The need for upgraded C-130 planes for the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Memorial Airport continues to be a hot topic.  

St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce President Natalie Hawn spent her time at the Missouri State Fair during the Governors Ham Breakfast advocating for the 139th with state officials. 

Hawn says she got the opportunity to speak with Missouri Adjutant General, Charles Hausman, as well as both Congressman Mark Alford and Senator Eric Schmitt. 

"To remind them of our need to get the J model, so we need upgraded C-130's,” Hawn says on the KFEQmunnity program.  “And so it was a great time to get in front of them as a nice reminder since we do our fly in, we do some of the things in DC, but it’s nice to catch them in a casual setting where you can remind them of the needs that your community has in the state.” 

Hawn says the reserve base at Rosecrans is often overlooked because of funding to the Air Force, which is understandable, but says the guard base that is a reserve base should also be a top priority 

"And a lot of times we’re looked on equipment, though we will be the ones that will be serving with national security at home,” Hawn explains.  “So, if the New Madrid fault for example would happen to go off in Missouri, we’re the ones that get deployed to help with those services, and if we don’t have adequate equipment to be able to serve our state, and our community, and the whole US appropriately, it does affect the residents of Missouri.” 

Hawn says another reason they are fighting so hard for the "J" Model is the Air Tactics Training Center, where pilots come from around the world to train and need to learn how to fly those J model planes. 

Hawn says it's important to keep the 139th in St. Joseph, because obviously St. Joseph benefits from having them here at Rosecrans 

"Because that means we have a reason that we’re getting a brand-new runway and a brand-new tower, that wouldn’t be happening without being the home of the 139th,” Hawn says.  “So, the folks that use the airport on maybe the civilian or the business side they get the benefit of that as well, so we have to make sure that we continue to fight for the 139th, so they can continue to call St. Joseph home for many years.” 

Hawn says anytime you're not getting those upgraded planes she likes to say you're one administration away from potentially losing your flying mission, so advocation for the 139th needs to continue to be a priority. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Fight continues to get 139th Airlift Wing new upgraded planes

ATCHISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Wednesday in Atchison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chrysler Town &amp; Country driven by a 57-year-old Maryville woman was eastbound on MO 46 at Route EE nine miles east of Fairfax. The driver swerved to avoid a deer. The van traveled off the road and the front bumper struck an embankment.

Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the driver to Fairfax community hospital. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri woman injured after van strikes embankment

DeKalb County has
joined four other counties to sue the Missouri Tax Commission.

The counties claim
in a lawsuit that demands by the commission to increase local property
assessments and unfair and exceed the commission’s authority. DeKalb is joined
by Polk, Audrain, Pike, and Reynolds Counties in the lawsuit which has been
filed in Polk County.

The Missouri Tax Commission
recently ordered counties to bring property values in line with market rates,
which could raise some assessment as high as 90 to 110%. Many local county
assessors argue the increases do not reflect local conditions and could lead to
steep tax hikes. The commission has threatened to withhold state reimbursement
funds if the counties do not comply.

“County officials are sworn to
protect the interests of their residents,” DeKalb County Presiding
Commissioner, Kyle Carroll, said in a written statement released by the county.
“The State Tax Commission’s directive would force small business owners to
shoulder steep tax increases without due consideration of the economic
realities in our communities.”

Carroll also raised concerns about
the timing of the Tax Commission order.

“Some of the counties involved
have already established their tax levy,” Carroll said in the written statement.
“By issuing this mandate so late in the levy-setting process, the State Tax
Commission has created unnecessary confusion. In fact, counties may not be able
to comply at all, because other deadlines under state law are August 31st.
This puts our County and entities in an impossible position.”

Melissa Meek, DeKalb County Clerk,
agreed.

“The timing of this order could
not be worse,” Meek said in a written statement “Local taxing entities would
either end up collecting far too much or not nearly enough to meet their
budgets. On top of that, taxpayers would not see the impact of these increases
until they receive their bills in November, giving businesses no time to plan
financially. It is both unfair and irresponsible to spring such a burden on our
local businesses at the last minute.”

The lawsuit challenges the State
Tax Commission’s authority to impose its mandate. It alleges the directive
undermines the rights of taxpayers and local control. The counties argue that
property assessments should reflect fair market value and be determined by
local officials.

The suit also requests that the state
be barred from withholding reimbursement funds as a punitive measure against
counties that resist the directive.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

DeKalb County joins 4 others suing Missouri Tax Commission

A state grant will
help modernize the St. Joseph Communication Center which serves St. Joseph and
Buchanan County law enforcement and emergency responders.

