A hot, humid July
morning greeted the Kansas City Chiefs for Training Camp on Monday, with a nice
breeze helping cool things off at times.

Offensive
Coordinator, Matt Nagy, says the offense was frustrated last year with a lack
of explosive plays. It is a point of emphasis this training camp.

“Being able to
figure out, okay, where’s that start at? What are we doing? Making sure we do
our job as coaches,” Nacy tells reporters after practice. “Without a doubt,
that’s been an emphasis and we want to speak it into existence. It starts with
teaching it and making sure the guys understand it and then when we get out
there in practice, we execute it.”

Nagy says the team
takes the Super Bowl loss personally.

“But I think there’s
a level to it as well where you’re careful of not making sure it’s like some
deal where you’re focused so much on what happened last year that you let it affect
this year,” Nagy says. “That hasn’t happened with any of us.”

The major factor
of whether Kansas City returns to the explosive plays which have defined the
Chiefs since Patrick Mahomes came to Kansas City rests on the shoulders of the
receivers.

Throwing downfield
has been the type of offense Hollywood Brown has thrived on his entire career.
Brown says the team’s receivers are like brothers and he has encouraged them to
enjoy the process.

“Enjoying the
guys, enjoying the teammates, because you know it moves fast,” Brown tells
reporters after the Monday practice. “So, that’s what I’ve been preaching. Let’s
enjoy every day.&nbsp; Let’s win every day,
attack every day, and get better at something.”

Brown says speed
sets the tone for the receiving corps this year, especially with the return of
Xavier Worthy and Rasheed Rice.

“I think it’s no
secret that we’re fast and we can fly. I mean, it’s no secret,” Brown says. “If
you are not respecting it, we can run pass you and I think that just opens up
everything underneath.”

On the other side
of the ball is a defense which has steadily gotten better over the past few
years. A key to that improvement is a young corps of defensive backs.

Cornerback Trent
McDuffie has established himself as an All Pro even though he is only in his
fourth year. McDuffie tells reporters Defensive Coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo,
has challenged the defense to shake off the Super Bowl loss and be bold, be courageous
in this year’s camp.

“He pretty much
said he wants a room full of guys that are confident, that are fearless, and
that want to go out there and compete,” according to McDuffie. “And I think
that really set the tone.”

McDuffie says the
defense is not perfect, but players are flying around, having fun, and jelling.
McDuffie knows he has gone from a very young player to one of the leaders of
the team, which brings an added dimension to his play.

“For me this year
just be someone that can be personable and approachable,” McDuffie says. “I
think that’s what my leadership’s going to be and some of that is going to be
consistently doing the right thing. And, hopefully, people will follow that.”

The Chiefs return
to the Mosaic Life Care practice fields on the Missouri Western State
University campus in St. Joseph Tuesday morning at 9:15.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Chiefs intent on shaking off Super Bowl loss, looking forward during camp

September corn closed down 5 3/4 cents and December corn was down 5 cents. August soybeans closed down 10 cents and November soybeans were down 9 1/2 cents. September KC wheat closed down 1/2 cents, September Chicago wheat was up 1/4 cents, September Minneapolis wheat was down 3 1/4 cents.

Row-crop markets kept with the common theme for Monday sessions through the growing season thus far with another sharp move lower as traders expect another solid round of crop ratings from USDA later Monday afternoon and are seeing no reason currently to not expect record-setting yields this fall given the weather through the growing season thus far. Outside markets were mostly of positive influence for Monday, although weather-focused ag traders appeared to pay little mind. Equities were higher on the trade deal announcement over the weekend between the U.S. and European Union. Meanwhile, energy markets were mostly higher after President Trump announced he would tighten the window for a ceasefire in the Russia/Ukraine war before Russia would face possible heightened sanctions from the U.S.

Following the slew of positive developments late last week, the live cattle complex hasn't shied away from trading higher as the market has seen a plethora of fundamental support gush into the marketplace. Whether that be last week's bullish Cattle on Feed report, or the noting on the mid-year Cattle Inventory report that no signs of herd build back have started yet, or the steady to $2.00 higher in the fed cash cattle market, or the unseasonal uptick in boxed beef prices. There are almost too many bullish factors currently playing in the marketplace to keep trade off.

After fully evaluating the market's triumphant success last week, it's almost as if traders noted the positive developments and merely said, "say less," as they shot the feeder cattle contracts higher. Once again today, the market's higher push in the futures complex scored another new contract high for many of the nearby contracts.

Following last week's choppy trade, the lean hog complex again skittered sideways into Monday's closing bell. It will be imperative that demand remains strong this week if traders are going to be successfully able to advance the contracts. Packers could be slightly less aggressive in this week's cash market as they bought a sizeable volume last week.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/07/28145010/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

USDA’s latest grain export sales report, covering the week through July 17, held mixed but mostly solid results for traders to digest. Corn volume led the way once more, staying on the higher end of analyst estimates. Wheat sales improved 50% from the prior four-week average, besting all trade guesses in the process and hitting a “marathon-esque” number. 

Soybean sales struggled, in contrast, after old-crop sales slumped 41% lower week-over-week. Corn exports found 54 million bushels in combined old and new crop sales last week. Old crop sales eased 2% lower week-over-week, while total sales were on the higher end of analyst estimates, which ranged between 19 million and 63 million bushels. Cumulative sales for the 2024-25 marketing year remain noticeably above last year’s pace after reaching 2.37 billion bushels.

