ATCHISON COUNTY —A northeast Kansas man is back in jail after an arrest in Atchison.

On Friday, 25-year-old Caleb S. Fall of Atchison, was arrested for alleged battery and criminal damage to property in the 300 block North 14th Street, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

He was booked into the county jail. In August of 2023, Fall was arrested on a requested charge of commercial DUI/ .04 or more; 2nd conviction and transporting an open container, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717765056173.png" alt="Fall from an earlier arrest in Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Fall from an earlier arrest in Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —A northeast Kansas man is back in jail after an arrest in Atchison.On Friday, 25-year-old Caleb S. Fall of Atchison, was arrested for alleged battery and criminal damage to property in the 300 block North 14th Street, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.He was booked into the county jail. In August of 2023, Fall was arrested on a requested charge of commercial DUI/ .04 or more; 2nd conviction and transporting an open container, according to online jail records.

Kansas man jailed for alleged violent crime 

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

Complaint questions Eplee’s donation of $40,000 to Senate campaign

TOPEKA — A former treasurer for Sen. Dennis Pyle of Hiawatha filed a complaint against one of the incumbent Republican senator’s primary challengers alleging campaign finance irregularities.

Sabetha Rep. Randy Garber, who was treasurer of Pyle’s controversial independent campaign for governor in 2022, said Wednesday he forwarded a four-page complaint to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission against Rep. John Eplee, an Atchison Republican. Eplee will be on the August primary ballot with Pyle and GOP candidate Craig Bowser of Holton in the 1st District Senate race.

Garber’s complaint challenged a decision in August 2023 by Eplee to draw upon his House campaign account to reimburse himself for $40,000 in mileage expenses related to service in the House since 2017. Eplee filed reports with the state ethics commission showing he subsequently deposited a personal check for $40,000 in his Kansas Senate account.

“I believe that his use of the same name ‘Kansans for Eplee’ has resulted in his depositing of campaign contributions intended for his House campaign in his Senate campaign account,” Garber said.

Eplee, who declared his candidacy for the Kansas Senate in June 2023, said there was nothing improper about reimbursing himself for legitimate expenditures as a state representative and then making the decision to apply those funds to his Senate campaign.

He said he maintained detailed records of personal expenditures related to driving to and from political obligations in his House district.

“I kept a log. I have a lot of documentation to support that,” Eplee said. “I have always and will always provide accurate and credible information to Kansas Governmental Ethics. I am happy to discuss any matters with them.”

Under Kansas law, contributions to a House or Senate candidate cannot be transferred directly to that individual’s campaign account for a different seat in the Legislature. Attempts by members of the Legislature to repeal that prohibition failed in 2015.

Garber’s complaint also questioned Eplee’s purchase of campaign brochures for his Senate campaign and validity of a $1,000 in-kind contribution for a fundraising reception tied to his Senate race.

In response, Eplee said there was nothing mysterious about those transactions. He said examination of the record would lead to dismissal of the objections.

The latest campaign finance reports submitted by the three Senate Republican candidates showed Bowser had $100,200 cash on hand in January. Bowser’s total included a $65,000 loan he made to his campaign. In January, Eplee had $72,300 in cash after writing checks for $50,000 to his campaign account. Pyle, the incumbent, had $70,700 in cash in his Senate account at start of the year.

Eplee said the key issue in the District 1 campaign would be the Legislature’s delay in delivering property, sales and income tax relief to Kansans. He said Pyle voted against overriding the governor’s veto of a major tax reform bill during the 2023 session. The override attempt fell one vote short in the Senate.

At outset of the 2024 legislative session, Pyle also joined two Republican senators who endorsed a tax overhaul bill proposed by the Democratic governor. Kelly vetoed three tax bills passed by the Republican-led 2024 Legislature. She has called the House and Senate to a special session scheduled for June 18 to resolve the tax policy standoff.

“By far the biggest issue is tax relief for Kansas taxpayers,” Eplee said. “Rep. Garber has long been used by Sen. Pyle as a political pawn to do his dirty work, like when he served as the treasurer for his gubernatorial campaign, attacking Republicans and helping elect Laura Kelly. This is nothing more than political gamesmanship on the part of Dennis Pyle and perhaps if he focused more on delivering for northeast Kansas we would have tax reform right now.”

Pyle, elected in 2004 to represent northeast Kansas in the Senate, said when filing for reelection that he was the only Republican in the race with a conservative record of fighting for limited government and fiscal conservatism.

“My experience and proven record stands in stark contrast to other candidates’ records,” Pyle said.

Bowser, who served 24 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, launched his campaign for the 1st District seat in December 2022 while Pyle was still registered as an independent for purposes of running for governor against Kelly and GOP nominee Attorney General Derek Schmidt. Kelly won a close race amid claims Pyle helped draw conservative votes from Schmidt.

“I’m running for the state Senate to return conservative leadership to the 1st Senate District,” Bowser said at that time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717791703014.png" alt=" Rep. Randy Garber, a Sabetha Republican not seeking reelection, filed an ethics complaint against Atchison Rep. John Eplee, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Dennis Pyle, R-Hiawatha, in the 1st District. Garber served as Pyle’s treasurer when Pyle was an independent candidate for governor in 2022. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Randy Garber, a Sabetha Republican not seeking reelection, filed an ethics complaint against Atchison Rep. John Eplee, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Dennis Pyle, R-Hiawatha, in the 1st District. Garber served as Pyle’s treasurer when Pyle was an independent candidate for governor in 2022. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Complaint questions Eplee’s donation of $40,000 to Senate campaign</h2>TOPEKA — A former treasurer for Sen. Dennis Pyle of Hiawatha filed a complaint against one of the incumbent Republican senator’s primary challengers alleging campaign finance irregularities.Sabetha Rep. Randy Garber, who was treasurer of Pyle’s controversial independent campaign for governor in 2022, said Wednesday he forwarded a four-page complaint to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission against Rep. John Eplee, an Atchison Republican. Eplee will be on the August primary ballot with Pyle and GOP candidate Craig Bowser of Holton in the 1st District Senate race.Garber’s complaint challenged a decision in August 2023 by Eplee to draw upon his House campaign account to reimburse himself for $40,000 in mileage expenses related to service in the House since 2017. Eplee filed reports with the state ethics commission showing he subsequently deposited a personal check for $40,000 in his Kansas Senate account.“I believe that his use of the same name ‘Kansans for Eplee’ has resulted in his depositing of campaign contributions intended for his House campaign in his Senate campaign account,” Garber said.Eplee, who declared his candidacy for the Kansas Senate in June 2023, said there was nothing improper about reimbursing himself for legitimate expenditures as a state representative and then making the decision to apply those funds to his Senate campaign.He said he maintained detailed records of personal expenditures related to driving to and from political obligations in his House district.“I kept a log. I have a lot of documentation to support that,” Eplee said. “I have always and will always provide accurate and credible information to Kansas Governmental Ethics. I am happy to discuss any matters with them.”Under Kansas law, contributions to a House or Senate candidate cannot be transferred directly to that individual’s campaign account for a different seat in the Legislature. Attempts by members of the Legislature to repeal that prohibition failed in 2015.Garber’s complaint also questioned Eplee’s purchase of campaign brochures for his Senate campaign and validity of a $1,000 in-kind contribution for a fundraising reception tied to his Senate race.In response, Eplee said there was nothing mysterious about those transactions. He said examination of the record would lead to dismissal of the objections.The latest campaign finance reports submitted by the three Senate Republican candidates showed Bowser had $100,200 cash on hand in January. Bowser’s total included a $65,000 loan he made to his campaign. In January, Eplee had $72,300 in cash after writing checks for $50,000 to his campaign account. Pyle, the incumbent, had $70,700 in cash in his Senate account at start of the year.Eplee said the key issue in the District 1 campaign would be the Legislature’s delay in delivering property, sales and income tax relief to Kansans. He said Pyle voted against overriding the governor’s veto of a major tax reform bill during the 2023 session. The override attempt fell one vote short in the Senate.At outset of the 2024 legislative session, Pyle also joined two Republican senators who endorsed a tax overhaul bill proposed by the Democratic governor. Kelly vetoed three tax bills passed by the Republican-led 2024 Legislature. She has called the House and Senate to a special session scheduled for June 18 to resolve the tax policy standoff.“By far the biggest issue is tax relief for Kansas taxpayers,” Eplee said. “Rep. Garber has long been used by Sen. Pyle as a political pawn to do his dirty work, like when he served as the treasurer for his gubernatorial campaign, attacking Republicans and helping elect Laura Kelly. This is nothing more than political gamesmanship on the part of Dennis Pyle and perhaps if he focused more on delivering for northeast Kansas we would have tax reform right now.”Pyle, elected in 2004 to represent northeast Kansas in the Senate, said when filing for reelection that he was the only Republican in the race with a conservative record of fighting for limited government and fiscal conservatism.“My experience and proven record stands in stark contrast to other candidates’ records,” Pyle said.Bowser, who served 24 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, launched his campaign for the 1st District seat in December 2022 while Pyle was still registered as an independent for purposes of running for governor against Kelly and GOP nominee Attorney General Derek Schmidt. Kelly won a close race amid claims Pyle helped draw conservative votes from Schmidt.“I’m running for the state Senate to return conservative leadership to the 1st Senate District,” Bowser said at that time.

