TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced that the total tax collections were $1.02 billion in September. That is $8.0 million, or 0.8% above the estimate. Total tax collections are up 3.2% from September 2023, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenut.

Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2024%2F10%2F01%2Ffile_attachments%2F3016895%2F03_September_Revenue_FY2025_10-01-2024_Final.pdf/1/0101019249775fc7-04f2c43f-514f-4982-8464-98bba9484b91-000000/VVCbbl6wgzuSwnGj9y3QorhKV_OBfy6viqBJwBy7_Jg=373">here</a>&nbsp;to view the September 2024 revenue numbers.

“While total revenues align with our monthly estimates, we remain committed to being fiscally responsible to continue to build on the work we’ve done to restore the state’s fiscal health while providing tax relief,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.

Individual income tax collections were $468.1 million, which is $68.1 million or 17.0% above the estimate and up 19.8% from September 2023. Corporate income tax collections were $228.1 million, which is $61.9 million, or 21.4%, below the estimate and down 12.8% from September 2023.

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $296.4 million, which is $4.4 million, or 1.5% above the estimate, but down $8.7 million, or 2.8%, from September 2023.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced that the total tax collections were $1.02 billion in September. That is $8.0 million, or 0.8% above the estimate. Total tax collections are up 3.2% from September 2023, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenut.Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2024%2F10%2F01%2Ffile_attachments%2F3016895%2F03_September_Revenue_FY2025_10-01-2024_Final.pdf/1/0101019249775fc7-04f2c43f-514f-4982-8464-98bba9484b91-000000/VVCbbl6wgzuSwnGj9y3QorhKV_OBfy6viqBJwBy7_Jg=373">here</a>&nbsp;to view the September 2024 revenue numbers.“While total revenues align with our monthly estimates, we remain committed to being fiscally responsible to continue to build on the work we’ve done to restore the state’s fiscal health while providing tax relief,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.Individual income tax collections were $468.1 million, which is $68.1 million or 17.0% above the estimate and up 19.8% from September 2023. Corporate income tax collections were $228.1 million, which is $61.9 million, or 21.4%, below the estimate and down 12.8% from September 2023.Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $296.4 million, which is $4.4 million, or 1.5% above the estimate, but down $8.7 million, or 2.8%, from September 2023.

Kansas total tax collections up from September 2023

WILSON COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Neodesha Police Department, and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office positively identified the man whose skeletal remains were found in rural Wilson County, and have made an arrest connected to the case, according to a media release from the KBI.

The victim was identified as Levi Ellis, 39, of Neodesha. An autopsy was conducted on his remains.

KBI agents, with assistance from officers with the Neodesha Police Department, developed a suspect in the case. An arrest warrant was issued for first-degree murder connected to the death of Ellis.

Just after 1 p.m. Tuesday, officers from the Broken Arrow Police Department in Oklahoma arrested Joseph D. Ferraro, 56, of Neodesha, at the Clarion Hotel at 2600 N. Aspen Ave. in Broken Arrow.

He was booked into the Tulsa County Jail in Tulsa. Extradition will be pursued. The investigation is ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727820537934.png" alt="Ferraro photo Tulsa County" />
 <figcaption>Ferraro photo Tulsa County</figcaption>
 </figure>WILSON COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Neodesha Police Department, and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office positively identified the man whose skeletal remains were found in rural Wilson County, and have made an arrest connected to the case, according to a media release from the KBI.The victim was identified as Levi Ellis, 39, of Neodesha. An autopsy was conducted on his remains.KBI agents, with assistance from officers with the Neodesha Police Department, developed a suspect in the case. An arrest warrant was issued for first-degree murder connected to the death of Ellis.Just after 1 p.m. Tuesday, officers from the Broken Arrow Police Department in Oklahoma arrested Joseph D. Ferraro, 56, of Neodesha, at the Clarion Hotel at 2600 N. Aspen Ave. in Broken Arrow.He was booked into the Tulsa County Jail in Tulsa. Extradition will be pursued. The investigation is ongoing.

Police ID remains found in Kan., arrest murder suspect at hotel

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas plans to continue to waive child care licensing fees for another year by tapping into federal pandemic relief aid.

Gov. Laura Kelly announced Monday the state would cover the cost of licensing, background checks, fingerprinting fees and licensing renewals through 2025, or until funds are exhausted. The state has covered initial and renewal licensing fees since 2021.

“I’m committed to expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care opportunities for Kansas children and families,” Kelly said in a news release. “These funds allow for continued support for child care providers by removing financial barriers.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/374/Types-of-Licensed-Care" target="_blank">license for a child care facility</a>&nbsp;costs $75, plus $1 for each child the facility has the capacity to serve. Grace Hoge, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the Kansas Bureau of Investigation charges $57 for a background check and fingerprint.

The state has used discretionary funding through the federal Child Care Development Fund to cover the cost of fees. To extend the waiver of fees, the state will use funding from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief program.&nbsp; The funding will be administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which is responsible for child care licensing, and the Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, an organization created by the Legislature in 1999 to oversee expenditures from the tobacco settlement to improve the health of Kansas kids.

“This additional funding, and Governor Kelly’s commitment to directing it to child care licensing, will go a long way in allowing potential and current child care providers to continue the important work of creating and sustaining quality child care options for Kansas families,” said KDHE secretary Janet Stanek in a news release.

Child care providers will still have to pay fees from local governments.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727812291128.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly answers reporters questions about the upcoming special session after a June 17, 2024, event at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly answers reporters questions about the upcoming special session after a June 17, 2024, event at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas plans to continue to waive child care licensing fees for another year by tapping into federal pandemic relief aid.Gov. Laura Kelly announced Monday the state would cover the cost of licensing, background checks, fingerprinting fees and licensing renewals through 2025, or until funds are exhausted. The state has covered initial and renewal licensing fees since 2021.“I’m committed to expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care opportunities for Kansas children and families,” Kelly said in a news release. “These funds allow for continued support for child care providers by removing financial barriers.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/374/Types-of-Licensed-Care" target="_blank">license for a child care facility</a>&nbsp;costs $75, plus $1 for each child the facility has the capacity to serve. Grace Hoge, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the Kansas Bureau of Investigation charges $57 for a background check and fingerprint.The state has used discretionary funding through the federal Child Care Development Fund to cover the cost of fees. To extend the waiver of fees, the state will use funding from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief program.&nbsp; The funding will be administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which is responsible for child care licensing, and the Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, an organization created by the Legislature in 1999 to oversee expenditures from the tobacco settlement to improve the health of Kansas kids.“This additional funding, and Governor Kelly’s commitment to directing it to child care licensing, will go a long way in allowing potential and current child care providers to continue the important work of creating and sustaining quality child care options for Kansas families,” said KDHE secretary Janet Stanek in a news release.Child care providers will still have to pay fees from local governments.

Kansas to waive child care licensing fees through 2025

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marymccuebell/">MARY MCCUE BELL</a>

WASHINGTON — Through 26 years as a legislator, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer traveled back and forth from work to be with his family in St. Elizabeth.

Luetkemeyer has another agenda for this fall’s election season&nbsp;<a href="https://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401023" target="_blank">rather than campaigning</a>: spending time on a small family farm in the Ozark foothills.

His seven grandchildren, aged from 2 to 17, were never old enough to cast a vote while Luetkemeyer was in Congress, but they will learn about his official activities with time.

“I want them to know that grandpa made a difference,” Luetkemeyer said.

The 72-year-old congressman, who usually arrives on Capitol Hill in the early morning during session weeks, said he plans to sleep in a little later and address the general upkeep of his quiet farm, leaving behind the pressures of solving national banking issues and addressing threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party.

He’s stepping away from power, prestige and decades of service on the national stage — and he’s doing it at a time when he was considered a front-runner to be elevated to an even more prominent position in Congress.

Since he was first elected to Congress in 2009, Luetkemeyer has helped pass legislation to preserve community banks and has chaired a powerful financial subcommittee, dealing with issues such as bank regulation.

He is among 45 of the 435 House members who have announced they are not seeking re-election in 2024, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_U.S._Congress_incumbents_who_are_not_running_for_re-election_in_2024" target="_blank">Ballotpedia</a>.

He’s represented Missourians in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/member/district/blaine-luetkemeyer/L000569" target="_blank">sprawling district</a>&nbsp;that stretches from St. Louis to the Lake of the Ozarks to Boonville. His district’s border includes part of Columbia: practically everything south of Broadway.

Sitting in front of his desk adorned with family photos and mementos in the Rayburn House Office Building this summer, Luetkemeyer told the Missourian that he intends to step out of the political ring completely; he has no lobbying aspirations.

