Among the provisions in the bill are funding for schools, summer food for kids and money to maintain meal and transit services to Missouri seniors

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The first spending bill of the year — almost $2 billion to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/30/missouri-supplemental-budget-shows-shortfall-in-medicaid-education-funding/">fund state agencies through June 30</a>&nbsp;— was approved Thursday by the Missouri House Budget Committee.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB14&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">supplemental appropriation bill</a>&nbsp;includes money to make sure public schools receive their full allocation under the foundation formula, $103 million for federally financed&nbsp;<a href="https://mydss.mo.gov/SuNBucks" target="_blank">summer food programs</a>&nbsp;and funding to eliminate waiting lists for developmental disability and behavioral health services.

The bill, which is moving earlier than some supplemental bills from past years, has a handful of items where money will run out relatively soon. One item is $14 million for area agencies on aging, which will run short of money by the end of the month.

“That probably is as much of a pain point as anything,” said committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel. “I think there’s about $50 million in federal funds that are available they don’t have the authority to spend.”

Dan Haug, state budget director, said the funding for the aging agencies, which&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/seniors/aaa/" target="_blank">provide services like</a>&nbsp;home-delivered meals, transportation and personal services, is the most urgent item in the bill.&nbsp;

“That’s probably the one that we’re most concerned about,” Haug said.&nbsp;

The real spur to early action, Deaton said, is a request from Gov. Mike Kehoe to move the supplemental spending ahead of the budget bills for the coming fiscal year.

“The administration asked, before the State of the State, if it was possible we could get this to his desk by March,” Deaton said.

The supplemental appropriation bill consists of items requested by Kehoe to finish the fiscal year. Lawmakers can cut or refuse to fund items but cannot add new spending.

One item cut is $11.7 million of revenue from marijuana sales intended to support the work of the Office of Public Defender. The money is unanticipated revenue from marijuana sales, which are higher than expected.

The money is not essential for the office to maintain its operations through the end of the year, Deaton said.

“Just because we have it doesn’t mean we necessarily have to spend it,” Deaton said. “Exactly what they need this for, what it would be used for, is unclear to me at this time.”

Mary Fox, state public defender, said after the vote that the money would have been used for salaries.

The speed of the committee action pleased state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the committee.

“We’re getting our work done in the House and I’m excited to pass the supplemental and fund the programs that help Missourians,” she said.

The quick action pleases the administration, Haug said.

“I feel pretty good about where we are,” he said.

The money to shore up the school foundation formula, $142.4 million, is to pay for increased funding mandated by a major education bill passed last year and to cover a shortfall in lottery revenue. The funding for developmental disability and behavioral health services was cut by $49 million from the $129.8 million request, but that is due to better projections of the need for services by June 30, Deaton said during the committee discussion.

The spending bill could be debated as early as next week in the Missouri House.

The budget for the coming fiscal year will undergo detailed work in several subcommittees next week. The five subcommittees will make recommendations for changes in Kehoe’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/28/gov-mike-kehoe-dips-deeply-into-surplus-as-missouri-budget-grows-to-nearly-54-billion/">$53.7 billion proposal</a>.&nbsp;

Once they report to the full Budget Committee, it will finalize its spending choices. The budget could be debated in the full House as early as the week of March 10, but that would require everything to go as smoothly as possible, Deaton said.

“We’re going to move as fast as we can, while doing a good job,” Deaton said. “Sometimes those things are at odds with each other.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740742010768.png" alt=" State Rep. Dirk Deaton, R-Noel, speaks on the Missouri House floor in May 2022 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption> State Rep. Dirk Deaton, R-Noel, speaks on the Missouri House floor in May 2022 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Among the provisions in the bill are funding for schools, summer food for kids and money to maintain meal and transit services to Missouri seniors</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The first spending bill of the year — almost $2 billion to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/30/missouri-supplemental-budget-shows-shortfall-in-medicaid-education-funding/">fund state agencies through June 30</a>&nbsp;— was approved Thursday by the Missouri House Budget Committee.The&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB14&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">supplemental appropriation bill</a>&nbsp;includes money to make sure public schools receive their full allocation under the foundation formula, $103 million for federally financed&nbsp;<a href="https://mydss.mo.gov/SuNBucks" target="_blank">summer food programs</a>&nbsp;and funding to eliminate waiting lists for developmental disability and behavioral health services.The bill, which is moving earlier than some supplemental bills from past years, has a handful of items where money will run out relatively soon. One item is $14 million for area agencies on aging, which will run short of money by the end of the month.“That probably is as much of a pain point as anything,” said committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel. “I think there’s about $50 million in federal funds that are available they don’t have the authority to spend.”Dan Haug, state budget director, said the funding for the aging agencies, which&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/seniors/aaa/" target="_blank">provide services like</a>&nbsp;home-delivered meals, transportation and personal services, is the most urgent item in the bill.&nbsp;“That’s probably the one that we’re most concerned about,” Haug said.&nbsp;The real spur to early action, Deaton said, is a request from Gov. Mike Kehoe to move the supplemental spending ahead of the budget bills for the coming fiscal year.“The administration asked, before the State of the State, if it was possible we could get this to his desk by March,” Deaton said.The supplemental appropriation bill consists of items requested by Kehoe to finish the fiscal year. Lawmakers can cut or refuse to fund items but cannot add new spending.One item cut is $11.7 million of revenue from marijuana sales intended to support the work of the Office of Public Defender. The money is unanticipated revenue from marijuana sales, which are higher than expected.The money is not essential for the office to maintain its operations through the end of the year, Deaton said.“Just because we have it doesn’t mean we necessarily have to spend it,” Deaton said. “Exactly what they need this for, what it would be used for, is unclear to me at this time.”Mary Fox, state public defender, said after the vote that the money would have been used for salaries.The speed of the committee action pleased state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the committee.“We’re getting our work done in the House and I’m excited to pass the supplemental and fund the programs that help Missourians,” she said.The quick action pleases the administration, Haug said.“I feel pretty good about where we are,” he said.The money to shore up the school foundation formula, $142.4 million, is to pay for increased funding mandated by a major education bill passed last year and to cover a shortfall in lottery revenue. The funding for developmental disability and behavioral health services was cut by $49 million from the $129.8 million request, but that is due to better projections of the need for services by June 30, Deaton said during the committee discussion.The spending bill could be debated as early as next week in the Missouri House.The budget for the coming fiscal year will undergo detailed work in several subcommittees next week. The five subcommittees will make recommendations for changes in Kehoe’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/28/gov-mike-kehoe-dips-deeply-into-surplus-as-missouri-budget-grows-to-nearly-54-billion/">$53.7 billion proposal</a>.&nbsp;Once they report to the full Budget Committee, it will finalize its spending choices. The budget could be debated in the full House as early as the week of March 10, but that would require everything to go as smoothly as possible, Deaton said.“We’re going to move as fast as we can, while doing a good job,” Deaton said. “Sometimes those things are at odds with each other.”

Budget committee sends $2 billion supplemental spending bill to Missouri House

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

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Chevy Cruz driven by a 60-year-old Lathrop man was northbound on Route A just south of Berlin Road.

