NODAWAY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Monday in Nodaway County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Cadillac Escalade driven by a 26-year-old Forrest City woman was eastbound on Route A and Eagle Road one half miles west of Graham. The SUV rear-ended a 2018 Dodge Journey driven by a 74-year-old Graham woman who was slowing to a right turn.

Nodaway County EMS transported the 74-year-old to Fairfax Community Hospital.&nbsp; The SUV driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

NODAWAY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Monday in Nodaway County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Cadillac Escalade driven by a 26-year-old Forrest City woman was eastbound on Route A and Eagle Road one half miles west of Graham. The SUV rear-ended a 2018 Dodge Journey driven by a 74-year-old Graham woman who was slowing to a right turn.Nodaway County EMS transported the 74-year-old to Fairfax Community Hospital.&nbsp; The SUV driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. woman hospitalized after rear-end crash

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend manhunt in northeast Kansas.

Just after noon on Sept. 5, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy on routine patrol in the vicinity of U.S. 36&nbsp; near Bittersweet,&nbsp; was alerted of a stolen vehicle out of Wisconsin, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

The deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and a short chase ensued.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled southout of Fairview and&nbsp; ended up in a soybean field just east of the Sac andFox Casino on Coyote between 130th and 140th Road.&nbsp;

 At this point the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle Dustin Hampton 40 of Prairie DuChein, Wisconsin, ran from the vehicle.&nbsp;

Several tracking dogs were brought in and located Hampton approximately 3/4 mile east of where his original location. No injuries were reported and once Hampton was located, he complied without incident.

The vehicle Hampton was driving, a 1983 Datsun pickup, had been reported stolen out of Rice, Wisconsin. Hampton is in custody on requested charges of Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Damage to Property, Felony Flee to Elude and Obstruction.

With the tall crops the search was very difficult and without&nbsp; a joint effort that included a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter, other KHP troopers, Jackson County Sheriff deputies, Sabetha police, Hiawatha police, Horton police, Kickapoo and Sac and Fox police, Hiawatha Town and Country he may have eluded arrest.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757329643145.png" alt="Hampton photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Hampton photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a weekend manhunt in northeast Kansas.Just after noon on Sept. 5, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy on routine patrol in the vicinity of U.S. 36&nbsp; near Bittersweet,&nbsp; was alerted of a stolen vehicle out of Wisconsin, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.The deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and a short chase ensued.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled southout of Fairview and&nbsp; ended up in a soybean field just east of the Sac andFox Casino on Coyote between 130th and 140th Road.&nbsp; At this point the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle Dustin Hampton 40 of Prairie DuChein, Wisconsin, ran from the vehicle.&nbsp;Several tracking dogs were brought in and located Hampton approximately 3/4 mile east of where his original location. No injuries were reported and once Hampton was located, he complied without incident.The vehicle Hampton was driving, a 1983 Datsun pickup, had been reported stolen out of Rice, Wisconsin. Hampton is in custody on requested charges of Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Damage to Property, Felony Flee to Elude and Obstruction.With the tall crops the search was very difficult and without&nbsp; a joint effort that included a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter, other KHP troopers, Jackson County Sheriff deputies, Sabetha police, Hiawatha police, Horton police, Kickapoo and Sac and Fox police, Hiawatha Town and Country he may have eluded arrest.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Sheriff: Pickup theft suspect captured hiding in tall Kansas crops

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —The search for a a driver and vehicle after a pursuit in Leavenworth County.

Just after noon Sunday, Leavenworth County Sheriff Deputies attempted to stop a dark gray Jeep whose driver was identified as having a felony county warrant, according to a media release from the Basehor, Kansas Police Department.

The Jeep failed to stop which resulted in a pursuit.The pursuit entered Basehor on southbound 155th Street. Leavenworth Sheriff's Deputies requested Basehor Police assistance for the use of Stop Sticks. 

Basehor Police responded to 155th and Leavenworth Road. However, there was no opportunity to deploy the sticks. After a brief time in Basehor, the Jeep left Basehor northbound on 155th Street. 

Shortly after leaving Basehor, Sheriff Deputies lost sight of the Jeep. A black Dodge Challenger was reported to the sheriff's office associated with the Jeep. The Challenger was located by Kansas Highway Patrol at 155th Street and Parallel Road and was disabled at 155th Street and Chestnut by KHP which used their grappler technology. 

The driver was found to be associated with the suspect in the Jeep. The driver was interviewed by deputies. The driver was not injured and there was no reported damage to the car. The Challenger was not involved in the initial pursuit and the driver was released by the sheriff after providing information about the suspect in the Jeep. 

Law enforement are still looking for the Jeep has not been located. No officer with the Basehor Police Department was involved in the pursuit other than providing traffic control after KHP disabled the Challenger.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —The search for a a driver and vehicle after a pursuit in Leavenworth County.Just after noon Sunday, Leavenworth County Sheriff Deputies attempted to stop a dark gray Jeep whose driver was identified as having a felony county warrant, according to a media release from the Basehor, Kansas Police Department.The Jeep failed to stop which resulted in a pursuit.The pursuit entered Basehor on southbound 155th Street. Leavenworth Sheriff's Deputies requested Basehor Police assistance for the use of Stop Sticks. Basehor Police responded to 155th and Leavenworth Road. However, there was no opportunity to deploy the sticks. After a brief time in Basehor, the Jeep left Basehor northbound on 155th Street. Shortly after leaving Basehor, Sheriff Deputies lost sight of the Jeep. A black Dodge Challenger was reported to the sheriff's office associated with the Jeep. The Challenger was located by Kansas Highway Patrol at 155th Street and Parallel Road and was disabled at 155th Street and Chestnut by KHP which used their grappler technology. The driver was found to be associated with the suspect in the Jeep. The driver was interviewed by deputies. The driver was not injured and there was no reported damage to the car. The Challenger was not involved in the initial pursuit and the driver was released by the sheriff after providing information about the suspect in the Jeep. Law enforement are still looking for the Jeep has not been located. No officer with the Basehor Police Department was involved in the pursuit other than providing traffic control after KHP disabled the Challenger.

Police pursuit ends with vehicle disabled by Kansas Highway Patrol

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by a 72-year-old St. Joseph man was southbound on State Route K one mile south of Amazonia.&nbsp; The motorcycle traveled off the west side of the road, struck a fallen tree, overturned and the driver was ejected.&nbsp;

Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9:30 p.m. Saturday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by a 72-year-old St. Joseph man was southbound on State Route K one mile south of Amazonia.&nbsp; The motorcycle traveled off the west side of the road, struck a fallen tree, overturned and the driver was ejected.&nbsp;Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

St. Joseph man injured after motorcycle strikes a tree

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop in rural Brown County.

