DAVIESS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Sunday in Daviess County,

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2025 Kenworth semi driven by a 62-year-old Berwick, Iowa man was southbound on Interstate 35 two miles north of Pattonsburg.

The semi rear-ended a 2024 Volvo semi driven by a 23-year-old New Britain, Connecticut man. After impact the Kenworth traveled off the road and jackknifed. NTA ambulance transported the Iowa driver to Harrison County Community Hospital. There were no other injuries. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

DAVIESS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Sunday in Daviess County,The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2025 Kenworth semi driven by a 62-year-old Berwick, Iowa man was southbound on Interstate 35 two miles north of Pattonsburg.The semi rear-ended a 2024 Volvo semi driven by a 23-year-old New Britain, Connecticut man. After impact the Kenworth traveled off the road and jackknifed. NTA ambulance transported the Iowa driver to Harrison County Community Hospital. There were no other injuries. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Driver injured after Davies County rear-end crash

HOLT COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Saturday in Holt County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Peterbilt 379 was parked on the east shoulder of northbound Interstate 29 in Mound City.

The truck became a downhill runaway and struck a 33-year-old pedestrian from Neligh, Nebraska.&nbsp; The truck continued off the east side of the road and the trailer struck a light pole.&nbsp; The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.

HOLT COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Saturday in Holt County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Peterbilt 379 was parked on the east shoulder of northbound Interstate 29 in Mound City.The truck became a downhill runaway and struck a 33-year-old pedestrian from Neligh, Nebraska.&nbsp; The truck continued off the east side of the road and the trailer struck a light pole.&nbsp; The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.The MSHP released no additional details.

Runaway semi strikes and kills pedestrian on Missouri highway

GRUNDY —One person was injured in an accident just after 11:4p.m. Saturday in Grundy County.

The MSHP reported a 2020 Toyota Tacoma driven by a 53-year-old McFall man was eastbound on NE 37th Street seven miles northeast of Trenton.&nbsp;

The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road. The pickup traveled off the east side of the road into a ditxh and overturned.

Grundy County EMS transported the driver to Wright Memorial Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

GRUNDY —One person was injured in an accident just after 11:4p.m. Saturday in Grundy County.The MSHP reported a 2020 Toyota Tacoma driven by a 53-year-old McFall man was eastbound on NE 37th Street seven miles northeast of Trenton.&nbsp;The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road. The pickup traveled off the east side of the road into a ditxh and overturned.Grundy County EMS transported the driver to Wright Memorial Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Mo. man injured after pickup overturns

CLINTON COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Saturday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Ford Explorer driven by a 27-year-old Excelsior Springs woman was westbound on Route PP two miles east of Holt.&nbsp; The driver lost control on the ice covered road. The SUV traveled off the north side of the road, struck a ditch and came to rest on its top.

EMS transported the driver, a 26-year-old male passenger and a 7-year-old male passenger to Liberty Hospital. The MSHP had incomplete seat belt usage details.&nbsp;

CLINTON COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Saturday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Ford Explorer driven by a 27-year-old Excelsior Springs woman was westbound on Route PP two miles east of Holt.&nbsp; The driver lost control on the ice covered road. The SUV traveled off the north side of the road, struck a ditch and came to rest on its top.EMS transported the driver, a 26-year-old male passenger and a 7-year-old male passenger to Liberty Hospital. The MSHP had incomplete seat belt usage details.&nbsp;

2 adults, child hospitalized after SUV overturns on the ice

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Storm Warning for the Midland Empire.

The Weather Service updated its forecast, Saturday afternoon, posting a blizzard warning from three o'clock Sunday morning until three o'clock Monday morning.

This warning which covers northeast Kansas, northwest Missouri, southeast Nebraska, and southwest Iowa begins at noon today and runs through three o'clock Monday morning.

Meteorologists with the NWS forecast heavy mixed precipitation with total snow and sleet
  accumulations between 7 and 14 inches and ice accumulations up to
  one tenth of an inch. Winds will gust up to 40 miles per hour. The conditions will make travel very difficult to impossible.&nbsp; The NWS expects widespread blowing snow to significantly reduce visibility.

&nbsp;If you must travel, the NWS advises to keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in
your vehicle in case of an emergency.

The latest road conditions in Kansas can be obtained by calling 5 1
1 and in Missouri by visiting <a href="https://traveler.modot.org/map/index.html">traveler.modot.org</a>.&nbsp;

The forecast for the greater St. Joseph area calls for a chance of snow and freezing rain, mostly late this afternoon. It will be cloudy with a high of 26.

The winter storm truly moves in overnight with NWS forecasting snow, possibly mixed with freezing rain, early in the evening into the overnight hours. The overnight low is expected to drop to 16 degrees.

Snowfall is expected to be heavy on Sunday with a high of 19. Wind chills will hover between -1 and -4. It will be blustery with northeasterly winds of around 21 mph and gusts of up to 37 mph. The NWS expects snow accumulations on Sunday to range from 7 to 11 inches.

This storm will leave bitterly cold temperatures in its wake. The NWS expects the storm to clear out by Monday morning with sunny skies and a high of 14 on Monday.

This story has been updated since first posted.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThe National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Storm Warning for the Midland Empire.The Weather Service updated its forecast, Saturday afternoon, posting a blizzard warning from three o'clock Sunday morning until three o'clock Monday morning.This warning which covers northeast Kansas, northwest Missouri, southeast Nebraska, and southwest Iowa begins at noon today and runs through three o'clock Monday morning.Meteorologists with the NWS forecast heavy mixed precipitation with total snow and sleet
 accumulations between 7 and 14 inches and ice accumulations up to
 one tenth of an inch. Winds will gust up to 40 miles per hour. The conditions will make travel very difficult to impossible.&nbsp; The NWS expects widespread blowing snow to significantly reduce visibility.&nbsp;If you must travel, the NWS advises to keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in
your vehicle in case of an emergency.

The latest road conditions in Kansas can be obtained by calling 5 1
1 and in Missouri by visiting <a href="https://traveler.modot.org/map/index.html">traveler.modot.org</a>.&nbsp;The forecast for the greater St. Joseph area calls for a chance of snow and freezing rain, mostly late this afternoon. It will be cloudy with a high of 26.The winter storm truly moves in overnight with NWS forecasting snow, possibly mixed with freezing rain, early in the evening into the overnight hours. The overnight low is expected to drop to 16 degrees.Snowfall is expected to be heavy on Sunday with a high of 19. Wind chills will hover between -1 and -4. It will be blustery with northeasterly winds of around 21 mph and gusts of up to 37 mph. The NWS expects snow accumulations on Sunday to range from 7 to 11 inches.This storm will leave bitterly cold temperatures in its wake. The NWS expects the storm to clear out by Monday morning with sunny skies and a high of 14 on Monday.This story has been updated since first posted.

NWS issues Winter Weather Storm Warning; blizzard warning added

BUCHANAN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Friday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Pontiac G5 driven by a 17-year-old from Plattsburg was northbound on U.S. 169 at SE Schwader five miles north of Gower.

