 Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed a property tax overhaul during her annual Condition of the State address Tuesday night, seeking to limit local government spending and protect senior citizens from rising assessments.

Under the governor's plan, annual revenue growth for city and county budgets would be capped at 2%. Reynolds also called for a property tax freeze for Iowans older than 64 who own homes valued at less than $350,000.

The 2026 legislative agenda also prioritizes rural health care. Reynolds informed lawmakers that she intends to dedicate $50 million in recently acquired federal funding to expand cancer screening tests and treatment services throughout the state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652895991730.jpeg" alt="Governor Kim Reynolds (cropped).jpg" />
 <figcaption>Governor Kim Reynolds (cropped).jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITH Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed a property tax overhaul during her annual Condition of the State address Tuesday night, seeking to limit local government spending and protect senior citizens from rising assessments.Under the governor's plan, annual revenue growth for city and county budgets would be capped at 2%. Reynolds also called for a property tax freeze for Iowans older than 64 who own homes valued at less than $350,000.The 2026 legislative agenda also prioritizes rural health care. Reynolds informed lawmakers that she intends to dedicate $50 million in recently acquired federal funding to expand cancer screening tests and treatment services throughout the state.

Reynolds proposes property tax caps, senior tax freeze in annual address

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Leavenworth man on multiple allegations after a high speed chase at speeds of 100mhp.

Just before 11 a.m. Monday, a deputy on Interstate 70 just east of the Brookville exit was attempting to locate a 1997 Toyota Camry&nbsp; reported stolen out of Hays by the Kansas Highway Patrol, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The deputy located the vehicle. He and other law enforcement began a pursuit eastbound.&nbsp; The driver exited onto Hedville Road and continued northbound with speeds ranging from&nbsp;75-120 mph.

The driver entered into Ottawa County and came to the intersection of K-18 going eastbound. As the pursuit continued, the driver tried to pass a Nissan Versa but there was oncoming traffic. The driver then re-corrected back onto the eastbound lane, sideswiping a Nissan that was in front of the Toyota.&nbsp; The Nissan driver was not injured.

The suspect continued eastbound on K-18, following K-18 north and then east into Bennington. The suspect drove a short distance into Bennington, before returning to K-18 and heading back east on K-18.

At the intersection of K-18 and Lincoln Street the driver lost control and struck a tree on the northeast corner of the intersection.&nbsp;

The suspect identified as 37-year-old Shawn Hiatt of Leavenworth was arrested on the scene and transported to Salina Regional Health Center by Ottawa County EMS. Upon his release, Hiatt was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of No Drivers License, Felony Flee and Elude, Possession of Stolen Property Aggravated Battery and a Warrant out of Leavenworth County for Domestic Battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768323394163.png" alt="Hiatt-photo Saline County Jail&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Hiatt-photo Saline County Jail&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Leavenworth man on multiple allegations after a high speed chase at speeds of 100mhp.Just before 11 a.m. Monday, a deputy on Interstate 70 just east of the Brookville exit was attempting to locate a 1997 Toyota Camry&nbsp; reported stolen out of Hays by the Kansas Highway Patrol, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768323889645.jpeg" alt="Stolen 1997 Toyota Camry, after Hiatt struck a tree in Bennington ending a 17 minute pursuit. Photo by Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Stolen 1997 Toyota Camry, after Hiatt struck a tree in Bennington ending a 17 minute pursuit. Photo by Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>The deputy located the vehicle. He and other law enforcement began a pursuit eastbound.&nbsp; The driver exited onto Hedville Road and continued northbound with speeds ranging from&nbsp;75-120 mph.The driver entered into Ottawa County and came to the intersection of K-18 going eastbound. As the pursuit continued, the driver tried to pass a Nissan Versa but there was oncoming traffic. The driver then re-corrected back onto the eastbound lane, sideswiping a Nissan that was in front of the Toyota.&nbsp; The Nissan driver was not injured.The suspect continued eastbound on K-18, following K-18 north and then east into Bennington. The suspect drove a short distance into Bennington, before returning to K-18 and heading back east on K-18.At the intersection of K-18 and Lincoln Street the driver lost control and struck a tree on the northeast corner of the intersection.&nbsp;The pursuit lasted for about 17 minutes.The suspect identified as 37-year-old Shawn Hiatt of Leavenworth was arrested on the scene and transported to Salina Regional Health Center by Ottawa County EMS. Upon his release, Hiatt was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of No Drivers License, Felony Flee and Elude, Possession of Stolen Property Aggravated Battery and a Warrant out of Leavenworth County for Domestic Battery.

Suspect in stolen car captured after 100mph chase, crash

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley expressed firm opposition to the use of American military force in Iran, even as the Iranian government continues a violent crackdown on massive anti-government protests.

The Iowa Republican emphasized a preference for non-military solutions to the escalating crisis. "We don't want military action," Grassley stated. "I don't think it's necessary at this point."

The Senator’s comments come amid harrowing reports from the region. Current estimates suggest that more than 600 people have been killed and upwards of 10,000 have been detained during the demonstrations. Grassley described the mounting death toll as "too many."

While ruling out immediate military intervention, Grassley noted that the administration remains in active deliberations. He confirmed that the president has been meeting with a team of military, diplomatic, and national security advisors to weigh potential U.S. responses to the unrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759860184747.png" alt="Grassley" />
 <figcaption>Grassley</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHU.S. Senator Chuck Grassley expressed firm opposition to the use of American military force in Iran, even as the Iranian government continues a violent crackdown on massive anti-government protests.The Iowa Republican emphasized a preference for non-military solutions to the escalating crisis. "We don't want military action," Grassley stated. "I don't think it's necessary at this point."The Senator’s comments come amid harrowing reports from the region. Current estimates suggest that more than 600 people have been killed and upwards of 10,000 have been detained during the demonstrations. Grassley described the mounting death toll as "too many."While ruling out immediate military intervention, Grassley noted that the administration remains in active deliberations. He confirmed that the president has been meeting with a team of military, diplomatic, and national security advisors to weigh potential U.S. responses to the unrest.

Grassley opposes military action in Iran amid violent crackdown on protesters

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Tuesday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Impala driven by a 16-year-old Coffey, Missouri girl was southbound on Interstate 35 one mile south of Bethany.

The car was approaching a 2000 Kenworth semi and changed lanes to avoid rear-ending the vehicle.&nbsp; &nbsp;The teen driver changed lanes to avoid a crash. At the same time the semi driver overcorrected and Impala struck the drivers side of the semi.

North Missouri EMS transported the teen to Harrison County Community Hospital. The semi driver from Iowa was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Tuesday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chevy Impala driven by a 16-year-old Coffey, Missouri girl was southbound on Interstate 35 one mile south of Bethany.The car was approaching a 2000 Kenworth semi and changed lanes to avoid rear-ending the vehicle.&nbsp; &nbsp;The teen driver changed lanes to avoid a crash. At the same time the semi driver overcorrected and Impala struck the drivers side of the semi.North Missouri EMS transported the teen to Harrison County Community Hospital. The semi driver from Iowa was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. teen hospitalized after crash with a semi

Jefferson City-On Tuesday, exactly one year since being sworn in as Missouri's 58th Governor, Governor Mike Kehoe delivered the 2026 State of the State Address to the Missouri General Assembly, outlining his legislative priorities and budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027.

<a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MOGOV/2026/01/13/file_attachments/3520534/EMBARGOED%202026%20State%20of%20the%20State%20Address.pdf">&nbsp;Click here to read a full </a>transcript of the address

The Governor's address centered on delivering a responsible, conservative budget recommendation. As state finances normalize following the influx of unprecedented federal funds and elevated general revenue spending, the Governor's budget starts to align ongoing spending with ongoing revenues in an effort to return state finances to a sustainable, pre-pandemic framework.

"Today, we delivered a budget recommendation that focuses on the core functions of government and how we can best serve Missourians without overpromising and overspending," said&nbsp;Governor Kehoe. "Our recommendation proves that state government can live within its means, and our economy can grow and deliver results for taxpayers all at the same time."

Since Fiscal Year FY2022, more than 3,400 new budgetary items have been added to the state’s operatingbudget, resulting in nearly $13 billion in new general revenue spending.

