ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Thursday in Atchison.

According to Police Chief Mike Wilson, vehicles driven by William Tirrell, and Micah Dillinger, both of Atchison, were involved in an accident in the 1300 block U.S.59. 

EMS transported a 73-year-old passenger from Dillinger's vehicle was to Amberwell Hospital. There were no other injuries or additional details reported.

ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Thursday in Atchison.According to Police Chief Mike Wilson, vehicles driven by William Tirrell, and Micah Dillinger, both of Atchison, were involved in an accident in the 1300 block U.S.59. EMS transported a 73-year-old passenger from Dillinger's vehicle was to Amberwell Hospital. There were no other injuries or additional details reported.

73-year-old injured after 2-vehicle crash

BUCHANAN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6p.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 International semi driven by Earl A. Fredrick, 60, Poinsett, Arkansas, was southbound on Interstate 29 just north of Route DD.

The semi was following a 2016 Volvo driven by Eddy A. Coto Sierra, 30, Miami, Florida, too closely. The semi rear-ended the Volvo.

Buchanan County EMS transported Fredrick to Mosaic Life Care. Coto-Sierra was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

BUCHANAN COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6p.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 International semi driven by Earl A. Fredrick, 60, Poinsett, Arkansas, was southbound on Interstate 29 just north of Route DD.The semi was following a 2016 Volvo driven by Eddy A. Coto Sierra, 30, Miami, Florida, too closely. The semi rear-ended the Volvo.Buchanan County EMS transported Fredrick to Mosaic Life Care. Coto-Sierra was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

One injured after Buchanan Co. rear-end crash

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspect on drug allegations after a drug bust at an apartment complex in Brown County.

Justs before 9p.m. Dec. 1, sheriff's deputies initiated two search warrants simultaneously at 715 1/2&nbsp; apartments # 1 &amp; 3 Oregon Street in Hiawatha, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

At apartment # 1 deputies arrested Bryan Emary, 60, of Hiawatha was on requested charges of Possession of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; Brenda Emary, 60, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Paraphernalia.

At apartment # 3 deputies arrested Renee Trotter, 68, Hiawatha on requested charges of Possesion of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, according to Merchant.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701985335600.png" alt="Emary-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Emary-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspect on drug allegations after a drug bust at an apartment complex in Brown County.Justs before 9p.m. Dec. 1, sheriff's deputies initiated two search warrants simultaneously at 715 1/2&nbsp; apartments # 1 &amp; 3 Oregon Street in Hiawatha, according to Sheriff John Merchant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701985385813.png" alt="Emary photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Emary photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>At apartment # 1 deputies arrested Bryan Emary, 60, of Hiawatha was on requested charges of Possession of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp; Brenda Emary, 60, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Paraphernalia.At apartment # 3 deputies arrested Renee Trotter, 68, Hiawatha on requested charges of Possesion of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, according to Merchant.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Meth bust leads to 3 arrests at apartment building

The St. Joseph School District is exploring switching to a four-day school week. 

Advocates of moving to a four-day school week say one positive outcome could be the retention and recruitment of teachers.  

School Board Member Isaura Garcia says this has been seen in the Independence School District. 

"Like Independence, Missouri, their applications skyrocketed when they went to a four-day week, and they also had a lot of teachers that wanted to return the next year," Garcia explains to KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, I'm not going to say 100% it's working, but I think it is getting more teachers interested in only working four days a week." 

Mostly rural schools in Missouri used the option of switching to a four-day school week, the Independence School District was the first large school to switch to help combat a teacher shortage problem. 

Before making any move, the board wants to hear the input of the community and will be sending out a community survey to hear those opinions.  

Garcia says hearing from community members on this is very important 

"I think without the community's input then we're really making decisions that are not involving them when it's going to affect them in a way that it hasn't, really ever I don't think in the St. Joseph School District history have we even talked about this to the point where we're ready to make a decision," Garcia says. 

Parents of St. Joseph School District students should begin seeing the surveys beginning today. 

Board Member David Foster says though students would be in class for just the four days, the district would still be open five days a week 

"So, there will be the option of students being able to come for that one day, maybe get some tutoring, and see what other options are available as well," Foster points out.

Foster adds that along with students having tutoring opportunities, that fifth day could be used by teachers for lesson planning or things of that nature.

Garcia says however she's conflicted about that idea, with how quickly optional programs seem to fill up 

"So, I don't want it to ever become something where we don't have enough staff to cover the kids that actually want to attend if we're offering a day of daycare, or special program, or something like that," Garcia says.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565308706201.jpeg" alt="sjsd st joseph school district" />
 <figcaption>sjsd st joseph school district</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The St. Joseph School District is exploring switching to a four-day school week. Advocates of moving to a four-day school week say one positive outcome could be the retention and recruitment of teachers. School Board Member Isaura Garcia says this has been seen in the Independence School District. "Like Independence, Missouri, their applications skyrocketed when they went to a four-day week, and they also had a lot of teachers that wanted to return the next year," Garcia explains to KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, I'm not going to say 100% it's working, but I think it is getting more teachers interested in only working four days a week." Mostly rural schools in Missouri used the option of switching to a four-day school week, the Independence School District was the first large school to switch to help combat a teacher shortage problem. Before making any move, the board wants to hear the input of the community and will be sending out a community survey to hear those opinions. Garcia says hearing from community members on this is very important "I think without the community's input then we're really making decisions that are not involving them when it's going to affect them in a way that it hasn't, really ever I don't think in the St. Joseph School District history have we even talked about this to the point where we're ready to make a decision," Garcia says. Parents of St. Joseph School District students should begin seeing the surveys beginning today. Board Member David Foster says though students would be in class for just the four days, the district would still be open five days a week "So, there will be the option of students being able to come for that one day, maybe get some tutoring, and see what other options are available as well," Foster points out.Foster adds that along with students having tutoring opportunities, that fifth day could be used by teachers for lesson planning or things of that nature.Garcia says however she's conflicted about that idea, with how quickly optional programs seem to fill up "So, I don't want it to ever become something where we don't have enough staff to cover the kids that actually want to attend if we're offering a day of daycare, or special program, or something like that," Garcia says.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/St--Joseph-School-District-discussing-moving-to-four-day-week-e2cva25" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

St. Joseph School District exploring moving to four day school week

ATCHISON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Thursday in Atchison.

According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 2016 Chevrolet pickup&nbsp; driven by Dennis Collier, 64, Atchison, was southbound in the 100 block South 7th Street.

The driver turned west into an apartment complex parking lot and struck a fixed object and then a parked vehicle.

The pickup exited the parking lot onto the 700 Block of Main Street where it struck an eastbound 2014 Ford SUV driven by Garret Williams, 31, Smithville Missouri.

EMS transported Collier to Amberwell Hospital. A private vehicle transported Williams to Amberwell Hospital for examination, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701969328701.png" alt="Photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Thursday in Atchison.According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 2016 Chevrolet pickup&nbsp; driven by Dennis Collier, 64, Atchison, was southbound in the 100 block South 7th Street.The driver turned west into an apartment complex parking lot and struck a fixed object and then a parked vehicle.The pickup exited the parking lot onto the 700 Block of Main Street where it struck an eastbound 2014 Ford SUV driven by Garret Williams, 31, Smithville Missouri.EMS transported Collier to Amberwell Hospital. A private vehicle transported Williams to Amberwell Hospital for examination, according to Wilson.

Police: 2 injured after  pickup strikes 2 vehicles

Area small businesses will have to comply with a new federal
rule beginning with the new year, a rule aimed at cracking down on financial
fraud.

Northwest Missouri State Small Business Development Center
Director, Rebecca Lobina, says the new rule affects 30 million small
businesses. Congress approved the Corporate Transparency Act a couple of years
ago and it goes into effect next year.

“If you are an existing business right now, then you have a
full year to file,” Lobina says. “So that’s good news. Beginning January 1, you
have until January 1 of 2025 to file. So you have plenty of time to do this,
just don’t let it slip off your radar.”