Pyle ally kicks off three-way GOP Kansas Senate primary by filing ethics complaint

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Friday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Buick Verano driven by Braydn A. Murphy, 23, Rosendale, was westbound on Route E three miles east of Savannah.

The car traveled off the north side of the road, struck an embankment and rolled.

Andrew County EMS transported Murphy to Mosaic Life Care. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Friday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Buick Verano driven by Braydn A. Murphy, 23, Rosendale, was westbound on Route E three miles east of Savannah.The car traveled off the north side of the road, struck an embankment and rolled.Andrew County EMS transported Murphy to Mosaic Life Care. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man injured in Andrew Co. rollover accident

Brice Garnett has been a pro golfer for 18 years.

He’s played overseas. He’s been on the PGA Tour. He currently holds PGA status, in fact, having won the Puerto Rico Open this past March, and will hold that status for at least the next three years.

Through it all, the Gallatin native still carries the Missouri Western logo on his golf bag. The former Griffon will never forget where he came from.

"I've always tried to keep some sort of a chip on my shoulder," Garnett told KFEQ Radio. "I've always remained humble and remembered my roots, but have tried to keep a chip on my shoulder, dating back to my college time whenever the University of Missouri didn't want me."

"I ended up at Missouri Western and had an amazing career."

The best golfer to ever play at Missouri Western can now add another Hall of Fame status to his name.

Garnett was one of 10 individuals unveiled in <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/1e5bd6e6-b2b7-4c36-821d-76d48f23c880">this year's St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Class</a>.

Already a member of the Missouri Western and MIAA Hall of Fame, Garnett says getting this honor from the St. Joseph Sports Commission is extra special, having grown up and started his career in the area.

"Especially being from Gallatin and playing there at Missouri Western in St. Joe, it was just an exciting call to get," Garnett shared. "I've known Brett (Esely) a long time. He was actually our compliance coordinator when I was at school. We've stayed in touch."

"I know he's doing big things with the Sports Commission. We're excited for August to come around to get up there and get inducted."

Brett Esely is the director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, which oversees the Hall of Fame. Each year's class is selected by an anonymous three-person committee.

Garnett was a three-time all-American at Missouri Western and just secured PGA Tour status for the next three years this past March with his Puerto Rico Open victory - his first PGA win since 2018 and his second overall.

Garnett has seven professional victories, but he says that win in March, at age 40, was a long time coming and the culmination of long stretches of hard work and waiting for a win.

"It was probably the most challenging part of my career," he said. "I felt like I got to a spot where I could compete weekly. Everything in my game was probably as strong as it's ever been. To see it all come together down in Puerto Rico at 40 years old, kind of resurrecting my career."

Garnett is gearing up for a busy summer and fall ahead. He has a three-week break right now, but he says he's looking at playing in the John Deere Classic on July 4th weekend in Silvis, Illinois.

"I believe I'll travel from there to the Scottish Open," he said. "That'll be my first time playing in Scotland, which I'm excited about. Come back and play a few events in the end of July, getting ready to hopefully sneak in that top 70 (FedEx Cup standings) to get in that first playoff event in Memphis, which is a huge, huge step."

Garnett aims to get in the top 70 in the Fedex Cup standings, which would qualify him for the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis on August 15 - the first of three Fedex Cup playoff tournaments. He’s currently ranked 75th in those standings.

Garnett will be enshrined August 25 in the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame. He'd love to be there for the ceremony at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center, but he’d also love to be competing for a Fedex Cup championship during that time as well.

