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

A portion of the signatures&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/09/missouri-gerrymander-congressional-map-referendum/">submitted last week</a>&nbsp;to force a referendum on Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional district map won’t be reviewed before a Cole County judge rules on whether all should be checked.

People Not Politicians is challenging a decision by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins that no signatures collected before Oct. 14 — the day he certified the form of the referendum petition — are valid.&nbsp;

In an order issued Friday, Circuit Judge Christopher Limmbaugh wrote that he will wait to issue his ruling while local election officials determine if the portion being checked is sufficient to place the issue on a statewide ballot.

Last week, People Not Politicians delivered 691 boxes of petition sheets bearing more than 305,000 signatures to Hoskins’ office. There are signatures from every county in the state, organizers said, and they have little doubt they will reach the threshold of about 110,000 signatures to make the 2026 ballot.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Joint%20Stipulation%20of%20Facts%20and%20Exhibits.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3709303" target="_blank">filing in the case</a>, People Not Politicians stated that about 103,000 of the signatures were collected before the cutoff date.

The other 202,000 signatures should be checked before he makes a decision, Limbaugh ruled.

“Conceivably, this could be enough signatures to place the referendum on the ballot thereby mooting the issues presented in the case at bar,” he wrote.

The case, he wrote, will be “in abeyance until the requisite number of signatures have been certified or up until enough signatures have been rejected so as to prevent plaintiffs’ referendum from appearing on the ballot.”

Limbaugh presided over a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/08/federal-judge-rejects-missouri-ags-push-to-block-referendum-on-gerrymandered-map/">three-hour trial</a>&nbsp;in the case last Monday.&nbsp;

Limbaugh ordered Hoskins to hold on to the signatures not sent to local election authorities for verification while the case is on hold. When the signatures were submitted, Hoskins said he was already acting to preserve the early signatures.

County clerks and election boards have until July 28 to finish checking the signatures.&nbsp;

Limbaugh has already ruled twice against opponents of the map&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">forced through by the Republican majority</a>&nbsp;during a September special session.&nbsp;

Limbaugh ruled last week lawmakers had the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Judgment.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3746364" target="_blank">constitutional authority</a>&nbsp;to enact the revised map.

And in October, he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Order.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3713642" target="_blank">declined to issue a temporary order</a>&nbsp;blocking any of the actions during the special session in a case brought by the Missouri NAACP. That case is set for a trial Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

The NAACP wants Limbaugh to declare that Gov. Mike Kehoe had&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/15/judge-hears-arguments-in-case-seeking-to-toss-missouris-new-congressional-maps/">no authority</a>&nbsp;under the Missouri Constitution to call lawmakers into session for congressional redistricting and altering the majority needed to pass constitutional amendments proposed by initiative.

The fight over redistricting began in July, when President Donald Trump began&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">pressuring Missouri Republicans</a>&nbsp;to change the map to give the GOP an edge in seven of the state’s eight districts instead of the six they currently hold.&nbsp;

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">kept up the pressure</a>&nbsp;during the special session and state Senate Republicans used rule changes to undercut Democratic opposition and muscle the map to passage.

Last week, Democratic attorney Brad Ketcher filed a complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission alleging any White House employee calling lawmakers about the redistricting plan should have been registered as a lobbyist.

The intended result from the new map is to flip the 5th District to the GOP. The district, based in Kansas City, has been represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver since 2005.&nbsp;

The district is carved up under the new map with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts. Heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County would be added to the remaining Kansas City portions.

If the referendum has sufficient signatures, the map would be on the November 2026 ballot unless lawmakers set an earlier date.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765884385189.png" alt=" Missouri Capitol Police officers conduct security checks Dec. 9 on the 691 boxes of petitions filed to force a referendum on the gerrymandered Congressional district map passed by lawmakers in September. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri Capitol Police officers conduct security checks Dec. 9 on the 691 boxes of petitions filed to force a referendum on the gerrymandered Congressional district map passed by lawmakers in September. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A portion of the signatures&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/09/missouri-gerrymander-congressional-map-referendum/">submitted last week</a>&nbsp;to force a referendum on Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional district map won’t be reviewed before a Cole County judge rules on whether all should be checked.People Not Politicians is challenging a decision by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins that no signatures collected before Oct. 14 — the day he certified the form of the referendum petition — are valid.&nbsp;In an order issued Friday, Circuit Judge Christopher Limmbaugh wrote that he will wait to issue his ruling while local election officials determine if the portion being checked is sufficient to place the issue on a statewide ballot.Last week, People Not Politicians delivered 691 boxes of petition sheets bearing more than 305,000 signatures to Hoskins’ office. There are signatures from every county in the state, organizers said, and they have little doubt they will reach the threshold of about 110,000 signatures to make the 2026 ballot.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Joint%20Stipulation%20of%20Facts%20and%20Exhibits.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3709303" target="_blank">filing in the case</a>, People Not Politicians stated that about 103,000 of the signatures were collected before the cutoff date.The other 202,000 signatures should be checked before he makes a decision, Limbaugh ruled.“Conceivably, this could be enough signatures to place the referendum on the ballot thereby mooting the issues presented in the case at bar,” he wrote.The case, he wrote, will be “in abeyance until the requisite number of signatures have been certified or up until enough signatures have been rejected so as to prevent plaintiffs’ referendum from appearing on the ballot.”Limbaugh presided over a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/08/federal-judge-rejects-missouri-ags-push-to-block-referendum-on-gerrymandered-map/">three-hour trial</a>&nbsp;in the case last Monday.&nbsp;Limbaugh ordered Hoskins to hold on to the signatures not sent to local election authorities for verification while the case is on hold. When the signatures were submitted, Hoskins said he was already acting to preserve the early signatures.County clerks and election boards have until July 28 to finish checking the signatures.&nbsp;Limbaugh has already ruled twice against opponents of the map&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">forced through by the Republican majority</a>&nbsp;during a September special session.&nbsp;Limbaugh ruled last week lawmakers had the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Judgment.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3746364" target="_blank">constitutional authority</a>&nbsp;to enact the revised map.And in October, he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Order.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3713642" target="_blank">declined to issue a temporary order</a>&nbsp;blocking any of the actions during the special session in a case brought by the Missouri NAACP. That case is set for a trial Monday afternoon.&nbsp;The NAACP wants Limbaugh to declare that Gov. Mike Kehoe had&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/15/judge-hears-arguments-in-case-seeking-to-toss-missouris-new-congressional-maps/">no authority</a>&nbsp;under the Missouri Constitution to call lawmakers into session for congressional redistricting and altering the majority needed to pass constitutional amendments proposed by initiative.The fight over redistricting began in July, when President Donald Trump began&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">pressuring Missouri Republicans</a>&nbsp;to change the map to give the GOP an edge in seven of the state’s eight districts instead of the six they currently hold.&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">kept up the pressure</a>&nbsp;during the special session and state Senate Republicans used rule changes to undercut Democratic opposition and muscle the map to passage.Last week, Democratic attorney Brad Ketcher filed a complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission alleging any White House employee calling lawmakers about the redistricting plan should have been registered as a lobbyist.The intended result from the new map is to flip the 5th District to the GOP. The district, based in Kansas City, has been represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver since 2005.&nbsp;The district is carved up under the new map with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts. Heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County would be added to the remaining Kansas City portions.If the referendum has sufficient signatures, the map would be on the November 2026 ballot unless lawmakers set an earlier date.&nbsp;

Judge delays decision on signatures for Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map

NODAWAY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Monday in Nodaway County.

The&nbsp; Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Dodge 3500 driven by a 30-year-old Oregon, Missouri, man was southbound on U.S. 71 five miles south of Maryville. The pickup rear-eded a 1999 Lincoln Continental driven by a 78-year-old Barnard man who was turning right onto 340th Street.