The vehicle traveled off the road, overturned, struck a fence and came to rest on its top. DeKalb-Clinton EMS transported the driver to Mosaic. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Thursday in DeKalb County. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Chevy Cruz driven by a 60-year-old Lathrop man was northbound on Route A just south of Berlin Road.The vehicle traveled off the road, overturned, struck a fence and came to rest on its top. DeKalb-Clinton EMS transported the driver to Mosaic. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. man hospitalized after car overturned and struck a fence 

The St. Joseph School District is working to help students find a career path before they even get to college.  

Current Director of Curriculum and Instruction Stacia Studer is part of a team exploring the idea of college and career pathways.   

Studer says as early as eighth grade, students are presented career pathways and also take a test to identify their strengths towards a career. 

"In the end what we have is a product of ninth through twelfth grade, a student would have four career paths to choose from," Studer tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  "And in that pathway, we would align core work and market value assets to make our students successful in the career that they want to lead and the purpose that they've been given in life." 

Studer says much of this would not be possible without a partnership with Mosaic Life Care as well as the expansion of the Hillard Technical School.  

Studer says an expansion at Hillyard Technical School has opened up more pathways for students 

"Because our students are getting real experience in our classrooms and saying this is right for me or this is not right for me," Studer explains.  "And I'd rather them figure that out in high school, then later in college when they're paying for it." 

But even with what they've already achieved, Studer feels there's still more that can be done 

"We're looking at it by grade level, and we're starting with what are we already doing consistently across our district? And what you'll find is, very little," Studer says.  "And so, we want to place intentional work there to help our school system, whether you're at Oak Grove, whether you're at Eugene Field, whether you're at Hosea, that you're receiving the same experiences and opportunities to build that career identity." 

Studer was recently named to take on the role of Assistant Superintendent, replacing Ashly McGinnis as she becomes the new Superintendent. 

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/2019/8/1565308706201.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The St. Joseph School District is working to help students find a career path before they even get to college. Current Director of Curriculum and Instruction Stacia Studer is part of a team exploring the idea of college and career pathways. Studer says as early as eighth grade, students are presented career pathways and also take a test to identify their strengths towards a career. "In the end what we have is a product of ninth through twelfth grade, a student would have four career paths to choose from," Studer tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And in that pathway, we would align core work and market value assets to make our students successful in the career that they want to lead and the purpose that they've been given in life." Studer says much of this would not be possible without a partnership with Mosaic Life Care as well as the expansion of the Hillard Technical School. Studer says an expansion at Hillyard Technical School has opened up more pathways for students "Because our students are getting real experience in our classrooms and saying this is right for me or this is not right for me," Studer explains. "And I'd rather them figure that out in high school, then later in college when they're paying for it." But even with what they've already achieved, Studer feels there's still more that can be done "We're looking at it by grade level, and we're starting with what are we already doing consistently across our district? And what you'll find is, very little," Studer says. "And so, we want to place intentional work there to help our school system, whether you're at Oak Grove, whether you're at Eugene Field, whether you're at Hosea, that you're receiving the same experiences and opportunities to build that career identity." Studer was recently named to take on the role of Assistant Superintendent, replacing Ashly McGinnis as she becomes the new Superintendent. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

St. Joseph Schools strive to help students find a career

The longtime assistant director of the St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Department is becoming the director following the retirement of Chuck Kempf.  

Jeff Atkins has worked around the St. Joseph parks since 1986. He became the assistant director in 2016.  

Atkins says he's excited for the opportunity to serve as the Parks Director.  

"I've worked here now for 39 years, I still enjoy coming to work every day," Atkins tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "I enjoy what we do, I enjoy getting to go out in the evenings and see the fruits of our labor, you know go by one of our parks and just see it full of people that are enjoying things that I've had a hand in getting done." 

Atkins says his biggest goals in the new role are going to be keeping existing programs going 

"And we're continually monitoring the, oh gosh the airwaves if you want to call it, looking for new and upcoming activities that people are getting involved in, like pickleball," Atkins explains.  "Pickleball now, it's been around for a handful of years, but it was kind of a new and upcoming activity, and we got on board with that, and it's become very popular now." 

Atkins says some of the biggest projects he's excited to continue working on in his new role are the upgrades at Krug Park, which start later this year, and the new aquatics park coming to the city.  

Atkins is ready for the opportunity to serve as director, especially in light of the opportunities made possible by the voter approved park sales tax.  

Atkins says currently there are 40 active projects going, thanks to the park tax, and says one of his primary goals will be to keep the sales tax moving forward 

"And to make sure that we keep the promises that we made, and we get these projects done in a timely manner," Atkins says.  "And thankfully the monies are actually collecting faster than they were anticipated, so we've been able to move a couple projects forward and are getting them done much sooner than we had hoped." 

Atkins says he hopes to keep things moving forward and do a good enough job, that when the tax goes back to the citizens, they will vote to renew it.  

Atkins will officially take over the role on April 5th.  His starting salary will be $109,694. 

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736882881381.jpeg" alt="Krug Park/ File photo" />
 <figcaption>Krug Park/ File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The longtime assistant director of the St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Department is becoming the director following the retirement of Chuck Kempf. Jeff Atkins has worked around the St. Joseph parks since 1986. He became the assistant director in 2016. Atkins says he's excited for the opportunity to serve as the Parks Director. "I've worked here now for 39 years, I still enjoy coming to work every day," Atkins tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "I enjoy what we do, I enjoy getting to go out in the evenings and see the fruits of our labor, you know go by one of our parks and just see it full of people that are enjoying things that I've had a hand in getting done." Atkins says his biggest goals in the new role are going to be keeping existing programs going "And we're continually monitoring the, oh gosh the airwaves if you want to call it, looking for new and upcoming activities that people are getting involved in, like pickleball," Atkins explains. "Pickleball now, it's been around for a handful of years, but it was kind of a new and upcoming activity, and we got on board with that, and it's become very popular now." Atkins says some of the biggest projects he's excited to continue working on in his new role are the upgrades at Krug Park, which start later this year, and the new aquatics park coming to the city. Atkins is ready for the opportunity to serve as director, especially in light of the opportunities made possible by the voter approved park sales tax. Atkins says currently there are 40 active projects going, thanks to the park tax, and says one of his primary goals will be to keep the sales tax moving forward "And to make sure that we keep the promises that we made, and we get these projects done in a timely manner," Atkins says. "And thankfully the monies are actually collecting faster than they were anticipated, so we've been able to move a couple projects forward and are getting them done much sooner than we had hoped." Atkins says he hopes to keep things moving forward and do a good enough job, that when the tax goes back to the citizens, they will vote to renew it. Atkins will officially take over the role on April 5th. His starting salary will be $109,694. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Atkins excited about new role as Parks Dir. after 39 years with department

Applications are being accepted to receive funds from the city of St. Joseph and Buchanan County through the Opioid Settlement funds.  

The funds are a result of lawsuits that have been settled, with money coming into communities affected by the opioid epidemic.  

St. Joseph Assistant Health Director Kendra Bundy says the things they'll be looking to put the funds towards involve treatment, prevention, and education towards opioid use disorder 

"So, we actually have identified also funding objectives, so it's going to be things like filling substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery gaps in our community," Bundy tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "We want to support progressive, sustainable resources that will prevent substance use disorder, support existing local use and treatment recovery services." 

