St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale says city officials are
keeping a close eye on the expansion of Interstate 70 between Kansas City and
St. Louis and eagerly anticipating some near-future transportation upgrades.

The state legislature approved expanding the interstate to six
lanes across the state.

Josendale says that could well impact northern Missouri
negatively.

“We’re afraid that there’s going to be a lot of traffic that’s
going to be channeled up to (US Highway) 36 instead of (Interstate) 70 to stay
off the traffic there,” Josendale says. “I-29 between north St. Joe and down
toward the airport (KCI) is one of the most heavily traveled sections of
highway in the state of Missouri now.”

Josendale says there are several transportation projects in
the planning stages now, including I-29 overpasses at Cook and Gene Field
Roads. Pickett Road is set to undergo reconstruction as the state plans to
replace the U.S. Highway 36 overpass at Riverside Road.

Headlining the local transportation projects is the proposed
renovation of I-229.

Josendale says the city continues to press the Missouri
Department of Transportation on the project.

“Again, we’ll be continuing to push on that. It’s still in the
works. They’re doing some additional studies that had to be done first,”
according to Josendale.

Josendale says the city hopes the Missouri Transportation
Commission includes the renovation of I-229 in its STIP, the Statewide
Transportation Improvement Program.

Josendale says inflation has caused a wrinkle in the project.
Once projected to cost $50 million, the I-229 project now is projected to cost $80
million. It appears I-229 will lose its interstate designation as well as the
double-decker bridge along the Missouri River in downtown St. Joseph.

Josendale says MoDOT has already done a lot of work on the
project and will soon be seeking a contractor which can accomplish a
design-build project.

“And at that point, we can then go out and figure out how we’re
going to fund it,” Josendale says.

The mayor says St. Joseph residents will likely see a lot of
road construction in the next two to three years.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Mayor John Josendale says city officials are
keeping a close eye on the expansion of Interstate 70 between Kansas City and
St. Louis and eagerly anticipating some near-future transportation upgrades.The state legislature approved expanding the interstate to six
lanes across the state.Josendale says that could well impact northern Missouri
negatively.“We’re afraid that there’s going to be a lot of traffic that’s
going to be channeled up to (US Highway) 36 instead of (Interstate) 70 to stay
off the traffic there,” Josendale says. “I-29 between north St. Joe and down
toward the airport (KCI) is one of the most heavily traveled sections of
highway in the state of Missouri now.”Josendale says there are several transportation projects in
the planning stages now, including I-29 overpasses at Cook and Gene Field
Roads. Pickett Road is set to undergo reconstruction as the state plans to
replace the U.S. Highway 36 overpass at Riverside Road.Headlining the local transportation projects is the proposed
renovation of I-229.Josendale says the city continues to press the Missouri
Department of Transportation on the project.“Again, we’ll be continuing to push on that. It’s still in the
works. They’re doing some additional studies that had to be done first,”
according to Josendale.Josendale says the city hopes the Missouri Transportation
Commission includes the renovation of I-229 in its STIP, the Statewide
Transportation Improvement Program.Josendale says inflation has caused a wrinkle in the project.
Once projected to cost $50 million, the I-229 project now is projected to cost $80
million. It appears I-229 will lose its interstate designation as well as the
double-decker bridge along the Missouri River in downtown St. Joseph.Josendale says MoDOT has already done a lot of work on the
project and will soon be seeking a contractor which can accomplish a
design-build project.“And at that point, we can then go out and figure out how we’re
going to fund it,” Josendale says.The mayor says St. Joseph residents will likely see a lot of
road construction in the next two to three years.

Mayor Josendale says St. Joe residents will soon see a lot of road construction

WORTH COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after midnight Friday morning in Worth County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Dodge Ram driven by Michelle R. Jones, 35, Worth, was westbound on MO 46 at Jaguar Avenue one half mile west of Grant City.

The pickup crossed the center line and the driver overcorrected. The pickup returned to the westbound lane, traveled off the north side of the road, struck a tree and rolled

Grand River ambulance transported Jones to Mosaic in Albany. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

WORTH COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after midnight Friday morning in Worth County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Dodge Ram driven by Michelle R. Jones, 35, Worth, was westbound on MO 46 at Jaguar Avenue one half mile west of Grant City.The pickup crossed the center line and the driver overcorrected. The pickup returned to the westbound lane, traveled off the north side of the road, struck a tree and rolledGrand River ambulance transported Jones to Mosaic in Albany. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after pickup strikes tree, rolls

Troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol are encouraged after seeing significantly lower crash numbers this year during the Christmas holiday. 

Last year, troopers worked 306 traffic crashes with three fatalities and 84 injuries.  This year that number dropped to 124 crashes, two fatalities, and 71 injuries. 

Seargent Shane Hux with Troop H in St. Joseph says with all the traffic out during Christmas, it was nice to see a lower number of accidents.

"Considering the weather, we had great weather with a lot of traffic out there, good job by the motoring public out there," Hux tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "Obeying all traffic laws and nobody lost their life during the holiday period, which is a great deal here in northwest Missouri."

Hux attributes the drop to drivers taking the responsibility of highway and traffic safety seriously. 

"It's the primary purpose of the highway patrol, however the highway patrol cannot do it by itself, it takes the responsibility of the motoring public, everybody that's operating a motor vehicle out there on the highway," Hux says.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostTroopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol are encouraged after seeing significantly lower crash numbers this year during the Christmas holiday. Last year, troopers worked 306 traffic crashes with three fatalities and 84 injuries. This year that number dropped to 124 crashes, two fatalities, and 71 injuries. Seargent Shane Hux with Troop H in St. Joseph says with all the traffic out during Christmas, it was nice to see a lower number of accidents."Considering the weather, we had great weather with a lot of traffic out there, good job by the motoring public out there," Hux tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "Obeying all traffic laws and nobody lost their life during the holiday period, which is a great deal here in northwest Missouri."Hux attributes the drop to drivers taking the responsibility of highway and traffic safety seriously. "It's the primary purpose of the highway patrol, however the highway patrol cannot do it by itself, it takes the responsibility of the motoring public, everybody that's operating a motor vehicle out there on the highway," Hux says.

Missouri State Highway Patrol officials encouraged by low accident numbers over Christmas

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey seeks to continue the fight
against the Grain Belt Express transmission line across northern Missouri,
despite state regulatory approval.

Bailey says his office stands ready to protect Missouri
farmland from abuses of eminent domain as Grain Belt is built.