Governor Kehoe’s recommendation reduces more than $600 million from the general revenue core operating budget, beginning to address a projected future imbalance exceeding $2 billion. These reductions prioritize fiscal discipline while continuing to meet mandatory and high-priority obligations, including Medicaid matching requirements, child care subsidies, and disaster relief, without cutting core funding for higher education or the K-12 foundation formula.&nbsp;

While emphasizing smaller government and fiscal discipline, Governor Kehoe highlighted his support for modernizing Missouri's tax code by eliminating Missouri's individual income tax through a responsible, sustainable plan.

"If we are serious about building a foundation for growth, to compete rather than be complacent, then we must begin the work now to phase-out and eliminate Missouri's individual income tax," said&nbsp;Governor Kehoe. "We can do both. We can maintain a balanced budget that supports essential services and pursue a bold tax policy that improves Missouri’s competitiveness."

The first step in this plan is placing the measure before Missourians, so today, Governor Kehoe called on the General Assembly to pass a joint resolution to place a plan for the phased elimination of the individual income tax on the ballot this year. Voter approval would allow legislators to take action on Governor Kehoe's plan next legislative session.

Governor Kehoe previewed the types of modern services that are not currently being taxed that could create new revenue and the safeguards in his plan to ensure fiscal responsibility and protect against economic downturns, including requiring triggered reductions to the income tax rate.

"Eliminating the income tax is not about runaway sales taxes, and I will never support extending sales taxes on agriculture, healthcare, or real estate,"&nbsp;Governor Kehoe&nbsp;continued. "Missouri’s tax code was built for the past 100 years. Our economy demands one for the next 100 years."

In his address, Governor Kehoe highlighted the first year of his administration, emphasizing growth in his four policy priority areas of&nbsp;public safety,&nbsp;economic development,&nbsp;agriculture, and&nbsp;education. Governor Kehoe described his continued focus on these areas, presenting his legislative and budget priorities for this year to the General Assembly.

<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:*2F*2Fgovernor.mo.gov*2Fmedia*2Fpdf*2Fgovernor-mike-kehoe-2026-legislative-budgetary-priorities/1/0100019bb924ddd7-ef1de22e-fce8-4571-89c4-3ebd73ef24e9-000000/QeDpKSTHwQUB9fb8d5ZWYjNo6TcQRy-CTNlcOT99nO0=440__;JSUlJSU!!I_2Np51FQg!nXFhnR6YOJsYqW3ZEgShmqKO7uSxiQ6FNFpCrS9a1ZPeO86m9yLLvS_EH0FGreAUxFEhKk-Bqjyd6E2n11k5GqQ7pC3hrD4tzkfbAQYqfqj_-Q$" target="_blank">2026 Legislative &amp; Budget Priorities</a>

Governor Kehoe also signed four executive orders in conjunction with his address:

The Governor's address also featured several special guests, highlighting Missouri's economic development tools, public safety initiatives, the next generation of agriculture, access to education opportunity, and the brave heroes and first responders who answered the call when Missouri was tested.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768342291365.png" alt="Gov. Mike Kehoe-image from the State of the State Addtess" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Mike Kehoe-image from the State of the State Addtess</figcaption>
 </figure>Jefferson City-On Tuesday, exactly one year since being sworn in as Missouri's 58th Governor, Governor Mike Kehoe delivered the 2026 State of the State Address to the Missouri General Assembly, outlining his legislative priorities and budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovKehoe%2Fvideos%2F749509401047271%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=1300" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768342398067.png" alt="Image from video of the State of the State address" />
 <figcaption>Image from video of the State of the State address</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MOGOV/2026/01/13/file_attachments/3520534/EMBARGOED%202026%20State%20of%20the%20State%20Address.pdf">&nbsp;Click here to read a full </a>transcript of the addressState of the Budget&nbsp;The Governor's address centered on delivering a responsible, conservative budget recommendation. As state finances normalize following the influx of unprecedented federal funds and elevated general revenue spending, the Governor's budget starts to align ongoing spending with ongoing revenues in an effort to return state finances to a sustainable, pre-pandemic framework."Today, we delivered a budget recommendation that focuses on the core functions of government and how we can best serve Missourians without overpromising and overspending," said&nbsp;Governor Kehoe. "Our recommendation proves that state government can live within its means, and our economy can grow and deliver results for taxpayers all at the same time."Since Fiscal Year FY2022, more than 3,400 new budgetary items have been added to the state’s operatingbudget, resulting in nearly $13 billion in new general revenue spending.Governor Kehoe’s recommendation reduces more than $600 million from the general revenue core operating budget, beginning to address a projected future imbalance exceeding $2 billion. These reductions prioritize fiscal discipline while continuing to meet mandatory and high-priority obligations, including Medicaid matching requirements, child care subsidies, and disaster relief, without cutting core funding for higher education or the K-12 foundation formula.&nbsp;Income Tax EliminationWhile emphasizing smaller government and fiscal discipline, Governor Kehoe highlighted his support for modernizing Missouri's tax code by eliminating Missouri's individual income tax through a responsible, sustainable plan."If we are serious about building a foundation for growth, to compete rather than be complacent, then we must begin the work now to phase-out and eliminate Missouri's individual income tax," said&nbsp;Governor Kehoe. "We can do both. We can maintain a balanced budget that supports essential services and pursue a bold tax policy that improves Missouri’s competitiveness."The first step in this plan is placing the measure before Missourians, so today, Governor Kehoe called on the General Assembly to pass a joint resolution to place a plan for the phased elimination of the individual income tax on the ballot this year. Voter approval would allow legislators to take action on Governor Kehoe's plan next legislative session.Governor Kehoe previewed the types of modern services that are not currently being taxed that could create new revenue and the safeguards in his plan to ensure fiscal responsibility and protect against economic downturns, including requiring triggered reductions to the income tax rate."Eliminating the income tax is not about runaway sales taxes, and I will never support extending sales taxes on agriculture, healthcare, or real estate,"&nbsp;Governor Kehoe&nbsp;continued. "Missouri’s tax code was built for the past 100 years. Our economy demands one for the next 100 years."Kehoe Administration Policy PrioritiesIn his address, Governor Kehoe highlighted the first year of his administration, emphasizing growth in his four policy priority areas of&nbsp;public safety,&nbsp;economic development,&nbsp;agriculture, and&nbsp;education. Governor Kehoe described his continued focus on these areas, presenting his legislative and budget priorities for this year to the General Assembly.<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:*2F*2Fgovernor.mo.gov*2Fmedia*2Fpdf*2Fgovernor-mike-kehoe-2026-legislative-budgetary-priorities/1/0100019bb924ddd7-ef1de22e-fce8-4571-89c4-3ebd73ef24e9-000000/QeDpKSTHwQUB9fb8d5ZWYjNo6TcQRy-CTNlcOT99nO0=440__;JSUlJSU!!I_2Np51FQg!nXFhnR6YOJsYqW3ZEgShmqKO7uSxiQ6FNFpCrS9a1ZPeO86m9yLLvS_EH0FGreAUxFEhKk-Bqjyd6E2n11k5GqQ7pC3hrD4tzkfbAQYqfqj_-Q$" target="_blank">2026 Legislative &amp; Budget Priorities</a>Governor Kehoe also signed four executive orders in conjunction with his address:<ul>
 <li><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:*2F*2Fwww.sos.mo.gov*2Flibrary*2Freference*2Forders*2F2026*2Feo1/1/0100019bb924ddd7-ef1de22e-fce8-4571-89c4-3ebd73ef24e9-000000/Ge3c9HnrNaNhiHzqBsf9GRaOMcwPB_FoRp2Ljs9JsEI=440__;JSUlJSUlJQ!!I_2Np51FQg!nXFhnR6YOJsYqW3ZEgShmqKO7uSxiQ6FNFpCrS9a1ZPeO86m9yLLvS_EH0FGreAUxFEhKk-Bqjyd6E2n11k5GqQ7pC3hrD4tzkfbAQZRWLOFZA$" target="_blank">Executive Order 26-01</a>, creating a statewide school accountability A-F grade card</li><li><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:*2F*2Fwww.sos.mo.gov*2Flibrary*2Freference*2Forders*2F2026*2Feo2/1/0100019bb924ddd7-ef1de22e-fce8-4571-89c4-3ebd73ef24e9-000000/lRc1JSAbpp5-pwtZd93a288ItFR2APJaXvpE55FCxVY=440__;JSUlJSUlJQ!!I_2Np51FQg!nXFhnR6YOJsYqW3ZEgShmqKO7uSxiQ6FNFpCrS9a1ZPeO86m9yLLvS_EH0FGreAUxFEhKk-Bqjyd6E2n11k5GqQ7pC3hrD4tzkfbAQYQJYqKXA$" target="_blank">Executive Order 26-02</a>, demonstrating his administration's commitment to safely and effectively use AI in state government operations</li><li><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:*2F*2Fwww.sos.mo.gov*2Flibrary*2Freference*2Forders*2F2026*2Feo3/1/0100019bb924ddd7-ef1de22e-fce8-4571-89c4-3ebd73ef24e9-000000/ATTUKomApR6YX4FOYDa7CXqJ9aJ74AjRiJ_d40OIv2s=440__;JSUlJSUlJQ!!I_2Np51FQg!nXFhnR6YOJsYqW3ZEgShmqKO7uSxiQ6FNFpCrS9a1ZPeO86m9yLLvS_EH0FGreAUxFEhKk-Bqjyd6E2n11k5GqQ7pC3hrD4tzkfbAQaW6VOn4w$" target="_blank">Executive Order 26-03</a>, reinforcing his administration's commitment to government efficiency, creating the Missouri Government Responsibility, Efficiency, Accountability, and Transformation initiative (Missouri GREAT)</li><li><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:*2F*2Fwww.sos.mo.gov*2Flibrary*2Freference*2Forders*2F2026*2Feo4/1/0100019bb924ddd7-ef1de22e-fce8-4571-89c4-3ebd73ef24e9-000000/Gc1DhmoKJNrBQs_KaNQPrMMMT2kVAgdXfF4BC51mD_I=440__;JSUlJSUlJQ!!I_2Np51FQg!nXFhnR6YOJsYqW3ZEgShmqKO7uSxiQ6FNFpCrS9a1ZPeO86m9yLLvS_EH0FGreAUxFEhKk-Bqjyd6E2n11k5GqQ7pC3hrD4tzkfbAQZyNmLVYg$" target="_blank">Executive Order 26-04</a>, establishing the Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force to promote nuclear energy deployment in Missouri</li>
 </ul>The Governor's address also featured several special guests, highlighting Missouri's economic development tools, public safety initiatives, the next generation of agriculture, access to education opportunity, and the brave heroes and first responders who answered the call when Missouri was tested.&nbsp;