Bundy says while there are gaps in these areas, there are strategies about how to help fill those with these funds 

"We're looking at enhancing education, maybe targeting earlier age groups to get the messaging out there about substance use disorder or engaging social service agencies so that when a person is struggling and they don't know where to turn, we can provide an enhanced resource list," Bundy explains. 

Annually, $157,000 is distributed combined between the city and county. Bundy says the education piece the money will go towards is in early education.  

Bundy says the epidemic has seemed to target younger age groups, and says if you can get in the schools or educate teachers, that might be a way to help 

"I think once you start having that messaging earlier, it carries on throughout life like this is not the path you want to go down and there's a lot of consequences that come with that," Bundy says.  "And we're just going to start looking at earlier age groups because maybe by the time you're in high school it's not as effective to message to that group, we don't want to miss that group, but we also need to look at where problems start earlier and earlier." 

The deadline for applications is March 15th. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Applications are being accepted to receive funds from the city of St. Joseph and Buchanan County through the Opioid Settlement funds. The funds are a result of lawsuits that have been settled, with money coming into communities affected by the opioid epidemic. St. Joseph Assistant Health Director Kendra Bundy says the things they'll be looking to put the funds towards involve treatment, prevention, and education towards opioid use disorder "So, we actually have identified also funding objectives, so it's going to be things like filling substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery gaps in our community," Bundy tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "We want to support progressive, sustainable resources that will prevent substance use disorder, support existing local use and treatment recovery services." Bundy says while there are gaps in these areas, there are strategies about how to help fill those with these funds "We're looking at enhancing education, maybe targeting earlier age groups to get the messaging out there about substance use disorder or engaging social service agencies so that when a person is struggling and they don't know where to turn, we can provide an enhanced resource list," Bundy explains. Annually, $157,000 is distributed combined between the city and county. Bundy says the education piece the money will go towards is in early education. Bundy says the epidemic has seemed to target younger age groups, and says if you can get in the schools or educate teachers, that might be a way to help "I think once you start having that messaging earlier, it carries on throughout life like this is not the path you want to go down and there's a lot of consequences that come with that," Bundy says. "And we're just going to start looking at earlier age groups because maybe by the time you're in high school it's not as effective to message to that group, we don't want to miss that group, but we also need to look at where problems start earlier and earlier." The deadline for applications is March 15th. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Application period open for distribution of Opioid Settlement funds

St. Joseph school
officials say they are investigating and do not condone an anti-Trump photo
posted on social media by a Bessie Ellison Elementary School custodian.

The St. Joseph
School District, in a statement, said it has received inquiries about the photo.
The photo shows a person squatting over a student Valentine’s Day box with a
President Trump theme. The social media post appears to contain comments from
the employee.

The district
stated it does not condone the actions of the employee.

“Although the
individual in this matter is not a teacher, the District has standards for
staff conduct that apply to all employees,” according to the statement.

School officials
say the matter is being thoroughly investigated and will be appropriately
addressed. 

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph school
officials say they are investigating and do not condone an anti-Trump photo
posted on social media by a Bessie Ellison Elementary School custodian.The St. Joseph
School District, in a statement, said it has received inquiries about the photo.
The photo shows a person squatting over a student Valentine’s Day box with a
President Trump theme. The social media post appears to contain comments from
the employee.The district
stated it does not condone the actions of the employee.“Although the
individual in this matter is not a teacher, the District has standards for
staff conduct that apply to all employees,” according to the statement.School officials
say the matter is being thoroughly investigated and will be appropriately
addressed. You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph School District says it is investigating anti-Trump photo

The former assistant of the St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Department will now take the lead following the retirement of longtime director Chuck Kempf.&nbsp;

Jeff Atkins has been named the director of the Parks and Recreation Department, after serving the last 20 years as the Assistant Director under Kempf, who announced his intention to retire in January.&nbsp;

Atkins was born and raised in St. Joseph and began his career with the City of St. Joseph in 1986, serving as the maintenance electrician for the parks department. He was later promoted to park maintenance field supervisor followed by superintendent of parks and became the assistant director in 2016. 

His extensive experience, leadership and historical knowledge of St. Joseph’spark system will continue to serve the department well.

“Jeff is a strong leader who is very dedicated to our community.” Kempf said in a news release from the city. 

Kempf has confidence inAtkins’ ability to continue improving our parks and facilities with the help of the voter-approvedParks Sales Tax and the ongoing support of numerous staff and volunteers.

Atkins’ appointment is effective April 5, 2025, and his salary will be $109,694.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740599914302.jpeg" alt="Jeff Atkins was named the new director of the St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Department, he previously served as the Assistant Director under longtime Director Chuck Kempf/&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Jeff Atkins was named the new director of the St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Department, he previously served as the Assistant Director under longtime Director Chuck Kempf/&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe former assistant of the St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Department will now take the lead following the retirement of longtime director Chuck Kempf.&nbsp;Jeff Atkins has been named the director of the Parks and Recreation Department, after serving the last 20 years as the Assistant Director under Kempf, who announced his intention to retire in January.&nbsp;Atkins was born and raised in St. Joseph and began his career with the City of St. Joseph in 1986, serving as the maintenance electrician for the parks department. He was later promoted to park maintenance field supervisor followed by superintendent of parks and became the assistant director in 2016. His extensive experience, leadership and historical knowledge of St. Joseph’spark system will continue to serve the department well.“Jeff is a strong leader who is very dedicated to our community.” Kempf said in a news release from the city. Kempf has confidence inAtkins’ ability to continue improving our parks and facilities with the help of the voter-approvedParks Sales Tax and the ongoing support of numerous staff and volunteers.Atkins’ appointment is effective April 5, 2025, and his salary will be $109,694.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Jeff Atkins named Director of St. Joseph Parks and Recreation department

Maryville fire
officials have identified the victim in Monday morning’s fatal fire.

The Maryville Fire
Department says 76-year-old Scott Ross died of injuries sustained in the fire
of his home on Chick Avenue.

The department
says it got a call about a structure fire shortly before four o’clock Monday
morning. Firefighters found the house engulfed upon arrival with heavy smoke
and flames coming from both the front and rear of the house. A resident of the
house, Meredith Ross, told police officers her husband was trapped inside a
main-floor bedroom.

Firefighters
removed Ross from the bedroom and Nodaway County Ambulance District emergency
personnel provided immediate treatment at the scene. Ross died later at the
hospital.

The Missouri State
Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

The public is
encouraged to contact Maryville Fire Chief Jace Pine at 660-562-3209 if they
have any information that would help in the investigation.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMaryville fire
officials have identified the victim in Monday morning’s fatal fire.The Maryville Fire
Department says 76-year-old Scott Ross died of injuries sustained in the fire
of his home on Chick Avenue.The department
says it got a call about a structure fire shortly before four o’clock Monday
morning. Firefighters found the house engulfed upon arrival with heavy smoke
and flames coming from both the front and rear of the house. A resident of the
house, Meredith Ross, told police officers her husband was trapped inside a
main-floor bedroom.Firefighters
removed Ross from the bedroom and Nodaway County Ambulance District emergency
personnel provided immediate treatment at the scene. Ross died later at the
hospital.The Missouri State
Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.The public is
encouraged to contact Maryville Fire Chief Jace Pine at 660-562-3209 if they
have any information that would help in the investigation.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Maryville fire officials release identification of victim in fatal fire

A 20-year-old St.
Joseph man has been charged after pulling a gun on a St. Joseph police officer
during a dispute outside a grocery store.