Just after 9p.m. September 4, a sheriff's&nbsp; deputy was on routine patrol on U.S. 75 Highway when he encountered a vehicle with only one operating headlight, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

The deputy made contact with the driver, 38-year-old&nbsp; Josiah Williams from Topeka. It was discovered that his drivers license had been revoked.&nbsp; 

The passenger of the vehicle 31-year-old Paige Keefe of Omaha had a $500 Failure to Appear Warrant out of Ford County Kansas.&nbsp; K-9 Carla alerted on the vehicle and cocaine, a scale, baggies and other items of interest were located and taken as evidence.&nbsp;

Three children were also present at the time of stop.

Williams was arrested on requested charges of Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Distribution of a Stimulant, Possession of Stimulant, No Drug Tax Stamp, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Keefe was arrested on charges of Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Possession of Stimulant and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757107746300.png" alt="Williams photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Williams photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop in rural Brown County.Just after 9p.m. September 4, a sheriff's&nbsp; deputy was on routine patrol on U.S. 75 Highway when he encountered a vehicle with only one operating headlight, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757107719719.png" alt="Keefe photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Keefe photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>The deputy made contact with the driver, 38-year-old&nbsp; Josiah Williams from Topeka. It was discovered that his drivers license had been revoked.&nbsp; The passenger of the vehicle 31-year-old Paige Keefe of Omaha had a $500 Failure to Appear Warrant out of Ford County Kansas.&nbsp; K-9 Carla alerted on the vehicle and cocaine, a scale, baggies and other items of interest were located and taken as evidence.&nbsp;Three children were also present at the time of stop.Williams was arrested on requested charges of Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Distribution of a Stimulant, Possession of Stimulant, No Drug Tax Stamp, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Keefe was arrested on charges of Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Possession of Stimulant and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Couple accused of selling cocaine had kids in the car

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Saturday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Kia Teluride driven by a 28-year-old Plattsmouth, Nebraska man was northbound on Route O ten miles north of Blythedale. The SUV was traveling too fast for conditions. The vehicle crossed the center of the road, traveled off the west side of the road, struck some trees and continued down an embankment.

North Missouri EMS transported the driver to Liberty Hospital. He was 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 2:30a.m. Saturday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Kia Teluride driven by a 28-year-old Plattsmouth, Nebraska man was northbound on Route O ten miles north of Blythedale. The SUV was traveling too fast for conditions. The vehicle crossed the center of the road, traveled off the west side of the road, struck some trees and continued down an embankment.North Missouri EMS transported the driver to Liberty Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Driver hospitalized after SUV strikes trees

CALDWELL COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just after 2a.m. Saturday in Caldwell County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Lincoln Navigator driven by a 27-year-old Braymer woman was southbound on SE Sunnyvale Road at SE Tobin Valley Drive. The SUV crossed the T intersection, traveled down an embankment and struck some trees.

Caldwell County ambulance transported the driver to Hedrick Medical Center. The patrol did not report seat belt usage details and they no longer releases names of accident victims.

CALDWELL COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just after 2a.m. Saturday in Caldwell County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Lincoln Navigator driven by a 27-year-old Braymer woman was southbound on SE Sunnyvale Road at SE Tobin Valley Drive. The SUV crossed the T intersection, traveled down an embankment and struck some trees.Caldwell County ambulance transported the driver to Hedrick Medical Center. The patrol did not report seat belt usage details and they no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri woman injured after SUV crash down an embankment

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

Retailers in others states have offered steep discounts that threaten market stability, analysts explained at the MJ Unpacked cannabis conference in St. Louis.

More people are heading to Missouri’s dispensaries to buy cannabis products — and spending more money when they go, according to industry experts who spoke Thursday at the MJ Unpacked cannabis conference in St. Louis.

While dispensaries in other states are offering steep discounts to try and attract customers, Missouri’s prices have remained steady.&nbsp;

“Missouri is viewed as a stronger market than others,” said Kris Walker,&nbsp;president and chief commercial officer at Hoodie Analytics, during a panel discussion on retail data analysis.&nbsp;“There are things happening in Missouri that are causing consumers to not just be shopping on price. When you’re only shopping on price, it becomes a race to the bottom.”

Samuel Soong, chief revenue officer at Grön cannabis edible brand, called Missouri customers “very savvy.”&nbsp;

“They know what they want,” he said. “They’re expecting a lot of value in their purchasing.”

The numbers agree. When the average shopper goes to a Missouri dispensary, they end up spending about $65, with the average price per item being $24.60, according to data compiled by Hoodie. That’s above the national average of $61 and $18.41.&nbsp;

In Colorado and New Mexico, the average item price is about $11.&nbsp;

The most popular item in Missouri is still traditional marijuana buds, or what the industry simply calls “flower.” However, the item that’s seen the most growth in the last year — both in Missouri and nationwide — is pre-rolled joints.&nbsp;

A year ago, 48% of every transaction included flower, and today it’s 43%. Walker said that’s largely due to customers buying more pre-rolled joints, which are often infused with concentrated cannabis oil.&nbsp;They’re designed for people who want a more potent and longer-lasting high than what traditional flower offers.&nbsp;

“It’s a convenient form factor,” said Krista Raymer, chief strategy officer at C3 Industries that operates High Profile cannabis dispensaries. “It’s great for the customer.”

Raymer said in some other states, the growth of pre-rolled joints has brought challenges because it meant that customers are spending less.

“Fundamentally, they are purchasing less brands per transaction,” she said. “Missouri pre-roll prices are holding a little bit differently than maybe what we’ve seen in other markets, but it is something that we pay attention to, a lot.”

Throughout the country, Missouri is still considered a “shining star,” Walker said.&nbsp;

John Mueller, co-founder and CEO at Greenlight, believes the regulatory environment is a big part of the state’s success, particularly because the industry was able to write its own laws.

“If you can write your own rules and ballot initiative and it’s in the constitution, that’s like your best line of defense,” Mueller said.&nbsp;

Every year, industry lobbyists work to kill any legislation that attempts to “control our business,” he said.&nbsp;

“Just let us do business, stay out of our way, we keep paying the veterans, everything’s good here,” Mueller said. “I go around talking in the other states we operate, I think we’ve set a gold standard here.”