“I’ve been a public servant for the last 26 years. I’ve done my time. I participated and represented folks,” Luetkemeyer said. “So I think it’s time for me to step back and be somebody who’s supportive of somebody else who wants to take that job.”

Luetkemeyer said it’s his belief that he hails from the smallest town of anyone in Congress: St. Elizabeth, located 30 miles south of Jefferson City with a population of 341, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://stelizabethmo.org/" target="_blank">town website</a>. While this presented a distinctive set of challenges during his time in Congress, an old-fashioned mix of hard work and determination overcame them.

But before Luetkemeyer nestles into retirement, he has to finish up his committee work.

He serves on the House Financial Services Committee, bringing his&nbsp;prior&nbsp;experience as a bank examiner for the state of Missouri and a loan officer and vice president at the Bank of St. Elizabeth, a family institution founded by his great-grandfather.

The announcement of his retirement in January was somewhat of a surprise,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2024-01-04/missouri-congressman-blaine-luetkemeyer-wont-run-for-reelection-in-2024" target="_blank">St. Louis Public Radio reported</a>, because Luetkemeyer was seen as a leading candidate to&nbsp;<a href="https://rollcall.com/2023/12/12/luetkemeyer-hill-favorites-for-top-financial-services-republican" target="_blank">succeed Rep. Patrick McHenry</a>, R-North Carolina, in the next Congress as the top Republican on the committee. Being home with family and retirement trumped that, Luetkemeyer said.

Reuters once called Luetkemeyer “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-luetkemeyer/elections-could-put-wall-streets-favorite-lawmaker-in-top-finance-role-idUSKCN1N4160" target="_blank">Wall Street’s favorite congressman</a>,” describing him as responsive to bankers’ complaints that excessive regulation was hurting the economy.

McHenry dubbed him “the champion for community banks.” He credits this title to Luetkemeyer’s time in multiple leadership roles in the House Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance and International Financial Institutions.

Ranking subcommittee member U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio, described Luetkemeyer as a “dedicated public servant and scholar in Financial Services.”

“I enjoyed his steadfast leadership as chairman, and it was a pleasure working with him to advance bipartisan legislation and engage in meaningful discussions that have shaped our financial landscape,” Beatty said.

The vice chairwoman of the subcommittee, Rep. Young Kim, R-California, said that as chairman, Luetkemeyer would organize roundtable discussions that served as prep sessions before the committee hearing for members to understand the key issues and witnesses better. This type of leadership was important for Kim and her colleagues to comprehend the intricacy of the topic at hand, she said.

Kim said that when Luetkemeyer gets passionate, “he will always bang the table to really make a point.”

Luetkemeyer, who Kim thinks of as a “national security policy hawk,” is also on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. In the past year, this committee has examined China’s role in the fentanyl crisis and its cyber threats to U.S. national security.

Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan, the committee chairman, told the Missourian that he appreciated Luetkemeyer’s passion and leadership, adding that he will “serve as an example to others long after his retirement.”

Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, chairman of the House Committee on Small Businesses, praised the expertise and experience Luetkemeyer brings as a member of that committee. Williams, who called Luetkemeyer one of his best friends in Congress, said his committees will be missing a “real business owner” and banker who “represented the people.”

The Center for Effective Lawmaking, a partnership between the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University that ranks policymakers, gave Luetkemeyer an&nbsp;<a href="https://thelawmakers.org/find-representatives" target="_blank">overall rating</a>&nbsp;for the last session of Congress that shows he is “exceeding expectations,” Craig Volden, the group’s co-director, said. The organization gave Luetkemeyer high marks in the area of banking and commerce that indicate he is “producing legislation and moving it forward at the rates equivalent of if he were actually 10 members of Congress.”

Some of the legislation Luetkemeyer was involved in included the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3244#:~:text=Stop" target="_blank">Stop Fentanyl Money Laundering Act of 2023</a>&nbsp;to combat fentanyl trafficking; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4136" target="_blank">Water Resources Development Act of 2022</a>&nbsp;concerning water resources for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1799#:~:text=/30/2021)-,PPP" target="_blank">Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Extension Act of 2021</a>&nbsp;to aid small businesses in response to COVID-19; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/3700" target="_blank">Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016</a>, which was the first rule bill to pass unanimously in both the House and Senate in 25 years, according to his office; and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1457?q={" target="_blank">William Shemin Jewish World War I Veterans Act</a>&nbsp;to review awarding the Medal of Honor to Jewish-American World War I veterans.

When Congress is in session, Luetkemeyer said that he travels back and forth each week from the Capitol to St. Elizabeth to be with his family and stay “grounded” with his constituents. He said he enjoys the work his office does helping constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy; if he can go home at night knowing that he helped a constituent that day, “that’s a good feeling.”

“I always tell people I’m just a liaison between you and your government,” Luetkemeyer said. “It’s not my government; it’s your government.”

Garrett Hawkins, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, an organization that has previously endorsed Luetkemeyer, said that he appreciates how the congressman is “not always looking to make the news.” He praised Luetkemeyer’s work on issues that affect farmers, small businesses and rural communities, such as advocating for flood control and navigation on the rivers.

Learning of the congressman’s departure was a “bittersweet feeling,” Hawkins said.

“I’m hoping that Blaine (and) his family get a chance to catch their breath,” Hawkins said. “He really has served with distinction. He’s worked hard, and he certainly deserves this retirement.”

While in office, Luetkemeyer said he often missed barbecues and birthdays with friends and family due to his commitments in Washington, D.C. Now, he’s eagerly anticipating the chance to enjoy uninterrupted family dinners.

“(Family) is a big part of my life, and I want to make it an even bigger part of it,” Luetkemeyer said.

In the race to fill his seat in Congress, Luetkemeyer had endorsed Kurt Schaefer, a lobbyist and former two-term state senator from Columbia. But Schaefer was defeated in the Aug. 6 Republican primary by former state Sen. Bob Onder of Lake St. Louis, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Bethany Mann, whom Luetkemeyer defeated in 2022, advanced from the Democratic primary as did Jordan Rowden of the Libertarian Party.