Corn sales strong last week, soybean sales struggled

Critics are decrying the reorganization plan for USDA announced last week by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.  In a written statement, Amy Klobuchar, the Democratic ranking member of the Senate Ag Committee, condemned the plan as a “half-baked proposal” and called for USDA officials to appear before Congress. “A reorganization of this scale will impact USDA’s ability to provide critical services to Americans and undermine the agency’s trusted expertise that farmers and families count on … we must have an immediate hearing before more damage is done.”

Rebecca Wolf, senior policy analyst at Food &amp; Water Watch Senior Food, a non-profit research and advocacy group, said, “(The) move further guts the government’s ability to protect public health, the environment and food safety. The real-world consequences will be severe, directly affecting people’s lives.” The reorganization is at least partly a cost-cutting measure, according to Rollins, and the relocated staff could see significant salary reductions due to lower rates paid outside the capital due to differences in the cost of living.

USDA to cut salaries and relocate staff

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

September corn closed down 9 cents and December corn was down 8 3/4 cents. August soybeans closed down 29 cents and November soybeans were down 14 3/4 cents. September KC wheat closed down 2 1/2 cents, September Chicago wheat was down 8 cents and September Minneapolis wheat was down 10 3/4 cents.

Friday's session marked a quiet close to an overall dull week of trade which saw most crop prices drift lower, giving back roughly half of last week's gains in the process as traders clearly are seeing little urgency at this point to commit to sustained buying. Traders currently are betting friendly growing weather forecast through the first week of August means big U.S. yields and ample supplies of commodities by fall 2025. In outside markets, investors have remained confident through the week's trade deal announcements as well as President Trump saying during his visit to the Federal Reserve on Thursday that there are no current plans to attempt to remove Fed Chair Powell from his position. The U.S. dollar is working toward a second session higher while the S&amp;P500 is pressing further into record highs.

The live cattle complex traded slightly higher into Friday's close as traders were optimistic about what this week's fed cash cattle market was going to do. Also lending positive support to the live cattle complex was the fact that the afternoon's Cattle on Feed report is expected to showcase fewer placements and lighter on-feed totals, and don't forget that the semi annual Cattle Inventory report was also going to be released later this afternoon as well. A few bids are currently on the table at $230 in Kansas, $238 live in the North and $376 dressed. Packers are undoubtedly going to need to get more aggressive before the week's end, as they can't afford to go short-bought into next week's trade.

The feeder cattle complex also used the day to trade higher as its contracts were conformably trading well over $1.00 stronger in most of the nearby months. With the continued support of red-hot feeder cattle demand in the countryside, traders have all the support they could ever wish for.

The lean hog complex again traded lower as the market seems skeptical to advance much higher as traders are facing some resistance pressure. Pork demand and cash prices have been supportive this past week, but with traders unwilling to challenge the futures complex's resistance, lower is the only direction for the market to trade.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/07/25144616/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a new reorganization plan for the USDA. The plan refocuses its core operations to better align with its founding mission of supporting U.S. farming, ranching, and forestry. The reorganization plan consists of four parts: ensuring the size of USDA’s workforce aligns with available financial resources and agricultural priorities; bringing USDA closer to its customers; eliminating management layers and bureaucracy; and consolidating redundant support functions. 

To bring USDA closer to the people it serves while providing a more affordable cost of living for employees, USDA has developed a phased in plan to relocate much of its agency headquarters and staff out of the Washington, D.C. area to five hub locations. USDA’s five hub locations are Raleigh, Kansas City, Indianapolis,  Fort Collins, and Salt Lake City. 

Rollins announces USDA reorganization

In the latest trade developments, China has reportedly ended the tariff exclusion on American agricultural products. Fresh Fruit Portal says China’s government hasn’t issued an official statement yet. Importers in China have reported to the Foreign Agricultural Service that applications for market-based tariff exclusions will no longer be accepted beginning on August 1. Some of the products include grains, alcohol, leather, and fruits. 

Importers also said the previously approved exclusions will only be valid until September 14. The affected products were previously eligible for tariff exclusions under a process established in March 2020 by the State Council Tariff Commission of China. The process allowed importers to apply for waivers from the retaliatory Section 301 tariffs on certain U.S. products. Although the process did allow some items outside the predefined list, it covered a total of 696 tariff lines, of which approximately 150 lines apply to U.S. agricultural products.  

China suspends tariff exclusion for U.S. ag products

September corn closed up 3 1/4 cents and December corn was up 3 1/4 cents. August soybeans closed down 1 1/2 cents and November soybeans were up 1 1/2 cents. September KC wheat closed up 5 cents, September Chicago wheat was up 1 cent, September Minneapolis wheat was down 2 1/2 cents.

Row crops traded with little conviction and low volumes behind the markets for Thursday. Export data for last week offered few new insights, although a USDA reporting error which mistakenly gave China credit for a 2025-26 corn purchase briefly caused a stir before correction within the hour. Overall, weather remains the feature of the trade, with few changes on that front with the vast majority of the U.S. grain belt still expecting good precipitation coverage over the next 15 days, and the above-average temperatures expected to ease beginning next week as well. Outside markets were mixed for Thursday with equities mixed, supported by recent trade optimism but left with an uneasy feeling on reports that President Trump plans to visit the Federal Reserve. Energy markets were mixed with NYMEX crude oil attempting a recovery from an 8-day losing streak.