St. Joseph Deputy
Police Chief, Jason Strong, says the nearly $1 million grant from the Missouri
9-1-1 Service Board will be used to purchase new equipment from the Comm Center.

“It gets us off of
the copper 9-1-1 lines and moves us to VOIP, which is the future of police communication
centers.” Strong says. “It gives you redundancy, because it allows us to bring
in cable, fiber, and first net so that the Comm Center can continue to take
9-1-1 calls in the event that one of those providers goes down.” 

The transition to
VOIP – Voice Over Internet Protocol – is already underway.

Strong says the
money will be used to move the current Comm Center off of outdated
communication equipment into the latest version.

“The way that calls
are routed right now is the way it’s been for a long time, analog off of copper
lines,” according to Strong who adds that infrastructure is very limited. “And
so, it’s becoming very cost prohibitive to stay on copper lines, because they
don’t have, like I said, the infrastructure and the equipment to replace it.”

Strong points out
the Comm Center serves more than just the St. Joseph Police Department.

“It serves the sheriff’s
office. It serves the fire department, rural county. We take medical calls and
transfer them to Buchanan County EMS. We serve a lot of different entities,”
Strong says. “It takes a lot of coordination. It takes a lot of equipment. I’ve
been there. I’ve been in that assignment so I have a tremendous respect for everybody
that does that job.”

Work on the
project began this month. It is expected to be completed by early next year.

Modernization underway at St. Joseph Communication Center

A community needs a vaccination rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected from measles outbreaks. In Missouri, the rate of vaccinated kindergarteners stands at 90%

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

The percentage of kindergarten students in Missouri vaccinated against diseases like measles and whooping cough is dropping each year as more parents turn in non-medical exemptions prior to their child’s first day of school.

Only 90%&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">of Missouri kindergarten students</a>&nbsp;were immunized against measles, mumps and rubella last year, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services</a>. That’s down from 94.6% five years prior. Some counties&nbsp;have rates nearing 75%.

According to the CDC and World Health Organization, a community needs a vaccination rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected from measles outbreaks.

“We are sweating,” Dr. Laura Morris, a University of Missouri Health Care family medicine physician and liaison to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, told The Independent. “There are a couple of diseases that are very infectious that require really high rates of vaccination to provide herd immunity.”

Missouri exceeds the national average of non-medical exemptions. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5% of Missouri kindergarteners had non-medical exemptions on file last school year, compared to a nationwide rate of 3.4%.

This percentage, which has been on a steady incline since the 2020-21 school year, is troubling public health experts who say vaccination rates are dipping below safe levels.

“The number of children in a particular school that might be vulnerable or unvaccinated, it’s going to vary by community,” Morris said. “There are definitely some places and communities where there are a lot more unvaccinated kiddos, and then there are some communities where the rate might be 97% or even higher.”

Morris added: “It is going to be a bit of a firestorm if those infections get into some of those places.”&nbsp;

As vaccination rates drop, measles is popping up&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/measles-reaches-highest-level-in-33-years-now-in-39-states/">at levels not seen since 1992</a>. Seven cases of the disease have been confirmed in Missouri this year — five of which occurred in Cedar County, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state with&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/schoolhealth/dashboard.php" target="_blank">74.4% of kindergarteners vaccinated against measles</a>.

It is not just the MMR vaccine worrying health providers. The percentage of kindergarten-aged children with updated DTP vaccines (which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) has declined over the past 10 years from 96% to 90% in Missouri.

This is much steeper than the national drop, which went from 94.3% in the 2014-15 school year to 92.1% last year.

Rachel Hassani, director of education and engagement for the Missouri Rural Health Association, told The Independent that family hesitancy as well as access issues are contributing to the declining vaccination rates.

“Across the board, access to care is more limited in rural Missouri. Access to specialists, pediatricians, things like that is far more challenging,” she said. “And these workforce issues are really growing.”

Marvia Jones, director of the Kansas City Health Department, told The Independent that the city has been working to make vaccines more easily available. The health department has extended office hours to be convenient for working parents and scheduled more informational events in the community.

The result is a strong level of vaccination in the majority of the city, but Jones is noticing lower rates in suburban areas like the Northland.

“It is more of a hesitance issue,” she said. “A lot of misinformation and some of the political issues have been added to the discussions around public health vaccination in the past three to five years.”

The trend of lower vaccination rates and more religious exemptions in Missouri begins around the 2020-21 school year, which is when the COVID-19 vaccine was released. That year, only 2.4% of Missouri kindergarteners had a religious exemption from vaccination — less than half the rate of the 2024-25 school year.

“It has been just a big backslide in terms of the misinformation and inaccurate information,” Morris said. “It has become so prevalent to see so many things that are completely inaccurate.”