The general election is Nov. 5, when Luetkemeyer plans to keep up with the election stats while back home in St. Elizabeth after over two and a half decades as a public servant.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/missouri-congressional/its-time-for-me-to-step-back-blaine-luetkemeyer-looks-to-retirement/article_bc5c0c60-706e-11ef-810c-6bf99c3a271e.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727809887166.png" alt="Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marymccuebell/">MARY MCCUE BELL</a>WASHINGTON — Through 26 years as a legislator, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer traveled back and forth from work to be with his family in St. Elizabeth.Luetkemeyer has another agenda for this fall’s election season&nbsp;<a href="https://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401023" target="_blank">rather than campaigning</a>: spending time on a small family farm in the Ozark foothills.His seven grandchildren, aged from 2 to 17, were never old enough to cast a vote while Luetkemeyer was in Congress, but they will learn about his official activities with time.“I want them to know that grandpa made a difference,” Luetkemeyer said.The 72-year-old congressman, who usually arrives on Capitol Hill in the early morning during session weeks, said he plans to sleep in a little later and address the general upkeep of his quiet farm, leaving behind the pressures of solving national banking issues and addressing threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party.He’s stepping away from power, prestige and decades of service on the national stage — and he’s doing it at a time when he was considered a front-runner to be elevated to an even more prominent position in Congress.Since he was first elected to Congress in 2009, Luetkemeyer has helped pass legislation to preserve community banks and has chaired a powerful financial subcommittee, dealing with issues such as bank regulation.He is among 45 of the 435 House members who have announced they are not seeking re-election in 2024, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_U.S._Congress_incumbents_who_are_not_running_for_re-election_in_2024" target="_blank">Ballotpedia</a>.He’s represented Missourians in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/member/district/blaine-luetkemeyer/L000569" target="_blank">sprawling district</a>&nbsp;that stretches from St. Louis to the Lake of the Ozarks to Boonville. His district’s border includes part of Columbia: practically everything south of Broadway.Sitting in front of his desk adorned with family photos and mementos in the Rayburn House Office Building this summer, Luetkemeyer told the Missourian that he intends to step out of the political ring completely; he has no lobbying aspirations.“I’ve been a public servant for the last 26 years. I’ve done my time. I participated and represented folks,” Luetkemeyer said. “So I think it’s time for me to step back and be somebody who’s supportive of somebody else who wants to take that job.”Luetkemeyer said it’s his belief that he hails from the smallest town of anyone in Congress: St. Elizabeth, located 30 miles south of Jefferson City with a population of 341, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://stelizabethmo.org/" target="_blank">town website</a>. While this presented a distinctive set of challenges during his time in Congress, an old-fashioned mix of hard work and determination overcame them.But before Luetkemeyer nestles into retirement, he has to finish up his committee work.He serves on the House Financial Services Committee, bringing his&nbsp;prior&nbsp;experience as a bank examiner for the state of Missouri and a loan officer and vice president at the Bank of St. Elizabeth, a family institution founded by his great-grandfather.The announcement of his retirement in January was somewhat of a surprise,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2024-01-04/missouri-congressman-blaine-luetkemeyer-wont-run-for-reelection-in-2024" target="_blank">St. Louis Public Radio reported</a>, because Luetkemeyer was seen as a leading candidate to&nbsp;<a href="https://rollcall.com/2023/12/12/luetkemeyer-hill-favorites-for-top-financial-services-republican" target="_blank">succeed Rep. Patrick McHenry</a>, R-North Carolina, in the next Congress as the top Republican on the committee. Being home with family and retirement trumped that, Luetkemeyer said.Reuters once called Luetkemeyer “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-luetkemeyer/elections-could-put-wall-streets-favorite-lawmaker-in-top-finance-role-idUSKCN1N4160" target="_blank">Wall Street’s favorite congressman</a>,” describing him as responsive to bankers’ complaints that excessive regulation was hurting the economy.McHenry dubbed him “the champion for community banks.” He credits this title to Luetkemeyer’s time in multiple leadership roles in the House Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance and International Financial Institutions.Ranking subcommittee member U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat from Ohio, described Luetkemeyer as a “dedicated public servant and scholar in Financial Services.”“I enjoyed his steadfast leadership as chairman, and it was a pleasure working with him to advance bipartisan legislation and engage in meaningful discussions that have shaped our financial landscape,” Beatty said.The vice chairwoman of the subcommittee, Rep. Young Kim, R-California, said that as chairman, Luetkemeyer would organize roundtable discussions that served as prep sessions before the committee hearing for members to understand the key issues and witnesses better. This type of leadership was important for Kim and her colleagues to comprehend the intricacy of the topic at hand, she said.Kim said that when Luetkemeyer gets passionate, “he will always bang the table to really make a point.”Luetkemeyer, who Kim thinks of as a “national security policy hawk,” is also on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. In the past year, this committee has examined China’s role in the fentanyl crisis and its cyber threats to U.S. national security.Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan, the committee chairman, told the Missourian that he appreciated Luetkemeyer’s passion and leadership, adding that he will “serve as an example to others long after his retirement.”Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, chairman of the House Committee on Small Businesses, praised the expertise and experience Luetkemeyer brings as a member of that committee. Williams, who called Luetkemeyer one of his best friends in Congress, said his committees will be missing a “real business owner” and banker who “represented the people.”The Center for Effective Lawmaking, a partnership between the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University that ranks policymakers, gave Luetkemeyer an&nbsp;<a href="https://thelawmakers.org/find-representatives" target="_blank">overall rating</a>&nbsp;for the last session of Congress that shows he is “exceeding expectations,” Craig Volden, the group’s co-director, said. The organization gave Luetkemeyer high marks in the area of banking and commerce that indicate he is “producing legislation and moving it forward at the rates equivalent of if he were actually 10 members of Congress.”Some of the legislation Luetkemeyer was involved in included the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3244#:~:text=Stop" target="_blank">Stop Fentanyl Money Laundering Act of 2023</a>&nbsp;to combat fentanyl trafficking; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/4136" target="_blank">Water Resources Development Act of 2022</a>&nbsp;concerning water resources for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1799#:~:text=/30/2021)-,PPP" target="_blank">Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Extension Act of 2021</a>&nbsp;to aid small businesses in response to COVID-19; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/3700" target="_blank">Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016</a>, which was the first rule bill to pass unanimously in both the House and Senate in 25 years, according to his office; and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1457?q={" target="_blank">William Shemin Jewish World War I Veterans Act</a>&nbsp;to review awarding the Medal of Honor to Jewish-American World War I veterans.When Congress is in session, Luetkemeyer said that he travels back and forth each week from the Capitol to St. Elizabeth to be with his family and stay “grounded” with his constituents. He said he enjoys the work his office does helping constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy; if he can go home at night knowing that he helped a constituent that day, “that’s a good feeling.”“I always tell people I’m just a liaison between you and your government,” Luetkemeyer said. “It’s not my government; it’s your government.”Garrett Hawkins, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, an organization that has previously endorsed Luetkemeyer, said that he appreciates how the congressman is “not always looking to make the news.” He praised Luetkemeyer’s work on issues that affect farmers, small businesses and rural communities, such as advocating for flood control and navigation on the rivers.Learning of the congressman’s departure was a “bittersweet feeling,” Hawkins said.“I’m hoping that Blaine (and) his family get a chance to catch their breath,” Hawkins said. “He really has served with distinction. He’s worked hard, and he certainly deserves this retirement.”While in office, Luetkemeyer said he often missed barbecues and birthdays with friends and family due to his commitments in Washington, D.C. Now, he’s eagerly anticipating the chance to enjoy uninterrupted family dinners.“(Family) is a big part of my life, and I want to make it an even bigger part of it,” Luetkemeyer said.In the race to fill his seat in Congress, Luetkemeyer had endorsed Kurt Schaefer, a lobbyist and former two-term state senator from Columbia. But Schaefer was defeated in the Aug. 6 Republican primary by former state Sen. Bob Onder of Lake St. Louis, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.Bethany Mann, whom Luetkemeyer defeated in 2022, advanced from the Democratic primary as did Jordan Rowden of the Libertarian Party.The general election is Nov. 5, when Luetkemeyer plans to keep up with the election stats while back home in St. Elizabeth after over two and a half decades as a public servant.This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/missouri-congressional/its-time-for-me-to-step-back-blaine-luetkemeyer-looks-to-retirement/article_bc5c0c60-706e-11ef-810c-6bf99c3a271e.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

‘It’s time for me to step back’: Missouri’s Blaine Luetkemeyer looks to retirement from Congress

JOHNSON COUNTY— Law enforcement with help from the public made a burglary arrest.

Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, a caller to&nbsp;reported to police an auto burglary in progress near Maurer Road and West 65th Street in the city of Shawnee, according to a social media report from police.

 Officers quickly arrived and found two suspects wearing masks. Officers established a perimeter and arrested one suspect near the scene. He was in possession of a credit card from a previous auto burglary. Officers later identified the second suspect. Police thanked the observant caller for quickly contacting the Shawnee Police Department and preventing additional auto burglaries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727709838524.png" alt="Photo Shawnee Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Shawnee Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY— Law enforcement with help from the public made a burglary arrest.Just before 2:30a.m. Sunday, a caller to&nbsp;reported to police an auto burglary in progress near Maurer Road and West 65th Street in the city of Shawnee, according to a social media report from police. Officers quickly arrived and found two suspects wearing masks. Officers established a perimeter and arrested one suspect near the scene. He was in possession of a credit card from a previous auto burglary. Officers later identified the second suspect. Police thanked the observant caller for quickly contacting the Shawnee Police Department and preventing additional auto burglaries.

Caller helps police catch Kansas car burglary suspect

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) released&nbsp; video Tuesday showing a routine interception of Two Russian Tu-95MS “Bear” Strategic Bombers by U.S. Air Force F16 Fighters on September 23.

The Russian aircraft had entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). During the encounter, the Su-35 that was escorting the Russian Bombers, began behaving eratically and nearly collided with one of the F-16s.

“The NORAD aircraft flew a safe and disciplined intercept of Russian Military Aircraft in the Alaska ADIZ.  The conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all – not what you’d see in a professional air force," according to General Gregory Guillot,&nbsp;commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) released&nbsp; video Tuesday showing a routine interception of Two Russian Tu-95MS “Bear” Strategic Bombers by U.S. Air Force F16 Fighters on September 23.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">“On Sept 23, 2024, NORAD aircraft flew a safe and disciplined intercept of Russian Military Aircraft in the Alaska ADIZ. The conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all – not what you’d see in a professional air force.” – Gen. Gregory Guillot <a href="https://t.co/gXZj3Ndkag">pic.twitter.com/gXZj3Ndkag</a>&mdash; North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) <a href="https://twitter.com/NORADCommand/status/1840776113846468898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Russian aircraft had entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). During the encounter, the Su-35 that was escorting the Russian Bombers, began behaving eratically and nearly collided with one of the F-16s.“The NORAD aircraft flew a safe and disciplined intercept of Russian Military Aircraft in the Alaska ADIZ. The conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all – not what you’d see in a professional air force," according to General Gregory Guillot,&nbsp;commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command.

🎥Russian jet comes within 50 feet of US fighter off coast of Alaska

KU professor says Walz, Vance to target swing-state, middle-class voters

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

LAWRENCE — The debate between vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance on Tuesday could offer an unusually consequential blend of policy provocation, personal attack and rhetorical flair given the tight presidential race with a month left in the campaign.