The driver overcorrected. The car traveled off the east side of the road, struck an embankment and rolled onto its top.

Tri-County ambulance transported the teen to Mosaic. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

BUCHANAN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Friday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Pontiac G5 driven by a 17-year-old from Plattsburg was northbound on U.S. 169 at SE Schwader five miles north of Gower.The driver overcorrected. The car traveled off the east side of the road, struck an embankment and rolled onto its top.Tri-County ambulance transported the teen to Mosaic. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Teen hospitalized after rollover accident

CLINTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Peterbilt trash truck driven by a 42-year-old St. Joseph man was eastbound on Route A four miles southeast of Cameron.

The driver swerved off the south side of the road to avoid a westbound grain truck that crossed the center line. The trash truck driver then overcorrected. The trash truck traveled off the road, returned to the road, crossed the center line, traveled off the north side of the road and overturned.

A private vehicle transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Cameron Ambulance transported a 50-year-old passenger from Maysville to Mosaic in St.&nbsp; Joseph.

CLINTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Peterbilt trash truck driven by a 42-year-old St. Joseph man was eastbound on Route A four miles southeast of Cameron.The driver swerved off the south side of the road to avoid a westbound grain truck that crossed the center line. The trash truck driver then overcorrected. The trash truck traveled off the road, returned to the road, crossed the center line, traveled off the north side of the road and overturned.A private vehicle transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Cameron Ambulance transported a 50-year-old passenger from Maysville to Mosaic in St.&nbsp; Joseph.

Trash truck driver from St. Joe injured in crash

Congressman-elect Derek Schmidt will be sworn in today as the
next United States Representative of the Second Congressional District of
Kansas.

Schmidt, a Republican, says though Republicans have had some
friction within its caucus in the United States House, he believes they will
ultimately come together.

“I do think there is a nearly universal sense among House
Republicans that the voters in this country have entrusted us with a special
moment in time and that this moment will not last forever,” Schmidt tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “It may not last very long. This is the time we have to find a way
to get to ‘Yes’ and make progress on some of these big problems and serious
problems facing our country.”

Schmidt says the big issues facing the Congress are reforming
the immigration system, securing the southern border, and reducing federal
spending.

Schmidt, the former Kansas Attorney General, succeeds fellow
Republican Jake LaTurner who decided not to run for re-election.

Schmidt says he has several goals as he begins his
Congressional career, but truly representing the district tops the list.

“Well, certainly I want to be an effective advocate for the
people in the Second District of Kansas each and every day and that’s on
matters great and small. It’s not just the headline grabbing issues of
advocating on a piece of legislation or a vote, although certainly we’ll do
that,” Schmidt says. “It’s also being an effective advocate in terms of
constituent service, being a presence around the district, making sure I
understand the needs, dynamics, and hopes of people all over the district.”

Schmidt says a big challenge for him and fellow Republicans is,
as he puts it, clearing out the underbrush of the federal bureaucracy.

“Just a huge amount, nearly all of the consequential decisions
in Washington, are made by people that nobody ever voted for,” according to
Schmidt. “And I think we’ve let that get out of kilter. You have to have some
of that, but we have far, far too much and I would like to be part of paring
back the bureaucracy and returning control and accountability for public decisions
to people who run for office, put their names on the line, and are accountable
to Kansans.”

For the first time since 2019, Republicans control both
chambers of federal government, both the House and the Senate.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735997578049.png" alt="Ceremonial swearing in for Kansas 2nd District Congressman Derick Schmidt" />
 <figcaption>Ceremonial swearing in for Kansas 2nd District Congressman Derick Schmidt</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostCongressman-elect Derek Schmidt will be sworn in today as the
next United States Representative of the Second Congressional District of
Kansas.Schmidt, a Republican, says though Republicans have had some
friction within its caucus in the United States House, he believes they will
ultimately come together.“I do think there is a nearly universal sense among House
Republicans that the voters in this country have entrusted us with a special
moment in time and that this moment will not last forever,” Schmidt tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post. “It may not last very long. This is the time we have to find a way
to get to ‘Yes’ and make progress on some of these big problems and serious
problems facing our country.”Schmidt says the big issues facing the Congress are reforming
the immigration system, securing the southern border, and reducing federal
spending.Schmidt, the former Kansas Attorney General, succeeds fellow
Republican Jake LaTurner who decided not to run for re-election.Schmidt says he has several goals as he begins his
Congressional career, but truly representing the district tops the list.“Well, certainly I want to be an effective advocate for the
people in the Second District of Kansas each and every day and that’s on
matters great and small. It’s not just the headline grabbing issues of
advocating on a piece of legislation or a vote, although certainly we’ll do
that,” Schmidt says. “It’s also being an effective advocate in terms of
constituent service, being a presence around the district, making sure I
understand the needs, dynamics, and hopes of people all over the district.”Schmidt says a big challenge for him and fellow Republicans is,
as he puts it, clearing out the underbrush of the federal bureaucracy.“Just a huge amount, nearly all of the consequential decisions
in Washington, are made by people that nobody ever voted for,” according to
Schmidt. “And I think we’ve let that get out of kilter. You have to have some
of that, but we have far, far too much and I would like to be part of paring
back the bureaucracy and returning control and accountability for public decisions
to people who run for office, put their names on the line, and are accountable
to Kansans.”For the first time since 2019, Republicans control both
chambers of federal government, both the House and the Senate.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Derek Schmidt prepares to represent 2nd Congressional District of Kansas

BUCHANAN COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Nissan Sentra driven by a 34-year-old St. Joseph man was eastbound on Powell at 9th Street in St. Joseph.

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and traveled into the path of a&nbsp; southbound 2007 Saturn Ion driven by a 22-year-old St. Joseph woman.&nbsp; The Saturn struck drivers side of the Nissan. After impact the Nissan rotated clockwise, traveled off the road and struck a sign.

Buchanan County EMS transported the 22-year-old driver to Mosaic Life Care. A private vehicle transported the 34-year-old to Mosaic.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

BUCHANAN COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Nissan Sentra driven by a 34-year-old St. Joseph man was eastbound on Powell at 9th Street in St. Joseph.The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and traveled into the path of a&nbsp; southbound 2007 Saturn Ion driven by a 22-year-old St. Joseph woman.&nbsp; The Saturn struck drivers side of the Nissan. After impact the Nissan rotated clockwise, traveled off the road and struck a sign.Buchanan County EMS transported the 22-year-old driver to Mosaic Life Care. A private vehicle transported the 34-year-old to Mosaic.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

2 from St. Joe hospitalized after 2-vehicle crash

2nd District congressman to be lone former state attorney general in U.S. House

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep.-elect Derek Schmidt was persuaded by coffee shop chatter and November exit polling that voters were motivated in 2024 by a desire to elect politicians who could effectively do the basic work of governing.

“It wasn’t so much that folks want this or that,” Schmidt said. “It’s that they want something to happen, to show motion, which they then can judge as to whether it’s progress or not. That’s consistent with … a lot of the coffee-shop talk around the 2nd District.”

