Here is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work that MoDOT has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of March 9 - 15.

There may be moving operations throughout the region, in addition to the work mentioned below. Inclement weather may cause schedule changes in some of the planned work.&nbsp;

U.S. Route 169 – Shoulder work from County Line Road to Route D, March 9-13.

U.S. Route 136 – Resurfacing project March 10 through July 2026. The road will be narrowed to one lane, and a 10-foot width restriction will be in place.

Gene Field Road Bridge –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a bridge replacement project through July 2026.

U.S. Route 59/Route 752/Route U – Intersection improvement project through spring 2027.

U.S. Route 169 –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for an intersection improvement project at Southeast Riverside Terrace beginning March 9 at approximately 9 a.m. through mid-July 2026.

Route 759 – Shoulder work from Cedar Street to Lower Lake Road, March 9-13.

U.S. Route 169 – Utility/permit work at Route FF, March 9-22. The road will be narrowed to one lane during daytime hours with flaggers guiding motorists through the work zone.

Route 10 – Pavement repair and resurfacing project from Route FF to Route C in Ray County, through May 15. The road will be narrowed to one lane with flaggers guiding motorists through the work zone.

Route PP –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Mid-Fork Chariton River Overflow Bridge for replacement projects through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through March 2026.

Route KK –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Puzzle Creek Bridge for a replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through mid-March 2026.

Route O –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Bee Creek Bridge for a replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through April 2026.

Route KK –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Little Chariton River Bridge for a deck replacement project through March 2026.

Route F –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from 330th Street to Southwest 90th Ave, March 13, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Route N –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from East 280th Avenue to East Diamond Road, March 9, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Route N –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from East Diamond Road to Route O, March 11-13, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Route 11 –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Badger Creek Bridge, north of New Boston, for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through May 2026.

Route 139 –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Parson Creek Bridge, north of Meadville, for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through May 2026.

Route U –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Long Branch Bridge, northwest of Bucklin, through early May for a deck replacement project.

Route K –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the North Fork Crooked Creek Bridge for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through April 2026.

Route W –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from County Road 506 to County Road 508, March 9, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Route JJ –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the West Honey Creek Bridge for a deck replacement project through early April 2026.

Route E –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the West Honey Creek Bridge for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through July 2026.

U.S. Route 71 – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 136 to the Iowa state line, March 9-13. The road will be narrowed to one lane, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Route EE –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from 210th Street to 220th Street, March9, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route EE –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from 220th Street to 230th Street, March 10-11, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Route EE –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from 245th Street to 250th Street, March 12, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. &nbsp;

Route EE –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from 250th Street to U.S. Route 136, March 13, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. &nbsp;

Route N –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Turkey Creek Bridge through July 2026, for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through April 2026.

Route PP –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the West Locust Creek Bridge through June 2026, for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through April 2026.

Route T –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the East Locust Creek bridge through July 2026, for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through April 2026.

Route 46 –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at Marlowe Branch Creek for a bridge replacement project March 11 through May 2026.

Planned roadwork for Northwest Missouri, March 9 - 15

(Radio Iowa) - The fundraising leaders in Iowa's race for governor have filed the paperwork to qualify for the June primary ballots. 

Candidates for governor are required to submit at least 35-hundred signatures from eligible Iowa voters on petitions -- and have at least 100 signatures from 19 of Iowa's 99 counties. Democrat Rob Sand says the 24-thousand signatures his campaign submitted is a record -- and one-fifth of them came from independents and Republicans. Sand describes it as a 99 county operation to show that no matter where you live in Iowa, you've got neighbors who signed to help get his name on the ballot. 

Republican Randy Feenstra says people from all 99 counties signed his nominating petitions and he submitted over 75-hundred signatures, more than double the number necessary. Feenstra is likely to face four other Republicans in the June 2nd G-O-P Primary. Candidates have until 5 p.m. this Friday to submit nominationg petitions for the primary.

Two of the candidates for Iowa governor file for 2026 primary ballot

The proposal would base funding on the number of students enrolled and some state schools could lose 40% or more of their state support. The plan is part of a budget proposal that cuts $300 million from general revenue spending requested by Gov. Mike Kehoe

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

A push to shift hundreds of millions of dollars among Missouri state colleges and universities ran into bipartisan skepticism Monday during a hearing of the House Budget Committee.

State Rep. Dirk Deaton, chairman of the House Budget Committee, said he wants to overhaul state support for community colleges and universities by reallocating funding based on the number of full-time students on each campus. Current funding is too tied to past appropriations, he said, and gives the 10 four-year universities and 12 community colleges widely varying amounts for each student educated.