Robert Rowland, a University of Kansas professor of communication studies who has written extensively about political messaging, said during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast that Vance and Walz would be assigned similar tasks of avoiding a humiliating stumble and making people a bit more comfortable with them in the No. 2 spot on the Republican and Democratic tickets.

“I do think it means this debate is important,” said Rowland, sitting in a KU office populated with political memorabilia of George H.W. Bush, Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. “I think the potential for a gaffe is important.”

At the same time, he said, the vice presidential nominees were certain to lock onto talking points of the GOP’s Donald Trump, who won the presidential election in 2016 and lost in 2020, and Democrat Kamala Harris, the vice president and part of the team with President Joe Biden that dethroned Trump.

Rowland said a special assignment for Vance would be to humanize himself for voters who might be uncertain whether he cared about Americans broadly rather than exclusively the MAGA base.

“Vance is fulfilling a role often played by vice presidential candidates — attack dog carrying the nationalist populist message of Donald Trump. The focus of his campaign has been on activating core Trump supporters,” Rowland said.

Vance, a first-term Republican U.S. senator from Ohio and the author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” might be able to do that by focusing on the economy and high consumer pricing that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rowland also said Vance could drill into U.S. election integrity and concerns about undocumented immigration, despite Trump’s demand that Republicans derail a bipartisan federal legislation that would have dealt with elements of border security.

Rowland said Walz, as a two-term governor of Minnesota, former member of the U.S. House and one-time teacher and football coach, would most certainly track Harris’ agenda on abortion rights, health care, taxation, and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. The objective would be for Walz to address those issues in a manner easily consumed by rural, male Midwestern voters, Rowland said.

“In a way, both Vance and Walz present a vision of the paternal — of what a father might look like,” Rowland said. “But Vance comes across as a very judgmental thou-shalt-not father. Walz comes across as the kind of loving, goofy dad. It’ll be a battle between those persons.”

Rowland said Vance should be careful not to insult potential voters, including women generally, while espousing conservative political ideals. Vance ought to leave backstage his critique of “childless cat ladies” because there was nothing to be gained by attacking Taylor Swift and millions of her fans, he said.

Walz would help himself by avoiding comments that portrayed himself as a radical liberal. Walz should avoid the temptation to get too far into the policy weeds on issues, Rowland said.

“Walz is broadening the message,” he said. “It’s obviously an appeal to rural voters and an appeal to the working class. Walz made a point of saying that he and none of his friends went to Yale — a jab at Vance.”

Rowland said Vance could deal with anti-Trump statements he made in the past by confessing to having had “bad information” and that his appreciation for the former president had grown over the years. It likely wouldn’t be fruitful for Walz to delve into Trump’s ongoing criminal and civil legal problems because that information has already been baked into the minds of voters, Rowland said.

Rowland anticipated fact-checkers would remain busy during the debate — a job made increasingly problematic by erosion of “shared facts” in the United States.

Rowland said the vice presidential candidates would appreciate the elevated potential of the debate in New York City at 8 p.m. Tuesday on CBS. They would be expected to shape remarks to make the most of an opportunity to influence undecided voters in swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina.

To this point in the campaign, Rowland said, Vance’s mission was narrow and concentrated on exciting the most fervent MAGA Republicans. The shift toward a wider message could be tricky, Rowland said.

“He’s not been chosen as an outreach candidate. Often candidates are chosen to broaden the appeal of the president. In 2016, (Trump running mate) Mike Pence was the nominee because he was an appeal to evangelicals who had questions about Donald Trump’s morality. Vance, on the other hand, is even more MAGA in some ways that Donald Trump is, but lacking his charisma,” he said.

Rowland said Vance had underperformed expectations as the running mate for Trump, while Walz exceeded what Harris assumed he brought to the table.

“Governor Walz has been perhaps the most effective spokesperson for the message&nbsp;of&nbsp;the Kamala Harris campaign — that Trump, Vance and other MAGA Republicans are weird,” Rowland said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727787044066.png" alt=" Robert Rowland, a University of Kansas professor of communication studies, says Tuesday’s vice presidential debate between Republican J.D. Vance and Democrat Tim Walz carries elevated importance given the extremely close presidential campaign between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Robert Rowland, a University of Kansas professor of communication studies, says Tuesday’s vice presidential debate between Republican J.D. Vance and Democrat Tim Walz carries elevated importance given the extremely close presidential campaign between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>KU professor says Walz, Vance to target swing-state, middle-class voters</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — The debate between vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance on Tuesday could offer an unusually consequential blend of policy provocation, personal attack and rhetorical flair given the tight presidential race with a month left in the campaign.Robert Rowland, a University of Kansas professor of communication studies who has written extensively about political messaging, said during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast that Vance and Walz would be assigned similar tasks of avoiding a humiliating stumble and making people a bit more comfortable with them in the No. 2 spot on the Republican and Democratic tickets.“I do think it means this debate is important,” said Rowland, sitting in a KU office populated with political memorabilia of George H.W. Bush, Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. “I think the potential for a gaffe is important.”At the same time, he said, the vice presidential nominees were certain to lock onto talking points of the GOP’s Donald Trump, who won the presidential election in 2016 and lost in 2020, and Democrat Kamala Harris, the vice president and part of the team with President Joe Biden that dethroned Trump.Rowland said a special assignment for Vance would be to humanize himself for voters who might be uncertain whether he cared about Americans broadly rather than exclusively the MAGA base.“Vance is fulfilling a role often played by vice presidential candidates — attack dog carrying the nationalist populist message of Donald Trump. The focus of his campaign has been on activating core Trump supporters,” Rowland said.Vance, a first-term Republican U.S. senator from Ohio and the author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” might be able to do that by focusing on the economy and high consumer pricing that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.Rowland also said Vance could drill into U.S. election integrity and concerns about undocumented immigration, despite Trump’s demand that Republicans derail a bipartisan federal legislation that would have dealt with elements of border security.Rowland said Walz, as a two-term governor of Minnesota, former member of the U.S. House and one-time teacher and football coach, would most certainly track Harris’ agenda on abortion rights, health care, taxation, and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. The objective would be for Walz to address those issues in a manner easily consumed by rural, male Midwestern voters, Rowland said.“In a way, both Vance and Walz present a vision of the paternal — of what a father might look like,” Rowland said. “But Vance comes across as a very judgmental thou-shalt-not father. Walz comes across as the kind of loving, goofy dad. It’ll be a battle between those persons.”Rowland said Vance should be careful not to insult potential voters, including women generally, while espousing conservative political ideals. Vance ought to leave backstage his critique of “childless cat ladies” because there was nothing to be gained by attacking Taylor Swift and millions of her fans, he said.Walz would help himself by avoiding comments that portrayed himself as a radical liberal. Walz should avoid the temptation to get too far into the policy weeds on issues, Rowland said.“Walz is broadening the message,” he said. “It’s obviously an appeal to rural voters and an appeal to the working class. Walz made a point of saying that he and none of his friends went to Yale — a jab at Vance.”Rowland said Vance could deal with anti-Trump statements he made in the past by confessing to having had “bad information” and that his appreciation for the former president had grown over the years. It likely wouldn’t be fruitful for Walz to delve into Trump’s ongoing criminal and civil legal problems because that information has already been baked into the minds of voters, Rowland said.Rowland anticipated fact-checkers would remain busy during the debate — a job made increasingly problematic by erosion of “shared facts” in the United States.Rowland said the vice presidential candidates would appreciate the elevated potential of the debate in New York City at 8 p.m. Tuesday on CBS. They would be expected to shape remarks to make the most of an opportunity to influence undecided voters in swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina.To this point in the campaign, Rowland said, Vance’s mission was narrow and concentrated on exciting the most fervent MAGA Republicans. The shift toward a wider message could be tricky, Rowland said.“He’s not been chosen as an outreach candidate. Often candidates are chosen to broaden the appeal of the president. In 2016, (Trump running mate) Mike Pence was the nominee because he was an appeal to evangelicals who had questions about Donald Trump’s morality. Vance, on the other hand, is even more MAGA in some ways that Donald Trump is, but lacking his charisma,” he said.Rowland said Vance had underperformed expectations as the running mate for Trump, while Walz exceeded what Harris assumed he brought to the table.“Governor Walz has been perhaps the most effective spokesperson for the message&nbsp;of&nbsp;the Kamala Harris campaign — that Trump, Vance and other MAGA Republicans are weird,” Rowland said.

