KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just after 5a.m. Tuesday at Kansas City International Airport.

A Honda Fit was traveling the wrong way on International Circle, just south of 1 KC Boulevard, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The car&nbsp; collided head-on with a Subaru. 

The driver of the Honda was pronounced dead from the medical staff at a local hospital. The driver and passenger of the Subaru were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

 This is Fatality #59 vs #82 last year in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Becchina.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763514409391.png" alt="KCI image courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>KCI image courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just after 5a.m. Tuesday at Kansas City International Airport.A Honda Fit was traveling the wrong way on International Circle, just south of 1 KC Boulevard, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The car&nbsp; collided head-on with a Subaru. The driver of the Honda was pronounced dead from the medical staff at a local hospital. The driver and passenger of the Subaru were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. This is Fatality #59 vs #82 last year in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Becchina.

Driver killed in head-on crash at Kansas City International Airport

Recent damage to the Gene Field Road Bridge in St. Joseph has forced the Missouri Department of Transportation to close the bridge for an extensive amount of time.  

MoDOT District Engineer Austin Hibler says the bridge had been set to be replaced due to its condition, but a truck hauling an oversized load on I-29 hit the bridge supports, causing more damage  

"This bridge has four girders that support the deck, and during the incident one of the four girders was damaged and is essentially not supporting the deck like it was intended to,” Hibler tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “So, you have about 25% of the deck there that is unsupported from its original design.” 

The Missouri Department of Transportation moved up a bridge replacement project from next fall to early next spring, but construction will not begin until at least summer.     

Hibler says that means construction won't be able to begin at least until summer. 

"Our goal would be completed by the fall, late fall early winter of 2026, depending on the contractors schedule,” Hibler explains. 

 Hibler says, currently, design work on the bridge is underway. 

"It takes a lot of preliminary data and information to get the design correct, so that’s all being taken care of right now, in hopes that we can get the design out for a letting in March or April of 2026,” Hibler says.  “And then a contractor, or multiple contractors, will look at it and bid on it.” 

There is a public listening session scheduled for December 17th at 4pm for residents to speak with MoDOT officials about the bridge. 

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostRecent damage to the Gene Field Road Bridge in St. Joseph has forced the Missouri Department of Transportation to close the bridge for an extensive amount of time. MoDOT District Engineer Austin Hibler says the bridge had been set to be replaced due to its condition, but a truck hauling an oversized load on I-29 hit the bridge supports, causing more damage "This bridge has four girders that support the deck, and during the incident one of the four girders was damaged and is essentially not supporting the deck like it was intended to,” Hibler tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So, you have about 25% of the deck there that is unsupported from its original design.” The Missouri Department of Transportation moved up a bridge replacement project from next fall to early next spring, but construction will not begin until at least summer. Hibler says that means construction won't be able to begin at least until summer. "Our goal would be completed by the fall, late fall early winter of 2026, depending on the contractors schedule,” Hibler explains. Hibler says, currently, design work on the bridge is underway. "It takes a lot of preliminary data and information to get the design correct, so that’s all being taken care of right now, in hopes that we can get the design out for a letting in March or April of 2026,” Hibler says. “And then a contractor, or multiple contractors, will look at it and bid on it.” There is a public listening session scheduled for December 17th at 4pm for residents to speak with MoDOT officials about the bridge. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Work on Gene Field Road Bridge may not start until summer 2026 

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6b2NsspRK93Wk1qS3BSJjN?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning Sports

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post <div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/17VvBsyDduIwRyTzV1A3r7?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning News

CALDWELL COUNTY — Three people were injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Chevy Silverado 3500 driven by a 63-year-old Trenton man was stopped in the crossover of U.S. 36 and started northbound and entered the westbound lanes of U.S. 36

A westbound 2012 Chrysler Town and Country driven by a 74-year-old Chillicothe man struck the right side of the pickup. After impact both vehicles began skidding and sliding. The vehicles traveled off the north side of U.S. 36. The van became airborne and rolled.

Life Flight Eagle transported the driver of the van to Truman Medical Center and a 67-year-old female passenger in the van to St. Luke's Hospital.&nbsp; Livingston County EMS transported the pickup driver to Liberty Hospital. All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

CALDWELL COUNTY — Three people were injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Chevy Silverado 3500 driven by a 63-year-old Trenton man was stopped in the crossover of U.S. 36 and started northbound and entered the westbound lanes of U.S. 36A westbound 2012 Chrysler Town and Country driven by a 74-year-old Chillicothe man struck the right side of the pickup. After impact both vehicles began skidding and sliding. The vehicles traveled off the north side of U.S. 36. The van became airborne and rolled.Life Flight Eagle transported the driver of the van to Truman Medical Center and a 67-year-old female passenger in the van to St. Luke's Hospital.&nbsp; Livingston County EMS transported the pickup driver to Liberty Hospital. All three were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri couple airlifted to hospital after van, pickup crash

North Central
Missouri College has been awarded a $1.37 million grant to expand mental health
workforce training on its Savannah campus.

College officials
say it has received the grant in partnership with Mosaic Life Care of St.
Joseph.

North Central says
the partnership with Mosaic through the Community Behavioral Health Alliance was
a key to receiving the grant from the Health Resources and Services
Administration. The Community Behavioral Health Alliance is comprised of direct
mental health service provider organizations such as Mosaic Life Care, Mosaic
Life Care Foundation, Family Guidance, The Center, and Greater St. Joseph
United Way. Other members of the alliance include regional public schools as
well as Missouri Western State University and North Central Missouri College.

Since 2021, the
Community Behavioral Health Alliance has identified areas of need, including access
to care, mental health workforce provider shortage, wrap-around service
availability, and post-secondary educational opportunities for mental health
related caregivers.

&nbsp;The alliance collaboration has resulted in
heightened shared commitment to embracing a grow-our-own philosophy to meet our
regional communities’ expansive mental health needs. 

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorth Central
Missouri College has been awarded a $1.37 million grant to expand mental health
workforce training on its Savannah campus.College officials
say it has received the grant in partnership with Mosaic Life Care of St.
Joseph.North Central says
the partnership with Mosaic through the Community Behavioral Health Alliance was
a key to receiving the grant from the Health Resources and Services
Administration. The Community Behavioral Health Alliance is comprised of direct
mental health service provider organizations such as Mosaic Life Care, Mosaic
Life Care Foundation, Family Guidance, The Center, and Greater St. Joseph
United Way. Other members of the alliance include regional public schools as
well as Missouri Western State University and North Central Missouri College.Since 2021, the
Community Behavioral Health Alliance has identified areas of need, including access
to care, mental health workforce provider shortage, wrap-around service
availability, and post-secondary educational opportunities for mental health
related caregivers.&nbsp;The alliance collaboration has resulted in
heightened shared commitment to embracing a grow-our-own philosophy to meet our
regional communities’ expansive mental health needs. You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

North Central MO College gets grant to train mental health care workers

Buchanan County was honored with a Blue Shield designation, and now with money coming from the state will be able to purchase new equipment.  

Last month, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced nearly $10 million in state grants with the program to help improve public safety.  

Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett says now, after months of planning, his office knows how much they will be able to get through the grant 

"We are earmarked to receive $50,000 no matching funds, it’s a direct award from the state, and so that’s going to help buy some equipment, mainly it’s directed towards equipment and things like that, not salaries or anything,” Puett says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “And so we’re looking at a couple UTV’s and a trailer.” 