“The money follows the student, it is really as simple as that,” said Deaton, a Republican from Seneca.

State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican, was among members skeptical about the massive reallocation. Truman State University in Kirksville would lose more than half of its funding under Deaton’s plan.&nbsp;

“That would be a tremendous hit to that university, and would probably cause that university to close within two years,” said Lewis, who is a candidate for state Senate in the district that includes Kirksville.

Deaton led the committee through a discussion Monday of his proposed changes to appropriations for state government operations in the coming year. The committee will meet again Wednesday for further changes before sending the 12 spending bills to the full House for debate.

Budget figures compiled by The Independent show the proposals Deaton discussed Monday would use $15.4 billion of general revenue, about $420 million less than&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/13/missouri-revenue-surplus-nearly-gone-as-gov-mike-kehoe-unveils-his-budget-plan/">Gov. Mike Kehoe requested</a>&nbsp;in January. All spending on operations, including federal funds and earmarked taxes, would be $50.6 billion, or about $1.4 billion less than requested by Kehoe.

Some of the money cut from operations will be shifted to the capital construction budget. Deaton said his spending plan, overall, uses about $300 million less general revenue than the $16.2 billion total sought by Kehoe.

He said he will unveil his proposals for building construction and major renovations after lawmakers return from next week’s legislative Spring Break.

The budget still leaves a huge gap between anticipated revenue and proposed spending. For the coming year, that gap of about $2.6 billion would be covered by accumulated surpluses.

One way Deaton saves general revenue is by tapping other funds that can be spent instead of general revenue. He’s using a constitutional directive to take $64.7 million from the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++38(b)&amp;bid=31786&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">Blind Pension Fund</a>&nbsp;for public schools and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/01/missouri-lawmakers-grill-treasurer-over-interest-earned-on-i-70-funds/">interest earned</a>&nbsp;since lawmakers set aside $1.6 billion for highway projects on&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/missouri-budget-negotiations-conclude-with-i-70-expansion-child-care-funding-intact/">Interstate 70</a>&nbsp;and Interstate 44, about $160 million total.

Other significant items in Deaton’s budget proposal include:

Deaton’s proposals for higher education funding shift about $250 million among four-year universities and $26 million among two-year community colleges.

Deaton said he’s not spending any more than Kehoe requested but by changing the method for its distribution, he makes big winners and losers within that limit.

The state’s largest institution, the four-campus University of Missouri System, would receive $542.2 million, up from the $521 million in Kehoe’s budget. The second-largest, Missouri State University, would receive $145.2 million, up from $115.7 million.

Meanwhile, Truman State University would see its funding cut by more than half, to $23.8 million from $50.9 million. Harris-Stowe State University and Lincoln University, the four-year schools receiving the smallest current amounts would each have their core funding cut by almost 40%.

There is no political favoritism being shown in the funding overhaul, Deaton said. He noted that Missouri Southern State University in Joplin near his southwest Missouri district would see a cut.

Missouri’s Southern’s allocation would be reduced by about $6.4 million, to $25.3 million.

“I wish it were different but they do a little bit worse under this plan than their current core model,” Deaton said.

Missouri State and Ozarks Technical College in Springfield would both receive funding boosts, but state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the budget committee, said she isn’t satisfied the change is equitable.

“That makes me happy, to see Missouri State getting additional investments and Ozark Technical College getting additional investments,” Fogle said. “But I do have significant concerns with how this will impact my students to go to other public universities and community colleges throughout the state.”

Some lawmakers were enthusiastic in their support of changing how higher education is funded.

“We have subsidized really bad decisions for a very long time,” said state Rep. Louis Riggs, a Hannibal Republican.

But many members were concerned that they have been asked to vote for major building projects and new programs in recent years. The schools need the money to operate those buildings and programs, they said, asking if Deaton would agree to a phased switch.

“Is this something that we just cut the puppy dog’s tail off right away,” asked state Rep. Cathy Jo Loy, a Carthage Republican, “or snip it off a little bit of time?”

Budget leader proposes massive overhaul of Missouri higher education funding

Mosaic Life Care is set to expand its footprint in St. Joseph with the phased opening of its new Plaza 4 Medical Office, a three-story, 90,000-square-foot facility designed to streamline regional healthcare. 

Located directly across from the main campus at Faraon Street and Riverside Road, this $12.5 million project aims to improve patient access by consolidating a wide array of services. The building features 130 exam rooms and advanced diagnostic technology, all intended to provide a more efficient and centralized experience for visitors.