KU professor: Vice presidential debate in close race elevates potential damage of stage gaffe

KANSAS CITY —Authorities investigating an aggravated assault and Amazon delivery vehicle carjacking have identified the suspect as 47-year-old William Robinson, according to the Clay County Sheriff's office.

Just before 7:30 p.m. Friday, deputies heard a KCPD officer call for assistance over the radio after police had been shot at trying to stop a suspected domestic violence suspect near NE 116th Street and N. Stark Avenue. The suspect later identified as Robinson then ran from the area and carjacked an Amazon delivery van, holding the driver hostage.

Sheriff's deputies joined KCPD in pursuit of the van. After the van traveled onto southbound Interstate 35, the suspect fired at deputies and officers. Fortunately, no one was struck. Liberty Police successfully deployed Stop Sticks, forcing the van to come to a stop just north of Pleasant Valley Road. Robinson ran from the van, while the kidnapped driver exited to safety with deputies.

Deputies and KCPD officers ran after the suspect. A Clay County deputy located the suspect in the 9100 block of NE 73rd Street and took him into custody without incident and turned him over to KCPD, which is investigating the incident.

&nbsp;Robinson is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on a $5 million bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727712290511.png" alt="Photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities investigating an aggravated assault and Amazon delivery vehicle carjacking have identified the suspect as 47-year-old William Robinson, according to the Clay County Sheriff's office.Just before 7:30 p.m. Friday, deputies heard a KCPD officer call for assistance over the radio after police had been shot at trying to stop a suspected domestic violence suspect near NE 116th Street and N. Stark Avenue. The suspect later identified as Robinson then ran from the area and carjacked an Amazon delivery van, holding the driver hostage.Sheriff's deputies joined KCPD in pursuit of the van. After the van traveled onto southbound Interstate 35, the suspect fired at deputies and officers. Fortunately, no one was struck. Liberty Police successfully deployed Stop Sticks, forcing the van to come to a stop just north of Pleasant Valley Road. Robinson ran from the van, while the kidnapped driver exited to safety with deputies.Deputies and KCPD officers ran after the suspect. A Clay County deputy located the suspect in the 9100 block of NE 73rd Street and took him into custody without incident and turned him over to KCPD, which is investigating the incident.&nbsp;Robinson is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on a $5 million bond.

Sheriff IDs suspect who held KC area Amazon delivery driver hostage

PETTIS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Monday in Pettis County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Nissan Rogue driven by Pamela J. Holbrook, 64, Columbia, was southbound on Walnut Grove Road just north of Eckles Road.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The SUV crossed the center line and traveled off the left side. The left rear of the vehicle struck a bridge abutment and came to rest on the drivers side. Holbrook was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Heckart Funeral Home.&nbsp; The MSHP did not have seat belt usage information.

PETTIS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Monday in Pettis County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Nissan Rogue driven by Pamela J. Holbrook, 64, Columbia, was southbound on Walnut Grove Road just north of Eckles Road.&nbsp;&nbsp;The SUV crossed the center line and traveled off the left side. The left rear of the vehicle struck a bridge abutment and came to rest on the drivers side. Holbrook was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Heckart Funeral Home.&nbsp; The MSHP did not have seat belt usage information.

Missouri woman dies after SUV strikes bridge abutment

HOUSTON —The International Longshoremen’s Association shut down all ports from Maine to Texas at 12:01am on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, as tens of thousands of ILA rank-and-file members began setting up picket lines at waterfront facilities up and down the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, according to a media release from the Union.

The ILA rejected United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) final proposal made on Monday, setting the stage for the first ILA coast wide strike in almost 50 years.  The USMX last offer fell far short of what ILA rank-and-file members are demanding in wages and protections against automation.

“USMX brought on this strike when they decided to hold firm to foreign owned Ocean Carriers earning billion-dollar profits at United States ports, but not compensate the American ILA longshore workers who perform the labor that brings them their wealth,” said President Harold Daggett, the leader of the 85,000-member ILA union.

 “We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve.”Even the leaders in Washington who encouraged the ILA and USMX to keep negotiations going up until the September 30th deadline, concluded on Monday that USMX and the greedy foreign companies they represent are only interested in protecting their fat revenues and not taking care of hard-working ILA longshore workers.

The ILA said USMX’s supposed wage increase offer fell far short of the demands of ILA rank-and-file members for them to ratify a new contract.“USMX owns this strike now,” said ILA President Daggett.  “They now must meet our demands for this strike to end.”    Contact:  Jim McNamara, ILA.  jmcnamara@ilaunion.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727747586214.png" alt="Image ILA" />
 <figcaption>Image ILA</figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON —The International Longshoremen’s Association shut down all ports from Maine to Texas at 12:01am on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, as tens of thousands of ILA rank-and-file members began setting up picket lines at waterfront facilities up and down the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, according to a media release from the Union.The ILA rejected United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) final proposal made on Monday, setting the stage for the first ILA coast wide strike in almost 50 years. The USMX last offer fell far short of what ILA rank-and-file members are demanding in wages and protections against automation.“USMX brought on this strike when they decided to hold firm to foreign owned Ocean Carriers earning billion-dollar profits at United States ports, but not compensate the American ILA longshore workers who perform the labor that brings them their wealth,” said President Harold Daggett, the leader of the 85,000-member ILA union.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727776601084.png" alt="Image courtesy ILA" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy ILA</figcaption>
 </figure> “We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve.”Even the leaders in Washington who encouraged the ILA and USMX to keep negotiations going up until the September 30th deadline, concluded on Monday that USMX and the greedy foreign companies they represent are only interested in protecting their fat revenues and not taking care of hard-working ILA longshore workers.The ILA said USMX’s supposed wage increase offer fell far short of the demands of ILA rank-and-file members for them to ratify a new contract.“USMX owns this strike now,” said ILA President Daggett. “They now must meet our demands for this strike to end.” Contact: Jim McNamara, ILA. jmcnamara@ilaunion.org.

Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas go on strike

SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police Department continues investigating a shooting threat made against the Salina Central High School homecoming dance. Police arrested a 16-year-old girl who is a student at the school, according to a media release.

&nbsp;Just after 5p.m. Saturday, the FBI notified Salina Police after receiving a tip about a threat made via Snapchat, according to SPD Captain James Feldman,

The threat, which was directed at the Salina Central homecoming dance, stated an intention to "shoot up the dance." The FBI promptly relayed this information to the Salina Police Department.

Officers quickly identified the suspect, a 16-year-old Salina Central High student, and located her at her residence on Hillside Drive in Salina. The juvenile was not present at the dance, as the event had not yet begun by the time police were alerted.

"They [suspect] had no access to guns and never made it to the school function," Feldman said&nbsp;

Although it remains unclear when the Snapchat threat was initially made, SPD arrested the student on requested charges of criminal threat. She was transported to the Saline County Jail and later transferred to the Juvenile Detention Center in Junction City.

Investigators are working to determine when the threat was made, according to Feldman.

"We're trying to follow up on that information right now that may take a while. We're doing search warrants," Feldman said. "Maybe a week, possibly two. It just depends on how quickly we get the warrant to Snapchat."

The Salina Central homecoming dance proceeded as scheduled and concluded at 10 p.m.

On Monday, USD 305 sent Salina Central High School families the message from Superintendent Linn Exline

"Nothing matters more than keeping our students and staff safe every day. To make sure you have accurate information, I want to share what details I can regarding the threat made on the evening of Central High’s homecoming."

"On Saturday evening, the Salina Police Department notified Salina Public Schools that an investigation into a school threat for the Central High homecoming dance was underway. The district was provided few details about the active police investigation. The SPD worked quickly to ensure safety, and before the dance started, the SPD had the individual in custody."

"Several parents reached out to me asking for information about our notification procedures in situations like this. Since the threat was reported to the SPD and they had the student in custody prior to the dance, we did not notify parents."

" understand that the timing of the SPD press release and news coverage didn’t make it clear that SPD had the student in custody prior to the dance. I also understand that absent a statement from us, the press release was worrisome and you were left with questions about your student’s safety."