Small business owners must file paperwork with the federal
Treasury Department.

Lobina says the motive behind the legislation is to reduce illicit
activity, such as money laundering.

Under the law, business owners aren’t the only ones who must
comply. Anyone with an interest in the business, what the federal government calls
having a Beneficial Ownership Interest, must provide full identification. Those
included in the legislation are presidents, CEOs, and other executives within
the company. Stiff civil and criminal penalties will be assessed against those
who fail to comply.

The law applies to small businesses. It exempts businesses
with more than 20 employees with more than $5 million in gross revenues,
according to Lobina.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostArea small businesses will have to comply with a new federal
rule beginning with the new year, a rule aimed at cracking down on financial
fraud.Northwest Missouri State Small Business Development Center
Director, Rebecca Lobina, says the new rule affects 30 million small
businesses. Congress approved the Corporate Transparency Act a couple of years
ago and it goes into effect next year.“If you are an existing business right now, then you have a
full year to file,” Lobina says. “So that’s good news. Beginning January 1, you
have until January 1 of 2025 to file. So you have plenty of time to do this,
just don’t let it slip off your radar.”Small business owners must file paperwork with the federal
Treasury Department.Lobina says the motive behind the legislation is to reduce illicit
activity, such as money laundering.Under the law, business owners aren’t the only ones who must
comply. Anyone with an interest in the business, what the federal government calls
having a Beneficial Ownership Interest, must provide full identification. Those
included in the legislation are presidents, CEOs, and other executives within
the company. Stiff civil and criminal penalties will be assessed against those
who fail to comply.The law applies to small businesses. It exempts businesses
with more than 20 employees with more than $5 million in gross revenues,
according to Lobina.

New federal regulations coming to small businesses with new year

JEFFERSON CITY&nbsp;— Governor Mike Parson announced Wednesday that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) will release new funding to help improve the health of pregnant women and support their care after childbirth to reduce maternal mortality and poor health outcomes, according to a media release from his office.

The investment includes $4.3 million in new funds proposed by Governor Parson and authorized by the Missouri General Assembly to transform the quality and increase the access of health services provided to women during pregnancy and postpartum.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Last year during my State of the State Address, we declared that it was unacceptable for Missouri to be ranked near the bottom when it comes to maternal care, and we're taking action,"&nbsp;Governor Parson&nbsp;said. "By recognizing the need to do better for Missouri mothers, this funding will help us implement a new plan to provide needed support and save lives.&nbsp;We want to thank the General Assembly for approving this funding and helping foster these partnerships that will lead to better care for Missouri mothers and babies."&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2023, Missouri’s latest Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) report found that annually an average of 61 Missouri women die while pregnant or within one year of pregnancy — ranking Missouri 44th&nbsp;among states in maternal mortality. These deaths occurred along the continuum of pregnancy and early motherhood. Contributing factors include access to care challenges, missed clinical interventions to manage conditions like heart disease, and unaddressed or unresolved mental health conditions — including substance use disorders, which are the leading cause of death and long-term harm.&nbsp;

“We must do better for Missouri mothers, and this funding is granting the state unprecedented opportunities to create greater access to quality care,”&nbsp;DHSS Director&nbsp;Paula F. Nickelson&nbsp;said. “It is also crucial that we make an impact with this transformation of perinatal care. The strategies we are employing are based on what has truly worked in other states.”

Missouri’s maternal mortality prevention plan includes the following five domains: Missouri Maternal Quality Care Protocols, Maternal Care Workforce, Optimize Postpartum Care, Maternal Health Access Project, and Improved Maternal Health Data.

Missouri Maternal Quality Care Protocols&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS is partnering with the Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative (MO PQC), led by the Missouri Hospital Association, to develop and implement standardized evidence-based protocols for maternal-fetal health care with toolkits including a collection of best practice tools and articles, care guidelines, a hospital-level implementation guide, and professional education materials.

Maternal Care Workforce&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS and MO PQC are developing standardized maternal care provider trainings on trauma-informed, responsive, culturally congruent, and linguistically appropriate care, including screening, referral, and treatment of mental health conditions and substance use disorder during and after pregnancy as well as cardiovascular disorders, gestational diabetes, and other endocrinology disorders associated with pregnancy.

Optimize Postpartum Care&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS and MO PQC are developing a standardized Postpartum Plan of Care to include an assessment for depression and anxiety, universal screening for substance use disorder, and (as appropriate) referrals to mental health professionals, social workers, community health workers, nurse-led home visiting programs, and substance use disorder treatment programs.

Maternal Health Access Project&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS is working with the University of Missouri Health System to develop and implement a hub-and-spoke model Perinatal Health Access Collaborative, inclusive of perinatal mental health. The Collaborative will provide same-day specialized consultation, patient referral to community services, over-the-phone follow-up care coordination, and access to ongoing training and education for rural healthcare providers and other providers without this specialized expertise.

Improved Maternal Health Data&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS is establishing a maternal-child health dashboard to advance data quality and accessibility.

“The PAMR finds that nearly all maternal deaths and harms are preventable,”&nbsp;MHA President and CEO Jon D.&nbsp;Doolittle&nbsp;said. “Delivering the right care to expecting mothers during pregnancy — and extending care and support to them after childbirth when a significant share of harm occurs — can reduce maternal mortality and improve health. MHA and the Missouri PQC are honored to be providing best practices and connecting Missouri’s expecting mothers and mothers with resources to improve their health.”

Additionally, the Missouri Department of Mental Health was awarded the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/screening-treatment-maternal-mental-health-substance-use-disorders-mmhsud__;!!EErPFA7f--AJOw!H-p94V06KbIpymHyllbrTu81P758ytL7HSh4Olh245O1ycV_B-hMnEkgdaRhiJn2oM1sXtpJv_DhicVjbOQkqKDTo-nW36wIFiJmT3ZaMpb7Llqi$" target="_blank">Screening and Treatment for Maternal Depression and Related Behavioral Disorders Program</a>&nbsp;grant for $687,777. This additional funding will provide the ability to develop the maternal health access project infrastructure.

“Addressing mental health for pregnant and new moms begins in the primary care setting and this program is designed to give those providers access to the tools they need to respond,”&nbsp;Laine Young-Walker, MD, chair of psychiatry at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and principal investigator,&nbsp;said. “This program represents a significant opportunity to make positive progress on the leading cause of maternal mortality in our state.”

