There's still plenty of time until Christmas, but it’s not too early to do some holiday shopping during the Sugarplum Festival at the Albrecht Kemper.  

For over 40 years the art museum has welcomed in several vendors that offer unique gifts, crafts, and goods for residents to buy ahead of the holidays.  

Marketing and Communications Manager Madison McKinley says the event is a fun collaboration of local businesses and small businesses  

"Working together artists and crafters and they all come together, and they sell all their goods for the weekend,” McKinley says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “You get to come, shop in the galleries, and have food, drinks, it’s just a really festive time, gets you in the spirit for Christmas, and is a good place to get Christmas gifts.” 

Executive Director Eric Fuson says what's made the festival go for more than 40 years is it's ability to get people into the Christmas spirit 

"I know it's on the early side, early November it’s before Thanksgiving, but for anybody that loves Christmas it’s just so fun, everybody really gets into it,” Fuson explains.  “We take down every piece of artwork in the main part of the gallery upstairs and down to get ready for this, we decorate up, all the vendors that come in bring in unique gifts, there are a lot of one of a kind things you’re not going to find anywhere else.” 

Fuson says you'll find gifts during the festival that you won't be able to find anywhere else 

"You know we’ll have over 30 vendors, so there will be lots to choose from, and it is early enough that technically you’re not buying a Christmas gift if you buy something for yourself either,” Fuson says.  “It’s early enough you can still buy something without anybody saying anything.” 

The festival runs November 7th and 8th.  A preview party will be held on the 6th and tickets can be purchased for $40 dollars.  

Second Harvest will also hold a food drive during the festival collecting food for local families in need. 

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

Christmas spirit takes over the Albrecht Kemper during annual Sugarplum Festival

CLINTON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 5:30p.m. Wednesday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Toyota Camry driven by a 55-year-old Lathrop man was southbound on MO 33 two miles north of Lathrop. The car traveled into the northbound lane and collided with a northbound 2014 Volkswagen Passat driven by a 58-year-old Lathrop man. After impact the Volkswagen struck a sign and came to rest partially off the road.

The Toyota driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical in Kansas City, Kansas. Tri-County transported the Volkswagen driver to Liberty Hospital. The Toyota driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man killed in 2-vehicle crash

Trump approves $2.5M for recovery after storms in Missouri

CLINTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 11a.m. Wednesday in Clinton County.&nbsp;

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Jeep Liberty driven by a 43-year-old Columbia man was southbound on U.S. 69 five miles north of Lawson. The Jeep rear-ended a 2023 Peterbilt Trash Truck driven by a 53-year-old Excelsior Springs man who had slowed to make a left turn.

Lawson ambulance transported the Jeep driver and a 31-year-old female passenger to Liberty Hospital.&nbsp; The trash truck driver was not injured.&nbsp; The occupants of the Jeep were not wearing a seat belts, according to the MSHP. The patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man, woman injured after Jeep rear-ends a trash truck

The St. Joseph Police Department is
nearly at full staff.

After struggling for years to fill
vacancies, the police department now has fewer than 10 vacancies.

St. Joseph Police Chief, Paul Luster,
says there has been fewer than 1o vacancies for the past six months.

“You always have attrition,” Luster tells
KFEQmmunity. “We’re always putting people through the academy which runs twice
a year. But I always say that it’s a lot easier to get stuff done and do meaningful
work when you have the staff to do it.”

Luster says the department has seven new
hires undergoing training at the Law Enforcement Academy on the Missouri
Western State University campus.

Luster says vacancies have fallen
consistently since exceeding 30 two years ago.

“I think really a result of a lot of hard
work and really rethinking how we hire,” Luster says. “It’s a team effort. We’ve
streamlined the process, but it’s something I think we talk about every day
with my team there.”

Luster says the department is pleased
with its progress, but doesn’t want to just deal in numbers.

“We really put an emphasis on a cultural
fit and a community fit,” Luster says. “Do they fit the culture we’re building and
do they fit to the community? So, we’re not just hiring to fill vacancies. We
really want to make sure we’re getting, what I call getting the right people on
the bus at the right time.”

Luster says that cultural and community
fit is ever important.