"It takes all of us working together to keep our students and staff safe. Please take this opportunity to talk to your student(s) about the importance of reporting anything unusual, even if it could be a joke or hoax. Remind them if they hear or see anything, they should tell you, share with a school employee, or even call the police. Making a report is always the right thing to do. "

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599845246253.png" alt="Snapchat logo" />
 <figcaption>Snapchat logo</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police Department continues investigating a shooting threat made against the Salina Central High School homecoming dance. Police arrested a 16-year-old girl who is a student at the school, according to a media release.&nbsp;Just after 5p.m. Saturday, the FBI notified Salina Police after receiving a tip about a threat made via Snapchat, according to SPD Captain James Feldman,The threat, which was directed at the Salina Central homecoming dance, stated an intention to "shoot up the dance." The FBI promptly relayed this information to the Salina Police Department.Officers quickly identified the suspect, a 16-year-old Salina Central High student, and located her at her residence on Hillside Drive in Salina. The juvenile was not present at the dance, as the event had not yet begun by the time police were alerted."They [suspect] had no access to guns and never made it to the school function," Feldman said&nbsp;Although it remains unclear when the Snapchat threat was initially made, SPD arrested the student on requested charges of criminal threat. She was transported to the Saline County Jail and later transferred to the Juvenile Detention Center in Junction City.Investigators are working to determine when the threat was made, according to Feldman."We're trying to follow up on that information right now that may take a while. We're doing search warrants," Feldman said. "Maybe a week, possibly two. It just depends on how quickly we get the warrant to Snapchat."The Salina Central homecoming dance proceeded as scheduled and concluded at 10 p.m.On Monday, USD 305 sent Salina Central High School families the message from Superintendent Linn Exline"Nothing matters more than keeping our students and staff safe every day. To make sure you have accurate information, I want to share what details I can regarding the threat made on the evening of Central High’s homecoming.""On Saturday evening, the Salina Police Department notified Salina Public Schools that an investigation into a school threat for the Central High homecoming dance was underway. The district was provided few details about the active police investigation. The SPD worked quickly to ensure safety, and before the dance started, the SPD had the individual in custody.""Several parents reached out to me asking for information about our notification procedures in situations like this. Since the threat was reported to the SPD and they had the student in custody prior to the dance, we did not notify parents."" understand that the timing of the SPD press release and news coverage didn’t make it clear that SPD had the student in custody prior to the dance. I also understand that absent a statement from us, the press release was worrisome and you were left with questions about your student’s safety.""It takes all of us working together to keep our students and staff safe. Please take this opportunity to talk to your student(s) about the importance of reporting anything unusual, even if it could be a joke or hoax. Remind them if they hear or see anything, they should tell you, share with a school employee, or even call the police. Making a report is always the right thing to do. "

FBI tip of threat to shoot up Kan. school dance led to arrest

Jamie Reed shared hundreds of pages of documents containing details of patient care with Missouri Attorney General’s Office

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

The former caseworker whose account of her time working at a pediatric gender clinic in St. Louis jumpstarted the legislative push to outlaw gender-affirming care for minors testified in defense of Missouri’s restriction on Monday.

Jamie Reed, who for four and a half years worked as a case manager at the Washington University Transgender Center, was the first witness called by the state in the two-week trial over the constitutionality of the law. Reed’s public statements and sworn affidavit about her experience at the clinic were the genesis for&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/14/proposed-ban-on-medical-transitions-for-minors-gains-renewed-traction-in-missouri-senate/">Missouri lawmakers prioritizing the ban</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/09/missouri-agencies-launch-investigation-into-health-center-for-transgender-youth/">spurred broad investigations</a>&nbsp;by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office into practitioners statewide.

Reed testified as a fact witness, meaning she couldn’t speak as an expert but could provide insight into her experiences working at the Transgender Center. Many of Monday’s questions gravitated toward the records she kept — and later shared — that contained information on the center’s patients.

Under the 2023 law, health care providers can’t prescribe new gender-affirming care medications to minors or refer them for surgery, and the state’s Medicaid program is barred from paying for gender-affirming medical care for any age. Transgender Missourians, their families and health care providers filed a lawsuit in July 2023, calling the law unconstitutional because it discriminated against transgender people.

Last week, plaintiffs called witnesses that testified that their medical record numbers and treatment information were listed in a document that Reed shared with Attorney General Andrew Bailey and at least one reporter.

When asked Thursday about his daughter’s information being shared, J.K. (who testified using his initials as a pseudonym) said he never consented to the information being spread.

“It’s confusing and mystifying,” he said. “I don’t know why this person would share our information. I have no idea what this person is up to.”

He didn’t interact with Reed, he said, apart from getting an email after an appointment with follow-up information from her. But somehow, his daughter’s information was in Reed’s table.

Elliott, a college student who went to the Transgender Center as a teenager and testified using only their first name, said Friday that Reed was never in appointments with them. Elliott is “terrified” that the attorney general has information related to their medical care.

“I don’t know what they’ll do with that information,” Elliott said. “I don’t think it’s any of (the state’s) business that I’m trans.”

Elliott also thought Reed’s affidavit, which was released to the public, described them in a paragraph that was so specific friends and family could identify them.

“I was extremely upset (when I read the affidavit),” Elliott said. “I didn’t think it was an accurate representation of the care I received at Wash U. There was a line I thought could represent me, and if so, I am angry that I was used without my permission.”

Reed testified on Monday that this part of her affidavit was describing multiple patients. Other paragraphs talking about “a patient” were also a compilation of more than one person, she said.

The affidavit was based on medical records, patient visits and “firsthand knowledge” she testified.&nbsp;

Reed didn’t dispute that Elliott’s information was shared in a 23-page document that listed patients’ medical record numbers instead of names. She didn’t consider this private health information protected by federal law because someone would need a key with names alongside medical record numbers to identify patients.

She sent this data to Bailey after a subpoena, she testified, but she also sent it to a New York Times reporter.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Gillian Wilcox asked about the 300 pages sent to the reporter. Reed said she sent “redacted documents that contained no (private health information).”

Reed, for part of her time at the Transgender Center, tracked patients she was concerned about on a “red-flag list.” She called it that because red flags at the beach mean to “proceed with caution,” she testified.

There were 27 patients on the list, identified by name instead of medical record number. Reed says she monitored them with a nurse at the center who shared concerns with Reed that too many children were receiving cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers.

Reed sent this list to Bailey in early February 2023 at the time of her affidavit, she said.

Other records she sent to Bailey include emails compiled from her Washington University email account, a list of therapists the center often referred patients to and copies of referral letters from therapists.

Reed told The Independent previously that she redacted names in the referral letters. This was not asked in court Monday.

Wilcox asked about a letter Reed sent Bailey in April 2024, long after she ended her employment with the Transgender Center.

The letter shared information from the center’s schedule that Reed believed showed the center was accepting new patients, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/11/washington-university-the-second-missouri-provider-to-stop-transgender-care-for-minors/">public statements</a>&nbsp;that it would not.

Reed currently works as executive director of the LGBT Courage Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates against gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

She recently traveled to the American Academy of Pediatrics convention in Florida to help volunteers “educate” pediatricians on gender-affirming care. A press release on the group’s participation described it as a “peaceful protest,” but Reed did not characterize the demonstration as a protest.

She wouldn’t answer whether she supported gender-affirming care for adults or not, though she had indicated support in prior testimony. She cited “changes in (her) personal life.”