JEFFERSON CITY&nbsp;— Governor Mike Parson announced Wednesday that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) will release new funding to help improve the health of pregnant women and support their care after childbirth to reduce maternal mortality and poor health outcomes, according to a media release from his office.The investment includes $4.3 million in new funds proposed by Governor Parson and authorized by the Missouri General Assembly to transform the quality and increase the access of health services provided to women during pregnancy and postpartum.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Last year during my State of the State Address, we declared that it was unacceptable for Missouri to be ranked near the bottom when it comes to maternal care, and we're taking action,"&nbsp;Governor Parson&nbsp;said. "By recognizing the need to do better for Missouri mothers, this funding will help us implement a new plan to provide needed support and save lives.&nbsp;We want to thank the General Assembly for approving this funding and helping foster these partnerships that will lead to better care for Missouri mothers and babies."&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2023, Missouri’s latest Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) report found that annually an average of 61 Missouri women die while pregnant or within one year of pregnancy — ranking Missouri 44th&nbsp;among states in maternal mortality. These deaths occurred along the continuum of pregnancy and early motherhood. Contributing factors include access to care challenges, missed clinical interventions to manage conditions like heart disease, and unaddressed or unresolved mental health conditions — including substance use disorders, which are the leading cause of death and long-term harm.&nbsp;“We must do better for Missouri mothers, and this funding is granting the state unprecedented opportunities to create greater access to quality care,”&nbsp;DHSS Director&nbsp;Paula F. Nickelson&nbsp;said. “It is also crucial that we make an impact with this transformation of perinatal care. The strategies we are employing are based on what has truly worked in other states.”Missouri’s maternal mortality prevention plan includes the following five domains: Missouri Maternal Quality Care Protocols, Maternal Care Workforce, Optimize Postpartum Care, Maternal Health Access Project, and Improved Maternal Health Data.Missouri Maternal Quality Care Protocols&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS is partnering with the Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative (MO PQC), led by the Missouri Hospital Association, to develop and implement standardized evidence-based protocols for maternal-fetal health care with toolkits including a collection of best practice tools and articles, care guidelines, a hospital-level implementation guide, and professional education materials.Maternal Care Workforce&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS and MO PQC are developing standardized maternal care provider trainings on trauma-informed, responsive, culturally congruent, and linguistically appropriate care, including screening, referral, and treatment of mental health conditions and substance use disorder during and after pregnancy as well as cardiovascular disorders, gestational diabetes, and other endocrinology disorders associated with pregnancy.Optimize Postpartum Care&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS and MO PQC are developing a standardized Postpartum Plan of Care to include an assessment for depression and anxiety, universal screening for substance use disorder, and (as appropriate) referrals to mental health professionals, social workers, community health workers, nurse-led home visiting programs, and substance use disorder treatment programs.Maternal Health Access Project&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS is working with the University of Missouri Health System to develop and implement a hub-and-spoke model Perinatal Health Access Collaborative, inclusive of perinatal mental health. The Collaborative will provide same-day specialized consultation, patient referral to community services, over-the-phone follow-up care coordination, and access to ongoing training and education for rural healthcare providers and other providers without this specialized expertise.Improved Maternal Health Data&nbsp; |&nbsp; DHSS is establishing a maternal-child health dashboard to advance data quality and accessibility.“The PAMR finds that nearly all maternal deaths and harms are preventable,”&nbsp;MHA President and CEO Jon D.&nbsp;Doolittle&nbsp;said. “Delivering the right care to expecting mothers during pregnancy — and extending care and support to them after childbirth when a significant share of harm occurs — can reduce maternal mortality and improve health. MHA and the Missouri PQC are honored to be providing best practices and connecting Missouri’s expecting mothers and mothers with resources to improve their health.”Additionally, the Missouri Department of Mental Health was awarded the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/screening-treatment-maternal-mental-health-substance-use-disorders-mmhsud__;!!EErPFA7f--AJOw!H-p94V06KbIpymHyllbrTu81P758ytL7HSh4Olh245O1ycV_B-hMnEkgdaRhiJn2oM1sXtpJv_DhicVjbOQkqKDTo-nW36wIFiJmT3ZaMpb7Llqi$" target="_blank">Screening and Treatment for Maternal Depression and Related Behavioral Disorders Program</a>&nbsp;grant for $687,777. This additional funding will provide the ability to develop the maternal health access project infrastructure.“Addressing mental health for pregnant and new moms begins in the primary care setting and this program is designed to give those providers access to the tools they need to respond,”&nbsp;Laine Young-Walker, MD, chair of psychiatry at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and principal investigator,&nbsp;said. “This program represents a significant opportunity to make positive progress on the leading cause of maternal mortality in our state.”

Gov. announces new investment plan to help minimize maternal mortality rates in Mo.

A power outage has led the Savannah R-3 School District to
close Minnie Cline Elementary and The Early Learning Center today (THU).

UPDATE:&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, the Savannah School District office has been re-opened after losing power earlier this morning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701952060244.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A power outage has led the Savannah R-3 School District to
close Minnie Cline Elementary and The Early Learning Center today (THU).All other campuses are in session today.UPDATE:&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, the Savannah School District office has been re-opened after losing power earlier this morning.

Power outage closes Minnie Cline, Early Learning Center

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

Missouri’s Board of Education changed a rule on Tuesday that had prevented many child care providers from accessing the $26 million in grant funding allocated by lawmakers this year.

The grant money was set aside for community-based child care providers to expand access to pre-kindergarten but included certification requirements that shrank the pool of eligible providers. Around $7 million of that fund has so far been awarded or is expected to be awarded from the September and November rounds of applications.

The vote to change the requirements was unanimous, effective immediately,&nbsp;to carry out the goal of expanding access to child care across the state — “a huge priority and a huge need,” said Kari Monsees, Missouri’s deputy education commissioner.

Casey Hanson,&nbsp;director of&nbsp;outreach and engagement at the child advocacy nonprofit Kids Win Missouri, said her organization heard from many providers unable to qualify and worked closely with the department to try to fix the grant’s requirements.&nbsp;

“[The rule change] will really create a better pathway to child care providers being able to access that money,” Hanson said.

Previously, child care providers needed to prove they had a traditional teaching certification, which Hanson said is a “much higher threshold than the national standard.”&nbsp;

“In talking to providers,” Hanson said, “the reason that most of them, even accredited providers in Missouri, can’t qualify for those dollars is because of that teacher qualification piece.”

The rule change expands the qualifications that child care staff can have to be considered eligible for the state funds. That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/2023-december-consideration-notice-emergency-rulemaking-and-proposed-rulemaking-adopt-5">includes</a>&nbsp;allowing teachers who have a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in childhood development to qualify.

The education department’s spokesperson, Mallory McGowin, said it has begun awarding grants in two rounds since September, totaling to just over one-quarter of the total fund.

The first round awarded grants to 51 programs to add 789 child care slots. The second round closed in November and the department expects to award grants to just 28 programs for 568 slots, she said. Those add up to around $7 million to date. The payments haven’t been processed, McGowin said, because “invoice information is currently being verified.”

The department, McGowin said, expects to announce the next round of grants later in December.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701948513473.png" alt=" The Downtown Children's Center in St. Louis (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> The Downtown Children's Center in St. Louis (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By CLARA BATES&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s Board of Education changed a rule on Tuesday that had prevented many child care providers from accessing the $26 million in grant funding allocated by lawmakers this year.The grant money was set aside for community-based child care providers to expand access to pre-kindergarten but included certification requirements that shrank the pool of eligible providers. Around $7 million of that fund has so far been awarded or is expected to be awarded from the September and November rounds of applications.The vote to change the requirements was unanimous, effective immediately,&nbsp;to carry out the goal of expanding access to child care across the state — “a huge priority and a huge need,” said Kari Monsees, Missouri’s deputy education commissioner.Casey Hanson,&nbsp;director of&nbsp;outreach and engagement at the child advocacy nonprofit Kids Win Missouri, said her organization heard from many providers unable to qualify and worked closely with the department to try to fix the grant’s requirements.&nbsp;“[The rule change] will really create a better pathway to child care providers being able to access that money,” Hanson said.Previously, child care providers needed to prove they had a traditional teaching certification, which Hanson said is a “much higher threshold than the national standard.”&nbsp;“In talking to providers,” Hanson said, “the reason that most of them, even accredited providers in Missouri, can’t qualify for those dollars is because of that teacher qualification piece.”The rule change expands the qualifications that child care staff can have to be considered eligible for the state funds. That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/2023-december-consideration-notice-emergency-rulemaking-and-proposed-rulemaking-adopt-5">includes</a>&nbsp;allowing teachers who have a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in childhood development to qualify.The education department’s spokesperson, Mallory McGowin, said it has begun awarding grants in two rounds since September, totaling to just over one-quarter of the total fund.The first round awarded grants to 51 programs to add 789 child care slots. The second round closed in November and the department expects to award grants to just 28 programs for 568 slots, she said. Those add up to around $7 million to date. The payments haven’t been processed, McGowin said, because “invoice information is currently being verified.”The department, McGowin said, expects to announce the next round of grants later in December.

Mo. ed board approves emergency rule freeing up money to expand child care

An annual remembrance event at Meierhoffer funeral home aims to help those coping with the loss of a loved one during the holidays. 

Jane Graves with Meierhoffer says many people have made the event a tradition, whether it's a recent loss or not.  

"It just helps to have a place to go where you know that there are others that are dealing with the same kind of things you're dealing with, they're having just as hard a time as you are trying to get in the holiday mood and to celebrate the things that they've done for years when someone important in their life has passed," Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post 

Graves says attendees of the event will hear from David Mejia, the funeral home's Certified Celebrant.  