She has seen misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines spill into patient concerns about regularly scheduled vaccinations.

Health officials hope ease of access and proper education will help reverse the trend. But Missouri and the United States as a whole is also facing newfound systemic issues.

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/27/repub/u-s-department-of-health-and-human-services-to-slash-10000-jobs-close-5-regional-offices/">Cuts in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>&nbsp;has trickled down to Missouri programs. This spring, the Missouri Immunization Coalition shuttered after losing federal funding, and the Missouri Rural Health Association lost a $1 million grant intended to study immunizations in rural health clinics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/health-science-environment/2025-04-16/federal-government-cuts-missouri-vaccine-funds-as-immunizations-dip" target="_blank">as reported by St. Louis Public Radio</a>.

And in June, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9" target="_blank">replaced all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices</a>, a group that guides the CDC on vaccine policy.&nbsp;

Morris, a non-voting liaison to the committee, is still serving in an advisory role.

“The process of where those (vaccine) recommendations come from has been subverted over the last couple of months, and that (group) is no longer a source that has the same merit and the same kind of evidence-based background that it previously did,” she said.

Kansas City&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2417/1746" target="_blank">joined a lawsuit challenging the federal cuts</a>&nbsp;to public health programs. The state has taken no such action.

Since 2021, Missouri lawmakers have&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/09/15/missouri-lawmakers-look-to-undermine-biden-covid-vaccine-mandate/">spoken against COVID-19 vaccine mandates</a>, filing bills annually that seek to make such mandates illegal.

“It’s hard to know which direction things go. Does our state have less of an appreciation and trust of public health, so it funds it at lower levels? Or because of the low levels of funding, do people see us and respect us as an authority on these matters less?” Jones said. “It is an interesting kind of conundrum.”

Missouri ranks last in per-capita funding of public health, at $7 per person,&nbsp;<a href="https://statehealthcompare.shadac.org/rank/117/per-person-state-public-health-funding#2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52/a/76/154/false/lowest" target="_blank">according to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center</a>.

“We need lawmakers and certainly our medical community to be evidence-driven,” Jones said. “And to not stray away from tried and true public health interventions due to any political leanings.”

‘We are sweating’: Missouri kindergarten vaccination rates fall below immunity threshold

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the theft of an expensive bicycle have made an arrest.

On August 8,&nbsp; a 76 year old man from Williamsburg, Virginia stopped in Atchison, Kansas, as h traveled across America on his&nbsp;Surly Disc Trucker bicycle on his way to Oregon, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The bicycle was stolen at 11:00AM in the 700 block Commercial as the victim was in a local laundromat. Police recovered the bicycle a short time later just across the bridge in Missouri. 

Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police arrested 50-year-old Jody B. Erickson of Atchison in the 700 block M Street on a District Court warrant charging him with felony theft. Erickson was taken to the County Jail and is being held on a $10,000 bond.

Kan. man accused of bicycle theft from man riding cross-country

The St. Joseph Fire Department has applied for and been awarded grant money to help in training its firefighters better to protect the city of St. Joseph.  

A $130,000 grant will allow St. Joseph firefighters to train with the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Memorial Airport to gain better knowledge and training.  

City Manager Mike Schumacher says it's critical that St. Joseph's fire fighters are well trained 

"And that’s why Ivan the Fire Chief has been so focused on it, that we want our folks safe and if they’re not training and they’re not keeping certain certifications up, then you’ve got to worry we’re sending them out into harm's way without being really equipped with knowledge and training,” Schumacher says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “And the 139th feels the same way, and that’s what makes that collaboration so fantastic.” 

Schumacher says the 139th helps supply abilities in firefighting that will be helpful to St. Joseph firefighters 

"They are very important to this community, but perhaps on an even more important note they’re in partnership with this community, so they’re not out there on an island so to speak,” Schumacher explains.  “They’re very much plugged into this community as a whole and really just a great partner and partnership, that’s one of the really fantastic things about St. Joseph, is the collaboration between all these different organizations.” 

Schumacher says the city plans on applying two additional years to the grant to help make sure St. Joseph's firefighters are current on their certifications and well trained. 

Schumacher also points out collaborations between the city and entities like the 139th is important to continue helping the city become a better place to live.    

Grant will help provide high quality training to St. Joseph firefighters 

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

The judge also denied a motion to dismiss the case, meaning Missouri tax dollars will continue to fund the voucher program as the lawsuit progresses

The Missouri State Treasurer’s Office can continue to subsidize private-school scholarships from a $51 million allotment of state revenue while a lawsuit challenging the fund’s constitutionality makes its way through the system, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Brian Stumpe ruled Monday morning.