"I hope to be at the BMW (Championship) for my career, but definitely will be in St. Joe if not."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717788079648.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBrice Garnett has been a pro golfer for 18 years.He’s played overseas. He’s been on the PGA Tour. He currently holds PGA status, in fact, having won the Puerto Rico Open this past March, and will hold that status for at least the next three years.Through it all, the Gallatin native still carries the Missouri Western logo on his golf bag. The former Griffon will never forget where he came from."I've always tried to keep some sort of a chip on my shoulder," Garnett told KFEQ Radio. "I've always remained humble and remembered my roots, but have tried to keep a chip on my shoulder, dating back to my college time whenever the University of Missouri didn't want me.""I ended up at Missouri Western and had an amazing career."The best golfer to ever play at Missouri Western can now add another Hall of Fame status to his name.Garnett was one of 10 individuals unveiled in <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/1e5bd6e6-b2b7-4c36-821d-76d48f23c880">this year's St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame Class</a>.Already a member of the Missouri Western and MIAA Hall of Fame, Garnett says getting this honor from the St. Joseph Sports Commission is extra special, having grown up and started his career in the area."Especially being from Gallatin and playing there at Missouri Western in St. Joe, it was just an exciting call to get," Garnett shared. "I've known Brett (Esely) a long time. He was actually our compliance coordinator when I was at school. We've stayed in touch.""I know he's doing big things with the Sports Commission. We're excited for August to come around to get up there and get inducted."Brett Esely is the director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission, which oversees the Hall of Fame. Each year's class is selected by an anonymous three-person committee.Garnett was a three-time all-American at Missouri Western and just secured PGA Tour status for the next three years this past March with his Puerto Rico Open victory - his first PGA win since 2018 and his second overall.Garnett has seven professional victories, but he says that win in March, at age 40, was a long time coming and the culmination of long stretches of hard work and waiting for a win."It was probably the most challenging part of my career," he said. "I felt like I got to a spot where I could compete weekly. Everything in my game was probably as strong as it's ever been. To see it all come together down in Puerto Rico at 40 years old, kind of resurrecting my career."Garnett is gearing up for a busy summer and fall ahead. He has a three-week break right now, but he says he's looking at playing in the John Deere Classic on July 4th weekend in Silvis, Illinois."I believe I'll travel from there to the Scottish Open," he said. "That'll be my first time playing in Scotland, which I'm excited about. Come back and play a few events in the end of July, getting ready to hopefully sneak in that top 70 (FedEx Cup standings) to get in that first playoff event in Memphis, which is a huge, huge step."Garnett aims to get in the top 70 in the Fedex Cup standings, which would qualify him for the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis on August 15 - the first of three Fedex Cup playoff tournaments. He’s currently ranked 75th in those standings.Garnett will be enshrined August 25 in the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame. He'd love to be there for the ceremony at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center, but he’d also love to be competing for a Fedex Cup championship during that time as well."I hope to be at the BMW (Championship) for my career, but definitely will be in St. Joe if not."Brice Garnett interview<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Brice-Garnett---PGA-Tour-golfer-e2kjckc" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717788848440.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Brice Garnett hasn't forgotten his NWMO roots despite PGA success

A Buchanan County jury has found 42 year old Michael Dan Hawkins of St. Joseph guilty of first degree sodomy of a child younger than 12 years old. 

Hawkins was charged in September 2022 for the incident which occured in June of that year.

The case was tried by the Buchanan County Prosecutors Office. Sentencing will be held on August 12th.  Due to the crime, Hawkins will face a mandatory life sentence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717786771333.jpeg" alt="Michael Dan Hawkins/ Photo courtesy of Buchanan County Sheriff's Department" />
 <figcaption>Michael Dan Hawkins/ Photo courtesy of Buchanan County Sheriff's Department</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostA Buchanan County jury has found 42 year old Michael Dan Hawkins of St. Joseph guilty of first degree sodomy of a child younger than 12 years old. Hawkins was charged in September 2022 for the incident which occured in June of that year.The case was tried by the Buchanan County Prosecutors Office. Sentencing will be held on August 12th. Due to the crime, Hawkins will face a mandatory life sentence.

St. Joseph man found guilty in Buchanan County Court of sexually abusing child

St. Joseph Police have charged 56 year old Edward Robert James of felony assault after a shooting early Thursday morning.

St. Joseph Police Department reported two victims, one 35 years old and one 23 years old, were shot and wounded shortly after five o’clock Thursday morning in their residence in the 500 block of Shady Avenue.

This story has been updated with new information

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

By BRENT MARTIN and MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Police have charged 56 year old Edward Robert James of felony assault after a shooting early Thursday morning.St. Joseph Police Department reported two victims, one 35 years old and one 23 years old, were shot and wounded shortly after five o’clock Thursday morning in their residence in the 500 block of Shady Avenue.This story has been updated with new informationYou can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

56 year old man charged in north side shooting

Starting this evening, a popular rodeo will return to Tarkio, entering its 30th year.  

The Tarkio Rodeo, which is now sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, begins tonight at 7:30.  

Tarkio Rodeo Association member Jeff Riley says everything you'll see at the rodeo is similar to bigger rodeos in Reno, Nevada or Tuscon, Arizona 

"Maybe on a smaller scale, we don't have the entries somewhere like Reno would have, we don't put the money forward like they would at that rodeo," Riley tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. "But also, you will see guys that are coming to ride and rope, do timed events, that are working to make the circuit finals in our circuit which is the Great Lakes Circuit." 

Riley says they always try to fit a lot into the show which lasts around two and a half hours.  

"By the time we do all the events, the Broke Spoke Clydesdales do their thing, Dalton Morris is our entertainer this year, I've watched him several times he's very good," Riley explains. 

The show begins at 7:30pm both this evening and tomorrow evening.  A parade will be held on Saturday at 1pm 

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Starting this evening, a popular rodeo will return to Tarkio, entering its 30th year. The Tarkio Rodeo, which is now sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, begins tonight at 7:30. Tarkio Rodeo Association member Jeff Riley says everything you'll see at the rodeo is similar to bigger rodeos in Reno, Nevada or Tuscon, Arizona "Maybe on a smaller scale, we don't have the entries somewhere like Reno would have, we don't put the money forward like they would at that rodeo," Riley tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. "But also, you will see guys that are coming to ride and rope, do timed events, that are working to make the circuit finals in our circuit which is the Great Lakes Circuit." Riley says they always try to fit a lot into the show which lasts around two and a half hours. "By the time we do all the events, the Broke Spoke Clydesdales do their thing, Dalton Morris is our entertainer this year, I've watched him several times he's very good," Riley explains. The show begins at 7:30pm both this evening and tomorrow evening. A parade will be held on Saturday at 1pm You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Tarkio Rodeo returns for 30th year this weekend

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/teaganking/">TEAGAN KING</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/athenafoslerbrazil/">ATHENA FOSLER-BRAZIL</a>

GRANBY — About a year after Blair Powell built his dream home in the southwest Missouri Ozarks, a noxious smell wafting from the farm next door ruined his son’s wedding reception in their backyard.

“It just was ungodly,” Powell said. “Just the worst, horrible, horrible smell. Eyes were burning, some were just nauseous, and some were sick, they had to leave.”

The source of the odor was a large waste lagoon on farmer Jerry Evans’ property, about a mile behind Powell’s house. The open-air pit contains “sludge,” as it is colloquially known, composed of animal parts and wastewater from meat and poultry processing facilities. According to neighbors, the material looks like a gray slurry, thick as a milkshake, and smells like a dead animal — which is what it is. Arkansas-based Denali Water Solutions made a deal with Evans and other farmers to house the lagoons and provided the material to area farmers as free “fertilizer.”

Evans leased a patch of his land to Denali for a 450-by-350 foot storage lagoon in Newton County that held over 13 million gallons of waste and used the sludge on his own fields. Powell said it ran into his yard too, prompting him to build up a barrier around his pond to protect its fish and his grandkids, who play nearby.

Denali is one of several companies in Missouri supplying meatpacking sludge to farmers, a practice happening across the United States as concerns grow about spreading waste material on land.

Residents living near the lagoons and fields using sludge report a rancid smell that clings to them once they step outside, making it unbearable to spend time outdoors. Some are now concerned about contamination of soil, drinking water and streams, as well as possible disease from pathogens.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is reviewing three draft permits for land application of sludge from HydroAg, Synagro and Bubs Inc. covering 9,495 acres of land in southwest Missouri. Four additional companies have submitted permit applications to the department. The Columbia Missourian’s review of the draft permits initially found 60 errors, which the department has since corrected.

