ATCHISON COUNTY—Three people died in an accident that occurred just after 7a.m. Sunday in Atchison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Kia Sorento driven by a 29-year-old Bellevue, Nebraska man and a 2023 Chevy Tahoe driven by a Sidney, Iowa man were southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 29 six miles north of Watson.

The KIA struck the front of a northbound 2013 Ford Focus driven by an 18-year-old from Kearney, Missouri.

After impact the Kia continued southbound, traveled off the west side of the road, struck a bridge abutment and caught fire. The Ford Focus traveled off the west side of the road, rolled and a passenger was ejected.

A northbound 2024 Volvo semi driven by a 30-year-old man from Ontario, Canada swerved to avoid the crash and struck the southbound 2023 Chevy Tahoe.

The teen driver of the Ford, an 18-year-old passenger in the Ford from Kearney, Missouri and the 29-year-old driver of the Kia were pronounced dead at the scene.

EMS transported a 1-year-old male passenger in the Kia and the driver of the Tahoe to the hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. Lifenet transported an 18-year-old female passenger in the Ford to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.&nbsp; &nbsp;The 1-year-old in the Kia and an 18-year-old in Ford were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

ATCHISON COUNTY—Three people died in an accident that occurred just after 7a.m. Sunday in Atchison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Kia Sorento driven by a 29-year-old Bellevue, Nebraska man and a 2023 Chevy Tahoe driven by a Sidney, Iowa man were southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 29 six miles north of Watson.The KIA struck the front of a northbound 2013 Ford Focus driven by an 18-year-old from Kearney, Missouri.After impact the Kia continued southbound, traveled off the west side of the road, struck a bridge abutment and caught fire. The Ford Focus traveled off the west side of the road, rolled and a passenger was ejected.A northbound 2024 Volvo semi driven by a 30-year-old man from Ontario, Canada swerved to avoid the crash and struck the southbound 2023 Chevy Tahoe.The teen driver of the Ford, an 18-year-old passenger in the Ford from Kearney, Missouri and the 29-year-old driver of the Kia were pronounced dead at the scene.EMS transported a 1-year-old male passenger in the Kia and the driver of the Tahoe to the hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. Lifenet transported an 18-year-old female passenger in the Ford to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.&nbsp; &nbsp;The 1-year-old in the Kia and an 18-year-old in Ford were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;

3 dead after 4-vehicle NW Missouri crash

A new program at Missouri Western State University will help students getting into nursing to make college more affordable.  

The Nursing Scholars of Promise program, a collaboration with Mosaic Life Care, will hope to address the nursing shortage at Mosaic.  

Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says one of the biggest barriers to get into nursing, is how much it costs 

"Even at Missouri Western, even though our tuition we are committed to keeping it low, we are the fourth lowest in the state, we have revamped our scholarships to be able to provide more students with more funds, but that's a barrier, how am I going to pay for college," Kennedy tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  

The program will provide tuition, through the first three years, as well as a career and academic support to students who agree to work for Mosaic Life Care for at least four years after graduation.  

Kennedy says students will have to apply for the program, and it is competitive, but its designed to help in a couple different ways 

"First of all, Mosaic has agreed to pay for two years of tuition and fees, and with what we can do at the University we'll be able to cover at least another year," Kennedy explains. "So that's 75% or three years of a four-year degree in nursing, and what will happen is we will have a mentor that will be working with these students." 

Kennedy says part of the program, by partnering with Mosaic, will allow students to work part time at the hospital, starting out at entry level positions 

"To learn what is a hospital like, what is the organization like," Kennedy says.  "And as they progress through the program and they gain more skills, they'll move to a nurses aid, to a nursing assistant, but all the while working 12 hours a week during the academic year, and if it works out Mosaic has even said they'll offer them part time work in the summer." 

Kennedy says the whole focus of the program is to help provide high level experienced nurses to Mosaic, and keep students in the area, with them already being part of the Mosaic system through the program. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731949264537.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy and Mosaic Life Care CEO Mike Poore sign an agreement for the Nursing Scholars of Promise program/ Photo courtesy of Missouri Western on X" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy and Mosaic Life Care CEO Mike Poore sign an agreement for the Nursing Scholars of Promise program/ Photo courtesy of Missouri Western on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A new program at Missouri Western State University will help students getting into nursing to make college more affordable. The Nursing Scholars of Promise program, a collaboration with Mosaic Life Care, will hope to address the nursing shortage at Mosaic. Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says one of the biggest barriers to get into nursing, is how much it costs "Even at Missouri Western, even though our tuition we are committed to keeping it low, we are the fourth lowest in the state, we have revamped our scholarships to be able to provide more students with more funds, but that's a barrier, how am I going to pay for college," Kennedy tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. The program will provide tuition, through the first three years, as well as a career and academic support to students who agree to work for Mosaic Life Care for at least four years after graduation. Kennedy says students will have to apply for the program, and it is competitive, but its designed to help in a couple different ways "First of all, Mosaic has agreed to pay for two years of tuition and fees, and with what we can do at the University we'll be able to cover at least another year," Kennedy explains. "So that's 75% or three years of a four-year degree in nursing, and what will happen is we will have a mentor that will be working with these students." Kennedy says part of the program, by partnering with Mosaic, will allow students to work part time at the hospital, starting out at entry level positions "To learn what is a hospital like, what is the organization like," Kennedy says. "And as they progress through the program and they gain more skills, they'll move to a nurses aid, to a nursing assistant, but all the while working 12 hours a week during the academic year, and if it works out Mosaic has even said they'll offer them part time work in the summer." Kennedy says the whole focus of the program is to help provide high level experienced nurses to Mosaic, and keep students in the area, with them already being part of the Mosaic system through the program. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

MWSU and Mosaic team up to make nursing education more affordable

More money has been set aside for a treatment
seen as effective for Missouri military members and first responders suffering
from post-traumatic stress disorder.