Puett says the current UTV the department has is worn down and needs to be replaced, pointing out the vehicle is valuable to be used in special events such as floods or ice storms 

"We have plenty of incidents where people are lost in wooded areas or we have to recover injured or deceased people that are way out in a bad area that you can’t get to with vehicles and things like that,” Puett explains. 

Puett says the vehicle is also helpful to have for accidents along the interstate to help move supplies back and forth.   

Puett says having this would help expand his deputy's ability to get to people and serve them better and quicker, especially in tight and bad locations. 

Once the money is spent, will there be more to come?  Puett says they are hopeful Kehoe will continue these public safety programs 

"Obviously as we pay state taxes and it goes to the state, it’s nice to get some of our tax dollars that we pay back into our community for things that we’re able to utilize and all those things here locally instead of going somewhere else in the state, so that’s a plus,” Puett says. 

Puett says they won't know if this will continue however until after the first of the year, but also points out many things were held up and in limbo due to the recently ended federal government shutdown. 

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostBuchanan County was honored with a Blue Shield designation, and now with money coming from the state will be able to purchase new equipment. Last month, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced nearly $10 million in state grants with the program to help improve public safety. Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett says now, after months of planning, his office knows how much they will be able to get through the grant "We are earmarked to receive $50,000 no matching funds, it’s a direct award from the state, and so that’s going to help buy some equipment, mainly it’s directed towards equipment and things like that, not salaries or anything,” Puett says on the KFEQmunnity show. “And so we’re looking at a couple UTV’s and a trailer.” Puett says the current UTV the department has is worn down and needs to be replaced, pointing out the vehicle is valuable to be used in special events such as floods or ice storms "We have plenty of incidents where people are lost in wooded areas or we have to recover injured or deceased people that are way out in a bad area that you can’t get to with vehicles and things like that,” Puett explains. Puett says the vehicle is also helpful to have for accidents along the interstate to help move supplies back and forth. Puett says having this would help expand his deputy's ability to get to people and serve them better and quicker, especially in tight and bad locations. Once the money is spent, will there be more to come? Puett says they are hopeful Kehoe will continue these public safety programs "Obviously as we pay state taxes and it goes to the state, it’s nice to get some of our tax dollars that we pay back into our community for things that we’re able to utilize and all those things here locally instead of going somewhere else in the state, so that’s a plus,” Puett says. Puett says they won't know if this will continue however until after the first of the year, but also points out many things were held up and in limbo due to the recently ended federal government shutdown. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Buchanan County Sheriff benefits from Blue Shield program with new equipment

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/5PVlFf6xH7VmJACLYs2iEz?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6Z5q9wpzGYZbYguRJ89V6E?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshmerchant/">Josh Merchant</a>

The World Cup is just seven months away, and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority faces the immense challenge of moving hundreds of thousands of fans around Kansas City next summer.

Now, the transit agency has decided to crack open its piggy bank.

For years, transit leaders have asked Kansas, Missouri and the federal government for financial support during the World Cup to manage massive crowds of fans who will travel to the region without cars.

But they have not received a dime for World Cup bus service. So the KCATA is planning to raid millions of dollars from a federal grant from 2018 intended to buy new buses. Instead, that money will be spent on 40 days of expanded service for fans and tourists.

Chuck Ferguson, the chief operations officer for the KCATA, asked the Mid-America Regional Council to approve the change at a committee meeting on Nov. 10.

“We — Johnson County, the Unified Government — have been pushing local, regional and the feds for some kind of dedicated funding for transit for the last few years to no avail,” Ferguson said. “So now we’re scrambling.”

The federal government created a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/13/drone-defenses-world-cup-00606174" target="_blank">$625 million grant program for safety and security</a>&nbsp;in World Cup cities. But none of that money can be used by transit agencies.

Ferguson told The Beacon that Missouri also provided some support with an “ambassador” program, which will pay people to be “wayfinders” to help visitors find bus stops at World Cup events. But again, that money can’t be used to pay for additional bus routes or operators.

In the absence of additional support, the KCATA is being asked to manage unprecedented numbers of bus riders in Kansas City with a budget that’s already spread thin. And that exposes funding challenges that the KCATA was already facing before the World Cup was even announced.

KC2026, the organizing committee&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/19/is-kansas-city-world-cup-ready-2026/" target="_blank">formed to raise funds for and manage the World Cup</a>, announced earlier this year that it plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/housing-development-section/2025-06-12/world-cup-kansas-city-2026-transportation" target="_blank">lease 200 buses</a>&nbsp;to get visitors between the airport, downtown and the six matches planned to be hosted at Arrowhead Stadium.

“KC2026 is currently planning to fund and operate all transportation required to meet the Host City obligations, as well as additional services to facilitate movement in the region,” a spokesperson for KC2026 said in an email statement. “This includes the 200 buses we have leased, as well as any event-specific services that may be provided by partners.”

But transportation leaders are still staring down a problem — getting fans to and from the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascityfwc26.com/fan-fest/" target="_blank">FIFA Fan Festival</a>&nbsp;on the south lawn of the National World War I Museum and Memorial.

The World War I Museum sits along the newly extended streetcar line, which theoretically could move fans to and from the festival. But anyone who attended the recent Chappell Roan concerts or the NFL Draft in 2023 will remember long wait times to board the streetcar when tens of thousands of people left the venue at the end of the night.

Transportation planners call that a “crush load” —&nbsp;when people are packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the train and a long line of passengers has to wait for the next ride.

“The big worry right now,” Ferguson said at the MARC committee meeting, “is between 25,000 and 35,000 people leaving that venue at one point in time and looking to go somewhere.”

The streetcar, he said, can only handle a fraction of that number — a few thousand per hour.

KC2026 is planning to host the Fan Fest for 18 nights next summer — on the day of every Kansas City or Team USA match. But if the public transit along Main Street is overwhelmed that frequently, transit leaders worry it could be catastrophic for public safety and for the city’s reputation during the World Cup.

So the plan is to repurpose about $2.1 million that the KCATA received in 2018 to purchase new energy efficient buses. Instead, the agency will spend it on operations during the World Cup to run some extra buses along the streetcar line to manage the flood of fans. Another $387,500 would come from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2018-04-09/second-most-popular-bus-line-in-kansas-city-receives-long-awaited-30m-federal-funding" target="_blank">Prospect MAX grant</a>.

That would fund overtime pay for bus operators and the extra fuel.

“It’s not going to be the massive amounts of service that people had originally envisioned,” Ferguson told the committee. “But it is one dedicated opportunity that we hope to put out there.”

Johnson County Transit made a similar request at the Nov. 10 meeting, except it would use $2.1 million to bolster bus lines to hotels like the Sheraton in Overland Park.

In both cases, if the extra buses are not needed, the money will not be spent and it will be returned to the fund, likely to pay for the new efficient buses as originally intended.

KCATA is expected to do more with the same budget

Ultimately, the MARC transportation and emissions committee voted to recommend the change for approval by the entire board later this year.

But there were some dissenters, including Eric Rogers, the executive director and cofounder of BikeWalkKC. Rogers was one of three “no” votes.

He voted that way because he’s concerned about sacrificing long-term transit investments —&nbsp;like buses that could last for 25 years — for the sake of solving a short-term problem at the World Cup.

But he remains frustrated that the KCATA is expected to provide transit service for an unprecedented event in Kansas City without any funding from FIFA or from state or federal partners.

“We are putting our transit agencies in a tough position,” he said. “My question is, ‘Why isn’t the event that’s creating all of this demand doing more to provide the funding that’s needed for the transit agency to respond to the demand?’”