🎥 Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe 2026 State of the State address

Maryville resident David Howell expressed concerns about a property at 724 Prather Ave. being used as a short-term rental during a recent City Council meeting. Despite a 6-1 recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Council unanimously voted against granting a special-use permit for the property to operate as a short-term rental. The property owner, Danielle Erickson, argued that the rental would not be a party house but rather cater to professionals, university visitors, and families. However, the Council cited zoning regulations and neighborhood opposition as reasons for denying the permit. Similar concerns led to the rejection of a short-term rental permit for another property owned by Jeff and Lisa Yosten.&nbsp;

Maryville resident David Howell expressed concerns about a property at 724 Prather Ave. being used as a short-term rental during a recent City Council meeting. Despite a 6-1 recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Council unanimously voted against granting a special-use permit for the property to operate as a short-term rental. The property owner, Danielle Erickson, argued that the rental would not be a party house but rather cater to professionals, university visitors, and families. However, the Council cited zoning regulations and neighborhood opposition as reasons for denying the permit. Similar concerns led to the rejection of a short-term rental permit for another property owned by Jeff and Lisa Yosten.&nbsp;

Maryville City Council Sides with Neighbors

Demolition of the former Atchison County Farm Bureau building in Rock Port, Missouri began this week. Dan Athen, under the supervision of Scott Jones, initiated the removal process on January 12, 2026. The expansion of the fire station has become necessary due to the increasing size of trucks and equipment housed there over the years. 

Demolition of the former Atchison County Farm Bureau building in Rock Port, Missouri began this week. Dan Athen, under the supervision of Scott Jones, initiated the removal process on January 12, 2026. The expansion of the fire station has become necessary due to the increasing size of trucks and equipment housed there over the years.

Demolition Starts at Former Atchison County Farm Bureau Site

Kansas currently holds the highest number of confirmed bird flu infections in the United States, with recent outbreaks in two northeast counties pushing the state’s total to more than 400,000 affected birds.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the surge in highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has impacted four commercial operations and six backyard flocks across the state. The most significant loss occurred in Pottawatomie County, where a commercial egg-laying facility reported 380,000 birds affected by the virus.

In neighboring Nemaha County, officials recently confirmed the virus in a commercial gamebird flock of more than 4,000 birds. The USDA reports that 65 flocks have been impacted nationwide as the virus continues to spread through migratory bird patterns.

Despite the high number of poultry infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that the risk to the general public remains low. While the federal government has recorded 71 human cases of bird flu across the country, none have been identified in Kansas.

Health officials continue to monitor the situation, advising poultry owners to implement strict biosecurity measures to prevent further spread between commercial and wild populations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652221835.jpeg" alt="Avian Influenza Bird Flu (MO Agriculture)" />
 <figcaption>Avian Influenza Bird Flu (MO Agriculture)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHKansas currently holds the highest number of confirmed bird flu infections in the United States, with recent outbreaks in two northeast counties pushing the state’s total to more than 400,000 affected birds.According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the surge in highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has impacted four commercial operations and six backyard flocks across the state. The most significant loss occurred in Pottawatomie County, where a commercial egg-laying facility reported 380,000 birds affected by the virus.In neighboring Nemaha County, officials recently confirmed the virus in a commercial gamebird flock of more than 4,000 birds. The USDA reports that 65 flocks have been impacted nationwide as the virus continues to spread through migratory bird patterns.Despite the high number of poultry infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that the risk to the general public remains low. While the federal government has recorded 71 human cases of bird flu across the country, none have been identified in Kansas.Health officials continue to monitor the situation, advising poultry owners to implement strict biosecurity measures to prevent further spread between commercial and wild populations.

Northeast Kansas bird flu outbreaks push state to highest infection rate in U.S.

Maryville resident Ashley Marie Farrell, 33, is facing a Class D Stealing charge in Nodaway County Court for allegedly taking cash, lottery tickets, and alcohol from an establishment between January 1, 2025, and September 28, 2024. The Probable Cause Statement revealed that Farrell was caught on video leaving with three bank bags but only deposited two at the bank, claiming one was lost. Approximately $1,100 worth of Missouri Lottery scratch-off tickets were also reported stolen. An internal investigation uncovered missing cashed-out lottery tickets and alcohol beverages. Farrell's bond was set at $10,000.

Maryville resident Ashley Marie Farrell, 33, is facing a Class D Stealing charge in Nodaway County Court for allegedly taking cash, lottery tickets, and alcohol from an establishment between January 1, 2025, and September 28, 2024. The Probable Cause Statement revealed that Farrell was caught on video leaving with three bank bags but only deposited two at the bank, claiming one was lost. Approximately $1,100 worth of Missouri Lottery scratch-off tickets were also reported stolen. An internal investigation uncovered missing cashed-out lottery tickets and alcohol beverages. Farrell's bond was set at $10,000.

Missing Bank Bag and $1,100 in Lottery Tickets Lead to Felony Charges for Maryville Woman

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on Monday, Jan. 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Exam stations will reopen for normal hours Tuesday, Jan. 20.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655835798603.png" alt="MSHP" />
 <figcaption>MSHP</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHThe Missouri State Highway Patrol says driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on Monday, Jan. 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.Exam stations will reopen for normal hours Tuesday, Jan. 20.

Driver exam stations to close for MLK Day

 The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum has been nominated for the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Award in the Best History Museum category. This marks the third consecutive year the museum has received a nomination for the national honor.

Voting opened Monday, Jan. 12 and will continue through Feb. 9. Supporters are permitted to vote once daily via the 10Best website. The museum is among 20 nominees selected by a panel of travel experts, with the final winners determined by public vote.

Mindi Love Pendergraft, the museum’s executive director, said the nomination serves as a testament to the institution's global reach.

"We are thrilled to be nominated for the third consecutive year," Pendergraft said. "This national recognition of our museum’s quality is invaluable and attracts visitors from all over the world."