The live cattle complex rounded out the day lower as traders merely sat on their hands, waiting for time to pass by and hoping that they'd see some support from the market's fed cash cattle trade. August live cattle closed $1.22 lower at $225.80, October live cattle closed $1.35 lower at $222.15 and December live cattle closed $1.25 lower at $222.65. Bids were offered in both regions throughout the day, but as feedlot managers waited for packers to up their bids, time slipped by, and very few cattle traded throughout the day. There was just a handful of cattle traded in the South at $231, which is $1.00 higher than last week's weighted average.

The feeder cattle complex also closed lower as traders were sheepish to push the market any higher following the big gains seen earlier in the week. But today's move wasn't a choice made because of poor demand in the countryside, but rather because of skepticism from the futures complex as traders worry about over-extending the market. August feeders closed $2.62 lower at $328.90, September feeders closed $2.25 lower at $329.65 and October feeders closed $2.30 lower at $328.35.

The lean hog complex chopped merely sideways throughout the day as traders want to advance the contracts but didn't quite see enough fundamental support to justify doing so. August lean hogs closed $0.27 lower at $108.20, October lean hogs closed $0.20 higher at $91.10 and December lean hogs closed $0.35 higher at $82.92. It was impressive that pork cutout values closed higher at all, with the rib alone being down over $6.00.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/07/24163911/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

September corn closed down 3/4 cents and December corn was down 1/2 cents. August soybeans closed down 4 1/2 cents and November soybeans were down 2 3/4 cents. September KC wheat closed down 9 3/4 cents, September Chicago wheat was down 9 cents, September Minneapolis wheat was down 3 3/4 cents.

It was another mixed session for row crop markets on Wednesday as an early spark stemming from President Trump's announcement of a trade deal with Japan, as well as early details on an agreement with the Philippines and framework for the deal with Indonesia as well, was quickly extinguished as trader focus remains on friendly growing season weather and a seasonal tendency for prices to decline through late summer into fall. Outside markets were mixed with equities higher on the trade announcements, while energy markets were mostly lower with NYMEX crude oil futures on their way to an eighth consecutive lower session.

It's another rip-roaring, rallying day for the live cattle complex as the contracts etched into new territory yet again today. It could potentially be that traders are excited to hear about the trade deal that President Trump worked out with Japan, as it will obviously open up more opportunities for more beef to be marketed. Still today, no cash cattle trade has developed, but asking prices are now noted in the South at $232 but remain unestablished still in the North.

Up, up and away went the feeder cattle complex as the market saw deferred contracts trade as much as $4.50 higher into Wednesday's noon hour. More than anything, it seems as though traders are not only recognizing the fact that supplies are going to remain tight, but that they're also adjusting their position from a technical standpoint because of it.

The cattle contracts may be rallying but the lean hog complex again traded lower as traders remain stalemate in their hopes to advance the complex. This morning, pork demand was higher so traders can't point to disappointing market fundamentals. It seems as though traders are running into some resistance pressure, which is hindering the contracts from trading any higher.

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/07/23134652/web-closing-markets.mp3">HERE</a> for audio

Data from USDA shows inspections of wheat and beans for offshore delivery rose week to week while corn assessments declined. Wheat inspections totaled 732,000 metric tons in the seven days ending on July 17. The agency report says that’s up from 446,000 tons a week earlier. Examinations of soybeans for offshore delivery increased to 365,000 metric tons from just over 151,000 tons during the previous week. Corn saw the only decline on the week, falling to 983,000 metric tons, which the USDA said was down from 1.3 million a week prior. 

Since the start of the marketing year on September 1, corn inspections total nearly 59 million tons versus 45.6 million last year. Soybean inspections now total 46.8 million tons, up from 42.4 million at the same point last year, and wheat examinations since the marketing year began June 1 are at three million metric tons, up from 2.6 million a year ago. 

Weekly wheat, bean inspections increase

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are in merger talks to create the largest railroad in North America that would connect the East and West Coasts. The merger discussions began during the first quarter of 2025. It would combine the largest and smallest of the country’s six major freight railroads. Both railroads declined to comment. 

Within the industry, reports say there is a lot of debate over the merger and whether it would be approved by the Surface Transportation Board. The questions come despite regulators approving the deal that created CPKC railroad two years ago with the Canadian Pacific’s $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railroad. That merger combined the two smallest major railroads in North America and left only six major freight railroads. But at the time, it was the first approved merger in 20 years.

Grain carriers discuss potential merger

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sauravrahman/">Saurav Rahman</a>

By limiting large-scale water exports from the state, experts and farmers said Missouri has taken forward-thinking measures to protect one of its most vital resources. According to them, it will benefit agriculture, industry and municipal services in the coming years.

Governor Mike Kehoe&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=193" target="_blank">signed new legislation into law</a>&nbsp;on July 14 that limits large-scale water exports from Missouri. The law, which takes effect Aug. 28, requires a permit for water exports and restricts withdrawals for export to within 30 miles of the state border. It also mandates annual reporting of water usage to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

David Borrok, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, said that a number of other states in the U.S have been taking similar measures as demand for water grows.