At the beginning of questioning, she testified that her spouse was “detransitioning,” or stopping testosterone treatments. Sunday evening, her spouse’s perspective was published in The Free Press, the same website that launched Reed as a whistleblower in February 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727746322211.png" alt=" A former case worker of the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital testified Monday in the trial challenging Missouri's restrictions on gender-affirming care (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> A former case worker of the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital testified Monday in the trial challenging Missouri's restrictions on gender-affirming care (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Jamie Reed shared hundreds of pages of documents containing details of patient care with Missouri Attorney General’s Office</h2>BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>The former caseworker whose account of her time working at a pediatric gender clinic in St. Louis jumpstarted the legislative push to outlaw gender-affirming care for minors testified in defense of Missouri’s restriction on Monday.Jamie Reed, who for four and a half years worked as a case manager at the Washington University Transgender Center, was the first witness called by the state in the two-week trial over the constitutionality of the law. Reed’s public statements and sworn affidavit about her experience at the clinic were the genesis for&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/14/proposed-ban-on-medical-transitions-for-minors-gains-renewed-traction-in-missouri-senate/">Missouri lawmakers prioritizing the ban</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/09/missouri-agencies-launch-investigation-into-health-center-for-transgender-youth/">spurred broad investigations</a>&nbsp;by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office into practitioners statewide.Reed testified as a fact witness, meaning she couldn’t speak as an expert but could provide insight into her experiences working at the Transgender Center. Many of Monday’s questions gravitated toward the records she kept — and later shared — that contained information on the center’s patients.Under the 2023 law, health care providers can’t prescribe new gender-affirming care medications to minors or refer them for surgery, and the state’s Medicaid program is barred from paying for gender-affirming medical care for any age. Transgender Missourians, their families and health care providers filed a lawsuit in July 2023, calling the law unconstitutional because it discriminated against transgender people.Last week, plaintiffs called witnesses that testified that their medical record numbers and treatment information were listed in a document that Reed shared with Attorney General Andrew Bailey and at least one reporter.When asked Thursday about his daughter’s information being shared, J.K. (who testified using his initials as a pseudonym) said he never consented to the information being spread.“It’s confusing and mystifying,” he said. “I don’t know why this person would share our information. I have no idea what this person is up to.”He didn’t interact with Reed, he said, apart from getting an email after an appointment with follow-up information from her. But somehow, his daughter’s information was in Reed’s table.Elliott, a college student who went to the Transgender Center as a teenager and testified using only their first name, said Friday that Reed was never in appointments with them. Elliott is “terrified” that the attorney general has information related to their medical care.“I don’t know what they’ll do with that information,” Elliott said. “I don’t think it’s any of (the state’s) business that I’m trans.”Elliott also thought Reed’s affidavit, which was released to the public, described them in a paragraph that was so specific friends and family could identify them.“I was extremely upset (when I read the affidavit),” Elliott said. “I didn’t think it was an accurate representation of the care I received at Wash U. There was a line I thought could represent me, and if so, I am angry that I was used without my permission.”Reed testified on Monday that this part of her affidavit was describing multiple patients. Other paragraphs talking about “a patient” were also a compilation of more than one person, she said.The affidavit was based on medical records, patient visits and “firsthand knowledge” she testified.&nbsp;Reed didn’t dispute that Elliott’s information was shared in a 23-page document that listed patients’ medical record numbers instead of names. She didn’t consider this private health information protected by federal law because someone would need a key with names alongside medical record numbers to identify patients.She sent this data to Bailey after a subpoena, she testified, but she also sent it to a New York Times reporter.Plaintiffs’ attorney Gillian Wilcox asked about the 300 pages sent to the reporter. Reed said she sent “redacted documents that contained no (private health information).”Reed, for part of her time at the Transgender Center, tracked patients she was concerned about on a “red-flag list.” She called it that because red flags at the beach mean to “proceed with caution,” she testified.There were 27 patients on the list, identified by name instead of medical record number. Reed says she monitored them with a nurse at the center who shared concerns with Reed that too many children were receiving cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers.Reed sent this list to Bailey in early February 2023 at the time of her affidavit, she said.Other records she sent to Bailey include emails compiled from her Washington University email account, a list of therapists the center often referred patients to and copies of referral letters from therapists.Reed told The Independent previously that she redacted names in the referral letters. This was not asked in court Monday.Wilcox asked about a letter Reed sent Bailey in April 2024, long after she ended her employment with the Transgender Center.The letter shared information from the center’s schedule that Reed believed showed the center was accepting new patients, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/11/washington-university-the-second-missouri-provider-to-stop-transgender-care-for-minors/">public statements</a>&nbsp;that it would not.Reed currently works as executive director of the LGBT Courage Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates against gender-affirming care for transgender youth.She recently traveled to the American Academy of Pediatrics convention in Florida to help volunteers “educate” pediatricians on gender-affirming care. A press release on the group’s participation described it as a “peaceful protest,” but Reed did not characterize the demonstration as a protest.She wouldn’t answer whether she supported gender-affirming care for adults or not, though she had indicated support in prior testimony. She cited “changes in (her) personal life.”At the beginning of questioning, she testified that her spouse was “detransitioning,” or stopping testosterone treatments. Sunday evening, her spouse’s perspective was published in The Free Press, the same website that launched Reed as a whistleblower in February 2023.

Former caseworker testifies in defense of Mo. transgender health care ban

KANSAS CITY—A ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday celebrated a new bridge named after a Kansas City Champion Buck O’Neil! Thanks to all who helped us celebrate, the bridge is set to open to traffic later in October.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The bridge links downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City&nbsp; and will accomodate over 50,000 vehicles daily, offers a direct connection from I-35 to US-169, a new bike/pedestrian lane, and improved access to the downtown airport, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727739430395.png" alt="Photo Missouri Governor Mike Parson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Missouri Governor Mike Parson</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday celebrated a new bridge named after a Kansas City Champion Buck O’Neil! Thanks to all who helped us celebrate, the bridge is set to open to traffic later in October.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727739732143.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The bridge links downtown Kansas City and North Kansas City&nbsp; and will accomodate over 50,000 vehicles daily, offers a direct connection from I-35 to US-169, a new bike/pedestrian lane, and improved access to the downtown airport, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Kansas City celebrates with ribbon cutting for new Buck O’Neil Bridge 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement have a suspect in custody after he fired a rifle at undercover officers&nbsp;during a surveillance mission tied to recent armed robberies in the area.

On Saturday, Wichita Police Department officers were in an unmarked vehicle n the 1400 block of N. Grove, monitoring a residence connected to the investigation of multiple recent armed robberies, according to Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford.&nbsp; A silver vehicle, suspected to be involved in the crimes, was parked at the residence. 

Officers observed individuals enter the vehicle, drive away, and promptly initiated a traffic stop, detaining the individuals for questioning. 

Meanwhile, officers continued their surveillance of the target residence. As they remained stationed near the northwest corner of 14th and Grove, an unknown man approached the unmarked vehicle, attempting to peer inside. The man then turned back towards the residence, engaging in conversation with another individual.

Shortly thereafter, a second man emerged from the residence carrying a rifle. Without warning, he pointed the weapon in the direction of the officers and fired one round. The officer in the unmarked vehicle immediately retreated, tactically repositioning and establishing a perimeter around the residence.

The suspect, later identified according to Sedgwick County Booking records as 54-year-old Mark K. Maples, armed with a rifle, retreated back inside the home and barricaded himself within the property. Officers on the scene attempted to make verbal contact, urging the Maples to surrender peacefully, but their efforts were initially met with no response. 

SWAT and the Negotiation Team were deployed, and after a standoff, the Maples was taken into custody without further incident. Upon securing the residence, officers recovered a rifle believed to have been used in the incident.&nbsp; Maples is being held on requested charges that include criminal discharge of a firearm and aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727726336829.png" alt="Maples photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Maples photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement have a suspect in custody after he fired a rifle at undercover officers&nbsp;during a surveillance mission tied to recent armed robberies in the area.On Saturday, Wichita Police Department officers were in an unmarked vehicle n the 1400 block of N. Grove, monitoring a residence connected to the investigation of multiple recent armed robberies, according to Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford.&nbsp; A silver vehicle, suspected to be involved in the crimes, was parked at the residence. Officers observed individuals enter the vehicle, drive away, and promptly initiated a traffic stop, detaining the individuals for questioning. Meanwhile, officers continued their surveillance of the target residence. As they remained stationed near the northwest corner of 14th and Grove, an unknown man approached the unmarked vehicle, attempting to peer inside. The man then turned back towards the residence, engaging in conversation with another individual.Shortly thereafter, a second man emerged from the residence carrying a rifle. Without warning, he pointed the weapon in the direction of the officers and fired one round. The officer in the unmarked vehicle immediately retreated, tactically repositioning and establishing a perimeter around the residence.The suspect, later identified according to Sedgwick County Booking records as 54-year-old Mark K. Maples, armed with a rifle, retreated back inside the home and barricaded himself within the property. Officers on the scene attempted to make verbal contact, urging the Maples to surrender peacefully, but their efforts were initially met with no response. SWAT and the Negotiation Team were deployed, and after a standoff, the Maples was taken into custody without further incident. Upon securing the residence, officers recovered a rifle believed to have been used in the incident.&nbsp; Maples is being held on requested charges that include criminal discharge of a firearm and aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer.

Kan. armed robbery suspect fired rifle at undercover officers

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6a.m.&nbsp; Monday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 GMC G1500 van driven by Joseph Bailey&nbsp;Clementi, 34, Wichita, was westbound on Kansas 96 at 151 Street West.

The van left the road, entered the median and struck the trailer of a 2024 Kenworth semi driven by Monica R.&nbsp;Dawes, 57, Emporia, who was stopped at the stop sign, facing south. 

Clementi was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Sedgwick County Forensics Science Center. Dawes was not injured. Clementi was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727719544726.png" alt="First responders on the scene photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6a.m.&nbsp; Monday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 GMC G1500 van driven by Joseph Bailey&nbsp;Clementi, 34, Wichita, was westbound on Kansas 96 at 151 Street West.The van left the road, entered the median and struck the trailer of a 2024 Kenworth semi driven by Monica R.&nbsp;Dawes, 57, Emporia, who was stopped at the stop sign, facing south. Clementi was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Sedgwick County Forensics Science Center. Dawes was not injured. Clementi was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after van strikes semi's trailer

‘Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years,’ says a University of Missouri researcher

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

The cost of fertilizer is up; crop prices are down. Farmers have struggled through drought, and ranchers sold off huge swaths of their herd.&nbsp;

To top it all off, Congress has yet to pass a new iteration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/farm-bill/">Farm Bill</a>, which expires in a matter of days. And it likely won’t take action on the wide-ranging legislation, which offers everything from nutritional assistance to farm disaster recovery aid, until late this year.