Nodaway County EMS transported the Lincoln driver to Mosaic in Maryville. The pickup 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 before 7:30p.m. Monday in Nodaway County.The&nbsp; Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Dodge 3500 driven by a 30-year-old Oregon, Missouri, man was southbound on U.S. 71 five miles south of Maryville. The pickup rear-eded a 1999 Lincoln Continental driven by a 78-year-old Barnard man who was turning right onto 340th Street.Nodaway County EMS transported the Lincoln driver to Mosaic in Maryville. The pickup driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man injured after rear-end crash

A gift from the Leah Spratt Charitable Trust to the Mosaic Life Care Foundation is helping provide free nights at the InspireU Children's Discovery Center.  

The museum will provide three more free nights, after the first event was held at the end of last month.   

Museum director Katherine Patterson-Paronto says after the museum closed for its normal hours; they re-opened the doors later in the evening 

"And there was just a line of people so excited to come in waiting for us when we reopened that door,” Patterson-Paronto tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “And so, we loved it, because we were having fun right away, and we ended up having about 200 people come through the doors that night, so we’re really pleased.” 

Patterson- Paronto says gifts like these help in making it more affordable for people to come experience the museum 

"These sponsors really make it possible for us to be able to afford to give opportunities to these families,” Patterson- Paronto explains.  “The free nights are really a great way for if a family can’t afford to come at all, they’ve got that time they can come and have a great time.” 

Patterson-Paronto says the most important part for her, and her staff, is to make sure every family has the opportunity to experience the museum.  

Patterson- Paronto adds that being able to provide four free nights is great, because it helps get the word out about the events 

"If you have something on a regular basis, the word gets out and more people realize it’s happening and can come,” Patteron- Paronto says.  “And so, the worst-case scenario for us is like a family learns the day after we have a free night they could have come for free, we definitely want as many people as possible to take advantage of this and have a great time with their families.” 

Free nights will be hosted again on January 22nd, March 19th, and May 21st from 5:30 to 8pm 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

By MATT PIKEA gift from the Leah Spratt Charitable Trust to the Mosaic Life Care Foundation is helping provide free nights at the InspireU Children's Discovery Center. The museum will provide three more free nights, after the first event was held at the end of last month. Museum director Katherine Patterson-Paronto says after the museum closed for its normal hours; they re-opened the doors later in the evening "And there was just a line of people so excited to come in waiting for us when we reopened that door,” Patterson-Paronto tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “And so, we loved it, because we were having fun right away, and we ended up having about 200 people come through the doors that night, so we’re really pleased.” Patterson- Paronto says gifts like these help in making it more affordable for people to come experience the museum "These sponsors really make it possible for us to be able to afford to give opportunities to these families,” Patterson- Paronto explains. “The free nights are really a great way for if a family can’t afford to come at all, they’ve got that time they can come and have a great time.” Patterson-Paronto says the most important part for her, and her staff, is to make sure every family has the opportunity to experience the museum. Patterson- Paronto adds that being able to provide four free nights is great, because it helps get the word out about the events "If you have something on a regular basis, the word gets out and more people realize it’s happening and can come,” Patteron- Paronto says. “And so, the worst-case scenario for us is like a family learns the day after we have a free night they could have come for free, we definitely want as many people as possible to take advantage of this and have a great time with their families.” Free nights will be hosted again on January 22nd, March 19th, and May 21st from 5:30 to 8pm You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

InspireU welcoming more families in during free nights at the museum

CLINTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Sunday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2026 Hyundai Tucson driven by a 60-year-old Ostrander, Ohioman was westbound on MO 116 at NE Valann Lane to mile east of Lathrop. The Hyundai SUV struck a 2012 Chevy Colorado driven by an 18-year-old Lathrop man that was stationary following an earlier crash.

Tri-County EMS transported the teen driver to Liberty Hospital. Holt Fire and EMS transported the 60-year-old driver to North Kansas City Hospital. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

CLINTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Sunday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2026 Hyundai Tucson driven by a 60-year-old Ostrander, Ohioman was westbound on MO 116 at NE Valann Lane to mile east of Lathrop. The Hyundai SUV struck a 2012 Chevy Colorado driven by an 18-year-old Lathrop man that was stationary following an earlier crash.Tri-County EMS transported the teen driver to Liberty Hospital. Holt Fire and EMS transported the 60-year-old driver to North Kansas City Hospital. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

2 injured after SUV strikes disabled pickup on Mo. highway

ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9:30p.m. Saturday in Atchison.

A 2015 Subaru Forrester driven by Robert McCourtney, 72, Atchison, northbound in the 500 Block of 7th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; The SUV struck a 2010 Ford Mustang and a 2018 Nissan Sentra which were both parked on the east side of the street. After impact, the subaru landed on its top. The Fire Department was on the scene and extricated McCourtney from the Subaru. EMS transported him to Amberwell Hospital for examination. The investigation continues with alcohol as a factor, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765741723356.png" alt="photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9:30p.m. Saturday in Atchison.A 2015 Subaru Forrester driven by Robert McCourtney, 72, Atchison, northbound in the 500 Block of 7th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; The SUV struck a 2010 Ford Mustang and a 2018 Nissan Sentra which were both parked on the east side of the street. After impact, the subaru landed on its top. The Fire Department was on the scene and extricated McCourtney from the Subaru. EMS transported him to Amberwell Hospital for examination. The investigation continues with alcohol as a factor, according to Wilson.

Police: Alcohol a possible factor in 3-vehicle Kan. crash

Officials in Joplin recently passed an ordinance banning the practice after noticing out-of-state vehicles dropping off homeless people. Columbia, meanwhile, has adopted a voluntary ride home program

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">Meg Cunningham</a>

For years, stories circulated around Joplin, Missouri, about the city’s homeless population and how they arrived in the city.

Calls would come in to city officials following a recurring theme.

“People were coming to the City Council meetings and saying, ‘I don’t know why you guys don’t know this, but I’m witnessing busloads of people being dropped off in our town,’” said Joplin Mayor Keenan Cortez. “‘Buses are coming in, stopping at gas stations, unloading and the buses are turning around and going back.’”

The city commissioned a study to investigate. But it came back with no hard evidence.

Still, the reports kept coming in. So the city took a deeper look.

Officials collected video evidence of out-of-state law enforcement vehicles dropping people off at truck stops. Some medical systems seemed to be involved, too. They also gathered signed affidavits from people who were new to Joplin, saying they were given promises of a shelter bed or resources at the end of their ride.

“We were starting to hear from people in our community that, ‘I was brought to Joplin and just dropped off. I was in trouble over there. That community didn’t deal with me. They put me in a car, a van, a bus and said there’s help for you,’” Cortez said.

Instead, they were left without their support system, in a new city with limited resources and few places to turn.

Cortez said city officials aren’t sure how many people shared similar stories.

“At the end of the day, I don’t know if it was 15, if it was 50,” Cortez said. “As a mayor, it doesn’t matter.”

Joplin officials put their heads together with the city’s legal team. After sending cease-and-desist letters to the organizations they believed were dropping people off in the city, the City Council started considering legislation to ban the practice.

The City Council&nbsp;<a href="https://www.joplinmo.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/11777?fileID=69549" target="_blank">passed an ordinance</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of November. It isn’t uncommon for medical systems to refer patients needing specialized treatment, or for victims of domestic violence, to be sent to a shelter in another town. The ordinance includes exemptions for those situations.

So far, Cortez and city officials think the letters and new ordinance appear to be working. They haven’t had any reports of people being dropped off since the ordinance was passed. But the trend points to a larger problem Missouri’s cities are facing as homelessness rises across the state.

Missouri’s reliance on larger cities for services&nbsp;for the homeless population

It is fairly common for smaller, rural areas to rely on the services in larger cities for things like shelters, medical care or mental health treatment.

