given Kehoe’s PAC $182,674 since the last full report was filed.The commission requires contributions of more than $5,000 to be reported within 48 hours of receipt.Ashcroft’s spokesman, Jason Roe, said Kehoe “has been bankrolled by the Jefferson City lobbyists and special interest groups because they know what they are going to get — a transactional big government governor. He has the endorsement of nearly every special interest group in the state because they know he will raise taxes, they know he will increase spending and they know they will be the beneficiaries.”Ashcroft’s PAC, Committee for Liberty, has raised $155,661 in large donations since March 31. The largest, $50,000, was from his mother, former First Lady Janet Ashcroft. With those reports, it has reported raising just under $1 million since the beginning of 2023.The committee reported $1.9 million on hand on March 31.Sophia Shore, Eigel’s campaign manager, said Kehoe “is no doubt the establishment donors choice; he has enough money to burn a wet mule.”Eigel’s joint fundraising committee, BILL PAC, has received only one donation greater than $5,000 since March 31 — $10,000 from Joan Langenberg of St. Louis on May 6. The PAC has raised $2 million since Jan. 1, 2023.Sinquefield has a long history of cutting massive checks for his preferred candidates. He has often focused his efforts on cutting income taxes and changes to the state’s education system.In 2016, he bankrolled a slate of candidates in GOP statewide primaries, spending nearly $11 million supporting candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer.&nbsp;Of the candidates he supported, only one prevailed.In September 2020, Sinquefield&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2020/09/08/sinquefield-splits-from-pelopidas-brown.html">parted ways</a>&nbsp;with his longtime advisors, Pelopidas, owned by Travis Brown. He made no political contributions&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/after-quiet-year-rex-sinquefield-donations-start-flowing-in-missouri-again/">until late 2021</a>, and since the beginning of 2022 has made $4.3 million donations, including $1.7 million reported since Jan. 1.Pelopidas closed its doors after Sinquefield withdrew his backing. In 2021, a Missouri appeals court ordered Brown and the firm&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/08/10/missouri-court-rules-pelopidas-travis-brown-must-pay-former-partner-7-5-million/">to pay $7.5 million to Rachel Keller</a>, Brown’s former wife and business partner, in a case filed in 2016, two years after the couple.Both Eigel and Ashcroft have received donations from Sinquefield, but not since he fired Pelopidas as his consulting firm.As a candidate for state Senate in 2014, Ashcroft received a donation of $25,000 from Sinquefield. In 2020, when he sought re-election as secretary of state, Sinquefield contributed $2,650.There were no limits on contributions directly to candidate committees in 2014. Those limits were imposed by a constitutional amendment and for this year’s elections, the limit for statewide candidates is $2,825.BILL PAC received $225,000 from Sinquefield in 2019 and 2020, when Eigel sought re-election to the state Senate.

Rex Sinquefield drops big donations into GOP governor, AG primaries

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman on multiple allegations.

Just after 11:30p.m. June 14,&nbsp; sheriff's deputies responded to a call of a possible domestic disturbance in the city of Horton, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

Investigators found Methamphetamines, and drug paraphernalia at the residence. Deputies arrested 27-year-old Sareya Elmore of Horton on requested&nbsp;charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Child Endangerment.&nbsp;

In August, police arrested her in Atchison for alleged domestic battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718457879668.png" alt="Elmore photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Elmore photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman on multiple allegations.Just after 11:30p.m. June 14,&nbsp; sheriff's deputies responded to a call of a possible domestic disturbance in the city of Horton, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.Investigators found Methamphetamines, and drug paraphernalia at the residence. Deputies arrested 27-year-old Sareya Elmore of Horton on requested&nbsp;charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Child Endangerment.&nbsp;In August, police arrested her in Atchison for alleged domestic battery.

Kansas deputies found meth and children at woman's home

HARRISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 BMW 5251 driven by a 17-year-old Blue Springs boy was northbound on U.S. 69 three miles south of U.S. 136.

The car traveled off the right side of the road, struck an embankment and rolled.

NTA ambulance transported the teen to Harrison County Community Hospital. The MSHP did have seat belt usage information.

HARRISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 BMW 5251 driven by a 17-year-old Blue Springs boy was northbound on U.S. 69 three miles south of U.S. 136.The car traveled off the right side of the road, struck an embankment and rolled.NTA ambulance transported the teen to Harrison County Community Hospital. The MSHP did have seat belt usage information.

Mo. teen hospitalized after car struck embankment, rolled

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for allegedly skipping court.