"He puts the holidays in what he's going through in perspective as to what you are as well" Graves explains. "So, he does a great job of telling you how to move on, ways to keep that memory alive." 

Also, on hand for the first time this year, will be some furry friends to help out those in attendance.  

"There will be a couple of just the sweetest dogs that you've ever met that are going to be there to greet folks when they get there, just to provide a source of comfort," Graves says. 

The St. Joseph Community Chorus will perform during the event, which begins at 5:30pm tomorrow at Meierhoffer Funeral Home, located at 5005 Frederick Ave in St. Joseph.  

Graves says the event is always well attended, by new and old visitors alike. 

"We'd love to get as many people that want to come there, it's not a requirement that you even had your funeral at Meierhoffer Funeral Home, it's for anyone in this area or around St. Joseph that have suffered a loss and want to come and just help get through the holidays after they've suffered a loss," Graves says. 

Attendees are encouraged to bring a special ornament to honor their loved ones on the Tree of Remembrance in the lobby at Meierhoffer. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post An annual remembrance event at Meierhoffer funeral home aims to help those coping with the loss of a loved one during the holidays. Jane Graves with Meierhoffer says many people have made the event a tradition, whether it's a recent loss or not. "It just helps to have a place to go where you know that there are others that are dealing with the same kind of things you're dealing with, they're having just as hard a time as you are trying to get in the holiday mood and to celebrate the things that they've done for years when someone important in their life has passed," Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post Graves says attendees of the event will hear from David Mejia, the funeral home's Certified Celebrant. "He puts the holidays in what he's going through in perspective as to what you are as well" Graves explains. "So, he does a great job of telling you how to move on, ways to keep that memory alive." Also, on hand for the first time this year, will be some furry friends to help out those in attendance. "There will be a couple of just the sweetest dogs that you've ever met that are going to be there to greet folks when they get there, just to provide a source of comfort," Graves says. The St. Joseph Community Chorus will perform during the event, which begins at 5:30pm tomorrow at Meierhoffer Funeral Home, located at 5005 Frederick Ave in St. Joseph. Graves says the event is always well attended, by new and old visitors alike. "We'd love to get as many people that want to come there, it's not a requirement that you even had your funeral at Meierhoffer Funeral Home, it's for anyone in this area or around St. Joseph that have suffered a loss and want to come and just help get through the holidays after they've suffered a loss," Graves says. Attendees are encouraged to bring a special ornament to honor their loved ones on the Tree of Remembrance in the lobby at Meierhoffer.

Annual rememberence event hopes to help those suffering from loss during the holidays

A young Ravenwood man suffered minor injuries after attempting
to take photos of an alleged shoplifter in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph police report the man, who is in the his 30s,
followed another man suspected of shoplifting from the Big Lots store off the
Belt Highway Tuesday night into the parking lot. While the victim took
photos with his cell phone, the alleged shoplifter hit the man with his vehicle
and drove off.

Police say the victim suffered minor injuries and refused
medical attention.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA young Ravenwood man suffered minor injuries after attempting
to take photos of an alleged shoplifter in St. Joseph.St. Joseph police report the man, who is in the his 30s,
followed another man suspected of shoplifting from the Big Lots store off the
Belt Highway Tuesday night into the parking lot. While the victim took
photos with his cell phone, the alleged shoplifter hit the man with his vehicle
and drove off.Police say the victim suffered minor injuries and refused
medical attention.

Young man hurt in hit-and-run after confronting St. Joseph shoplifter

A state investigative team has helped locate 628 foster kids this year who were missing from state custody in Missouri, state lawmakers were informed at a House budget hearing Monday.&nbsp;

That effort began officially in 2022, after the Department of Social Services was under fire for the high number of children in foster care who had gone missing. Since then, the team has helped locate more than 1,200 missing foster children, said Frank Tennant,&nbsp;director of Missouri State&nbsp;Technical Assistance Team — the law enforcement agency within the state’s social services department that works on child maltreatment issues and has focused on locating missing foster kids over the last few years.&nbsp;

“We have been so successful that we have been approached by the Missouri State Highway Patrol,” said&nbsp;Tennant — to help with their list of missing kids, too.

He cited the team’s success using tools like social media to locate children.&nbsp;

“There’s been several cases where they’ve gone out, found kids, got them back to where they needed to be and back in care to where they’re safe and secure,” Tennant told lawmakers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There are 74 missing foster kids as of Monday morning, Tennant said, though the state could not immediately make available comparable data over time.

State Rep. John Black, R-Webster, who chairs the social services appropriations subcommittee in the Missouri House, said he “appreciate[s]” hearing about the department’s successes along with the budget information.&nbsp;

“This can be a circumstance where good things that happen can get lost in numbers,” Black said. “And so we want the committee to be able to understand some things that the department is pleased about.”

A 2021 federal watchdog report found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/72006095.pdf">there were 1,780 instances of foster kids going missing in Missouri</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp; July 2018 to December 2020, spurring lawmakers’ scrutiny.

There were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/23/%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bfederal-watchdogs-report-sheds-new-light-on-scope-of-missouris-missing-foster-kids/">978 children</a>&nbsp;missing at some point from Missouri foster care in 2019.

Part of the issue was that the state’s system couldn’t distinguish between missing kids and kids whose location was known but unauthorized — which they said has been since&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://abc17news.com/news/abc-17-news-investigates/2023/07/17/two-out-of-three-recommendations-to-protect-missing-children-still-open-for-missouri-foster-care-system/">fixed</a>. The monthly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/csmr/2023/oct-2023.pdf">data</a>&nbsp;the agency publishes still combines both categories, spokesperson Caitlin Whaley said.

In 2022, a program called the Unaccounted for Foster Children went into effect in Missouri to help find children missing from state care and custody. Roughly 600 children were located and returned to state care last year, according to data included in the state budget.&nbsp;

In many states, overburdened caseworkers have been hard-pressed to protect all the children they are responsible for monitoring — and when kids go missing, caseworkers often struggle to prevent it from happening again, Stateline&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/10/states-lose-track-of-thousands-of-foster-children-each-year/">reported</a>&nbsp;this year.&nbsp;

Robert Knodell, director of the Department of Social Services, said during another discussion that staffing issues department-wide have improved since COVID but haven’t rebounded entirely.

“We’re filling positions at a higher rate today than we have since prior. So, we are having success,” he said. “But we’ve got a long way to go. We have a less experienced workforce than we’ve historically had.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701865400501.png" alt=" The House’s Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services on Dec. 4 (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> The House’s Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services on Dec. 4 (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By CLARA BATES&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>A state investigative team has helped locate 628 foster kids this year who were missing from state custody in Missouri, state lawmakers were informed at a House budget hearing Monday.&nbsp;That effort began officially in 2022, after the Department of Social Services was under fire for the high number of children in foster care who had gone missing. Since then, the team has helped locate more than 1,200 missing foster children, said Frank Tennant,&nbsp;director of Missouri State&nbsp;Technical Assistance Team — the law enforcement agency within the state’s social services department that works on child maltreatment issues and has focused on locating missing foster kids over the last few years.&nbsp;“We have been so successful that we have been approached by the Missouri State Highway Patrol,” said&nbsp;Tennant — to help with their list of missing kids, too.He cited the team’s success using tools like social media to locate children.&nbsp;“There’s been several cases where they’ve gone out, found kids, got them back to where they needed to be and back in care to where they’re safe and secure,” Tennant told lawmakers.&nbsp;&nbsp;There are 74 missing foster kids as of Monday morning, Tennant said, though the state could not immediately make available comparable data over time.State Rep. John Black, R-Webster, who chairs the social services appropriations subcommittee in the Missouri House, said he “appreciate[s]” hearing about the department’s successes along with the budget information.&nbsp;“This can be a circumstance where good things that happen can get lost in numbers,” Black said. “And so we want the committee to be able to understand some things that the department is pleased about.”A 2021 federal watchdog report found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region7/72006095.pdf">there were 1,780 instances of foster kids going missing in Missouri</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp; July 2018 to December 2020, spurring lawmakers’ scrutiny.There were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/23/%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bfederal-watchdogs-report-sheds-new-light-on-scope-of-missouris-missing-foster-kids/">978 children</a>&nbsp;missing at some point from Missouri foster care in 2019.Part of the issue was that the state’s system couldn’t distinguish between missing kids and kids whose location was known but unauthorized — which they said has been since&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://abc17news.com/news/abc-17-news-investigates/2023/07/17/two-out-of-three-recommendations-to-protect-missing-children-still-open-for-missouri-foster-care-system/">fixed</a>. The monthly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/csmr/2023/oct-2023.pdf">data</a>&nbsp;the agency publishes still combines both categories, spokesperson Caitlin Whaley said.In 2022, a program called the Unaccounted for Foster Children went into effect in Missouri to help find children missing from state care and custody. Roughly 600 children were located and returned to state care last year, according to data included in the state budget.&nbsp;In many states, overburdened caseworkers have been hard-pressed to protect all the children they are responsible for monitoring — and when kids go missing, caseworkers often struggle to prevent it from happening again, Stateline&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/10/states-lose-track-of-thousands-of-foster-children-each-year/">reported</a>&nbsp;this year.&nbsp;Robert Knodell, director of the Department of Social Services, said during another discussion that staffing issues department-wide have improved since COVID but haven’t rebounded entirely.“We’re filling positions at a higher rate today than we have since prior. So, we are having success,” he said. “But we’ve got a long way to go. We have a less experienced workforce than we’ve historically had.”