That’s only the beginning. According to public records the Columbia Missourian obtained from DNR, the department has issued over 1,400 permits for various types of land application of waste across the state, including meatpacking and sewage sludge. In addition, nearly 70 larger wastewater treatment plants in Missouri report applying sludge to land, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online database, or ECHO.

Homestead farmer Caleb Wardlaw may have been the first to sniff out a problem. Two years ago, he noticed a nauseating smell on his land near Rocky Comfort, just north of the Arkansas border.

“There were all kinds of rumors going around about what it actually was,” Wardlaw said.

Wardlaw talked to Sheila Harris, a local reporter for the Cassville Democrat, who jumped in her car and traced the smell upstream to the Evans lagoon. Harris has since published dozens of articles on sludge, from the disruption Denali has caused in her community to state and national efforts to regulate sludge and water pollution.

As news got around, residents of Newton and McDonald counties got organized. Community group Stop Land Use Damaging our Ground and Environment, or SLUDGE, organized in 2023 and sued DNR to force it to regulate Denali as a solid waste management company due to odor and water contamination concerns.

SLUDGE committee member Vallerie Steele lives adjacent to the Evans property. As an emergency room nurse in St. Louis, she worked throughout the height of the pandemic. “I had my share of dead bodies,” Steele said. “This is worse than that. You open your front door to go out, the smell hits you like a brick wall. The flies are horrible.”

While the smell has the biggest impact on her day-to-day life, Steele and others have environmental concerns, too. One concern is PFAS, the “forever chemicals” commonly found in wastewater sludge.

“What happens when they find out it’s laden with PFAS, and the water’s contaminated to the point we can’t use it?” Steele said. “I worry about my kids, my grandkids, my neighbors, the generations to come.”

Denali and companies like it are adamant that their practices are not only safe but are the environmentally responsible option.

“Recycling valuable, nutrient-rich food processing residuals is crucial to protecting water quality in Missouri and necessary for the success of both food production and farming operations in the state,” Sam Liebl, Denali’s director of communications, wrote in an email.

The company is in the process of emptying the Evans Lagoon, the Gideon Lagoon in McDonald county and another lagoon in Macon County, following a DNR consent decree in January where Denali agreed to pay a $21,665 fine for violating clean water regulations. A DNR investigation found that the company applied so much sludge that it covered vegetation and pooled in saturated fields.

The crisis has led to two state agencies intervening and a new state law to regulate sludge. Many relationships have already grown strained over the issue, and as sludge use grows, residents worry about what will happen to their communities.

Powell’s own brother-in-law has used Denali sludge on his farm. Powell said their relationship has soured due to their disagreement over sludge.

“Now it’s neighbor against neighbor, now it’s family versus family,” Powell said. “It’s getting to the point where I don’t know how it’ll all end up.”

In nearby Anderson, resident Jerry Mann is experiencing similar community tensions. His neighbor stores sludge supplied to him in large containers right along Mann’s property, worsening conflict between the two homeowners who already don’t get along.

About two years ago, Mann and several others nearby wrote a “nice letter” to the neighbor who was land-applying sludge, asking him to stop. Shortly thereafter, one of the neighbors saw the farmer using sludge in town. Their argument almost turned physical, Mann said.

“I’m not violent, but some of them get really, really violent about it,” Mann said, “I’m wary about somebody grabbing a gun and shooting each other.”

Evans, who agreed to host a Denali lagoon on his property, said he feels like an outsider in his community, as his neighbors no longer speak to him over the lagoon.

On an early spring day in February, he pointed out how his fields were blanketed in bright green, while his neighbors’ fields were still a dull winter brown. Evans attributed the difference to the sludge, which brought more stability to his yields. He said none of his neighbors have ever stopped by to talk with him about the lagoon, so they don’t understand why he uses it.

“Most of the people in this area don’t like me right now,” he said. “The people that are causing the uproar on this, I don’t usually ever visit with them anyway.”

Regulatory struggles and evolving science

County commissioners in the area feel powerless to stop the sludge use. McDonald County Presiding Commissioner Bryan Hall said he’s done what he can to help his constituents, but much of the problem-solving ultimately falls on DNR.

“We were kind of isolated down here in our dealing with it, and that’s one reason we weren’t getting much attention from the state legislature,” Hall said. “But when that (lagoon) was being built up there in Randolph County… it kind of opened their eyes and made them realize that this is not a problem that’s unique to one area.”

Sharon Turner joined the fight against sludge in March 2023 when she discovered Denali was planning to build a storage lagoon across the street from her property near Jacksonville in Randolph County, north of Columbia. Turner’s land, without her consent, had been listed as a site for sludge application. Turner is a member of a local activist group, Citizens of Randolph County Against Pollution, or CRAP, which filed a lawsuit that prevented Denali from filling the lagoon.

“The agricultural laws, rules and regulations are so lax and have so many loopholes,” Turner said. “That’s what’s allowed for the creation of this problem that we’re in.”

The Missouri Fertilizer Control Board transferred the authority to regulate sludge to DNR in spring 2023 after finding the waste material “did not have significant economic market value.” At the time, 13 companies were spreading waste in Missouri from 129 sources, including poultry plants, pet food companies, dairies and other operations in Missouri and seven neighboring states. In June, the DNR issued permit exemptions to companies previously licensed by the board. Those companies must now seek permits or find other ways to dispose of the waste.

The nutrient and chemical contents of sludge vary, and testing is inconsistent. Sludge contains phosphorus and nitrogen, two nutrients plants need, but the concentrations can be too high, said William Wymore, an expert in industrial wastewater treatment and executive producer of Good Morning Sludge Truck, a podcast explaining the complicated landscape of sludge production and management.

“We’re talking about nutrient loads that are literally thousands of times” the recommended amount of phosphorus, nitrogen and calcium, Wymore said.

Heather Peters, Water Pollution Control Branch Chief for DNR, said sludge can be beneficial as long as it is properly managed and regulated, but the department is still figuring out how to do this.

“It is a unique situation when we’re talking about managing these materials as fertilizer on agricultural land,” Peters said. “It could be done successfully if it follows the permit. This is new ground for us.”

The Missouri House and Senate recently approved House Bill 2134, which will create new wastewater sludge regulations under the Missouri Clean Water Act.

Michael Berg, political director of the Sierra Club’s Missouri chapter, said that his group approves of the legislation. However, Berg said it is valid for residents to question whether it will resolve their concerns, especially as the new company permits progress.

“I think the legislation is a good step,” Berg said. “(But) we have broader issues with the oversight over animal agriculture in the state and the monitoring of CAFOs and slaughterhouses.”

Powell is one of many residents who believes the waste companies will find avenues to continue their operations in Missouri.