Just after 7:30p.m. June 12, sheriff's deputies made a traffic stop in&nbsp;the vicinity of Kansas 20 and Kingfisher in rural Brown County, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Deputies discovered the driver 24-year-old Mackenzie Blalock of Lawrence, had 2 outstanding Warrants&nbsp; from Douglas County for Failure to Appear.&nbsp; She was arrested and taken to the Brown County jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718308020462.png" alt="Blalock-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Blalock-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for allegedly skipping court.Just after 7:30p.m. June 12, sheriff's deputies made a traffic stop in&nbsp;the vicinity of Kansas 20 and Kingfisher in rural Brown County, according to Sheriff John Merchant.Deputies discovered the driver 24-year-old Mackenzie Blalock of Lawrence, had 2 outstanding Warrants&nbsp; from Douglas County for Failure to Appear.&nbsp; She was arrested and taken to the Brown County jail.

Deputies capture woman wanted on 2 warrants 

State courts spent less than $700,000 of the $7 million allocated last year for clearing eligible marijuana offenses from people’s criminal records

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

Out of the $7 million Missouri lawmakers approved last year to help courts expunge decades of marijuana cases, state records show less than 10% of it was spent as of mid-May.

Across the state, nearly 123,000 marijuana cases have been expunged, according to numbers compiled by the Missouri Supreme Court. But court officials have said it’s impossible to estimate how many more expungements the courts have to go.

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/17/missouri-courts-request-3-7-million-to-continue-arduous-marijuana-expungement-process/">Missouri county courts had a tight one-year deadline</a>&nbsp;to clear all eligible marijuana offenses from people’s criminal records — a mandate set forth in the 2022 constitutional amendment that legalized recreational cannabis.

In a push to meet it, court leaders urged legislators last year to approve&nbsp;$4.5 million for state courts to pay their employees overtime or to hire temp workers, along with an additional $2.5 million in a<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB15&amp;year=2023&amp;code=R">&nbsp;supplemental budget</a>.&nbsp;

Yet, court clerks statewide soon discovered that it’s not a process more money can speed up.&nbsp;

That’s why Nodaway County Circuit Clerk Elaine Wilson says she never ended up asking for any funds.

“Nobody wants to work overtime because we all have families,” said Wilson, who has a team of five people. “And if you hire somebody off the street, you have to train them for what they’re looking for. And I just don’t want to take that chance of them missing something.”

Wilson is far from the only clerk who felt that way.&nbsp;

“With something this important,” said Cass County Circuit Clerk Kim York, “I think we all feel better having experienced clerks working on it. That’s really the only way to know with 100% certainty.”

When the money became available last fall, about half of the state’s 115 counties applied for money from the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=185279">&nbsp;Circuit Court Budget Committee</a>, which oversees the special assistance program. The counties asked for $4.1 million for labor costs, along with $100,000 in postage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As of May 15, those 62 counties had spent a total of $658,728 on paychecks and $18,290 on postage.

About half of the counties that requested money spent less than $1,000 each.&nbsp;

Crawford County spent the most on regular and overtime pay with about $91,000 — half the amount the county originally requested. Next was Jasper County with $63,000.&nbsp;

Looking at expungement numbers statewide, more money didn’t necessarily mean more cases reviewed or expunged. However, several clerks said they found it difficult to track the number of cases reviewed, so the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/10/slow-process-of-missouri-marijuana-expungement-drags-on-months-after-constitutional-deadlines/">state numbers likely don’t reflect the accurate totals</a>.&nbsp;

Greene County Circuit Clerk Bryan Feemster estimates his team has reviewed more than 80,000 cases so far, though the state numbers show about 15,000.&nbsp;

Greene County has a smaller team than some of the other larger counties, Feemster said, but he was able to hire retired clerks to come back and help with the task.&nbsp;

That allowed the county to expunge the most cases in the state, with 5,800 — spending $57,500 to pay the part-time retired clerks as well as overtime for full-time employees.

St. Louis County is close behind with 5,055 expunged cases, spending about $9,000 on labor costs.&nbsp;

During the 2022 campaign in support of the recreational marijuana ballot measure, supporters touted “automatic expungements” — meaning people who have already served their sentences for past charges don’t have to petition the court and go through a hearing to expunge those charges from their records.&nbsp;