Stumpe rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/01/missouri-educators-sue-state-over-51-million-appropriation-to-private-school-vouchers/">arguments by the Missouri branch of the National Education Association</a>&nbsp;that the flow of funds should be stopped in order to prevent unauthorized spending of state funds that can’t be “clawed back.”

But he didn’t outright deny the teachers union’s case, also turning down the state’s motion to dismiss Monday.

Still, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who is in his final days in office before stepping into a federal position as co-deputy director of the FBI, labeled the ruling a “victory.”

“Parents, not unions, not bureaucrats, know what’s best for their kids,” he said in a press release. “This case is about freedom and opportunity, and today’s ruling is a huge step toward securing both.”

At the center of the case is the MOScholars program, which until the infusion of general revenue landed last month funded private-school scholarships through a tax credit program.

The lawsuit challenges the shift from a program dependent on donations&nbsp; — which taxpayers are able to receive back as a tax credit equal to 100% of their contribution — to a state-sponsored voucher program.

Both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/21/missouri-teachers-union-asks-judge-to-freeze-private-school-voucher-payments/">met in circuit court last Thursday</a>&nbsp;for the first in-person hearing of what will likely be a months-long legal battle. MNEA’s attorney Loretta Haggard argued that the appropriation lacks authority from state statute.

“You can’t just turn on a hose of $51 million in general revenue and force it through the tax credit framework,” she said. “There are gaps in that framework.”

But the attorney general’s office and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/04/parents-intervene-in-missouri-voucher-lawsuit-with-help-from-herzog-foundation-leader/">intervenors from Indiana-based advocacy group EdChoice</a>&nbsp;argued the legislature’s authority in the budget process was sufficient.

“Just because (the budget bill) funds a program set up by other statutes does not make a new appropriation unlawful—new funding is a common, necessary, and entirely unsurprising

feature of general-revenue bills,” Bailey’s office wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/SIS%20Defendants%20Motion%20to%20Dismiss,%20SIO%20Plaintiffs%20Motion%20for%20TRO.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3645329" target="_blank">in a filing submitted Aug. 15</a>.

The digital case record does not include Stumpe’s reasoning for the two denials Monday.

MNEA President Rebeka McIntosh shared her concerns about the unhampered flow of tax dollars to private schools in a statement.

“Politicians think they’ve won, but Missouri NEA’s 45,000 educators know better. We’ll prove in court what rural Missouri already knows: when you kill the school, you kill the town,” she said. “These vouchers violate our constitution and hurt our kids.”

Judge denies request to freeze Missouri private-school voucher payments

The St. Joseph Police Department participated along with other area local law enforcement&nbsp; this past weekend in Saturation Saturday. 

St. Joseph Police report that during the targeted enforcement on August 23rd, officers conducted a total of 48 traffic stops. Additionally, seven vehicles refused to stop, prompting further investigative follow-ups. The department issued 19 citations and delivered 29 warnings for a variety of traffic violations.

Saturation Saturday is a nationwide campaign hosted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving aimed at deterring impaired and dangerous driving on local roadways.  The enforcement resulted in two arrests for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and two additional arrests for outstanding warrants.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

St. Joseph Police crack down on impaired driving during 'Saturation Saturday'

December corn closed down 3 1/2 cents, March corn was down 3 1/4 cents. November soybeans closed down 2 cents and January soybeans were down 2 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed down 4 3/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was down 7 1/2 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 13 cents.

Corn and wheat markets slipped lower again Wednesday, with wheat breaking back toward calendar year lows for most active futures after a disappointing technical close Tuesday, adding pressure to the corn market as well. Soybeans in the meanwhile were cautiously higher for most of the morning after a dry August for the southern and eastern reaches of the Belt seemingly supported attempted selloffs. But eventually general weakness across ag markets, specifically in soybean oil and soybean meal, was ultimately too much for soybeans to trade counter to. Meanwhile, energy markets got a boost Wednesday as a result of the 50% U.S. tariff on India going into effect in response to India's purchasing of Russian oil. Wednesday morning's EIA Petroleum Status Report also showed a weekly drawdown in U.S. crude, gasoline, and diesel stocks. U.S. equity markets have climbed at midweek ahead of key earnings results.

Almost seeming to double down and show all its power and might, the live cattle complex jolted higher through Wednesday's early trade. The market sold off and came right back in a matter of minutes to finish higher on the session. Wednesday's move comes somewhat as a surprise because midday boxed beef prices were lower, and the fed cash cattle market hasn't seen any cattle trade just yet. So, while I'd typically point to the market fundamentals for reason, today's powerful move is seeming to be a decision made solely based upon the market's technical position as traders continue to respect the long-term bullishness of the cattle complex. A single bid is currently on the table in Nebraska at $245, but still no cattle have traded. Southern asking prices are firm at $243 but are still not established in the North. Trade will likely be delayed until Thursday or Friday.