“It’s all about money,” Powell said. “I don’t know how legislation is going to work out, but I think money is gonna win, whoever has the big bucks. So I think I’m stuck.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/communities-divided-over-spreading-meatpacking-sludge/article_2476da6e-0e18-11ef-a620-ff1729624a14.html">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717757134129.png" alt="Anti-sludge signs dotted the roadsides of rural Newton and McDonald Counties on Feb. 24 (Athena Fosler-Brazil/Missourian)." />
 <figcaption>Anti-sludge signs dotted the roadsides of rural Newton and McDonald Counties on Feb. 24 (Athena Fosler-Brazil/Missourian).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/teaganking/">TEAGAN KING</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/athenafoslerbrazil/">ATHENA FOSLER-BRAZIL</a>GRANBY — About a year after Blair Powell built his dream home in the southwest Missouri Ozarks, a noxious smell wafting from the farm next door ruined his son’s wedding reception in their backyard.“It just was ungodly,” Powell said. “Just the worst, horrible, horrible smell. Eyes were burning, some were just nauseous, and some were sick, they had to leave.”The source of the odor was a large waste lagoon on farmer Jerry Evans’ property, about a mile behind Powell’s house. The open-air pit contains “sludge,” as it is colloquially known, composed of animal parts and wastewater from meat and poultry processing facilities. According to neighbors, the material looks like a gray slurry, thick as a milkshake, and smells like a dead animal — which is what it is. Arkansas-based Denali Water Solutions made a deal with Evans and other farmers to house the lagoons and provided the material to area farmers as free “fertilizer.”Evans leased a patch of his land to Denali for a 450-by-350 foot storage lagoon in Newton County that held over 13 million gallons of waste and used the sludge on his own fields. Powell said it ran into his yard too, prompting him to build up a barrier around his pond to protect its fish and his grandkids, who play nearby.Denali is one of several companies in Missouri supplying meatpacking sludge to farmers, a practice happening across the United States as concerns grow about spreading waste material on land.Residents living near the lagoons and fields using sludge report a rancid smell that clings to them once they step outside, making it unbearable to spend time outdoors. Some are now concerned about contamination of soil, drinking water and streams, as well as possible disease from pathogens.The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is reviewing three draft permits for land application of sludge from HydroAg, Synagro and Bubs Inc. covering 9,495 acres of land in southwest Missouri. Four additional companies have submitted permit applications to the department. The Columbia Missourian’s review of the draft permits initially found 60 errors, which the department has since corrected.That’s only the beginning. According to public records the Columbia Missourian obtained from DNR, the department has issued over 1,400 permits for various types of land application of waste across the state, including meatpacking and sewage sludge. In addition, nearly 70 larger wastewater treatment plants in Missouri report applying sludge to land, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online database, or ECHO.<h2>Discovering Denali</h2>Homestead farmer Caleb Wardlaw may have been the first to sniff out a problem. Two years ago, he noticed a nauseating smell on his land near Rocky Comfort, just north of the Arkansas border.“There were all kinds of rumors going around about what it actually was,” Wardlaw said.Wardlaw talked to Sheila Harris, a local reporter for the Cassville Democrat, who jumped in her car and traced the smell upstream to the Evans lagoon. Harris has since published dozens of articles on sludge, from the disruption Denali has caused in her community to state and national efforts to regulate sludge and water pollution.As news got around, residents of Newton and McDonald counties got organized. Community group Stop Land Use Damaging our Ground and Environment, or SLUDGE, organized in 2023 and sued DNR to force it to regulate Denali as a solid waste management company due to odor and water contamination concerns.SLUDGE committee member Vallerie Steele lives adjacent to the Evans property. As an emergency room nurse in St. Louis, she worked throughout the height of the pandemic. “I had my share of dead bodies,” Steele said. “This is worse than that. You open your front door to go out, the smell hits you like a brick wall. The flies are horrible.”While the smell has the biggest impact on her day-to-day life, Steele and others have environmental concerns, too. One concern is PFAS, the “forever chemicals” commonly found in wastewater sludge.“What happens when they find out it’s laden with PFAS, and the water’s contaminated to the point we can’t use it?” Steele said. “I worry about my kids, my grandkids, my neighbors, the generations to come.”Denali and companies like it are adamant that their practices are not only safe but are the environmentally responsible option.“Recycling valuable, nutrient-rich food processing residuals is crucial to protecting water quality in Missouri and necessary for the success of both food production and farming operations in the state,” Sam Liebl, Denali’s director of communications, wrote in an email.The company is in the process of emptying the Evans Lagoon, the Gideon Lagoon in McDonald county and another lagoon in Macon County, following a DNR consent decree in January where Denali agreed to pay a $21,665 fine for violating clean water regulations. A DNR investigation found that the company applied so much sludge that it covered vegetation and pooled in saturated fields.<h2>A community divided</h2>The crisis has led to two state agencies intervening and a new state law to regulate sludge. Many relationships have already grown strained over the issue, and as sludge use grows, residents worry about what will happen to their communities.Powell’s own brother-in-law has used Denali sludge on his farm. Powell said their relationship has soured due to their disagreement over sludge.“Now it’s neighbor against neighbor, now it’s family versus family,” Powell said. “It’s getting to the point where I don’t know how it’ll all end up.”In nearby Anderson, resident Jerry Mann is experiencing similar community tensions. His neighbor stores sludge supplied to him in large containers right along Mann’s property, worsening conflict between the two homeowners who already don’t get along.About two years ago, Mann and several others nearby wrote a “nice letter” to the neighbor who was land-applying sludge, asking him to stop. Shortly thereafter, one of the neighbors saw the farmer using sludge in town. Their argument almost turned physical, Mann said.“I’m not violent, but some of them get really, really violent about it,” Mann said, “I’m wary about somebody grabbing a gun and shooting each other.”Evans, who agreed to host a Denali lagoon on his property, said he feels like an outsider in his community, as his neighbors no longer speak to him over the lagoon.On an early spring day in February, he pointed out how his fields were blanketed in bright green, while his neighbors’ fields were still a dull winter brown. Evans attributed the difference to the sludge, which brought more stability to his yields. He said none of his neighbors have ever stopped by to talk with him about the lagoon, so they don’t understand why he uses it.“Most of the people in this area don’t like me right now,” he said. “The people that are causing the uproar on this, I don’t usually ever visit with them anyway.”<h2>Regulatory struggles and evolving science</h2>County commissioners in the area feel powerless to stop the sludge use. McDonald County Presiding Commissioner Bryan Hall said he’s done what he can to help his constituents, but much of the problem-solving ultimately falls on DNR.“We were kind of isolated down here in our dealing with it, and that’s one reason we weren’t getting much attention from the state legislature,” Hall said. “But when that (lagoon) was being built up there in Randolph County… it kind of opened their eyes and made them realize that this is not a problem that’s unique to one area.”Sharon Turner joined the fight against sludge in March 2023 when she discovered Denali was planning to build a storage lagoon across the street from her property near Jacksonville in Randolph County, north of Columbia. Turner’s land, without her consent, had been listed as a site for sludge application. Turner is a member of a local activist group, Citizens of Randolph County Against Pollution, or CRAP, which filed a lawsuit that prevented Denali from filling the lagoon.“The agricultural laws, rules and regulations are so lax and have so many loopholes,” Turner said. “That’s what’s allowed for the creation of this problem that we’re in.”The Missouri Fertilizer Control Board transferred the authority to regulate sludge to DNR in spring 2023 after finding the waste material “did not have significant economic market value.” At the time, 13 companies were spreading waste in Missouri from 129 sources, including poultry plants, pet food companies, dairies and other operations in Missouri and seven neighboring states. In June, the DNR issued permit exemptions to companies previously licensed by the board. Those companies must now seek permits or find other ways to dispose of the waste.The nutrient and chemical contents of sludge vary, and testing is inconsistent. Sludge contains phosphorus and nitrogen, two nutrients plants need, but the concentrations can be too high, said William Wymore, an expert in industrial wastewater treatment and executive producer of Good Morning Sludge Truck, a podcast explaining the complicated landscape of sludge production and management.“We’re talking about nutrient loads that are literally thousands of times” the recommended amount of phosphorus, nitrogen and calcium, Wymore said.Heather Peters, Water Pollution Control Branch Chief for DNR, said sludge can be beneficial as long as it is properly managed and regulated, but the department is still figuring out how to do this.“It is a unique situation when we’re talking about managing these materials as fertilizer on agricultural land,” Peters said. “It could be done successfully if it follows the permit. This is new ground for us.”<h2>No end in sight</h2>The Missouri House and Senate recently approved House Bill 2134, which will create new wastewater sludge regulations under the Missouri Clean Water Act.Michael Berg, political director of the Sierra Club’s Missouri chapter, said that his group approves of the legislation. However, Berg said it is valid for residents to question whether it will resolve their concerns, especially as the new company permits progress.“I think the legislation is a good step,” Berg said. “(But) we have broader issues with the oversight over animal agriculture in the state and the monitoring of CAFOs and slaughterhouses.”Powell is one of many residents who believes the waste companies will find avenues to continue their operations in Missouri.“It’s all about money,” Powell said. “I don’t know how legislation is going to work out, but I think money is gonna win, whoever has the big bucks. So I think I’m stuck.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/communities-divided-over-spreading-meatpacking-sludge/article_2476da6e-0e18-11ef-a620-ff1729624a14.html">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Missouri communities divided over spreading meatpacking sludge