“So we want to make sure we’re confident
and comfortable with that person and their fit into policing the St. Joseph
community and fitting into our culture, the police department, before we move
forward.”

The St. Joseph Police Department is budgeted
for 138 commissioned officers.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

After years of struggle, St. Joseph has a nearly full police force

🎥White House features Missourians on falling gas prices

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.&nbsp;- The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced that due to the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has informed state agencies that November 2025 SNAP cannot be issued at this time, according to a media release from the agency.

SNAP benefits are 100 percent federally funded through USDA-FNS. DSS has received official communication from USDA that there is not sufficient funding to issue SNAP benefits for the month of November.

“We are closely monitoring this situation, and benefits will be issued as soon as federal funds become available," said&nbsp;Jess Bax, DSS Director. "We encourage SNAP participants to look at the potential of using their October balance to stretch into November if possible given this situation."

DSS continues to work with USDA and other federal partners to monitor developments and will keep the public informed.

“We understand the uncertainty caused by the shutdown,” said&nbsp;Director Mandi Adams, Family Support Division (FSD). “FSD’s team is committed to keeping Missourians informed of any changes.”

DSS encourages Missourians who may be affected to:

"Missouri's Food Banks have worked to prepare in anticipation of increased need caused by the federal shutdown and impacts to SNAP benefits," said&nbsp;Joey Keys, Feeding Missouri Board Chair and CEO of Southeast Missouri Food Bank. "We stand ready to help neighbors as far as our resources allow. However, we cannot do this alone. Now, more than ever we need our communities to support their Food Banks."&nbsp;

FSD will continue to accept and process SNAP applications, reported changes, and mid-certifications received on or after November 1, 2025, as normal.

For updates and resources, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts" target="_blank">mydss.mo.gov/federal-shutdown-impacts</a>.

Missouri SNAP benefits on hold for November due to government shutdown

Policy proposals will be presented to a school-funding task force in December, giving the group a year to fine tune them and present them to the governor

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

The funding formula for Missouri’s public schools is poised for wide-ranging changes as work groups studying elements of the model reached the halfway point of their work at meetings on Monday.

The groups, led by the state education department’s former finance chief Kari Monsees, have convened three times each. They are scheduled to meet three additional times prior to presenting recommendations to the larger task force in December.

Proposed changes are due to Gov. Mike Kehoe by December 2026. Here is where the policy discussions are heading.&nbsp;

The funding efforts working group is primarily focused on a measure called the state adequacy target, which is intended to represent the per-pupil cost for districts to provide an adequate education.

Currently, this number is calculated by looking at the per-pupil expenditures of “performance districts,” or districts who score at least 90% of the points possible on the state’s performance review, called the Missouri School Improvement Program.

The group is not considering a dramatic shift away from this system but is instead moving toward a new way of classifying performance districts. The proposal discussed Monday would look at districts’ expenditures that score in the top 100 of the Missouri School Improvement Program.

Additionally, the calculation would be based on the districts’ enrollment numbers rather than attendance and would include extra weighting for students with disabilities, low-income students and English-language learners.

This method would be less volatile with changes to MSIP, which is on its&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-history-assessment-and-accountability" target="_blank">sixth iteration since its inception</a>&nbsp;in 1991, since the number of districts setting the average would remain steady.

During the switch from MSIP5 to MSIP6, a system deemed “more rigorous” by education officials, the number of performance districts dropped from over 200 to 23. The state adequacy target then rose from $6,375 to $7,145.

The shift added an extra $300 million to fully fund the foundation formula in fiscal year 2026. In&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/28/gov-mike-kehoe-dips-deeply-into-surplus-as-missouri-budget-grows-to-nearly-54-billion/">his budget request in January</a>, Kehoe excluded the $300 million, though lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/08/lawmakers-negotiating-missouri-budget-add-300m-to-public-schools-spending/">decided after tense negotiations to fully fund the formula</a>&nbsp;with the new boost.

Kehoe, in his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2025/eo14" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;creating the Missouri School Funding Modernization Task Force, asked for the group to create a formula that would provide fiscal year 2025 funding levels — prior to the $300 million boost.