From 2023 to 2024, the number of unsheltered people grew 9% in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-02-11/homeless-residents-midwest-cities-increasingly-hard-track-help" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development point-in-time counts. In&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/05/02/kansas-cities-struggling-increase-homelessness/" target="_blank">Kansas</a>, the number grew by 6%, while Oklahoma saw an 18% jump.

Columbia is similar to Joplin when it comes to being a regional hub for services and shelter beds.

Columbia began working more closely on reducing homelessness in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.como.gov/city-managers-office/homelessness-citywide-efforts/" target="_blank">2023</a>&nbsp;by establishing a program within Boone County’s Department of Public Health to connect people with resources. City officials also created a homeless outreach team within the police department to try and divert people from the justice system.

Now, the city has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/pilot-program-in-columbia-hopes-to-reduce-homelessness-through-transportation/article_936f234d-3c03-47c8-a518-81f286951664.html" target="_blank">launched</a>&nbsp;the Ride Home program, which gives homeless or impoverished community members free rides back to their hometowns or to support systems up to three hours away. If someone needs to travel farther, the city will purchase a bus ticket to get them to where they need to go.

Since the launch in October, the city has provided three rides, said Austin Krohn, public information specialist at the Columbia &amp; Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services.

“People come in for mental health services, or if there is a facility that can only do a certain type of screening for them,” Krohn said. “People are coming here from all over Missouri to get services, and then they’re stuck here.”

Local service providers and shelters can refer people to the program to receive a free ride. People must have verifiable support at the destination, a referral, photo ID and no outstanding warrants in the county.

Studies have shown that voluntary transport to a support system can be instrumental in improving someone’s housing situation.

San Francisco runs a robust transportation program, similar to Ride Home in Columbia. In fiscal year 2024, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sfhsa.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2025-10/homeward_bound_annual_report_fy_2024-25_final.pdf" target="_blank">agency</a>&nbsp;that runs the program gave 230 rides.

San Francisco officials followed up with riders 90 days after their ride, and found that of the 230 served, 61 found housing, while 29 had another or unknown location. The remaining riders were unreachable or declined to be surveyed as part of the program.

“When I was doing direct service 30 years ago, people called it Greyhound therapy,” said Jeff Olivet, the former executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “Get a bus ticket to another town, just get out of here, basically. Sometimes that can be incredibly helpful if people are really wanting and needing to get back to family and social supports.”

But if someone is transported or coerced to leave town against their will, it can lead to poorer outcomes, Olivet said.

“Transportation can be critical,” Olivet said. “But if it’s basically, ‘Get out of town or we’re going to arrest you,’ that doesn’t solve homelessness for anybody. It just moves the problem around.”

One&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2803839?guestAccessKey=f321ceca-78d6-4d55-bcc5-e7a775ce1152&amp;utm_source=For_The_Media&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=ftm_links&amp;utm_content=tfl&amp;utm_term=041023" target="_blank">2023</a>&nbsp;study modeled over 20 U.S. cities concluded that involuntary displacement of people experiencing homelessness — things like encampment sweeps or involuntary transport to another area — could lead to substantial increases in morbidity and mortality.

The study linked involuntary displacement with worse outcomes for overdoses and hospitalizations and a decrease in getting connected with treatment for opioid use. It said the displacements could contribute to deaths of homeless people who use drugs.

A 2017&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2017/dec/20/bussed-out-america-moves-homeless-people-country-study" target="_blank">investigation</a>&nbsp;from The Guardian analyzed nearly 35,000 relocation journeys over a six-year period. The investigation found that most riders were relocated to places with a lower median income.

And as homelessness rates rise across all of Missouri, cities may need to start thinking about how to address these gaps, Olivet said.

“In the case of rural areas, or even suburban areas, where there aren’t as many shelter options for people, there aren’t as many mental health treatment programs, there aren’t as many supportive services. Oftentimes, the only way to get help is by going to a larger urban area,” Olivet said.

“That speaks to a tremendous gap when we don’t have good services, support and housing options for people in rural areas. They have to go somewhere else, even if they are from that rural area.”

In Missouri, the numbers aren’t improving.

The state’s continuum of care — a group of agencies that work under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness — found in its most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://moboscoc.org/resources/data/gaps-analysis/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;that homelessness is rapidly increasing across the state.

In Region 9, which includes the southwest corner of the state (but does not include metro areas like Joplin or Springfield, which run their own continuums of care outside of the statewide framework), 2023 data found a 133% rise in unsheltered homelessness and a 100% rise in sheltered homelessness from 2022 to 2023.

The area also saw family homelessness increase by 100% from 2022 to 2023.

Region 10, which represents the counties surrounding the Kansas City area, 2023 point-in-time data showed a 3% increase in unsheltered homelessness and a 119% increase in sheltered homelessness from 2022. Family homelessness increased by 173%.

In the group’s annual report, every region saw at least one metric of homelessness, sheltered or unsheltered, increase from 2022 to 2023.

It rings alarm bells with Mary Kenion, the chief equity officer at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

“At least half of all people experiencing homelessness in largely rural continuums of care do so outdoors, in unsheltered locations,” Kenion said. “We’re also seeing family homelessness on the rise, in rural communities specifically.”

And in their report, the Missouri continuum of care providers noted that while larger towns were better equipped to handle homelessness, it highlights the lack of resources in more rural areas.

The report found a positive relationship between the number of beds available in permanent housing situations and the length of time someone was homeless. For every 1% increase in permanent housing beds, there was a 54-day decrease in the length of time someone was homeless.

Although solutions like access to permanent housing show promise, roadblocks remain.

A coalition of nonprofits and local governments recently&nbsp;<a href="https://democracyforward.org/updates/local-governments-and-nonprofit-groups-challenge-unlawful-new-trump-vance-administration-restrictions-that-threaten-proven-solutions-to-homelessness/?utm_source=Master+Email+List&amp;utm_campaign=12ffa7439b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_09_22_03_36_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bd1968e562-&amp;utm_source=Master+Email+List&amp;utm_campaign=12ffa7439b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_09_22_03_36_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bd1968e562-267376953" target="_blank">sued</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration, arguing it created unreasonable restrictions on state continuums of care across the country. The lawsuit argues that the administration is looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/hud-partners/community-coc" target="_blank">shift funding away</a>&nbsp;from proven solutions that improve homelessness and that it could force up to 170,000 Americans into homelessness.

The new rules change what types of projects are eligible for funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the criteria for selecting projects and the conditions grantees have to accept to receive the funding, the lawsuit argues.

Ultimately, Joplin Mayor Cortez and other experts said that following up with someone after they receive care or resources is key in reducing homelessness.

Cortez is excited about a new development of 16 tiny homes dedicated to providing permanent housing situations for Joplin. But addressing the issue takes everyone coming together, he said.