Trevor Szuba has
been charged with first-degree assault stemming from the January 31st
confrontation outside Price Chopper off of North Belt Highway.

St. Joseph police
report in the probable cause statement that Sgt. Jeremy Peters attempted to
arrest a woman, later identified as Rachel Downs, for shoplifting. Downs fled
the store into the parking lot where the two struggled as a truck pulled up and
the driver got out, pointing a gun at the officer. Peters drew his gun and
though he fired two shots no one was harmed. Another woman left the store, got
in the truck, and the three drove off.

The truck was
located later, abandoned in Buchanan County. A search of the truck revealed a
live 9mm round on the driver’s floorboard and a receipt for Szuba under the
driver’s visor.

Sgt. Peters
has returned to full duty following an investigation of the shooting by the
Missouri State Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740591858895.jpeg" alt="Trevor Szuba/Buchanan County Jail photo" />
 <figcaption>Trevor Szuba/Buchanan County Jail photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA 20-year-old St.
Joseph man has been charged after pulling a gun on a St. Joseph police officer
during a dispute outside a grocery store.Trevor Szuba has
been charged with first-degree assault stemming from the January 31st
confrontation outside Price Chopper off of North Belt Highway.St. Joseph police
report in the probable cause statement that Sgt. Jeremy Peters attempted to
arrest a woman, later identified as Rachel Downs, for shoplifting. Downs fled
the store into the parking lot where the two struggled as a truck pulled up and
the driver got out, pointing a gun at the officer. Peters drew his gun and
though he fired two shots no one was harmed. Another woman left the store, got
in the truck, and the three drove off.The truck was
located later, abandoned in Buchanan County. A search of the truck revealed a
live 9mm round on the driver’s floorboard and a receipt for Szuba under the
driver’s visor.Sgt. Peters
has returned to full duty following an investigation of the shooting by the
Missouri State Highway Patrol.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Man who pulled gun on St. Joseph officer charged

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/natanyafriedheim/">NATANYA FRIEDHEIM</a>

A bill to create three new child care tax credits received initial approval by the Missouri House on Tuesday. A similar measure received bipartisan support last year but fell victim to Republican infighting in the Senate.

The measure would help employers foot the bill for their employees’ child care costs and encourage existing providers to grow their capacity. Shields said three-fourths of Missouri’s 114 counties are considered “child care deserts.” It needs to be approved one more time in the House before heading to the Senate.

“We have a child care crisis in our state. We’re all familiar with it,” state Rep. Brenda Shields, a Republican from St. Joseph, who sponsored the bill, said during House debate Tuesday. “We hear from our business leaders across the state that they have trouble recruiting and retaining employees because the lack of child care.”

The bill creates three tax credits. Under the first, people or businesses who donate to child care centers would receive a tax credit worth 75% of their donation. The donor cannot personally benefit from the contribution; for example, a parent cannot make a donation and expect lower tuition.

The second is for businesses that help pay for their employees’ child care costs or create child care programs for their employee’s children.

The third allows child care providers to claim a tax credit worth up to 30% of expenses related to construction projects. The credit also grants tax relief equal to the provider’s employer withholding tax, which applies to providers with at least three employees who work at least 10 hours per week and have been employed for at least three months.

A number of business groups have voiced support for the measure, including the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Without child care, Missouri’s economy cannot grow,” Shields said.

The credits cannot be transferred to another person or entity and cannot reduce a citizen’s tax burden below zero, meaning the credits cannot be used to add to a tax refund. The measures proposed this year would expire in 2026 without reapproval by the legislature due to a “sunset” provision included in the bill. Parents would not be able to claim tax credits for child care tuition under any of the proposed credits.

State Rep. Sherri Gallick, a Republican from Belton, spoke about her own experience as a single parent while voicing her support for the bill.

“My career took a backseat because I didn’t have adequate child care,” she said.

Earlier, the bill passed unanimously out of the House Economic Development Committee. Three of 10 members of the rules committee, all Republicans, voted against its passage, and it faced additional Republican opposition on the floor.

State Rep. Jamie Gragg, an Ozark Republican, said the credits would pit the school system in competition with day cares. This is the third year Shields has introduced tax credits for child care costs. The package has stalled in the Senate the previous two years.

“Right now,” Shields said, “child care costs more than your freshman year at university.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-approves-child-care-tax-credit-bill/article_73656f0e-f3a1-11ef-a627-17762959b98c.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

This article has been edited since first published to correct an error and clarify language.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740531451776.png" alt=" Rep. Brenda Shields, seen presenting on her child care tax credit legislation in January 2024 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption> Rep. Brenda Shields, seen presenting on her child care tax credit legislation in January 2024 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/natanyafriedheim/">NATANYA FRIEDHEIM</a>A bill to create three new child care tax credits received initial approval by the Missouri House on Tuesday. A similar measure received bipartisan support last year but fell victim to Republican infighting in the Senate.The measure would help employers foot the bill for their employees’ child care costs and encourage existing providers to grow their capacity. Shields said three-fourths of Missouri’s 114 counties are considered “child care deserts.” It needs to be approved one more time in the House before heading to the Senate.“We have a child care crisis in our state. We’re all familiar with it,” state Rep. Brenda Shields, a Republican from St. Joseph, who sponsored the bill, said during House debate Tuesday. “We hear from our business leaders across the state that they have trouble recruiting and retaining employees because the lack of child care.”The bill creates three tax credits. Under the first, people or businesses who donate to child care centers would receive a tax credit worth 75% of their donation. The donor cannot personally benefit from the contribution; for example, a parent cannot make a donation and expect lower tuition.The second is for businesses that help pay for their employees’ child care costs or create child care programs for their employee’s children.The third allows child care providers to claim a tax credit worth up to 30% of expenses related to construction projects. The credit also grants tax relief equal to the provider’s employer withholding tax, which applies to providers with at least three employees who work at least 10 hours per week and have been employed for at least three months.A number of business groups have voiced support for the measure, including the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.“Without child care, Missouri’s economy cannot grow,” Shields said.The credits cannot be transferred to another person or entity and cannot reduce a citizen’s tax burden below zero, meaning the credits cannot be used to add to a tax refund. The measures proposed this year would expire in 2026 without reapproval by the legislature due to a “sunset” provision included in the bill. Parents would not be able to claim tax credits for child care tuition under any of the proposed credits.State Rep. Sherri Gallick, a Republican from Belton, spoke about her own experience as a single parent while voicing her support for the bill.“My career took a backseat because I didn’t have adequate child care,” she said.Earlier, the bill passed unanimously out of the House Economic Development Committee. Three of 10 members of the rules committee, all Republicans, voted against its passage, and it faced additional Republican opposition on the floor.State Rep. Jamie Gragg, an Ozark Republican, said the credits would pit the school system in competition with day cares. This is the third year Shields has introduced tax credits for child care costs. The package has stalled in the Senate the previous two years.“Right now,” Shields said, “child care costs more than your freshman year at university.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-approves-child-care-tax-credit-bill/article_73656f0e-f3a1-11ef-a627-17762959b98c.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;This article has been edited since first published to correct an error and clarify language.