Pendergraft noted that the museum has welcomed guests from all 50 U.S. states and 37 countries, citing the enduring mystery and legacy of the legendary aviator as a primary draw for tourism.

The museum utilizes a blend of interactive storytelling and STEM-based learning to chronicle the life of Earhart. A trailblazer in aviation, Earhart was the first woman to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. Throughout her career, she used her platform to advocate for gender equality and the advancement of the aviation industry.

The centerpiece of the collection is "Muriel," the world’s last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E. The aircraft is identical to the one Earhart flew during her final flight and is one of only 14 ever built. It was named in honor of Earhart's younger sister, Grace Muriel Earhart Morrissey.

Earhart disappeared in July 1937 while attempting to circumnavigate the globe along the equator. She vanished over the Pacific Ocean near Howland Island with only three stops remaining in her 29,000-mile journey. Nearly a century later, the disappearance remains one of the world's greatest unsolved mysteries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740761579484.jpeg" alt="courtesy of the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum" />
 <figcaption>courtesy of the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITH The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum has been nominated for the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Award in the Best History Museum category. This marks the third consecutive year the museum has received a nomination for the national honor.Voting opened Monday, Jan. 12 and will continue through Feb. 9. Supporters are permitted to vote once daily via the 10Best website. The museum is among 20 nominees selected by a panel of travel experts, with the final winners determined by public vote.Mindi Love Pendergraft, the museum’s executive director, said the nomination serves as a testament to the institution's global reach."We are thrilled to be nominated for the third consecutive year," Pendergraft said. "This national recognition of our museum’s quality is invaluable and attracts visitors from all over the world."Pendergraft noted that the museum has welcomed guests from all 50 U.S. states and 37 countries, citing the enduring mystery and legacy of the legendary aviator as a primary draw for tourism.The museum utilizes a blend of interactive storytelling and STEM-based learning to chronicle the life of Earhart. A trailblazer in aviation, Earhart was the first woman to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. Throughout her career, she used her platform to advocate for gender equality and the advancement of the aviation industry.The centerpiece of the collection is "Muriel," the world’s last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E. The aircraft is identical to the one Earhart flew during her final flight and is one of only 14 ever built. It was named in honor of Earhart's younger sister, Grace Muriel Earhart Morrissey.Earhart disappeared in July 1937 while attempting to circumnavigate the globe along the equator. She vanished over the Pacific Ocean near Howland Island with only three stops remaining in her 29,000-mile journey. Nearly a century later, the disappearance remains one of the world's greatest unsolved mysteries.

Ready for takeoff: Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum seeks top spot in national '10Best' ranking

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its attempts to access abortion patient records as the state tries to build a case in favor of strict abortion regulations

KANSAS CITY — Attorneys for Missouri’s only abortion provider presented a timeline Monday of two decades of restrictions on the procedure, laid out for a crowded courtroom across four easels.

On the opening day of what promises to be a 10-day trial over which regulations should remain in place under Missouri’s voter-approved abortion rights amendment, lawyers for Planned Parenthood argued the restrictions were “petty, demanding and increasingly aggressive,” and became increasingly so as more anti-abortion lawmakers were elected to the statehouse.

“The most consistent thing about abortion provisions in Missouri is that it’s been inconsistent,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Columbia and the Kansas City area, testified Monday.&nbsp;

As the trial kicked off in a Jackson County courtroom, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its plea for access to abortion patient records, including patient complaints and ER transfers. So far, a judge has denied the state’s attempt to access these records.

“We’ve had to fight tooth and nail to find smoking gun evidence,” Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general, said Monday after appealing the court’s decision to allow Planned Parenthood to submit a summary chart of patient complications rather than records.

Vanessa Pai-Thompson, an attorney with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, called the state’s continued efforts “a last-ditch attempt to find a there there.”&nbsp;

Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash painted for the judge a picture of a hypothetical woman faced with an unintended pregnancy. Maybe she’s young and lacks a strong safety net. Maybe she can’t afford a baby, or is unsure if she is ready to be a mother.

Then Overcash detailed a world where the woman goes to an abortion provider and is shown an ultrasound. A state-mandated informed consent booklet is handed to her with other options and she is required to wait 72-hours before she can get an abortion.&nbsp;

This scenario, Overcash said, exists if the state’s current abortion regulations are upheld as part of a system designed to protect women in “emotionally fraught and medically-risky circumstances.”&nbsp;

But the first two witnesses in the case, called by Planned Parenthood, said dozens of unnecessary restrictions ensure access to abortion remains limited, if not impossible. As a result,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/">&nbsp;only a few dozen in-clinic abortions</a>&nbsp;were performed in recent years, as restrictions continued to pile up, compared to more than 20,000 a few decades earlier. Medication abortion remains inaccessible.

These restrictions came to a head in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and Missouri’s trigger law banning nearly all abortions went into effect.&nbsp;

Two years later,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/05/missouri-legalized-abortion-1-year-ago-ban/">52% of Missourians voted to add reproductive health care protections</a>, including access to abortion up to the point of fetal viability, into the state constitution. The amendment prevents the state from denying, interfering with or otherwise restricting abortion.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state a day after the vote, asking that a few dozen abortion regulations, commonly referred to as “targeted regulation of abortion providers” or TRAP laws, be struck down as unconstitutional under the new amendment.

The regulations, which will be dissected in court over the next two weeks, include:&nbsp;

If the courts decide to strike down these regulations, Missourians will be able to access abortion closer to home and earlier in pregnancy, Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, based in eastern Missouri, Springfield and Illinois, testified Monday.

The regulations being challenged in the lawsuit caused frustration for patients and made it difficult to hire and retain staff, Wales testified, especially for providers under the threat of criminalization.&nbsp;

“I felt under a microscope. I felt targeted. This is nothing like what I’ve experienced in a nursing home or hospital,” Wales recalls clinic staff saying.

The trial will resume Tuesday morning, when several more Planned Parenthood employees are expected to testify.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768301874356.png" alt=" Dr. Margaret Baum (center), chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, speaks to reporters following the opening day of a trial litigating Missouri’s abortion regulations on Monday, Jan. 12, 2025, in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Dr. Margaret Baum (center), chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, speaks to reporters following the opening day of a trial litigating Missouri’s abortion regulations on Monday, Jan. 12, 2025, in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its attempts to access abortion patient records as the state tries to build a case in favor of strict abortion regulations</h2>KANSAS CITY — Attorneys for Missouri’s only abortion provider presented a timeline Monday of two decades of restrictions on the procedure, laid out for a crowded courtroom across four easels.On the opening day of what promises to be a 10-day trial over which regulations should remain in place under Missouri’s voter-approved abortion rights amendment, lawyers for Planned Parenthood argued the restrictions were “petty, demanding and increasingly aggressive,” and became increasingly so as more anti-abortion lawmakers were elected to the statehouse.“The most consistent thing about abortion provisions in Missouri is that it’s been inconsistent,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Columbia and the Kansas City area, testified Monday.&nbsp;As the trial kicked off in a Jackson County courtroom, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its plea for access to abortion patient records, including patient complaints and ER transfers. So far, a judge has denied the state’s attempt to access these records.“We’ve had to fight tooth and nail to find smoking gun evidence,” Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general, said Monday after appealing the court’s decision to allow Planned Parenthood to submit a summary chart of patient complications rather than records.Vanessa Pai-Thompson, an attorney with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, called the state’s continued efforts “a last-ditch attempt to find a there there.”&nbsp;Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash painted for the judge a picture of a hypothetical woman faced with an unintended pregnancy. Maybe she’s young and lacks a strong safety net. Maybe she can’t afford a baby, or is unsure if she is ready to be a mother.Then Overcash detailed a world where the woman goes to an abortion provider and is shown an ultrasound. A state-mandated informed consent booklet is handed to her with other options and she is required to wait 72-hours before she can get an abortion.&nbsp;This scenario, Overcash said, exists if the state’s current abortion regulations are upheld as part of a system designed to protect women in “emotionally fraught and medically-risky circumstances.”&nbsp;But the first two witnesses in the case, called by Planned Parenthood, said dozens of unnecessary restrictions ensure access to abortion remains limited, if not impossible. As a result,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/">&nbsp;only a few dozen in-clinic abortions</a>&nbsp;were performed in recent years, as restrictions continued to pile up, compared to more than 20,000 a few decades earlier. Medication abortion remains inaccessible.These restrictions came to a head in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and Missouri’s trigger law banning nearly all abortions went into effect.&nbsp;Two years later,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/05/missouri-legalized-abortion-1-year-ago-ban/">52% of Missourians voted to add reproductive health care protections</a>, including access to abortion up to the point of fetal viability, into the state constitution. The amendment prevents the state from denying, interfering with or otherwise restricting abortion.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state a day after the vote, asking that a few dozen abortion regulations, commonly referred to as “targeted regulation of abortion providers” or TRAP laws, be struck down as unconstitutional under the new amendment.The regulations, which will be dissected in court over the next two weeks, include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>The state’s near-total abortion ban, as well as gestational limits on abortion.</li><li>The required distribution of&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">Missouri’s informed consent booklet&nbsp;</a>prior to an abortion.</li><li>A 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and an abortion.</li><li>A requirement that the same doctor who saw the patient at the initial appointment also provide the abortion.</li><li>A ban on prescribing medication abortion to patients via telemedicine.</li><li>A requirement that only doctors be able to provide abortions.</li><li>Abortion facility licensing requirements, including building specifications.</li><li>Mandatory pelvic exams prior to the administration of medication abortion.</li><li>Admitting privileges and a written transfer agreement at a nearby hospital.</li><li><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/11/laws-regulations-medication-abortion-mifepristone-misoprostol-missouri/">Complication plan for medication abortion</a>&nbsp;that must be approved by the state health department.&nbsp;</li><li>Providers who prescribe medication abortion must carry tail insurance that is effective for 21 years after the abortion takes place.&nbsp;</li><li>All pregnancy tissue removed during procedural abortions must be submitted to a pathologist for review.</li>
 </ul>If the courts decide to strike down these regulations, Missourians will be able to access abortion closer to home and earlier in pregnancy, Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, based in eastern Missouri, Springfield and Illinois, testified Monday.The regulations being challenged in the lawsuit caused frustration for patients and made it difficult to hire and retain staff, Wales testified, especially for providers under the threat of criminalization.&nbsp;“I felt under a microscope. I felt targeted. This is nothing like what I’ve experienced in a nursing home or hospital,” Wales recalls clinic staff saying.The trial will resume Tuesday morning, when several more Planned Parenthood employees are expected to testify.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Opening day of Missouri abortion-rights trial focuses on decades of state restrictions