“You’ve got legacy farmers who value their land, because it’s
been in their family for 100 years or more,” Bailey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
“Private property is one of the central organizing principles of our entire
democratic republic and we’re going to fight to protect that.”

The Missouri Public Service Commission has given the green
light to construction of the 5,000 megawatt line delivering wind-generated
energy from Kansas to the East Coast. The $2 billion project is being built across
northern Missouri by Invenergy of Chicago. The PSC gave approval after
Invenergy agreed to divert more electricity for Missouri use.

“It doesn’t benefit the people of the state of Missouri,” Bailey
states. “This is a coastal elite from the East Coast with deep pockets that
wants to endear himself to his more progressive friends and support a green new
deal and all sorts of renewable energy sources and he wants to run power lines
through Missouri to do it. How does that benefit the rest of us? And why are we
going to take away legacy farms in the process?”

Grain Belt has been controversial from the beginning. Several
efforts in the state legislature against the transmission line failed. Finally,
the legislature approved changes to the eminent domain process, requiring
utilities to give landowners 150% of the fair market value of their land for
use as a right-of-way.

Bailey says those reforms don’t go far enough. He wants
stronger protections for property owners, especially farmland owners. Bailey
goes so far as to say the state should seek a case to alter or overturn the
2005 US Supreme Court Kelo decision that ruled eminent domain could be used if a
project is proven to be of “public benefit,” rather than the more restrictive “public
use” as defined in Missouri law.

Bailey says the unsuccessful fight against Grain Belt
demonstrates the weakness of property rights in eminent domain cases.

“I think we need to put an end, in statute, to eminent domain used
to take land for public benefit,” Bailey says. “That is a very subjective
element in the consideration and it needs to be rolled back, limited. There needs
to be a specific process in place. And, if land’s going to be taken, how does
it benefit the people of the state of Missouri?”

Bailey says his office is advising property owners to do their
research before agreeing to sell land for any right-of-way.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703708296521.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey seeks to continue the fight
against the Grain Belt Express transmission line across northern Missouri,
despite state regulatory approval.Bailey says his office stands ready to protect Missouri
farmland from abuses of eminent domain as Grain Belt is built.“You’ve got legacy farmers who value their land, because it’s
been in their family for 100 years or more,” Bailey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
“Private property is one of the central organizing principles of our entire
democratic republic and we’re going to fight to protect that.”The Missouri Public Service Commission has given the green
light to construction of the 5,000 megawatt line delivering wind-generated
energy from Kansas to the East Coast. The $2 billion project is being built across
northern Missouri by Invenergy of Chicago. The PSC gave approval after
Invenergy agreed to divert more electricity for Missouri use.Bailey opposes Grain Belt.“It doesn’t benefit the people of the state of Missouri,” Bailey
states. “This is a coastal elite from the East Coast with deep pockets that
wants to endear himself to his more progressive friends and support a green new
deal and all sorts of renewable energy sources and he wants to run power lines
through Missouri to do it. How does that benefit the rest of us? And why are we
going to take away legacy farms in the process?”Grain Belt has been controversial from the beginning. Several
efforts in the state legislature against the transmission line failed. Finally,
the legislature approved changes to the eminent domain process, requiring
utilities to give landowners 150% of the fair market value of their land for
use as a right-of-way.Bailey says those reforms don’t go far enough. He wants
stronger protections for property owners, especially farmland owners. Bailey
goes so far as to say the state should seek a case to alter or overturn the
2005 US Supreme Court Kelo decision that ruled eminent domain could be used if a
project is proven to be of “public benefit,” rather than the more restrictive “public
use” as defined in Missouri law.Bailey says the unsuccessful fight against Grain Belt
demonstrates the weakness of property rights in eminent domain cases.“I think we need to put an end, in statute, to eminent domain used
to take land for public benefit,” Bailey says. “That is a very subjective
element in the consideration and it needs to be rolled back, limited. There needs
to be a specific process in place. And, if land’s going to be taken, how does
it benefit the people of the state of Missouri?”Bailey says his office is advising property owners to do their
research before agreeing to sell land for any right-of-way.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/MO-Attorney-General-Andrew-Bailey-doesnt-like-the-Grain-Belt-Express-e2dnmme" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

Missouri AG says Grain Belt shows weakness in eminent domain protections

A 39-year-old man has been charged with unlawful possession of
a firearm after brandishing a weapon in a threatening manner when a police
pursuit ended at 16th and Garfield Tuesday night.

Nicholas Glen Newton, listed as a homeless St. Joseph
resident, fled from police in what appears to have been a stolen U-Haul truck.
Shots were fired in the incident. No one was harmed.

Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators are reviewing the
St. Joseph police officer’s role in the shooting. Highway Patrol Troop H
spokesman, Sgt. Shane Hux, says the patrol responded to the scene as soon as
requested.

“St. Joseph Police Department requested Missouri State Highway
Patrol’s assistance with an officer-involved shooting,” Hux tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “Our Division of Drugs and Crime Control responded to the scene.
They are investigating the officer-involved shooting. They are not
investigating the initial incident that led up to that.”

St. Joseph police report a 45-caliber handgun was recovered at
the scene.

The probable cause statement filed in the case reports Newton
refused to pull the truck over during an attempted traffic stop around 10 o’clock
Tuesday night, continuing to drive west on Garfield. Officers deployed spike
strips. Newton lost control of the truck in the 1600 block of Garfield. It went
off the street and got stuck on railroad tracks.

St. Joseph police report Newton threatened officers with a
handgun, believed to have been stolen in October. Newtown is a convicted felon
and, thus, prohibited from having a firearm. Police say Newton had an active
parole violation warrant out for him and had a long list of previous
convictions, including eight citations for failure to appear in court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703770787158.png" alt="Newton-photo Buchanan County" />
 <figcaption>Newton-photo Buchanan County</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA 39-year-old man has been charged with unlawful possession of
a firearm after brandishing a weapon in a threatening manner when a police
pursuit ended at 16th and Garfield Tuesday night.Nicholas Glen Newton, listed as a homeless St. Joseph
resident, fled from police in what appears to have been a stolen U-Haul truck.
Shots were fired in the incident. No one was harmed.Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators are reviewing the
St. Joseph police officer’s role in the shooting. Highway Patrol Troop H
spokesman, Sgt. Shane Hux, says the patrol responded to the scene as soon as
requested.“St. Joseph Police Department requested Missouri State Highway
Patrol’s assistance with an officer-involved shooting,” Hux tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “Our Division of Drugs and Crime Control responded to the scene.
They are investigating the officer-involved shooting. They are not
investigating the initial incident that led up to that.”St. Joseph police report a 45-caliber handgun was recovered at
the scene.The probable cause statement filed in the case reports Newton
refused to pull the truck over during an attempted traffic stop around 10 o’clock
Tuesday night, continuing to drive west on Garfield. Officers deployed spike
strips. Newton lost control of the truck in the 1600 block of Garfield. It went
off the street and got stuck on railroad tracks.St. Joseph police report Newton threatened officers with a
handgun, believed to have been stolen in October. Newtown is a convicted felon
and, thus, prohibited from having a firearm. Police say Newton had an active
parole violation warrant out for him and had a long list of previous
convictions, including eight citations for failure to appear in court.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

HW Patrol investigates St. Joseph police shooting; unlawful possession charge filed

A pedestrian suffered serious injury when a vehicle struck him at
South 22nd Street and Mitchell Wednesday night, then fled from the
scene.