That concern was echoed by several other members of the committee during the meeting, including some who voted yes.

Bailey Waters, the chief mobility officer at Kansas City, asked Ferguson if FIFA was providing any support for the planned World Cup events.

“FIFA is not, never was going to sponsor anything,” Ferguson said in response. “FIFA requires things. But really all that FIFA provides is the happiness that we get to host the World Cup.”

Kansas City Councilmember Eric Bunch, who also serves on the KCATA Board of Commissioners, supports the move to repurpose the green bus funds for World Cup operations. But he said the frustration with FIFA is not lost on him.

“That is the problem with major events like the World Cup, like the Olympics, like the DNC or the RNC,” he said. “They’re pitching this as a positive economic impact. And in the end, it’s the local governments that pick up the bill often, and it’s the local residents who are impacted by it.”

Bunch said this most recent situation is emblematic of ongoing funding issues at the KCATA.

Not only is the transit agency underfunded in the Kansas City area, but its biggest financial constraints are around operating costs, rather than buying new buses.

In other words, the KCATA does not tend to have problems paying for new buses. The issue is finding money to pay the drivers and mechanics or buying fuel.

That’s because the federal government is willing to give grants for “capital” like new buses or streetcar tracks, but it is much rarer for the KCATA to get grants that can be used for “operations.”

(The Trump administration has deprioritized public transit as a whole compared to the Biden administration.)

“The federal government basically says, ‘All right, we’ll help you build your transit system, we’ll buy buses, we’ll build tracks for streetcars and light rail,’” Bunch said. “But once it’s up and running, that’s (the city’s) responsibility.”

About 72% of the KCATA’s operations — $61 million out of total $85 million — are paid for by Kansas City Hall.

So if the KCATA can find a way to use the federal grants to pay bus operators during the World Cup, Bunch said, that’s a far more appealing option than tapping an already strained operations budget.

Tristin Amezcua-Hogan, the chair of the Regional Transit Alliance, told The Beacon in an email statement that the KCATA is “trapped in a cycle of poverty right now that is perpetuated by a lack of stable regional funding.”

“This is just one of the many instances of the organization having to choose what gets the job done over the optimal decision that would come out of consistent funding,” he said.

Some members of the MARC committee, including Westwood City Administrator Leslie Herring, believe that the positive side of the World Cup is that some Kansas Citians are going to be taking public transit for the first time to get to the Fan Fest.

“It might be an opportunity to expand who all in Kansas City actually feels comfortable riding the buses,” Herring said at the committee meeting. “When Mission would take residents down to the Plaza, in Westport, to go bar hop during the holiday season, that was one of my first times on a bus. And I feel very comfortable on KCATA buses now.”

In theory, that kind of public support from new bus riders could pay off in the future if a regional transit sales tax is placed on the ballot.

A sales tax has some support in the Jackson County Courthouse, and four out of five of the Unified Government commissioners elected earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/10/23/wyandotte-county-election-2025-ug-districts/" target="_blank">told The Beacon that they would support putting a similar measure on the ballot</a>&nbsp;in Wyandotte County.

Bunch said polling shows the majority of voters in Jackson, Johnson, Clay and Wyandotte counties&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/housing-development-section/2025-10-02/kansas-city-regional-transit-alliance-poll-sales-tax-bus-service" target="_blank">already support raising taxes to fund public transit</a>. And that could increase if the KCATA does a good job during the World Cup.