Iowa is among more than two-thirds of states that do not require paid parental leave for teachers, according to a report by the National Council on Teacher Quality. 

While a state law passed last year offers state employees four weeks of paid leave, it excludes teachers because they are employed by local school districts.

Council President Heather Peske says research shows paid leave is a top three incentive for recruitment and can significantly reduce turnover. Currently, only two states require 12 weeks of fully paid leave for educators, leaving many others to struggle with balancing work and family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756588415225.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHIowa is among more than two-thirds of states that do not require paid parental leave for teachers, according to a report by the National Council on Teacher Quality. While a state law passed last year offers state employees four weeks of paid leave, it excludes teachers because they are employed by local school districts.Council President Heather Peske says research shows paid leave is a top three incentive for recruitment and can significantly reduce turnover. Currently, only two states require 12 weeks of fully paid leave for educators, leaving many others to struggle with balancing work and family.

Report: Iowa teachers lack paid parental leave despite benefits for other state workers

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged violence.

On Sunday police arrested 26-year-old Nico R. Munson, 26, Atchison, in the 1300 block North 17th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Just before 3p.m. Munson was booked into jail on requested charges of&nbsp;Domestic batteryKnowing cause phys contact w/ family/dating relationship3+ in 5 years, according to online jail records. Less than three hours laater, Munson met the requirement of a $2,500 bond and is no longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768272731686.png" alt="Munson photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Munson photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged violence.On Sunday police arrested 26-year-old Nico R. Munson, 26, Atchison, in the 1300 block North 17th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Just before 3p.m. Munson was booked into jail on requested charges of&nbsp;Domestic batteryKnowing cause phys contact w/ family/dating relationship3+ in 5 years, according to online jail records. Less than three hours laater, Munson met the requirement of a $2,500 bond and is no longer in custody.

Kansas man accused of violent incident at his home

The Maryville Police Department recently brought on three new officers to help fill its ranks and bring staffing closer to full capacity at the department.

Maryville Police Chief Mike Stolte welcomed Isaiah Bruley, Ian Long, and Jacob Ferris at the end of last month, sworn in by Maryville City Clerk Stacy Wood on December 22nd, after their graduation from the academy on December 19th.

One position does remain open at the Maryville Police Department, but despite that, Stolte says there are interested candidates for the position. The department has been actively hiring and training new officers over the past year.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768252402719.jpeg" alt="Three new officers were sworn into the Maryville Police Department last month to help fill out the ranks and bring staffing closer to full capacity/ Photo courtesy of Maryville Public Safety on Facebook" />
 <figcaption>Three new officers were sworn into the Maryville Police Department last month to help fill out the ranks and bring staffing closer to full capacity/ Photo courtesy of Maryville Public Safety on Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEThe Maryville Police Department recently brought on three new officers to help fill its ranks and bring staffing closer to full capacity at the department.Maryville Police Chief Mike Stolte welcomed Isaiah Bruley, Ian Long, and Jacob Ferris at the end of last month, sworn in by Maryville City Clerk Stacy Wood on December 22nd, after their graduation from the academy on December 19th.One position does remain open at the Maryville Police Department, but despite that, Stolte says there are interested candidates for the position. The department has been actively hiring and training new officers over the past year.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

Maryville police department welcomes new officers

It may be a new year, but the scammers are still out there to steal your money.  

The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department is continuing to advise the public to stay alert for scams, even putting flyers onto social media to keep people alert.  

Sheriff Bill Puett says one of the most common scams happening currently has to do with officials 

“Or somebody wants to call and say well you’ve missed a court date or you’ve missed jury duty, or you did this, you did that, because it’s really easy to get somebody’s name in the Sheriff’s office or whatever,” Puett says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “And then use that name and official.” 

Puett says it's important to never give out your personal information 

“Unless you initiate and you know you’re calling your credit card company or you know you’re calling the Sheriff’s office, Police Department, Highway patrol, no one is going to call and want a debit card over the phone,” Puett explains.  “And they absolutely are not, not, going to ask you to get gift cards.” 

Puett also reminds residents when it comes to the Sheriff's Department, they will never contact you, so never give out personal information unless you're sure you made the call.  

Puett says many people fall for these scams, because scammers utilize those triggers 

"That threat of the official and arrest or losing your freedom or however you want to say it, and these are people that go out here to Walmart or Walgreens and get a handful of gift cards, and once those are called and those numbers, that stuff is gone,” Puett says. 

Puett says to call and verify if what the scammer is saying is true, saying his department would rather you make sure something is true rather than lose your money because many scammers are from other countries and are hard to track. 

If you suspect you have been scammed, you should contact the Sheriff's Department.    

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768241061152.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEIt may be a new year, but the scammers are still out there to steal your money. The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department is continuing to advise the public to stay alert for scams, even putting flyers onto social media to keep people alert. Sheriff Bill Puett says one of the most common scams happening currently has to do with officials “Or somebody wants to call and say well you’ve missed a court date or you’ve missed jury duty, or you did this, you did that, because it’s really easy to get somebody’s name in the Sheriff’s office or whatever,” Puett says on the KFEQmunnity show. “And then use that name and official.” Puett says it's important to never give out your personal information “Unless you initiate and you know you’re calling your credit card company or you know you’re calling the Sheriff’s office, Police Department, Highway patrol, no one is going to call and want a debit card over the phone,” Puett explains. “And they absolutely are not, not, going to ask you to get gift cards.” Puett also reminds residents when it comes to the Sheriff's Department, they will never contact you, so never give out personal information unless you're sure you made the call. Puett says many people fall for these scams, because scammers utilize those triggers "That threat of the official and arrest or losing your freedom or however you want to say it, and these are people that go out here to Walmart or Walgreens and get a handful of gift cards, and once those are called and those numbers, that stuff is gone,” Puett says. Puett says to call and verify if what the scammer is saying is true, saying his department would rather you make sure something is true rather than lose your money because many scammers are from other countries and are hard to track. If you suspect you have been scammed, you should contact the Sheriff's Department. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

It's a new year, but scams remain as prevalent as ever

The North Central Missouri College campus will be closed next Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. day.