He also points to the limited number of licenses.&nbsp;

“Limited licenses is the whole key to any market,” he said. “We won’t go into a market unless there’s a set number.”&nbsp;

Walker said that Missouri also has “disciplined operators.”&nbsp;

“If you’ve got a discipline operator who knows they’re running a business for profit and growth and long-term brand building, you make different decisions than, ‘Oh my God, the guy across the street just dropped his price by 30%. I should do it too,’” he said. “That is an undisciplined choice that unfortunately has very significant consequences.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757073586655.png" alt=" At the MJ Unpacked cannabis conference in St. Louis Thursday, Krista Raymer of C3 Industries, Sam Soong of Grön, and John Mueller of Greenlight speak about retail market trends in Missouri’s cannabis market (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> At the MJ Unpacked cannabis conference in St. Louis Thursday, Krista Raymer of C3 Industries, Sam Soong of Grön, and John Mueller of Greenlight speak about retail market trends in Missouri’s cannabis market (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Retailers in others states have offered steep discounts that threaten market stability, analysts explained at the MJ Unpacked cannabis conference in St. Louis.</h2>More people are heading to Missouri’s dispensaries to buy cannabis products — and spending more money when they go, according to industry experts who spoke Thursday at the MJ Unpacked cannabis conference in St. Louis.While dispensaries in other states are offering steep discounts to try and attract customers, Missouri’s prices have remained steady.&nbsp;“Missouri is viewed as a stronger market than others,” said Kris Walker,&nbsp;president and chief commercial officer at Hoodie Analytics, during a panel discussion on retail data analysis.&nbsp;“There are things happening in Missouri that are causing consumers to not just be shopping on price. When you’re only shopping on price, it becomes a race to the bottom.”Samuel Soong, chief revenue officer at Grön cannabis edible brand, called Missouri customers “very savvy.”&nbsp;“They know what they want,” he said. “They’re expecting a lot of value in their purchasing.”The numbers agree. When the average shopper goes to a Missouri dispensary, they end up spending about $65, with the average price per item being $24.60, according to data compiled by Hoodie. That’s above the national average of $61 and $18.41.&nbsp;In Colorado and New Mexico, the average item price is about $11.&nbsp;The most popular item in Missouri is still traditional marijuana buds, or what the industry simply calls “flower.” However, the item that’s seen the most growth in the last year — both in Missouri and nationwide — is pre-rolled joints.&nbsp;A year ago, 48% of every transaction included flower, and today it’s 43%. Walker said that’s largely due to customers buying more pre-rolled joints, which are often infused with concentrated cannabis oil.&nbsp;They’re designed for people who want a more potent and longer-lasting high than what traditional flower offers.&nbsp;“It’s a convenient form factor,” said Krista Raymer, chief strategy officer at C3 Industries that operates High Profile cannabis dispensaries. “It’s great for the customer.”Raymer said in some other states, the growth of pre-rolled joints has brought challenges because it meant that customers are spending less.“Fundamentally, they are purchasing less brands per transaction,” she said. “Missouri pre-roll prices are holding a little bit differently than maybe what we’ve seen in other markets, but it is something that we pay attention to, a lot.”Throughout the country, Missouri is still considered a “shining star,” Walker said.&nbsp;John Mueller, co-founder and CEO at Greenlight, believes the regulatory environment is a big part of the state’s success, particularly because the industry was able to write its own laws.“If you can write your own rules and ballot initiative and it’s in the constitution, that’s like your best line of defense,” Mueller said.&nbsp;Every year, industry lobbyists work to kill any legislation that attempts to “control our business,” he said.&nbsp;“Just let us do business, stay out of our way, we keep paying the veterans, everything’s good here,” Mueller said. “I go around talking in the other states we operate, I think we’ve set a gold standard here.”He also points to the limited number of licenses.&nbsp;“Limited licenses is the whole key to any market,” he said. “We won’t go into a market unless there’s a set number.”&nbsp;Walker said that Missouri also has “disciplined operators.”&nbsp;“If you’ve got a discipline operator who knows they’re running a business for profit and growth and long-term brand building, you make different decisions than, ‘Oh my God, the guy across the street just dropped his price by 30%. I should do it too,’” he said. “That is an undisciplined choice that unfortunately has very significant consequences.”

Missouri cannabis sales remain steady as new products emerge

MERCER COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Thursday in Mercer County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ford Focus driven by an 18-year-old Mercer woman was southbound on U.S. 65 three miles north of Princeton. The car struck a deer.

A priate vehicle transported the driver to Wayne County Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

MERCER COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Thursday in Mercer County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ford Focus driven by an 18-year-old Mercer woman was southbound on U.S. 65 three miles north of Princeton. The car struck a deer.A priate vehicle transported the driver to Wayne County Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. teen hospitalized after car strikes a deer

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement continue to search for a suspect wanted for criminal activity in northeast Kansas.

Just before 1a.m. Sept. 1, a sheriff's deputy initiated a traffic stop&nbsp; in the vicinity of U.S. 36 Highway and Hopi Drive in Hiawatha, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

 The passenger of the vehicle, Joshua Heideman from the traffic stop. Deputies arrested the driver 65-year-old Leonard Bindel of Hiawatha on requested&nbsp; charges of Flee and Attempt to Elude and Drive While License Cancelled, Suspended or Revoked.

Heideman is described as a 38-year-old  white male,  6-foot tall and he weighs approximately 230 pounds.&nbsp; He is wanted for a variety of criminal activity in Brown and Jackson County, accoring to Merchant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756995493636.png" alt="Bindel photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Bindel photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement continue to search for a suspect wanted for criminal activity in northeast Kansas.Just before 1a.m. Sept. 1, a sheriff's deputy initiated a traffic stop&nbsp; in the vicinity of U.S. 36 Highway and Hopi Drive in Hiawatha, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant. The passenger of the vehicle, Joshua Heideman from the traffic stop. Deputies arrested the driver 65-year-old Leonard Bindel of Hiawatha on requested&nbsp; charges of Flee and Attempt to Elude and Drive While License Cancelled, Suspended or Revoked.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756917615076.png" alt="Heidman photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Heidman photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Heideman is described as a 38-year-old white male, 6-foot tall and he weighs approximately 230 pounds.&nbsp; He is wanted for a variety of criminal activity in Brown and Jackson County, accoring to Merchant.

Sheriff: Wanted suspect ran from traffic stop

The Missouri House committee studying property taxes held its sixth and final public hearing. Now, the chairman said, comes the work of turning the ideas presented into meaningful changes in the way taxes are assessed and levied

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>

Missouri lawmakers should repeal property tax freeze laws that are warping the system, shifting the tax burden and failing to help those most in need of relief, St. Charles County Collector Michelle McBride said Wednesday.