State Sen. Rusty Black of Chillicothe
sponsored the legislation setting aside $4.3 million to pay for the treatment.

“And there’s a clinic in north Kansas City
providing this service to veterans, first responders at no cost,” Black tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s about a four-week treatment and it’s been very
successful. Matter of fact, the clinic in north Kansas City – there’s 116
clinics in the world – and they were number one, in the world, with treatment
outcomes for the last two quarters.”

Black has been a champion of the treatment ever
since facing the problem close to home. Black says he and his wife went out of
state to get treatment for their son who returned from an overseas military
mission suffering from PTSD and alcoholism, threatening to take his life.

“This was a form of treatment that we found in
Texas at a facility that made a tremendous amount of difference for our son and
he’s a strong advocate for it,” Black says. “And I believe we’re seeing all
kinds of proof where this is a very good benefit – and it doesn’t mean that
there are not other good treatments – but this is one I sure have my heart and
mind set on.”

Another clinic is opening in Lee’s Summit and plans
call for a mobile unit to be funded to serve rural Missouri.

“We probably can’t start a clinic in every
community, because there’s not enough people to be able to sustain that,” Black
says. “But, if we can start a mobile unit that can move around rural parts of
the state and help veterans and first responders, it’s very valuable.”

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMore money has been set aside for a treatment
seen as effective for Missouri military members and first responders suffering
from post-traumatic stress disorder.State Sen. Rusty Black of Chillicothe
sponsored the legislation setting aside $4.3 million to pay for the treatment.“And there’s a clinic in north Kansas City
providing this service to veterans, first responders at no cost,” Black tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s about a four-week treatment and it’s been very
successful. Matter of fact, the clinic in north Kansas City – there’s 116
clinics in the world – and they were number one, in the world, with treatment
outcomes for the last two quarters.”Black has been a champion of the treatment ever
since facing the problem close to home. Black says he and his wife went out of
state to get treatment for their son who returned from an overseas military
mission suffering from PTSD and alcoholism, threatening to take his life.“This was a form of treatment that we found in
Texas at a facility that made a tremendous amount of difference for our son and
he’s a strong advocate for it,” Black says. “And I believe we’re seeing all
kinds of proof where this is a very good benefit – and it doesn’t mean that
there are not other good treatments – but this is one I sure have my heart and
mind set on.”Another clinic is opening in Lee’s Summit and plans
call for a mobile unit to be funded to serve rural Missouri.“We probably can’t start a clinic in every
community, because there’s not enough people to be able to sustain that,” Black
says. “But, if we can start a mobile unit that can move around rural parts of
the state and help veterans and first responders, it’s very valuable.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

More money set aside for PTSD treatment for veterans, 1st responders

BROWN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Sunday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Kia Sorento driven by Richard E.&nbsp;Childress, 76, Hiawatha, was eastbound on U.S. 36 approaching Goldfinch Road&nbsp; four and one hald miles east of Fairview.

The SUV traveled off the the roadway to the north, traveled eastbound in the ditch, struck a highway sign, vaulted, rolled and the driver was ejected.

Childress was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Chapel Oaks Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

BROWN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Sunday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Kia Sorento driven by Richard E.&nbsp;Childress, 76, Hiawatha, was eastbound on U.S. 36 approaching Goldfinch Road&nbsp; four and one hald miles east of Fairview.The SUV traveled off the the roadway to the north, traveled eastbound in the ditch, struck a highway sign, vaulted, rolled and the driver was ejected.Childress was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Chapel Oaks Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas man dies after ejected in violent rollover crash

#9 Benedictine breaks records in win over William Woods

The #9 Benedictine Ravens closed out the regular season with a record breaking win over William Woods at NCAC Stadium in Fulton, winning 86-0 and securing a share of the Heart South conference title.&nbsp;

The Ravens set records for single game points as well as rushing yards allowed in the win.&nbsp;&nbsp;The previous record for points was 84 and was set during the 2018 season in a home win over Graceland. The Ravens held the Owls to minus-61 yards rushing, breaking a 24-year-old record previously set at minus-58 yards against Graceland during the 2000 season.

The Ravens jumped out to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter. Harry Balke connected on a pair of field goals – 35 yards and 28 yards – while the Ravens scored 4 points off 2 safeties before Joseph Lagafuiana returned the second free kick for a 98-yard return to make it 17-0.

Benedictine exploded for 41 points in the second quarter and Jackson Dooley went to the air, connecting on 5 touchdown passes to break the Ravens single-season passing record. He connected on a 10-yard pass to Matthew Sanford, a 35-yard pass to Jacob Gathright, and an 8-yard pass to Lagafuiana to tie the record at 33 passing touchdowns. He broke the record on a 46-yard pass to Lagafuiana and then added to his record with a 5-yard pass to Kameron Dover.

Special Teams capped off the first-half scoring after Dylan Witherspoon blocked a punt at the William Woods 30-yard line that found its way to the end zone where it was recovered by Trey Williams for a touchdown to send the Ravens into halftime leading 58-0.

Three more touchdowns put the Ravens on the cusp of the scoring record in the third quarter on a touchdown pass from Kaden Austin to Sanford for 8-yards. That was followed up by a 7-yard rushing touchdown from Jonah Roberts and a 7-yard rushing touchdown from Robbie Sharp to make it 79-0 headed into the fourth quarter.

Austin hit Callahan Huston on a pass that Huston broke loose for 60 yards to give the Ravens the new scoring record and end the scoring for the game.

Dooley finished with 136 yards on 10 of 18 passing with 5 touchdowns while Austin went 3 of 5 with 2 touchdowns. JJ Jackson led the Ravens with 68 yards on 12 carries, followed by Sharp with 56 yards, Xavier Ugorji with 45, Roberts with 32, and Dalton Witherspoon with 34. Lagafuiana finished with 54 yards receiving on 2 catches while Jacob Gathright added 36 yards on 2 catches.