The closing includes all buildings and offices at all sites and locations, and no classes will be held. The Ketcham Community Center will also be closed.&nbsp; NCMC and the Ketcham Center will reopen on Tuesday, January 20th for regular hours of business.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698079440232.jpeg" alt="North Central Missouri College / File Photo" />
 <figcaption>North Central Missouri College / File Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEThe North Central Missouri College campus will be closed next Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. day.The closing includes all buildings and offices at all sites and locations, and no classes will be held. The Ketcham Community Center will also be closed.&nbsp; NCMC and the Ketcham Center will reopen on Tuesday, January 20th for regular hours of business.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

NCMC campuses closed next Monday to honor Martin Luther King Jr day

Here is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of Jan. 12 - 18.

Route F –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Rock Creek Bridge for a bridge rehabilitation project through January 2026.

Gene Field Road Bridge –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;due to damage from being struck by an oversized load. The bridge is scheduled to be let for contractor bidding in January 2026.&nbsp;

Route 752 (Alabama Street) –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;from U.S. Route 59 to Sherman Street for an intersection improvement project through early 2026.&nbsp;

Route D –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a bridge replacement project at the Shoal Creek Bridge through March 2026.&nbsp;

Route CC –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from County Road 250 to County Road 260, Jan. 12, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Route W – Brush cutting from Route T to U.S. Route 65, Jan. 12-16, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. 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 Bridge and 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, north of Glasgow, for a deck replacement project through March 2026.

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 136 – Bridge maintenance at the bridge over Weldon River, Jan. 12-13. The bridge will be narrowed to one lane with temporary traffic signals in place to guide motorists through the work zone.

Route A – Shoulder work/edge rut repair from U.S. Route 71 to the Holt County line, Jan. 12-16, 7am to 3 p.m. daily. The road will be narrowed to one lane at various locations with flaggers guiding motorists through the work zone.

Route U –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for shoulder work/ditching from Route N to Keystone Road, Jan. 12-13, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

U.S. Route 136 – Pothole patching both directions from U.S. Route 71 to Route YY, Jan. 13-14.

U.S. Route 71 – Pothole patching both directions from the Iowa State line to Route FF, Jan. 14-15.

Route T –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the East Locust Creek bridge due to deterioration. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced in the spring of 2026 through the Northwest Bridge Bundle.&nbsp;

U.S. Route 169 –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a bridge deck replacement project at the Middle Fork Grand River Bridge through January 2026.

Route W –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a bridge replacement at the West Fork Grand River Bridge through January 2026.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704585565260.png" alt="MoDot" />
 <figcaption>MoDot</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHHere is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of Jan. 12 - 18.Atchison CountyRoute F –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Rock Creek Bridge for a bridge rehabilitation project through January 2026.Buchanan CountyGene Field Road Bridge –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;due to damage from being struck by an oversized load. The bridge is scheduled to be let for contractor bidding in January 2026.&nbsp;Route 752 (Alabama Street) –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;from U.S. Route 59 to Sherman Street for an intersection improvement project through early 2026.&nbsp;Caldwell CountyRoute D –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a bridge replacement project at the Shoal Creek Bridge through March 2026.&nbsp;Carroll CountyRoute CC –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from County Road 250 to County Road 260, Jan. 12, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Route W – Brush cutting from Route T to U.S. Route 65, Jan. 12-16, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. The road will be narrowed to one lane with flaggers guiding motorists through the work zone.Chariton CountyRoute PP –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Mid-Fork Chariton River Bridge and 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, north of Glasgow, for a deck replacement project through March 2026.Linn CountyRoute 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.Mercer CountyRoute 136 – Bridge maintenance at the bridge over Weldon River, Jan. 12-13. The bridge will be narrowed to one lane with temporary traffic signals in place to guide motorists through the work zone.Nodaway CountyRoute A – Shoulder work/edge rut repair from U.S. Route 71 to the Holt County line, Jan. 12-16, 7am to 3 p.m. daily. The road will be narrowed to one lane at various locations with flaggers guiding motorists through the work zone.Route U –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for shoulder work/ditching from Route N to Keystone Road, Jan. 12-13, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.U.S. Route 136 – Pothole patching both directions from U.S. Route 71 to Route YY, Jan. 13-14.U.S. Route 71 – Pothole patching both directions from the Iowa State line to Route FF, Jan. 14-15.Sullivan CountyRoute T –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the East Locust Creek bridge due to deterioration. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced in the spring of 2026 through the Northwest Bridge Bundle.&nbsp;Worth CountyU.S. Route 169 –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a bridge deck replacement project at the Middle Fork Grand River Bridge through January 2026.Route W –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a bridge replacement at the West Fork Grand River Bridge through January 2026.

Planned roadwork for Northwest Missouri, Jan. 12 - 18

The Missouri Department of Transportation, in partnership with Evergy, will host an open-house public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21, to discuss proposed improvements to the intersection of U.S. Route 71 and 340th Street. 

The meeting will take place from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Maryville Public Safety training room, located at 101 N. Vine St.

The project is designed to improve traffic flow and safety in anticipation of a new natural gas plant being constructed south of Maryville. MoDOT officials recommend replacing the existing crossover at the intersection with J-turns. This design is intended to reduce crash points and accommodate the increased volume of traffic expected during the plant's construction.

J-turns improve safety by preventing motorists from having to cross multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic. Instead, drivers at a J-turn intersection turn right in the same direction as traffic, merge into the passing lane, and then make a U-turn in the direction they intend to travel.

The meeting will follow an open-house format with no formal presentation. Members of the public are invited to arrive at any time during the two-hour window to view project plans and speak directly with project leaders from MoDOT and Evergy.

Community members are encouraged to share their thoughts or concerns and may provide comments directly to staff or via written comment forms. For those unable to attend the meeting in person, MoDOT will continue to accept public comments through Wednesday, Feb. 4.

The project is currently scheduled to be made available for contractor bids as part of MoDOT’s April 2026 letting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592590683992.png" alt="modot logo" />
 <figcaption>modot logo</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHThe Missouri Department of Transportation, in partnership with Evergy, will host an open-house public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21, to discuss proposed improvements to the intersection of U.S. Route 71 and 340th Street. The meeting will take place from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Maryville Public Safety training room, located at 101 N. Vine St.The project is designed to improve traffic flow and safety in anticipation of a new natural gas plant being constructed south of Maryville. MoDOT officials recommend replacing the existing crossover at the intersection with J-turns. This design is intended to reduce crash points and accommodate the increased volume of traffic expected during the plant's construction.J-turns improve safety by preventing motorists from having to cross multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic. Instead, drivers at a J-turn intersection turn right in the same direction as traffic, merge into the passing lane, and then make a U-turn in the direction they intend to travel.The meeting will follow an open-house format with no formal presentation. Members of the public are invited to arrive at any time during the two-hour window to view project plans and speak directly with project leaders from MoDOT and Evergy.Community members are encouraged to share their thoughts or concerns and may provide comments directly to staff or via written comment forms. For those unable to attend the meeting in person, MoDOT will continue to accept public comments through Wednesday, Feb. 4.The project is currently scheduled to be made available for contractor bids as part of MoDOT’s April 2026 letting.

MoDOT and Evergy to hold public meeting for U.S. 71 safety improvements near Maryville

Hundreds of people gathered in St. Joseph on Sunday afternoon for a peaceful protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a deadly shooting by ICE agents in Minnesota.

The protest was held at the intersection of Belt Hwy and Frederick Ave.

The event, organized by Persisterhood, called for accountability and questioned the use of force in the shooting. Protesters highlighted the diverse immigrant community in St. Joseph and expressed concerns about the political divide affecting people's perceptions of facts. 

Many attendees also participated in a vigil in Kansas City, emphasizing the need for solidarity and awareness of potential injustices.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768225933727.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>Hundreds of people gathered in St. Joseph on Sunday afternoon for a peaceful protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a deadly shooting by ICE agents in Minnesota.The protest was held at the intersection of Belt Hwy and Frederick Ave.The event, organized by Persisterhood, called for accountability and questioned the use of force in the shooting. Protesters highlighted the diverse immigrant community in St. Joseph and expressed concerns about the political divide affecting people's perceptions of facts. Many attendees also participated in a vigil in Kansas City, emphasizing the need for solidarity and awareness of potential injustices.