Speaking to the House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform, McBride said there are 115 properties in St. Charles County worth more than $1 million covered by a senior citizens tax freeze law. Many were built recently, including a $4 million home built this decade, she said.

And during June, she noted, a bill with caps on growth in tax bills for residential&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">taxpayers in 97 counties</a>&nbsp;exacerbated the problem. She likened it to the television and movie series “Jackass,” where dangerous stunts and potential injuries were the main attraction.

“It’s Jackass legislation, pardon my French, done on the dare, done to look good, to sound good, to capture votes, to put on a show, just like some kid on a trail bike lining up the barrels and trying to jump over them,” McBride said. “It ain’t going to work out. We’re going to hit the fence.”

Lawmakers need to reject anything that doesn’t deal with underlying issues in the tax system, she said.

“We need you to be the adults in the room at the Missouri General Assembly,” McBride said.&nbsp;

McBride’s testimony opened the hearing, which was the last of six&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/28/missouri-house-committee-urged-to-silo-property-into-separate-classes-for-taxes/">held across the state</a>&nbsp;over the past three months. The committee was formed because aggravation over higher property tax bills has held the attention of state lawmakers for the past three years.

A last-minute change in the committee lineup caught both the chairman, Republican state Rep. Tim Taylor of Boonville, and the ranking Democrat, state Rep. Kathy Steinhoff of Columbia, unaware.

State Rep. Kemp Strickler, a Democrat from Lee’s Summit, was replaced by state Rep. Tiffany Price, a Kansas City Democrat, without explanation.

Under questioning from Steinhoff, Taylor said he had not received notice prior to the meeting that House Speaker Jonathan Patterson had made the change.&nbsp;

“Rep. Strickler was a very valuable member of this committee,” Steinhoff said. “He was in the eye of the storm in Jackson County.”

Strickler, who drove to the Missouri Capitol Wednesday morning for the hearing, said he was not told why he was removed and only found out shortly before the committee was set to meet.

During the almost six-hour meeting, the committee was urged to change how taxes are levied and how values are determined. Members also heard complaints from the public, including allegations that vengeful assessors will punish property owners who challenge their appraisals. Representatives of agencies dependent on property tax asked that nothing be done that would reduce their revenue.

And, to close it out, committee members questioned Missouri State Tax Commission members and staff over policies and processes that have pushed assessors to increase residential assessments to reflect the rapid runup in home values.

Taylor told members their work is not over as the hearing ended.

“This is by far not the last meeting,” Taylor said.

One idea the committee was again urged to adopt would require separate rates for the four classes of property — residential, commercial, agricultural and personal — that could be adjusted when assessed values rise faster than inflation.

Under the Hancock Amendment in the state constitution, when the value of property in a taxing district grows faster than inflation, rates are supposed to be reduced. But when one class of property is increasing faster than others, the effect is a smaller rollback than if the class of property had its own rate.

Another idea that came up again was requiring buyers to file information about the price paid for property — known as a certificate of value — to help assessors when comparing property values.

Some of the most dramatic testimony came from individual property owners trying to understand their assessments.

Jennifer Phanton of Grandview said the assessment on her home doubled in 2023. She found that the comparable sales used weren’t actually comparable, she said, and the assessment form listed improvements that had not been made.

She won her appeal, Phantom said, but it was a lengthy process.

“It’s just a lot because the onus is on us, it is not on the county, to prove the valuation,” Phanton said.

The increase was doubly hard to take, Phanton said, because her income was just above the threshold for the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/tax-types/property-tax-credit/" target="_blank">Circuit Breaker tax credit</a>, available to people with a disability or who are 65 and older.&nbsp;

The circuit breaker tax credit was established in 1973. People over age 65 and those who have a qualifying disability and rent their homes can claim a tax credit to offset property taxes of up to $1,055 if their income is less than $38,200. The credit for homeowners is up to $1,550 if they own their home if their income is less than $41,000.

If the credit is more than the taxpayer owes, the state will write a check for the difference.

Increasing the income limits and credit amounts is the best way to help vulnerable people keep their homes, McBride said.

Missouri law requires county assessors to estimate the value of every property every two years. The tax commission is responsible for making sure the values are within 90 to 100% of market value.

The commission sought to get counties to sign a “memorandum of understanding” when tax assessments fall behind that standard. Some counties are suing over requirements that residential assessments increase by up to 15%. That is the most home values can be increased without an inspection of the exterior.

Under questioning from the committee, Tax Commission member Greg Razer said the commission has acted to control the excessive increases in Jackson County.

Values below market hurt public services, he said.&nbsp;

“We have to protect the entities that are receiving the tax dollars that the voters have approved, and so if you’re at 60%, eventually you’re not keeping up with inflation, and you can’t provide the same services,” Razer said.

Most of the counties asked to sign a memorandum of understanding have seen a rapid increase in home values in the past five years, said Steve Hobbs, executive director of the Missouri Association of Counties.

Part of it is people moving from high-cost coastal areas and part of it is investors looking for rental properties.&nbsp;

But Hobbs, like McBride, warned against artificial controls on tax bills.&nbsp;

“When you create a carve out for one entity,” he said, “you shift the tax burden to others.”

At the end of the hearing, Taylor asked members to make a list of the five issues they would like to see addressed in the committee’s report. The next meeting will be while the General Assembly is holding its special session on redistricting, he said, with a future meeting to finalize a report and prepare legislation.