“This is an ongoing thing that everybody in the community is involved in —– the health care community, the religious community,” Cortez said. “We have some passionate champions in our community working to resolve this problem.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/12/12/missouri-homeless-drop-offs-joplin-rides-columbia/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765715093916.png" alt=" Officials collected video evidence of out-of-state law enforcement vehicles dropping people off at truck stops. Some medical systems seemed to be involved, too (Naomi O’Donnell/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> Officials collected video evidence of out-of-state law enforcement vehicles dropping people off at truck stops. Some medical systems seemed to be involved, too (Naomi O’Donnell/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Officials in Joplin recently passed an ordinance banning the practice after noticing out-of-state vehicles dropping off homeless people. Columbia, meanwhile, has adopted a voluntary ride home program</h2>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">Meg Cunningham</a>For years, stories circulated around Joplin, Missouri, about the city’s homeless population and how they arrived in the city.Calls would come in to city officials following a recurring theme.“People were coming to the City Council meetings and saying, ‘I don’t know why you guys don’t know this, but I’m witnessing busloads of people being dropped off in our town,’” said Joplin Mayor Keenan Cortez. “‘Buses are coming in, stopping at gas stations, unloading and the buses are turning around and going back.’”The city commissioned a study to investigate. But it came back with no hard evidence.Still, the reports kept coming in. So the city took a deeper look.Officials collected video evidence of out-of-state law enforcement vehicles dropping people off at truck stops. Some medical systems seemed to be involved, too. They also gathered signed affidavits from people who were new to Joplin, saying they were given promises of a shelter bed or resources at the end of their ride.“We were starting to hear from people in our community that, ‘I was brought to Joplin and just dropped off. I was in trouble over there. That community didn’t deal with me. They put me in a car, a van, a bus and said there’s help for you,’” Cortez said.Instead, they were left without their support system, in a new city with limited resources and few places to turn.Cortez said city officials aren’t sure how many people shared similar stories.“At the end of the day, I don’t know if it was 15, if it was 50,” Cortez said. “As a mayor, it doesn’t matter.”Joplin officials put their heads together with the city’s legal team. After sending cease-and-desist letters to the organizations they believed were dropping people off in the city, the City Council started considering legislation to ban the practice.The City Council&nbsp;<a href="https://www.joplinmo.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/11777?fileID=69549" target="_blank">passed an ordinance</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of November. It isn’t uncommon for medical systems to refer patients needing specialized treatment, or for victims of domestic violence, to be sent to a shelter in another town. The ordinance includes exemptions for those situations.So far, Cortez and city officials think the letters and new ordinance appear to be working. They haven’t had any reports of people being dropped off since the ordinance was passed. But the trend points to a larger problem Missouri’s cities are facing as homelessness rises across the state.<h2>Missouri’s reliance on larger cities for services&nbsp;for the homeless population</h2>It is fairly common for smaller, rural areas to rely on the services in larger cities for things like shelters, medical care or mental health treatment.From 2023 to 2024, the number of unsheltered people grew 9% in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-02-11/homeless-residents-midwest-cities-increasingly-hard-track-help" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development point-in-time counts. In&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/05/02/kansas-cities-struggling-increase-homelessness/" target="_blank">Kansas</a>, the number grew by 6%, while Oklahoma saw an 18% jump.Columbia is similar to Joplin when it comes to being a regional hub for services and shelter beds.Columbia began working more closely on reducing homelessness in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.como.gov/city-managers-office/homelessness-citywide-efforts/" target="_blank">2023</a>&nbsp;by establishing a program within Boone County’s Department of Public Health to connect people with resources. City officials also created a homeless outreach team within the police department to try and divert people from the justice system.Now, the city has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/pilot-program-in-columbia-hopes-to-reduce-homelessness-through-transportation/article_936f234d-3c03-47c8-a518-81f286951664.html" target="_blank">launched</a>&nbsp;the Ride Home program, which gives homeless or impoverished community members free rides back to their hometowns or to support systems up to three hours away. If someone needs to travel farther, the city will purchase a bus ticket to get them to where they need to go.Since the launch in October, the city has provided three rides, said Austin Krohn, public information specialist at the Columbia &amp; Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services.“People come in for mental health services, or if there is a facility that can only do a certain type of screening for them,” Krohn said. “People are coming here from all over Missouri to get services, and then they’re stuck here.”Local service providers and shelters can refer people to the program to receive a free ride. People must have verifiable support at the destination, a referral, photo ID and no outstanding warrants in the county.Studies have shown that voluntary transport to a support system can be instrumental in improving someone’s housing situation.San Francisco runs a robust transportation program, similar to Ride Home in Columbia. In fiscal year 2024, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sfhsa.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2025-10/homeward_bound_annual_report_fy_2024-25_final.pdf" target="_blank">agency</a>&nbsp;that runs the program gave 230 rides.San Francisco officials followed up with riders 90 days after their ride, and found that of the 230 served, 61 found housing, while 29 had another or unknown location. The remaining riders were unreachable or declined to be surveyed as part of the program.“When I was doing direct service 30 years ago, people called it Greyhound therapy,” said Jeff Olivet, the former executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “Get a bus ticket to another town, just get out of here, basically. Sometimes that can be incredibly helpful if people are really wanting and needing to get back to family and social supports.”But if someone is transported or coerced to leave town against their will, it can lead to poorer outcomes, Olivet said.“Transportation can be critical,” Olivet said. “But if it’s basically, ‘Get out of town or we’re going to arrest you,’ that doesn’t solve homelessness for anybody. It just moves the problem around.”One&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2803839?guestAccessKey=f321ceca-78d6-4d55-bcc5-e7a775ce1152&amp;utm_source=For_The_Media&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=ftm_links&amp;utm_content=tfl&amp;utm_term=041023" target="_blank">2023</a>&nbsp;study modeled over 20 U.S. cities concluded that involuntary displacement of people experiencing homelessness — things like encampment sweeps or involuntary transport to another area — could lead to substantial increases in morbidity and mortality.The study linked involuntary displacement with worse outcomes for overdoses and hospitalizations and a decrease in getting connected with treatment for opioid use. It said the displacements could contribute to deaths of homeless people who use drugs.A 2017&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2017/dec/20/bussed-out-america-moves-homeless-people-country-study" target="_blank">investigation</a>&nbsp;from The Guardian analyzed nearly 35,000 relocation journeys over a six-year period. The investigation found that most riders were relocated to places with a lower median income.<h2>How Missouri fares&nbsp;</h2>And as homelessness rates rise across all of Missouri, cities may need to start thinking about how to address these gaps, Olivet said.“In the case of rural areas, or even suburban areas, where there aren’t as many shelter options for people, there aren’t as many mental health treatment programs, there aren’t as many supportive services. Oftentimes, the only way to get help is by going to a larger urban area,” Olivet said.“That speaks to a tremendous gap when we don’t have good services, support and housing options for people in rural areas. They have to go somewhere else, even if they are from that rural area.”In Missouri, the numbers aren’t improving.The state’s continuum of care — a group of agencies that work under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness — found in its most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://moboscoc.org/resources/data/gaps-analysis/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;that homelessness is rapidly increasing across the state.In Region 9, which includes the southwest corner of the state (but does not include metro areas like Joplin or Springfield, which run their own continuums of care outside of the statewide framework), 2023 data found a 133% rise in unsheltered homelessness and a 100% rise in sheltered homelessness from 2022 to 2023.The area also saw family homelessness increase by 100% from 2022 to 2023.Region 10, which represents the counties surrounding the Kansas City area, 2023 point-in-time data showed a 3% increase in unsheltered homelessness and a 119% increase in sheltered homelessness from 2022. Family homelessness increased by 173%.In the group’s annual report, every region saw at least one metric of homelessness, sheltered or unsheltered, increase from 2022 to 2023.It rings alarm bells with Mary Kenion, the chief equity officer at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.“At least half of all people experiencing homelessness in largely rural continuums of care do so outdoors, in unsheltered locations,” Kenion said. “We’re also seeing family homelessness on the rise, in rural communities specifically.”And in their report, the Missouri continuum of care providers noted that while larger towns were better equipped to handle homelessness, it highlights the lack of resources in more rural areas.The report found a positive relationship between the number of beds available in permanent housing situations and the length of time someone was homeless. For every 1% increase in permanent housing beds, there was a 54-day decrease in the length of time someone was homeless.Although solutions like access to permanent housing show promise, roadblocks remain.A coalition of nonprofits and local governments recently&nbsp;<a href="https://democracyforward.org/updates/local-governments-and-nonprofit-groups-challenge-unlawful-new-trump-vance-administration-restrictions-that-threaten-proven-solutions-to-homelessness/?utm_source=Master+Email+List&amp;utm_campaign=12ffa7439b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_09_22_03_36_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bd1968e562-&amp;utm_source=Master+Email+List&amp;utm_campaign=12ffa7439b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_09_22_03_36_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bd1968e562-267376953" target="_blank">sued</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration, arguing it created unreasonable restrictions on state continuums of care across the country. The lawsuit argues that the administration is looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/hud-partners/community-coc" target="_blank">shift funding away</a>&nbsp;from proven solutions that improve homelessness and that it could force up to 170,000 Americans into homelessness.The new rules change what types of projects are eligible for funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the criteria for selecting projects and the conditions grantees have to accept to receive the funding, the lawsuit argues.Ultimately, Joplin Mayor Cortez and other experts said that following up with someone after they receive care or resources is key in reducing homelessness.Cortez is excited about a new development of 16 tiny homes dedicated to providing permanent housing situations for Joplin. But addressing the issue takes everyone coming together, he said.“This is an ongoing thing that everybody in the community is involved in —– the health care community, the religious community,” Cortez said. “We have some passionate champions in our community working to resolve this problem.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/12/12/missouri-homeless-drop-offs-joplin-rides-columbia/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