Defensively, Benedictine finished with 5 sacks for a loss of 56 yards, 8 tackles for a loss of 72 yards, four forced fumbles with two fumble recoveries, and 3 interceptions.

The Ravens finished the season 9-2 (5-1 Heart South).&nbsp;The 2024 NAIA Football Championship Selection Show is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday where the Ravens will learn their postseason seeding for the FCS.

Big second half helps Missouri Western close out season with victory

The Missouri Western Griffons overcame six turnovers and 10 penalties and scored a 30-16 win over Quincy in the regular season finale at Spratt Memorial Stadium on Saturday.&nbsp;

The scoring got started for Missouri Western on the defensive side of the ball when senior Jaden Brown forced a fumble, allowing junior Kienen Gaskin to scoop and score giving the Griffons an early lead.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Griffons offense struggled to find rhythm early, their first two drives resulting in interceptions, allowing Quincy to take a lead behind a 22 yard field goal from Michael Owens and a four yard rushing score from Teon Dollard, but Missouri Western managed to take the lead back just before the end of the quarter,&nbsp; Branden Berwald connecting with senior Tyler Carey for a 64-yard touchdown - Carey's third touchdown catch of over 60 yards this season.

In the second quarter, a missed field goal, a lost fumble and an interception plagued the offensive attack from Missouri Western, allowing the Hawks to regain the lead with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Drake Davis to Dollard, the lone score of the frame, giving Quincy a 16-14 lead at the halftime break.

Senior Cody Watson added to his historic career by successfully making his program-leading 42nd field goal from 27 yards away to put the Griffons ahead&nbsp; in&nbsp; the opening drive of the second half. Additionally, Watson tied Dustin Strickler for the most extra points (PATs) made in a Griffon uniform, reaching a total of 122, which was also his final try in college.

The Griffons clinched the season finale with a strong performance in the fourth quarter. Junior running back Jayden Williams scoring touchdowns from one yard out on both scoring drives for his first multi-touchdown game of his career.

Missouri Western finished the game with over 504 yards of total offense. Marrell Fountain (92) and Rickie Dunn (91) combined for 183 yards on the ground. Carey added his third 100-yard receiving performance of the season, while senior's Jonas Bennett and Jake Berrey hauled in two catches.

Missouri Western football says goodbye to 18 seniors, who were honored prior to the opening kickoff, as the 2024 season officially came to a close on Saturday afternoon.&nbsp; Griffons finish the season 4-7 (2-7 MIAA).

#23 Tigers suffers defensive collapse late, fall to #21 Gamecocks&nbsp;

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer got a text recently from an SEC rival coach impressed with freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers.

“You've got ‘Superman’ back there,” the message read, Beamer said.

Sellers may not be the “Man of Steel,” but he's certainly making a major impact for No. 23 South Carolina. And he showed that again on Saturday night with his career-best showing in a 34-30 victory over No. 24 Missouri.

Sellers, a redshirt freshman who took over the starting job from NFL rookie Spencer Rattler, threw for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, the last an inside throw that Raheim Sanders took 15 yards to the end zone with 15 seconds to go as they twice rallied from behind in the fourth quarter.

One play in particular floored Gamecocks defensive tackle Alex Huntley where Sellers twisted out of a sack on the next-to-last scoring drive before hitting tight end Brady Hunt for 11 yards on thrid-and-10. “Did he get sacked?” Huntley recalled saying.

“The second he got out of it, I knew something good was going to happen,” he said.

Sellers has done that more and more the past month after the Gamecocks stood 3-3 after a loss at Alabama on Oct. 12. He's led the way as South Carolina collected wins against Oklahoma (35-9) and ranked teams in Texas A&amp;M (44-20) and Vanderbilt (28-7).

“It's about staying calm, not budging, not flinching,” said Sellers. “Taking one play at a not and not worrying about the outcome.”

That steady approach pulled out a game South Carolina would typically lose.

Twice Missouri took a lead in the final period and twice the Sellers and the Gamecocks answered back with success.

The Gamecocks (7-3, 5-3) have won four straight Southeastern Conference games for the first time since Steve Spurrier was coach in 2012. But it’s now one of Spurrier’s hires with the Gamecocks in Beamer who has South Carolina as the hottest team in the powerhouse conference.

The Tigers (7-3, 3-3) final lead came after Brady Cook’s 37-yard TD pass to Luther Burden III with 1:10 to go for a 30-27 lead.

Sellers, though, was far from done. He hit on passes of 10 and 39 yards to bring the Gamecocks to the Missouri 21. After Sellers’ 7 yard run, he flipped the ball to Sanders who bulled his way across the goal line to send the crowd at Williams-Brice Stadium into a frenzy.

“We were scoring,” said Sanders, nicknamed “Rocket," an Arkansas transfer who's had six of his 11 rushing TDs in the four-game win streak.

Missouri’s last chance ended with Cook was picked off by Jalon Kilgore with 5 seconds left as the Gamecocks beat three consecutive ranked teams for the first time in program history.

Missouri’s Nate Noel ran for 150 yards and a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it didn’t hold up.

The Tigers had defeated Oklahoma 30-23 last week on an scoop-and-score fumble with 22 seconds left. They nearly pulled out their second straight dramatic victory.

“I just think there's a relentlessness that our team plays with, believes in,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “Just didn't have enough tonight.”

Missouri: The Tigers had won five straight in the series and coach Eli Drinkwitz had won all three previous times he came to South Carolina’s stadium, including a 20-15 as Appalachian State coach in 2019. That run is over along with the team’s chances of a CFP berth.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks will need plenty of chaos, along with a victory in two weeks at No. 17 Clemson, to make their case as a playoff team. There’s no doubt there are few teams in the SEC who’d want to face South Carolina now.