On the Kansas Reflector podcast, Schmidt said it was safe to assume the clock on the GOP would start ticking in January as soon as Republicans regained the White House with President-elect Donald Trump and assumed leadership of the U.S. Senate in addition to the U.S. House. It was reasonable to think that window of opportunity for an all-GOP D.C. could close with elections in 2026.

“We don’t have to solve every problem, but we have to make progress on many of the things that we’ve talked about,” he said.

Schmidt, 56, won a competitive August primary and coasted through the November general election in the eastern Kansas district. He was chosen by voters to replace U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican who declined to seek reelection. Schmidt focused his campaign on support for Trump and a commitment to border security, inflation reduction through lower government spending and relief from federal overregulation.

Schmidt was no stranger to politics after 12 years as the state’s attorney general and a decade in the Kansas Senate. He narrowly lost the 2022 governor’s race to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

In Washington, he has been appointed to the House Judiciary Committee. He’ll be the only former state attorney general in the 435-member House. He also was chosen to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. The state hosts Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth as well as the Kansas National Guard’s refueling wing in Topeka.

“Armed services is very important for the district, as well as obviously, for the country,” Schmidt said. “We face a time when, you know, America’s positioning around the world is a bit challenging, a bit in flux. That’s an area I can help fill a gap that would be very good for the state and for the 2nd District in particular.”

He said his previous work as majority leader of the Kansas Senate and as leader of the attorney general’s office from 2011 to 2023 would serve him well at the U.S. Capitol. That background could speed his learning curve in terms of legislative fundamentals. It ought to help with dynamics of interacting with people who come at issues from different perspectives and in anticipating consequences of public policy in terms of the federal bureaucracy and courts.

One clear distinction would be the thin majority Republicans hold in Washington compared to the large GOP majority that has existed in Topeka, he said.

“At some points, it may be down to one vote. That’s difficult, holding everybody together,” Schmidt said. “But the flip side of that is we’ll have unified government with Republican control in all three areas.”

Schmidt’s campaign mirrored calls by Trump and others to bring order to national border crossings and to create more robust physical and law enforcement barriers to illegal entry into the United States.

There should be greater public awareness the past 3.5 years included the largest migration of people into the United States in history, Schmidt said. That’s part of the reason immigration gained so much traction among voters in 2024, he said.

“More than half of the people in the largest wave of migration to this country in our history came here in violation of our laws,” Schmidt said. “It is a different problem than just the sort of ongoing traditional dynamics of managing migration to a nation of immigrants, and I think that’s why you’ve seen so much public reaction to it on both sides.”

Schmidt said the initial focus of Congress ought to be on individuals who entered the United States without proper documentation and subsequently committed criminal offenses. He said as many as 1.3 million immigrants convicted of deportable felonies remained in the country.

He said it was impossible to have a rational discussion about immigration policy without better control of who was coming in and out of the United States.

In fiscal year 2024, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations reached a 10-year high. The 271,000 unauthorized immigrants deported under President Biden surpassed the highest mark set by Trump during his first term as president.

In terms of inflation, Schmidt said the rapid rise in costs abated after surging through the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive infusion of federal dollars into the economy. There was no quick solution to the nation’s struggle with higher prices at the grocery store, he said.

“If there were a magic wand on inflation, it would have been waived already,” he said. “Just passing a bill that says make inflation go away isn’t going to work. The answer to what do we do is the old adage, ‘When you’re in a hole, stop digging.'”

Schmidt said the best move for Congress on domestic inflation would be to control spending and slow deficit financing of the government. In that sense, he was encouraged by ideas floated by billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who were selected by Trump to serve as special advisers on government efficiency.

“I don’t claim to know Mr. Musk. But we had a briefing the other day where he and Mr. Ramaswamy came and talked to the Republican conference, including those of us who are going to be new members, about what their project is —&nbsp;their DOGE project. It was useful. And, I have to admit, I was impressed by both of them. They came across very, very thoughtful,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said he was driven to reduce the growth in federal regulation, especially expansion of the administrative state by agency employees. He said recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions had put meaningful walls around agency discretion.

In this moment, he said, Congress had to accept responsibility for being less vague when drafting legislation so there were fewer opportunities for bureaucrats to shape laws.

He said he had always been a champion of free-trade and was wary of calls for sweeping tariffs on imports. Tariffs could make imported goods more expensive for U.S. consumers and, if retaliation occurred, render U.S. exports less competitive with suppliers from other countries.