As homeless population rises in Missouri, cities confront cross-border ‘drop-offs’

A significant cold front is forecast to move through Missouri this weekend, bringing the coldest temperatures experienced so far this season. Residents should prepare for a sharp drop in mercury.

Overnight lows on Saturday are expected to dip into the single digits across much of the state. Coupled with brisk winds, wind chills could fall below zero, creating potentially hazardous conditions.

Northern and northeast Missouri should also anticipate accumulating snow, with up to three total inches possible between Friday and Saturday. Temperatures are expected to begin warming up early next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761773444972.jpg" alt="ice, crystals, frost, window, frosted, icy, winter, snow, glass, cold, snowflake, freezing, frozen, transparent, flake, clear, freeze, water, weather, snowfall, silver, white, blue window, nature, blue glass, blue snow, blue glasses" />
 <figcaption>ice, crystals, frost, window, frosted, icy, winter, snow, glass, cold, snowflake, freezing, frozen, transparent, flake, clear, freeze, water, weather, snowfall, silver, white, blue window, nature, blue glass, blue snow, blue glasses</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHA significant cold front is forecast to move through Missouri this weekend, bringing the coldest temperatures experienced so far this season. Residents should prepare for a sharp drop in mercury.Overnight lows on Saturday are expected to dip into the single digits across much of the state. Coupled with brisk winds, wind chills could fall below zero, creating potentially hazardous conditions.Northern and northeast Missouri should also anticipate accumulating snow, with up to three total inches possible between Friday and Saturday. Temperatures are expected to begin warming up early next week.

Brace for the deep freeze in Northern Missouri

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/juanvassallo/">Juan Vassallo</a>

The nation’s cattle inventory is at its lowest level in decades, the result of a long-term decline that has been pushed even lower in recent years by drought.

Much of the country endured severe dry spells in recent years, most notably in 2022. But the impact has been especially felt in the regions where America’s beef industry is most concentrated.

In November 2022, the U.S reached a drought index of 202 on the Drought Severity and Coverage Index (DSCI), where values range from 0, meaning no dryness, to 500, indicating exceptional drought across an entire area. That month marked the nation’s second-highest drought reading of the century, surpassed only by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094715300360" target="_blank">2012-2013 North American drought</a>.

But for the top 200 cattle-producing counties — together representing roughly a quarter of the national herd — the drought index peaked at 267.5 in the same period, far higher than the national average.

A similar pattern happened in 2024, when national drought conditions intensified in October and November, and again were more severe across the top beef-producing counties. These counties span 21 states. While they are largely clustered across the central U.S. — particularly in the top five beef-producing states of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota — several are outside that core region as well, including in states like Oregon and Florida.

Ranchers in those regions have faced shrinking pastures, dwindling water supplies and the rising cost of feed, conditions that have forced many to thin their herds. And because rebuilding cattle numbers is a slow biological process, there is no quick path to replenishing the nation’s supply.

As beef prices continue to rise, meat has become a political flashpoint.

The Trump administration has ordered a review of consolidation in the meatpacking industry and lifted tariffs on beef imports from Brazil and Argentina in an effort to expand supply, while also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/us/politics/hamburger-beef-prices-trump.html" target="_blank">blaming immigrants and former President Biden</a>&nbsp;for the high cost of beef.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oklahomafarmreport.com/okfr/2025/11/07/dr-darrell-peel-cattle-market-fundamentals-havent-changed-despite-the-noise/" target="_blank">experts say</a>&nbsp;the price surge is mostly driven by drought, which has shown signs of improvement in recent months.

This year, the top 200 beef-producing counties have fared better than the rest of the country.

“Drought conditions have improved to the point where it is not a major limiting factor for potential herd rebuilding,” said Derrell Peel, professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University and one of the country’s leading experts on the cattle industry. “Drought is less of an issue now compared to the last several years.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/12/09/data-harvest-droughts-cattle-production-states/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722448527185.png" alt="&nbsp;Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association)." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/juanvassallo/">Juan Vassallo</a>The nation’s cattle inventory is at its lowest level in decades, the result of a long-term decline that has been pushed even lower in recent years by drought.Much of the country endured severe dry spells in recent years, most notably in 2022. But the impact has been especially felt in the regions where America’s beef industry is most concentrated.In November 2022, the U.S reached a drought index of 202 on the Drought Severity and Coverage Index (DSCI), where values range from 0, meaning no dryness, to 500, indicating exceptional drought across an entire area. That month marked the nation’s second-highest drought reading of the century, surpassed only by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094715300360" target="_blank">2012-2013 North American drought</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765538680857.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>But for the top 200 cattle-producing counties — together representing roughly a quarter of the national herd — the drought index peaked at 267.5 in the same period, far higher than the national average.A similar pattern happened in 2024, when national drought conditions intensified in October and November, and again were more severe across the top beef-producing counties. These counties span 21 states. While they are largely clustered across the central U.S. — particularly in the top five beef-producing states of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota — several are outside that core region as well, including in states like Oregon and Florida.Ranchers in those regions have faced shrinking pastures, dwindling water supplies and the rising cost of feed, conditions that have forced many to thin their herds. And because rebuilding cattle numbers is a slow biological process, there is no quick path to replenishing the nation’s supply.As beef prices continue to rise, meat has become a political flashpoint.The Trump administration has ordered a review of consolidation in the meatpacking industry and lifted tariffs on beef imports from Brazil and Argentina in an effort to expand supply, while also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/us/politics/hamburger-beef-prices-trump.html" target="_blank">blaming immigrants and former President Biden</a>&nbsp;for the high cost of beef.But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oklahomafarmreport.com/okfr/2025/11/07/dr-darrell-peel-cattle-market-fundamentals-havent-changed-despite-the-noise/" target="_blank">experts say</a>&nbsp;the price surge is mostly driven by drought, which has shown signs of improvement in recent months.This year, the top 200 beef-producing counties have fared better than the rest of the country.“Drought conditions have improved to the point where it is not a major limiting factor for potential herd rebuilding,” said Derrell Peel, professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University and one of the country’s leading experts on the cattle industry. “Drought is less of an issue now compared to the last several years.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/12/09/data-harvest-droughts-cattle-production-states/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Recent droughts hit the top cattle counties hardest, including in Missouri

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacobrichey/">Jacob Richey</a>

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved Missouri’s request to restrict the use of food stamps for the purchase of some junk food items, according to a news release from the USDA.

Starting in 2026,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-files-request-to-remove-junk-food-from-snap-approved-foods/article_f81709be-78a8-4671-a459-0a6ececb50d3.html" target="_blank">Missouri is set to stop allowing SNAP benefits to be used</a>&nbsp;to purchase candy, prepared desserts, soda, beverage mixes, juices and punches that are 50% or less natural fruit or vegetable juice, and concentrates intended to be made into drinks that are 50% or less natural fruit or vegetable juice.