South Carolina has won four straight SEC games for the first time in 12 years. It had never won three in a row over AP Top 25 teams in program history.

“Say that again,” when asked about that run. “I like the sound of that.”

The streak ends next game when it takes on Wofford, an Football Championship Series team. But the Gamecocks can make it four out of five when they play rival Clemson, ranked 17th, in two weeks.

Missouri's Cook played strongly in his latest start, throwing for 239 yards with a touchdown and an interception after coach Eli Drinkwitz thought it unlikely he'd be recovered enough to play this week. Cook's 35-game starting streak ended last week when he hurt his wrist at Alabama.

Missouri is at Mississippi State next Saturday.&nbsp; Kickoff is at 3:15 pm, pregame will be at 1:15 on KFEQ.&nbsp; The game will be televised on SEC Network.&nbsp;

#13 Pittsburg State spoils Senior Day for Northwest in finale

The 2024 Northwest Missouri State University football season came to a conclusion Saturday when the No. 13-ranked Pittsburg State University Gorillas collected a 23-7 victory over the Bearcats on Senior Day.

Northwest out-gained Pittsburg State in total yards, 282-171. However, the Gorillas took advantage of a blocked punt for a touchdown, a safety and a pair of scoring drives that began on the short side of the field.

The contest featured a 45-minute lightning delay between the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth quarter.

The game was scoreless until the Gorilla's Jaydon Knight blocked a Cole Lammel punt and it was scooped up by Luke Niggemann at the 7-yard line. Niggemann then took it into the end zone for a touchdown for a 7-0 lead with 4:56 left in the first quarter.

The Bearcats gained the first turnover of the game when Austin McKinney batted a pass away at the goalline and Holden Zigmant corralled the pass for an interception at the one-yard line to thwart a PSU drive.

Unfortunately, Northwest could not gain a first down and was forced to punt. Lammel unleashed a 49-yard punt that was returned by Ryan Medeiros to the Bearcat 32-yard line. The Gorillas then drove 32 yards in four plays and cashed in with a two-yard touchdown run by Niggemann. Niggemann took a direct snap and plunged in from two yards out.

The Gorillas took advantage of the short field late in the first half and marched 41 yards in 10 plays. Niggemann stepped in at quarterback again near the goal line and rolled left for a four-yard keeper that reached the end zone to give PSU a 21-0 lead, which they took into the halftime break.

At the half, Pittsburg State had amassed 144 yards of total offense. Northwest would hold the Gorillas to 27 total yards in the second half.

The Bearcats avoided their first shutout since a 20-0 blanking by South Dakota State in 2003, when quarterback Henry Martin scrambled 38 yards for a touchdown with 3:31 left in the game. For Martin, it was his fourth rushing touchdown of the season.

The Bearcat defense forced another punt with 2:29 to play in the game. Bearcat punt returner Dominic Myers caught the PSU punt at the 5-yard line and was tackled for a two-yard loss putting the Bearcats's backs against the wall to start its drive.

Martin was sacked by Elijah Mort on on the first play of the drive to cap the scoring in the game.

Chris Ruhnke was 16 of 26 passing for 161 yards, before being replaced by Martin who was 9 of 14 for 89 yards, with one rushing touchdown.&nbsp; Tank Young rushed 11 times for 17 yards, while Luke Mathews (three catches, 65 yards) and&nbsp;John Giagiari (six catches, 55 yards) led the receivers.

Northwest completes its season with a mark of 6-5 overall and 5-4 in the MIAA. Pittsburg State is 8-2 overall and 7-2 in the MIAA. The Gorillas will await the NCAA playoff announcement on Sunday to find out their next assignment in Super Region III.

Late night stunner as Jayhawks take down undefeated #6 BYU

PROVO, Utah -- — Jalon Daniels threw for 169 yards, Dylan Neal ran for two touchdowns and Kansas upset No. 7 BYU 17-13 on Saturday night to hand the Cougars their first loss of the season.

The Jayhawks (4-6, 3-4 Big 12) beat ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks for the first time in school history. Neal surpassed 4,000 yards rushing in his career, finishing with 52 yards on the ground.

Jake Retzlaff threw for 192 yards for BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 6 College Football Playoffs). LJ Martin ran for 76 yards for the Cougars , who were held to a field goal in the second half.

Trailing 13-10 entering the fourth quarter, Kansas went ahead on Neal's 3-yard run.

Daniels quick-kicked on fourth-and-14 at the BYU 36 but, when Jakob Robinson dove to secure the ball, it squirted out of his arms. Quentin Skinner pounced on the loose ball at the 3 to set up the go-ahead score.

BYU drove to the Kansas 15 with two minutes left. The Cougars turned it over on downs when Chase Roberts was tackled 3 yards short of a first down with 46 seconds left.

Kansas: The Jayhawks took care of the ball and made smart decisions against an opportunistic BYU defense that ultimately forced only one turnover.

BYU: A turnover prevented a potential go-ahead score before halftime. A second one led to a late Kansas lead.

Kansas hosts Colorado on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp; Kickoff will be at 2:30 pm and the game will be televised on Fox.

&nbsp;#16 Wildcats claw back, but rough first half too much to overcome

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- — Sam Leavitt threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns, Jordyn Tyson had 12 catches for 176 yards and two of the scores, and Arizona State held off No. 20 Kansas State 24-14 on Saturday night in the Sun Devils' first trip to their new Big 12 rival.

Cam Skattebo returned from an injury to run for 73 yards, and the Sun Devils (8-2, 5-2) built a 21-0 halftime lead, before Kenny Dillingham's team held on for a third straight win to remain in contention for the Big 12 championship game.