“It is a big old bucket of stuff we have to digest,” Taylor said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756990882646.png" alt=" St. Charles County Collector Michelle McBride testifies Wednesday during a hearing of the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> St. Charles County Collector Michelle McBride testifies Wednesday during a hearing of the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Missouri House committee studying property taxes held its sixth and final public hearing. Now, the chairman said, comes the work of turning the ideas presented into meaningful changes in the way taxes are assessed and levied</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>Missouri lawmakers should repeal property tax freeze laws that are warping the system, shifting the tax burden and failing to help those most in need of relief, St. Charles County Collector Michelle McBride said Wednesday.Speaking to the House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform, McBride said there are 115 properties in St. Charles County worth more than $1 million covered by a senior citizens tax freeze law. Many were built recently, including a $4 million home built this decade, she said.And during June, she noted, a bill with caps on growth in tax bills for residential&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">taxpayers in 97 counties</a>&nbsp;exacerbated the problem. She likened it to the television and movie series “Jackass,” where dangerous stunts and potential injuries were the main attraction.“It’s Jackass legislation, pardon my French, done on the dare, done to look good, to sound good, to capture votes, to put on a show, just like some kid on a trail bike lining up the barrels and trying to jump over them,” McBride said. “It ain’t going to work out. We’re going to hit the fence.”Lawmakers need to reject anything that doesn’t deal with underlying issues in the tax system, she said.“We need you to be the adults in the room at the Missouri General Assembly,” McBride said.&nbsp;McBride’s testimony opened the hearing, which was the last of six&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/28/missouri-house-committee-urged-to-silo-property-into-separate-classes-for-taxes/">held across the state</a>&nbsp;over the past three months. The committee was formed because aggravation over higher property tax bills has held the attention of state lawmakers for the past three years.A last-minute change in the committee lineup caught both the chairman, Republican state Rep. Tim Taylor of Boonville, and the ranking Democrat, state Rep. Kathy Steinhoff of Columbia, unaware.State Rep. Kemp Strickler, a Democrat from Lee’s Summit, was replaced by state Rep. Tiffany Price, a Kansas City Democrat, without explanation.Under questioning from Steinhoff, Taylor said he had not received notice prior to the meeting that House Speaker Jonathan Patterson had made the change.&nbsp;“Rep. Strickler was a very valuable member of this committee,” Steinhoff said. “He was in the eye of the storm in Jackson County.”Strickler, who drove to the Missouri Capitol Wednesday morning for the hearing, said he was not told why he was removed and only found out shortly before the committee was set to meet.During the almost six-hour meeting, the committee was urged to change how taxes are levied and how values are determined. Members also heard complaints from the public, including allegations that vengeful assessors will punish property owners who challenge their appraisals. Representatives of agencies dependent on property tax asked that nothing be done that would reduce their revenue.And, to close it out, committee members questioned Missouri State Tax Commission members and staff over policies and processes that have pushed assessors to increase residential assessments to reflect the rapid runup in home values.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756990844795.png" alt="State Rep. Tim Taylor of Boonville, chairman of the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform, listens Wednesday during testimony at a public hearing (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Tim Taylor of Boonville, chairman of the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform, listens Wednesday during testimony at a public hearing (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Taylor told members their work is not over as the hearing ended.“This is by far not the last meeting,” Taylor said.One idea the committee was again urged to adopt would require separate rates for the four classes of property — residential, commercial, agricultural and personal — that could be adjusted when assessed values rise faster than inflation.Under the Hancock Amendment in the state constitution, when the value of property in a taxing district grows faster than inflation, rates are supposed to be reduced. But when one class of property is increasing faster than others, the effect is a smaller rollback than if the class of property had its own rate.Another idea that came up again was requiring buyers to file information about the price paid for property — known as a certificate of value — to help assessors when comparing property values.Some of the most dramatic testimony came from individual property owners trying to understand their assessments.Jennifer Phanton of Grandview said the assessment on her home doubled in 2023. She found that the comparable sales used weren’t actually comparable, she said, and the assessment form listed improvements that had not been made.She won her appeal, Phantom said, but it was a lengthy process.“It’s just a lot because the onus is on us, it is not on the county, to prove the valuation,” Phanton said.The increase was doubly hard to take, Phanton said, because her income was just above the threshold for the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/tax-types/property-tax-credit/" target="_blank">Circuit Breaker tax credit</a>, available to people with a disability or who are 65 and older.&nbsp;The circuit breaker tax credit was established in 1973. People over age 65 and those who have a qualifying disability and rent their homes can claim a tax credit to offset property taxes of up to $1,055 if their income is less than $38,200. The credit for homeowners is up to $1,550 if they own their home if their income is less than $41,000.If the credit is more than the taxpayer owes, the state will write a check for the difference.Increasing the income limits and credit amounts is the best way to help vulnerable people keep their homes, McBride said.Missouri law requires county assessors to estimate the value of every property every two years. The tax commission is responsible for making sure the values are within 90 to 100% of market value.The commission sought to get counties to sign a “memorandum of understanding” when tax assessments fall behind that standard. Some counties are suing over requirements that residential assessments increase by up to 15%. That is the most home values can be increased without an inspection of the exterior.Under questioning from the committee, Tax Commission member Greg Razer said the commission has acted to control the excessive increases in Jackson County.Values below market hurt public services, he said.&nbsp;“We have to protect the entities that are receiving the tax dollars that the voters have approved, and so if you’re at 60%, eventually you’re not keeping up with inflation, and you can’t provide the same services,” Razer said.Most of the counties asked to sign a memorandum of understanding have seen a rapid increase in home values in the past five years, said Steve Hobbs, executive director of the Missouri Association of Counties.Part of it is people moving from high-cost coastal areas and part of it is investors looking for rental properties.&nbsp;But Hobbs, like McBride, warned against artificial controls on tax bills.&nbsp;“When you create a carve out for one entity,” he said, “you shift the tax burden to others.”At the end of the hearing, Taylor asked members to make a list of the five issues they would like to see addressed in the committee’s report. The next meeting will be while the General Assembly is holding its special session on redistricting, he said, with a future meeting to finalize a report and prepare legislation.“It is a big old bucket of stuff we have to digest,” Taylor said.

‘Jackass legislation’: Missouri lawmakers urged to reject quick fixes for property taxes

ANDREW COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Wednesday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chevy passenger vehicle driven by a 24-year-old St. Joseph man was westbound on Route B attempting to cross U.S. 71. The driver failed to yield a northbound 2012 Nissan Maxima driven by a 23-year-old Maryville woman.&nbsp; The Nissan struck the drivers side of the Chevy.&nbsp; After impact both vehicle skidded off the road into the median.

Andrew County EMS transported both drivers to Mosaic Life Care. The Nissan driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 3:30p.m. Wednesday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chevy passenger vehicle driven by a 24-year-old St. Joseph man was westbound on Route B attempting to cross U.S. 71. The driver failed to yield a northbound 2012 Nissan Maxima driven by a 23-year-old Maryville woman.&nbsp; The Nissan struck the drivers side of the Chevy.&nbsp; After impact both vehicle skidded off the road into the median.Andrew County EMS transported both drivers to Mosaic Life Care. The Nissan driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

St. Joseph man, Maryville woman injured in 2-vehicle crash

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a series of criminal activity in Brown and Jackson County are asking the public for help in locating 38-year-old&nbsp; Joshua Heideman of Centralia, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

Heideman is&nbsp; &nbsp;Heideman is described as a 38-year-old&nbsp; white male,&nbsp; 6-foot tall and he weighs approximately 230 pounds.&nbsp; 

Anyone with information of Heidemans whereabouts is asked to contact the Brown County Sheriff's office at785-742-7125 or Jackson County Sheriff's office at 785-364-2251

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756917615076.png" alt="Heidman photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Heidman photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a series of criminal activity in Brown and Jackson County are asking the public for help in locating 38-year-old&nbsp; Joshua Heideman of Centralia, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.Heideman is&nbsp; &nbsp;Heideman is described as a 38-year-old&nbsp; white male,&nbsp; 6-foot tall and he weighs approximately 230 pounds.&nbsp; Anyone with information of Heidemans whereabouts is asked to contact the Brown County Sheriff's office at785-742-7125 or Jackson County Sheriff's office at 785-364-2251

Sheriff asks for help to locate Kansas crime suspect

Northwest Missouri State University is commemorating lives lost during the tragic events that transpired in New York City on September 11th with its annual stair climb.