The Missouri Department of Social Services filed the waiver request with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service in late September. The USDA administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on the federal level.

According to&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-snap-waiver-request" target="_blank">the waiver request</a>,&nbsp;the state anticipates implementing the change on Oct. 1, 2026.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the approval of Missouri’s waiver on Wednesday.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe asked the state Department of Social Services to file the request.

“We are incredibly thankful for Secretary Rollins’ approval of our waiver,” Kehoe said in a news release from the USDA. “Missouri is proud to partner with the Trump administration on the Make America Healthy Again movement as we refocus SNAP to maximize nutritional health for families while also supporting the abundant agricultural output of our state.”

The USDA also approved waiver requests for Hawaii, North Dakota, South Carolina,&nbsp;Tennessee and Virginia. The waiver requests, including Missouri’s, change the statutory definition of “food for purchase” under SNAP.

This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-set-to-block-junk-food-from-snap-purchases-after-usda-approval/article_9b5ee7c1-213c-4f4c-9619-c2020fd91684.html" target="_blank">KOMU</a>&nbsp;via Missouri Independent

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765503998882.png" alt=" Sodas and chips are displayed at a convenience store in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York. As of this month, 12 states, mostly Republican and in the South, have opted to limit SNAP recipients from purchasing foods such as soda and candy (Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline)." />
 <figcaption> Sodas and chips are displayed at a convenience store in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York. As of this month, 12 states, mostly Republican and in the South, have opted to limit SNAP recipients from purchasing foods such as soda and candy (Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacobrichey/">Jacob Richey</a>The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved Missouri’s request to restrict the use of food stamps for the purchase of some junk food items, according to a news release from the USDA.Starting in 2026,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-files-request-to-remove-junk-food-from-snap-approved-foods/article_f81709be-78a8-4671-a459-0a6ececb50d3.html" target="_blank">Missouri is set to stop allowing SNAP benefits to be used</a>&nbsp;to purchase candy, prepared desserts, soda, beverage mixes, juices and punches that are 50% or less natural fruit or vegetable juice, and concentrates intended to be made into drinks that are 50% or less natural fruit or vegetable juice.The Missouri Department of Social Services filed the waiver request with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service in late September. The USDA administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on the federal level.According to&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-snap-waiver-request" target="_blank">the waiver request</a>,&nbsp;the state anticipates implementing the change on Oct. 1, 2026.U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the approval of Missouri’s waiver on Wednesday.Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe asked the state Department of Social Services to file the request.“We are incredibly thankful for Secretary Rollins’ approval of our waiver,” Kehoe said in a news release from the USDA. “Missouri is proud to partner with the Trump administration on the Make America Healthy Again movement as we refocus SNAP to maximize nutritional health for families while also supporting the abundant agricultural output of our state.”The USDA also approved waiver requests for Hawaii, North Dakota, South Carolina,&nbsp;Tennessee and Virginia. The waiver requests, including Missouri’s, change the statutory definition of “food for purchase” under SNAP.This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-set-to-block-junk-food-from-snap-purchases-after-usda-approval/article_9b5ee7c1-213c-4f4c-9619-c2020fd91684.html" target="_blank">KOMU</a>&nbsp;via Missouri Independent

Missouri set to block junk food from SNAP purchases after USDA approval

With temperatures dipping and the wind picking up, pet owners are reminded to take care proper care of their four-legged family members during the colder months.

Senior Animal Care Specialist at the St. Joseph Animal Shelter, Aubrey Silvey, says one of the main things to remember is, "if it's too cold for you, its probably too chilly for your pet too."

She says to keep in mind that all pets are different and may require different care in the winter, depending on age, breed and overall health. "The best thing you can do is consult your veterinarian  if you aren't sure how long your pet should be outside when it's cold."

According to Silvey, most dogs generally are comfortable if the temperature is 45 degrees or over but she adds, "anything under that and they're going to start feeling a little more uncomfortable, so that's something to keep in mind."

The type of breed is a factor in the overall winter health of dogs especially. Silvery says, "Thick-coated dogs and double-coated dogs are more apt to be in that type of weather. They are kind of designed for that."

Silvey stresses that small dogs, puppies, and older dogs are more susceptible to colder temperatures. "You really need to be aware of the type of pet you have."

She says cats are more resourcfeul, though. "If cats have a good shelter for the winter they do pretty well." But still, kittens, older cats, and felines with any type of illness may not tolerate the cold as well.

Silvey emphasizes that if you have a dog that needs to be kept outside, to provide adequate shelter and dry bedding. "If it's going to be under 32 degrees outside, and if at all possible, you need to bring them and know the signs of hypothermia."

Some of the signs of hypothermia are shivering, lethargy, weakness, stiffness, and pale gums.

"Sometimes if an animal has hypothermia they can appear confused or clumsy and have increased urination. Those are early signs of hypothermia," Silvey says.

She adds that if your pet has been outside in the cold for fifteen minutes or longer, you need to take the appropriate steps to warm them up, and if in doubt, contact a veterinarian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755793251450.jpg" alt="dog, pet, cat, pets, mammals, animals, nature, friends, animal, friendship, brown dog, black cat, domestic, domestic animals, portrait, friendship day" />
 <figcaption>dog, pet, cat, pets, mammals, animals, nature, friends, animal, friendship, brown dog, black cat, domestic, domestic animals, portrait, friendship day</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHWith temperatures dipping and the wind picking up, pet owners are reminded to take care proper care of their four-legged family members during the colder months.Senior Animal Care Specialist at the St. Joseph Animal Shelter, Aubrey Silvey, says one of the main things to remember is, "if it's too cold for you, its probably too chilly for your pet too."She says to keep in mind that all pets are different and may require different care in the winter, depending on age, breed and overall health. "The best thing you can do is consult your veterinarian if you aren't sure how long your pet should be outside when it's cold."According to Silvey, most dogs generally are comfortable if the temperature is 45 degrees or over but she adds, "anything under that and they're going to start feeling a little more uncomfortable, so that's something to keep in mind."The type of breed is a factor in the overall winter health of dogs especially. Silvery says, "Thick-coated dogs and double-coated dogs are more apt to be in that type of weather. They are kind of designed for that."Silvey stresses that small dogs, puppies, and older dogs are more susceptible to colder temperatures. "You really need to be aware of the type of pet you have."She says cats are more resourcfeul, though. "If cats have a good shelter for the winter they do pretty well." But still, kittens, older cats, and felines with any type of illness may not tolerate the cold as well.Silvey emphasizes that if you have a dog that needs to be kept outside, to provide adequate shelter and dry bedding. "If it's going to be under 32 degrees outside, and if at all possible, you need to bring them and know the signs of hypothermia."Some of the signs of hypothermia are shivering, lethargy, weakness, stiffness, and pale gums."Sometimes if an animal has hypothermia they can appear confused or clumsy and have increased urination. Those are early signs of hypothermia," Silvey says.She adds that if your pet has been outside in the cold for fifteen minutes or longer, you need to take the appropriate steps to warm them up, and if in doubt, contact a veterinarian.

Winter weather requires extra care for furry friends

A single-vehicle crash early Thursday morning in southwest Iowa claimed the life of a Shenandoah man.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, 37-year-old Michael Dean Wilson died after the pickup truck he was driving rolled over on 235th Street at approximately 12:15 a.m.

The incident occurred when the westbound vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, failed to negotiate a curve. The State Patrol indicated that Wilson was reportedly traveling above the posted speed limit at the time. The pickup left the roadway, entered a ditch, and rolled multiple times.

Wilson, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was transported to CHI Health Mercy Corning where he was pronounced deceased.