“Everybody keeps saying, 'Oh, there's a reason they're winning and it's not because they're good,'” Dillingham said. “That has to bother you. This is the first week I really dove into that. I was pulling things out to show the guys for motivation this week. We really dove into people not believing in the football team, and not believing in the guys, and I think they responded."

Avery Johnson threw for 258 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown run for Kansas State (7-3, 4-3, No. 16 CFP), which had been 4-0 at home this season and 15-3 over the past three. D.J. Giddens ran for 133 yards and Joe Jackson had a TD run.

“I told the guys, “I'm going to take ownership of this on my own,'” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. ”The whole program is on me. I didn't do a good enough job with the game plan. I didn't do a good enough job with the players."

The bumbling Wildcats, who turned the ball over three times and failed to get the snap down on two field-goal tries, sure didn't look like a conference title contender that had last week off to prepare for the Sun Devils.

Johnson was picked off on the second play of the game, and Arizona State marched 49 yards with Leavitt hitting Tyson for the touchdown. On the next series, Dylan Edwards and Giddens were stuffed on consecutive carries, giving the Sun Devils the ball back on downs. And on the Wildcats' third series, Jayce Brown fumbled the ball away after a catch.

“Props to our defense for creating takeaways and putting us in a situation where we didn't have to go the length of the field,” Leavitt said. “We just executed on offense.”

CFB Roundup: MWSU closes season with win, Ravens break records in win, Jayhawks stun BYU

A man and a woman have been arrested, charged in last Sunday's fatal shooting in midtown St. Joseph.

The St. Joseph Police Department reports 36-year-old Brian Helm and 23-year-old Melanie Myers have been taken into custody. Both have been charged with 2nd degree murder in the shooting death of 36-year-old Dustin Allen Graham of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph police consider the
shooting death a targeted homicide.

St. Joseph police officers responded to an emergency call
about shots being fired near North 20th and Jules Street shortly
after noon on the 10th. An officer discovered Graham inside a vehicle in the
1900 block of Jules, suffering from a gunshot wound. Graham was rushed to
the hospital for emergency treatment, but died later.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA man and a woman have been arrested, charged in last Sunday's fatal shooting in midtown St. Joseph.The St. Joseph Police Department reports 36-year-old Brian Helm and 23-year-old Melanie Myers have been taken into custody. Both have been charged with 2nd degree murder in the shooting death of 36-year-old Dustin Allen Graham of St. Joseph.Both are in jail. Bond has been denied.St. Joseph police consider the
shooting death a targeted homicide.St. Joseph police officers responded to an emergency call
about shots being fired near North 20th and Jules Street shortly
after noon on the 10th. An officer discovered Graham inside a vehicle in the
1900 block of Jules, suffering from a gunshot wound. Graham was rushed to
the hospital for emergency treatment, but died later.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Two arrested, charged in Sunday fatal St. Joseph shooting

LIVINGSTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 4p.m. Saturday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1987 Oldsmobile passenger vehicle driven by an 82-year-old man from Hale was westbound on County Road 311 at County Road 100. The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle traveled off the left side of the road.

A private vehicle transported the driver to Carroll County Memorial Hospital He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 4p.m. Saturday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1987 Oldsmobile passenger vehicle driven by an 82-year-old man from Hale was westbound on County Road 311 at County Road 100. The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle traveled off the left side of the road.A private vehicle transported the driver to Carroll County Memorial Hospital He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Mo. driver injured after he fails to negotiate a curve in the road

LIVINGSTON COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Friday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Lexus driven by a 44-year-old from Overland Park, Kansas was westbound on U.S. 36 two miles west of Utica.

The Lexus rear-ended a 2000 Peterbilt semi driven by a 70-year-old Chillicothe man who was slowing to make a turn

The driver of the Lexus was pronounced dead at the scene. Chillicothe ambulance transported the semi driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.&nbsp; The patrol did not release the names of the drivers.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Friday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Lexus driven by a 44-year-old from Overland Park, Kansas was westbound on U.S. 36 two miles west of Utica.The Lexus rear-ended a 2000 Peterbilt semi driven by a 70-year-old Chillicothe man who was slowing to make a turnThe driver of the Lexus was pronounced dead at the scene. Chillicothe ambulance transported the semi driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.&nbsp; The patrol did not release the names of the drivers.

Kansas man dies after vehicle rear-ends a semi's trailer

BROWN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 1p.m. Friday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Jeep driven by Janelle Leigh&nbsp;Kaster, 41, Sabetha, was westbound on Kansas 246 just north of Sabetha. The driver failed to yield at the intersection of U.S. 75.&nbsp; and struck a northbound 2019 Dodge Challenger driven by Avery Joshua&nbsp;Vanbuskirk, 29, Augusta, Kansas.

EMS transported Kaster to&nbsp; Sabetha Community Hospital.&nbsp;Vanbuskirk and two passengers in the Dodge were not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 1p.m. Friday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Jeep driven by Janelle Leigh&nbsp;Kaster, 41, Sabetha, was westbound on Kansas 246 just north of Sabetha. The driver failed to yield at the intersection of U.S. 75.&nbsp; and struck a northbound 2019 Dodge Challenger driven by Avery Joshua&nbsp;Vanbuskirk, 29, Augusta, Kansas.EMS transported Kaster to&nbsp; Sabetha Community Hospital.&nbsp;Vanbuskirk and two passengers in the Dodge were not injured. All four were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman hospitalized after car, SUV crash

The FIFA World Cup isn't coming to Kansas City until 2026, but already tourism officials are beginning to prepare for a large amount of people. 

Over the last month the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau has seen several presentations from Visit KC, the Missouri Division of Tourism, and the FIFA committee for Kansas City 

Director of Communications and Marketing Christian Mengel says these presentations have been designed to loop in tourism officials surrounding Kansas City 

"To give these presentations and talk about hey here's what to expect," Mengel tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  "And given the amount of work it took to just become a host city, they would not be wasting their time right now talking to the area places if they did not know that it was going to affect us." 