Northwest’s Emergency and Disaster Management Club, the 1-129th Field Artillery of the Missouri National Guard and the Maryville Fire Department are partnering in support of the event.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Maryville Fire Department will start the event with a bell ceremony and a moment of silenc

The stair climb will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, at Bearcat Stadium. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees must sign a waiver to participate in the 2,071-step challenge, which may be completed individually or in groups of two to five people.&nbsp; Participants can register at Bearcat Stadium on the evening of the event.

Travis Surprise, an instructor of emergency and disaster management at Northwest, is serving as this year’s master of ceremonies and helping to organize the event.

“The value of this event is to learn our history, so it’s never repeated,” Surprise says in a news release from the University. “We learn why 9/11 is so important and understand the physical exertion that was needed that day to save the lives they were able to save. We can teach the younger generation what happened that day and what came from those terrorist actions.”

The Memorial Bell Tower, located at the center of the Northwest campus, will chime at 8:46 a.m., 9:03 a.m., 9:37 a.m. and 10:03 a.m., marking the times that each of the four planes crashed on 9/11.&nbsp; Additionally, Northwest will play footage of the events of 9/11 on the Bearcat Stadium video board.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756904178117.jpeg" alt="Northwest community members participate in the 9/11 stair climb last year at Bearcat Stadium/ Photo by Maria Nino-Elliott/Northwest Missouri State University" />
 <figcaption>Northwest community members participate in the 9/11 stair climb last year at Bearcat Stadium/ Photo by Maria Nino-Elliott/Northwest Missouri State University</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKENorthwest Missouri State University is commemorating lives lost during the tragic events that transpired in New York City on September 11th with its annual stair climb.Northwest’s Emergency and Disaster Management Club, the 1-129th Field Artillery of the Missouri National Guard and the Maryville Fire Department are partnering in support of the event.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Maryville Fire Department will start the event with a bell ceremony and a moment of silencThe stair climb will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, at Bearcat Stadium. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees must sign a waiver to participate in the 2,071-step challenge, which may be completed individually or in groups of two to five people.&nbsp; Participants can register at Bearcat Stadium on the evening of the event.Travis Surprise, an instructor of emergency and disaster management at Northwest, is serving as this year’s master of ceremonies and helping to organize the event.“The value of this event is to learn our history, so it’s never repeated,” Surprise says in a news release from the University. “We learn why 9/11 is so important and understand the physical exertion that was needed that day to save the lives they were able to save. We can teach the younger generation what happened that day and what came from those terrorist actions.”The Memorial Bell Tower, located at the center of the Northwest campus, will chime at 8:46 a.m., 9:03 a.m., 9:37 a.m. and 10:03 a.m., marking the times that each of the four planes crashed on 9/11.&nbsp; Additionally, Northwest will play footage of the events of 9/11 on the Bearcat Stadium video board.

NWMSU to host annual stair climb honoring those lost on 9/11

Two county clerks report being contacted by the DOJ seeking access to election machines made by Dominion Voting Systems, the company at the center of false allegations of vote rigging during the 2020 presidential election

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

The U.S. Department of Justice has been reaching out to Missouri election officials requesting access to voting equipment used in the 2020 presidential election.

According to a memo produced by the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities, at least two county clerks have been contacted in recent weeks by Andrew McCoy “Mac” Warner, a DOJ official. While serving as West Virginia’s secretary of state, Warner&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2023/12/14/warners-election-comments-endanger-our-democracy/" target="_blank">falsely claimed the CIA and FBI colluded with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg</a>&nbsp;to steal the 2020 presidential election from Trump.&nbsp;

The memo was shared with election officials across the state and obtained by The Independent through a public records request.

Warner requested Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis and McDonald County Clerk Jessica Cole allow the DOJ to “access, physically inspect and perhaps take physical custody” of election equipment made by Dominion Voting Systems that was used in the November 2020 election, according to the memo.&nbsp;

In an interview with The Independent, Davis said he informed the DOJ his office purchased new equipment and no longer has the machines used in the 2020 election. But even if he had those machines, Davis said it would be illegal for him to allow anyone access to them.&nbsp;

“Absolutely not,” he said. “The laws prohibit us from allowing anybody to touch our equipment.”

Davis said he’s not sure why the DOJ wants to access machines used in the 2020 election, which Trump won in Missouri with 57% of the vote. But after the call from the DOJ, Davis said he was also contacted by former Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft urging him to comply with the DOJ request.&nbsp;

In a statement included in the memo, Cole said custody, maintenance, preparation, testing and storage of election equipment are the responsibility of the local election authority. Allowing unauthorized access, she said, is a crime.&nbsp;

“These safeguards exist to protect the security, accuracy and integrity of our elections,” she said.&nbsp;

Livingston County Clerk Sherry Parks, who serves as president of the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities, echoed Cole’s point in an email to The Independent, noting that while “robust pre- and post-election equipment testing is open to the public for observation, it is illegal to allow unauthorized access or tampering to election equipment.”

The DOJ did not respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;

Ashcroft, who in July was appointed by the governor to serve as an administrative law judge, said in a brief interview on Tuesday: “If I were involved, it was a request from someone to help connect people together. And it would have been something that I’d done on my own time, not during work hours. And it would have just been, ‘Hey, do you know someone? Can you give me their number?’ That sort of thing.”

A spokeswoman for Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said in an email to The Independent that Hoskins was contacted by the DOJ hoping to speak with local election officials “for more information and context. Our office referred them to the clerks directly.”

In recent months, the DOJ has been contacting states demanding access to sensitive election and voting data. The department has sent letters to at least nine states asking for information related to voter list maintenance in the states under the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act,&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/08/01/doj-plans-to-ask-all-states-for-detailed-voting-info/" target="_blank">according to Stateline</a>.&nbsp;

The focus on Dominion machines harkens back to the web of baseless conspiracy theories spread by Trump supporters in the years following his 2020 defeat that the company was at the heart of a scheme designed to rig the presidential election.&nbsp;

Those lies about a stolen election helped fuel the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and continue to percolate through Trump’s political base even after he won a second term last year.&nbsp;

Dominion won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe" target="_blank">$787.5 million settlement from Fox News in 2023</a>&nbsp;after the network repeatedly promoted lies that the company’s machines had been used to flip votes away from Trump in an effort to help Biden win the White House.