“That is the opportunity we have with the World Cup, and enhancing bus service during that time,” he said. “That more people are going to be willing to try it out. And I think that that’s a really good thing.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/11/13/kcata-kansas-city-world-cup-public-transit/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763390696925.png" alt=" Kansas City expects about 650,000 visitors next summer over the course of the Kansas City World Cup. KC’s transit agency is concerned that if buses or the streetcar are overwhelmed with tourists, that could impact bus service for the city’s residents (Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> Kansas City expects about 650,000 visitors next summer over the course of the Kansas City World Cup. KC’s transit agency is concerned that if buses or the streetcar are overwhelmed with tourists, that could impact bus service for the city’s residents (Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshmerchant/">Josh Merchant</a>The World Cup is just seven months away, and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority faces the immense challenge of moving hundreds of thousands of fans around Kansas City next summer.Now, the transit agency has decided to crack open its piggy bank.For years, transit leaders have asked Kansas, Missouri and the federal government for financial support during the World Cup to manage massive crowds of fans who will travel to the region without cars.But they have not received a dime for World Cup bus service. So the KCATA is planning to raid millions of dollars from a federal grant from 2018 intended to buy new buses. Instead, that money will be spent on 40 days of expanded service for fans and tourists.Chuck Ferguson, the chief operations officer for the KCATA, asked the Mid-America Regional Council to approve the change at a committee meeting on Nov. 10.“We — Johnson County, the Unified Government — have been pushing local, regional and the feds for some kind of dedicated funding for transit for the last few years to no avail,” Ferguson said. “So now we’re scrambling.”The federal government created a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/13/drone-defenses-world-cup-00606174" target="_blank">$625 million grant program for safety and security</a>&nbsp;in World Cup cities. But none of that money can be used by transit agencies.Ferguson told The Beacon that Missouri also provided some support with an “ambassador” program, which will pay people to be “wayfinders” to help visitors find bus stops at World Cup events. But again, that money can’t be used to pay for additional bus routes or operators.In the absence of additional support, the KCATA is being asked to manage unprecedented numbers of bus riders in Kansas City with a budget that’s already spread thin. And that exposes funding challenges that the KCATA was already facing before the World Cup was even announced.<h2>Kansas City’s Fan Fest problem</h2>KC2026, the organizing committee&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/19/is-kansas-city-world-cup-ready-2026/" target="_blank">formed to raise funds for and manage the World Cup</a>, announced earlier this year that it plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/housing-development-section/2025-06-12/world-cup-kansas-city-2026-transportation" target="_blank">lease 200 buses</a>&nbsp;to get visitors between the airport, downtown and the six matches planned to be hosted at Arrowhead Stadium.“KC2026 is currently planning to fund and operate all transportation required to meet the Host City obligations, as well as additional services to facilitate movement in the region,” a spokesperson for KC2026 said in an email statement. “This includes the 200 buses we have leased, as well as any event-specific services that may be provided by partners.”But transportation leaders are still staring down a problem — getting fans to and from the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascityfwc26.com/fan-fest/" target="_blank">FIFA Fan Festival</a>&nbsp;on the south lawn of the National World War I Museum and Memorial.The World War I Museum sits along the newly extended streetcar line, which theoretically could move fans to and from the festival. But anyone who attended the recent Chappell Roan concerts or the NFL Draft in 2023 will remember long wait times to board the streetcar when tens of thousands of people left the venue at the end of the night.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763390661542.png" alt="Chappell Roan fans wait for the KC Streetcar following her Oct. 3 concert. The concert was attended by about 30,000 people, which roughly compares to the expected attendance of Fan Fest (Josh Merchant/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption>Chappell Roan fans wait for the KC Streetcar following her Oct. 3 concert. The concert was attended by about 30,000 people, which roughly compares to the expected attendance of Fan Fest (Josh Merchant/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure>Transportation planners call that a “crush load” —&nbsp;when people are packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the train and a long line of passengers has to wait for the next ride.“The big worry right now,” Ferguson said at the MARC committee meeting, “is between 25,000 and 35,000 people leaving that venue at one point in time and looking to go somewhere.”The streetcar, he said, can only handle a fraction of that number — a few thousand per hour.KC2026 is planning to host the Fan Fest for 18 nights next summer — on the day of every Kansas City or Team USA match. But if the public transit along Main Street is overwhelmed that frequently, transit leaders worry it could be catastrophic for public safety and for the city’s reputation during the World Cup.So the plan is to repurpose about $2.1 million that the KCATA received in 2018 to purchase new energy efficient buses. Instead, the agency will spend it on operations during the World Cup to run some extra buses along the streetcar line to manage the flood of fans. Another $387,500 would come from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2018-04-09/second-most-popular-bus-line-in-kansas-city-receives-long-awaited-30m-federal-funding" target="_blank">Prospect MAX grant</a>.That would fund overtime pay for bus operators and the extra fuel.“It’s not going to be the massive amounts of service that people had originally envisioned,” Ferguson told the committee. “But it is one dedicated opportunity that we hope to put out there.”Johnson County Transit made a similar request at the Nov. 10 meeting, except it would use $2.1 million to bolster bus lines to hotels like the Sheraton in Overland Park.In both cases, if the extra buses are not needed, the money will not be spent and it will be returned to the fund, likely to pay for the new efficient buses as originally intended.<h2>KCATA is expected to do more with the same budget</h2>Ultimately, the MARC transportation and emissions committee voted to recommend the change for approval by the entire board later this year.But there were some dissenters, including Eric Rogers, the executive director and cofounder of BikeWalkKC. Rogers was one of three “no” votes.He voted that way because he’s concerned about sacrificing long-term transit investments —&nbsp;like buses that could last for 25 years — for the sake of solving a short-term problem at the World Cup.But he remains frustrated that the KCATA is expected to provide transit service for an unprecedented event in Kansas City without any funding from FIFA or from state or federal partners.“We are putting our transit agencies in a tough position,” he said. “My question is, ‘Why isn’t the event that’s creating all of this demand doing more to provide the funding that’s needed for the transit agency to respond to the demand?’”That concern was echoed by several other members of the committee during the meeting, including some who voted yes.Bailey Waters, the chief mobility officer at Kansas City, asked Ferguson if FIFA was providing any support for the planned World Cup events.“FIFA is not, never was going to sponsor anything,” Ferguson said in response. “FIFA requires things. But really all that FIFA provides is the happiness that we get to host the World Cup.”Kansas City Councilmember Eric Bunch, who also serves on the KCATA Board of Commissioners, supports the move to repurpose the green bus funds for World Cup operations. But he said the frustration with FIFA is not lost on him.“That is the problem with major events like the World Cup, like the Olympics, like the DNC or the RNC,” he said. “They’re pitching this as a positive economic impact. And in the end, it’s the local governments that pick up the bill often, and it’s the local residents who are impacted by it.”<h2>A fundamental funding challenge</h2>Bunch said this most recent situation is emblematic of ongoing funding issues at the KCATA.Not only is the transit agency underfunded in the Kansas City area, but its biggest financial constraints are around operating costs, rather than buying new buses.In other words, the KCATA does not tend to have problems paying for new buses. The issue is finding money to pay the drivers and mechanics or buying fuel.That’s because the federal government is willing to give grants for “capital” like new buses or streetcar tracks, but it is much rarer for the KCATA to get grants that can be used for “operations.”(The Trump administration has deprioritized public transit as a whole compared to the Biden administration.)“The federal government basically says, ‘All right, we’ll help you build your transit system, we’ll buy buses, we’ll build tracks for streetcars and light rail,’” Bunch said. “But once it’s up and running, that’s (the city’s) responsibility.”About 72% of the KCATA’s operations — $61 million out of total $85 million — are paid for by Kansas City Hall.So if the KCATA can find a way to use the federal grants to pay bus operators during the World Cup, Bunch said, that’s a far more appealing option than tapping an already strained operations budget.Tristin Amezcua-Hogan, the chair of the Regional Transit Alliance, told The Beacon in an email statement that the KCATA is “trapped in a cycle of poverty right now that is perpetuated by a lack of stable regional funding.”“This is just one of the many instances of the organization having to choose what gets the job done over the optimal decision that would come out of consistent funding,” he said.Some members of the MARC committee, including Westwood City Administrator Leslie Herring, believe that the positive side of the World Cup is that some Kansas Citians are going to be taking public transit for the first time to get to the Fan Fest.“It might be an opportunity to expand who all in Kansas City actually feels comfortable riding the buses,” Herring said at the committee meeting. “When Mission would take residents down to the Plaza, in Westport, to go bar hop during the holiday season, that was one of my first times on a bus. And I feel very comfortable on KCATA buses now.”In theory, that kind of public support from new bus riders could pay off in the future if a regional transit sales tax is placed on the ballot.A sales tax has some support in the Jackson County Courthouse, and four out of five of the Unified Government commissioners elected earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/10/23/wyandotte-county-election-2025-ug-districts/" target="_blank">told The Beacon that they would support putting a similar measure on the ballot</a>&nbsp;in Wyandotte County.Bunch said polling shows the majority of voters in Jackson, Johnson, Clay and Wyandotte counties&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/housing-development-section/2025-10-02/kansas-city-regional-transit-alliance-poll-sales-tax-bus-service" target="_blank">already support raising taxes to fund public transit</a>. And that could increase if the KCATA does a good job during the World Cup.“That is the opportunity we have with the World Cup, and enhancing bus service during that time,” he said. “That more people are going to be willing to try it out. And I think that that’s a really good thing.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/11/13/kcata-kansas-city-world-cup-public-transit/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Kansas City wants state, federal help for extra bus service during World Cup

ANDREW COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Saturday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Polaris Ranger Turbo S driven by a 40-year-old Savannah man was northbound on U.S. 71 just south of CR 57 four miles north of Savannah. The vehicle traveled off the west side of the road and struck a drainage culvert.

Andrew County EMS transported the driver and two passengers including a 45-year-old St. Joseph man and a 37-year-old Rosendale man to Mosaic Life Care. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just before 4:30p.m. Saturday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2021 Polaris Ranger Turbo S driven by a 40-year-old Savannah man was northbound on U.S. 71 just south of CR 57 four miles north of Savannah. The vehicle traveled off the west side of the road and struck a drainage culvert.Andrew County EMS transported the driver and two passengers including a 45-year-old St. Joseph man and a 37-year-old Rosendale man to Mosaic Life Care. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

3 Mo. men hospitalized after UTV accident

The Northwest Missouri State University football team fell to the Pittsburgh State Gorillas at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, losing 27-14 and settling for a shared regular season MIAA title.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Despite the Bearcats outgaining the Gorillas in both rushing and passing yards, four first half fumbles were to much to overcome for Northwest.

Head Coach John McMenamin gave credit to Pittsburgh State and says they just played a better game than Northwest

"I told our guys it's a good spot to be in, what I'm saying is they walked out conference champs, they're walking in conference champs, they're going to be a playoff team and that's all we can ask for," McMenamin says in his postgame press conference.&nbsp; "It didn't go our way today, but I think there's some things we can fix to play, and anytime you lose four fumbles it's not a good recipe for winning."