St. Joseph police report the victim was conscious and spoke
with officers after being struck. He suffered a large cut to his head and
internal injuries. Though serious, the injuries are not considered life
threatening.

An officer arrested a suspect in the hit-and-run shortly after
one o’clock Thursday morning at 36th and South 22nd
Street.

Charges are pending. The investigation continues.

by BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA pedestrian suffered serious injury when a vehicle struck him at
South 22nd Street and Mitchell Wednesday night, then fled from the
scene.St. Joseph police report the victim was conscious and spoke
with officers after being struck. He suffered a large cut to his head and
internal injuries. Though serious, the injuries are not considered life
threatening.An officer arrested a suspect in the hit-and-run shortly after
one o’clock Thursday morning at 36th and South 22nd
Street.Charges are pending. The investigation continues.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Pedestrian injured in St. Joseph hit-and-run; suspect under arrest

Legislation would task the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services with regulating delta-8 products, just as the agency does for marijuana program

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

A Republican state senator has filed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=834">legislation</a>&nbsp;to renew last spring’s failed effort to regulate intoxicating hemp products in Missouri, such as Delta-8 drinks and edibles.

Delta-8 THC products can be sold in stores in Missouri because the intoxicating ingredient, THC, is derived from hemp, not marijuana which is a controlled substance. And hemp is federally legal.

There’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy them or stores can’t sell them to minors — though some stores and vendors have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up.&nbsp;

And there’s no requirement to list potential effects on the label or test how much THC is actually in them.

State Sen. Nick Schroer,&nbsp;a Republican from O’Fallon who chairs the legislative committee that oversees Missouri’s marijuana rules, said the products are too easily accessible to children, particularly teenagers.&nbsp;

“I’ve had constituents reaching out to me saying that their kids had been hospitalized,” Schroer said.&nbsp;

Schroer’s bill would task the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services with regulating these products, as the agency currently does for the state’s marijuana program. And products would have to be sold at DHSS-licensed dispensaries. State Rep. Chad Perkins, a Bowling Green Republican, has filed a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1781&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">companion bill</a>&nbsp;in the House.&nbsp;

DHSS spokeswoman Lisa Cox said the department does not take positions on proposed bills.

“However,” she said, “we do acknowledge the potential and ongoing public health impact of unregulated THC products.”

Over the past few years, Cox said there’s has been an increase in children going to the hospital for cannabis exposure.

“The department has increased its emphasis on regulatory mechanisms that protect health and children in order to minimize any contribution of the regulated cannabis market to such incidents,”&nbsp;she said.&nbsp;“As of right now, there is no such protective framework for unregulated THC products.”

Sean Hackman, president of the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, said his organization advocates for measures such as prohibiting sales to minors and mandating clear user instructions and rigorous product testing.

“While any overdose report, especially those involving minors, is deeply concerning, this does not constitute a public health emergency but rather an opportunity for improved regulation,”&nbsp;Hackman said in an email to The Independent, in response to the legislation.

The association opposes tasking the department with regulating the products and requiring them to be sold in dispensaries.

A similar bill filed by Republican state Rep. Kurtis Gregory of Marshall got stuck in committee&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">during the last legislative session</a>.&nbsp;

During a hearing on the bill, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers pushed back on the idea of forcing the hemp industry under the umbrella of DHSS, saying that would allow the “marijuana monopoly” to take over this market given the limited number of licenses for dispensaries available.

After voters passed a constitutional amendment allowing medical marijuana in 2018, competition for licenses became fierce when the state capped the number of applications it would approve — initially issuing 338 licenses to sell, grow and process marijuana.

Widespread reports of irregularities in how applications were scored fueled criticism of the industry and accusations that insiders were building a monopoly. That criticism spilled into the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana last year, though the proposal still won voter approval.

Some applicants who didn’t land medical marijuana licenses turned to producing hemp-derived THC products.

Another concern critics had last year was that hemp is federally legal, and lumping it in with the regulations of a controlled substance could result in lawsuits.

Schroer said he’ll be closely watching the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/18/company-behind-missouri-marijuana-recall-poses-legal-challenge-to-states-regulations/">ongoing legal case</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;Robertsville-based marijuana manufacturer&nbsp;Delta Extraction.

Delta Extraction had its<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">&nbsp;license to manufacture cannabis products revoked</a>&nbsp;in November, months after a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/16/state-faces-pushback-from-missouri-marijuana-industry-over-product-recall/">massive recall</a>&nbsp;pulled more than 60,000 products off the shelves — which the state says were illegally made with a hemp-derived THC concentrate imported from out of state.

While hemp is federally legal, state regulators argue that once hemp-derived THC comes into the marijuana realm, they can regulate it.&nbsp;

The question currently before the Administrative Hearing Commission is whether or not Missouri regulators have the authority to prohibit licensed companies from infusing Missouri-grown marijuana products with hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;

If the company loses its appeal before the commission, then Delta will continue to fight in court, the company’s attorneys have said.

And Delta will be arguing the state has no authority to regulate hemp products at all.&nbsp;

“The Division of Cannabis Regulation’s authority to regulate is limited to non-hemp marijuana and does not depend on whether it is used to make THC,” Delta’s attorney, Chuck Hatfield, wrote in a recent letter to the department.&nbsp;

Schroer said his proposed legislation will be mindful of the court’s decision in the case.&nbsp;

“We’re still going to use this judicial guidance to craft a type of law compliant with that case law,” he said, “that is going to protect the youth of our state and any type of consumer of these types of products.”