The feeder cattle complex took on the same rallying mannerisms of the live cattle market as traders continue to show respect and give credence to the market's unwavering, long-term fundamental position. I do think it's worth noting that again today the contracts that are seeing the biggest gains are the deferred months as traders are realizing that supplies aren't going to become greater any time soon.

Keeping with the same gusto it possessed Tuesday, the lean hog complex was thriving as the market neared Wednesday's closing bell. And again today, the market can't point to its fundamentals as support as both cash prices and pork cutout values were lower; so instead, today's energy is solely being driven by eager traders who see an opportunity.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/27141453/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

When retail prices for any product reach record-high levels, the demand usually plummets quickly. U.S. beef appears to be the exception to the basic rule of economics. Retail grocery store prices for beef skyrocketed and show no signs of descending. But demand hasn’t softened. A new report from CoBank says the allure of beef, even at high prices, is likely the result of several factors currently shaping consumer buying behaviors. 

The all-fresh retail beef prices surged by nine percent, hitting $8.90 per pound. CoBank says improvements in beef quality and the increased availability of premium-grade cuts at retail have played a big role in driving demand. The U.S. beef industry is producing a much higher quality of product today than it did 30 years ago. Brian Earnst, lead animal protein analyst, says access to high-quality beef has never been better, and American consumers have developed a taste for it. 

Consumers shrug off high beef prices

The Federal Reserve’s Ninth District in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has enjoyed good weather for crop production, but crop prices haven’t been friendly to farmers’ pocketbooks. A North Dakota farm lender told the Federal Reserve that, “High operating costs and lower grain prices are the biggest concerns.” Lenders responding to the second quarter Ag Credit Survey said farm incomes decreased across the Ninth District.

Lenders also reported that spending on capital equipment fell, and farm household purchases edged lower on balance. Around the district, 91 percent of the agricultural lenders said incomes decreased from April through June compared to the same period a year ago. With the weaker cash position, demand for loans rose sharply. Loan repayments also dropped, and loan renewal and extension activity increased. Interest rates for agricultural loans decreased slightly but remained high. Cropland values in the Ninth District were mixed, while cash rents dropped compared to last year. 

Farm incomes dropping in Fed’s ninth district

December corn closed down 2 3/4 cents and March corn was down 3 1/4 cents. November soybeans closed up 1 3/4 cents and January soybeans were up 1 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed down 3 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 2 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 2 3/4 cents.

Grains were mixed Tuesday as the brief price boost from Friday's supportive Pro Farmer yield estimates have seemingly grown stale as traders at this rate are chomping at the bit for field data to base their next price bets on. Outside markets were mixed on the news that President Trump plans to move ahead with firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook. Equities treaded near even, while Treasury yields were a touch higher. Meanwhile, energy markets are correcting lower Tuesday, snapping a streak of positive sessions built primarily around Black Sea concerns.

The worry and concern that plagued Monday's live cattle market regarding the case where a traveler who was traveling abroad tested positive for New World screwworm in Maryland no longer seems to be at the forefront of the market's mind anymore. Currently, the October contract is trading at a new contract high as traders seem to be pressing onward aggressively and are encouraged to see boxed beef prices up as much as they are. Still no cash cattle trade has developed, but asking prices are noted in the South at $243, and remain unestablished in the North.

The feeder cattle complex was trading throughout the day with vengeance as the market gapped higher this morning and hasn't looked back since. And with the notable gain seen yesterday in feeder cattle sales across the country, the fundamental support is there for traders to make this kind of move.

Although morning pork cutout values were a tick lower, the lean hog complex challenged the market's resistance in the spot October contract, as currently, trader support is more than ample. There's a chance that with morning pork cutout values lower than traders could become weary at any point in time, but at this moment, support and stronger trends seem to be the market's trajectory.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/26154008/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The Department of Health and Human Services reported the first human case of New World Screwworm in the U.S. The diagnosis was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control. The disease appeared in a traveler who’d been returning to the U.S. from Central America, where the disease is already present. State veterinarians learned of the human case during a call last week with the CDC. 

Oklahoma State Veterinarian Dr. Rod Hall said the patient lives in Maryland, where officials said they’re confident it is contained. Dr. Hall added that he believes the U.S. is probably more likely to get it in a person or pet than in livestock, at least in the short term. South Dakota State Veterinarian Beth Thompson was quoted in a Reuters article as saying that when NWS was confirmed in Maryland, the CDC worked with local physicians to identify the larvae. No livestock movement restrictions are in place. 