A strong offensive drive from the Bearcats, highlighted by a 65 yard run from Quincy Torry, opened the game to lead to a quick lead for Northwest as&nbsp;Zechariah Owens threw a three yard touchdown pass to Erwin Nash.&nbsp; On the ensuing Pitt State drive, the Bearcats forced a punt, but their first fumble of the game gave the ball right back to the Gorillas, allowing them to tie up the game.&nbsp;

Jackson Berry threw a 14 yard touchdown pass in the front corner of the endzone to Jaelon Travis.&nbsp; Then, on the next drive Pittsburgh State forced Owens to fumble, and then took advantage to take the lead, Berry throwing a 78 yard touchdown pass to TyJuan Atkins Jr, despite pressure from Carter Edwards, to go ahead 14-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, the third fumble of the half gave the ball back to Pittsburgh State, Cooper Warren fumbling the kickoff, but this time the Bearcats defense stepped up to force a punt, getting the ball back into their offenses hands.&nbsp; Northwest though was unable to do anything with it and had to punt it right back to start the second quarter.&nbsp;

Northwest's special teams unit prevented the Gorillas from scoring next, Edwards blocking a 47 yard field goal attempt, but again the Bearcats were forced to punt, and after getting the ball back on a Pittsburgh State punt, the fourth fumble extended the lead more, Madixx Morriss fumbling a reception from Chris Ruhnke, and freshman Quintin Kirby taking the ball 71 yards to the house for a 21-7 lead.&nbsp;

Near the end of the first half, Gorillas kicker Austin Schmitt hit a 28 yard field goal.&nbsp; Northwest attempted to drive the field for a late score in the half, but a sack on Ruhnke would wind down the remaining time of the first half and Pittsburgh State took a 24-7 lead into the halftime break.&nbsp;

Northwest could never overcome the four first half fumbles,&nbsp;McMenamin saying there's a difference between getting your butt kicked and self sabotage.

"We contributed to much to their victory," McMenamin says.&nbsp; "And we needed to play more secure football and I think all our guys know that they can, and so it's picking their heads up, we'll come back to work there's a formula for it, and we put it to work today but it just didn't work out."

The third quarter flew by with both defenses holding each other scoreless, the Bearcats finally breaking back onto the scoreboard midway into the final quarter with a five yard pass from Ruhnke to Gannon Gragert, just Gragert's second touchdown catch of the season.&nbsp; But, it was to little, to late, Pitt State consuming almost five minutes of clock, with Schmitt hitting a 30 yard field goal to seal the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ruhnke was 20 for 30 through the air for 202 yards with one touchdown, adding 35 rushing yards.&nbsp; Owens was a perfect 5 for 5 with one touchdown pass and 40 yards through the air, running for 13 yards.&nbsp; Torry rushed eight times for 101 yards.&nbsp; Nash had seven catches for 81 yards and a score.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Northwest finishes the regular season 9-2, 8-1 in the MIAA. They'll now turn their attention to the playoffs with the NCAA DII Selection Show coming up on Sunday at 5pm.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763262044785.jpeg" alt="Chris Ruhnke (15) scrambles with the ball, attempting to score late in the game/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Chris Ruhnke (15) scrambles with the ball, attempting to score late in the game/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEThe Northwest Missouri State University football team fell to the Pittsburgh State Gorillas at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, losing 27-14 and settling for a shared regular season MIAA title.&nbsp; &nbsp;Despite the Bearcats outgaining the Gorillas in both rushing and passing yards, four first half fumbles were to much to overcome for Northwest.Head Coach John McMenamin gave credit to Pittsburgh State and says they just played a better game than Northwest"I told our guys it's a good spot to be in, what I'm saying is they walked out conference champs, they're walking in conference champs, they're going to be a playoff team and that's all we can ask for," McMenamin says in his postgame press conference.&nbsp; "It didn't go our way today, but I think there's some things we can fix to play, and anytime you lose four fumbles it's not a good recipe for winning."A strong offensive drive from the Bearcats, highlighted by a 65 yard run from Quincy Torry, opened the game to lead to a quick lead for Northwest as&nbsp;Zechariah Owens threw a three yard touchdown pass to Erwin Nash.&nbsp; On the ensuing Pitt State drive, the Bearcats forced a punt, but their first fumble of the game gave the ball right back to the Gorillas, allowing them to tie up the game.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">1Q ||| 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐒 😤 Owens -&gt; Nash -&gt; 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝟔 PAT is GOOD. 7-0, Bearcats. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OABAAB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OABAAB</a> ||| <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RISE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RISE</a> <a href="https://t.co/YhuExq1pu0">pic.twitter.com/YhuExq1pu0</a>&mdash; Northwest Football (@NWBearcat_FB) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWBearcat_FB/status/1989781565946101904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Jackson Berry threw a 14 yard touchdown pass in the front corner of the endzone to Jaelon Travis.&nbsp; Then, on the next drive Pittsburgh State forced Owens to fumble, and then took advantage to take the lead, Berry throwing a 78 yard touchdown pass to TyJuan Atkins Jr, despite pressure from Carter Edwards, to go ahead 14-7.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763262750393.jpeg" alt="Carter Edwards hits Pittsburgh State quarterback Jackson Berry (1) as Berry gets the ball off for a 78 yard touchdown pass/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Carter Edwards hits Pittsburgh State quarterback Jackson Berry (1) as Berry gets the ball off for a 78 yard touchdown pass/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure> On the ensuing kickoff, the third fumble of the half gave the ball back to Pittsburgh State, Cooper Warren fumbling the kickoff, but this time the Bearcats defense stepped up to force a punt, getting the ball back into their offenses hands.&nbsp; Northwest though was unable to do anything with it and had to punt it right back to start the second quarter.&nbsp;Northwest's special teams unit prevented the Gorillas from scoring next, Edwards blocking a 47 yard field goal attempt, but again the Bearcats were forced to punt, and after getting the ball back on a Pittsburgh State punt, the fourth fumble extended the lead more, Madixx Morriss fumbling a reception from Chris Ruhnke, and freshman Quintin Kirby taking the ball 71 yards to the house for a 21-7 lead.&nbsp;Near the end of the first half, Gorillas kicker Austin Schmitt hit a 28 yard field goal.&nbsp; Northwest attempted to drive the field for a late score in the half, but a sack on Ruhnke would wind down the remaining time of the first half and Pittsburgh State took a 24-7 lead into the halftime break.&nbsp;Northwest could never overcome the four first half fumbles,&nbsp;McMenamin saying there's a difference between getting your butt kicked and self sabotage."We contributed to much to their victory," McMenamin says.&nbsp; "And we needed to play more secure football and I think all our guys know that they can, and so it's picking their heads up, we'll come back to work there's a formula for it, and we put it to work today but it just didn't work out."The third quarter flew by with both defenses holding each other scoreless, the Bearcats finally breaking back onto the scoreboard midway into the final quarter with a five yard pass from Ruhnke to Gannon Gragert, just Gragert's second touchdown catch of the season.&nbsp; But, it was to little, to late, Pitt State consuming almost five minutes of clock, with Schmitt hitting a 30 yard field goal to seal the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐍&#39; Ruhnke -&gt; Gragert -&gt; 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝟔 PAT is GOOD. 24-14, Gorillas. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OABAAB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OABAAB</a> ||| <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RISE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RISE</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZaAQCr8ztP">pic.twitter.com/ZaAQCr8ztP</a>&mdash; Northwest Football (@NWBearcat_FB) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWBearcat_FB/status/1989815927634903268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Ruhnke was 20 for 30 through the air for 202 yards with one touchdown, adding 35 rushing yards.&nbsp; Owens was a perfect 5 for 5 with one touchdown pass and 40 yards through the air, running for 13 yards.&nbsp; Torry rushed eight times for 101 yards.&nbsp; Nash had seven catches for 81 yards and a score.&nbsp;&nbsp;Northwest finishes the regular season 9-2, 8-1 in the MIAA. They'll now turn their attention to the playoffs with the NCAA DII Selection Show coming up on Sunday at 5pm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763263731689.jpeg" alt="Zechariah Owens (10) drops back for a pass/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Zechariah Owens (10) drops back for a pass/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure> You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

First half fumbles hurt Bearcats in loss to Gorillas at Children's Mercy Park

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.