“Missouri is a water-rich state, and I’d say, arguably, water is our most valuable resource as a state,” Borrok said. “It’s the engine that sort of underpins all economic development and things in the state.”

Missouri is home to more than&nbsp;<a href="https://dnr.mo.gov/water/hows-water/state/interstate#:~:text=The%20Missouri%20River%20is%20a,transecting%20several%20major%20metropolitan%20areas." target="_blank">110,000 miles of rivers and streams</a>. Each year, rainfall creates more than&nbsp;<a href="https://dnr.mo.gov/document-search/missouri-water-resources-plan-update-2020-executive-summary" target="_blank">15 trillion gallons of runoff</a>&nbsp;that flows into these rivers, lakes and streams. About 38 trillion gallons come into the state through the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://dnr.mo.gov/water/hows-water/monitoring-data/levels/groundwater#:~:text=More%20than%2080%25%20of%20Missouri's,resulting%20in%20water%2Dlevel%20decline." target="_blank">estimated that the state</a>&nbsp;has about 500 trillion gallons of usable-quality groundwater.

Daniel Downing, a water quality specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, believes the motivation behind this legislation is the preservation of Missouri’s abundant water supplies.

“On the state borders, especially the western border, there may be parties harvesting or considering harvesting water from Missouri and pumping it into Oklahoma and/or Kansas, where they have restrictive water allotments,” Downing said in an email.

Missouri has very few, if any, restrictions on the quantity of water one can harvest in compliance with Missouri’s Riparian Rights water law, Downing said.

“Missouri water law allows the use of reasonable amounts of water as long as it does not deprive others of what they need,” Downing said. “In the Western states, water quantity and use are regulated under allotment and/or appropriation systems that tightly control how much water they can access.”

The Ogallala Aquifer is a very important underground water source for many states, like Kansas, Nebraska and others. However, it does not extend into Missouri. Increased populations, development and droughts have created more demand for water in these states, Downing said.

<a href="https://kgs.ku.edu/sites/kgs/files/files/TechSeriespdfs/TS25.pdf" target="_blank">Research shows that</a>, due to pumping water for irrigation, the aquifer is now dangerously close to running dry. To mitigate that,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2025-01-28/could-an-aqueduct-bring-water-to-western-kansas-or-is-it-a-pipedream" target="_blank">there was a plan proposed</a>&nbsp;to move water from the Missouri River in eastern Kansas, near Kansas City, to help refill the Ogallala Aquifer in western Kansas.

“The use and apparent gradual depletion of the aquifer has been a topic of research and discussion for many years, resulting in limitations on the use of water from it,” Downing said. “These circumstances, as well as other influences and restrictions, make it inviting to look across the state line and covet the abundance of water we have.”

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2172/" target="_blank">signed a bill in July</a>&nbsp;establishing a water conservation task force to tackle the state’s water issues. The task force will identify water-related risks, determine what constitutes a sustainable water supply and explore funding options for future water projects. Additionally, a Water Planning Work Group will work to update and modernize the State Water Resources Planning Act.

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://dnr.mo.gov/document-search/missouri-water-resources-plan-update-2020-executive-summary" target="_blank">Missouri Water Resources Plan</a>, updated in 2020, the state’s residents and businesses use an average of 3.2 billion total gallons of water each day. Of that total, 78% comes from groundwater sources, while the remaining 22% is supplied by surface water.

Borrok emphasized that water security is essential for the state’s long-term economic growth.

“All the manufacturing that we might want to attract to the state,” Borrok said. “All data centers, all these sorts of things use massive, massive amounts of water, and no major company will move to a state that doesn’t have the water resources necessary to expand.”

Agricultural irrigation accounts for the largest share of the state’s consumptive water withdrawals at 65%. Major water systems contribute another 25%, while all other sectors combined make up the remaining 10% of annual withdrawals.

Tom Waters is a seventh-generation farmer from Orrick, Missouri and also serves as a consultant at the Missouri Water Center. He and his family raise corn, soybeans and wheat.

Although Waters doesn’t do any irrigation on the land he farms, he said that in southeast Missouri, particularly in the Bootheel area, the practice is quite common.

“Keeping that water to irrigate Missouri crops is important versus sending it to other states,” Waters said. “The difference between an irrigated crop and a non-irrigated crop always depends on the weather and drought conditions and those sorts of things. But, traditionally, the irrigation more than pays for itself.”

David Waller, board president and national director at the Missouri Rural Water Association, said every drop Missouri exports outside the state is lost.

“So a municipality that might need water within the state, if it was being exported in large quantities outside the state, they might not have water for their usage,” Waller said. “I don’t know that is happening anywhere, but that is one possibility.”

Waller said the Department of Natural Resources didn’t previously have a way of tracking water that was being transported outside the state, nor a way of regulating it.

“This at least gives the department the authority to monitor and make those decisions so that they know what’s going on,” Waller said.

In northern Missouri, the groundwater is very salty, so a lot of their water comes from surface water. Borrok said those municipalities need to keep their water for drinking purposes.