More recently, right-wing cable channel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/business/media/newsmax-dominion-defamation-lawsuit-settlement.html" target="_blank">Newsmax agreed in August to pay Dominion $67 million</a>&nbsp;to settle a libel lawsuit based on similar false claims of election rigging.&nbsp;

Davis, who still uses Dominion machines, said he knows there are some people who question the integrity of the 2020 election.&nbsp;

“But it’s been proven, especially here in Jasper County and in the State of Missouri, that our election results are the results of the elections,” he said. “It’s proven that the machines count the ballots correctly.”

<h2>Two county clerks report being contacted by the DOJ seeking access to election machines made by Dominion Voting Systems, the company at the center of false allegations of vote rigging during the 2020 presidential election</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The U.S. Department of Justice has been reaching out to Missouri election officials requesting access to voting equipment used in the 2020 presidential election.According to a memo produced by the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities, at least two county clerks have been contacted in recent weeks by Andrew McCoy “Mac” Warner, a DOJ official. While serving as West Virginia’s secretary of state, Warner&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2023/12/14/warners-election-comments-endanger-our-democracy/" target="_blank">falsely claimed the CIA and FBI colluded with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg</a>&nbsp;to steal the 2020 presidential election from Trump.&nbsp;The memo was shared with election officials across the state and obtained by The Independent through a public records request.Warner requested Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis and McDonald County Clerk Jessica Cole allow the DOJ to “access, physically inspect and perhaps take physical custody” of election equipment made by Dominion Voting Systems that was used in the November 2020 election, according to the memo.&nbsp;In an interview with The Independent, Davis said he informed the DOJ his office purchased new equipment and no longer has the machines used in the 2020 election. But even if he had those machines, Davis said it would be illegal for him to allow anyone access to them.&nbsp;“Absolutely not,” he said. “The laws prohibit us from allowing anybody to touch our equipment.”Davis said he’s not sure why the DOJ wants to access machines used in the 2020 election, which Trump won in Missouri with 57% of the vote. But after the call from the DOJ, Davis said he was also contacted by former Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft urging him to comply with the DOJ request.&nbsp;In a statement included in the memo, Cole said custody, maintenance, preparation, testing and storage of election equipment are the responsibility of the local election authority. Allowing unauthorized access, she said, is a crime.&nbsp;“These safeguards exist to protect the security, accuracy and integrity of our elections,” she said.&nbsp;Livingston County Clerk Sherry Parks, who serves as president of the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities, echoed Cole’s point in an email to The Independent, noting that while “robust pre- and post-election equipment testing is open to the public for observation, it is illegal to allow unauthorized access or tampering to election equipment.”The DOJ did not respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;Ashcroft, who in July was appointed by the governor to serve as an administrative law judge, said in a brief interview on Tuesday: “If I were involved, it was a request from someone to help connect people together. And it would have been something that I’d done on my own time, not during work hours. And it would have just been, ‘Hey, do you know someone? Can you give me their number?’ That sort of thing.”A spokeswoman for Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said in an email to The Independent that Hoskins was contacted by the DOJ hoping to speak with local election officials “for more information and context. Our office referred them to the clerks directly.”In recent months, the DOJ has been contacting states demanding access to sensitive election and voting data. The department has sent letters to at least nine states asking for information related to voter list maintenance in the states under the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act,&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/08/01/doj-plans-to-ask-all-states-for-detailed-voting-info/" target="_blank">according to Stateline</a>.&nbsp;The focus on Dominion machines harkens back to the web of baseless conspiracy theories spread by Trump supporters in the years following his 2020 defeat that the company was at the heart of a scheme designed to rig the presidential election.&nbsp;Those lies about a stolen election helped fuel the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and continue to percolate through Trump’s political base even after he won a second term last year.&nbsp;Dominion won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe" target="_blank">$787.5 million settlement from Fox News in 2023</a>&nbsp;after the network repeatedly promoted lies that the company’s machines had been used to flip votes away from Trump in an effort to help Biden win the White House.More recently, right-wing cable channel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/business/media/newsmax-dominion-defamation-lawsuit-settlement.html" target="_blank">Newsmax agreed in August to pay Dominion $67 million</a>&nbsp;to settle a libel lawsuit based on similar false claims of election rigging.&nbsp;Davis, who still uses Dominion machines, said he knows there are some people who question the integrity of the 2020 election.&nbsp;“But it’s been proven, especially here in Jasper County and in the State of Missouri, that our election results are the results of the elections,” he said. “It’s proven that the machines count the ballots correctly.”

Trump’s DOJ wants access to Missouri voting equipment used in 2020 election

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before noon Tuesday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Ford Escape driven by an 82-year-old Topeka woman was southbound on Business 71 at Country Road 348 seven miles south of Savannah.&nbsp; The SUV traveled through a private driver and into a ditch.

Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before noon Tuesday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Ford Escape driven by an 82-year-old Topeka woman was southbound on Business 71 at Country Road 348 seven miles south of Savannah.&nbsp; The SUV traveled through a private driver and into a ditch.Andrew County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Kansas woman injured after Andrew Co. SUV accident

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 11a.m. Tuesday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Honda Gold Wing driven by a 71-year=old Stover man was eastbound on Route MM at 290th Street six miles north of Gilman City. The driver saw animals in the road.&nbsp; The motorcycle traveled off the south side of the road and the driver was partially ejected.&nbsp;

Lifenet transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 11a.m. Tuesday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Honda Gold Wing driven by a 71-year=old Stover man was eastbound on Route MM at 290th Street six miles north of Gilman City. The driver saw animals in the road.&nbsp; The motorcycle traveled off the south side of the road and the driver was partially ejected.&nbsp;Lifenet transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care. He was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. man hospitalized after motorcycle accident

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a weekend altercation in Atchison.

Shortly after 8p.m. on Saturday officers began an investigation that focused on an incident that had occurred between two people in the 800 block South 5th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Neither person were at the scene when police arrived.&nbsp; Officers soon learned that a 31-year-old woman was at Amberwell Hospital being treated for a stab wound to the leg. 

It was determined that an argument had occurred between two women who were known to each other and had been in a vehicle together when the two exited the vehicle in the 800 block South 5th Street where a disturbance occurred and the 31-year-old victim was stabbed in the leg. 