Just before 8p.m. Nov. 13, Sheriff's Deputies were attempting to locate a wanted Kansas man at 133 W. 13th Street in Horton, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

 A search warrant was granted for the residence and deputies&nbsp; executed the Warrant a short time later.&nbsp; &nbsp;Deputies found 45-year-old Gerald Adams of Horton hiding in a closet.&nbsp; He was arrested on a Brown County Felony Failure to Appear Warrant and is facing a charge of Felony Obstruction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763138131977.png" alt="Adams photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Adams photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.Just before 8p.m. Nov. 13, Sheriff's Deputies were attempting to locate a wanted Kansas man at 133 W. 13th Street in Horton, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant. A search warrant was granted for the residence and deputies&nbsp; executed the Warrant a short time later.&nbsp; &nbsp;Deputies found 45-year-old Gerald Adams of Horton hiding in a closet.&nbsp; He was arrested on a Brown County Felony Failure to Appear Warrant and is facing a charge of Felony Obstruction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sheriff: Wanted Kansas suspect found hiding in closet

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/0biwPzVOkq97kowbEI7v1q?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Week in Review

Beginning Friday at President Trump's direction, records related to Amelia Earhart's final flight and disappearance 88 years ago will be declassified and shared with the American people, according to a statement from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

These records&nbsp;include reports, maps, and other documents tracing Earhart's final journey, her last known communications and location, and the initial search following her disappearance.

Thanks to President Trump's&nbsp;leadership, a historic initiative is underway to digitize and publicly release these records from across the federal government, including newly declassified files today from <a href="https://x.com/NSAgov">@NSAgov</a>.

As agencies identify additional files, the new documents will be uploaded to <a href="https://x.com/USNatArchives">@USNatArchives</a> on a rolling basis, alongside those previously released, at <a href="https://t.co/O9e08dK1wN" target="_blank">http://archives.gov/ameliaearhart</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763176244130.png" alt="Photo courtesy National Archives" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy National Archives</figcaption>
 </figure>Beginning Friday at President Trump's direction, records related to Amelia Earhart's final flight and disappearance 88 years ago will be declassified and shared with the American people, according to a statement from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

These records&nbsp;include reports, maps, and other documents tracing Earhart's final journey, her last known communications and location, and the initial search following her disappearance.

Thanks to President Trump's&nbsp;leadership, a historic initiative is underway to digitize and publicly release these records from across the federal government, including newly declassified files today from <a href="https://x.com/NSAgov">@NSAgov</a>.

As agencies identify additional files, the new documents will be uploaded to <a href="https://x.com/USNatArchives">@USNatArchives</a> on a rolling basis, alongside those previously released, at <a href="https://t.co/O9e08dK1wN" target="_blank">http://archives.gov/ameliaearhart</a>.

Records related to Amelia Earhart's final flight will be declassified

After evaluation, the Missouri Department of Transportation will keep the Gene Field Road Bridge over I-29 until next spring. 

The bridge was closed on Monday after being struck by an oversized load.  One of the bridge's support girders was badly damaged, causing it to separate from the bridge deck.  Due to this, and the pre-existing condition of the bridge, MoDOT will keep the bridge closed until it can be replaced. 

A project to replace the bridge was scheduled to begin in October of next year, but will now be accelerated to begin in the spring of next year.  Due to an ongoing project by the city of St. Joseph, road traffic is restricted between Karnes and Cook Road and is being detoured

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostAfter evaluation, the Missouri Department of Transportation will keep the Gene Field Road Bridge over I-29 until next spring. The bridge was closed on Monday after being struck by an oversized load. One of the bridge's support girders was badly damaged, causing it to separate from the bridge deck. Due to this, and the pre-existing condition of the bridge, MoDOT will keep the bridge closed until it can be replaced. A project to replace the bridge was scheduled to begin in October of next year, but will now be accelerated to begin in the spring of next year. Due to an ongoing project by the city of St. Joseph, road traffic is restricted between Karnes and Cook Road and is being detouredYou can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Gene Field Bridge closed closed until spring after MoDOT evaluation

Starting today, residents can go into the AFL-CIO Community Service offices, or online, and Adopt a Family in need this Christmas.  

AFL-CIO Executive Director Nichi Seckinger says already nearly 400 applications have come in for the program this year, which is a lot for this time of year.  

Seckinger says the hope is people are being proactive and applying early, but says the reality is, with the state of the economy, they could see more people 

"And we usually rule of thumb is the amount of applications we get in the first two weeks, it’s a crazy way to do it, but multiply that by three and that’s about how many applications we get for the entire season,” Seckinger tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “And if that is the case, if by the end of this week we have 425, we’ll be looking at over 1,200 families, and all my fingers are crossed that that doesn’t happen because that would set a record for us, but they are coming it at a pretty rapid rate this year.” 

Seckinger says it's just been the perfect storm as of late, with the recent federal government shutdown and the economy, that the number could end up higher that past years 

"Knowing that all those things are in flux going into the holidays, we know people are struggling, I think people who normally don’t have a problem paying bills are struggling some right now,” Seckinger explains.  “So, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see an increase in people applying and people that normally have normally not asked for help in the past being the ones who are tacking onto our numbers this year.” 

Seckinger says fear over food stamp benefits could have played a factor.  The recent bill signed by President Trump reopened the federal government and will fund SNAP until September 2026.  

Seckinger says the estimated cost to adopt a child 11 or older is $75 to $100.  The average cost for a child under the age of 10 is $50.  

Seckinger says under the circumstances of comparing to people's normal bills, spending that much money to have an impact on a kid, it's worth it 

"Sometimes these are the only new things they get all year, sometimes some of them haven’t celebrated Christmas every single year, we see that quite a bit with kids,” Seckinger says.  “A parent will apply and say I didn’t apply last year and we ended up not being able to do Christmas, so I made sure to apply this year, and that’s the last thing you want to think of is that there’s kids out there that don’t get to celebrate Christmas and there’s nothing under the tree when they do.” 

To find out more information about how to help with Adopt a Family, you can go online to AFL-CIO Community Services website, or into the offices.