“It’s the same way as agriculture, you just want it not to overdraft your bank of water,” Borrok said. “Recreation-wise, that’s a huge one too. There’s gotta be massive amounts of tourism dollars coming in from Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake and the Scenic Riverways here and if you start taking water and pumping it somewhere else, you could potentially, over time, negatively impact some of those resources.”

Missouri’s statewide consumptive water demand is expected to rise by 18%, or by approximately 583 million gallons per day, by 2060, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://dnr.mo.gov/document-search/missouri-water-resources-plan-update-2020-executive-summary" target="_blank">Missouri Water Resources Plan</a>.

While the law does restrict exports, Borrok said it doesn’t completely close the door to out-of-state water sharing. Now, exporting water would have to go through a permit process, evaluating potential financial benefits or losses.

“A small farmer could possibly export a little bit of water through a canal to another place, and maybe we don’t know about that,” Borrok said. “But the real impact that it’s trying to avoid is a massive export of water, like hundreds of millions of gallons a month, or three million gallons a day or some massive amount and that would be noticed in terms of the monitoring.”

This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouribusinessalert.com/" target="_blank">Missouri&nbsp;Business&nbsp;Alert</a>, a digital newsroom covering&nbsp;business&nbsp;and the economy in&nbsp;Missouri.

‘Water is our most valuable resource’: New law will limit water exports from Missouri

St. Joseph police
are investigating a suspicious death.

The St. Joseph
Police Department reports a 43-year-old man was found dead Sunday night around
8:30 inside a garage in the 2100 block of 8th Street. His identity has not been released, yet.

Police say an
investigation is underway. The circumstances of the death are suspicious. An
autopsy is pending.

St. Joseph police investigating suspicious death

State law says the Missouri State Board of Education should have a teacher in an advisory position, but the governor has yet to appoint someone to that spot

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 Missouri State Board of Education has an empty seat, chronically vacant since lawmakers created a position for a teacher to advise the board seven years ago.

Like the other board members, the spot is appointed by the governor. But former Gov. Mike Parson, who took office shortly before the seat was created, never chose someone for the position. And thus far, Gov. Mike Kehoe hasn’t either.

“We would like to see an active classroom teacher be on the state board to provide that perspective of someone who’s in the classroom now and say what the immediate needs of educators and students are in the classroom,” Mark Jones, communications director for the Missouri branch of the National Education Association, told The Independent.

The State Board of Education,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/14/missouri-state-board-of-education-members-debate-limited-yet-influential-role/">at its board retreat</a>&nbsp;in July, discussed the vacancy during a discussion of the board’s legal responsibilities.

“This position still hasn’t been appointed, and I don’t know if there are any plans to do that at this point,” Sarah Madden, general counsel for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, told the board.

Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, a board member from Pasadena Hills, questioned why the seat was empty.

“I would hope there’s a sense of urgency,” she said.

Madden responded that she didn’t have an answer for why the position has never been filled.&nbsp;

Despite the position being largely unpaid apart from expense reimbursement and lacking voting authority, teachers have been willing to step up.

“Those teachers that are there every day in the classroom, they have that firsthand knowledge, so they’re able to share that with the board,” said Matthew Michelson, director of education policy at Missouri State Teachers Association. “A lot of them would want to do that, and they would want to be able to explain how decisions impact classroom teachers or how it impacts the profession.”

Jones said he knows two former Missouri Teacher of the Year awardees who have inquired about becoming the teacher member but never got tapped to join the board.

<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=161.026&amp;bid=35247" target="_blank">State law</a>&nbsp;requires that they must be an “active classroom teacher” with at least five years of experience. The requirement to be an active teacher is important, Michelson told The Independent, because the state of education moves quickly.

“Even if you took a teacher from 2019 pre-COVID and you put them on the state board, I don’t know that they would have the same perspective as someone who was in the classroom last year,” he said. “Things have just evolved so quickly, so having someone that is currently in the classroom and that is dealing with the issues of today is really important.”

The other board members are barred from having direct ties to the classroom, with&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=161.032&amp;bid=7841" target="_blank">statute</a>&nbsp;restricting them from being “connected, either as an official or as an employee, with any public, private, or denominational school, college or university.”

The idea for a teacher representative came over a decade ago, Michelson said, with a member of the teacher’s association pitching it. Then-state Rep. Becky Ruth, a Republican from Festus and a past president of the teachers association, took the idea to the state legislature in 2015.

Her&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR30&amp;year=2015&amp;code=R" target="_blank">original bill</a>&nbsp;asked for voters to weigh in on requiring three members of the eight-member board to be educators. By 2018, the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1373&amp;year=2018&amp;code=R" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;evolved to propose adding a teacher as a non-voting member, and it passed as part of an&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB1606&amp;year=2018&amp;code=R" target="_blank">omnibus education bill</a>.

“Ultimately it ended up being more of an advisory position because, frankly, that is what the legislature was more inclined to get something passed with,” Michelson said.

At the time, he never would have imagined that the seat would sit empty for years.

Board vacancies are not rare in Missouri. According to&nbsp;<a href="https://boards.mo.gov/userpages/boardsearch.aspx" target="_blank">a state website dedicated to boards and commissions</a>, there are over 1,000 positions left vacant or filled with a member serving on an expired term.