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after&nbsp;6:30 p.m. Tuesday, a Brown County Deputy initiated a traffic stop in the vicinity of the 200 block of 1st Street in Hiawatha, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

During the investigation, the deputy arrested 35-year-old William Milewski&nbsp; of Daytona Beach,Florida on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717638107708.png" alt="Milewski photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Milewski photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after&nbsp;6:30 p.m. Tuesday, a Brown County Deputy initiated a traffic stop in the vicinity of the 200 block of 1st Street in Hiawatha, according to Sheriff John Merchant.During the investigation, the deputy arrested 35-year-old William Milewski&nbsp; of Daytona Beach,Florida on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Sheriff: Florida man caught transporting meth

NEMAHA COUNTY —There were no serious injuries despite a violent crash and fire that occurred just after 3a.m. Thursday in Nemaha County.

Two semis were involved in the collision on U.S. 75 five miles north of Sabetha, according to a social media report from the Sabetha Fire Department.

First responders were met with heavy fire, debris, complete blockage of the roadway and ruptured fuel tanks.&nbsp;Firefighters took 30 minutes getting the fire under control.

All occupants had escaped with what were believed to be minor injuries.&nbsp;

Sabetha Fire responded in Rescue 37, Pumper 34, Pumper 32, Brush 1 and 2, and Tanker 35. Crews were assisted on scene by Morrill Fire Department, Brown County Rescue Squad 48, Sherriffs deputies from Brown and Nemaha Counties as well as Kansas Highway Patrol. Emergency Management personnel from both counties responded and  KDOT crews arrived later to assist with traffic control and clearing the roadway. 

U.S. 75.&nbsp;from 192nd Road north to the state line was closed down for much of Thursday due to the debris and highway being damaged.&nbsp; The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717703833390.png" alt="Photo courtesy Sabetha Fire" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Sabetha Fire</figcaption>
 </figure>NEMAHA COUNTY —There were no serious injuries despite a violent crash and fire that occurred just after 3a.m. Thursday in Nemaha County.Two semis were involved in the collision on U.S. 75 five miles north of Sabetha, according to a social media report from the Sabetha Fire Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717704003761.png" alt="-Photo courtesy Sabetha Fire" />
 <figcaption>-Photo courtesy Sabetha Fire</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders were met with heavy fire, debris, complete blockage of the roadway and ruptured fuel tanks.&nbsp;Firefighters took 30 minutes getting the fire under control.All occupants had escaped with what were believed to be minor injuries.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717704221856.png" alt="-Photo Nemaha Co. Emergency Management" />
 <figcaption>-Photo Nemaha Co. Emergency Management</figcaption>
 </figure>Sabetha Fire responded in Rescue 37, Pumper 34, Pumper 32, Brush 1 and 2, and Tanker 35. Crews were assisted on scene by Morrill Fire Department, Brown County Rescue Squad 48, Sherriffs deputies from Brown and Nemaha Counties as well as Kansas Highway Patrol. Emergency Management personnel from both counties responded and KDOT crews arrived later to assist with traffic control and clearing the roadway. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717704385766.png" alt="-Photo Nemaha Co. Emergency Management" />
 <figcaption>-Photo Nemaha Co. Emergency Management</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. 75.&nbsp;from 192nd Road north to the state line was closed down for much of Thursday due to the debris and highway being damaged.&nbsp; The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Semi crash, fire shuts down portion of NE Kansas highway

St. Joseph teachers will have an opportunity this summer to learn more about the jobs available to their students.  

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will host teacher "externships", modeled after internships, bringing area teachers into local businesses to learn more about the local workforce.  

Chamber President Natalie Hawn says the externships provide a hands-on opportunity for teachers to better understand the jobs available in St. Joseph  

"So then when they're working with the students every day, they have a better idea of that student’s skillset and they kind of know first-hand what kind of jobs we have available here, so they can recommend to those kiddos what kind of path forward they need to get into those jobs," Hawn tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. 

Hawn says it's important for educators to get a better understanding of these jobs and their requirements to help better guide students for the future. 

Hawn says teachers will get to go into facilities, such as Altec, to learn more about the business.  

"They get to go in and do a tour of the facility, learn more about the different jobs, whether that's an entry level job, whether that's an engineer job, whether that's supervisor, they get to learn about the jobs they have at that facility, what kind of skillsets they take, tour the facility and kind of see in action what they do," Hawn explains. 

Hawn says sometimes just getting to come into the facility and talk to someone who does that job everyday helps give a better understanding about job opportunities. 

Hawn says teachers and counselors getting to tour workplaces can really spark something that will help guide students into their futures 

"So, we do the My Success event, we do manufacturing day, those are in the fall, those are both kind of hands-on learning experiences, but this is really just for the teacher or just the counselor," Hawn says. "And we call it externship because it's like an internship where they're learning about that career so they can go and teach about it." 