That means courts must locate these records on their own and make it as if past marijuana charges never existed.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698531124512.png" alt="(Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>(Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>State courts spent less than $700,000 of the $7 million allocated last year for clearing eligible marijuana offenses from people’s criminal records</h2>By REBECCA RIVAS,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Out of the $7 million Missouri lawmakers approved last year to help courts expunge decades of marijuana cases, state records show less than 10% of it was spent as of mid-May.Across the state, nearly 123,000 marijuana cases have been expunged, according to numbers compiled by the Missouri Supreme Court. But court officials have said it’s impossible to estimate how many more expungements the courts have to go.<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/17/missouri-courts-request-3-7-million-to-continue-arduous-marijuana-expungement-process/">Missouri county courts had a tight one-year deadline</a>&nbsp;to clear all eligible marijuana offenses from people’s criminal records — a mandate set forth in the 2022 constitutional amendment that legalized recreational cannabis.In a push to meet it, court leaders urged legislators last year to approve&nbsp;$4.5 million for state courts to pay their employees overtime or to hire temp workers, along with an additional $2.5 million in a<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB15&amp;year=2023&amp;code=R">&nbsp;supplemental budget</a>.&nbsp;Yet, court clerks statewide soon discovered that it’s not a process more money can speed up.&nbsp;That’s why Nodaway County Circuit Clerk Elaine Wilson says she never ended up asking for any funds.“Nobody wants to work overtime because we all have families,” said Wilson, who has a team of five people. “And if you hire somebody off the street, you have to train them for what they’re looking for. And I just don’t want to take that chance of them missing something.”Wilson is far from the only clerk who felt that way.&nbsp;“With something this important,” said Cass County Circuit Clerk Kim York, “I think we all feel better having experienced clerks working on it. That’s really the only way to know with 100% certainty.”And it shows in the numbers.&nbsp;When the money became available last fall, about half of the state’s 115 counties applied for money from the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=185279">&nbsp;Circuit Court Budget Committee</a>, which oversees the special assistance program. The counties asked for $4.1 million for labor costs, along with $100,000 in postage.&nbsp;&nbsp;As of May 15, those 62 counties had spent a total of $658,728 on paychecks and $18,290 on postage.About half of the counties that requested money spent less than $1,000 each.&nbsp;Crawford County spent the most on regular and overtime pay with about $91,000 — half the amount the county originally requested. Next was Jasper County with $63,000.&nbsp;Looking at expungement numbers statewide, more money didn’t necessarily mean more cases reviewed or expunged. However, several clerks said they found it difficult to track the number of cases reviewed, so the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/10/slow-process-of-missouri-marijuana-expungement-drags-on-months-after-constitutional-deadlines/">state numbers likely don’t reflect the accurate totals</a>.&nbsp;Greene County Circuit Clerk Bryan Feemster estimates his team has reviewed more than 80,000 cases so far, though the state numbers show about 15,000.&nbsp;Greene County has a smaller team than some of the other larger counties, Feemster said, but he was able to hire retired clerks to come back and help with the task.&nbsp;That allowed the county to expunge the most cases in the state, with 5,800 — spending $57,500 to pay the part-time retired clerks as well as overtime for full-time employees.St. Louis County is close behind with 5,055 expunged cases, spending about $9,000 on labor costs.&nbsp;During the 2022 campaign in support of the recreational marijuana ballot measure, supporters touted “automatic expungements” — meaning people who have already served their sentences for past charges don’t have to petition the court and go through a hearing to expunge those charges from their records.&nbsp;That means courts must locate these records on their own and make it as if past marijuana charges never existed.&nbsp;“Let me be the first to tell you there is nothing automatic about that,” said&nbsp;Betsy AuBuchon, clerk of the Missouri Supreme Court, during a House appropriations&nbsp;committee&nbsp;meeting in January.&nbsp;It’s a&nbsp;labor-intensive process,&nbsp;AuBuchon&nbsp;said, that requires someone with legal experience to look through court files. That’s why most courts are relying on existing staff or retired clerks, if they’re available.&nbsp;“It’s heavily frontloaded and probably not worth bringing in brand new full-time employees on the state dollar,” she said. “We really need people who know how to do that work. We are getting through those as quickly as we can.”And that’s particularly the case with paper records, Feemster said, because it’s all manual.“From 1989 back, we’re going through every single criminal record to find out whether there’s something in there that might qualify,” he said. “And it is, as you might imagine, very slow and tedious.”By law, the special court funding for expungements must come from adult-use marijuana revenue, which includes sales tax and business fees. This revenue goes into the&nbsp;“Veterans, Health, and Community Reinvestment Fund,” and lawmakers appropriated the $4.2 million for the courts out of this fund.&nbsp;If it’s unspent by June 30 when the fiscal year ends, it will stay in the fund.<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/17/missouri-courts-request-3-7-million-to-continue-arduous-marijuana-expungement-process/">State lawmakers approved $3.7 million</a>&nbsp;for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.&nbsp;<h2>State courts have spent 10% of money lawmakers allocated to process marijuana expungements</h2>In the fall, 62 of the state's 115 counties requested a total of $4.1 million for labor hours to review thousands of marijuana charges that might be eligible for expungement. As of May 15, the counties had spent $658,728 on paychecks and $18,290 on postage.<div><iframe title="State courts have spent 10% of money lawmakers allocated to process marijuana expungements" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-f0zPa" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/f0zPa/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="1017" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();</script></div>

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