The slow action on the legislation isn’t unusual, but as farm income continues to slide, producers are struggling to make ends meet. Tim Gibbons, communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, noted it currently costs more to raise a bushel of corn than farmers make when they sell it.

The prices farmers receive for major grain crops such as corn and soybeans are down 20 to 40% from highs set in 2022 in the months after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. But that spike was an aberration, Gibbons said.

“We haven’t had really high prices for decades … that really support farmers over the long term,” Gibbons said, “so that not only can they stay on the farm, but pass that farm on to the next generations.”&nbsp;

<a href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-farm-income-update/?utm_campaign=577762_FAPRI%20Farm%20Income%20Report%20%28September%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,CDSY,4NFRO6,1V77U,1" target="_blank">Researchers at the University of Missouri</a>&nbsp;expect farm income to drop by 35% by next year, compared to a high in 2022. While they still expect income to remain above what farmers saw between 2015 and 2020, it’s a steep drop.&nbsp;

“Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years, and they’ll have to be much more cognizant about having a very strategic marketing plan in order to make a good cash flow,” said Bob&nbsp;Maltsburger, a senior research economist at the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the university.&nbsp;

The “bleak” state of the farm economy — as U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, put it —&nbsp;has agricultural groups and heartland lawmakers clamoring for an updated Farm Bill. But partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., and tension over what programs to prioritize in the enormous bill have made it difficult for lawmakers to find common ground.&nbsp;

“We need a Farm Bill in place,”&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/u-s-sen-jerry-moran-begs-colleagues-to-break-political-gridlock-on-farm-bill-legislation/?emci=071765d8-f87a-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;emdi=8993ee86-1c7b-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;ceid=116650" target="_blank">Moran said on the Senate floor earlier this month</a>, “even if it’s the current one, but the current one is insufficient to meet the needs of the disaster that is occurring in the incomes of farmers across the country.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" target="_blank">Farm Bill</a>, the primary vehicle for food and agriculture policy in the U.S., expires Monday. While some of its banner programs — including crop insurance and nutrition assistance — will continue even if the legislation lapses, lawmakers and farm groups have said it’s essential to get assistance to struggling farmers. Moran urged colleagues to extend the existing Farm Bill while a more thorough rewrite is still pending.

The Farm Bill’s single largest chunk of spending — about 75% — supports a variety of programs to combat food insecurity, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as “food stamps.” Its other banner programs include crop insurance and support for farmers when crop prices are low. The legislation also provides funds to encourage conservation and more sustainable farming.&nbsp;

Prominent in this year’s debate is how to permanently increase spending on&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2022/11/08/climate-funding-could-suffer-in-the-farm-bill-under-gop-control-of-congress/" target="_blank">conservation and climate-friendly practices</a>. Congress previously provided $20 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2023, to help farmers plant cover crops and trees; alternate grazing and resting grassland and restore wetlands.&nbsp;

Andrew Lentz, who leads agriculture policy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said that funding helped more farmers participate in historically underfunded conservation programs. He said his organization hopes Congress takes advantage of the “huge opportunity” to make those funding levels permanent.&nbsp;

While Democrats want to ensure those funds are spent on practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, those requirements weren’t supported in the Republican-controlled U.S. House committee.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727697603384.png" alt=" Corn sprouts in long rows in Wichita County, Kansas. With farm incomes on the decline, agricultural groups say a new federal Farm Bill is a must. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Corn sprouts in long rows in Wichita County, Kansas. With farm incomes on the decline, agricultural groups say a new federal Farm Bill is a must. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years,’ says a University of Missouri researcher</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>The cost of fertilizer is up; crop prices are down. Farmers have struggled through drought, and ranchers sold off huge swaths of their herd.&nbsp;To top it all off, Congress has yet to pass a new iteration of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/farm-bill/">Farm Bill</a>, which expires in a matter of days. And it likely won’t take action on the wide-ranging legislation, which offers everything from nutritional assistance to farm disaster recovery aid, until late this year.The slow action on the legislation isn’t unusual, but as farm income continues to slide, producers are struggling to make ends meet. Tim Gibbons, communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, noted it currently costs more to raise a bushel of corn than farmers make when they sell it.The prices farmers receive for major grain crops such as corn and soybeans are down 20 to 40% from highs set in 2022 in the months after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. But that spike was an aberration, Gibbons said.“We haven’t had really high prices for decades … that really support farmers over the long term,” Gibbons said, “so that not only can they stay on the farm, but pass that farm on to the next generations.”&nbsp;<a href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-farm-income-update/?utm_campaign=577762_FAPRI%20Farm%20Income%20Report%20%28September%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,CDSY,4NFRO6,1V77U,1" target="_blank">Researchers at the University of Missouri</a>&nbsp;expect farm income to drop by 35% by next year, compared to a high in 2022. While they still expect income to remain above what farmers saw between 2015 and 2020, it’s a steep drop.&nbsp;“Farmers will have a tighter situation … than they experienced in the last three years, and they’ll have to be much more cognizant about having a very strategic marketing plan in order to make a good cash flow,” said Bob&nbsp;Maltsburger, a senior research economist at the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the university.&nbsp;The “bleak” state of the farm economy — as U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, put it —&nbsp;has agricultural groups and heartland lawmakers clamoring for an updated Farm Bill. But partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., and tension over what programs to prioritize in the enormous bill have made it difficult for lawmakers to find common ground.&nbsp;“We need a Farm Bill in place,”&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/u-s-sen-jerry-moran-begs-colleagues-to-break-political-gridlock-on-farm-bill-legislation/?emci=071765d8-f87a-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;emdi=8993ee86-1c7b-ef11-991a-6045bdee6681&amp;ceid=116650" target="_blank">Moran said on the Senate floor earlier this month</a>, “even if it’s the current one, but the current one is insufficient to meet the needs of the disaster that is occurring in the incomes of farmers across the country.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" target="_blank">Farm Bill</a>, the primary vehicle for food and agriculture policy in the U.S., expires Monday. While some of its banner programs — including crop insurance and nutrition assistance — will continue even if the legislation lapses, lawmakers and farm groups have said it’s essential to get assistance to struggling farmers. Moran urged colleagues to extend the existing Farm Bill while a more thorough rewrite is still pending.<h2>Competing for funds</h2>The Farm Bill’s single largest chunk of spending — about 75% — supports a variety of programs to combat food insecurity, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as “food stamps.” Its other banner programs include crop insurance and support for farmers when crop prices are low. The legislation also provides funds to encourage conservation and more sustainable farming.&nbsp;Prominent in this year’s debate is how to permanently increase spending on&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/2022/11/08/climate-funding-could-suffer-in-the-farm-bill-under-gop-control-of-congress/" target="_blank">conservation and climate-friendly practices</a>. Congress previously provided $20 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2023, to help farmers plant cover crops and trees; alternate grazing and resting grassland and restore wetlands.&nbsp;Andrew Lentz, who leads agriculture policy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said that funding helped more farmers participate in historically underfunded conservation programs. He said his organization hopes Congress takes advantage of the “huge opportunity” to make those funding levels permanent.&nbsp;While Democrats want to ensure those funds are spent on practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, those requirements weren’t supported in the Republican-controlled U.S. House committee.&nbsp;“If Congress is able to do that,” Lentz said, “they’ll be able to maintain these elevated funding levels and also maintain the climate focus of those funds in order to address the root causes of climate change and…help farmers tap new markets for lower carbon agricultural goods.”&nbsp;But Jennifer Ifft, an associate professor at Kansas State University, said Congress can’t increase the federal deficit when it passes a new Farm Bill, creating tension between lawmakers over how to prioritize programs. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives supported increasing funding for the farm safety net, which supports farmers when crop prices are low.That’s hard enough to do this year, Ifft said, but it will be even more difficult to pull off next year with crop prices projected to keep declining, increasing the cost of the safety net.“It’s probably not going to get easier to compromise,” Ifft said.The House Republican version of the bill also cuts $30 billion from nutrition assistance, a nonstarter with Democrats.&nbsp;U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat and chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, called that bill and Senate Republicans’ “framework” for a Farm Bill “flawed,” noting it cuts the nutrition budget and “walks away from the progress we have made to address the climate crisis.”Gibbons said the conversation is missing better options to help with crop prices. He argues managing supply and adjusting decisions to meet market needs is a lower-cost alternative to ensure farmers get a fair price for their crops. But that’s not part of the policy discussions, he said.&nbsp;“The fight,” Gibbons said, “is once again over, ‘How hard are we going to make it for hungry people in need to get food,’”