The grand opening will occur in multiple stages, beginning with Phase 1A on April 20. This initial launch will introduce imaging services and a first-floor coffee shop, followed closely by the opening of the laboratory in Phase 1B on April 27. These early phases establish the diagnostic foundation of the building before the clinical specialty groups begin their transition.

Throughout the month of May, the facility will rapidly scale up its clinical offerings. From May 4 to May 11, Phase 2 will bring specialty clinics into the fold, including Podiatry, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Nephrology, and Endocrinology. Shortly after, on May 18, Phase 3 will see the opening of the Primary Care clinics. The rollout concludes in early June with Phase 4, which marks the opening of the retail and specialty pharmacy.

Patients can expect a modernized environment designed for convenience, featuring on-site valet services and a centralized check-in system. The infrastructure is equipped with six outpatient blood draw bays, an MRI suite, two CT scanners, and three X-ray suites. Additionally, the facility includes specialized spaces such as two hearing sound booths and a dedicated rehab gym. Mosaic has already begun notifying patients via mail and other digital communications to ensure they are aware of which clinics are moving to the new Plaza 4 location.

Phased opening announced for new Mosiac expansion

Travis Kelce isn’t ready to hang up the cleats just yet. The future Hall of Fame tight end is expected to return to the Kansas City Chiefs for his 14th NFL season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The report, shared via X (formerly Twitter), indicates that the Chiefs have signaled their intentions to rival teams interested in the veteran All-Pro. Despite speculation regarding a potential retirement or move, the message from Kansas City is clear: Kelce remains a cornerstone of their offense.

While no longer at his statistical peak, the 36-year-old remained a vital target for Patrick Mahomes during the 2025 season.

Travis Kelce to return for 14th season in Kansas City

(Radio Iowa) - Backers of a bill introduced in the Iowa House say it could make Iowa an attractive home for video game developers.

 The bill would set up state grant and loan programs for Iowa-based gaming companies and it would make up to 20 million dollars in state tax credits available to companies that set up game development studios in Iowa - if at least 75 percent of the people on the payroll are Iowa residents. Douglas Cloven - a manager of social media strategy for PlayStation's M-L-B the Show - moved from California back home to Marion during the pandemic. 

Cloven says Atlanta became an e-sports hub after Georgia set up state programs for the industry and he believes Iowa could become an attractive site for gaming developers if the incentives outlined in the bill become reality.

Iowa bill would create state incentives for video game industry

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a boy for an alleged aggravated assault

Just after 9p.m. Saturday, police responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex in the 1200 Block of North 6th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

A 30-year-old victim reported that a group of individuals came to his door to confront a family member and as the group was leaving one of them displayed a firearm. 

Officers located the 14 year old suspect at a nearby apartment where he was taken into custody for alleged aggravated assault. The firearm was an airsoft gun which was located and seized by police. The juvenile was later released to a parent.

Police seize boy's gun after alleged threat

Lawmakers say the bill may have room for improvement but pushed it forward as ‘the best product we have in the Capitol right now’

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

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2026/eo1" target="_blank">request</a>&nbsp;to grade public schools on an “A” through “F” scale is pushing House lawmakers to approve legislation some think isn’t quite ready.

With approval and dissent on both sides of the aisle, the House voted a&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB%202710" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;to create a new school accountability system through to the Senate 96-53 Thursday despite concerns the letter grades could be a “scarlet letter” for underperforming schools.

“Will this labeling system actually improve schools or will it mostly brand communities, destabilize staffing and incentivize gaming rather than learning?” asked state Rep. Kem Smith, a Democrat from Florissant, during House debate Tuesday morning.

She said the key metrics that determine the grade, performance and growth, are volatile.

“The label itself can become a self-fulfilling prophecy,” she said. “The bill doubles down on high stakes metrics that are known to be unstable.”

The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Dane Diehl, a Republican from Butler, told lawmakers that a performance-based school report card with “A” through “F” grades is inevitable. The details, though, are negotiable.

“The governor’s executive order, it is going to happen either way,” he said. “I think we tried to make that process a little better for school districts.”

Kehoe’s order directs the state’s education department to draw up a plan for the report cards and present it to the State Board of Education. The board could reject the idea, but with a board with primarily new members appointed by Kehoe, lawmakers have accepted the system as fate.