“In the first Trump administration, yes, the president levied some tariffs, and yes, there was a price paid for those. But overall, he was pretty targeted. He was pretty effective in trying to change the behavior of some of our trading partners with tariffs that were much more targeted than&nbsp;the rhetoric was,” Schmidt said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725648365265.png" alt="U.S. Rep.-elect Derek Schmidt, a Republican headed to Washington to represent the 2nd District of Kansas, speaks on the Kansas Reflector podcast about federal immigration, inflation and regulation reform.&nbsp;He takes office in January and will replace departing U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, also a Republican.&nbsp;(Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep.-elect Derek Schmidt, a Republican headed to Washington to represent the 2nd District of Kansas, speaks on the Kansas Reflector podcast about federal immigration, inflation and regulation reform.&nbsp;He takes office in January and will replace departing U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, also a Republican.&nbsp;(Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>2nd District congressman to be lone former state attorney general in U.S. House</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Rep.-elect Derek Schmidt was persuaded by coffee shop chatter and November exit polling that voters were motivated in 2024 by a desire to elect politicians who could effectively do the basic work of governing.“It wasn’t so much that folks want this or that,” Schmidt said. “It’s that they want something to happen, to show motion, which they then can judge as to whether it’s progress or not. That’s consistent with … a lot of the coffee-shop talk around the 2nd District.”On the Kansas Reflector podcast, Schmidt said it was safe to assume the clock on the GOP would start ticking in January as soon as Republicans regained the White House with President-elect Donald Trump and assumed leadership of the U.S. Senate in addition to the U.S. House. It was reasonable to think that window of opportunity for an all-GOP D.C. could close with elections in 2026.“We don’t have to solve every problem, but we have to make progress on many of the things that we’ve talked about,” he said.Schmidt, 56, won a competitive August primary and coasted through the November general election in the eastern Kansas district. He was chosen by voters to replace U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican who declined to seek reelection. Schmidt focused his campaign on support for Trump and a commitment to border security, inflation reduction through lower government spending and relief from federal overregulation.Schmidt was no stranger to politics after 12 years as the state’s attorney general and a decade in the Kansas Senate. He narrowly lost the 2022 governor’s race to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.<h2>‘Unified government’</h2>In Washington, he has been appointed to the House Judiciary Committee. He’ll be the only former state attorney general in the 435-member House. He also was chosen to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. The state hosts Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth as well as the Kansas National Guard’s refueling wing in Topeka.“Armed services is very important for the district, as well as obviously, for the country,” Schmidt said. “We face a time when, you know, America’s positioning around the world is a bit challenging, a bit in flux. That’s an area I can help fill a gap that would be very good for the state and for the 2nd District in particular.”He said his previous work as majority leader of the Kansas Senate and as leader of the attorney general’s office from 2011 to 2023 would serve him well at the U.S. Capitol. That background could speed his learning curve in terms of legislative fundamentals. It ought to help with dynamics of interacting with people who come at issues from different perspectives and in anticipating consequences of public policy in terms of the federal bureaucracy and courts.One clear distinction would be the thin majority Republicans hold in Washington compared to the large GOP majority that has existed in Topeka, he said.“At some points, it may be down to one vote. That’s difficult, holding everybody together,” Schmidt said. “But the flip side of that is we’ll have unified government with Republican control in all three areas.”<h2>Immigration, border</h2>Schmidt’s campaign mirrored calls by Trump and others to bring order to national border crossings and to create more robust physical and law enforcement barriers to illegal entry into the United States.There should be greater public awareness the past 3.5 years included the largest migration of people into the United States in history, Schmidt said. That’s part of the reason immigration gained so much traction among voters in 2024, he said.“More than half of the people in the largest wave of migration to this country in our history came here in violation of our laws,” Schmidt said. “It is a different problem than just the sort of ongoing traditional dynamics of managing migration to a nation of immigrants, and I think that’s why you’ve seen so much public reaction to it on both sides.”Schmidt said the initial focus of Congress ought to be on individuals who entered the United States without proper documentation and subsequently committed criminal offenses. He said as many as 1.3 million immigrants convicted of deportable felonies remained in the country.He said it was impossible to have a rational discussion about immigration policy without better control of who was coming in and out of the United States.In fiscal year 2024, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations reached a 10-year high. The 271,000 unauthorized immigrants deported under President Biden surpassed the highest mark set by Trump during his first term as president.<h2>Inflation adjustments</h2>In terms of inflation, Schmidt said the rapid rise in costs abated after surging through the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive infusion of federal dollars into the economy. There was no quick solution to the nation’s struggle with higher prices at the grocery store, he said.“If there were a magic wand on inflation, it would have been waived already,” he said. “Just passing a bill that says make inflation go away isn’t going to work. The answer to what do we do is the old adage, ‘When you’re in a hole, stop digging.'”Schmidt said the best move for Congress on domestic inflation would be to control spending and slow deficit financing of the government. In that sense, he was encouraged by ideas floated by billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who were selected by Trump to serve as special advisers on government efficiency.“I don’t claim to know Mr. Musk. But we had a briefing the other day where he and Mr. Ramaswamy came and talked to the Republican conference, including those of us who are going to be new members, about what their project is —&nbsp;their DOGE project. It was useful. And, I have to admit, I was impressed by both of them. They came across very, very thoughtful,” Schmidt said.<h2>Federal regulation</h2>Schmidt said he was driven to reduce the growth in federal regulation, especially expansion of the administrative state by agency employees. He said recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions had put meaningful walls around agency discretion.In this moment, he said, Congress had to accept responsibility for being less vague when drafting legislation so there were fewer opportunities for bureaucrats to shape laws.He said he had always been a champion of free-trade and was wary of calls for sweeping tariffs on imports. Tariffs could make imported goods more expensive for U.S. consumers and, if retaliation occurred, render U.S. exports less competitive with suppliers from other countries.“In the first Trump administration, yes, the president levied some tariffs, and yes, there was a price paid for those. But overall, he was pretty targeted. He was pretty effective in trying to change the behavior of some of our trading partners with tariffs that were much more targeted than&nbsp;the rhetoric was,” Schmidt said.

U.S. Rep.-elect Derek Schmidt determined to help GOP deliver on campaign promises

KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest at a Kansas City hospital

On Dec. 27, a Saint Luke’s Hospital employee reported seeing who he believed to be an elderly woman stealing from the cafeteria, according to a media release from the Platte County Sheriff.

Deputies responded and detained a woman later identified as 46-year-old Emily Cooper in the cafeteria and she gave them a fake name. When they told her she could not leave because they suspected she had stolen, she said she was going to throw some trash away and instead ran out the emergency department doors.

The deputies caught Cooper and searched her before taking her to the Platte County Detention Center where she remains in custody.

According to court documents, the search uncovered what later tested as methamphetamine stored in a napkin and a plastic baggie. They found more drugs wrapped in a bit of tin foil, which later tested as either methamphetamine or fentanyl.

In total, there were approximately 1.2 grams of drugs in Cooper’s possession, along with a glass smoking pipe. Deputies also recovered a slice of peanut butter cheesecake that she is accused of stealing from the hospital cafeteria.

According to online jail records, Cooper is being held on a $20,000 bond on requested charges of forgery, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, stealing with a value under $150 and&nbsp;Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735856213562.png" alt="Cooper-photo Platte County" />
 <figcaption>Cooper-photo Platte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest at a Kansas City hospitalOn Dec. 27, a Saint Luke’s Hospital employee reported seeing who he believed to be an elderly woman stealing from the cafeteria, according to a media release from the Platte County Sheriff.Deputies responded and detained a woman later identified as 46-year-old Emily Cooper in the cafeteria and she gave them a fake name. When they told her she could not leave because they suspected she had stolen, she said she was going to throw some trash away and instead ran out the emergency department doors.The deputies caught Cooper and searched her before taking her to the Platte County Detention Center where she remains in custody.According to court documents, the search uncovered what later tested as methamphetamine stored in a napkin and a plastic baggie. They found more drugs wrapped in a bit of tin foil, which later tested as either methamphetamine or fentanyl.In total, there were approximately 1.2 grams of drugs in Cooper’s possession, along with a glass smoking pipe. Deputies also recovered a slice of peanut butter cheesecake that she is accused of stealing from the hospital cafeteria.According to online jail records, Cooper is being held on a $20,000 bond on requested charges of forgery, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, stealing with a value under $150 and&nbsp;Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia

Woman with stolen cheesecake arrested in Kansas City hospital

The calendar has flipped to 2025, and after successes in 2024, St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale is looking at all the things that could come in a new year.  

Downtown St. Joseph saw some big changes last year, with the new Children's Discovery Center, and several upgrades to the Civic Arena.  Josendale says there's even more coming in the new year.  

"Coleman Hawkins Park is being redone and we've got a new stage going in there, we're looking at putting a new city market downtown to where we have a gathering place," Josendale tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. 

Josendale calls the Children's Discovery Center the core of all the developments downtown, and also says he's always looking at what more can be done.  

Another project that has been in the works for some time is renovations to the I-229 double decker bridge.  Josendale says near the end of last year, he had discussions with MoDOT, and says the ball seems to be moving in the right direction on the project.  

"Which we've heard for 10 years I know, but we've got the environmental covered, they're now looking at putting together a design build project, so who will be involved in that," Josendale explains. 

Josendale says the concept of I-229 is there but with entering design and build, contractors and the city could have new ideas to add into the actual design of the project.  

Josendale hopes what he considers successes of 2024 will carry into the new year as it begins.  

Josendale says with an experienced city council, a new city manager, and a new school superintendent, St. Joseph has an incredible opportunity in 2025.  

"We always talk about time and place, and I think we've got an opportunity in St. Joe and in the community to grow ourselves and be a better place, and attract more people to come here," Josendale says. 