But the change discussed Monday is not a cost-saving measure. Monsees estimated the proposal would drive the target to $10,367.

“If we are going to increase this side of the equation significantly, I just want to (ask) what that means for the rest of the equation,” said Don Thalhuber, policy director for the Senate Democratic caucus who helped draft the state’s current formula in 2005. “Because we don’t have infinite money.”

A deduction in the formula is likely to balance out the adequacy target’s surge, Monsees said, pointing to a factor that subtracts local funding to lower the amount due to wealthier districts.

“The local effort is tied back to 2004’s assessed values that is very much deflated as well,” he said. “So the state adequacy target is likely to go up, but then at the same time, your local effort is going to go up.”

Missouri’s formula considers local funding as a counterbalance to state aid, meaning that wealthier districts with adequate tax revenue receive less on a per-pupil basis. Finding a way to subtract local effort as part of the formula is a “conundrum,” Monsees told the group last week.

The local effort working group pointed to problems with two main models, one based on property taxes and the other on local wealth.

“We come up with these proxies that somehow represent what the capacity of a local community is to generate funds for their school, and the state’s obviously going to try to balance that across communities. But if that representation doesn’t match the actual cash that comes in in revenue, we may not be balancing the scales as much as we would want to,” Monsees said.

The group has been critical of the current formula’s reliance on property tax revenue. And with lawmakers considering changes to the property tax system, the factor feels unsteady.

“We have got something that may not be equitable and may not be stable,” said Monsees.

He suggested the group look for two to four factors so they are not reliant on just one variable, and they adjourned their discussion Wednesday without direction otherwise.

A working group looking at the way students are counted in the formula is debating a shift to enrollment-based funding rather than basing state aid on a district’s average attendance.

Enrollment-based funding is not a new concept in Missouri. A&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/school-funding-missouri-state-board-educationbaker" target="_blank">2023 study commissioned by the State Board of Education</a>&nbsp;recommended a switch away from attendance funding, saying attendance-based models disadvantage higher poverty districts.

And in 2024, state lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/12/missouri-senate-strikes-deal-to-boost-public-school-funding-in-private-school-tax-credit-bill/">passed a large education package</a>&nbsp;that included a gradual shift to funding 50% based on attendance and 50% based on enrollment by 2029.

Two other studies that the foundation formula task force has delved into&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/mo-funding-formula-alignedbellwether" target="_blank">also recommend</a>&nbsp;enrollment-based student counts.

But with state lawmakers having recently negotiated the shift to a 50/50 approach, Monsees told the group that basing the formula purely on enrollment could be “not as easy of a switch politically.”

“There is still a little bit of hesitation there to remove the financial incentive that comes with including attendance,” he said.

The group is also evaluating how different student groups pull more state money and seems likely to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/24/work-groups-contemplate-changing-missouri-schools-need-based-funding/">eliminate funding cliffs</a>&nbsp;that are written into the current formula.

Low-income students, those with special education services and English-language learners have an extra multiplier in the formula, giving their districts more money to provide services. But there is a threshold built in, assuming a base level of students with various needs. Only those with a higher percentage of students in these groups pull the extra funds currently.

The student counts working group has been pursuing a plan to eliminate the threshold.

“This idea of removing the thresholds and weighting all the students, it is certainly going to be a cost driver to the overall equation,” Monsees told the group.

The discussion Monday dug into the weights with more specificity, with the group considering a multi-tiered system for special education funding.

Monsees gave options of grouping types of disabilities into funding subcategories or creating a tiered system based on the amount of time a student spends out of the general education classroom. The group members preferred the latter.

Jordan Dickey, assistant superintendent of finance for Joplin Schools, said that kids with the same disabilities may not have the same support needs.

“Depending on what their label is, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the level of service that they need,” she said.

She recommended a much greater weight for students who receive educational time out of the general education classroom.

Kehoe’s executive order includes a charge to give districts with strong performance bonus funding. Performance incentives would be new in Missouri and are largely unprecedented, other than&nbsp;<a href="https://comptroller.tn.gov/content/dam/cot/orea/advanced-search/2025/TISAoutcomesfunding.pdf" target="_blank">a model in Tennessee</a>&nbsp;that awards schools when students reach certain targets.