Missouri child welfare agency reports increased efforts to find missing foster kids

Board of Education selects state senator to take over after retirement of Margie Vandeven

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

State Sen. Karla Eslinger will be Missouri’s next commissioner of education beginning in June, the State Board of Education announced during its meeting Tuesday.

Board President Charlie Shields told reporters Eslinger was the only candidate the board considered.

The board has met in closed session twice since the last public meeting — in which current Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven revealed her&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-commissioner-of-education-announces-resignation/">plans to retire at the end of June</a>. The board also began its meeting Tuesday in closed session for an hour.

“We had a set of unique circumstances with a unique candidate,” Shields told reporters. “Once we were presented with the quality of candidate that we had, in Dr. Eslinger, we wanted to move forward very, very quickly.”

In previous years, the board opened applications for the position, but Shields said that was not necessary after they found Eslinger.

He said the board has used the three closed-door meetings to discuss the transition between commissioners. Vandeven and Eslinger will overlap through the month of June.

“There are just different things that I think would be helpful for anyone coming into the position to know and understand about the agency itself,” Vandeven said of the transition. “So I plan to be as helpful as I can and then get out of her way.”

Eslinger received a standing ovation from attendees of the meeting Tuesday.

“We all want the same thing,” Eslinger said of various education stakeholders. “We want our children to be successful. We want our communities to be successful. We want our state to be successful. I believe in intentionally working directly with and respecting each of these various groups.”

Eslinger, a Republican from Wasola, is in her first term as state senator for the 33rd District and has been raising money to run for reelection next year. State Rep. Brad Hudson, fellow Republican and Cape Fair resident, was the only other potential candidate with a campaign committee for the 33rd district.

She will continue her work as a state senator until June 1, when she will join Vandeven in the commissioner’s spot and begin the transition.

Her experience in education ranges from her beginning as an elementary-school teacher in a rural Ozark County school, through the ranks of administration in a couple Missouri schools and a three-year stint as the assistant commissioner in the office of educator quality.

Vandeven and Eslinger worked together within the department during Eslinger’s time as assistant commissioner from 2010 to 2013.

“I’ve seen (Eslinger’s) work,” Vandeven told reporters. “I’ve seen how she is so committed to the children and the family in the state. And I’ve seen that in action.”

State Board member Donald Claycomb, of Linn, said “her experience and her credentials are probably hard to beat, if not impossible to beat” during the announcement.

Her latest role before serving in Missouri’s General Assembly was as a senior analyst for education services with the AEM Corporation, where she advised U.S. Department of Education officials, according to her&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/Senators/member/33">Senate bio</a>.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from The College of the Ozarks before attaining a master’s degree in education and a specialist’s degree in superintendency and the educational system from Missouri State University. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia, as listed in her Senate bio.

Her two daughters are also Missouri educators, with one serving as a principal and the other as a teacher, according to her Missouri Ethics Commission filing. Eslinger, talking to the board Tuesday, said her “whole family is public school people.”

“In such an environment as this, we are incredibly blessed to have such a strong candidate, and when that blessing is before you, you have to move with deliberate speed,” Pamela Westbrooks Hodge, a board member from Pasadena Hills, said during the meeting. “I just don’t think we could ask for a candidate with a richer cadre of experiences.”

In the 2023 legislative session, Eslinger filed five bills related to education, with a particular focus on education funding. None of these bills made it to the Senate floor, though provisions of legislation signed by the governor mirror&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=1933312">a bill she wrote on nursing education</a>.

She told reporters she turned down a spot on the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee in 2023, saying her focus was “economic development, infrastructure, broadband, roads and that kind of stuff” to help her constituents.

Charter-school and tax-credit-scholarship advocates are eyeing the position of commissioner to expand their programs in Missouri. In 2021, Eslinger voted against the bill that created the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/21/funding-lag-creates-barrier-for-missouri-private-school-tax-credit-program/">state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarship program</a>.

Co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Education Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, and Rep. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs, wrote a letter to the State Board of Education laying out the values they expect for the next commissioner.

“We need to downsize (the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education), focus singularly upon classroom instruction, value ed choice, remove woke activism, and regain parental trust and confidence,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DougRicheyMO/status/1714734078371451338/photo/1">Richey wrote on social media</a>, with the co-chairs’ letter.

Eslinger described herself as a supporter of “good schools” when talking to the board Tuesday.

“I support work towards good schools, period. Good schools,” Eslinger said to the board. “I support parent choice. I support public charters. I support rural schools, I support urban schools, K-12 systems, early childhood education, you name it.”

Eslinger’s 2023 bills included legislation that, if passed, would’ve&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=1452622">reduced funding for charter schools</a>&nbsp;in years that the state transportation aid is not fully funded.

She also proposed the creation of a patriotic and civics class for teachers with a $3,000 incentive for educators who complete the program. Koenig asked for a similar course in a multifaceted bill that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/14/missouri-senate-conservatives-stray-from-party-on-sweeping-education-bill/">passed the Senate early in the 2023 session</a>&nbsp;before dying at legislative deadline.

Board members praised Vandeven’s work as a “strong foundation” for Eslinger to build on.

“​​We start at the basis of where Dr. Vandeven has taken this department,” board member Peter Herschend, of Branson, told fellow members.

Vandeven said she was “thrilled” with the board’s pick.