Executive Director Marci Bennett says a focus right now is designing tourism packages for people coming from all over the world to the area 

"For example, we're working on a Jesse James package, which includes Clay County" Bennett explains.  "And so,, we do the farm home, we do the burial site, we do the murder site, the banks, all that kind of thing, and there are people that would want that significantly." 

Bennett says starting in 2025 they will begin to present those packages to people from the UK and abroad so the packages can be promoted over there.  

Bennett adds a challenge right now is not knowing where fans of the World Cup are going to be coming from 

"We can't mess it up, but we want to make sure that we enhance it to the greatest ability that we can," Bennett says.  "And we're just trying to find those little holes to plug into that we do make it the best experience for not only the visitor, but for the economic development of our community." 

Bennett says they won't know until 2026 what teams will be going to what home base locations.  

Qualifying matches for the World Cup began in September, and will wrap up at the end of March 2026

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731686921178.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The FIFA World Cup isn't coming to Kansas City until 2026, but already tourism officials are beginning to prepare for a large amount of people. Over the last month the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau has seen several presentations from Visit KC, the Missouri Division of Tourism, and the FIFA committee for Kansas City Director of Communications and Marketing Christian Mengel says these presentations have been designed to loop in tourism officials surrounding Kansas City "To give these presentations and talk about hey here's what to expect," Mengel tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And given the amount of work it took to just become a host city, they would not be wasting their time right now talking to the area places if they did not know that it was going to affect us." Executive Director Marci Bennett says a focus right now is designing tourism packages for people coming from all over the world to the area "For example, we're working on a Jesse James package, which includes Clay County" Bennett explains. "And so,, we do the farm home, we do the burial site, we do the murder site, the banks, all that kind of thing, and there are people that would want that significantly." Bennett says starting in 2025 they will begin to present those packages to people from the UK and abroad so the packages can be promoted over there. Bennett adds a challenge right now is not knowing where fans of the World Cup are going to be coming from "We can't mess it up, but we want to make sure that we enhance it to the greatest ability that we can," Bennett says. "And we're just trying to find those little holes to plug into that we do make it the best experience for not only the visitor, but for the economic development of our community." Bennett says they won't know until 2026 what teams will be going to what home base locations. Qualifying matches for the World Cup began in September, and will wrap up at the end of March 2026Friday Journal<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/41ccQYZiHwZncEhhO9gVXE?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>KFEQ Hotline Interview<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/67hinXsBLS7ReXCUlFu8KW?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Preperations beginning as the FIFA World Cup comes in 2026

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/tadeoruizsandoval/">TADEO RUIZ SANDOVAL</a>

Health care providers say they are seeing a drastic increase in the number of emergency contraceptive kit requests by Missourians since the election.

The Missouri Family Health Council helps fund the state’s reproductive health care through Title X, a federal grant. It has a program that allows Missourians to order emergency contraception kits via mail for free.

The kits include an emergency contraception pill, condoms and sexual health information. On a typical day, the council sees around 17 requests for emergency contraception kits. Since last Monday, that number has ballooned to over 90 requests a day.

While passing Amendment 3 safeguards abortion rights in Missouri for now, Michelle Trupiano, the council’s executive director, said people are still worried about access to reproductive health care under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

While Trump has said he would not “impose restrictions on birth control or other contraceptives,” his campaign has yet to formally announce a plan.

“What this shows us is people are scared,” Trupiano said. “They’re scared of what the future holds, they’re scared about access to contraception, and they’re doing what they can now in order to protect themselves.”

Missourians are not the only ones feeling this way. Nationally, states have reported higher numbers of kit requests, such as Oklahoma, Missouri’s western neighbor.

Laura Bellis is the executive director of Take Control Initiative, one of Oklahoma’s Title X grantees. The day after the election, they saw over 1,000 people requesting kits; the following day that number doubled.

Bellis said some parents would request kits for their children because they were not sure how accessible it would be in the future for them.

“This is the last line of defense if you’re trying to prevent a pregnancy,” Bellis said. “People are like, ‘I need to have every resource.’ So we’re seeing people panic buying like what you saw during the pandemic with masks or toilet paper.”

The confusion surrounding reproductive health care in Missouri could make it harder for people to access the care they need, said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri.

“That fear is a barrier in and of itself,” Schwarz said. “One of the most important things that individuals and local organizations can do is to spread accurate information.”

Abortion Action Missouri is a reproductive health advocacy group that canvassed in support of Amendment 3. Amendment 3’s journey to reach the ballot was perilous. The measure narrowly passed a 4-3 ruling from the Missouri Supreme Court, which considered removing it from the ballot.

The group said the challenges Amendment 3 faced could show potential pushback from the state for reproductive health care.

“The pattern is the people speak and our government tries to over undermine the will of the people,” Schwarz said.