Rep. Shields' child care tax credit package advances in Missouri House

ATCHISON COUNTY —Janice Buttron has been found and is safe according to the Atchison Police Department.

ATCHISON COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide silver alert for a missing Atchison woman.

The whereabouts of 77-year-old Janice Buttron are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI. Buttron was last seen around 11:00 p.m. on Feb. 25 missing from her home near S 8th Street and Spruce Street in Atchison.

 Buttron is on foot. Buttron is a white female who is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs around 135 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing jeans, a long sleeve cream colored t-shirt, smiley face slippers, and wearing glasses. 

Buttron has a condition impairing memory.

If you see Janice Buttron, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, call the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office at 913-367-4323

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740567137249.png" alt="Buttron photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Buttron photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Janice Buttron has been found and is safe according to the Atchison Police Department.-------------ATCHISON COUNTY —The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has issued a statewide silver alert for a missing Atchison woman.The whereabouts of 77-year-old Janice Buttron are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI. Buttron was last seen around 11:00 p.m. on Feb. 25 missing from her home near S 8th Street and Spruce Street in Atchison. Buttron is on foot. Buttron is a white female who is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs around 135 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing jeans, a long sleeve cream colored t-shirt, smiley face slippers, and wearing glasses. Buttron has a condition impairing memory.If you see Janice Buttron, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, call the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office at 913-367-4323

Statewide Silver Alert canceled; missing Atchison woman is safe

A suspicious bag
left by a St. Joseph police patrol car turned out to be harmless.

The St. Joseph
Police Department reports officers discovered the bag left on the driver’s side
of the vehicle while parked in the 1300 block of South 11th Street
Saturday evening. The Kansas City Police Department Bomb Squad was called in.
Officers conducted an X-ray examination of the grey suitcase and confirmed its
non-explosive contents. It was opened for further inspection.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA suspicious bag
left by a St. Joseph police patrol car turned out to be harmless.The St. Joseph
Police Department reports officers discovered the bag left on the driver’s side
of the vehicle while parked in the 1300 block of South 11th Street
Saturday evening. The Kansas City Police Department Bomb Squad was called in.
Officers conducted an X-ray examination of the grey suitcase and confirmed its
non-explosive contents. It was opened for further inspection.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Bag left beside St. Joseph patrol car prompts quick investigation

St. Joseph’s past speaks volumes in the
latest book on Mt. Mora Cemetery.

The cemetery, which officially opened in
1851, comes to life in the book entitled Voices of the Past Mount Mora
Cemetery.

Author Suzanne Lehr says Mt. Mora is
extraordinary and not just for St. Joseph.

“We’ve got more governors than any other
cemetery in Missouri, except of course Bellefontaine over in St. Louis,” Lehr
says. “And we have Pony (Express) riders and we have architects and inventors
and musicians and gardeners and writers. But not just ordinary people doing
those things, but people that became famous in those fields.”

Lehr’s writing is supplemented by the
photographs of Megan Wyeth who says she has been photographing Mt. Mora since
she was a teenager. Wyeth says taking photographs at the cemetery never gets
old.

“It’s the landscape. It’s the hills. Between
the trees and the tombstones and the way the roads turn, it’s the light, the
light, it just changes. It can change in a couple of minutes,” Wyeth says. “And
it just always intrigues me. It’s always different every time I go.”

In the book, Lehr tells the stories of
those who found their final resting place at Mt. Mora. Some are quite fascinating,
according to Lehr, such as the story behind the tombstone of David Heaton.

“And on the back, it lists David Heaton and
a wife and how many children they had and then it lists another wife and their
children and another wife and their children and he ended up having four boys
and nine girls. That was fascinating,” Lehr says. “And then when I was
researching for this book, I learned that David Heaton had four wives. The wife
between the second and the fourth wife didn’t have children, so she didn’t make
the tombstone.”

Mt. Mora Cemetery is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, because of those buried there, those
known in St. Joseph as well as nationally.

The book sells for $25 with the proceeds
going to Mt. Mora.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740506627908.jpeg" alt="Mausoleum row at Mt. Mora Cemetery/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Mausoleum row at Mt. Mora Cemetery/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph’s past speaks volumes in the
latest book on Mt. Mora Cemetery.The cemetery, which officially opened in
1851, comes to life in the book entitled Voices of the Past Mount Mora
Cemetery.Author Suzanne Lehr says Mt. Mora is
extraordinary and not just for St. Joseph.“We’ve got more governors than any other
cemetery in Missouri, except of course Bellefontaine over in St. Louis,” Lehr
says. “And we have Pony (Express) riders and we have architects and inventors
and musicians and gardeners and writers. But not just ordinary people doing
those things, but people that became famous in those fields.”Lehr’s writing is supplemented by the
photographs of Megan Wyeth who says she has been photographing Mt. Mora since
she was a teenager. Wyeth says taking photographs at the cemetery never gets
old.“It’s the landscape. It’s the hills. Between
the trees and the tombstones and the way the roads turn, it’s the light, the
light, it just changes. It can change in a couple of minutes,” Wyeth says. “And
it just always intrigues me. It’s always different every time I go.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740506719514.jpeg" alt="Mt. Mora Cemetery/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Mt. Mora Cemetery/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>In the book, Lehr tells the stories of
those who found their final resting place at Mt. Mora. Some are quite fascinating,
according to Lehr, such as the story behind the tombstone of David Heaton.“And on the back, it lists David Heaton and
a wife and how many children they had and then it lists another wife and their
children and another wife and their children and he ended up having four boys
and nine girls. That was fascinating,” Lehr says. “And then when I was
researching for this book, I learned that David Heaton had four wives. The wife
between the second and the fourth wife didn’t have children, so she didn’t make
the tombstone.”Mt. Mora Cemetery is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, because of those buried there, those
known in St. Joseph as well as nationally.The book sells for $25 with the proceeds
going to Mt. Mora.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740506766277.jpeg" alt="Mt. Mora Cemetery/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Mt. Mora Cemetery/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Book on Mt. Mora Cemetery sheds light on St. Joseph's past

The northwest Missouri cybercrime taskforce, led by Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett, works to combat online crimes against children.  

Puett says the taskforce works hard every day to combat these online predators and protect children in northwest Missouri.  

"At any one time, we've got between 50 and 75 cases working where they've got legal process out," Puett tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. 

Puett says most of these involve sex crimes against children 

"The child pornography, the sex crimes, and the solicitation, things like that," Puett explains.  "And when I say 50 to 75, that's usually what we have out in legal process meaning we have subpoenas or search warrants out waiting for information, and sometimes we can have more cases than that where they actively have the information back and they're working on it." 

Puett says the taskforce works crimes from Buchanan County north to the Iowa border and to around Livingston County. 