Josendale says one big project that will continue to be worked on into the new year will be the new sports complex, which aims to be a destination to draw more families to live in St. Joseph. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735837804688.jpeg" alt="Mayor John Josendale/ File Photo" />
 <figcaption>Mayor John Josendale/ File Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The calendar has flipped to 2025, and after successes in 2024, St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale is looking at all the things that could come in a new year. Downtown St. Joseph saw some big changes last year, with the new Children's Discovery Center, and several upgrades to the Civic Arena. Josendale says there's even more coming in the new year. "Coleman Hawkins Park is being redone and we've got a new stage going in there, we're looking at putting a new city market downtown to where we have a gathering place," Josendale tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. Josendale calls the Children's Discovery Center the core of all the developments downtown, and also says he's always looking at what more can be done. Another project that has been in the works for some time is renovations to the I-229 double decker bridge. Josendale says near the end of last year, he had discussions with MoDOT, and says the ball seems to be moving in the right direction on the project. "Which we've heard for 10 years I know, but we've got the environmental covered, they're now looking at putting together a design build project, so who will be involved in that," Josendale explains. Josendale says the concept of I-229 is there but with entering design and build, contractors and the city could have new ideas to add into the actual design of the project. Josendale hopes what he considers successes of 2024 will carry into the new year as it begins. Josendale says with an experienced city council, a new city manager, and a new school superintendent, St. Joseph has an incredible opportunity in 2025. "We always talk about time and place, and I think we've got an opportunity in St. Joe and in the community to grow ourselves and be a better place, and attract more people to come here," Josendale says. Josendale says one big project that will continue to be worked on into the new year will be the new sports complex, which aims to be a destination to draw more families to live in St. Joseph.

Mayor Josendale looks back on 2024 success: Looks forward to 2025

Bills largely split by partisan divides seek to expand or modify charter school operation in Missouri

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

Republican legislators are set to push for further expansion of charter schools around Missouri when the General Assembly reconvenes next month.

Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing for more local control in counties where charters already operate, along with rolling back an expansion into Boone County that passed earlier this year.

Identical bills filed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=346" target="_blank">by Sen. Ben Brown</a>, a Washington Republican, and&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB447&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">Rep. Michael O’Donnell</a>, a Republican from St. Louis, seek to authorize charter schools in the state’s five charter counties and in municipalities with at least 30,000 residents.

Iterations of the bill have been filed since 2022. O’Donnell prefiled the legislation last legislative session but did not receive a hearing.

With some exceptions, charter schools are only allowed to operate in Kansas City, St. Louis and Boone County.

Bills authorizing specific counties to establish charter schools had more traction. Rep. Brad Christ, a St. Louis Republican, got&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB498&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">his bill</a>&nbsp;seeking to authorize charter schools in St. Louis County through committee early in the 2024 legislative session and has refiled the bill this year.

He believes legislation providing alternatives to traditional public schools will gain more traction under the leadership of Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, who has&nbsp;<a href="https://abc17news.com/politics/governor-of-missouri/2024/12/17/incoming-governor-kehoe-speaks-about-future-of-missouri-including-crime-taxes-and-amendment-3/" target="_blank">spoken publicly about his support</a>&nbsp;for charter schools and K-12 tax-credit scholarships.

“There will be much more coordination between the governor’s office and both bodies than in the past,” Christ told The Independent.

Residents in his district have asked for more publicly-funded schooling options for various reasons. The schools in his district have a good reputation, so Christ doesn’t anticipate a large exodus from the public districts.

“I don’t think charter schools will be popping up overnight all over St Louis County if this passes,” he said. “But in areas where there’s a need and where there’s a demand, I think it will provide options for families, whether that be academic, personal, social, religious or whatever it might be.”

He’s open to his bill amending a larger education package. Last year, his bill was tacked onto proposals to expand charters into St. Charles and Boone County.

Ultimately, only the Boone County legislation survived a tumultuous 2024 legislative session, with former Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden of Columbia pushing for his county to be a new home for charter schools.

Rep. David Tyson Smith, a Democrat from Columbia, is hoping to reverse the decision with a&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB297&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">pair of bills</a>&nbsp;that would remove the authorization from state law and, secondly, call for a vote in Boone County to let voters decide if charters are welcome.

“Ultimately, it would be good to just completely have a repealed charter school provision,” he told The Independent. “But also, if we can take it to the voters and let them decide, I think that would be appropriate.”

Smith said Boone County residents “never wanted” charter schools expanded to their county, calling the legislation “Rowden’s baby.” Rowden is leaving office because of term limits and has accepted a job as director of strategic advocacy at the lobbying firm Strategic Capitol Consulting.

“I don’t know that now that he’s gone, you’re gonna have anyone who’s just adamant about keeping charter schools in Boone County,” Smith said.

He said he didn’t know of anyone in the House pushing for charter schools in Boone County. Last year, Republican Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch from Hallsville filed the legislation. In November, she narrowly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.showmeboone.com/clerk/elections/results/" target="_blank">lost a bid for Boone County commissioner</a>&nbsp;and is term limited from continuing her work in the Missouri House.

Other bills seek to change the way charter schools operate in Missouri.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=478" target="_blank">proposal by Sen.-elect Maggie Nurrenbern</a>, a Democrat from Kansas City, would require charter schools to obtain a certificate of need from their local school districts to operate. The State Board of Education would review and approve the certificates of need.

Rep. Doug Clemens, a St. Louis Democrat, also filed legislation that would require local oversight.

<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/hlrbillspdf/1379H.01I.pdf" target="_blank">His legislation</a>, which he filed last year as well, would require local school districts to sponsor charter schools. Most of the state’s charter schools are currently sponsored by the Missouri Charter Public School Commission, a state board that oversees charters. Clemens’s bill would remove the need for the commission.

“The idea that local school boards don’t have control over charter schools operating within their district is just not okay,” Clemens told The Independent. “I think that it is worth talking about local control when it comes to the education of our children.”

Having local governance of charter schools would allow residents to have more input on the way their tax dollars are spent on education, he said.

His bill did not get a hearing last legislative session, along with bills filed by other lawmakers that would modify charter sponsorship.

Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680891715173.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Bills largely split by partisan divides seek to expand or modify charter school operation in Missouri</h2>BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Republican legislators are set to push for further expansion of charter schools around Missouri when the General Assembly reconvenes next month.Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing for more local control in counties where charters already operate, along with rolling back an expansion into Boone County that passed earlier this year.Identical bills filed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=346" target="_blank">by Sen. Ben Brown</a>, a Washington Republican, and&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB447&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">Rep. Michael O’Donnell</a>, a Republican from St. Louis, seek to authorize charter schools in the state’s five charter counties and in municipalities with at least 30,000 residents.Iterations of the bill have been filed since 2022. O’Donnell prefiled the legislation last legislative session but did not receive a hearing.With some exceptions, charter schools are only allowed to operate in Kansas City, St. Louis and Boone County.Bills authorizing specific counties to establish charter schools had more traction. Rep. Brad Christ, a St. Louis Republican, got&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB498&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">his bill</a>&nbsp;seeking to authorize charter schools in St. Louis County through committee early in the 2024 legislative session and has refiled the bill this year.He believes legislation providing alternatives to traditional public schools will gain more traction under the leadership of Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, who has&nbsp;<a href="https://abc17news.com/politics/governor-of-missouri/2024/12/17/incoming-governor-kehoe-speaks-about-future-of-missouri-including-crime-taxes-and-amendment-3/" target="_blank">spoken publicly about his support</a>&nbsp;for charter schools and K-12 tax-credit scholarships.“There will be much more coordination between the governor’s office and both bodies than in the past,” Christ told The Independent.Residents in his district have asked for more publicly-funded schooling options for various reasons. The schools in his district have a good reputation, so Christ doesn’t anticipate a large exodus from the public districts.“I don’t think charter schools will be popping up overnight all over St Louis County if this passes,” he said. “But in areas where there’s a need and where there’s a demand, I think it will provide options for families, whether that be academic, personal, social, religious or whatever it might be.”He’s open to his bill amending a larger education package. Last year, his bill was tacked onto proposals to expand charters into St. Charles and Boone County.Ultimately, only the Boone County legislation survived a tumultuous 2024 legislative session, with former Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden of Columbia pushing for his county to be a new home for charter schools.Rep. David Tyson Smith, a Democrat from Columbia, is hoping to reverse the decision with a&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB297&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">pair of bills</a>&nbsp;that would remove the authorization from state law and, secondly, call for a vote in Boone County to let voters decide if charters are welcome.“Ultimately, it would be good to just completely have a repealed charter school provision,” he told The Independent. “But also, if we can take it to the voters and let them decide, I think that would be appropriate.”Smith said Boone County residents “never wanted” charter schools expanded to their county, calling the legislation “Rowden’s baby.” Rowden is leaving office because of term limits and has accepted a job as director of strategic advocacy at the lobbying firm Strategic Capitol Consulting.“I don’t know that now that he’s gone, you’re gonna have anyone who’s just adamant about keeping charter schools in Boone County,” Smith said.He said he didn’t know of anyone in the House pushing for charter schools in Boone County. Last year, Republican Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch from Hallsville filed the legislation. In November, she narrowly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.showmeboone.com/clerk/elections/results/" target="_blank">lost a bid for Boone County commissioner</a>&nbsp;and is term limited from continuing her work in the Missouri House.Other bills seek to change the way charter schools operate in Missouri.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=478" target="_blank">proposal by Sen.-elect Maggie Nurrenbern</a>, a Democrat from Kansas City, would require charter schools to obtain a certificate of need from their local school districts to operate. The State Board of Education would review and approve the certificates of need.Rep. Doug Clemens, a St. Louis Democrat, also filed legislation that would require local oversight.<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/hlrbillspdf/1379H.01I.pdf" target="_blank">His legislation</a>, which he filed last year as well, would require local school districts to sponsor charter schools. Most of the state’s charter schools are currently sponsored by the Missouri Charter Public School Commission, a state board that oversees charters. Clemens’s bill would remove the need for the commission.“The idea that local school boards don’t have control over charter schools operating within their district is just not okay,” Clemens told The Independent. “I think that it is worth talking about local control when it comes to the education of our children.”Having local governance of charter schools would allow residents to have more input on the way their tax dollars are spent on education, he said.His bill did not get a hearing last legislative session, along with bills filed by other lawmakers that would modify charter sponsorship.Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

Republican lawmakers seek further expansion of Missouri charter schools

The St. Joseph School District is working to make transportation for students to and from school safe  

One primary issue the district has heard from parents is behavior from students on the bus rides.  

Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Robert Sigirst says the job of a bus driver is complex 

"Because the safety of those students is paramount for them," Sigrist tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  "So, driving and focus on what's in front of them is obviously their most important thing, but there's a lot going on behind them, some routes we have monitors on if it's a more full route, things like that to assist with that." 

Sigrist says anyone who thinks a bus drivers' job is easy, he would challenge them to ride an elementary bus route to see the challenges they deal with.  

Director of Non-Academic Services Shannon Nolte says a big focus in the district is on building relationships and says the district's behavior specialists talked to several bus drivers for the district.  

"Talked about those relationships, how you build those, and really its just no different, bus drivers build good relationships usually those busses run well and there's fewer behavior issues, there's always going to be a few, but I think that's the biggest key is building those relationships with those kids," Nolte explains. 

Nolte says the district received good feedback from drivers within the district about the talks on learning how to build those relationships with students.  

A new contract with First Student has also helped the St. Joseph School District in keeping its busses filled with drivers to transport students to and from school.  

Robert Sigirst says the district is currently in a much better spot than they were just four years ago.  

Sigrist says back then, there were days where the district didn't know who would be going out to pick up students on the buses. 

"Because we just were that short on drivers and they were pulling drivers from the Kansas City area to fill our routes," Sigrist says.  "So, where we're at today as we sit here in December 2024, from where we were say in January of 2021, much improved, much improved." 

Sigrist says First Student has helped train drivers and has given incentives that help recruit and retain drivers to ensure the district knows who will be out driving on any given day. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The St. Joseph School District is working to make transportation for students to and from school safe One primary issue the district has heard from parents is behavior from students on the bus rides. Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Robert Sigirst says the job of a bus driver is complex "Because the safety of those students is paramount for them," Sigrist tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, driving and focus on what's in front of them is obviously their most important thing, but there's a lot going on behind them, some routes we have monitors on if it's a more full route, things like that to assist with that." Sigrist says anyone who thinks a bus drivers' job is easy, he would challenge them to ride an elementary bus route to see the challenges they deal with. Director of Non-Academic Services Shannon Nolte says a big focus in the district is on building relationships and says the district's behavior specialists talked to several bus drivers for the district. "Talked about those relationships, how you build those, and really its just no different, bus drivers build good relationships usually those busses run well and there's fewer behavior issues, there's always going to be a few, but I think that's the biggest key is building those relationships with those kids," Nolte explains. Nolte says the district received good feedback from drivers within the district about the talks on learning how to build those relationships with students. A new contract with First Student has also helped the St. Joseph School District in keeping its busses filled with drivers to transport students to and from school. Robert Sigirst says the district is currently in a much better spot than they were just four years ago. Sigrist says back then, there were days where the district didn't know who would be going out to pick up students on the buses. "Because we just were that short on drivers and they were pulling drivers from the Kansas City area to fill our routes," Sigrist says. "So, where we're at today as we sit here in December 2024, from where we were say in January of 2021, much improved, much improved." Sigrist says First Student has helped train drivers and has given incentives that help recruit and retain drivers to ensure the district knows who will be out driving on any given day.

St. Joseph School District works to make busses safe and efficient

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 1p.m. Monday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Chevy Silverado driven by 21-year-old Maysville man was&nbsp; westbound on U.S. 36 approximately 2 miles west of Stewartsville.