Hundreds attend ICE protest in St. Joseph

(Radio Iowa) -&nbsp;The 2026 Iowa legislative session begins Monday morning at 10:00.

 Property taxes and property rights top the agenda for Republicans who hold 100 of the 150 seats in the Iowa House and Senate. After several years of stalemate, House Speaker Pat Grassley says it would be good to quickly resolve the debate over whether Summit Carbon Solutions should be allowed to seize some of the property along its proposed pipeline route. 

Democrats in the legislature say they're focused on affordability issues and any property tax bill should focus relief on Iowans who really need it, like older Iowans on fixed incomes.

(Radio Iowa) -&nbsp;The 2026 Iowa legislative session begins Monday morning at 10:00. Property taxes and property rights top the agenda for Republicans who hold 100 of the 150 seats in the Iowa House and Senate. After several years of stalemate, House Speaker Pat Grassley says it would be good to quickly resolve the debate over whether Summit Carbon Solutions should be allowed to seize some of the property along its proposed pipeline route. Democrats in the legislature say they're focused on affordability issues and any property tax bill should focus relief on Iowans who really need it, like older Iowans on fixed incomes.

2026 Iowa legislative session convenes at 10 a.m.

Secretary of State Paul Pate is calling on lawmakers to streamline the process for dissolving fraudulent business registrations, citing a need to protect residents from harassment.

Under current Iowa law, all incorporated businesses must file registration paperwork with the secretary of state’s office. Pate told legislators that some bad actors use legitimate residential addresses to register dishonest companies. This often leads to unsuspecting homeowners being hounded by creditors and others searching for the business owners.

Pate characterized the existing administrative process for removing these fraudulent entities as "too cumbersome" and excessively slow. He is seeking legislative changes that would allow his office to act more quickly to shut down registrations tied to verified fraud or identity theft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585854832578.jpeg" alt="fraud alert pixabay.jpg" />
 <figcaption>fraud alert pixabay.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHSecretary of State Paul Pate is calling on lawmakers to streamline the process for dissolving fraudulent business registrations, citing a need to protect residents from harassment.Under current Iowa law, all incorporated businesses must file registration paperwork with the secretary of state’s office. Pate told legislators that some bad actors use legitimate residential addresses to register dishonest companies. This often leads to unsuspecting homeowners being hounded by creditors and others searching for the business owners.Pate characterized the existing administrative process for removing these fraudulent entities as "too cumbersome" and excessively slow. He is seeking legislative changes that would allow his office to act more quickly to shut down registrations tied to verified fraud or identity theft.

Iowa secretary of state seeks power to dissolve fraudulent businesses

The Office of Childhood submitted documentation of pending child care requests to access payments for the 53% of Missouri providers impacted by the federal delay

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/squinn/">Steph Quinn</a>&nbsp;and&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 has submitted “detailed justification” required to access&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/09/missouri-waiting-on-25-7-million-payment-from-feds-to-reimburse-child-care-providers/">federal funding</a>&nbsp;owed to almost 2,000 child care providers across the state for services rendered in December, according to a Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/communications/missouri-submits-justification-federal-child-care-payments" target="_blank">press release</a>.

The Office of Childhood in the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which found it could not access the funds earlier this week, had been unable to explain the delay to child care providers because it had not received communication from the federal government before Thursday evening.

“We know how important these payments are to providers, and this is our utmost priority,” said Office of Childhood Assistant Commissioner Deidre Anderson-Barbee in the press release.

The department submitted a “comprehensive breakdown” Friday morning to meet the requirements of a federal initiative called “Defend the Spend,” its spokesman told The Independent. Defend the Spend, a system created by the now-dissolved Department of Government Efficiency, requires recipients of federal funds to justify each transaction before they can receive payment.

Although the state office has submitted the required documentation, child care providers still don’t know when they can expect to receive payment.&nbsp;

Lisa Scheer, director of Baden Christian Child Care in St. Louis, told The Independent that the message from the state office brings little relief.

“It’s an answer, but it’s not an answer anyone wants to hear,” Scheer said. “To be honest, there’s not going to be an answer until they say, ‘We’re paying you.”

Scheer said her child care center relies heavily on the federal funds because each of the 45 children the center serves participates in the subsidy program. Families in Missouri must earn no more than 150% of the federal poverty level to qualify.

“Our families really rely on our services for food, for safety,” Scheer said. “We provide area transportation and really just a safe haven for our neighborhood and community.”

U.S. Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill on Dec. 30 announced in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006152183863972241?s=20" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;that all states would be&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/02/repub/after-minnesota-fraud-allegations-hhs-orders-states-to-justify-child-care-spending/">required to justify their child care expenses</a>&nbsp;in order to access support from the federal Child Care and Development Fund.

On Monday the federal department froze child care payments to&nbsp;<a href="https://acf.gov/media/press/2026/hhs-freezes-child-care-family-assistance-grants-five-states" target="_blank">five states</a>&nbsp;— all with Democrat-led governments.

The state’s Office of Childhood said Friday that the federal request for information about Missouri’s child care subsidy program indicates “Missouri child care funds have not been frozen.”

Before that communication, the cause of the delay wasn’t clear.&nbsp;

Casey Hanson, deputy director of Kids Win Missouri, told The Independent that the uncertainty has made the funding disruption more painful for child care providers who operate on very tight margins.

In a meeting of around 160 providers Wednesday, Hanson said, many were “frustrated and upset.”

Some providers who mostly serve families who receive subsidies “are at a point to be turning [those families] away, especially if they don’t have reserves, and a lot of small providers really don’t,” Hanson said.

Scheer, who was in the meeting, said she’s trying to delay costs where she can. She agreed with her husband that she won’t draw a paycheck until federal funding comes through.&nbsp; But she realizes her employees, who are mostly single women, can’t do that.

While Scheer said she is committed to keeping her doors open, she’s not sure how long the center would be able to operate without subsidy payments.

“It’s trying to make sure my employees’ needs are met so that they can still show up for children, so children’s needs are met, so that parents can still go to work and be parents for their children,” Scheer said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768046524437.png" alt=" Barbara Swartz reads to children at Baden Christian Child Care in St. Louis last winter (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption> Barbara Swartz reads to children at Baden Christian Child Care in St. Louis last winter (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Office of Childhood submitted documentation of pending child care requests to access payments for the 53% of Missouri providers impacted by the federal delay</h2>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/squinn/">Steph Quinn</a>&nbsp;and&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 has submitted “detailed justification” required to access&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/09/missouri-waiting-on-25-7-million-payment-from-feds-to-reimburse-child-care-providers/">federal funding</a>&nbsp;owed to almost 2,000 child care providers across the state for services rendered in December, according to a Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/communications/missouri-submits-justification-federal-child-care-payments" target="_blank">press release</a>.The Office of Childhood in the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which found it could not access the funds earlier this week, had been unable to explain the delay to child care providers because it had not received communication from the federal government before Thursday evening.“We know how important these payments are to providers, and this is our utmost priority,” said Office of Childhood Assistant Commissioner Deidre Anderson-Barbee in the press release.The department submitted a “comprehensive breakdown” Friday morning to meet the requirements of a federal initiative called “Defend the Spend,” its spokesman told The Independent. Defend the Spend, a system created by the now-dissolved Department of Government Efficiency, requires recipients of federal funds to justify each transaction before they can receive payment.Although the state office has submitted the required documentation, child care providers still don’t know when they can expect to receive payment.&nbsp;Lisa Scheer, director of Baden Christian Child Care in St. Louis, told The Independent that the message from the state office brings little relief.“It’s an answer, but it’s not an answer anyone wants to hear,” Scheer said. “To be honest, there’s not going to be an answer until they say, ‘We’re paying you.”Scheer said her child care center relies heavily on the federal funds because each of the 45 children the center serves participates in the subsidy program. Families in Missouri must earn no more than 150% of the federal poverty level to qualify.“Our families really rely on our services for food, for safety,” Scheer said. “We provide area transportation and really just a safe haven for our neighborhood and community.”U.S. Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill on Dec. 30 announced in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HHS_Jim/status/2006152183863972241?s=20" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;that all states would be&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/02/repub/after-minnesota-fraud-allegations-hhs-orders-states-to-justify-child-care-spending/">required to justify their child care expenses</a>&nbsp;in order to access support from the federal Child Care and Development Fund.On Monday the federal department froze child care payments to&nbsp;<a href="https://acf.gov/media/press/2026/hhs-freezes-child-care-family-assistance-grants-five-states" target="_blank">five states</a>&nbsp;— all with Democrat-led governments.The state’s Office of Childhood said Friday that the federal request for information about Missouri’s child care subsidy program indicates “Missouri child care funds have not been frozen.”Before that communication, the cause of the delay wasn’t clear.&nbsp;Casey Hanson, deputy director of Kids Win Missouri, told The Independent that the uncertainty has made the funding disruption more painful for child care providers who operate on very tight margins.In a meeting of around 160 providers Wednesday, Hanson said, many were “frustrated and upset.”Some providers who mostly serve families who receive subsidies “are at a point to be turning [those families] away, especially if they don’t have reserves, and a lot of small providers really don’t,” Hanson said.Scheer, who was in the meeting, said she’s trying to delay costs where she can. She agreed with her husband that she won’t draw a paycheck until federal funding comes through.&nbsp; But she realizes her employees, who are mostly single women, can’t do that.While Scheer said she is committed to keeping her doors open, she’s not sure how long the center would be able to operate without subsidy payments.“It’s trying to make sure my employees’ needs are met so that they can still show up for children, so children’s needs are met, so that parents can still go to work and be parents for their children,” Scheer said.“It’s just a lot of unknown.”