In September, a federal judge in Arkansas sided with hemp companies in granting a preliminary injunction on a state law — similar to the one Schroer and Perkins have proposed — aimed at regulating hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;

U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson said if Arkansas wants to participate in the federal hemp program, then it can’t pick and choose which parts of the law it wants to follow.

Despite the preliminary court order in Arkansas, Schroer said he’s not convinced the federal government has the authority to prevent state legislators from passing laws to regulate intoxicating cannabinoids.&nbsp;

“When you’re putting these things into the stream of commerce and you look at the 10th Amendment,” he said, “there’s really nothing in the U.S. Constitution that says that we can’t clearly legislate this type of issue.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697160674008.png" alt="&nbsp;Delta-8 THC products like this cherry seltzer can be sold in stores in Missouri because the intoxicating ingredient, THC, is derived from hemp, not marijuana which is a controlled substance (Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Delta-8 THC products like this cherry seltzer can be sold in stores in Missouri because the intoxicating ingredient, THC, is derived from hemp, not marijuana which is a controlled substance (Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Legislation would task the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services with regulating delta-8 products, just as the agency does for marijuana program</h2>By REBECCA RIVAS,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A Republican state senator has filed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=834">legislation</a>&nbsp;to renew last spring’s failed effort to regulate intoxicating hemp products in Missouri, such as Delta-8 drinks and edibles.Delta-8 THC products can be sold in stores in Missouri because the intoxicating ingredient, THC, is derived from hemp, not marijuana which is a controlled substance. And hemp is federally legal.There’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy them or stores can’t sell them to minors — though some stores and vendors have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up.&nbsp;And there’s no requirement to list potential effects on the label or test how much THC is actually in them.State Sen. Nick Schroer,&nbsp;a Republican from O’Fallon who chairs the legislative committee that oversees Missouri’s marijuana rules, said the products are too easily accessible to children, particularly teenagers.&nbsp;“I’ve had constituents reaching out to me saying that their kids had been hospitalized,” Schroer said.&nbsp;Schroer’s bill would task the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services with regulating these products, as the agency currently does for the state’s marijuana program. And products would have to be sold at DHSS-licensed dispensaries. State Rep. Chad Perkins, a Bowling Green Republican, has filed a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1781&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">companion bill</a>&nbsp;in the House.&nbsp;DHSS spokeswoman Lisa Cox said the department does not take positions on proposed bills.“However,” she said, “we do acknowledge the potential and ongoing public health impact of unregulated THC products.”Over the past few years, Cox said there’s has been an increase in children going to the hospital for cannabis exposure.“The department has increased its emphasis on regulatory mechanisms that protect health and children in order to minimize any contribution of the regulated cannabis market to such incidents,”&nbsp;she said.&nbsp;“As of right now, there is no such protective framework for unregulated THC products.”Sean Hackman, president of the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, said his organization advocates for measures such as prohibiting sales to minors and mandating clear user instructions and rigorous product testing.“While any overdose report, especially those involving minors, is deeply concerning, this does not constitute a public health emergency but rather an opportunity for improved regulation,”&nbsp;Hackman said in an email to The Independent, in response to the legislation.The association opposes tasking the department with regulating the products and requiring them to be sold in dispensaries.A similar bill filed by Republican state Rep. Kurtis Gregory of Marshall got stuck in committee&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">during the last legislative session</a>.&nbsp;During a hearing on the bill, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers pushed back on the idea of forcing the hemp industry under the umbrella of DHSS, saying that would allow the “marijuana monopoly” to take over this market given the limited number of licenses for dispensaries available.After voters passed a constitutional amendment allowing medical marijuana in 2018, competition for licenses became fierce when the state capped the number of applications it would approve — initially issuing 338 licenses to sell, grow and process marijuana.Widespread reports of irregularities in how applications were scored fueled criticism of the industry and accusations that insiders were building a monopoly. That criticism spilled into the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana last year, though the proposal still won voter approval.Some applicants who didn’t land medical marijuana licenses turned to producing hemp-derived THC products.Another concern critics had last year was that hemp is federally legal, and lumping it in with the regulations of a controlled substance could result in lawsuits.Schroer said he’ll be closely watching the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/18/company-behind-missouri-marijuana-recall-poses-legal-challenge-to-states-regulations/">ongoing legal case</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;Robertsville-based marijuana manufacturer&nbsp;Delta Extraction.Delta Extraction had its<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">&nbsp;license to manufacture cannabis products revoked</a>&nbsp;in November, months after a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/16/state-faces-pushback-from-missouri-marijuana-industry-over-product-recall/">massive recall</a>&nbsp;pulled more than 60,000 products off the shelves — which the state says were illegally made with a hemp-derived THC concentrate imported from out of state.While hemp is federally legal, state regulators argue that once hemp-derived THC comes into the marijuana realm, they can regulate it.&nbsp;The question currently before the Administrative Hearing Commission is whether or not Missouri regulators have the authority to prohibit licensed companies from infusing Missouri-grown marijuana products with hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;If the company loses its appeal before the commission, then Delta will continue to fight in court, the company’s attorneys have said.And Delta will be arguing the state has no authority to regulate hemp products at all.&nbsp;“The Division of Cannabis Regulation’s authority to regulate is limited to non-hemp marijuana and does not depend on whether it is used to make THC,” Delta’s attorney, Chuck Hatfield, wrote in a recent letter to the department.&nbsp;Schroer said his proposed legislation will be mindful of the court’s decision in the case.&nbsp;“We’re still going to use this judicial guidance to craft a type of law compliant with that case law,” he said, “that is going to protect the youth of our state and any type of consumer of these types of products.”In September, a federal judge in Arkansas sided with hemp companies in granting a preliminary injunction on a state law — similar to the one Schroer and Perkins have proposed — aimed at regulating hemp-derived THC.&nbsp;U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson said if Arkansas wants to participate in the federal hemp program, then it can’t pick and choose which parts of the law it wants to follow.Despite the preliminary court order in Arkansas, Schroer said he’s not convinced the federal government has the authority to prevent state legislators from passing laws to regulate intoxicating cannabinoids.&nbsp;“When you’re putting these things into the stream of commerce and you look at the 10th Amendment,” he said, “there’s really nothing in the U.S. Constitution that says that we can’t clearly legislate this type of issue.”

Missouri lawmakers renew push to regulate ‘delta-8 THC’ hemp products

ATCHISON COUNTY —A Kansas man who continues to skip scheduled court appearances spent Christmas in jail.

On Sunday, police arrested 28-year-old Wiliam T. White of Atchison, on District Court warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

On Saturday, he was issued a&nbsp;notice to appear in court for leaving the scene of an accident that occurred in the 600 block Spring.