By RYAN SKAITHA single-vehicle crash early Thursday morning in southwest Iowa claimed the life of a Shenandoah man.According to the Iowa State Patrol, 37-year-old Michael Dean Wilson died after the pickup truck he was driving rolled over on 235th Street at approximately 12:15 a.m.The incident occurred when the westbound vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, failed to negotiate a curve. The State Patrol indicated that Wilson was reportedly traveling above the posted speed limit at the time. The pickup left the roadway, entered a ditch, and rolled multiple times.Wilson, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was transported to CHI Health Mercy Corning where he was pronounced deceased.

Shenandoah man killed in early morning single-vehicle crash in Southwest Iowa

A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa suggests that the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) is increasing across the state.

Rita Bettis Austen, legal director for the ACLU of Iowa, stated that Iowa taxpayers have been spending substantial collective amounts in recent years to acquire these high-tech surveillance systems.

The report is based on findings from a team of student researchers, led by University of Iowa Law professor Megan Graham, who filed open records requests with 48 Iowa law enforcement agencies regarding ALPRs.

&nbsp; The research revealed specific examples of this expansion, noting that Cedar Rapids, for instance, has secured a two-year, half-million-dollar contract with Flock Safety for the installation of 76 cameras. Furthermore, Professor Graham highlighted a significant finding from the reviewed records: law enforcement agencies currently exhibit a wide variation in policies governing the use of the license plate reader images, which inherently capture sensitive data such as location and time stamps.&nbsp;

A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa suggests that the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) is increasing across the state.Rita Bettis Austen, legal director for the ACLU of Iowa, stated that Iowa taxpayers have been spending substantial collective amounts in recent years to acquire these high-tech surveillance systems.The report is based on findings from a team of student researchers, led by University of Iowa Law professor Megan Graham, who filed open records requests with 48 Iowa law enforcement agencies regarding ALPRs.&nbsp; The research revealed specific examples of this expansion, noting that Cedar Rapids, for instance, has secured a two-year, half-million-dollar contract with Flock Safety for the installation of 76 cameras. Furthermore, Professor Graham highlighted a significant finding from the reviewed records: law enforcement agencies currently exhibit a wide variation in policies governing the use of the license plate reader images, which inherently capture sensitive data such as location and time stamps.&nbsp;

ACLU Report Highlights Expanding Use of License Plate Readers in Iowa

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>

WASHINGTON — Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is ratcheting up pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to finish a study into medication abortion and to change its prescribing guidelines, sending a letter to Commissioner Marty Makary on Wednesday that the pace of the review is “totally unacceptable.”

The letter came just one day after leading anti-abortion groups called on President Donald Trump to fire Makary, following a report from Bloomberg Law that he planned to delay the agency’s review into mifepristone until past the November midterm elections.&nbsp;

Hawley wrote in the two-page letter he&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1998806068974240199/photo/2" target="_blank">posted to social media</a>&nbsp;that it was “unclear” whether the FDA was actually conducting a review of the current prescribing guidelines and the safety of medication abortion.&nbsp;

“There are more abortions in America now than when Roe was still law,” Hawley wrote, referring to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling from the Supreme Court, which established the constitutional right to an abortion. “And this is largely because of the chemical abortion drug and its generics, like the one you approved.”

Hawley asked Makary to reply to three questions before Dec. 15, including whether the FDA is “conducting a comprehensive safety review of mifepristone separate from the (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies) process,” if Makary delayed any safety reviews of mifepristone and if the FDA has plans to revert prescribing guidelines to require in-person dispensing.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump, asked about the timeline during a roundtable at the White House, said he would find out whether the FDA was stalling.&nbsp;

“I’ll find out. I’ll ask them,” Trump said. “I don’t think they’re slow walking anything, but I’ll find out.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the FDA, said that “FDA’s comprehensive scientific reviews take the time necessary to get the science right, and that is what Dr. Makary is ensuring as part of the Department’s commitment to gold-standard science and evidence-based reviews.”

Hawley’s letter continued the public pressure campaign from anti-abortion organizations and lawmakers that began Tuesday when leaders at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Live Action&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/leaders-2-major-anti-abortion-groups-call-trumps-fda-chief-be-fired" target="_blank">called for Makary to be fired</a>&nbsp;over the Bloomberg Law&nbsp;<a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/fda-slow-walking-a-long-awaited-abortion-pill-safety-study" target="_blank">news story</a>&nbsp;reporting he had delayed the review of mifepristone over political considerations related to the midterm elections.

Americans United for Life CEO John Mize released a statement after meeting with Makary, saying it “is glaringly obvious that flawed political calculations” have stalled the FDA’s review of mifepristone, but not calling for him to lose his job over it.&nbsp;

Mifepristone is one of two pharmaceuticals used in medication abortion. It is approved for up to 10 weeks gestation and can be prescribed via telehealth and shipped to patients.&nbsp;

Reducing or eliminating access to mifepristone has become a linchpin of the anti-abortion movement since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion in 2022.&nbsp;

Anti-abortion medical organizations, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Erin Morrow Hawley,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-limit-access-abortion-pill-6" target="_blank">tried unsuccessfully</a>&nbsp;to have the Supreme Court revert the prescribing guidelines for mifepristone in 2024.&nbsp;

Josh Hawley and Erin Morrow Hawley are married.&nbsp;

Numerous medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dozens-friend-court-briefs-backing-abortion-pill-access-arrive-supreme-court" target="_blank">filed briefs</a>&nbsp;to the justices in that case attesting to the safety and efficacy of medication abortion.&nbsp;

“The scientific evidence is overwhelming: major adverse events occur in less than 0.32% of patients,” the groups wrote. “The risk of death is almost non-existent.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765452252565.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on June 28 (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on June 28 (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>WASHINGTON — Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is ratcheting up pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to finish a study into medication abortion and to change its prescribing guidelines, sending a letter to Commissioner Marty Makary on Wednesday that the pace of the review is “totally unacceptable.”The letter came just one day after leading anti-abortion groups called on President Donald Trump to fire Makary, following a report from Bloomberg Law that he planned to delay the agency’s review into mifepristone until past the November midterm elections.&nbsp;Hawley wrote in the two-page letter he&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1998806068974240199/photo/2" target="_blank">posted to social media</a>&nbsp;that it was “unclear” whether the FDA was actually conducting a review of the current prescribing guidelines and the safety of medication abortion.&nbsp;“There are more abortions in America now than when Roe was still law,” Hawley wrote, referring to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling from the Supreme Court, which established the constitutional right to an abortion. “And this is largely because of the chemical abortion drug and its generics, like the one you approved.”Hawley asked Makary to reply to three questions before Dec. 15, including whether the FDA is “conducting a comprehensive safety review of mifepristone separate from the (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies) process,” if Makary delayed any safety reviews of mifepristone and if the FDA has plans to revert prescribing guidelines to require in-person dispensing.&nbsp;President Donald Trump, asked about the timeline during a roundtable at the White House, said he would find out whether the FDA was stalling.&nbsp;“I’ll find out. I’ll ask them,” Trump said. “I don’t think they’re slow walking anything, but I’ll find out.”A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the FDA, said that “FDA’s comprehensive scientific reviews take the time necessary to get the science right, and that is what Dr. Makary is ensuring as part of the Department’s commitment to gold-standard science and evidence-based reviews.”<h2>Second day of pressure on Makary</h2>Hawley’s letter continued the public pressure campaign from anti-abortion organizations and lawmakers that began Tuesday when leaders at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Live Action&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/leaders-2-major-anti-abortion-groups-call-trumps-fda-chief-be-fired" target="_blank">called for Makary to be fired</a>&nbsp;over the Bloomberg Law&nbsp;<a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/fda-slow-walking-a-long-awaited-abortion-pill-safety-study" target="_blank">news story</a>&nbsp;reporting he had delayed the review of mifepristone over political considerations related to the midterm elections.Americans United for Life CEO John Mize released a statement after meeting with Makary, saying it “is glaringly obvious that flawed political calculations” have stalled the FDA’s review of mifepristone, but not calling for him to lose his job over it.&nbsp;<h2>Access to mifepristone</h2>Mifepristone is one of two pharmaceuticals used in medication abortion. It is approved for up to 10 weeks gestation and can be prescribed via telehealth and shipped to patients.&nbsp;Reducing or eliminating access to mifepristone has become a linchpin of the anti-abortion movement since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion in 2022.&nbsp;Anti-abortion medical organizations, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Erin Morrow Hawley,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-limit-access-abortion-pill-6" target="_blank">tried unsuccessfully</a>&nbsp;to have the Supreme Court revert the prescribing guidelines for mifepristone in 2024.&nbsp;Josh Hawley and Erin Morrow Hawley are married.&nbsp;Numerous medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dozens-friend-court-briefs-backing-abortion-pill-access-arrive-supreme-court" target="_blank">filed briefs</a>&nbsp;to the justices in that case attesting to the safety and efficacy of medication abortion.&nbsp;“The scientific evidence is overwhelming: major adverse events occur in less than 0.32% of patients,” the groups wrote. “The risk of death is almost non-existent.”