Human case of New World Screwworm confirmed in the U.S.

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.9 million head on August 1st. That was two percent below the mark in 2024, and in line with pre-report trade estimates of 98.1 percent. Reports show the August 1 level is an eight-year low. 

The state-by-state breakdown showed a steady increase across most of the states, but compared to a year ago, the Southern feedlots were well below 2024 levels. That’s because of the closure of the Southern U.S. border to Mexican feeder imports. The northern feeder areas were said to be above year-ago levels. Texas placements were at 75 percent of last year, Colorado was 76 percent, Nebraska was at 98 percent, while Kansas and Iowa were at 102 and 118 percent, respectively. Feedlot placements in July were 1.6 million head, six percent below last year. 

U.S. cattle on feed down two percent

September corn closed up 1 cent and December corn was up 3/4 cent. September soybeans closed down 11 cents and November soybeans were down 10 3/4 cents. September KC wheat closed down 1 1/4 cents, September Chicago wheat was up 2 cents, September Minneapolis wheat was up 3 1/2 cents.

Markets were firm for the most part out of the gate to begin the new week Sunday evening, but prices eventually faded from highs through the Monday day session. Despite some recent reasons for bullishness, traders remain cautious of the potential for very large U.S. crops this fall. In outside markets, equities relaxed to start the week following Friday's Fed-related rally. Meanwhile, energy markets are continuing their rally from late last week primarily driven as peace discussions between Russia and Ukraine are thus far nonexistent following the Trump/Putin Summit ten days ago.

It's was a tumultuous morning for the live cattle complex as news broke over the weekend from the CDC that a person traveling abroad in Maryland was infected with New World screwworm. The news obviously affected the cattle complex dramatically as strict measures have been taken with cattle imports to avoid the spread into the U.S., but thinking that it would be carried into the US through a human wasn't on most people's radar. And although the news regarding the positive case of New World screwworm has most affected the marketplace, it hasn't helped matters either that the market received a neutral to somewhat bearish Cattle on Feed report last week, as most analysts thought placements would be lighter than what they were. New showlists appear to be lower in all major feeding areas.

The feeder cattle complex was traded mostly lower as traders are uncertain what to do with the complex following the CDC's announcement. The contracts were trading close to their limit lower this morning, but then recovered a bulk of the position and at the closing bell only trading mildly lower.

The lean hog complex had a prosperous morning as the contracts traded fully higher. It was helpful to see pork cutout values were stronger again this morning -- but that's mainly because of the continued aggressive rally in the picnic, which was up $8.75.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/25144723/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Farm groups are warning the White House that the tariff war is making already high fertilizer prices worse. That’s making it harder for farmers to afford to plant their typical amounts of corn, soybeans, and wheat. Reports show that ag industry representatives have hesitated to publicly criticize President Trump’s tariff policies, but some have spent recent months quietly lobbying lawmakers and administration officials to ease the impact on fertilizer prices, which can make up over 30 percent of the input costs for row crop farmers. 

A recent letter from the National Corn Growers Association to administration officials like U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said fertilizer prices are approaching disastrous levels. When the president took office in January, the average tariff rate on all the key farmer inputs jumped from under 1 percent to well over 12 percent in August. Some inputs, like pesticides, have risen by 20 percent or more since January.

Farmers feeling the fertilizer price squeeze

Farmers throughout the region are invited to join Northwest Missouri State University and its School of Agricultural Sciences in collaboration with BioSTL for its 2025 AgTech Innovation Showcase to connect farmers and innovators in the ag industry. The program is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, at Northwest’s&nbsp;Agricultural Learning Center, located at 22893 U.S. Highway 71 in Maryville.

BioSTL, a St.&nbsp;Louis nonprofit launched in 2001, offers a comprehensive set of programs aimed at solving challenges in agriculture, medicine, health care and technology.&nbsp;For agriculture professionals, BioSTL’s Early Adopter Grower Innovation Community (EAGIC) program provides a pathway for innovation to reach&nbsp;farmers, using domestic and global networks to find solutions that meet the needs of farmers.

The showcase will feature speakers and explore topics including AI-enabled and data-driven farm tools; biological, fertilizer and soil health solutions; equipment and farm input innovations; and animal science technologies. Attendees will receive a complimentary lunch.

Northwest hosting farmers, ag experts for ‘Innovation Showcase’

December corn closed down 1/4 cent per bushel at $4.11 1/2 and March corn was down 1 cent at $4.28 3/4. November soybeans closed up 2 1/2 cents at $10.58 1/2 and January soybeans were up 3 1/4 cents at $10.77. December KC wheat closed down 5 cents at $5.21, December Chicago wheat was down 2 1/2 cents at $5.27 1/4 and December Minneapolis wheat was unchanged cents at $5.90.