Since May of 2022, White has been jailed three times for failure to appear in court, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703687433839.png" alt="White-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>White-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —A Kansas man who continues to skip scheduled court appearances spent Christmas in jail.On Sunday, police arrested 28-year-old Wiliam T. White of Atchison, on District Court warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.On Saturday, he was issued a&nbsp;notice to appear in court for leaving the scene of an accident that occurred in the 600 block Spring.Since May of 2022, White has been jailed three times for failure to appear in court, according to online jail records.

Kan. man spent Christmas in jail after continually skipping court

DEKALB COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Wednesday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patol reported a 2001 Jeep Wrangler driven by Justin E. Peery, 41, Albany, was northbound on Route A at NE Glenwood Road two miles north of Maysville.

The driver lost control on the snow covered bridge. The jeep, struck a guardrail, traveled off the right side of the road and struck the bridge.

DeKalb Clinton EMS transported Peery to Mosaic in St. Joseph. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Wednesday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patol reported a 2001 Jeep Wrangler driven by Justin E. Peery, 41, Albany, was northbound on Route A at NE Glenwood Road two miles north of Maysville.The driver lost control on the snow covered bridge. The jeep, struck a guardrail, traveled off the right side of the road and struck the bridge.DeKalb Clinton EMS transported Peery to Mosaic in St. Joseph. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Mo. man injured after jeep strikes snow covered bridge

Officials with the St. Joseph School District are continuing to analyze information from the latest state report card.  

The report card showed the district had made strides in attendance, some academic areas, but continued to struggle with teacher retention and hiring. 

Assistant Superintendent of Academic and Education Services Ashly McGinnis says the district has still had trouble bouncing back from the pandemic. 

"I think some folks got into a bad habit of not being engaged, whether that's with school or work, or even with community and family," Mcginnis tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, I think there's been a disconnect from that, and we're still trying to come back and make sure the community values education." 

The district saw progress in attendance, increasing student attendance to 79-percent.  

McGinnis says, however, the district didn't quite hit the state's standard of 80-percent., which is frustrating. 

"Attendance we grew significantly in that area, but according to the APR report you have to be at 80% as a district to get any points at all, so we were just shy of that at 79%," Mcginnis explains. "Which is frustrating for us because we're putting in so many efforts towards attendance, but there is progress and then there's also areas we need continued focus." 

Mcginnis says the district has continued implementing several strategies to help continue that progress, such as bringing back the Strive for Five campaign. 

The district also made strides academically in social studies but continues to struggle in math. St. Joseph school officials hope to improve academics by hiring more high-quality teachers.  

McGinnis says while the district does have many good teachers, the hiring pool isn't as deep as it once was. 

"When I was the principal at Lafayette, we had a PE position open, we had 24 applications, now we may be lucky if we get two," Mcginnis says. "There's just not as many people going into education now and with Missouri being 50th in pay, that makes it challenging to attract teachers." 

Mcginnis noted that even recently during a hiring fair she was next to the Omaha school district, offering starting wages over $50,000 dollars, which is challenging to compete with. 

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostOfficials with the St. Joseph School District are continuing to analyze information from the latest state report card. The report card showed the district had made strides in attendance, some academic areas, but continued to struggle with teacher retention and hiring. Assistant Superintendent of Academic and Education Services Ashly McGinnis says the district has still had trouble bouncing back from the pandemic. "I think some folks got into a bad habit of not being engaged, whether that's with school or work, or even with community and family," Mcginnis tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, I think there's been a disconnect from that, and we're still trying to come back and make sure the community values education." The district saw progress in attendance, increasing student attendance to 79-percent. McGinnis says, however, the district didn't quite hit the state's standard of 80-percent., which is frustrating. "Attendance we grew significantly in that area, but according to the APR report you have to be at 80% as a district to get any points at all, so we were just shy of that at 79%," Mcginnis explains. "Which is frustrating for us because we're putting in so many efforts towards attendance, but there is progress and then there's also areas we need continued focus." Mcginnis says the district has continued implementing several strategies to help continue that progress, such as bringing back the Strive for Five campaign. The district also made strides academically in social studies but continues to struggle in math. St. Joseph school officials hope to improve academics by hiring more high-quality teachers. McGinnis says while the district does have many good teachers, the hiring pool isn't as deep as it once was. "When I was the principal at Lafayette, we had a PE position open, we had 24 applications, now we may be lucky if we get two," Mcginnis says. "There's just not as many people going into education now and with Missouri being 50th in pay, that makes it challenging to attract teachers." Mcginnis noted that even recently during a hiring fair she was next to the Omaha school district, offering starting wages over $50,000 dollars, which is challenging to compete with.

St. Joseph School District continuing to evaluate recent state education report card

The old Red Lion hotel in downtown St. Joseph came down this summer after sitting empty since 2019.

But now, there's a delay in putting up its replacement.

HDDA St. Joseph LLC is the developer working to build a 150-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel and conference space.

St. Joseph city manager Bryan Carter says there are certain fundraising deadlines coming up at the end of this calendar year - deadlines that the developer wants an extension on as they work to finance the project.

"The cost of the construction of course as well as the cost of financing," Carter said on KFEQ's The Hotline with Barry Birr. "It's a tough time to construct or finance anything right now. Those are a couple of matters the developers are working through and will ultimately be bringing back to the city council for consideration of a likely extension."

The city has agreed to provide up to $3.5 million for the project in tax reimbursements through general sales and tourism taxes.

The new downtown hotel has a total estimated cost of over 20 million dollars. It was originally slated to be back open by the end of 2024.

Carter says this downtown hotel project is a major priority, as the Civic Arena continues to host high profile events.

"The Women's Division II NCAA (basketball) tournament coming again in March," he said. "As you have those, it makes the venue more desirable if the hotel is across the street versus having to come in from even 10 minutes away. Just the convenience of the walking distance is good."

Carter adds the current lack of conference room space in the city provides some challenges - challenges he hopes this new hotel can one day address.

"One of the challenges we have in St. Joe of course is our lack of conference room space," Carter said. "We have a couple of places in town, but we don't have an abundance of that conference room space."