She was taken to the hospital by a family member. She was treated and released.&nbsp; The 29-year-old suspect was not immediately located. 

Shortly after 9p.m. on Sunday, officers located the suspect, Allison Blakely, in the 400 block South 10th Street and she was taken into custody. At the time of her arrest she was found to be in possession of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and marijuana. She is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery, possession of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and marijuana, according to Wilson.

Blakley has previous convictions for aggravated arson, interference with law enforcement, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the KDOC.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756744879790.png" alt="Blakely photo Atchison&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Blakely photo Atchison&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a weekend altercation in Atchison.Shortly after 8p.m. on Saturday officers began an investigation that focused on an incident that had occurred between two people in the 800 block South 5th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Neither person were at the scene when police arrived.&nbsp; Officers soon learned that a 31-year-old woman was at Amberwell Hospital being treated for a stab wound to the leg. It was determined that an argument had occurred between two women who were known to each other and had been in a vehicle together when the two exited the vehicle in the 800 block South 5th Street where a disturbance occurred and the 31-year-old victim was stabbed in the leg. She was taken to the hospital by a family member. She was treated and released.&nbsp; The 29-year-old suspect was not immediately located. Shortly after 9p.m. on Sunday, officers located the suspect, Allison Blakely, in the 400 block South 10th Street and she was taken into custody. At the time of her arrest she was found to be in possession of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and marijuana. She is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery, possession of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and marijuana, according to Wilson.Blakley has previous convictions for aggravated arson, interference with law enforcement, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the KDOC.

Kan. felon accused of knife attack on another woman

As the kids go
back to school, don’t forget the pets.

Melaine Barnes
with Friends of the Animal Shelter reminds residents that back-to-school can be
a big adjustment for everyone, including the pets.

“Pets get used to
routines and what their comfort level is with those routines,” Barnes tells
KFEQmmunity.&nbsp; “And that includes the routines
of their people, and their owners, and their loved ones.”

Barnes says a
shift from an unstructured summer to the structure of school can be jarring to
a pet.

“So, if you’ve had
two, three months of no routine or routine of you being home all the time or maybe
kids being home all the time then all of the sudden going back to school,” Barnes
says, adding, “obviously the dogs and cats don’t understand what’s going on and
so then all of the sudden one day, it’s different. Why is it different?”

Barnes suggests
pet owners take intentional steps to help with the transition.

“So, just give
them a little bit of time to adjust,” Barnes says. “It’s a big change for them.
So, make sure that you’re monitoring them in a way that they’re getting
satisfied still. That could be going for a walk after school or taking them
outside to the yard to play fetch.”

Barnes says every
family is different, every household routine is different, and every pet is
different.

“Not all pets are
affectionate. Some are very satisfied being just on their own, hanging out. But
if you have an affectionate pet and now you’ve gone from being home all day to
going to work for eight or nine or ten hours a day, they’re going to miss you. &nbsp;You are their world,” Barnes says. “So, when
you come home, you need to make sure they’re getting a little bit of extra love
and attention to help adapt to your absence.”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostAs the kids go
back to school, don’t forget the pets.Melaine Barnes
with Friends of the Animal Shelter reminds residents that back-to-school can be
a big adjustment for everyone, including the pets.“Pets get used to
routines and what their comfort level is with those routines,” Barnes tells
KFEQmmunity.&nbsp; “And that includes the routines
of their people, and their owners, and their loved ones.”Barnes says a
shift from an unstructured summer to the structure of school can be jarring to
a pet.“So, if you’ve had
two, three months of no routine or routine of you being home all the time or maybe
kids being home all the time then all of the sudden going back to school,” Barnes
says, adding, “obviously the dogs and cats don’t understand what’s going on and
so then all of the sudden one day, it’s different. Why is it different?”Barnes suggests
pet owners take intentional steps to help with the transition.“So, just give
them a little bit of time to adjust,” Barnes says. “It’s a big change for them.
So, make sure that you’re monitoring them in a way that they’re getting
satisfied still. That could be going for a walk after school or taking them
outside to the yard to play fetch.”Barnes says every
family is different, every household routine is different, and every pet is
different.“Not all pets are
affectionate. Some are very satisfied being just on their own, hanging out. But
if you have an affectionate pet and now you’ve gone from being home all day to
going to work for eight or nine or ten hours a day, they’re going to miss you. &nbsp;You are their world,” Barnes says. “So, when
you come home, you need to make sure they’re getting a little bit of extra love
and attention to help adapt to your absence.”You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Back to school can be hard on the household pet, too

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to North Daviess R-III School on Saturday night for a report of a loud noise and damage. Upon arrival, they found that the roof of the gymnasium had collapsed. 

At approximately 9:45 pm on August 30, Jameson Fire District, Gallatin Fire District, Pattonsburg Fire District, Daviess County Ambulance District, Daviess County Sheriff's Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol arrived at the school.

The release from the Daviess County Sheriff's office stated that the call was made by a school worker who was in the building at the time of the loud noise. The teacher was in the main school building near the gym at the time of the collapse. She says it sounded like someone “messing with lockers in the hallway.” 

The roof of the school had reportedly collapsed, falling inside the gym and causing the east wall of the gym to collapse onto the exterior of the school.&nbsp; First responders stated that there was no fire or explosion after the incident, although multiple stress cracks were located in the building. 

By MATT PIKEMultiple law enforcement agencies responded to North Daviess R-III School on Saturday night for a report of a loud noise and damage. Upon arrival, they found that the roof of the gymnasium had collapsed. At approximately 9:45 pm on August 30, Jameson Fire District, Gallatin Fire District, Pattonsburg Fire District, Daviess County Ambulance District, Daviess County Sheriff's Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol arrived at the school.The release from the Daviess County Sheriff's office stated that the call was made by a school worker who was in the building at the time of the loud noise. The teacher was in the main school building near the gym at the time of the collapse. She says it sounded like someone “messing with lockers in the hallway.” The roof of the school had reportedly collapsed, falling inside the gym and causing the east wall of the gym to collapse onto the exterior of the school.&nbsp; First responders stated that there was no fire or explosion after the incident, although multiple stress cracks were located in the building. Due to the damage and other signs of possible structural compromise, unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter the school building until a structural engineer conducts an inspection.Superintendent&nbsp;John Rockhold says students will use AMI days while the building is assessed, and the school is planning to distribute chromebooks and other materials to ensure learning isn't lost due to the situation.According to North Daviess R-III School District, classes for students not in their VoTech program on Tuesday September 2nd are cancelled. VoTech classes are still in session as scheduled.

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