State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly and chair of the House’s education committee,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/28/bill-creating-a-f-ratings-for-missouri-schools-set-for-edits-as-lawmakers-debate-path-forward/">told the committee in January</a>&nbsp;that he prioritized the bill as a way to give lawmakers influence over the final outcome. He is happy with the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/02/18/key-differences-emerge-in-missouri-house-senate-bills-to-create-a-f-school-grades/">edits the committee made</a>, which gives the education department more leeway to determine grade thresholds and removes a provision that would raise expectations once 65% of schools achieve “A” or “B” grades.

The House also approved an amendment Tuesday that would grade schools’ environment. This would be based on the rates of student suspension, seclusion and restraint incident rates and satisfaction surveys given to students, parents and teachers.

The Senate’s version, which passed out of its education committee last week, does not include those changes.

“I think (the House bill) is the best product we have in the Capitol right now,” Lewis said. “I am not saying it’s complete, but it is the best we have right now.”

The changes have softened some skeptics of the legislation, like state Rep. Brad Pollitt.

Pollitt, a Sedalia Republican, said he didn’t support the legislation “for a number of years.” But with the edits, he sees potential for the legislation to usher in changes to the way the state accredits public schools.

The current process, he said, “nobody seems to like,” pointing to widespread concerns with the state’s standardized test.

Some of these changes are already happening quietly. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education received a grant from the federal government to develop a state assessment based on through-year testing, which would measure student growth throughout the school year, instead of a single summative assessment.

The department is poised to pilot the new test in 14 classrooms this spring, hoping to eventually offer it statewide within a few years. But the estimated startup cost of $2 million is one of many department requests cut from the governor’s proposed budget as the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/13/missouri-revenue-surplus-nearly-gone-as-gov-mike-kehoe-unveils-his-budget-plan/">state grapples with declining revenue</a>.

Creating the “A” through “F” report cards is estimated to cost a similar amount, if not more, according to the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/fiscal/fispdf/6102H.07C.ORG.pdf" target="_blank">fiscal note</a>. The expense is largely frontloaded, going to the programming and technology support required to create the grade cards’ interface.

When The Independent asked Kehoe’s office about the fiscal note, the governor’s communications director Gabby Picard said he would work with “associated agencies” to determine appropriate funding “while remaining mindful of the current budget constraints and maintaining fiscal responsibility.”

The House’s version of the legislation includes an incentive program for high-performing schools, giving bonuses to go toward teacher recruitment and retention, if the legislature appropriates funding for the program.

The bill originally proposed incentives of $50-100 per student to subsidize teacher pay. This had large fiscal implications, and Lewis surmised that it would violate a section of the State Constitution prohibiting bonuses for public employees.

Making the funding optional and directing it to the school’s teacher recruitment and retention fund remedied those concerns. The Senate Education Committee removed the incentive program in its version of the legislation.

The House’s approval Thursday does not stop discussion and possible amendments. Next, the bill will go to the Senate for consideration, and if any changes are made, it will return to the House for more discussion.

A-F rating system for public schools clears Missouri House despite bipartisan concerns

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/emilyskidmore/">Emily Skidmore</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kjdrazen/">KJ Drazen</a>

The Missouri Senate passed a criminal and juvenile justice bill Thursday on a 20-9 vote after hours of negotiations.

Introduced by state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, the legislation seeks to classify older juveniles who commit felonies as adults and share fingerprints of juveniles involved in felonies to a central database.

The bill also allows an increase in the number of juvenile detention centers in the state and solidifies mandatory prison time for adults before parole eligibility.

While Missouri law allows inmates to serve a range of time before being eligible for parole, the bill sets fixed percentages of time served for each felony category:

Class A: 70%Class B: 50%Class C: 40%Class D: 25%Class E: 25%

Senators worked on finalizing the bill language and amendments as part of an ongoing effort this week with negotiations held until early Thursday before the vote.

State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, expressed concerns over the hasty manner of passing the bill. She stated that the Senate Committee of Fiscal Oversight was not able to do a thorough investigation of the fiscal note attached to the bill because of the late night and early morning meetings.

“No other agency had the opportunity to respond to this fiscal note,” Nurrenbern said. “We don’t know the fiscal impact of this legislation.”

Under the bill, any county wanting to place a juvenile detention center may place “a sales tax up to one percent on all retail sales” for its establishment. Nurrenbern said that 1% of sales tax will result in about $1 billion annually for the state.

Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, also expressed concerns over the lack of information with the fiscal note during Senate debate.

“I guess we’re in a position now in the Senate where you vote up something that (you) don’t even know what the fiscal impact is,” Beck said sarcastically.