"One of the challenges I've gathered in talking with different developers, conference room space is tough to cashflow. It just doesn't repay in the same way that hotel rooms repay."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647977559176.jpeg" alt="The old Red Lion hotel in downtown St. Joseph came down this past summer after sitting empty since 2019. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>The old Red Lion hotel in downtown St. Joseph came down this past summer after sitting empty since 2019. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe old Red Lion hotel in downtown St. Joseph came down this summer after sitting empty since 2019.But now, there's a delay in putting up its replacement.HDDA St. Joseph LLC is the developer working to build a 150-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel and conference space.St. Joseph city manager Bryan Carter says there are certain fundraising deadlines coming up at the end of this calendar year - deadlines that the developer wants an extension on as they work to finance the project."The cost of the construction of course as well as the cost of financing," Carter said on KFEQ's The Hotline with Barry Birr. "It's a tough time to construct or finance anything right now. Those are a couple of matters the developers are working through and will ultimately be bringing back to the city council for consideration of a likely extension."The city has agreed to provide up to $3.5 million for the project in tax reimbursements through general sales and tourism taxes.The new downtown hotel has a total estimated cost of over 20 million dollars. It was originally slated to be back open by the end of 2024.Carter says this downtown hotel project is a major priority, as the Civic Arena continues to host high profile events."The Women's Division II NCAA (basketball) tournament coming again in March," he said. "As you have those, it makes the venue more desirable if the hotel is across the street versus having to come in from even 10 minutes away. Just the convenience of the walking distance is good."Carter adds the current lack of conference room space in the city provides some challenges - challenges he hopes this new hotel can one day address."One of the challenges we have in St. Joe of course is our lack of conference room space," Carter said. "We have a couple of places in town, but we don't have an abundance of that conference room space.""One of the challenges I've gathered in talking with different developers, conference room space is tough to cashflow. It just doesn't repay in the same way that hotel rooms repay."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Downtown hotel project in St. Joseph running into delays

St. Joseph police report a suspect has been taken
into custody after brandishing a weapon when a police pursuit ended late Tuesday night at the railroad tracks near 16th and Garfield.

Police report a pursuit began shortly after 10
o’clock. It ended when the vehicle, believed to be a stolen U-Haul truck,
became disabled at the train tracks near the intersection. The suspect got out
of the truck and displayed a weapon in a threatening manner at a police officer.
Though shots were fired, no one was wounded. A firearm was recovered at the
scene, according to police.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is
investigating, because an officer was involved in the shooting.

This article has been edited since first published for clarification.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph police report a suspect has been taken
into custody after brandishing a weapon when a police pursuit ended late Tuesday night at the railroad tracks near 16th and Garfield.Police report a pursuit began shortly after 10
o’clock. It ended when the vehicle, believed to be a stolen U-Haul truck,
became disabled at the train tracks near the intersection. The suspect got out
of the truck and displayed a weapon in a threatening manner at a police officer.
Though shots were fired, no one was wounded. A firearm was recovered at the
scene, according to police.The Missouri State Highway Patrol is
investigating, because an officer was involved in the shooting.This article has been edited since first published for clarification.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph police arrest suspect after officer-involved shooting

A wet,
wintry mix is expected to impact travel starting Wednesday morning and lasting
through the day and into the evening. 

According
to the National Weather Service, drivers from mid-Missouri to just north of
the Iowa state line as well as in parts of northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska can expect up to two inches of snow, mixed with rain, creating slushy
conditions.

The
Missouri Department of Transportation urges all drivers to be prepared for
changing road conditions in their current location as well as their final
destination, especially as many are traveling for the holidays. 

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostA wet,
wintry mix is expected to impact travel starting Wednesday morning and lasting
through the day and into the evening. According
to the National Weather Service, drivers from mid-Missouri to just north of
the Iowa state line as well as in parts of northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska can expect up to two inches of snow, mixed with rain, creating slushy
conditions.The
Missouri Department of Transportation urges all drivers to be prepared for
changing road conditions in their current location as well as their final
destination, especially as many are traveling for the holidays.

Wintry mix on the way could make travel difficult

CALDWELL COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Tuesday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chrysler Town &amp; Country driven by Jeremy R. Lovett, 36, Braymer, was eastbound on MO 116 at Frog Pond one mile west of Cowgill.

The van traveled off the south side of the road. The driver's side of the vehicle struck a tree.&nbsp; Caldwell County ambulance transported Lovett to St. Lukes on the Plaza. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

CALDWELL COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Tuesday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chrysler Town &amp; Country driven by Jeremy R. Lovett, 36, Braymer, was eastbound on MO 116 at Frog Pond one mile west of Cowgill.The van traveled off the south side of the road. The driver's side of the vehicle struck a tree.&nbsp; Caldwell County ambulance transported Lovett to St. Lukes on the Plaza. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man injured after van strikes a tree

GENTRY COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Tuesday in Gentry County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chevy Silverado driven by Bryson W. Schellhorn, 18, Guilford, was eastbound on Route Z six miles east of King City.

The pickup and its towed unit traveled into the westbound lane into the path of a 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Douglas W. Clibon, 62, Helena, Montana.

The semi struck the left rear axle of the pickup's towed unit. After impact the semi traveled off the south side of the road, struck a small embankment and overturned.

Grand River EMS transported both drivers to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Both were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

GENTRY COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Tuesday in Gentry County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chevy Silverado driven by Bryson W. Schellhorn, 18, Guilford, was eastbound on Route Z six miles east of King City.The pickup and its towed unit traveled into the westbound lane into the path of a 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Douglas W. Clibon, 62, Helena, Montana.The semi struck the left rear axle of the pickup's towed unit. After impact the semi traveled off the south side of the road, struck a small embankment and overturned.Grand River EMS transported both drivers to Mosaic in St. Joseph. Both were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

2 hospitalized after pickup, semi crash

Only two fatal wrecks occurred in Missouri over the long
Christmas holiday period.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports both deaths happened
in southern Missouri, one in Troop D in Springfield, the other in Troop G in
Willow Springs.

A West Plains man died when a vehicle he was riding in skidded
off a curve on Route ZZ east of West Plains, struck three fences, and
overturned. The driver and two other passengers sustained moderate injuries.
The patrol reports 28-year-old Brian Powell was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Christmas Eve, 70-year-old Mary Smith of Dupo, Illinois
died when the vehicle she was riding in failed to negotiate a curve, went off
Route H, and struck an abandoned house in Freistatt. The driver suffered
moderate injuries.

The 78-hour Christmas holiday counting period began at six
o’clock Friday evening and ended at midnight Monday.

Troopers investigated 124 traffic crashes, resulting in 71
injuries and two deaths. Troopers made 81 driving while intoxicated arrests
over the counting period.