Teachers from around the St. Joseph area will tour businesses, such as Altec and Boehringer Ingelheim, in mid-July.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717687253685.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post St. Joseph teachers will have an opportunity this summer to learn more about the jobs available to their students. The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will host teacher "externships", modeled after internships, bringing area teachers into local businesses to learn more about the local workforce. Chamber President Natalie Hawn says the externships provide a hands-on opportunity for teachers to better understand the jobs available in St. Joseph "So then when they're working with the students every day, they have a better idea of that student’s skillset and they kind of know first-hand what kind of jobs we have available here, so they can recommend to those kiddos what kind of path forward they need to get into those jobs," Hawn tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. Hawn says it's important for educators to get a better understanding of these jobs and their requirements to help better guide students for the future. Hawn says teachers will get to go into facilities, such as Altec, to learn more about the business. "They get to go in and do a tour of the facility, learn more about the different jobs, whether that's an entry level job, whether that's an engineer job, whether that's supervisor, they get to learn about the jobs they have at that facility, what kind of skillsets they take, tour the facility and kind of see in action what they do," Hawn explains. Hawn says sometimes just getting to come into the facility and talk to someone who does that job everyday helps give a better understanding about job opportunities. Hawn says teachers and counselors getting to tour workplaces can really spark something that will help guide students into their futures "So, we do the My Success event, we do manufacturing day, those are in the fall, those are both kind of hands-on learning experiences, but this is really just for the teacher or just the counselor," Hawn says. "And we call it externship because it's like an internship where they're learning about that career so they can go and teach about it." Teachers from around the St. Joseph area will tour businesses, such as Altec and Boehringer Ingelheim, in mid-July.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chamber wants to open eyes to job opportunities in St. Joseph

St.
Joseph city voters will decide whether to extend a Use Tax used primarily for
street repair.

City
Manager Bryan Carter points out a Use Tax is levied on goods purchased out of
state for use in Missouri.

“It’s
kind of unique, because it varies some depending on what’s going on in town,”
Carter says. “A major construction project that has a significant amount of
materials that are coming from out of state into St. Joe can pretty rapidly
increase that use tax.”

Carter
says the Use Tax comes into play only when a sales tax doesn’t apply. Carter
says how much it raises varies, but it brought in about $10 million in the last
fiscal year.

“Sales
taxes in and of themselves are based on where the goods are sold. Of course, if
we’re in Missouri we can’t tax goods that are sold in Nebraska, for instance. So
instead of applying a sales tax there’s the use tax that’s applied and then we
ultimately collect that use tax when it’s shipped over from Nebraska to
Missouri.”

St.
Joseph voters approved the current Use Tax in April of 2015 and expires next
year. The issue on the ballot in August will ask voters to extend the tax for
another 10 years. The amount of money the use tax raises varies. In the current
Fiscal Year, the use tax raised $10 million.

The
money raised is primarily used for street maintenance. Carter says the city has
made progress updating asphalt streets in the past 10 years and will shift its
focus to tackling repairs to the city’s concrete streets.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717614793356.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt.
Joseph city voters will decide whether to extend a Use Tax used primarily for
street repair.City
Manager Bryan Carter points out a Use Tax is levied on goods purchased out of
state for use in Missouri.“It’s
kind of unique, because it varies some depending on what’s going on in town,”
Carter says. “A major construction project that has a significant amount of
materials that are coming from out of state into St. Joe can pretty rapidly
increase that use tax.”Carter
says the Use Tax comes into play only when a sales tax doesn’t apply. Carter
says how much it raises varies, but it brought in about $10 million in the last
fiscal year.“Sales
taxes in and of themselves are based on where the goods are sold. Of course, if
we’re in Missouri we can’t tax goods that are sold in Nebraska, for instance. So
instead of applying a sales tax there’s the use tax that’s applied and then we
ultimately collect that use tax when it’s shipped over from Nebraska to
Missouri.”St.
Joseph voters approved the current Use Tax in April of 2015 and expires next
year. The issue on the ballot in August will ask voters to extend the tax for
another 10 years. The amount of money the use tax raises varies. In the current
Fiscal Year, the use tax raised $10 million.The
money raised is primarily used for street maintenance. Carter says the city has
made progress updating asphalt streets in the past 10 years and will shift its
focus to tackling repairs to the city’s concrete streets.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph city voters will decide extension of Use Tax

Missouri
Gov. Mike Parson has appointed Kimathia Wright of Maryville to the Missouri
Developmental Disabilities Council.

Wright
is chair of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
(PACE) KC Adult Wellness Center. She previously served as office assistant for
Metropolitan Community College – Longview.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri
Gov. Mike Parson has appointed Kimathia Wright of Maryville to the Missouri
Developmental Disabilities Council.Wright
is chair of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
(PACE) KC Adult Wellness Center. She previously served as office assistant for
Metropolitan Community College – Longview.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Gov. Parson appoints Maryville woman to disabilities council

State
Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer denies having anything to do with an effort to strip $3
million in state funding from Community Action Partnership of St. Joseph.

An
amendment added to the state budget seemed targeted at former CAP St. Joe
Executive Director Whitney Lanning and is widely seen as playing a role in the
board declining to renew her contract.

Luetkemeyer,
vice chair of the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee, says he had nothing
to do with the amendment that targeted only the St. Joseph Community Action
Partnership.

“So
I did not sponsor that amendment in the budget,” Luetkemeyer tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post in an interview. “Whenever that amendment came to light in
committee, I had a separate conversation with some folks on the committee and
asked that that money be added back into the budget which ultimately did
happen. That money was added into the budget and was ultimately part of the
budget that we pass.”

The
Senate Appropriations Committee removed the amendment and restore the funding
to CAP St. Joseph before approving the $51 billion state budget.

The
amendment to the Department of Social Services budget targeted only the St.
Joseph Community Action Partnership, no others in the state. The CAP St. Joseph
board fired Lanning in early May. Lanning had been with
the St. Joseph agency for 11 years, nine as executive director.

Lanning,
in an email to KFEQ/St. Joseph Post shortly after the board’s decision,
specifically cited the amendment as background information for the board’s
decision. Lanning stated then that if the amendment had been adopted social
services for 3,000 low-income children would have ended as well as utility
assistance for 5,100 households in the St. Joseph area. Lanning also stated the
Heartlander, a subsidiary of Herzog of St. Joseph had been calling for her
resignation.

When
asked in the interview, Luetkemeyer claims to not know who sponsored the
amendment.

“I
don’t know the answer to that question.”

“I
don’t know the answer to that question, either.”

Luetkemeyer
says he didn’t spend time attempting to find out who was behind the amendment.

“The
conversations that I had after that amendment came to light really focused not
on the reasons for why it was in there, but making sure that that money was
secured for St. Joe,” Luetkemeyer tells us.

Luetkemeyer
says he did not ask for that provision to be put in the budget, but did ask for
the funding to be restored.

Still,
Luetkemeyer says he’s glad Lanning is out at CAP St. Joseph and hopes she will
resign from the St. Joseph School Board as well. 

“That’s
her decision to make. There’s no mechanism for removing her from the school
board. So, she would have to do that of her own volition. But I hope that she
will,” Luetkemeyer says, noting he called for her resignation after her
confrontation with fellow school board member, Isaura Garcia. “She has been an
unnecessary distraction to the school board. The school district, of course,
has had issues over the years and I think we need to have the strongest
leadership possible in place and I don’t think she’s that person.”