The pickup traveled off the right side of the road. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle returned to the road, skidded across the westbound lanes, traveled off the south side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned

DeKalb-Clinton EMS transported to the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 1p.m. Monday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Chevy Silverado driven by 21-year-old Maysville man was&nbsp; westbound on U.S. 36 approximately 2 miles west of Stewartsville.The pickup traveled off the right side of the road. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle returned to the road, skidded across the westbound lanes, traveled off the south side of the road, struck an embankment and overturnedDeKalb-Clinton EMS transported to the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.<figure>
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Missouri man injured in DeKalb Co. pickup rollover accident

Fifth Judicial Circuit Judge Pat Robb has been clearing out
his office and preparing for retirement after 38 years on the bench; 45 years
total working in the Buchanan County Courthouse.

Robb served as assistant Buchanan County prosecutor, the lead
prosecutor in many high-profile cases, before being elected Associate Circuit
Judge in 1986. He won election as Circuit Judge two years later. Robb won
re-election in 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018.

Robb, who is 69, faced mandatory retirement at age 70.

“I’m ready to take on new projects in retirement,” Robb tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post during an interview in his chambers. “Fortunately, I’m
healthy. So, I’m looking forward to taking on the challenge of retirement,
whatever challenge there may be.”

“I don’t have any professional goals in retirement,” Robb
says. “I’ve always been interested, my wife and I, in traveling. So, I like to
travel. I like to hike. And so, I plan to do a little bit more of that probably
in the next few years. But, most of the time I’ll be at home. So, I’m hoping to
find something perhaps that I can do in the community that would be something I
would find rewarding and be helpful. So that’s probably my goal.”

Robb says he has little interest in serving as judge emeritus
and taking on new cases, but says he will see what the Missouri Supreme Court
offers.

We asked Robb if it seems like it has been 45 years.

“No, it does not,” Robb replies. “As I’ve reflected on it the
last six months, as I’m approaching retirement, it just seems like it’s gone by
very quickly. You keep showing up for work every day, doing the work, and next
thing you know 45 years have gone by.”

Robb has seen a lot over that time, has learned a lot about
being a judge, applying the law. Robb served as the 5th Judicial Circuit
Presiding Judge from 1995 to 2018. Robb says he’s proud the Missouri Supreme
Court recognized the circuit, which covers Buchanan and Andrew Counties, for
its efficiency in dealing the cases before it, both criminal and civil.

Over the years, Robb has presided over many, many cases.
Several stand out, but perhaps none more than a change of venue from Harrison
County heard in the Buchanan County Courthouse. The suspect pleaded guilty,
avoiding a trial. But the prosecutors wanted to talk to Robb.

“And they said, judge, I just wanted to give you a heads up
before the sentencing hearing that the victim of the offense is going to be here
for the sentencing hearing,” Robb recalls.&nbsp;
“And I said, what do you mean the victim’s going to be here for the
sentencing hearing?&nbsp; They go, well, the
family has brought the victim’s ashes to the sentencing hearing. They want to
be present, but I wanted to make sure that you were okay with it.”

Robb gave his okay as long as the victim’s family did not turn
it into a demonstration in the courtroom.

“I went out and had the sentencing hearing and they had a
little urn sitting in one of the chairs in the front row of the courtroom
during the sentencing hearing of the defendant.”

Robb says the biggest misconception the public has about
judges is that they are the law.

“I make a decision how the law applies to the particular facts
they might present to me as a judge or I might instruct the jury, if it goes to
a jury trial, on what the law is and let the jury decide what the facts are and
who should recover, who should win in that case,” Robb says, pointing out it is
the Missouri General Assembly that makes the law.

Robb says he does understand the decisions he makes during a
trial or during sentencing touches people’s lives.

“Those are important decisions. I understand those impact
people greatly, potentially, them and their families,” Robb says. “Those do
weigh on you and they haven’t gotten easier as you get older. You realize the
kind of decisions judges make do impact people’s lives. That’s one part of my
job I will not miss.”

Robb says the dedication to the day-to-day work makes for a
good judge.

“A judge that’s one willing to listen and willing to work,”
according to Robb. “Willing to be there and have the tribunal move cases, listen
to people, not be impatient with the process, but make sure that we understand,
if you’re filing a case in court, that we’re moving toward adjudication.”

Robb says he doesn’t think much about any legacy he might
leave.

“Feel like I was a fair judge. I think most people do. And
that I was a hard worker and that I ran an orderly court. That’s kind of what I
want.”

Robb’s influence went beyond the Buchanan County Courthouse.
He served as chair of the Supreme Court Committee on Procedure in Criminal
Cases and on the Presiding Judges’ Executive Committee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735329647963.jpeg" alt="5th Judicial Circuit Judge Pat Robb/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>5th Judicial Circuit Judge Pat Robb/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostFifth Judicial Circuit Judge Pat Robb has been clearing out
his office and preparing for retirement after 38 years on the bench; 45 years
total working in the Buchanan County Courthouse.Robb served as assistant Buchanan County prosecutor, the lead
prosecutor in many high-profile cases, before being elected Associate Circuit
Judge in 1986. He won election as Circuit Judge two years later. Robb won
re-election in 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018.Robb, who is 69, faced mandatory retirement at age 70.“I’m ready to take on new projects in retirement,” Robb tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post during an interview in his chambers. “Fortunately, I’m
healthy. So, I’m looking forward to taking on the challenge of retirement,
whatever challenge there may be.”Most of those new projects are personal.“I don’t have any professional goals in retirement,” Robb
says. “I’ve always been interested, my wife and I, in traveling. So, I like to
travel. I like to hike. And so, I plan to do a little bit more of that probably
in the next few years. But, most of the time I’ll be at home. So, I’m hoping to
find something perhaps that I can do in the community that would be something I
would find rewarding and be helpful. So that’s probably my goal.”Robb says he has little interest in serving as judge emeritus
and taking on new cases, but says he will see what the Missouri Supreme Court
offers.We asked Robb if it seems like it has been 45 years.“No, it does not,” Robb replies. “As I’ve reflected on it the
last six months, as I’m approaching retirement, it just seems like it’s gone by
very quickly. You keep showing up for work every day, doing the work, and next
thing you know 45 years have gone by.”Robb has seen a lot over that time, has learned a lot about
being a judge, applying the law. Robb served as the 5th Judicial Circuit
Presiding Judge from 1995 to 2018. Robb says he’s proud the Missouri Supreme
Court recognized the circuit, which covers Buchanan and Andrew Counties, for
its efficiency in dealing the cases before it, both criminal and civil.Over the years, Robb has presided over many, many cases.
Several stand out, but perhaps none more than a change of venue from Harrison
County heard in the Buchanan County Courthouse. The suspect pleaded guilty,
avoiding a trial. But the prosecutors wanted to talk to Robb.“And they said, judge, I just wanted to give you a heads up
before the sentencing hearing that the victim of the offense is going to be here
for the sentencing hearing,” Robb recalls.&nbsp;
“And I said, what do you mean the victim’s going to be here for the
sentencing hearing?&nbsp; They go, well, the
family has brought the victim’s ashes to the sentencing hearing. They want to
be present, but I wanted to make sure that you were okay with it.”Robb gave his okay as long as the victim’s family did not turn
it into a demonstration in the courtroom.“I went out and had the sentencing hearing and they had a
little urn sitting in one of the chairs in the front row of the courtroom
during the sentencing hearing of the defendant.”Robb says the biggest misconception the public has about
judges is that they are the law.“I make a decision how the law applies to the particular facts
they might present to me as a judge or I might instruct the jury, if it goes to
a jury trial, on what the law is and let the jury decide what the facts are and
who should recover, who should win in that case,” Robb says, pointing out it is
the Missouri General Assembly that makes the law.Robb says he does understand the decisions he makes during a
trial or during sentencing touches people’s lives.“Those are important decisions. I understand those impact
people greatly, potentially, them and their families,” Robb says. “Those do
weigh on you and they haven’t gotten easier as you get older. You realize the
kind of decisions judges make do impact people’s lives. That’s one part of my
job I will not miss.”Robb says the dedication to the day-to-day work makes for a
good judge.“A judge that’s one willing to listen and willing to work,”
according to Robb. “Willing to be there and have the tribunal move cases, listen
to people, not be impatient with the process, but make sure that we understand,
if you’re filing a case in court, that we’re moving toward adjudication.”Robb says he doesn’t think much about any legacy he might
leave.“Feel like I was a fair judge. I think most people do. And
that I was a hard worker and that I ran an orderly court. That’s kind of what I
want.”Robb’s influence went beyond the Buchanan County Courthouse.
He served as chair of the Supreme Court Committee on Procedure in Criminal
Cases and on the Presiding Judges’ Executive Committee.Robb serves his last day on the 31st.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Judge Robb set to retire after 38 years on the bench; 45 in the Buchanan County Courthouse