“I have worked with Dr. Eslinger in various capacities over a decade,” she said after the announcement. “So I have seen her proven leadership, and I understand her commitment to the students in Missouri, which is so very essential.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701811381798.png" alt=" Karla Eslinger enters the State Board of Education meeting Tuesday. Eslinger will succeed Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven, the board announced Tuesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Karla Eslinger enters the State Board of Education meeting Tuesday. Eslinger will succeed Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven, the board announced Tuesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Board of Education selects state senator to take over after retirement of Margie Vandeven</h2>By ANNELISE HANSHAW<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>State Sen. Karla Eslinger will be Missouri’s next commissioner of education beginning in June, the State Board of Education announced during its meeting Tuesday.Board President Charlie Shields told reporters Eslinger was the only candidate the board considered.The board has met in closed session twice since the last public meeting — in which current Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven revealed her&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-commissioner-of-education-announces-resignation/">plans to retire at the end of June</a>. The board also began its meeting Tuesday in closed session for an hour.“We had a set of unique circumstances with a unique candidate,” Shields told reporters. “Once we were presented with the quality of candidate that we had, in Dr. Eslinger, we wanted to move forward very, very quickly.”In previous years, the board opened applications for the position, but Shields said that was not necessary after they found Eslinger.He said the board has used the three closed-door meetings to discuss the transition between commissioners. Vandeven and Eslinger will overlap through the month of June.“There are just different things that I think would be helpful for anyone coming into the position to know and understand about the agency itself,” Vandeven said of the transition. “So I plan to be as helpful as I can and then get out of her way.”Eslinger received a standing ovation from attendees of the meeting Tuesday.“We all want the same thing,” Eslinger said of various education stakeholders. “We want our children to be successful. We want our communities to be successful. We want our state to be successful. I believe in intentionally working directly with and respecting each of these various groups.”Eslinger, a Republican from Wasola, is in her first term as state senator for the 33rd District and has been raising money to run for reelection next year. State Rep. Brad Hudson, fellow Republican and Cape Fair resident, was the only other potential candidate with a campaign committee for the 33rd district.She will continue her work as a state senator until June 1, when she will join Vandeven in the commissioner’s spot and begin the transition.Her experience in education ranges from her beginning as an elementary-school teacher in a rural Ozark County school, through the ranks of administration in a couple Missouri schools and a three-year stint as the assistant commissioner in the office of educator quality.Vandeven and Eslinger worked together within the department during Eslinger’s time as assistant commissioner from 2010 to 2013.“I’ve seen (Eslinger’s) work,” Vandeven told reporters. “I’ve seen how she is so committed to the children and the family in the state. And I’ve seen that in action.”State Board member Donald Claycomb, of Linn, said “her experience and her credentials are probably hard to beat, if not impossible to beat” during the announcement.Her latest role before serving in Missouri’s General Assembly was as a senior analyst for education services with the AEM Corporation, where she advised U.S. Department of Education officials, according to her&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/Senators/member/33">Senate bio</a>.She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from The College of the Ozarks before attaining a master’s degree in education and a specialist’s degree in superintendency and the educational system from Missouri State University. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia, as listed in her Senate bio.Her two daughters are also Missouri educators, with one serving as a principal and the other as a teacher, according to her Missouri Ethics Commission filing. Eslinger, talking to the board Tuesday, said her “whole family is public school people.”“In such an environment as this, we are incredibly blessed to have such a strong candidate, and when that blessing is before you, you have to move with deliberate speed,” Pamela Westbrooks Hodge, a board member from Pasadena Hills, said during the meeting. “I just don’t think we could ask for a candidate with a richer cadre of experiences.”In the 2023 legislative session, Eslinger filed five bills related to education, with a particular focus on education funding. None of these bills made it to the Senate floor, though provisions of legislation signed by the governor mirror&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=1933312">a bill she wrote on nursing education</a>.She told reporters she turned down a spot on the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee in 2023, saying her focus was “economic development, infrastructure, broadband, roads and that kind of stuff” to help her constituents.Charter-school and tax-credit-scholarship advocates are eyeing the position of commissioner to expand their programs in Missouri. In 2021, Eslinger voted against the bill that created the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/21/funding-lag-creates-barrier-for-missouri-private-school-tax-credit-program/">state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarship program</a>.Co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Education Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, and Rep. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs, wrote a letter to the State Board of Education laying out the values they expect for the next commissioner.“We need to downsize (the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education), focus singularly upon classroom instruction, value ed choice, remove woke activism, and regain parental trust and confidence,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DougRicheyMO/status/1714734078371451338/photo/1">Richey wrote on social media</a>, with the co-chairs’ letter.Eslinger described herself as a supporter of “good schools” when talking to the board Tuesday.“I support work towards good schools, period. Good schools,” Eslinger said to the board. “I support parent choice. I support public charters. I support rural schools, I support urban schools, K-12 systems, early childhood education, you name it.”Eslinger’s 2023 bills included legislation that, if passed, would’ve&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=1452622">reduced funding for charter schools</a>&nbsp;in years that the state transportation aid is not fully funded.She also proposed the creation of a patriotic and civics class for teachers with a $3,000 incentive for educators who complete the program. Koenig asked for a similar course in a multifaceted bill that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/14/missouri-senate-conservatives-stray-from-party-on-sweeping-education-bill/">passed the Senate early in the 2023 session</a>&nbsp;before dying at legislative deadline.Board members praised Vandeven’s work as a “strong foundation” for Eslinger to build on.“​​We start at the basis of where Dr. Vandeven has taken this department,” board member Peter Herschend, of Branson, told fellow members.Vandeven said she was “thrilled” with the board’s pick.“I have worked with Dr. Eslinger in various capacities over a decade,” she said after the announcement. “So I have seen her proven leadership, and I understand her commitment to the students in Missouri, which is so very essential.”

Karla Eslinger announced as Missouri’s next commissioner of education

An economic development director for the greater Kansas City
area tells a St. Joseph audience that working together benefits everyone.

Kansas City Area Development Council President Tim Cowden says
the one step every community must take to seize economic opportunity is to be prepared.

“You cannot take away the importance of being prepared, having
your ducks in a row, making sure that the leadership is supportive of growth
and development,” Cowden tells reporters. “Making sure that you have the best
individuals on the frontline to represent the community to new companies and to
new talent.”

Cowden spoke to a crowded room at the St. Joseph Country Club
during the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce chairman’s breakfast Tuesday.

Cowden says the recently established animal health corridor holds
great promise for St. Joseph.

“St. Joe is a big part of this animal health corridor that
extends from the University of Missouri at Columbia all the way back over to
the west to Kansas State University in Manhattan,” Cowden says. “So, St. Joe is
right in the middle of that. The companies that are here, like Boehringer
Ingelheim, the talent that’s here, the innovation that comes out of St. Joe, and
has for generations.”

Cowden says the biggest difference in the highly competitive
economic development field is whether a company feels confident about a community’s
leaders.

“That, at the end of the day, when decisions are made, the
confidence that you can instill with your customer, that your team’s going to
be there to deliver when it matters; it matters at the end of the
decision-making process.”

Cowden says the Kansas City Area Development Council incorporates
communities on both sides of the state line, well into Kansas as well as north
to St. Joseph. Cowden says that by working together, the communities can
present a stronger case for businesses to locate in the region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701805971275.jpeg" alt="KC Area Development Council President Tim Cowden speaks at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Chairman's Breakfast/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>KC Area Development Council President Tim Cowden speaks at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Chairman's Breakfast/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostAn economic development director for the greater Kansas City
area tells a St. Joseph audience that working together benefits everyone.Kansas City Area Development Council President Tim Cowden says
the one step every community must take to seize economic opportunity is to be prepared.“You cannot take away the importance of being prepared, having
your ducks in a row, making sure that the leadership is supportive of growth
and development,” Cowden tells reporters. “Making sure that you have the best
individuals on the frontline to represent the community to new companies and to
new talent.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701806062869.jpeg" alt="Tim Cowden/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Tim Cowden/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Cowden spoke to a crowded room at the St. Joseph Country Club
during the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce chairman’s breakfast Tuesday.Cowden says the recently established animal health corridor holds
great promise for St. Joseph.“St. Joe is a big part of this animal health corridor that
extends from the University of Missouri at Columbia all the way back over to
the west to Kansas State University in Manhattan,” Cowden says. “So, St. Joe is
right in the middle of that. The companies that are here, like Boehringer
Ingelheim, the talent that’s here, the innovation that comes out of St. Joe, and
has for generations.”Cowden says the biggest difference in the highly competitive
economic development field is whether a company feels confident about a community’s
leaders.“That, at the end of the day, when decisions are made, the
confidence that you can instill with your customer, that your team’s going to
be there to deliver when it matters; it matters at the end of the
decision-making process.”Cowden says the Kansas City Area Development Council incorporates
communities on both sides of the state line, well into Kansas as well as north
to St. Joseph. Cowden says that by working together, the communities can
present a stronger case for businesses to locate in the region.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Area-economic-developer-says-St--Joseph-has-much-to-offer-e2cs2de" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

Area economic development director says St. Joseph has much to offer

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce has applied for a federal grant that would help evaluate a low worker participation rate in Buchanan County.  