Her team, alongside other providers, suggest users check the expiration date on pill packages and communicate with their doctor to learn what the best options are for each person. The contraception pills typically have a life span of four years, after which they become ineffective.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/missouri-sees-an-uptick-in-emergency-contraception-requests-following-election-day/article_3a04499a-a204-11ef-aa38-6fed65cc03a0.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685626036011.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/tadeoruizsandoval/">TADEO RUIZ SANDOVAL</a>Health care providers say they are seeing a drastic increase in the number of emergency contraceptive kit requests by Missourians since the election.The Missouri Family Health Council helps fund the state’s reproductive health care through Title X, a federal grant. It has a program that allows Missourians to order emergency contraception kits via mail for free.The kits include an emergency contraception pill, condoms and sexual health information. On a typical day, the council sees around 17 requests for emergency contraception kits. Since last Monday, that number has ballooned to over 90 requests a day.While passing Amendment 3 safeguards abortion rights in Missouri for now, Michelle Trupiano, the council’s executive director, said people are still worried about access to reproductive health care under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.While Trump has said he would not “impose restrictions on birth control or other contraceptives,” his campaign has yet to formally announce a plan.“What this shows us is people are scared,” Trupiano said. “They’re scared of what the future holds, they’re scared about access to contraception, and they’re doing what they can now in order to protect themselves.”Missourians are not the only ones feeling this way. Nationally, states have reported higher numbers of kit requests, such as Oklahoma, Missouri’s western neighbor.Laura Bellis is the executive director of Take Control Initiative, one of Oklahoma’s Title X grantees. The day after the election, they saw over 1,000 people requesting kits; the following day that number doubled.Bellis said some parents would request kits for their children because they were not sure how accessible it would be in the future for them.“This is the last line of defense if you’re trying to prevent a pregnancy,” Bellis said. “People are like, ‘I need to have every resource.’ So we’re seeing people panic buying like what you saw during the pandemic with masks or toilet paper.”The confusion surrounding reproductive health care in Missouri could make it harder for people to access the care they need, said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri.“That fear is a barrier in and of itself,” Schwarz said. “One of the most important things that individuals and local organizations can do is to spread accurate information.”Abortion Action Missouri is a reproductive health advocacy group that canvassed in support of Amendment 3. Amendment 3’s journey to reach the ballot was perilous. The measure narrowly passed a 4-3 ruling from the Missouri Supreme Court, which considered removing it from the ballot.The group said the challenges Amendment 3 faced could show potential pushback from the state for reproductive health care.“The pattern is the people speak and our government tries to over undermine the will of the people,” Schwarz said.Her team, alongside other providers, suggest users check the expiration date on pill packages and communicate with their doctor to learn what the best options are for each person. The contraception pills typically have a life span of four years, after which they become ineffective.This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/missouri-sees-an-uptick-in-emergency-contraception-requests-following-election-day/article_3a04499a-a204-11ef-aa38-6fed65cc03a0.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Missouri sees an uptick in emergency contraception requests after Election Day

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Thursday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Honda Odyssey driven by an 81-year-old woman from Pender, Nebraska, was southbound on Interstate 29 four miles south of Fillmore.

The driver lost control of the van. It traveled off the south side of the road, up an embankment and struck multiple trees.

Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic in St. Joseph. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Thursday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Honda Odyssey driven by an 81-year-old woman from Pender, Nebraska, was southbound on Interstate 29 four miles south of Fillmore.The driver lost control of the van. It traveled off the south side of the road, up an embankment and struck multiple trees.Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic in St. Joseph. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Woman hospitalized in St. Joe after van strikes multiple trees

The 24th annual Christmas for Kids Toy Drive, hosted by JoeTown 107.5's Gregg Lynn, is in full swing.  

The first toy drive was in 2001, and Lynn says despite a near recession, a pandemic, and then rising costs on products, the St. Joseph community has continued to provide for kids in need 

"I mean it's been thousands of kids over the last 2o some years, thousands of gifts, tens of thousands of dollars in donations to help these organizations too," Lynn tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So we're pretty proud of the fact that we're able to keep doing it, and we're really grateful for the St. Joe community that they've been able to help us out all these years." 

Currently, people are gathering toys on wishlists for kids, which Lynn says so far, has been going pretty well 

"We're down to about 15 or 20 kids to go on these lists, but there's still need, we've got to fill the toy room at Adopt-A-Family, so really people can donate any new, unwrapped toy," Lynn says.  "Bring it out to the stuidos, I'll even give you a Shop St. Joe ticket you can make some money, and then all those toys will fill the toy room at Adopt-A-Family." 

Available wish lists can be found on the Gregg Lynn Radio Show Facebook page. 

While new and unwrapped toys are nice, Lynn says there are also other ways to help financially, with coin buckets out at several area businesses. 

"If you don't want to buy a toy, or you're not in a position to buy a toy, or you can't take care of a whole kid, or you don't want to do just one thing, if you see one of these buckets out at Fastgas or one of these locations, drop a buck in, drop a couple quarters in, all that money adds up to $600, $800, $1,000 to buy more toys that we need for these organizations," Lynn explains. 

Coin buckets will be out at several local businesses until November 24th.  The toy drive runs through Black Friday, November 29th.   

The finale of this year’s toy drive will be a live event from 5am to 5pm at the St. Joe Frontier Casino, right inside the front door. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731599511077.jpeg" alt="Gregg Lynn's Christmas for Kids Toy Drive is collecting toys to help kids in need have a happy Christmas/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Gregg Lynn's Christmas for Kids Toy Drive is collecting toys to help kids in need have a happy Christmas/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The 24th annual Christmas for Kids Toy Drive, hosted by JoeTown 107.5's Gregg Lynn, is in full swing. The first toy drive was in 2001, and Lynn says despite a near recession, a pandemic, and then rising costs on products, the St. Joseph community has continued to provide for kids in need "I mean it's been thousands of kids over the last 2o some years, thousands of gifts, tens of thousands of dollars in donations to help these organizations too," Lynn tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So we're pretty proud of the fact that we're able to keep doing it, and we're really grateful for the St. Joe community that they've been able to help us out all these years." Currently, people are gathering toys on wishlists for kids, which Lynn says so far, has been going pretty well "We're down to about 15 or 20 kids to go on these lists, but there's still need, we've got to fill the toy room at Adopt-A-Family, so really people can donate any new, unwrapped toy," Lynn says. "Bring it out to the stuidos, I'll even give you a Shop St. Joe ticket you can make some money, and then all those toys will fill the toy room at Adopt-A-Family." Available wish lists can be found on the Gregg Lynn Radio Show Facebook page. While new and unwrapped toys are nice, Lynn says there are also other ways to help financially, with coin buckets out at several area businesses. "If you don't want to buy a toy, or you're not in a position to buy a toy, or you can't take care of a whole kid, or you don't want to do just one thing, if you see one of these buckets out at Fastgas or one of these locations, drop a buck in, drop a couple quarters in, all that money adds up to $600, $800, $1,000 to buy more toys that we need for these organizations," Lynn explains. Coin buckets will be out at several local businesses until November 24th. The toy drive runs through Black Friday, November 29th. The finale of this year’s toy drive will be a live event from 5am to 5pm at the St. Joe Frontier Casino, right inside the front door. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

JoeTown 107.5's Gregg Lynn collecting Christmas toys for kids

St. Joseph police ask for the public’s help as they
investigate a homicide from Sunday.