In addition to the fiscal note, there were concerns from Democratic senators on the vote excluding state Sen. Steven Roberts, a St. Louis Democrat, from participation as he is serving with Missouri’s Air Force National Guard overseas.

Roberts has been a vocal member from the Democratic Caucus regarding criminal justice reform in Missouri.

Beck emphasized this by stating that Roberts has been a part of every negotiation on a crime bill since he started in his position in 2021.

“He truly wanted to be involved in negotiations on this bill,” Beck said.

All the Democrats who spoke on the floor regarding the bill asked to delay the vote until next week when Roberts would be back.

Democratic state Sens. Barbara Washington of Kansas City and Karla May of St. Louis expressed concerns with certain issues getting prioritized in the bill as it seeks to change criminal justice in Missouri by creating more juvenile detention centers and stricter processing for juveniles committing felonies.

The bill was passed with opposition from Democrats and two Republicans, state Sens. Mike Moon of Ash Grove and Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold. It now heads to the Missouri House.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/senate-passes-criminal-system-changes-for-juvenile-detention-centers/article_a018f06c-e787-41da-af57-2a17e36e4748.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Missouri Senate approves mandatory minimums, juvenile justice legislation

A&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2014&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R" target="_blank">supplemental spending bill</a>&nbsp;pushing total state appropriations for the fiscal year to almost $55 billion was the first legislation sent to Gov. Mike Kehoe in this year’s session when the Missouri House voted 137-13 for final passage.

The $3.1 billion spending package was pushed quickly through the General Assembly to speed distribution of $59.5 million of federal security funding for the FIFA World Cup matches this summer in Kansas City.&nbsp;

Lawmakers can cut items requested by the governor in a supplemental spending bill but they cannot add new items. Kehoe received most of the money he requested, but a few items were cut because of objections from lawmakers or political disputes of the Capitol.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/03/03/missouri-senate-axes-funds-for-attorney-generals-new-st-louis-offices/">state Senate cut</a>&nbsp;just under $15 million set aside to hire an “owners representative” for a proposed expansion of the state Capitol Building and $150,000 to send a Missouri delegation to Washington D.C. this summer for the Great American State Fair that is part of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The Senate also cut $972,000 to build out and furnish space for&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/14/missouri-attorney-general-wants-1-million-to-furnish-new-st-louis-offices/">the attorney general’s office</a>&nbsp;at a new state building in Chesterfield.

The funding for the Capitol construction project will come back in the budget for the coming fiscal year, said state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Seneca who is chairman of the House Budget Committee.

The money comes from a fund holding $595 million for the project, money that could be transferred back to the general revenue fund to alleviate the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/29/missouri-auditor-warns-of-vanishing-state-general-revenue-surplus-as-spending-rises/">state’s cash crunch</a>.

“My understanding is they will have some difficult conversations about what that looks like,” Deaton said of the plans for capitol construction.

Some of the biggest individual items in the spending bill are:

Much of the bill is routine, seen every year, to make sure the state has enough money to keep major programs like Medicaid running for the remainder of the fiscal year, Deaton said.

“It is,” he said, “a very conventional supplemental.”

Missouri House sends $3.2B supplemental spending bill to governor’s desk

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on child sex crimes.

On March 5,&nbsp;Alexander Holmes, 35 of Maryville, Missouri was booked into the Brown County jail on requested charges of Rape, Aggravated Sodomy and AggravatedIndecent Liberties with a Child, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

The requested charges are based on the suspect being over 18 years of age and victim less than 14 years of age.&nbsp;&nbsp; This was determined after a lengthy investigation by the Brown County Sheriff's office and upon sending reports to the County Attorney for review, a warrant was&nbsp; issued&nbsp; for Holmes arrest.

Missouri man accused of violent child sex crimes

Farmers are facing high input costs, trade uncertainty, and surging grain production. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins spoke directly about those challenges during the recent Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, her home state. The Secretary told attendees that between 2020 and 2024, fuel costs increased 33 percent, seed costs were up 19 percent, fertilizer prices rose by 48 percent, labor was up 44 percent, and interest expenses were up 71 percent.

 “We’re seven years out from the last farm bill and all of this information we’re trying to work with is so outdated,” said Jed Bower, president of the National Corn Growers Association, “Our costs are so different that we have to get something done. It’s like they’ve forgotten about rural America.” There were some stern conversations and tension between farm leaders and representatives of major seed, fertilizer, machinery, and chemical companies during the opening day of the Commodity Classic. 