A year ago, the patrol worked 306 traffic crashes with three
fatalities and 84 injuries.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostOnly two fatal wrecks occurred in Missouri over the long
Christmas holiday period.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports both deaths happened
in southern Missouri, one in Troop D in Springfield, the other in Troop G in
Willow Springs.A West Plains man died when a vehicle he was riding in skidded
off a curve on Route ZZ east of West Plains, struck three fences, and
overturned. The driver and two other passengers sustained moderate injuries.
The patrol reports 28-year-old Brian Powell was pronounced dead at the scene.On Christmas Eve, 70-year-old Mary Smith of Dupo, Illinois
died when the vehicle she was riding in failed to negotiate a curve, went off
Route H, and struck an abandoned house in Freistatt. The driver suffered
moderate injuries.The 78-hour Christmas holiday counting period began at six
o’clock Friday evening and ended at midnight Monday.Troopers investigated 124 traffic crashes, resulting in 71
injuries and two deaths. Troopers made 81 driving while intoxicated arrests
over the counting period.A year ago, the patrol worked 306 traffic crashes with three
fatalities and 84 injuries.

Missouri state patrol reports 2 deaths over long Christmas holiday period

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves says Congress has a
lot of work ahead as it wraps up an old year and looks toward a new year.

Graves, a Republican, says House Republicans will accept a
funding package to provide military aid for both Ukraine and Israel as long as
President Joe Biden agrees to increase security along the southern border.

“You know, everybody starts beating their chests in the
beginning of the process and then they back up and start taking a look and you
start going back and forth,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “At least, that’s
the way I do compromises. And then ultimately you get to the really hard stuff,
you work out the differences, and you come up with something that everybody can
live with.”

President Biden has requested $110 billion in aid for Ukraine
and Israel. Republicans have insisted the president include increased security
at the southern border to cut down on an increased flow of illegal immigrants
into the country. Negotiations have bogged down and likely will drag on into
the new year.

Hanging over all the work ahead in the new year is the
impeachment inquiry against President Biden launched by the House. Graves voted
with his fellow Republicans in a party-line vote to launched the inquiry.

“The inquiry is just that. It allows for an investigation to
see if there was wrongdoing,” Graves says. “And you have to have a formal
impeachment inquiry vote to be able to move forward with an investigation. So, if
there’s something there, they’ re going to find it. If there’s nothing there, then
we will find that out, too. We need to know. The American people need to know.
So that’s what the purpose of the inquiry is.”

House Republicans have been holding hearings on the business
dealings of the president’s son, Hunter Biden, and whether the president used
his influence during his time as vice president to help his son as well as benefit
from Hunter’s business dealings.

Graves says the inquiry gives the House the tools it needs to
review the president’s role in his son Hunter’s business dealings overseas.

“This isn’t an impeachment. This is an impeachment inquiry,”
Graves insists. “So, it opens the investigation. Nothing has been decided, yet
and they’ll take a look at that evidence first.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703602453439.jpeg" alt="Congressman Sam Graves/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Congressman Sam Graves/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves says Congress has a
lot of work ahead as it wraps up an old year and looks toward a new year.Graves, a Republican, says House Republicans will accept a
funding package to provide military aid for both Ukraine and Israel as long as
President Joe Biden agrees to increase security along the southern border.“You know, everybody starts beating their chests in the
beginning of the process and then they back up and start taking a look and you
start going back and forth,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “At least, that’s
the way I do compromises. And then ultimately you get to the really hard stuff,
you work out the differences, and you come up with something that everybody can
live with.”President Biden has requested $110 billion in aid for Ukraine
and Israel. Republicans have insisted the president include increased security
at the southern border to cut down on an increased flow of illegal immigrants
into the country. Negotiations have bogged down and likely will drag on into
the new year.Hanging over all the work ahead in the new year is the
impeachment inquiry against President Biden launched by the House. Graves voted
with his fellow Republicans in a party-line vote to launched the inquiry.“The inquiry is just that. It allows for an investigation to
see if there was wrongdoing,” Graves says. “And you have to have a formal
impeachment inquiry vote to be able to move forward with an investigation. So, if
there’s something there, they’ re going to find it. If there’s nothing there, then
we will find that out, too. We need to know. The American people need to know.
So that’s what the purpose of the inquiry is.”House Republicans have been holding hearings on the business
dealings of the president’s son, Hunter Biden, and whether the president used
his influence during his time as vice president to help his son as well as benefit
from Hunter’s business dealings.Graves says the inquiry gives the House the tools it needs to
review the president’s role in his son Hunter’s business dealings overseas.“This isn’t an impeachment. This is an impeachment inquiry,”
Graves insists. “So, it opens the investigation. Nothing has been decided, yet
and they’ll take a look at that evidence first.”<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Congressman-Sam-Graves-on-legislative-priorities-and-more-e2dm6mo" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Graves:  Congress looks ahead even as it considers Biden impeachment inquiry

One man is in custody, accused of shooting into a St. Joseph
home Christmas evening.

St. Joseph police report officers were dispatched to a home in
the 1400 block of Ridenbaugh Street on a domestic disturbance call. That
call changed to a shooting while officers were in route. Police say it appears
shots were fired from the street into the occupied residence. No one was
wounded in the shooting.

Officers arrested the suspect shortly after one o’clock this morning. He offered no resistance.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostOne man is in custody, accused of shooting into a St. Joseph
home Christmas evening.St. Joseph police report officers were dispatched to a home in
the 1400 block of Ridenbaugh Street on a domestic disturbance call. That
call changed to a shooting while officers were in route. Police say it appears
shots were fired from the street into the occupied residence. No one was
wounded in the shooting.Officers arrested the suspect shortly after one o’clock this morning. He offered no resistance.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

One in custody in St. Joseph shooting; no one harmed

The legislation would also remove an enforcement mechanism to investigate educational neglect

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

A bill to allow home-educated students to participate in Missouri public school activities is back for the upcoming legislative session — and has been coupled with provisions rolling back state oversight of homeschooling families.

Sen. Ben Brown, a Washington Republican, pre-filed a 52-page bill that largely resembles the version he sponsored that cleared the Senate last session.

While it initially was only two pages and focused on giving homeschool kids the opportunity to play sports and join clubs in public schools, it now would add a new category for home-educated students and rescind the attendance officers authority over homeschool families.

“As a former athlete myself whose childhood was greatly impacted by my participation in the sport of wrestling, I feel strongly that it is wrong to deny these potentially life-changing opportunities to children,” Brown told the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee during a March hearing.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association policy is to allow homeschooled students to participate in their local school districts’ sports if they are enrolled in at least one credit hour of instruction, which is typically two classes in non-block-scheduled schools. School districts are allowed to be more restrictive and ban homeschool participation.