Some boards and commissions, like&nbsp;<a href="https://boards.mo.gov/userpages/Board.aspx?495" target="_blank">the Citizen’s Land Development Cooperative Commission</a>, are completely vacant. But the State Board of Education rarely has its voting-member positions unfilled.

“It just depends on what the priorities of the governor are and what other boards and commissions he needs to fill,” Jones said. “But I think seven years is a long time to go without a direct teacher voice to the board.”

The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Lawmakers created a teacher seat on Missouri’s education board. It’s been vacant for 7 years

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 2:30a.m. Sunday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a Yamaha 4-wheeler driven by a 26-year-old Cameron man was northbound on Highway A just north of MO 116. The vehicle had a mechanical malfunction. It overturned and the driver was ejected.

Tri-County ambulance transported the driver to Liberty Hospital. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. man hospitalized after ejected from 4-wheeler

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Saturday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Harley Davidson driven by 45-year-old Lexington woman was northbound on Highway Y at Hamilton Street in Winston.

The vehicle hit a patch of loose gravel and overturned. Daviess County EMS transported the woman to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was not wearing a. helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. woman injured in motorcycle accident

There are only two teams in Major League Baseball who have won double digit World Series, the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals, with the next closest being the Boston Red Sox with nine.&nbsp; And now one collegiate summer league team can claim they are in a pretty exclusive club of teams to win double digit championships.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The St. Joseph Mustangs hoisted their 10th MINK League Championship on Saturday, after beating the Clarinda A's 13-0 at Phil Welch Stadium in a seven inning run rule victory, bringing home back to back championships for the fourth time in the history of the team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Manager Johnny Coy says it was a special year, with the team losing just eight games, and says it means everything to win a championship

"Every single year we strive for a championship, and we've been winning a lot lately and it just never gets old, playing in front of these fans, getting to coach in front of these fans, these players love it, I love it, it just never gets old," Coy tells reporters following the game.&nbsp; "And I'm looking forward to next season already, we're going to enjoy it tonight, but looking forward to next season already, a new crop of players, I'm sure we'll get a lot of returners because we do every year, and hopefully some guys will fill some holes and we'll compete for number 11."

The Mustangs benefitted from Clarinda errors in the game, with the A's having seven overall.&nbsp; The first run of the game scored as Benton alum Chris Coy reached first on a throwing error by the catcher, driving in Jack Mosh in the second inning.&nbsp; Lafayette alum Jayden Little also scored in the second on a sacrifice fly from Easton Phillipe.&nbsp;

In the third inning the Mustangs tacked on another run on an error by the right fielder, Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart coming home to score. Another sacrifice fly from Phillipe drove in Dom Felix before Bishop LeBlond alum and recent transfer to Northwest Missouri State Frank Gall pinch hit in the inning and singled driving in two more, scoring Coy and Little.&nbsp;

For Gall, who spent much of the season battling injury, it was special to win the championship

"I only got to play in nine or 10 games, so to finish with a MINK League championship is all I could have asked for," Gall says.

Gall says winning the 10th championship in the Mustangs history is pretty amazing

"I think we just expect it every year, and it feels great man, it feels awesome," Gall excitedly says.&nbsp;

Things unraveled more in the fifth inning for the A's as the Mustangs scored seven runs, again benefiting from Clarinda errors as the A's made five in the fifth inning alone.&nbsp;

Central alum Logan Miller reached first on a throwing error by the shortstop, bringing home Coy.&nbsp; Another throwing error from the shortstop allowed Darius Freeman to reach first base, scoring two runs as Gall and Miller came across home, before Freeman later scored on a single from Luikart.&nbsp; Another single by Mosh drove in Luikart to continue extending the lead and then another throwing error allowed Dom Felix to score a run as Coy reached on a fielders choice.&nbsp; The final run scored as Coy stole second, and on the throw Little came across home to score.&nbsp;

The Mustangs have benefitted from a strong pitching staff all season long, and it was no different on Saturday night.&nbsp; Bishop LeBlond alum and former Northwest Missouri State pitcher Jaren Guck was a key part of that pitching staff, and threw a complete game shutout in Saturday's finale.

Guck, who helped close out last year's championship against Clarinda as well, says he just loves the moment

"I mean the adrenaline just gets you going, I think it makes it easy to pitch and I just love the moment, it's fun to pitch in, and I'm just happy to do it twice," Guck says.

Guck pitched his final game as a Mustang after finishing his collegiate career at Northwest this spring.  Guck says it's always great to win with the Mustangs. 

"It's always a great feeling, I always look forward to this because I always feel good about our chances every summer and it's two in a row now," Guck says.&nbsp; "I won't be here, but let's go for three."

Guck struck out eight and gave up just three hits on Saturday to help secure the Mustangs championship.&nbsp; At the plate, Gall was 2-for-3 with two RBI's.&nbsp; Mosh was 2-for-3 with one RBI, while Little was 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored.&nbsp;

The Mustangs finished the season 38-8 with a 28-7 record in the MINK League.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is the fourth time the Mustangs have won the championship in back to back years, last winning it in 2021 and 2022.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Joseph Mustangs hoist championship number 10

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8:30a.m. Saturday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by a 23-year-old Gower man was southbound on U.S. 169 two miles north of Grayson. The pickup rear-ended a 2017 Ford Focus driven by a 38-year-old St. Joseph woman who was slowing to make a left turn at SW 247th Street.&nbsp;

Tri-County ambulance transported the St. Joseph woman to Mosaic Life Care. The pickup driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Woman from St. Joe injured in rear-end crash

The annual pep
rally for the Kansas City Chiefs, officially welcoming the team back to St.
Joseph for Training Camp, will be held Sunday afternoon at Civic Center Park.