December corn finished 6 1/4 cents higher at $4.11 1/2. March corn also finished 6 1/4 cents higher at $4.28 3/4. November beans rose 16 cents for the week at $10.58 1/2 and January beans finished up 15 1/2 cents at $10.77. Kansas City September closed down 9 at $4.98, Chicago September finished down 1 3/4, and Minneapolis December finished up .0075 at $5.90.

Soybeans got a boost and rose for the second straight day. Although pod counts are being reported as record large in several key states, it is the drier outlook ahead that has traders buying. Also supportive for soybeans was the bean oil strength and the EPA decision to grant full waivers for only 63 of the petitions with partial waivers and some not approved at all. Wheat and corn flirted with both sides in slow trade Friday.

The live cattle complex continued to trade higher and higher as support remains plentiful for the market. Boxed beef demand has been stellar this week, and although we'd just seen a small trading thus far in the fed cash cattle complex, prices have been higher in the North. It's normal for traders to pull the contracts back somewhat ahead of the release of the monthly Cattle on Feed report, but at this point, it's looking like there's enough support in the marketplace to ease traders' nervousness about the report to continue to push the contracts higher.

A new day, and another new contract high summarizes the feeder cattle complex at this point. It will be interesting to note what happens on the monthly Cattle on Feed report as placements are expected to be lighter than a year ago, but how much lighter once again remains the question to be answered. It's been an incredible week for the feeder cattle complex as the market has been able to close higher every single day.

The lean hog complex made a late-week rally as the nearby contracts were successful trading upward of $1.00 higher into Friday's noon hour. Some of the market's support is stemming from the strong fundamental showing late in the week, but more than that, it seems that traders have regained their confidence, as fundamental support throughout the week has been spotty.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/22143712/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Funeral services for Officer Hunter Simoncic have been finalized. The funeral will be held Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at Children's Mercy Park, 1 Sporting Way, Kansas City, Kansas.

The service is open to the public and will begin at 10:00 AM. Parking lots will open at 7:30 AM with stadium gates opening at 8:00 AM. There will be a Law Enforcement

Processional starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of service. The route will be posted once details have been confirmed. Attendees should approach Children’s Mercy Park from State Ave. Public parking will be located on the south side of the stadium in Blue Lot 2 on the grounds of the Kansas Speedway. 

Please, be aware that Village West Parkway and France Family Drive will be closed to public traffic.We encourage the community members to display blue ribbons outside their homes and businesses as a sign of support of the Simoncic family and the men and women of the KCKPD. It is a small gesture, but  very powerful and unifying one.

Funeral arrangements announced for fallen Kansas officer

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>

WASHINGTON — The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t appear inclined to leave her post, despite the Trump administration announcing Wednesday that she’s no longer running one of the country’s top public health agencies.&nbsp;

Attorneys for Susan Monarez, who received Senate confirmation in late July, posted that she hasn’t been fired or resigned, but didn’t announce whether they plan to sue the administration.&nbsp;

“When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda,” wrote Mark S. Zaid and Abbe David Lowell. “For that, she has been targeted. Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor received notification from the White House that she has been fired, and as a person of integrity and devoted to science, she will not resign.”

The statement from Monarez’s attorneys came just hours after the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, wrote on social media that she was no longer running the agency.&nbsp;

“Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” the post stated. “We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecKennedy" target="_blank">@SecKennedy</a>&nbsp;has full confidence in his team at<a href="https://x.com/CDCgov" target="_blank">@CDCgov</a>&nbsp;who will continue to be vigilant in protecting Americans against infectious diseases at home and abroad.”

The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/08/27/susan-monarez-cdc-director-ousted/" target="_blank">first reported</a>&nbsp;the news.&nbsp;

The U.S. Senate voted along party lines to confirm Monarez as CDC director in late July, giving her just weeks in one of the nation’s top public health roles.

Monarez’s last post on social media from her official account was on Aug. 22, marking the death of a police officer after&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/08/08/police-officer-suspect-are-dead-after-shooting-near-atlanta-based-cdc/" target="_blank">a gunman opened fire</a>&nbsp;at the CDC’s headquarters in Atlanta.&nbsp;

“A large group of CDC employees and I attended today’s memorial for Officer David Rose, whose Tour of Duty ended on August 8 when he responded to shots fired,” Monarez wrote. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, courage, and service to the community that will never be forgotten.”

The dispute over Monarez’s position as CDC director appeared to potentially mark the beginning of a wave of resignations from other public health officials, including Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Demetre C. Daskalakis.