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/12/20/kansas-faces-constitutional-crisis-with-rural-attorney-shortage-supreme-court-justice-says/?emci=90c2989c-44bf-ef11-88ce-0022482a93af&amp;emdi=5cf0ff54-82bf-ef11-88ce-0022482a93af&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice K.J. Wall said Friday the state is “approaching a constitutional crisis” with a shortage of attorneys in rural areas, and that “equity and justice” are at&nbsp; stake.

Wall spoke at a news conference in Concordia as a committee tasked with studying the crisis over the past two years&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/court%20administration/Rural-Justice-Initiative/Kansas-Rural-Justice-Initiative-Committee-Final-Report.pdf" target="_blank">unveiled a report</a>&nbsp;that offers recommendations for attracting more attorneys to practice in rural areas. The report also presents stark data: Outside of the state’s five most-populous counties, just 21% of active attorneys serve 45% of the state’s population.

One-third of the attorneys in those 100 rural counties are over the age of 60.

“The problem is serious, and it is not going to get better without intervention and affirmative action,” Wall said.

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert established the Rural Justice Initiative Committee on Dec. 1, 2022. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/Committees/Kansas-Rural-Justice-Initiative-Committee" target="_blank">35-member committee</a>&nbsp;included judges, legislators, attorneys, educators, business leaders, and organizations that serve victims of sexual or domestic violence.

Luckert said at Friday’s news conference that she formed the committee after hearing from judges who said they couldn’t find attorneys who were qualified or willing to take cases, from attorneys who wanted to retire but didn’t want to leave their communities without legal help, and from local governments that struggled to hire a city or county attorney.

She said “we knew we had a crisis,” but she wanted to know “how pervasive” it was.

“I think we found that it was even worse than we thought it would be,” Luckert said.

Data from the committee’s 84-page report shows 1,401 attorneys work in rural Kansas counties, where more than 1.3 million people live. In comparison, there are more Kansas attorneys working in Kansas City, Missouri.

Two Kansas counties — Wichita and Hodgeman, in west-central Kansas — have no attorneys at all. Seven more have no attorneys under the age of 60.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735053694304.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Justice K.J. Wall takes the oath of office on Jan. 9, 2023. Wall says the problem of not having enough attorneys in rural counties won’t get better without intervention. Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Justice K.J. Wall takes the oath of office on Jan. 9, 2023. Wall says the problem of not having enough attorneys in rural counties won’t get better without intervention. Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/12/20/kansas-faces-constitutional-crisis-with-rural-attorney-shortage-supreme-court-justice-says/?emci=90c2989c-44bf-ef11-88ce-0022482a93af&amp;emdi=5cf0ff54-82bf-ef11-88ce-0022482a93af&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice K.J. Wall said Friday the state is “approaching a constitutional crisis” with a shortage of attorneys in rural areas, and that “equity and justice” are at&nbsp; stake.Wall spoke at a news conference in Concordia as a committee tasked with studying the crisis over the past two years&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/court%20administration/Rural-Justice-Initiative/Kansas-Rural-Justice-Initiative-Committee-Final-Report.pdf" target="_blank">unveiled a report</a>&nbsp;that offers recommendations for attracting more attorneys to practice in rural areas. The report also presents stark data: Outside of the state’s five most-populous counties, just 21% of active attorneys serve 45% of the state’s population.One-third of the attorneys in those 100 rural counties are over the age of 60.“The problem is serious, and it is not going to get better without intervention and affirmative action,” Wall said.Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert established the Rural Justice Initiative Committee on Dec. 1, 2022. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/Committees/Kansas-Rural-Justice-Initiative-Committee" target="_blank">35-member committee</a>&nbsp;included judges, legislators, attorneys, educators, business leaders, and organizations that serve victims of sexual or domestic violence.Luckert said at Friday’s news conference that she formed the committee after hearing from judges who said they couldn’t find attorneys who were qualified or willing to take cases, from attorneys who wanted to retire but didn’t want to leave their communities without legal help, and from local governments that struggled to hire a city or county attorney.She said “we knew we had a crisis,” but she wanted to know “how pervasive” it was.“I think we found that it was even worse than we thought it would be,” Luckert said.Data from the committee’s 84-page report shows 1,401 attorneys work in rural Kansas counties, where more than 1.3 million people live. In comparison, there are more Kansas attorneys working in Kansas City, Missouri.Two Kansas counties — Wichita and Hodgeman, in west-central Kansas — have no attorneys at all. Seven more have no attorneys under the age of 60.In 47 counties, there is less than one attorney per 1,000 people.“Rural judges struggle to find attorneys in cases where the right to counsel is guaranteed by constitution or statute — cases where a person’s very liberty or right to parent their child is at stake,” the report found. “Attorneys are turning away potential clients each week because they cannot meet the demand in their communities.”The report said barriers for attorneys working in rural areas include the balance between staggering student loan debt and lower incomes, a lack of business skills, and challenges of finding child care, housing, health care and reliable Wi-Fi.The report makes 10 recommendations for addressing the problem. They include establishing programs to pay tuition or repay student loans for attorneys who attend law school in Kansas and practice in a rural part of the state.Other proposals include developing a professional organization for rural attorneys to collaborate on recruitment and retention, supporting outreach efforts for K-12 students in rural Kansas, working with the Kansas Department of Commerce and Office of Rural Prosperity to help attorneys manage their businesses, and establishing a standing committee to monitor the results.

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