St. Joseph Chamber
of Commerce spokesperson, Kristi Bailey, says St. Joseph businesses benefit
greatly from the annual training camp that attracts Chiefs fans from all over.

“The gas stations,
the restaurants, the businesses close to Missouri Western, they benefit. We do
have some visitors that come from out of state that stay in hotels, that make a
little vacation out of training camp,” Bailey tells KFEQmmunity. “So, we do
have some businesses that do benefit from training camp as well.”

Bailey says St.
Joseph also benefits greatly from the notoriety it receives from national
reports on the Chiefs from training camp on the Missouri Western State
University campus.

Bailey says the
Red Rally begins at noon at Civic Center Park, located at City Hall, and runs
through four o’clock with a festive atmosphere celebrating the return of
Chiefs.

“So, this is a way
that a lot of our community partners work together to show the Chiefs just how
excited we are to have them come back year after year,” Bailey says.

A DJ will begin
the “pre-rally” at noon. Country artist, Blane Howard, performs at 1:30pm. The
voice of the Chiefs, Mitch Holthus, and KC Wolf kick off the official rally
with the return of Tech N9ne at 3pm.

There will be
games for the children and food vendors. Residents are encouraged to begin lawn
chairs.

Bailey says the
event is the city’s way of showing appreciation to the Chiefs.

“We put out our
banners and we put out our yard signs,” Bailey says. “But having this big
community event really shows them that the community is behind them and we want
to thank them for coming,” 

Bailey says the
city prides itself on being the home of Chiefs Training Camp.

“So, it’s
important for us to show the Chiefs organization just how much St. Joseph loves
the Chiefs.”

The city reminds
residents two streets bordering Civic Center Park will be closed during Red
Rally. Francis Street will be closed from just east of 10th Street
to 12th Street, and North 12th Street will be closed from
Francis to Jules from 7pm on Saturday to 9am on Monday.

St.
Joseph Public works department will be placing no parking signs along the
streets on Thursday afternoon to prepare for the closure. Drivers still will be
able to access the parking lot of the Wesley Senior Towers apartment building
during the street closure. 

St. Joseph celebrates Chiefs Training Camp at Red Rally Sunday

KFEQ Week in Review

Fillmore city
officials have lifted a boil order issued earlier this week.

Fillmore lifts boil order

The Kansas City Royals battled with the Atlanta Braves, falling behind big in the eighth inning, but a late rally fell short and the Royals fell 10-7 to open a the series at Kauffman Stadium on Monday evening.&nbsp;

The Royals opened the scoring in the first inning with two runs, the first coming in on an RBI double by Maikel Garcia, driving in Jonathan India after his leadoff single to the inning.&nbsp; Garcia later scored on an RBI single by Salvador Perez, beating a throw to home plate by Garcia's cousin in right field&nbsp;Ronald Acuña Jr.

The Braves tied up the game in the third inning as&nbsp;Acuña Jr hit a two run home run to left center field off Royals starter Rich Hill, driving in Matt Olson after his two out walk.&nbsp; In the fourth inning, a two run home run by Marcell Ozuna gave the Braves the lead in the game, scoring Ozzie Albies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Another home run extended the Braves lead in the seventh inning, a solo home run by Austin Riley.&nbsp; In the bottom half of the inning, the Royals cut the Atlanta lead to two after back to back doubles by Bobby Witt Jr and Vinnie Pasquantino.&nbsp; But in the next inning, the Braves would pull away, scoring four runs in the top of the eighth inning.&nbsp;

With Nick Allen on after a one out walk, and Jurickson Profar following a single, Olson doubled to drive in the first run of the inning scoring Allen.&nbsp; After Steven Cruz intentionally walked&nbsp;Acuña Jr to load the bases, Riley doubled to unload the bases, scoring Profar, Olson, and&nbsp;Acuña Jr for all the runs in the inning.&nbsp; In the bottom half of the inning, Randal Grichuk hit his first home run in a Royals uniform to help cut into the lead, putting the Royals down 9-4.

In the ninth inning, an RBI single from Profar put the Braves back up by six, driving in Allen after his one out double.&nbsp; In the bottom half, the Royals did start to put together a comeback rally, loading the bases with a double by Witt Jr and walks to Pasquantino and Garcia, before Witt Jr and Pasquantino scored on a single by Freddy Fermin.&nbsp; A sacrifice fly by Adam Frazier was the first out, driving in Garcia and putting the Royals down by three, before Grichuk lined out and MJ Melendez flew out to end the game.&nbsp;

Hill took the loss, falling to 0-2 on the season, pitching four innings and giving up four runs on three hits while walking six and striking out three.&nbsp; At the plate, Garcia was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, and an RBI.&nbsp; Witt Jr was 2-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas City looks to even up the series with Atlanta tomorrow.&nbsp; Seth Lugo (7-5, 2.95 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals against former Cardinal, recently acquired Erick Fedde (3-10, 5.22 ERA) for the Braves.&nbsp; First pitch is at 6:40pm, pregame coverage will begin at 6 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).&nbsp;