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostStarting today, residents can go into the AFL-CIO Community Service offices, or online, and Adopt a Family in need this Christmas. AFL-CIO Executive Director Nichi Seckinger says already nearly 400 applications have come in for the program this year, which is a lot for this time of year. Seckinger says the hope is people are being proactive and applying early, but says the reality is, with the state of the economy, they could see more people "And we usually rule of thumb is the amount of applications we get in the first two weeks, it’s a crazy way to do it, but multiply that by three and that’s about how many applications we get for the entire season,” Seckinger tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And if that is the case, if by the end of this week we have 425, we’ll be looking at over 1,200 families, and all my fingers are crossed that that doesn’t happen because that would set a record for us, but they are coming it at a pretty rapid rate this year.” Seckinger says it's just been the perfect storm as of late, with the recent federal government shutdown and the economy, that the number could end up higher that past years "Knowing that all those things are in flux going into the holidays, we know people are struggling, I think people who normally don’t have a problem paying bills are struggling some right now,” Seckinger explains. “So, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see an increase in people applying and people that normally have normally not asked for help in the past being the ones who are tacking onto our numbers this year.” Seckinger says fear over food stamp benefits could have played a factor. The recent bill signed by President Trump reopened the federal government and will fund SNAP until September 2026. Seckinger says the estimated cost to adopt a child 11 or older is $75 to $100. The average cost for a child under the age of 10 is $50. Seckinger says under the circumstances of comparing to people's normal bills, spending that much money to have an impact on a kid, it's worth it "Sometimes these are the only new things they get all year, sometimes some of them haven’t celebrated Christmas every single year, we see that quite a bit with kids,” Seckinger says. “A parent will apply and say I didn’t apply last year and we ended up not being able to do Christmas, so I made sure to apply this year, and that’s the last thing you want to think of is that there’s kids out there that don’t get to celebrate Christmas and there’s nothing under the tree when they do.” To find out more information about how to help with Adopt a Family, you can go online to AFL-CIO Community Services website, or into the offices.JOURNAL<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3PsinF50EB0kNRTq3tm8kr?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;

Adopt a Family program in need of adopters with larger number of adoptees expected

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/67cEjUS3T9JZ8629dRvt2u?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1oT2IHSajMfoaSYU2Z4UHA?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning News 

St. Joseph city officials have announced that as the Gene Field Road bridge remains closed with Missouri Department of Transportation crews evaluating the situation, new detours have been posted.&nbsp;

The bridge was struck on Monday by an oversize load traveling on Interstate 29, which runs beneath the structure. MoDOT crews are currently assessing the bridge’s condition and determining if repairs are necessary. The bridge will remain closed until MoDOT deems it safe to reopen.

Drivers traveling on the east side of the bridge are advised to travel east on Gene Field Road to Bishop Road, then go north to Cook Road to avoid Woodbine.&nbsp; Woodbine Road remains closed to general traffic daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the ongoing stabilization project. 

Local traffic will continue to have access throughout the duration of that work. The Woodbine project is expected to continue for about three more weeks, weather permitting.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph city officials have announced that as the Gene Field Road bridge remains closed with Missouri Department of Transportation crews evaluating the situation, new detours have been posted.&nbsp;The bridge was struck on Monday by an oversize load traveling on Interstate 29, which runs beneath the structure. MoDOT crews are currently assessing the bridge’s condition and determining if repairs are necessary. The bridge will remain closed until MoDOT deems it safe to reopen.Drivers traveling on the east side of the bridge are advised to travel east on Gene Field Road to Bishop Road, then go north to Cook Road to avoid Woodbine.&nbsp; Woodbine Road remains closed to general traffic daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the ongoing stabilization project. Local traffic will continue to have access throughout the duration of that work. The Woodbine project is expected to continue for about three more weeks, weather permitting.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

New detours announced during Gene Field Bridge closure

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced Thursday that all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants in Missouri will receive their full November benefits, following the passage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371" target="_blank">FY26 Appropriations Act</a>. , according to a media release from the agency.

President Donald J. Trump signed the act into law on November 12, which restored full federal funding for SNAP benefits.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“With federal funding back in place, our team is moving swiftly to issue full November benefits,” said&nbsp;Jess Bax, DSS Director. “We know how important this assistance is to Missouri households, especially after the uncertainty of recent weeks, and we thank the public for being patient with us as we navigated communicating effectively.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

DSS is taking immediate steps to ensure Missouri families receive their full November benefits as quickly as possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;

DSS is working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) and the state’s electronic benefit transfer (EBT) vendor to distribute funds to participating families.&nbsp;

For more information or updates about SNAP benefits in Missouri, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts" target="_blank">https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761944916334.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced Thursday that all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants in Missouri will receive their full November benefits, following the passage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371" target="_blank">FY26 Appropriations Act</a>. , according to a media release from the agency.President Donald J. Trump signed the act into law on November 12, which restored full federal funding for SNAP benefits.&nbsp;&nbsp;“With federal funding back in place, our team is moving swiftly to issue full November benefits,” said&nbsp;Jess Bax, DSS Director. “We know how important this assistance is to Missouri households, especially after the uncertainty of recent weeks, and we thank the public for being patient with us as we navigated communicating effectively.”&nbsp;&nbsp;DSS is taking immediate steps to ensure Missouri families receive their full November benefits as quickly as possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>DSS will continue to distribute partial benefits until we complete the system updates to begin distributing full benefits. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Participants who already received a partial amount will receive the remainder as soon as possible. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Participants do not need to take any action to receive their benefits.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>DSS is working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) and the state’s electronic benefit transfer (EBT) vendor to distribute funds to participating families.&nbsp;For more information or updates about SNAP benefits in Missouri, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts" target="_blank">https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Full SNAP benefits returning for Missouri families following end of shutdown

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an alleged violent attack in Brown County.

Just before 3:30p.m. November 10, Brown County dispatched a deputy to a local hospital to take a report from a victim of alleged battery, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; &nbsp; The deputy obtained suspect&nbsp; information from the victim while at the hospital and then alerted other Brown County deputies. 

A short time later, deputies encountered the suspect, Gerry Rilinger, 43 of Sabetha in Fairview, Kansas.&nbsp; When a deputy approached Rilinger for questioning, he became argumentative, defiant and initiated a scuffle which resulted in Rilinger's arrest.&nbsp; He was then&nbsp; transported to the Brown County jail.

He is being held on a $2 million dollar bond on requested charges of&nbsp; 2nd Degree Attempted Murder, Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated kidnapping, Misdemeanor Battery on Law Enforcement Officers, Felony Battery on a Corrections Officer, Felony Obstruction and Transport an Open Container.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763067344001.png" alt="Rilinger photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Rilinger photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an alleged violent attack in Brown County.Just before 3:30p.m. November 10, Brown County dispatched a deputy to a local hospital to take a report from a victim of alleged battery, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; &nbsp; The deputy obtained suspect&nbsp; information from the victim while at the hospital and then alerted other Brown County deputies. A short time later, deputies encountered the suspect, Gerry Rilinger, 43 of Sabetha in Fairview, Kansas.&nbsp; When a deputy approached Rilinger for questioning, he became argumentative, defiant and initiated a scuffle which resulted in Rilinger's arrest.&nbsp; He was then&nbsp; transported to the Brown County jail.He is being held on a $2 million dollar bond on requested charges of&nbsp; 2nd Degree Attempted Murder, Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated kidnapping, Misdemeanor Battery on Law Enforcement Officers, Felony Battery on a Corrections Officer, Felony Obstruction and Transport an Open Container.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Kansas attempted murder suspect captured

It's been a productive fall sports season at Missouri Western State University, and at least two programs have deep playoff aspirations.    

Athletic Director Andy Carter says MoWest Cross Country had the first ever national qualifier in program history.  Griffon women's soccer is also playing for a chance at the national tournament  

Carter says currently the Griffons are on the outside looking in, because conference tournament winners earn an automatic bid, meaning a higher seed, normally has a better chance, however  

“Since the top three seeds in our conference all lost in the first round of the conference tournament, we’re the highest seed remaining, there’s somebody in a low seed that would not have gotten into that regional tournament if we don’t win somebody’s going to get in and that could be at our demise,” Carter says on the KFEQmnunnity show.  “So, as I told our coach and our players, then it needs to be us, we need to go win the tournament and then earn our way into that tournament.” 