Brown’s bill would prohibit schools from requiring enrollment in classes, but any instruction or training required for the club or sport would still be allowed.

No one testified in opposition to the bill in March, but that was expanded to remove local oversight of homeschooling families.

State Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, said what concerns her about the legislation is “simply not knowing which students are being homeschooled.”

“It’s imperative… that when parents make the decision to homeschool their child, we have some reporting procedures in place so that we know which students are actually being homeschooled,” she said in an interview with The Independent.

The bill would remove a section of state law that says families “may provide…&nbsp; a declaration of enrollment stating their intent for the child to attend a home school” to the local school district or the county recorder of deeds.

Kim Quon, a regional director for the Missouri homeschool advocacy organization Families for Home Education, told The Independent that the statute’s wording “causes confusion for everybody.”

She said the declaration of enrollment is optional because the law says they “may provide” that document. Quon recommends families notify a school in writing if a child is homeschooled, but some have felt obligated to do this by school administrators.

The bill also would rescind a law allowing attendance officers to investigate compliance with the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=167.031">compulsory attendance law</a>. The law requires home schools to offer at least 1,000 hours of instruction, with at least 600 of those in core subjects like reading and math.

Quon said families document their hours of learning but do not submit that information for review.

“We don’t submit our hours,” she said. “It’s not anybody’s business.”

She is also opposed to attendance officers checking on homeschooling families, saying: “There just doesn’t need to be that level of scrutiny.”

<h2>The legislation would also remove an enforcement mechanism to investigate educational neglect</h2>By ANNELISE HANSHAW<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>A bill to allow home-educated students to participate in Missouri public school activities is back for the upcoming legislative session — and has been coupled with provisions rolling back state oversight of homeschooling families.Sen. Ben Brown, a Washington Republican, pre-filed a 52-page bill that largely resembles the version he sponsored that cleared the Senate last session.While it initially was only two pages and focused on giving homeschool kids the opportunity to play sports and join clubs in public schools, it now would add a new category for home-educated students and rescind the attendance officers authority over homeschool families.“As a former athlete myself whose childhood was greatly impacted by my participation in the sport of wrestling, I feel strongly that it is wrong to deny these potentially life-changing opportunities to children,” Brown told the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee during a March hearing.The Missouri State High School Activities Association policy is to allow homeschooled students to participate in their local school districts’ sports if they are enrolled in at least one credit hour of instruction, which is typically two classes in non-block-scheduled schools. School districts are allowed to be more restrictive and ban homeschool participation.Brown’s bill would prohibit schools from requiring enrollment in classes, but any instruction or training required for the club or sport would still be allowed.No one testified in opposition to the bill in March, but that was expanded to remove local oversight of homeschooling families.<h2>Oversight</h2>State Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, said what concerns her about the legislation is “simply not knowing which students are being homeschooled.”“It’s imperative… that when parents make the decision to homeschool their child, we have some reporting procedures in place so that we know which students are actually being homeschooled,” she said in an interview with The Independent.The bill would remove a section of state law that says families “may provide…&nbsp; a declaration of enrollment stating their intent for the child to attend a home school” to the local school district or the county recorder of deeds.Kim Quon, a regional director for the Missouri homeschool advocacy organization Families for Home Education, told The Independent that the statute’s wording “causes confusion for everybody.”She said the declaration of enrollment is optional because the law says they “may provide” that document. Quon recommends families notify a school in writing if a child is homeschooled, but some have felt obligated to do this by school administrators.The bill also would rescind a law allowing attendance officers to investigate compliance with the state’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=167.031">compulsory attendance law</a>. The law requires home schools to offer at least 1,000 hours of instruction, with at least 600 of those in core subjects like reading and math.Quon said families document their hours of learning but do not submit that information for review.“We don’t submit our hours,” she said. “It’s not anybody’s business.”She is also opposed to attendance officers checking on homeschooling families, saying: “There just doesn’t need to be that level of scrutiny.”School attendance officers and the Department of Social Services’s Children’s Division can assess whether a child is being neglected after being removed from public school.<a target="_blank" href="https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/OCA/OCAMemoHomeschooling4252018pdf.pdf">A study from the state of Connecticut’s Office of the Child Advocate</a>&nbsp;found that 36% of families that pulled their children out of public school in a three-year period had at least one accepted report of child abuse or neglect. A majority had multiple reports of abuse or neglect.Quon said the Children’s Division could still investigate instances of neglect, but she is worried attendance officers may abuse their power.The Independent asked if she heard of attendance officers investigating families that are tracking hours and homeschooling.“I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not aware of this happening too terribly much. But the fact that it’s there leaves that option for anybody to do that.”<h2>Homeschooled athletes</h2>Quon said homeschooling families have different reactions to the idea of their kids in public-school sports and clubs.Some value the privacy of being detached from the school district while others desire access to the amenities their tax dollars help pay for.Brown’s bill could help alleviate some homeschooling families’ privacy concerns, said Zeke Spieker, legislative assistant to Sen. Jill Carter, a Republican from Granby. Carter testified in favor of Brown’s bill in March.“There’s always a concern that when you give school students access to these activities that there are going to be some strings attached that would cause a loss of homeschool freedom,” Spieker said. “So last year, in an effort to try to assuage some of those concerns, they created the FLEX category.”Brown’s bill calls for the defining of “FLEX schools,” or family-led educational experience schools. The differences between FLEX students and homeschool students are that FLEX students can participate in public-school activities and obtain K-12 scholarships through the state’s MOScholars tax-credit program.Spieker, who was homeschooled himself, said some homeschooling families are still concerned about the FLEX language.He and his family have talked with home educators for years and made trips to the Missouri Capitol to ask for the ability to play in public school sports.Spieker said he’s watched opportunities for homeschooled children grow during his family’s advocacy. His brother Jonah, a high-school senior, was homeschooled but played on Webb City’s football team.Quon said the bill could benefit students further away from Missouri’s major cities the most, where there aren’t many options outside of public school activities.She said the Families for Home Education’s position on the legislation is “neutral as long as nobody does anything crazy with the bill.”Last legislative session, the bill expanded in a House committee to include provisions about four-day school weeks, school board vacancies, foster-child enrollment and other education matters. It was never debated on the House floor.Nurrenbern said the amendments will likely determine the bill’s fate.“There will be hopefully some good amendments that can be attached to this and make it,” she said. “If there’s more good than bad in the bill, I think it will pass.”

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