“I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health,” Daskalakis wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/dr_demetre/status/1960843433473376602" target="_blank">a lengthy social media post.</a>&nbsp;“The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people.”

Monarez was President Donald Trump’s second choice for CDC director. He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-unveils-his-lineup-fda-cdc-and-surgeon-general" target="_blank">originally selected</a>&nbsp;former Florida U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon to run the CDC shortly after he secured election to the Oval Office in November. But the White House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/centers-disease-control-and-prevention-nominee-pulled-white-house" target="_blank">pulled Weldon’s nomination</a>&nbsp;in March, after it appeared he couldn’t secure the votes needed for confirmation.

Later that month, Trump announced his plans to nominate Monarez in&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114219231809224627" target="_blank">a social media post</a>.

“Dr. Monarez brings decades of experience championing Innovation, Transparency, and strong Public Health Systems,” Trump wrote. “She has a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, and PostDoctoral training in Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

“As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr. Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future. Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement. Dr. Monarez will work closely with our GREAT Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr. Together, they will prioritize Accountability, High Standards, and Disease Prevention to finally address the Chronic Disease Epidemic and, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!”

Monarez&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-panel-grills-trump-cdc-nominee-vaccines" target="_blank">testified in front</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in June as part of her confirmation process. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-panel-approves-trump-pick-head-centers-disease-control-and-prevention" target="_blank">committee voted</a>&nbsp;12-11 in July to send her nomination to the Senate floor, where Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-confirms-trump-pick-head-centers-disease-control-and-prevention" target="_blank">approved her to the post</a>&nbsp;later that month.&nbsp;

Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., said during the committee’s markup that he believed&nbsp;Monarez would put science first and help to restore public trust in the agency.&nbsp;

“The United States needs a CDC director who makes decisions rooted in science, a leader who will reform the agency and work to restore public trust in health institutions,” Cassidy said at the time. “With decades of proven experience as a public health official, Dr. Monarez is ready to take on this challenge.”

Trump admin. says CDC chief ousted. Her lawyer says she hasn’t resigned or been fired

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement are investigating the death of two at a. home in Shawnee County.

Just before&nbsp;10 a.m. Wednesday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call and deputies responded for a welfare check on a woman in the 6700 block of SW Briarmeade Lane, in the Montara Subdivision, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Deputies discovered two individuals deceased from gunshot wounds. The preliminary investigation indicates the incident was domestic in nature.

At this time, investigators believe all parties involved have been identified, and there is no ongoing threat to the community.

The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Shawnee Heights Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Sheriff: 2 dead after shooting, standoff at Kansas home

The Powerball® jackpot is closing in on the billion-dollar mark. The Powerball jackpot is now estimated at $950 million for the next drawing on Saturday night,&nbsp;according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. The jackpot has an estimated cash value of $428.9 million.

Saturday’s jackpot ranks as the game’s sixth-largest prize and the biggest advertised jackpot in more than a year.

The Powerball jackpot rolled after no ticket matched all six number drawn Wednesday night – white balls 9, 12, 22, 41, 61 and red Powerball 25. The Power Play® multiplier was 4.

Six tickets won prizes worth $1 million or more in Wednesday's Powerball drawing, after matching all five white balls. The $1 million-winning tickets were sold in Arizona, New York and Virginia. Three tickets in Mississippi, Ohio and Virginia increased their winnings to $2 million by including the Power Play option for $1 more.

There were also 40 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and ten tickets that won $200,000 prizes.

In the Double Play® drawing, a ticket in South Dakota won a $500,000 prize after matching all five black balls. Double Play® is a $1 add-on feature that allows players to play their Powerball numbers, again, in a separate drawing for a chance to win up to $10 million. Double Play drawings are live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com</a>&nbsp;after the main drawing.

Saturday’s Powerball drawing will be the 39th drawing since the jackpot was last won in California on May 31, 2025.

If a player wins Saturday’s jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize estimated at $950 million or a lump sum payment estimated at $428.9 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.

Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $36 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.

The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

Powerball closing in on billion-dollar mark

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man who admitted his role in a drug overdose death is going to prison.

On August 21, Jude Christina Dunn Gyllenbord sentenced 22-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Ahmad Mohammed Karraz to 144 months for the drug distribution death of 24-year-old Kylie Liston, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

In June Karraz pleaded guilty to distribution of drugs causing death and use of a communication facility during a drug felony.

In November, the Johnson County district attorney's office charged Karraz and 22-year-old Ronaley Arriola in connection with the Liston's Death.&nbsp; &nbsp; They were arrested after an investigation by the Overland&nbsp; Park Police Department.

Local

Region

Sports

Agriculture