Farmer frustrations voiced at Commodity Classic

A new poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of Rural Voices USA found that 71 percent of farm families across five Midwestern states say they’re more likely to support a Congressional candidate who votes for year-round E15 legislation. The survey included respondents from Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, and it also found that a majority of all rural voters, at 57 percent, say a candidate’s support of E15 would make them more likely to vote for that candidate.

 “Rural voters see the farm crisis enveloping their communities and are looking for answers from Congress,” said Rural Voices USA Chairman Chris Gibbs. “This survey shows that rural voters and farm families want their members of Congress to go to bat for them on E15 because it ripples across the farm economy.” Gibbs also said that members of Congress would be wise to listen and stop the delays in passing the legislation.

Poll: 71 Percent of farm families back candidates supporting E15

May corn closed down 6 3/4 cents and July corn was down 5 1/2 cents. May soybeans closed down 4 1/2 cents and July soybeans were down 4 cents. May KC wheat closed down 3 3/4 cents, May Chicago wheat was down 13 1/2 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was up 3 cents.

As was wildly expected, crude oil (and related energy markets) jumped drastically again on the Sunday open, with oil hitting the highest level seen since the first half of 2022 following the initial Russian invasion of Ukraine. Prices eventually eased on profit-taking, falling back below $100 per barrel, accelerated on reports that G7 nations will discuss a coordinated release of oil reserves to ease the supply shock caused by the trade halt in the Persian Gulf. Row crops fell from highs along with the energy sector, with overbought technical conditions likely playing a role in encouraging profit-taking and hedging as well. Equity markets were lower again but off their daily lows, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average on pace for the first monthly loss since last April, barring a mid-March turnaround. The U.S. dollar was firm but will face a major technical test near 100 on the index, which has held since early 2025.

It's almost as if the live cattle complex thinks cattlemen and traders alike would grow weary if the market simply traded in a lackadaisical mundane fashion as opposed to the rollercoaster ride it turns into at times. Which perfectly describes the market's $3.00 to $4.00 decline Monday, as news broke late last week that union workers will indeed strike at the JBS packing plant in Greeley, Colorado. The strike is expected to happen the week of March 16, and JBS intends to shift production to other facilities during that time. This causes great anxiousness for the cattle complex as the market is already seeing minimal throughput from packers as they try to manage their margins to the best of their ability. It also raises the question: How is this going to affect beef consumers? Unfortunately, a level of uneasiness will likely reside within the market until this ordeal is played out; expect continued volatility until then. New showlists appear to be mixed, higher in Texas, but lower in Kansas and Nebraska/Colorado.

As expected, the feeder cattle complex has noted the decline in the live cattle market and consequently elected to send its contracts tumbling $4.00 to $5.00 lower into Monday's close. Until the live cattle complex settles down and trade in a more stable manner, the feeder cattle contracts will likely continue to scale lower.

Not even the lean hog complex could trade higher Monday, as its market is also seeing a slight regression into the closing bell. For the lean hog complex the market's resistance seems to be inflicting pressure more than anything else.

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Commodity markets daily recap

A Missouri state court has granted preliminary approval to a proposed $7.3 billion settlement aimed at resolving thousands of lawsuits alleging that Bayer’s Roundup herbicide caused cancer. Reports show the order from the Missouri Circuit Court in St. Louis allows the company to begin notifying potential claimants nationwide and sets a July 9 fairness hearing to determine whether the settlement will receive final approval. As part of the preliminary ruling, Bayer must deposit $500 million into the settlement fund within 10 business days. 

The proposed settlement, announced in February, is intended to compensate current and future plaintiffs who claim Roundup exposure caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The agreement also establishes a long-term program for handling future claims. Attorneys representing plaintiffs said the ruling is an important step toward compensation for victims after years of litigation. Bayer officials said the settlement is part of a broader strategy to resolve ongoing legal challenges tied to the herbicide. The settlement process will now move through a notice period before the court decides whether to grant final approval later this year.

Roundup settlement receives preliminary court approval 

A tick-borne cattle disease is spreading rapidly across Missouri, with confirmed cases now reported in 60 counties, raising concern among veterinarians and livestock producers. Reports say the disease, Theileria orientalis ikeda, was first detected in Missouri in 2023 and has expanded steadily as the Asian long-horned tick, the parasite’s primary carrier, spreads across the state. The organism infects red blood cells and can cause severe anemia in cattle. Veterinary experts say symptoms may include weakness, jaundice, pale mucous membranes and lethargy. 

In severe cases, the disease can lead to death, particularly in stressed animals or calves. There is currently no approved treatment or vaccine available in the United States, leaving prevention and tick control as the main tools for managing the disease. Researchers and extension specialists are urging producers to closely monitor cattle for signs of illness and to work with veterinarians to manage tick populations as the parasite continues to expand westward in the state.