The Chamber applied for the grant after being prompted by federal officials as a way to begin tackling the problem. 

Director of the St. Joseph Community Alliance Tama Wagner says the grant will help them evaluate why eligible workers aren't seeking a job.  

"Who's not working, why aren't they working, are they stay at home parents, are they somebody who's on disability, are there valid reasons they're not working?" Wagner tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "But whatever percentage of that population is under employed or unemployed or it's stopped looking for work, it will help us identify that population." 

A study indicates that 40%&nbsp; of eligible Buchanan County workers are not seeking employment. 

Wagner says the Chamber will evaluate several factors of why workers aren't seeking employment, including.  

"People who have just given up in the job market, that they've looked and looked and looked and haven't found anything which in this day and age is hard to imagine because jobs seem so readily available, but we just don't know what those factors are," Wagner explains.  

Wagner says the Chamber should know by the end of the month if it received the grant by the end of this month.  

"We'll have a decision at least on that first part, the research part, and then the bigger part," Wagner says. "Surprisingly, it works a little bit different than most grants I've been involved with, you submitted both at the same time, so you didn't just submit for the first part and then wait until you hear about the first part you went ahead and submitted for the second part, so they happen kind of in tandem." 

The grant is a two-part grant, the first part being a $500,000 research grant, but if they're successful the Chamber could get an up to additional $50 million to help with solutions. 

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce has applied for a federal grant that would help evaluate a low worker participation rate in Buchanan County. The Chamber applied for the grant after being prompted by federal officials as a way to begin tackling the problem. Director of the St. Joseph Community Alliance Tama Wagner says the grant will help them evaluate why eligible workers aren't seeking a job. "Who's not working, why aren't they working, are they stay at home parents, are they somebody who's on disability, are there valid reasons they're not working?" Wagner tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "But whatever percentage of that population is under employed or unemployed or it's stopped looking for work, it will help us identify that population." A study indicates that 40%&nbsp; of eligible Buchanan County workers are not seeking employment. Wagner says the Chamber will evaluate several factors of why workers aren't seeking employment, including. "People who have just given up in the job market, that they've looked and looked and looked and haven't found anything which in this day and age is hard to imagine because jobs seem so readily available, but we just don't know what those factors are," Wagner explains. Wagner says the Chamber should know by the end of the month if it received the grant by the end of this month. "We'll have a decision at least on that first part, the research part, and then the bigger part," Wagner says. "Surprisingly, it works a little bit different than most grants I've been involved with, you submitted both at the same time, so you didn't just submit for the first part and then wait until you hear about the first part you went ahead and submitted for the second part, so they happen kind of in tandem." The grant is a two-part grant, the first part being a $500,000 research grant, but if they're successful the Chamber could get an up to additional $50 million to help with solutions. <div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/St--Joseph-has-a-worker-participation-problem-e2crrt0" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

St. Joseph Chamber hopes federal money helps unravel mystery of why some don't seek work

Area law enforcement officials are cautioning consumers to be
careful while out shopping during this holiday season.

Buchanan County Sheriff Commander Shawn Collie says you can’t
be too careful when out shopping.

“We start seeing more and more thefts from vehicles, even from
residences,” Collie says. “We’re even seeing now, while people are shopping, leaving
their purse or something in the cart that someone might be able to take.”

Collie says theft this time of year is a very real problem. He
advises consumers to stay vigilant.

“Not leaving gifts or items, especially expensive items, just
visible in the vehicles,” Collie says. “Unfortunately, it seems more and more every
day that our criminals are becoming more brazen and just daylight stuff,
breaking into the cars, and just stealing from people or vehicles, residences.”

Collie says consumers must always take their surroundings into
account, including being careful where they park their vehicles. Keep packages
out of sight, preferably locked in the trunk.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostChristmas shoppers beware.Area law enforcement officials are cautioning consumers to be
careful while out shopping during this holiday season.Buchanan County Sheriff Commander Shawn Collie says you can’t
be too careful when out shopping.“We start seeing more and more thefts from vehicles, even from
residences,” Collie says. “We’re even seeing now, while people are shopping, leaving
their purse or something in the cart that someone might be able to take.”Collie says theft this time of year is a very real problem. He
advises consumers to stay vigilant.“Not leaving gifts or items, especially expensive items, just
visible in the vehicles,” Collie says. “Unfortunately, it seems more and more every
day that our criminals are becoming more brazen and just daylight stuff,
breaking into the cars, and just stealing from people or vehicles, residences.”Collie says consumers must always take their surroundings into
account, including being careful where they park their vehicles. Keep packages
out of sight, preferably locked in the trunk.

Beware while Christmas shopping, thieves are out as well

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

As one abortion initiative petition campaign gets off the ground, the other is still deciding whether to move forward on a tight timeline

Pulling off a successful ballot initiative campaign in Missouri is an undertaking so difficult that one Democratic political consultant compares it to skiing the slalom at the Olympics.&nbsp;

There is a laundry list of deadlines to meet, an army of signature gatherers to hire, a host of legal battles to fight — all with a price tag that can quickly cost millions.&nbsp;

“You’re going downhill at a very fast rate of speed,” said Jack Cardetti, who helped run a number of successful initiative petition campaigns in recent years. “You have to make decisions very quickly. And no matter how well you’re seeing, if you miss a single gate, you’re out, you’re disqualified.”

Two coalitions are hoping to put abortion on the 2024 ballot in Missouri, where virtually all abortions are illegal. The issue has proven to be a big winner on the ballot in numerous states this year, giving supporters hope Missouri will be next.&nbsp;

But both groups face the same question: Is there enough time and money to get their initiatives off the ground?

In mid-November, Jamie Corley, a longtime GOP Congressional staffer, launched a campaign effort for an initiative petition that would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/27/missouri-rape-hotline-reporting-requirement-in-abortion-rights-petition-draws-criticism/">add rape and incest exceptions</a>&nbsp;to Missouri’s abortion ban and legalize the procedure up to 12 weeks.&nbsp;

Volunteers are already in the field collecting signatures, Corley said last week. She plans to start recruiting paid signature gatherers before the end of the year.

The path forward for the other coalition, called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, is less certain. The group filed 11 initiative petitions earlier this year seeking to amend Missouri’s constitution to overturn the state’s abortion ban with limited room for lawmakers to regulate the procedure after viability.

Exactly which organizations are involved in Missourians for Constitutional Freedom is unclear. The only entity publicly connected to the campaign at the moment is the ACLU of Missouri, which represented the coalition in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/17/jay-ashcroft-to-appeal-abortion-ballot-summary-ruling-to-missouri-supreme-court/">court fight with Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft</a>&nbsp;over ballot summaries.

The Missouri ACLU’s deputy director for policy and campaigns, Tori Schafer, said in an emailed statement that the coalition “wants to restore access in a meaningful way, and in order to do that MCF needs to win at the ballot box and have a huge amount of support and resources to do it.”

Just before Thanksgiving,<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-supreme-court-wont-hear-jay-ascrofts-appeal-of-abortion-ballot-summaries/">&nbsp;the coalition won its legal battle with Ashcroft</a>, allowing it to move ahead with signature gathering — though a decision still hasn’t been made about which of the 11 proposals to move forward. Most would limit lawmakers’ ability to regulate the procedure after viability.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Any campaign that would move forward is left to contend with a myriad of challenges, including a severely constricted timeline,” said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, formerly known as Pro Choice Missouri. “At the same time there is incredible opportunity and there’s hope here because we continue to see abortion rights and access remain a top priority for voters across the country.”