MoWest is the fourth seed in the MIAA tournament and will play Northeastern State today for a trip to the championship game at 3pm   

Volleyball also is on a roll at MoWest.  Carter says the momentum of the volleyball team is in large part thanks to the head coach Jessica Fey (Fi like Wi-Fi] just being able to get her team to play  

"It’s really hard for somebody who's better than the other team to really lose a whole match; they might lose a set and there might be times it doesn’t look good, but this thing plays out they’ve got to beat you three times,” Carter explains.  “And so the best teams just don’t get caught up in the emotion of a bad string of points or a bad set, and that’s what our team has shown is this tremendous resiliency.” 

Fey won her 100th career match on Friday against Central Missouri.  The Griffons are currently on an 11-match win streak.   

MoWest could claim its first MIAA crown since 2017 with matches tonight against Fort Hays State and tomorrow against Nebraska Kearney.  One win would guarantee at least a share of the title, winning both gives the title outright. 

MoWest football wraps up their season on Saturday against Central Oklahoma on Saturday, hoping to wrap up a disappointing season with one more win.  

Carter though, despite the current 3-7 record, he still believes this is one of the best coaching staffs he's worked with in his time as an AD 

"And they’re not all winning at the level we want to win at yet, but they’re people of high character, high integrity, we share the same values of what we want to see in the end result, and sometimes it just takes a little longer in some scenarios,” Carter says.  “I’ve seen things turned around in a year before, and I’ve things that take four years, so a full four years of recruiting, and it just depends.” 

Carter says when you decide to make a change, it has less to do with winning and losing, and more to do with things that the fans are not seeing off the field.  

MoWest and Central Oklahoma kickoff on Saturday at 2pm 

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

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostIt's been a productive fall sports season at Missouri Western State University, and at least two programs have deep playoff aspirations. Athletic Director Andy Carter says MoWest Cross Country had the first ever national qualifier in program history. Griffon women's soccer is also playing for a chance at the national tournament Carter says currently the Griffons are on the outside looking in, because conference tournament winners earn an automatic bid, meaning a higher seed, normally has a better chance, however “Since the top three seeds in our conference all lost in the first round of the conference tournament, we’re the highest seed remaining, there’s somebody in a low seed that would not have gotten into that regional tournament if we don’t win somebody’s going to get in and that could be at our demise,” Carter says on the KFEQmnunnity show. “So, as I told our coach and our players, then it needs to be us, we need to go win the tournament and then earn our way into that tournament.” MoWest is the fourth seed in the MIAA tournament and will play Northeastern State today for a trip to the championship game at 3pm Volleyball also is on a roll at MoWest. Carter says the momentum of the volleyball team is in large part thanks to the head coach Jessica Fey (Fi like Wi-Fi] just being able to get her team to play "It’s really hard for somebody who's better than the other team to really lose a whole match; they might lose a set and there might be times it doesn’t look good, but this thing plays out they’ve got to beat you three times,” Carter explains. “And so the best teams just don’t get caught up in the emotion of a bad string of points or a bad set, and that’s what our team has shown is this tremendous resiliency.” Fey won her 100th career match on Friday against Central Missouri. The Griffons are currently on an 11-match win streak. MoWest could claim its first MIAA crown since 2017 with matches tonight against Fort Hays State and tomorrow against Nebraska Kearney. One win would guarantee at least a share of the title, winning both gives the title outright. MoWest football wraps up their season on Saturday against Central Oklahoma on Saturday, hoping to wrap up a disappointing season with one more win. Carter though, despite the current 3-7 record, he still believes this is one of the best coaching staffs he's worked with in his time as an AD "And they’re not all winning at the level we want to win at yet, but they’re people of high character, high integrity, we share the same values of what we want to see in the end result, and sometimes it just takes a little longer in some scenarios,” Carter says. “I’ve seen things turned around in a year before, and I’ve things that take four years, so a full four years of recruiting, and it just depends.” Carter says when you decide to make a change, it has less to do with winning and losing, and more to do with things that the fans are not seeing off the field. MoWest and Central Oklahoma kickoff on Saturday at 2pm You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Productive fall sports season comes with successes and disappointments

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robbiesequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Missouri, Maine and Vermont are dealing with especially severe bus driver shortages

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763047052915.png" alt=" Buses are lined up at the Kansas City Public Schools bus barn in Kansas City between morning and afternoon routes. School districts have made some progress in addressing the national shortage of school bus drivers, but there still aren’t as many drivers as there were in 2019 (Kevin Hardy/Stateline)." />
 <figcaption> Buses are lined up at the Kansas City Public Schools bus barn in Kansas City between morning and afternoon routes. School districts have made some progress in addressing the national shortage of school bus drivers, but there still aren’t as many drivers as there were in 2019 (Kevin Hardy/Stateline).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robbiesequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a><h2>Missouri, Maine and Vermont are dealing with especially severe bus driver shortages</h2>School districts have made some progress in addressing the national shortage of school bus drivers, but there still aren’t as many drivers as there were in 2019, according to a new study.The number of drivers has increased by 2,300, or 1.1%, since last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/the-school-bus-driver-shortage-has-improved-slightly-but-continues-to-stress-k-12-public-education/" target="_blank">according to the Economic Policy Institute</a>, a left-leaning research group. But there are still 21,200 fewer bus drivers than there were&nbsp;in 2019, a decline of 9.5%.The researchers link the employment gain to higher wages: Average hourly wages are up 4.2% in the past year, the largest jump since the COVID-19 pandemic.During and after the pandemic, many bus drivers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.adpresearch.com/assets/the-missing-school-bus-drivers-a-look-at-employment-data-before-and-after-the-covid-19-pandemic/" target="_blank">retired</a>, left the workforce or in some cases, died. Districts across the country have had to scramble to find someone to take the wheel — be it substitute teachers, administrators or even parents.The number of bus drivers decreased by 15% between September 2019 and September 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/the-school-bus-driver-shortage-remains-severe-without-job-quality-improvements-workers-children-and-parents-will-suffer/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the Economic Policy Institute. Private school bus contractors now account for 38% of the nation’s pupil transportation services, according to the National School Transportation Association.Other school transportation options,&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/09/30/school-ride-hailing-services-may-be-nudging-aside-traditional-buses/" target="_blank">such as ride-hailing services</a>, have helped fill the gap in some places. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1811462116" target="_blank">roughly half</a>&nbsp;of all U.S. K–12 students rely on a school bus to get to school.The report warns that school district budgets are tightening as federal pandemic relief funds&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-comes-next-now-that-pandemic-aid-for-education-has-ended/" target="_blank">have expired</a>, and notes that the Trump administration has delayed some federal K-12 funding in its bid to shrink and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/public-education-under-threat-4-trump-administration-actions-to-watch-in-the-2025-26-school-year/" target="_blank">eventually eliminate</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Department of Education.The report points to&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://fox23maine.com/newsletter-daily/maine-school-districts-still-struggling-to-find-bus-drivers-education-transportation-brunswick" target="_blank">Maine</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/news/2025/09/22/some-st--louis-area-school-districts-still-struggle-to-hire--retain-bus-drivers" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wcax.com/2025/09/23/pay-boosts-route-cuts-school-districts-deal-with-bus-driver-shortages/" target="_blank">Vermont</a>&nbsp;as states that are dealing with especially severe bus driver shortages. It also notes that a dearth of drivers has a particularly pronounced&nbsp;effect on students with disabilities, and that not having enough drivers can lead to inconsistent bus schedules and routes, which contributes to absenteeism and missed school meals.Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/11/12/national-school-bus-driver-shortage-persists-despite-recent-gains/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.