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe northwest Missouri cybercrime taskforce, led by Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett, works to combat online crimes against children. Puett says the taskforce works hard every day to combat these online predators and protect children in northwest Missouri. "At any one time, we've got between 50 and 75 cases working where they've got legal process out," Puett tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. Puett says most of these involve sex crimes against children "The child pornography, the sex crimes, and the solicitation, things like that," Puett explains. "And when I say 50 to 75, that's usually what we have out in legal process meaning we have subpoenas or search warrants out waiting for information, and sometimes we can have more cases than that where they actively have the information back and they're working on it." Puett says the taskforce works crimes from Buchanan County north to the Iowa border and to around Livingston County. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Northwest Missouri taskforce battling online threats to children

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/people/sam-zeff">SAM ZEFF</a> <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-02-24/if-trumps-layoffs-hit-the-kansas-city-fbi-office-job-cuts-are-only-going-to-make-us-less-safe">KCUR</a>

President Trump’s pick for FBI Director, Kash Patel, has been confirmed — prompting fears of possible layoffs in the bureau. Some local officials worry that a diminished FBI presence in Kansas and Missouri could harm local law enforcement.

The FBI Kansas City Field Office has more than a hundred agents (the actual number is classified) but chances are you’ve never seen one. Unlike the police, they aren’t driving around in marked vehicles with lights on top. But they are there working on cases and assisting local police.

“We depend on them, and they depend on us to make America safe. There is no question of that,” Johnson County Sheriff Byron Roberson said.

As sweeping layoffs are announced at federal agencies under the new Trump administration, former FBI agents and top law enforcement officials worry about what will happen to the 56 field offices around the country, including Kansas City’s.

The Bureau has already&nbsp;<a href="https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/01/30/politics/senior-fbi-leaders-demoted-wray" target="_blank">fired or forced six top officials to retire</a>. The administration has also gone on a binge firing federal probationary employees — something that would have a huge impact on the FBI. The F.B.I. Agents Association says 10% of the workforce is still in their probationary period.

Department of Justice leadership also demanded a list of all employeeswho participated in January 6th investigations, prompting fear that those FBI employees would be targeted for firing. That would certainly include veteran agents assigned to Kansas City.

“My concern is, if we lose the institutional knowledge that those individuals have in their jobs through this process of eliminating federal employees, it's only going to make us less safe,” said former Kansas U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

The FBI Kansas City Field Office has investigators spread across Kansas and western Missouri in eight offices called resident agencies. These small offices — often just two agents — work especially closely with local law enforcement.

Grissom was appointed U.S. Attorney by President Barack Obama and served from 2010 to 2016. He is now in private practice. He says even losing a few agents could be a big problem. An agent may be working 15 to 20 cases at a time. Many of those investigations involve intense coordination between FBI agents and local law enforcement.

“(Local agencies) are the eyes and ears on the ground,” Grissom told KCUR.

That includes counterterrorism, even in Kansas and Missouri.

“The counterterrorism problem is not just a national problem, but it's also a local problem,” said retired FBI agent Greg Vecchi, who now runs a security consulting firm in Olathe.

The local field office runs several task forces that include local and state law enforcement. The most important, Vecchi said, is the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

“The FBI has got to be able to have relationships with the various jurisdictions when and where the actual attacks are planned,” he said.

That was the case in 2018 when resident agents in Garden City, Kansas, worked with police and sheriff’s deputies to stop a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/03/20/595163065/mosque-bombing-plot-rattles-immigrants-in-kansas-meat-triangle" target="_blank">plot to bomb a mosque and apartment complex</a>&nbsp;to kill Somali immigrants.

“During my time as the U.S. attorney, we had two acts, I should say, potential acts of terrorism that the FBI was intimately involved in,” Grissom said. One stopped a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/08/31/436414417/wichita-man-sentenced-to-20-years-in-airport-bomb-plot" target="_blank">suicide car bombing at the Wichita airport&nbsp;</a>in December 2013 the other stopped another suicide car bombing in 2015&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/23/763544037/kansas-soldier-charged-with-teaching-bomb-making-to-far-right-extremists" target="_blank">targeting Fort Riley</a>, home to the Army’s 1st Infantry Division.

In addition, the Kansas City office runs the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Safe Streets Task Force, which targets gangs and drug cartels.

The office also provides training to local police and sheriff’s departments. Vecchi said when he ran the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in Quantico, Virginia, his agents would often train local police on interrogation.

“That is a huge benefit to law enforcement,” he said. The office also offers training to local SWAT teams.

All of that, plus access to the FBI’s Washington lab and the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory in Kansas City all comes at no additional cost to local governments or police departments.

Vecchi believes if local field agents are fired, those working in administration will be reassigned to the street. But if the cuts go deeper, that’s a huge problem. If there are mass layoffs or firings, Vecchi said, “It's going to absolutely cripple” training and investigating counterterrorism.

Roberson, who was police chief in Prairie Village before being elected sheriff, said any cuts at the Kansas City Field Office will damage local law enforcement.

“There is great leadership that could be lost in that organization that you can't just go out and reinvent and just pick that up off the street,” Roberson said.

Patel is also now in line to take over another agency in jeopardy — the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-director-kash-patel-atf-justice-department-e57250b2ac883af1c2fa7b4bf46ad876" target="_blank">according to the Associated Press</a>.

Missouri Rep. Eric Burlison from Springfield has filed a bill to abolish the agency. On social media, Burlison has said the ATF "consistently violates Second Amendment rights" and claims its functions are duplicative.

“The state of Missouri has all of the agencies that we need to regulate everything that the ATF does,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missourinet.com/2024/12/13/missouri-congressman-burlison-wants-to-get-rid-of-atf-calls-social-security-a-forced-pension/" target="_blank">he told MissouriNet in December</a>.

Rep. Mark Alford, who represents much of suburban Kansas City and mid-Missouri, has joined as a co-sponsor.

"Proud to be a cosponsor of Rep. Eric Burlison's bill, H.R. 221 — ABOLISH THE ATF!" he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile/100089595940547/search/?q=abolish%20atf" target="_blank">wrote on Facebook</a>.

The ATF investigates gun crimes and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-08/a-missouri-county-wont-work-with-the-atf-claiming-the-federal-agency-is-unconstitutional" target="_blank">regulates federal firearms dealers</a>. It also looks into arsons, including an arson at the Waldo Heights apartments on 81st Street and Holmes in 2021 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article260238435.html" target="_blank">one at Stonegate Meadows apartments</a>&nbsp;in 2022 that injured 15 people, including nine children.