Feds demand Missouri justify child care expenses to receive delayed funding

The secretary of state’s attorney told a judge Friday that the original ballot summary is “inherently argumentative” and should be revised

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>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759061969764.png" alt="Secretary of State Denny Hoskins&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Denny Hoskins&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The secretary of state’s attorney told a judge Friday that the original ballot summary is “inherently argumentative” and should be revised</h2>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>Secretary of State Denny Hoskins admitted Friday that he wrote a ballot summary “likely to create prejudice” against a possible referendum on Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">gerrymandered congressional district map</a>.Hoskins’ lawyer, Kathleen Hunker of the attorney general’s office, made the admission during a hearing in a court case challenging the ballot summary and said it would be revised in negotiations with sponsors of the referendum.“On a further reflection of the ballot title, the secretary has come to believe that the language, though defensible, does come close enough to the line of being inherently argumentative and likely to create prejudice,” Hunker told Cole County Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe. “That means we can do better, and so we are going to withdraw our opposition to the plaintiff’s claim about how the language is inherently argumentative.”A political action committee called People Not Politicians on Dec. 9 turned in&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/09/missouri-gerrymander-congressional-map-referendum/">more than 300,000 signatures</a>&nbsp;to force a statewide vote on the redistricting plan Republicans muscled through a September special session. The PAC objected to the ballot summary&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/06/referendum-backers-reject-ballot-title-for-vote-on-gerrymandered-missouri-congressional-map/">as soon as it became public</a>&nbsp;and filed a lawsuit on Nov. 20.&nbsp;Chuck Hatfield, attorney for People Not Politicians, told Stumpe that Hoskins will have to admit more — that the language he wrote is insufficient and unfair — to meet the standards for revising the summary.“Your honor can’t enter an order just because it’s close to the line,” Hatfield said. “We’re going to have to have a finding that it’s insufficient and unfair. And I’m asking them to agree to that, and if they don’t, then we need a trial.”The case before Stumpe was scheduled for a trial next Friday. He set a new date, Feb. 9, in case there is no agreement on what the revised summary should say.The ballot summary written by Hoskins asks if voters approve the law, “which repeals Missouri’s existing gerrymandered congressional plan that protects incumbent politicians, and replaces it with new congressional boundaries that keep more cities and counties intact, are more compact, and better reflects statewide voting patterns?”People Not Politicians objects to the characterization of the reapportionment made in 2022 as a “gerrymandered congressional plan that protects incumbents” and the factual basis for saying it keeps more cities and counties intact. The bill itself is just a list of voting districts and counties assigned to each district and the summary Hoskins wrote cannot be found in its contents, the PACs court filings state.The summary’s statement about statewide voting patterns also brought objections. Recent elections gave Republicans about 60% of the vote and Democrats about 40%. The new map would give Democrats 12.5% of the state delegation instead of one-quarter.Republicans want the new congressional map to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">please President Donald Trump</a>, who demanded the changes as a means to protect the GOP’s slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.Using the new map, Republicans hope to win seven of the state’s eight congressional seats by adding enough GOP votes to flip the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City. Republicans currently hold six of the eight seats.If People Not Politicians and Hoskins’ office can agree on the factual basis for changing the summary, it would end the case but not litigation over the special session and the congressional map.There are at least eight other lawsuits, six in state court and two in federal court, directly or indirectly related to the actions of the legislature or People Not Politicians.The most recently filed case challenges assertions by Hoskins and Attorney General Catherine Hanaway that the map passed in September&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/09/missouri-gerrymander-congressional-map-referendum/">took effect on Dec. 11</a>, 90 days after the end of the special session.In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=25AC-CC09120&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0004_CT19#docket" target="_blank">that case</a>, filed by the ACLU of Missouri, the state is accusing People Not Politicians and Hatfield of encouraging a lawsuit the PAC could not bring on its own. It has subpoenaed Hatfield, People Not Politicians Director Richard von Glahn and the PAC for records the state believes will show the connection.“The state believes that PNP, Von Glahn or their agents recruited (the ACLU plaintiffs) as proxies to bring this lawsuit,” Solicitor General Louis Capozzi wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Defendants%20Suggestions%20in%20Support%20of%20Motion%20to%20Dismiss.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3771307" target="_blank">one filing in the case</a>.And the state is seeking sanctions against Hatfield in a federal case dismissed in early December that sought to block the petition drive entirely. In the federal filing, Capozzi argued that Hatfield admitted in federal court that the map would take effect even if signatures were submitted to force a vote.“Yet during the following days, defendants and Mr. Hatfield personally have aggressively and repeatedly communicated the opposite position to the media, stating unambiguously that their mere act of submitting referendum signatures immediately froze (the redistricting law) and prevented it from going into effect,” Capozzi wrote.In the Friday hearing before Stumpe, Hatfield noted that Capozzi is seeking sanctions and making accusations that he or People Not Politicians is sponsoring the case over when the map takes effect. The order from Stumpe directing Hoskins to revise the ballot summary needs to settle all legal issues in the case, he said.“Mr. Capozzi sought sanctions against me in federal court, and he’s either confused about what happened in federal court, or he’s intentionally misrepresenting what happened in federal court,” Hatfield said. “I’m assuming he’s confused about what happened, and I don’t want any confusion here.”There is also confusion over which of the more than 300,000 signatures will be checked to see if the referendum petition meets the threshold of approximately 110,000 signatures spread over six congressional districts.&nbsp;In court, and in media statements, Hoskins and his attorneys have said only signature pages with at least one signature dated Oct. 14 or later will be checked. Hoskins approved the form of the petition on Oct. 13.Of the 49,773 pages with signatures, 33,068 have been sent to local election authorities to verify whether the signatures are from registered voters. The rest, Hoskins’ office said Friday in a statement to The Independent, “having invalid dates were scanned, retained, and organized separately.”Speaking on&nbsp;<a href="https://podnews.net/podcast/idvil/episodes" target="_blank">KMOX radio on Wednesday morning</a>, Hoskins repeated the statement that signatures aren’t being checked.“We’re not counting those,” Hoskins said. “And, you know, unless a judge issues a court order and says, hey, yes, you must count these. But otherwise, we’ve set those aside. They should not count toward that referendum.“But in statements to People Not Politicians, Chrissy Peters, Hoskins’ director of elections, said the pages retained in the secretary of state’s office are being checked for signature verification.In a statement intended to clarify the confusion, Rachael Dunn, spokeswoman for Hoskins, said Friday that no signature checks are being made in Hoskins to determine if the petition has sufficient signatures to be placed on the ballot.&nbsp;She said only signatures on pages sent to local election authorities will be counted.“The secretary of state’s office is not,” Dunn wrote, “utilizing any lines reviewed on pages dated Oct. 13 and earlier for determination towards sufficiency.”

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