Schwarz, who declined to comment on whether her organization is part of Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, believes an abortion ballot measure that provides “true abortion access” would be the most expensive initiative petition campaign Missouri has ever seen.&nbsp;

“I am hopeful that something moves forward,” Schwarz said. “In all the years that I’ve been working as an abortion rights advocate, I’ve never seen the level of enthusiasm and anger and commitment to fighting for what Missourians deserve.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701779869323.png" alt="Photo courtesy Abortion Action Missouri" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Abortion Action Missouri</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>As one abortion initiative petition campaign gets off the ground, the other is still deciding whether to move forward on a tight timeline</h2>Pulling off a successful ballot initiative campaign in Missouri is an undertaking so difficult that one Democratic political consultant compares it to skiing the slalom at the Olympics.&nbsp;There is a laundry list of deadlines to meet, an army of signature gatherers to hire, a host of legal battles to fight — all with a price tag that can quickly cost millions.&nbsp;“You’re going downhill at a very fast rate of speed,” said Jack Cardetti, who helped run a number of successful initiative petition campaigns in recent years. “You have to make decisions very quickly. And no matter how well you’re seeing, if you miss a single gate, you’re out, you’re disqualified.”Two coalitions are hoping to put abortion on the 2024 ballot in Missouri, where virtually all abortions are illegal. The issue has proven to be a big winner on the ballot in numerous states this year, giving supporters hope Missouri will be next.&nbsp;But both groups face the same question: Is there enough time and money to get their initiatives off the ground?<h2>The initiative petitions</h2>In mid-November, Jamie Corley, a longtime GOP Congressional staffer, launched a campaign effort for an initiative petition that would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/27/missouri-rape-hotline-reporting-requirement-in-abortion-rights-petition-draws-criticism/">add rape and incest exceptions</a>&nbsp;to Missouri’s abortion ban and legalize the procedure up to 12 weeks.&nbsp;Volunteers are already in the field collecting signatures, Corley said last week. She plans to start recruiting paid signature gatherers before the end of the year.The path forward for the other coalition, called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, is less certain. The group filed 11 initiative petitions earlier this year seeking to amend Missouri’s constitution to overturn the state’s abortion ban with limited room for lawmakers to regulate the procedure after viability.Exactly which organizations are involved in Missourians for Constitutional Freedom is unclear. The only entity publicly connected to the campaign at the moment is the ACLU of Missouri, which represented the coalition in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/17/jay-ashcroft-to-appeal-abortion-ballot-summary-ruling-to-missouri-supreme-court/">court fight with Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft</a>&nbsp;over ballot summaries.The Missouri ACLU’s deputy director for policy and campaigns, Tori Schafer, said in an emailed statement that the coalition “wants to restore access in a meaningful way, and in order to do that MCF needs to win at the ballot box and have a huge amount of support and resources to do it.”Just before Thanksgiving,<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-supreme-court-wont-hear-jay-ascrofts-appeal-of-abortion-ballot-summaries/">&nbsp;the coalition won its legal battle with Ashcroft</a>, allowing it to move ahead with signature gathering — though a decision still hasn’t been made about which of the 11 proposals to move forward. Most would limit lawmakers’ ability to regulate the procedure after viability.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Any campaign that would move forward is left to contend with a myriad of challenges, including a severely constricted timeline,” said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, formerly known as Pro Choice Missouri. “At the same time there is incredible opportunity and there’s hope here because we continue to see abortion rights and access remain a top priority for voters across the country.”Schwarz, who declined to comment on whether her organization is part of Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, believes an abortion ballot measure that provides “true abortion access” would be the most expensive initiative petition campaign Missouri has ever seen.&nbsp;“I am hopeful that something moves forward,” Schwarz said. “In all the years that I’ve been working as an abortion rights advocate, I’ve never seen the level of enthusiasm and anger and commitment to fighting for what Missourians deserve.”<h2>The ‘torturous’ initiative petition process</h2>Since the pandemic, the only initiative petition to successfully land on the ballot was marijuana legalization, Cardetti said. In that time, hundreds of other attempts to amend the constitution failed to get off the ground.Missouri law requires petitioners&nbsp;hoping to amend the state constitution through the statewide ballot to&nbsp;collect more than 171,000 signatures from registered Missouri voters by May, but Cardetti said realistically, campaigns should be gathering at least 130,000 more to compensate for signatures that ultimately won’t be valid.&nbsp;He said this “daunting task” also requires that signatures be collected in six of Missouri’s eight congressional districts, an endeavor he said typically costs several million dollars.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the past five years, Cardetti has worked on three successful ballot initiatives in Missouri, including Medicaid expansion and marijuana legalization. He said the time and cost of getting signatures is mammoth.&nbsp;Cardetti is not involved with any of the abortion initiative petitions.&nbsp;“Even if you have enough voters out there willing to sign the petition to get it on the ballot, you have to physically have people out there collecting those signatures each and every day, seven days a week,” Cardetti said.John Hancock, a longtime Republican consultant and former state lawmaker, points to a labor shortage since the pandemic and the increasing costs of recruiting paid signature gatherers as a major hurdle for any initiative petition campaign. He is not involved in the abortion initiative petitions.“It’s just become a more torturous process,” Hancock said.&nbsp;<h2>The cost of a successful campaign</h2>Last year in Michigan, an abortion-rights coalition&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/michigan-headlines-night-state-abortion-rights-victories-2022-11-09/">spent more than $30 million&nbsp;</a>on a&nbsp;ballot initiative campaign that voters ultimately backed.&nbsp;This year in Ohio, in October alone, nearly $29 million was donated to the campaign supporting a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in that state’s constitution. The measure ultimately won.Cardetti said high dollar donations can be a sign of success as a campaign progresses.&nbsp;Corley’s PAC, called the&nbsp;Missouri Women and Family Research Fund, won’t file its first quarterly report with the state ethics commission until January and has yet to report any large donations that would need to be immediately disclosed.While Missourians for Constitutional Freedom has not officially launched a campaign yet, so far it has raised just shy of $13,500 – mostly from in-kind donations from the ACLU of Missouri to cover the costs of legal representation.&nbsp;As of Oct. 1, the group reported having only $28 cash on hand and has reported no large donations since.Cardetti doesn’t recommend waiting much past January to get a campaign off the ground, especially one that requires significant financial backing.The PAC supporting recreational marijuana legalization in 2022 launched in January and only had five months to collect signatures, Cardetti said, but it went into the campaign with a warchest of more than $1.1 million.&nbsp;In total, the cannabis legalization effort cost more than $9.7 million.“If you don’t see those type of contributions coming in, or those types of expenditures going out, it’s a pretty good indication that it’s not an effort that’s going to be successful,” he said.&nbsp;Better Elections, which sought to place a ranked-choice voting initiative on the 2022 ballot, fell short of the total signatures needed despite raising millions of dollars.&nbsp;In January 2022, Better Elections had nearly $930,000 cash on hand and had raised $2.4 million. By May, the group raised $6.8 million.Another initiative petition seeking to make the 2024 ballot is the Jobs with Justice Ballot Fund. As of its October quarterly report, the group had $16,500 cash on hand to support an initiative that would increase minimum wage and require employers offer paid sick leave.&nbsp;Since the October quarterly report, the PAC set up to support the minimum wage and paid sick leave initiative — called Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages — has raised more than $500,000 in large contributions. That includes $41,000 from Abortion Action Missouri.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood has not taken a public position on any of the abortion initiative petitions, but continues to advocate for “meaningful access.”Vanessa Wellbery, vice president of policy and advocacy at Advocates of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region and Southwest Missouri, said they are still&nbsp;considering what investment and tactics would help build legal and unimpeded access to abortion, which she said will be a costly endeavor.&nbsp;“We are prepared, even if it takes many years, to hold those anti-abortion extremists accountable to the harm that they have done to Missourians,” Wellbery said. “Particularly the folks who face the most barriers to care and who are the most marginalized.”Cardetti said if both coalitions are ultimately successful in getting abortion on the ballot next year, it could be “less than ideal” for the campaigns, “but it’s not fatal.”“What you worry about though, is there’s some confusion and voters just sort of throw up their hands and say, ‘I don’t know. Let’s just vote both of these down and they’ll come back with a better one,’” he said. “That’s the situation you want to avoid.”

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