Emerging cattle disease spreads across Missouri

March corn closed up 5 1/2 cents per bushel at $4.47 and May closed up 7 cents per bushel at $4.60 1/2 and March soybeans closed up 21 1/4 cents at $11.85 and May soybeans were up 21 1/2 cents at $12.00 3/4. May KC wheat closed up 31 cents at $6.23 1/2, May Chicago wheat was up 33 cents at $6.16 3/4 and May Minneapolis wheat was up 23 1/2 cents at $6.43

Grain and soy markets added more war premium Friday as the bombing of Iran military sites continue; but Iran still has not backed down. Crude oil soared again as the Strait of Hormuz transit of energy and fertilizer supplies continues to be restricted. Wheat led the markets higher on Friday despite still overall bearish fundamentals as funds continued to buy.

The live cattle complex started the day off trading lower, and upon seeing some fed cash cattle trade develop at lower prices, the market extended with that trend through the day's close. Today's weakness seems to be stemming from a number of different areas. Technically speaking, the market's 40-day moving average seems to pose as too much of a technical barrier for traders to challenge at this point. From a fundamental sense, seeing prices trade $3 lower in the North doesn't send the market warm and fuzzy feelings either. Bids are currently on the table in the South, but no Southern trade has been noted yet.

The feeder cattle complex also traded lower as the market witnessed&nbsp; its contracts fall anywhere from $6 to $7 lower by the closing bell. More than anything, the weakness seen in the live cattle complex amid a lower trade in the fed cash cattle market doesn't give the feeder cattle complex much support to rally around.

The cattle contracts may have traded much lower, but the lean hog complex kept with a slightly higher trend as traders remain committed to keeping a sideways/somewhat higher trend in the hog sector. Today's support largely gets attributed to trades as the market's fundamentals aren't helping drive the ship higher.

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For many years, the Iowa Corn Growers Association has been raising concerns about the pressure and crushing prices put on farmers by the fertilizer industry. Fertilizer prices continue to rise while commodity prices go in the other direction. ICGA said an investigation by the Department of Justice would be a step in the right direction, as more probing needs to be done. The Association thanked the Iowa Congressional delegation for hearing corn farmers' concerns’ by bringing forward the Fertilizer Research Act in the Senate and House to review the competition and transparency within the fertilizer industry. 

Additionally, ICGA and the Texas Corn Producers Association sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi in early February requesting a status update on the report related to fertilizer pricing and industry consolidation. Reports this week show that the DOJ has begun an official investigation into the U.S. fertilizer industry to explore whether several of the country’s largest fertilizer producers conspired to raise prices on American farmers.

Iowa Corn Growers encourage investigation into fertilizer

The House Agriculture Committee advanced a Republican-led farm bill 34-17 in a vote early on Thursday. While the markup was slowed by partisan fighting about the package, the legislation was approved with the backing of seven Democrats. Reports said that the bill is basically the same as legislation that House Ag Committee Chair Glen Thompson advanced out of the committee two years ago. House Ag Ranking Member Angie Craig said that despite “bipartisan improvements” during the amendment process, the package remains a disappointing farm bill that doesn’t meet the moment. 

“The bill includes sweeping updates to agriculture and nutrition policies that haven’t been formally reauthorized since the last farm bill passed in 2018." Representative Eric Sorenson of Illinois attempted to amend the bill to include language enabling the year-round sale of E15, but the amendment did not pass. The bill still includes language that would eliminate California’s Proposition 12.

House Ag Committee advances farm bill

May corn closed up 9 3/4 cents and July corn was up 9 1/4 cents. May soybeans closed up 9 3/4 cents and July soybeans were up 9 1/2 cents. May KC wheat closed up 20 cents, May Chicago wheat was up 15 1/2 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was up 10 1/4 cents.

For Thursday, traders saw the need for added risk premium in commodity markets, with wheat futures leading the way with another double-digit spike back toward calendar year highs. That positively influenced corn futures as well in tandem with another very strong round of export data released by USDA on Thursday morning. Soybeans were higher and back toward early week highs for the rally, with soybean oil providing bullish influence given the firm energy sector. Meanwhile, in other outside markets, the Dow Jones Industrial Average crashed again following a brief midweek reprieve from selling. Inflation and high interest rates fears (as a result of high energy costs) are driving investor sentiment, with the U.S. Dollar pressing higher and back towards 2026 highs as well.