Senator Hawley amps up pressure campaign on FDA chief to limit medication abortion

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday&nbsp;an officer on patrol observed a vehicle stopped in the southbound driving lane in the 400 block River Road in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 Stephen Oswalt, 62, was in the driver’s seat and appeared to be sleeping or passed out. During the investigation at the scene he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the County Jail and is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765378514283.png" alt="Oswalt photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Oswalt photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday&nbsp;an officer on patrol observed a vehicle stopped in the southbound driving lane in the 400 block River Road in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. Stephen Oswalt, 62, was in the driver’s seat and appeared to be sleeping or passed out. During the investigation at the scene he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the County Jail and is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Suspect was passed out in vehicle in driving lane of Kan. highway

(Radio Iowa) - USDA Rural Development has awarded a total of four-point-seven million dollars to support projects at two hospitals and for three municipal water systems. 

The Wayne County Hospital in Corydon is planning to build an addition for a more modern dialysis unit and is getting a two million dollar USDA grant. Palmer Lutheran Health Center in West Union is getting a one-point-one million dollar grant to support renovations of facilities for delivering babies and providing postpartum care. 

The USDA says Denison Municipal Utilities will use its million dollar grant to build a dam on the East Boyer River that will help recharge the area around a drinking water well. Macedonia, a town in Pottawattamie County, is getting 580-thousand dollars from the USDA to built a new well. And a 29-thousand dollar USDA grant to the town of Clearfield, in southwest Iowa, will be used on a study to evaluate the town's wastewater system and design improvements.

(Radio Iowa) - USDA Rural Development has awarded a total of four-point-seven million dollars to support projects at two hospitals and for three municipal water systems. The Wayne County Hospital in Corydon is planning to build an addition for a more modern dialysis unit and is getting a two million dollar USDA grant. Palmer Lutheran Health Center in West Union is getting a one-point-one million dollar grant to support renovations of facilities for delivering babies and providing postpartum care. The USDA says Denison Municipal Utilities will use its million dollar grant to build a dam on the East Boyer River that will help recharge the area around a drinking water well. Macedonia, a town in Pottawattamie County, is getting 580-thousand dollars from the USDA to built a new well. And a 29-thousand dollar USDA grant to the town of Clearfield, in southwest Iowa, will be used on a study to evaluate the town's wastewater system and design improvements.

$4.7 million in USDA grants for five Iowa projects

Building on her near-miss in last year's primary, Republican Wendy Larson of Odebolt decisively won the special election for the Iowa House seat formerly held by Mike Sexton. 

Unofficial tallies show Larson beating Democrat Rachel Burns by 40 points in the district encompassing Sac, Calhoun, Pocahontas, and a portion of Webster County.

Larson's campaign focused on the hot-button local issue of protecting landowner rights, particularly relevant to property owners opposing the Summit Carbon Solutions Pipeline. Her victory ensures the Republican Party's 67-seat supermajority is unchanged. 

The vacancy opened when President Trump appointed the previous representative, Mike Sexton, as state director for USDA Rural Development.

Building on her near-miss in last year's primary, Republican Wendy Larson of Odebolt decisively won the special election for the Iowa House seat formerly held by Mike Sexton. Unofficial tallies show Larson beating Democrat Rachel Burns by 40 points in the district encompassing Sac, Calhoun, Pocahontas, and a portion of Webster County.Larson's campaign focused on the hot-button local issue of protecting landowner rights, particularly relevant to property owners opposing the Summit Carbon Solutions Pipeline. Her victory ensures the Republican Party's 67-seat supermajority is unchanged. The vacancy opened when President Trump appointed the previous representative, Mike Sexton, as state director for USDA Rural Development.

Larson Triumphs in Special Election on Landowner Rights Platform

The students of Alpha Psi Omega (APO), Northwest Missouri State University’s theatre honor society, are preparing for their winter tour to perform “The Day the Crayons Quit: An Unofficial Adaptation” at area elementary schools. 

The play, which is based on the book by Drew Daywalt and adapted by Patt Collings, is about a girl who discovers her beloved crayons have gone on strike, airing their grievances through colorful letters.

The core message of the performance is about communication and empathy. Mara Mondt, a sophomore speech and theatre education major and the play’s lead actress, explained the theme: “The show is about listening to and compromising with the people you love. Duncan loves all of her crayons, but the way she shows her love isn’t really working for the crayons. She listens to them and their complaints and finds a way to compromise that works for everyone.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760456105736.jpg" alt="stage, curtain, theatre, red, stage, stage, stage, stage, stage, curtain, curtain, theatre" />
 <figcaption>stage, curtain, theatre, red, stage, stage, stage, stage, stage, curtain, curtain, theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHThe students of Alpha Psi Omega (APO), Northwest Missouri State University’s theatre honor society, are preparing for their winter tour to perform “The Day the Crayons Quit: An Unofficial Adaptation” at area elementary schools. The play, which is based on the book by Drew Daywalt and adapted by Patt Collings, is about a girl who discovers her beloved crayons have gone on strike, airing their grievances through colorful letters.The core message of the performance is about communication and empathy. Mara Mondt, a sophomore speech and theatre education major and the play’s lead actress, explained the theme: “The show is about listening to and compromising with the people you love. Duncan loves all of her crayons, but the way she shows her love isn’t really working for the crayons. She listens to them and their complaints and finds a way to compromise that works for everyone.”The APO cast will first perform the play for the public at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 14th, in the Studio Theater at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is free. As a charitable effort, APO will be accepting donations of canned food from the audience to give to local food pantries.Following the public show, the cast will take the production on the road from December 14th through the 19th. Their tour includes performances for elementary schools in Maryville and St. Joseph in Missouri, as well as Council Bluffs, Iowa. Director Madi Richter, a junior speech and theatre education major, highly encourages the community to attend the public showing: “Not only do you help support our actors in a completely different and unique role, but you also provide to the community. We encourage people to bring canned goods, so we can donate them to local shelters.”T he APO tour schedule includes performances on several days between December 15th and 19th. On Monday, December 15th, the cast will have two performances: one at 10 a.m. at Hopewell Elementary and a second at 3 p.m. at Hawthorn Elementary, both located in Kansas City within the Park Hill School District. The tour continues on Wednesday, December 17th, with a 9 a.m. performance at Northeast Nodaway in Ravenwood, which is part of the Northeast Nodaway R-V School District. On Thursday, December 18th, the group will perform at 9:30 a.m. at Pershing Elementary in the St. Joseph School District. The tour concludes on Friday, December 19th, with an 8 a.m. performance at Helena Elementary in the Savannah R-III School District.