“The idea that you would just do away with that agency for political partisanship reasons only I think is incredibly shortsighted by the congressmen,” Grissom told KCUR. “I'm really surprised that Congressman Alford would take that position.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740494555747.png" alt="The Kansas City FBI office in Kansas City north has 300 employees and covers all of Kansas and western Missouri. Photo by Sam Zeff/KCUR" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas City FBI office in Kansas City north has 300 employees and covers all of Kansas and western Missouri. Photo by Sam Zeff/KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/people/sam-zeff">SAM ZEFF</a> <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-02-24/if-trumps-layoffs-hit-the-kansas-city-fbi-office-job-cuts-are-only-going-to-make-us-less-safe">KCUR</a><h2>President Trump’s pick for FBI Director, Kash Patel, has been confirmed — prompting fears of possible layoffs in the bureau. Some local officials worry that a diminished FBI presence in Kansas and Missouri could harm local law enforcement.</h2>The FBI Kansas City Field Office has more than a hundred agents (the actual number is classified) but chances are you’ve never seen one. Unlike the police, they aren’t driving around in marked vehicles with lights on top. But they are there working on cases and assisting local police.“We depend on them, and they depend on us to make America safe. There is no question of that,” Johnson County Sheriff Byron Roberson said.As sweeping layoffs are announced at federal agencies under the new Trump administration, former FBI agents and top law enforcement officials worry about what will happen to the 56 field offices around the country, including Kansas City’s.The Bureau has already&nbsp;<a href="https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/01/30/politics/senior-fbi-leaders-demoted-wray" target="_blank">fired or forced six top officials to retire</a>. The administration has also gone on a binge firing federal probationary employees — something that would have a huge impact on the FBI. The F.B.I. Agents Association says 10% of the workforce is still in their probationary period.Department of Justice leadership also demanded a list of all employeeswho participated in January 6th investigations, prompting fear that those FBI employees would be targeted for firing. That would certainly include veteran agents assigned to Kansas City.“My concern is, if we lose the institutional knowledge that those individuals have in their jobs through this process of eliminating federal employees, it's only going to make us less safe,” said former Kansas U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.<h2>Why have FBI field offices?</h2>The FBI Kansas City Field Office has investigators spread across Kansas and western Missouri in eight offices called resident agencies. These small offices — often just two agents — work especially closely with local law enforcement.Grissom was appointed U.S. Attorney by President Barack Obama and served from 2010 to 2016. He is now in private practice. He says even losing a few agents could be a big problem. An agent may be working 15 to 20 cases at a time. Many of those investigations involve intense coordination between FBI agents and local law enforcement.“(Local agencies) are the eyes and ears on the ground,” Grissom told KCUR.That includes counterterrorism, even in Kansas and Missouri.“The counterterrorism problem is not just a national problem, but it's also a local problem,” said retired FBI agent Greg Vecchi, who now runs a security consulting firm in Olathe.The local field office runs several task forces that include local and state law enforcement. The most important, Vecchi said, is the Joint Terrorism Task Force.“The FBI has got to be able to have relationships with the various jurisdictions when and where the actual attacks are planned,” he said.That was the case in 2018 when resident agents in Garden City, Kansas, worked with police and sheriff’s deputies to stop a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/03/20/595163065/mosque-bombing-plot-rattles-immigrants-in-kansas-meat-triangle" target="_blank">plot to bomb a mosque and apartment complex</a>&nbsp;to kill Somali immigrants.“During my time as the U.S. attorney, we had two acts, I should say, potential acts of terrorism that the FBI was intimately involved in,” Grissom said. One stopped a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/08/31/436414417/wichita-man-sentenced-to-20-years-in-airport-bomb-plot" target="_blank">suicide car bombing at the Wichita airport&nbsp;</a>in December 2013 the other stopped another suicide car bombing in 2015&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/23/763544037/kansas-soldier-charged-with-teaching-bomb-making-to-far-right-extremists" target="_blank">targeting Fort Riley</a>, home to the Army’s 1st Infantry Division.In addition, the Kansas City office runs the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Safe Streets Task Force, which targets gangs and drug cartels.The office also provides training to local police and sheriff’s departments. Vecchi said when he ran the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in Quantico, Virginia, his agents would often train local police on interrogation.“That is a huge benefit to law enforcement,” he said. The office also offers training to local SWAT teams.All of that, plus access to the FBI’s Washington lab and the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory in Kansas City all comes at no additional cost to local governments or police departments.Vecchi believes if local field agents are fired, those working in administration will be reassigned to the street. But if the cuts go deeper, that’s a huge problem. If there are mass layoffs or firings, Vecchi said, “It's going to absolutely cripple” training and investigating counterterrorism.Roberson, who was police chief in Prairie Village before being elected sheriff, said any cuts at the Kansas City Field Office will damage local law enforcement.“There is great leadership that could be lost in that organization that you can't just go out and reinvent and just pick that up off the street,” Roberson said.<h2>The ATF also at risk</h2>Patel is also now in line to take over another agency in jeopardy — the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-director-kash-patel-atf-justice-department-e57250b2ac883af1c2fa7b4bf46ad876" target="_blank">according to the Associated Press</a>.Missouri Rep. Eric Burlison from Springfield has filed a bill to abolish the agency. On social media, Burlison has said the ATF "consistently violates Second Amendment rights" and claims its functions are duplicative.“The state of Missouri has all of the agencies that we need to regulate everything that the ATF does,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missourinet.com/2024/12/13/missouri-congressman-burlison-wants-to-get-rid-of-atf-calls-social-security-a-forced-pension/" target="_blank">he told MissouriNet in December</a>.Rep. Mark Alford, who represents much of suburban Kansas City and mid-Missouri, has joined as a co-sponsor."Proud to be a cosponsor of Rep. Eric Burlison's bill, H.R. 221 — ABOLISH THE ATF!" he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile/100089595940547/search/?q=abolish%20atf" target="_blank">wrote on Facebook</a>.The ATF investigates gun crimes and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-08/a-missouri-county-wont-work-with-the-atf-claiming-the-federal-agency-is-unconstitutional" target="_blank">regulates federal firearms dealers</a>. It also looks into arsons, including an arson at the Waldo Heights apartments on 81st Street and Holmes in 2021 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article260238435.html" target="_blank">one at Stonegate Meadows apartments</a>&nbsp;in 2022 that injured 15 people, including nine children.“The idea that you would just do away with that agency for political partisanship reasons only I think is incredibly shortsighted by the congressmen,” Grissom told KCUR. “I'm really surprised that Congressman Alford would take that position.”

If Trump's layoffs hit the Kansas City FBI office, job cuts are 'only going to make us less safe'

Elected officials from Jackson County will travel to the state Capitol Wednesday to meet with legislative leaders and Gov. Mike Kehoe about stadium funding ideas

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

A pair of state senators are laying the groundwork for Clay County to compete for a new Chiefs training facility or Royals stadium, while the top Republican in the Missouri House is imploring Jackson County leaders to come up with a new plan to keep the teams from leaving the state.&nbsp;

Both teams&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/chiefs-royals-ask-kansas-for-incentives-to-allow-teams-to-leave-missouri/">publicly expressed interest in moving from Missouri to Kansas</a>&nbsp;after Jackson County voters rejected a proposal last year to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a downtown Kansas City baseball stadium and upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;

Kansas lawmakers responded by expanding a tax incentive program in the hopes of convincing one or both teams to relocate. The leases for both teams’ Jackson County stadiums run through the end of the 2030 season.&nbsp;

State Sens. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, and Kurtis Gregory, a Marshall Republican, filed legislation last week to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=5391365" target="_blank">authorize Clay County to establish a county sports complex authority</a>&nbsp;for the purpose of “developing or maintaining sports, convention, exhibition or trade facilities.”

The idea goes back more than two years, Nurrenbern said, when the Royals were considering a new stadium location in North Kansas City,

“As far as I am aware, there have not been any recent talks with the Royals in terms of the team coming to Clay County,” Nurrenbern said, though she added the idea should “absolutely still be on the table, because the location is incredible and sits smack dab in the center of the metro population.”