The live cattle complex traded mildly higher following Wednesday's sizeable surge. Traders are cautiously advancing the spot April contract above its 40-day moving average, but it's not come without some worry as traders question whether or not they're overdoing the upward trend right now. If we had seen some stronger trade in the fed cash cattle market, then there likely wouldn't be any worry amongst traders; but we've yet to see any cash trade develop. There's a single bid currently on the table at $375 in Nebraska, but otherwise the market is sitting idle as feedlot managers wait for packers to offer up stronger bids. Asking prices are noted at $244 in the South but are still not established in the North.

The live cattle complex is pushing its spot April contract above the 40-day moving average, but the feeder cattle complex isn't seeing the same level of support as traders aren't comfortable pushing above their 40-day moving average at this time. The feeder cattle contracts continued to hedge on the side of safety and continue to trade steady to slightly lower.

Following Wednesday's sharp rally, the lean hog complex was mixed heading into Thursday's close as traders no longer want to push the contracts up to the market's resistance. It is helpful to see pork cutout values mildly higher as traders need to see continued fundamental support.

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May corn closed down 2 3/4 cents and July corn was down 2 cents. May soybeans closed down 1 cent and July soybeans were down 1/4 cent. May KC wheat closed down 5 3/4 cents, May Chicago wheat was down 5 3/4 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was down 4 cents.

Row-crop futures fell marginally Wednesday, retreating from chart resistance after hitting fresh highs for their recent moves early this week, with little fundamental news to influence price direction. Outside markets have settled to some degree after a volatile start to the week amid the onset of war in the Middle East and corresponding disruptions to world energy trade. Crude oil futures, of course, remain elevated but have stalled on attempted moves above $75 per barrel on NYMEX futures. The U.S. Dollar Index also moved lower for the first time this week, still among the highest level of 2026 but a touch below the mid-January high after Tuesday's reversal. Equity markets have recovered well from early Tuesday lows as investors recover from the initial market shock through the weekend and turn to monitoring the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

The live cattle complex was charging full steam ahead into Wednesday's closing bell as the market is currently trading $3.00 to $4.00 higher into the afternoon. Pinpointing what's driving the rally in the cattle sector is somewhat challenging, but more than anything it seems as though traders have reignited their bullish sentiment toward the market and are now giving the complex more technical support. There's a single bid currently on the table in Nebraska at $375, but otherwise no cattle have traded yet in the cash market. Boxed beef prices are higher: choice up $0.78 ($388.83) and select up $1.79 ($380.37) with a movement of 52 loads (40.57 loads of choice, 4.68 loads of select, 2.56 loads of trim and 4.11 loads of ground beef).

Upon seeing the live cattle complex rally aggressively, the feeder cattle contracts jumped into action as well as most of the contracts were sizeable $6.00 to $7.00 increases. The 40-day moving average seems to be giving the complex a little bit of resistance, but if the live cattle complex continues to trade higher traders may elect to conquer it later in the week.

With a slight uptick in pork demand, the lean hog contracts were also rallying into Wednesday's close. So far this week the market has chopped mostly sideways as traders haven't wanted to push the contracts any higher without increased fundamental support. But the slight uptick in pork demand has traders willing to advance the contracts at this point in time.

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The first case arising from last year’s special session for redistricting examines whether the state constitution allows the General Assembly to revise maps without new census data

The first case challenging Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">gerrymandered redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;to reach the state Supreme Court questions whether lawmakers had the power to enact the plan at all.

The court’s seven judges on Tuesday spent nearly an hour discussing the definition of a single word — “when” — and what it means in the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++45&amp;bid=31801&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">constitutional directive</a>&nbsp;to make congressional districts after each census.

The constitution states that “when the number of representatives to which the state is entitled” is reported after each census, “the General Assembly shall by law divide the state into districts corresponding with the number of representatives to which it is entitled…”

“‘When’ means ‘when’ and we think that language is quite clear,” said attorney Chuck Hatfield, who represents the plaintiffs asking the court to throw out the map passed in a special session last year.

Judge Zel Fischer, in one of the few queries from the bench, asked Hatfield to clarify what he meant.

“You are asking us to conclude that ‘when’ means only ‘when,’” Fischer said.

“It does,” Hatfield replied. “It does mean only ‘when.’”

Defending the map, attorneys for Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and the Missouri Republican Party said the provision is a directive to enact a new map after a census but does not bar redistricting at other times.

“This court has long held that the General Assembly has the power to act unless the constitution expressly takes that power away,” said Lou Capozzi, state solicitor general.

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