The St. Joseph Police Department has identified the victim as
36-year-old Dustin Allen Graham of St. Joseph. The department considers the
shooting death a targeted homicide.

St. Joseph police officers responded to an emergency call
about shots being fired near North 20th and Jules Street shortly
after noon Sunday. An officer discovered Graham inside a vehicle in the
1900 block of Jules, suffering from a gunshot wound. Graham was rushed to
the hospital for emergency treatment, but died later.

No suspect is in custody. Anyone with information on the
shooting is urged to contact the St. Joseph Police Department directly or use
P3 Tips.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph police ask for the public’s help as they
investigate a homicide from Sunday.The St. Joseph Police Department has identified the victim as
36-year-old Dustin Allen Graham of St. Joseph. The department considers the
shooting death a targeted homicide.St. Joseph police officers responded to an emergency call
about shots being fired near North 20th and Jules Street shortly
after noon Sunday. An officer discovered Graham inside a vehicle in the
1900 block of Jules, suffering from a gunshot wound. Graham was rushed to
the hospital for emergency treatment, but died later.No suspect is in custody. Anyone with information on the
shooting is urged to contact the St. Joseph Police Department directly or use
P3 Tips.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph police ask for public's help investigating homicide

Missouri Department of Transportation’s new director takes helm as funding swells and staffing levels increase

BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731589295794.png" alt="Ed Hassinger, the new director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, speaks about historic investment in the department during a press conference announcing his new role Wednesday morning (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Ed Hassinger, the new director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, speaks about historic investment in the department during a press conference announcing his new role Wednesday morning (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri Department of Transportation’s new director takes helm as funding swells and staffing levels increase</h2>BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Closing out a four-month search for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s new director, a 40-year veteran of the department stepped up Wednesday as the unanimous choice of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.Ed Hassinger, who has been serving as interim director, told reporters in a press conference that increasing staffing levels is a top priority. He said the department has missed more than 2 million labor hours in the past decade — a result of pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/06/vacancies-turnover-leave-thousands-of-jobs-unfilled-in-missouri-state-government/">high turnover rates</a>, a reduction in the amount of incarcerated workers the department once relied on and other stressors.One tool to restore staffing levels is better pay and the department is awaiting the outcome of a legal battle to determine whether it has the ability to use the Road Fund to increase employees’ wages. The department&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/01/judge-approves-pay-raise-plan-for-missouri-transportation-agency-workers/">won its case in Cole County Circuit Court</a>&nbsp;and oral arguments were made last week to<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/07/appeals-court-judges-hear-arguments-over-limits-on-use-of-missouri-road-fund/">&nbsp;the Western District Missouri Court of Appeals</a>.Hassinger said the department has “the resources” but doesn’t have them available. The department will be asking for authorization to spend money currently in the Road Fund to pay 250 additional employees.“This is Road Fund money; we already have it, but we just need the legislative approval,” he said.The department asked the legislature for the money last year but was denied after lawmakers pointed to a large number of vacancies. Hassinger doesn’t expect to have the same issue this year, saying the department has “stopped the bleed” and maintenance positions are anticipated to be full by July.He enters the position at a time when the department has a “generational level of funding” that has taken “many decades of work.”The state legislature has been appropriating money from the state’s general fund for the department, defying precedent. Commission Chair Dustin Boatright told reporters he expects to ask for additional general-fund appropriations.MoDOT has a plan to spend $14.6 billion over five years on the state’s infrastructure. Boatright said the department has secured all the federal appropriations available and applied for additional discretionary funding from the federal government.The commission had to choose someone who could seamlessly manage the large volume of work. The obvious choice was Hassinger, he said.“The historic number of projects that we currently have underway requires somebody who can hit the ground running with years of project management experience and a track record of fostering leadership development within the department,” Boatright said. “While we had candidates with solid skills and extensive experience, Ed is who we believe is the best fit.”He lauded Hassinger’s record as the department’s chief engineer since 2013 with additional duties as deputy director since 2018.“(Hassinger) has consistently produced results that have made Missouri a national leader in project delivery and provided great value to each and every Missourian,” he said.The department has completed over 4,000 projects in the past decade at a cost of $9.7 billion.“I want to just highlight that we’re building on a foundation here,” Hassinger said. “Those that have come before us, and commissions previous and leaders in the department have built the foundation we are standing on, and we’re going to take that to the next level and deliver.”Former director Patrick McKenna held the role for nine years and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/07/its-time-to-move-on-missouri-transportation-director-announces-resignation/">resigned in August</a>, saying he had “never been more confident in the future of MoDOT.” He&nbsp;<a href="https://enotrans.org/article/patrick-mckenna-named-president-and-ceo-of-the-eno-center-for-transportation/" target="_blank">now works as President and CEO</a>&nbsp;of the Eno Center for Transportation, a nonprofit think tank focused on transportation policy.Among the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/missouri-lawmakers-vie-for-top-state-transportation-job/article_64bd6192-9c66-11ef-9c70-4fc97cfc1cf7.html" target="_blank">other candidates seeking the MoDOT leadership position</a>&nbsp;were state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee.The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

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