Royals battle with Braves but rally falls short in 10-7 loss

St. Louis Cardinals starter Andre Pallante allowed just one hit to the Miami Marlins through seven innings, and the Cardinals put up a big five run inning on way to a big 7-1 series opening win at Busch Stadium against the Marlins on Monday evening.&nbsp;

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the third inning as Alec Burleson homered for a second game in a row, sending the ball sailing to center field for his 14th home run of the season.&nbsp; St. Louis extended that lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after Yohel Pozo doubled, Pozo coming home to score on a throwing error by Marlins catcher&nbsp;Agustín Ramírez following a wild pitch by Edward Cabrera.

With the 2-0 lead, the Cardinals held that until the seventh, when they scored their final five runs of the game.&nbsp; With the bases loaded, following a double by Victor Scott II, and a steal of third base by Scott, with back to back walks to Brendan Donovan and&nbsp;Iván Herrera, catchers interference with Burleson at the plate brought Scott home to score.&nbsp; With two outs, after a strikeout by Willson Contreras, Masyn Winn cleared the bases with a double, scoring Donovan, Burleson and Garrett Hampson who pinch ran for Herrera.

With Winn on second, Jordan Walker drove in the final run for the Redbirds with a double of his own.&nbsp; The Marlins scored their lone run of the game in the ninth inning on an RBI single by&nbsp;Heriberto Hernandez, driving in&nbsp;Jesús Sánchez after his one out walk in the inning.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pallante improved to 6-7 with the win, pitching seven innings and giving up one hit while walking one and striking out four.&nbsp; At the plate, Winn was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs.&nbsp; Burleson was 1-for-2 with a walk and the home run with two RBIs.&nbsp;

St. Louis continues their series with Miami tomorrow.&nbsp; Sonny Gray (10-4, 4.33 ERA) takes the mound for the Cardinals against a former Cardinal in&nbsp;Sandy Alcantara (5-9, 6.66 ERA) for the Marlins.&nbsp; First pitch is at 6:45pm with coverage being joined around 6:35 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).&nbsp;

Pallante shuts down Marlins as Cardinals score dominant 7-1 win

After winning the first two games of the series, the St. Louis Cardinals faltered in the final two, falling to a series split with a 9-2 loss on Sunday afternoon to the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium.&nbsp;

Manny Machado put the Padres up early in the game, driving in two runs in the first inning with a double, scoring Luis Arraez and Fernando Tatis Jr.&nbsp; after Tatis led the game off with a walk and Arraez singled.&nbsp; In the third inning, the Padres extended their lead as Jackson Merrill grounded out, bringing home Tatis after his leadoff double in the third.&nbsp;

Leading 3-0 now, four runs scored in the fourth inning.&nbsp; Gavin Sheets came home to score after his leadoff single in the inning on a sacrifice bunt by&nbsp;Elias Díaz.&nbsp; With two outs later in the inning an RBI single by Arraez scored Jake Cronenworth before Machado drove in two more runs with another two RBI double, scoring Arraez and Díaz.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Trailing 7-0, the Cardinals scored their only runs of the game in the sixth inning.&nbsp;&nbsp;Iván Herrera led the inning off with a walk, bringing Alec Burleson to the plate, where Burleson hit his 13th home run of the season, scoring Herrera to put the Cardinals down 7-2.&nbsp;

Xander Bogaerts hit a solo home run to lead off the seventh inning to get one of those runs back for the Padres, and an RBI single by Merrill, driving in Tatis Jr, got the other run back in the eighth inning for the final runs by the Padres in the game.&nbsp;

Michael McGreevy took the loss, falling to 2-2 on the season, pitching 4 2/3 innings and giving up seven runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and two walks.&nbsp; At the plate, Burleson was 2-for-4 with the home run and a double with two RBI's.

St. Louis stays home next to host Miami.&nbsp; Andre Pallante (5-7, 4.91 ERA) takes the mound for the Cardinals against&nbsp;Edward Cabrera (4-4, 3.48 ERA) for the Marlins.&nbsp; First pitch is at 6:45 with coverage being joined around 6:35 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).

Cardinals split series with Padres after 9-2 finale loss

St. Joseph's Noah Cameron continued to make a strong case for his consideration to be named the American League Rookie of the Year, putting together another strong performance as the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 on a steamy Sunday afternoon to clinch a crucial series in the American League Central.&nbsp;

Cameron threw five scoreless innings, striking out six batters, while giving up just three hits and walking one throwing 83 pitches on way to his fifth win of the season.&nbsp; Backed by Maikel Garcia homering for the second time in as many games, Cameron even made a dazzling defensive play on the mound snagging a ball behind his back before flipping it to first for an out.

Following Cameron's stellar defensive play to end the threat in the first inning, the Royals scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning.&nbsp; Jonathan India walked and Bobby Witt Jr doubled, putting two runners in scoring position right away for Kansas City. Back to back groundouts by Vinnie Pasquantino and Garcia drove in both India and Witt Jr to give Kansas City the 2-0 lead.&nbsp;

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