But creating a sports authority would not just open up the possibility of a new stadium, she said. There are also “real conversations” taking place between&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/clay-county-leader-would-love-to-explore-new-chiefs-facility-idea/" target="_blank">the Chiefs ownership and Clay County officials</a>&nbsp;about using the site for the team’s new training facilities and headquarters.&nbsp;

“The Chiefs want state of the art facilities. And this would really give them that option,” Nurrenbern said. “From the City of North Kansas City to the Jackson County sports complex and Arrowhead, you’re talking a 15 minute drive at max.”

While Clay County tries to get its ducks in a row, House Speaker Jon Patterson of Lee’s Summit is urging local leaders in Jackson County to come up with a new plan to keep the teams in Missouri after last year’s failed sales tax vote.

Local financial support will need to happen, he said, before the state can consider getting involved.&nbsp;

“The time is running out,” Patterson told reporters at his weekly press conference on Thursday. “It is time for a plan and course of action. And I do want to reiterate, I do think this is going to be something that has to happen in the county first and then the state.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740445872877.png" alt=" State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern is introduced to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern is introduced to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Elected officials from Jackson County will travel to the state Capitol Wednesday to meet with legislative leaders and Gov. Mike Kehoe about stadium funding ideas</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A pair of state senators are laying the groundwork for Clay County to compete for a new Chiefs training facility or Royals stadium, while the top Republican in the Missouri House is imploring Jackson County leaders to come up with a new plan to keep the teams from leaving the state.&nbsp;Both teams&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/chiefs-royals-ask-kansas-for-incentives-to-allow-teams-to-leave-missouri/">publicly expressed interest in moving from Missouri to Kansas</a>&nbsp;after Jackson County voters rejected a proposal last year to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a downtown Kansas City baseball stadium and upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;Kansas lawmakers responded by expanding a tax incentive program in the hopes of convincing one or both teams to relocate. The leases for both teams’ Jackson County stadiums run through the end of the 2030 season.&nbsp;State Sens. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, and Kurtis Gregory, a Marshall Republican, filed legislation last week to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=5391365" target="_blank">authorize Clay County to establish a county sports complex authority</a>&nbsp;for the purpose of “developing or maintaining sports, convention, exhibition or trade facilities.”The idea goes back more than two years, Nurrenbern said, when the Royals were considering a new stadium location in North Kansas City,“As far as I am aware, there have not been any recent talks with the Royals in terms of the team coming to Clay County,” Nurrenbern said, though she added the idea should “absolutely still be on the table, because the location is incredible and sits smack dab in the center of the metro population.”But creating a sports authority would not just open up the possibility of a new stadium, she said. There are also “real conversations” taking place between&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/clay-county-leader-would-love-to-explore-new-chiefs-facility-idea/" target="_blank">the Chiefs ownership and Clay County officials</a>&nbsp;about using the site for the team’s new training facilities and headquarters.&nbsp;“The Chiefs want state of the art facilities. And this would really give them that option,” Nurrenbern said. “From the City of North Kansas City to the Jackson County sports complex and Arrowhead, you’re talking a 15 minute drive at max.”While Clay County tries to get its ducks in a row, House Speaker Jon Patterson of Lee’s Summit is urging local leaders in Jackson County to come up with a new plan to keep the teams in Missouri after last year’s failed sales tax vote.Local financial support will need to happen, he said, before the state can consider getting involved.&nbsp;“The time is running out,” Patterson told reporters at his weekly press conference on Thursday. “It is time for a plan and course of action. And I do want to reiterate, I do think this is going to be something that has to happen in the county first and then the state.”Patterson said Jackson County officials will travel to the state Capitol Wednesday to meet with legislative leaders and Gov. Mike Kehoe.&nbsp;<h2>Jackson or Clay?</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709665032862.png" alt=" A rendering of the Royals proposed downtown ballpark (image submitted)." />
 <figcaption> A rendering of the Royals proposed downtown ballpark (image submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>The Royals first announced an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287849540.html" target="_blank">intention to leave Kauffman Stadium</a>&nbsp;in November 2022. The move would allow the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman and build a covered entertainment center.Officials in Jackson County and Kansas City began scrambling to figure out how to keep the Royals from leaving Missouri. By the spring of 2023, Clay County leaders announced interest in building a stadium in North Kansas City that could become the Royals new home.&nbsp;The Royals solicited proposals for a downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City site a few months later, and released renderings of possible stadiums at both locations in August 2023.&nbsp;Soon after, a poll was leaked to the media showing 70% of Clay County voters opposed a new sales tax to fund a stadium in North Kansas City. Despite&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article278986864.html" target="_blank">weeks of media speculation</a>, no one claimed credit for the poll, which was widely seen as an attempt to shake the confidence of Royals ownership in the viability of a Clay County proposal.&nbsp;Critics, who called the survey a “push poll” meant to deceive the public, said&nbsp;sabotaging any potential site in Missouri only increases the likelihood that the team ends up in Kansas.&nbsp;“Anything that is used for a deceptive purpose should raise some red flags, and I think that’s exactly what that push poll did,” Nurrenbern said. “I don’t think this ever should have been about Clay versus Jackson County. It’s what’s good for our area, and that’s what I’m going to continue to be focused on.”It wasn’t until more than a year later that documents provided to The Independent revealed it was a political action committee formed to support Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas that paid for the Clay County polling. A staffer using a Lucas campaign email address requested the poll be commissioned.&nbsp;At the time, Lucas didn’t mention any involvement in the poll by the PAC or his campaign in a response to&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/sports/royals/pollster-wont-reveal-funder-behind-royals-stadium-survey-in-clay-county/" target="_blank">Fox 4 reporters</a>. And to&nbsp;obscure the PAC’s involvement, Lucas’ then-chief of staff, Morgan Said, requested the PAC&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/13/campaign-committee-controlled-by-kc-mayor-requested-poll-he-denied-involvement-in/">change its financial disclosure forms to list the expense as “research” instead of “polling.”</a>“…we paid Bold Decisions to do that Royals poll,” Said told the PAC’s compliance officer in an Oct. 9, 2023, phone call that was recorded and shared with The Independent.&nbsp;“I don’t know how much of a news reader you are these days,” she said, “but it was like a big whodunnit, and, you know, actually nobody ever found out who paid for it.”By April 2024, Jackson County voters resoundingly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/kansas-city-mayor-quinton-lucas-officially-endorses-yes-vote-on-stadium-sales-tax-missouri-jackson-county/60349862" target="_blank">rejected the stadium sales tax measure supported by Lucas</a>&nbsp;and other local elected officials.Gregory, whose state Senate district includes a portion of Clay County, said Missouri leaders should take an all-of-the-above approach to finding a home for the Royals.&nbsp;“We should make sure that all options are potentially on the table,” Gregory said, adding: “Clay County is a very viable option. Downtown (Kansas City) is a viable option. The goal should be to keep the team in Missouri.”&nbsp;Legislation authorizing a Clay County sports authority “is all about keeping both teams in the state of Missouri. Period,” Nurrenbern said. “So we want to be good partners with Jackson County, and if the teams make the choice to come to Clay County, we want to make sure that the appropriate language is there on the books to permit a sports authority.”As for Jackson County, local leaders will need to decide whether “they want to support this venture,” Patterson said, “or will they have an empty parking lot or empty stadiums, which is not free. It costs a lot of money to maintain stadiums that are empty and it costs a lot of money to tear down stadiums.”