Luetkemeyer
accuses Lanning of showing a lack of professionalism in her confrontation with
Garcia.

This article has been updated since first published.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717611497128.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostState
Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer denies having anything to do with an effort to strip $3
million in state funding from Community Action Partnership of St. Joseph.An
amendment added to the state budget seemed targeted at former CAP St. Joe
Executive Director Whitney Lanning and is widely seen as playing a role in the
board declining to renew her contract.Luetkemeyer,
vice chair of the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee, says he had nothing
to do with the amendment that targeted only the St. Joseph Community Action
Partnership.“So
I did not sponsor that amendment in the budget,” Luetkemeyer tells KFEQ/St.
Joseph Post in an interview. “Whenever that amendment came to light in
committee, I had a separate conversation with some folks on the committee and
asked that that money be added back into the budget which ultimately did
happen. That money was added into the budget and was ultimately part of the
budget that we pass.”The
Senate Appropriations Committee removed the amendment and restore the funding
to CAP St. Joseph before approving the $51 billion state budget.The
amendment to the Department of Social Services budget targeted only the St.
Joseph Community Action Partnership, no others in the state. The CAP St. Joseph
board fired Lanning in early May. Lanning had been with
the St. Joseph agency for 11 years, nine as executive director.Lanning,
in an email to KFEQ/St. Joseph Post shortly after the board’s decision,
specifically cited the amendment as background information for the board’s
decision. Lanning stated then that if the amendment had been adopted social
services for 3,000 low-income children would have ended as well as utility
assistance for 5,100 households in the St. Joseph area. Lanning also stated the
Heartlander, a subsidiary of Herzog of St. Joseph had been calling for her
resignation.When
asked in the interview, Luetkemeyer claims to not know who sponsored the
amendment.“I
don’t know the answer to that question.”Was
it aimed at Whitney Lanning?“I
don’t know the answer to that question, either.”Luetkemeyer
says he didn’t spend time attempting to find out who was behind the amendment.“The
conversations that I had after that amendment came to light really focused not
on the reasons for why it was in there, but making sure that that money was
secured for St. Joe,” Luetkemeyer tells us.Luetkemeyer
says he did not ask for that provision to be put in the budget, but did ask for
the funding to be restored.Still,
Luetkemeyer says he’s glad Lanning is out at CAP St. Joseph and hopes she will
resign from the St. Joseph School Board as well. “That’s
her decision to make. There’s no mechanism for removing her from the school
board. So, she would have to do that of her own volition. But I hope that she
will,” Luetkemeyer says, noting he called for her resignation after her
confrontation with fellow school board member, Isaura Garcia. “She has been an
unnecessary distraction to the school board. The school district, of course,
has had issues over the years and I think we need to have the strongest
leadership possible in place and I don’t think she’s that person.”Luetkemeyer
accuses Lanning of showing a lack of professionalism in her confrontation with
Garcia.This article has been updated since first published.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Sen. Luetkemeyer denies involvement in CAP St. Joe defunding effort

JEFFERSON COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 4p.m. Wednesday in Jefferson County.

The Kansas Highway&nbsp; Patrol reported a 2022 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven byMichael J. Schecher, 59, Holton, northbound on U.S. 59 just north of Kansas 16.&nbsp; The driver attempted to pass a northbound 2022 GMC Savanna van driven by John G.&nbsp;Morris, 29, Topeka, who was slowing to make a left turn into a private driver.

The van struck the motorcycle. Schecher was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Barnett Family Funeral Home in Oskaloosa. Morris was not injured.&nbsp; Schecher was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

JEFFERSON COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just after 4p.m. Wednesday in Jefferson County.The Kansas Highway&nbsp; Patrol reported a 2022 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven byMichael J. Schecher, 59, Holton, northbound on U.S. 59 just north of Kansas 16.&nbsp; The driver attempted to pass a northbound 2022 GMC Savanna van driven by John G.&nbsp;Morris, 29, Topeka, who was slowing to make a left turn into a private driver.The van struck the motorcycle. Schecher was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Barnett Family Funeral Home in Oskaloosa. Morris was not injured.&nbsp; Schecher was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after van, motorcycle crash

LIVINGSTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Wednesday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford Explorer driven by Angela M. Lowrey, 51, Trenton, was northbound on Route V at LIV 200.

The SUV traveled off the south side of the road while navigating a curve. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle traveled off the north side of the road and overturned onto its top.

Livingston County ambulance transported Lowrey and a passenger Francis L. Untiedt, 75, Trenton, to Wright Memorial Hospital. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Wednesday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford Explorer driven by Angela M. Lowrey, 51, Trenton, was northbound on Route V at LIV 200.The SUV traveled off the south side of the road while navigating a curve. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle traveled off the north side of the road and overturned onto its top.Livingston County ambulance transported Lowrey and a passenger Francis L. Untiedt, 75, Trenton, to Wright Memorial Hospital. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

Mo. man, woman injured after SUV rolls onto its top

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement in northeast Kansas are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations.

Just before 10a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the area of 15th and Kansas Avenue in Atchison to investigate a threat that had been made by a person riding a bicycle, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Officers located that person, 34-year-old Jesse Ferris, in the 1300 block Kansas Avenue. He was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and taken into custody on requested drug charges. 

The case involving the threat remains under investigation.&nbsp; Ferris has previous convictions for theft, burglary and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717598656011.png" alt="Ferris from an earlier arrest in Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Ferris from an earlier arrest in Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement in northeast Kansas are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations.Just before 10a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the area of 15th and Kansas Avenue in Atchison to investigate a threat that had been made by a person riding a bicycle, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Officers located that person, 34-year-old Jesse Ferris, in the 1300 block Kansas Avenue. He was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and taken into custody on requested drug charges. The case involving the threat remains under investigation.&nbsp; Ferris has previous convictions for theft, burglary and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon riding a bike was caught transporting drugs

ATCHISON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 5a.m. Wednesday in Atchison County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Toyota Corolla driven by Emmanuel I. Nnuekwe, 24, Charleston, Illinois, was northeastbound on U.S. 59 two miles northeast of Nortonville 

The car traveled left of center and struck a southwest bound 2020 Kenworth semi driven by Darrel Wayne Johnson, 62, St. Joseph, head-on.

After impact the semi traveled into the northwest ditch, struck an embankment, rolled onto its side and struck a power pole.

ATCHISON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 5a.m. Wednesday in Atchison County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Toyota Corolla driven by Emmanuel I. Nnuekwe, 24, Charleston, Illinois, was northeastbound on U.S. 59 two miles northeast of Nortonville The car traveled left of center and struck a southwest bound 2020 Kenworth semi driven by Darrel Wayne Johnson, 62, St. Joseph, head-on.After impact the semi traveled into the northwest ditch, struck an embankment, rolled onto its side and struck a power pole.EMS transported Nnuekwe to KU Medical Center and Johnson to Amberwell in Atchison. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

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