The group studying performance incentives does not have a definitive plan, as of the conclusion of its third meeting last week, but is leaning toward promoting literacy and numeracy.

Mike Podgursky, a semi-retired economics professor from the University of Missouri-Columbia and affiliated scholar at the Sinquefield Center for Applied Economic Research, suggested the group pick one or two priorities rather than giving money for “a whole bunch of things.”

“There’s a case for really focusing on early literacy,” he said. “If these kids can’t read by grades three and four, then you forget about math at grade eight and everything else.”

The group discussed incentives for literacy at the third grade level and math performance in eighth grade at length.

Members are considering building the rewards into the formula or siloing them as a separate source of funding.

Work groups zero in on proposed changes to Missouri school funding formula

HOLT COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Holt County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder driven by a 45-year-old Independence man was northbound on Interstate 29 three miles north of Craig.

The SUV traveled off the west side of the road, overturned and the driver was ejected.&nbsp; &nbsp;The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and&nbsp; transported to Rupp Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man dies after ejected in SUV rollover accident

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

Row crop futures were mostly higher on Wednesday in a very quiet session for the most part, with prices recovering from a brief pause in the bounce seen on Tuesday. A combination of easing harvest pressure and strong demand ideas is keeping markets well supported, although significant technical challenges await just above current prices. Outside markets leaned mostly positive, with a softer U.S. Dollar and firmer energy markets.

It was a dismal day for the live cattle complex as the market saw little fundamental support arise in the marketplace this week to help assure traders that they should confidently push the contracts back higher. Not to mention, the market seems to be sitting on its hands waiting for Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to share more details about what the Trump administration plans to do to restore and revitalize the beef cow herd in America. Her announcement is expected to come sometime later this week. There's been nothing to develop yet in the fed cash cattle market, although it is assumed that again this week, prices will trade steady if not a little higher. Yes, packers were able to secure a sizeable volume just last week, but the fact remains that the market is only going to see supplies tighten through the remainder of 2025 and into 2026.

The live cattle complex may have traded lower, but the feeder cattle market has completely rocked back on its heels, seeming to grit its teeth until there's more clarity on what US Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins has to say. The feeder cattle complex has seen all-time, record-breaking prices within the last year as limited supplies have forced feedlots to bid more aggressively for calves and feeders. More than anything, the feeder cattle complex seems unhinged as the market is concerned that the plan could negatively affect these historic prices.

The lean hog complex continued to trade mixed as the nearby contracts need to see more immediate fundamental support before traders will confidently advance any of those contracts, but the deferred months traded higher, as traders believe that support should increase when supplies tighten in the coming months. Yes, pork cutout values were up this morning, but traders need to see more than one day's worth of higher trade before they'll feel supported.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/22135439/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

Groups like the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association have expressed significant concerns about President Donald Trump’s plan to buy beef from Argentina to lower the price of beef for U.S. consumers. “Argentina has a history of Foot and Mouth Disease,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “Consumer demand remains strong because of the work producers have done to improve the quality and safety of U.S. beef.” Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, said lowering beef prices for consumers starts with restoring fairness in the marketplace. 

“Plus, the White House bailed out Argentina with $40 billion in taxpayer-backed aid, and Argentina responded by striking new deals to sell soybeans to China.” American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said adverse weather and low cattle prices drove herd numbers to levels not seen in decades. “Weaker cattle prices are the last thing needed in farm country as farmers consider investing to rebuild their herds,” Duvall said.  

Groups react to beef imports from Argentina

The National Corn Growers Association is pointing to California as an example of what could be achieved around the country after the state enacted a law extending access to E15 fuels. It’s estimated that if consumers had been able to access E15 in California during 2025, it would have created a demand for close to 250 million additional bushels of corn, which would represent 12 percent of the expected excess corn supply this year. 

“The sheer buying power of the millions of people on the road in California promises to increase demand for corn in ethanol, which is good news for the nation’s corn growers,” said NCGA President Joe Bower. “Now we want to see Congress act to extend access to year-round E15 to every state in the country.” He added that “Farmers see what’s possible with California’s new law, and it’s time for Congress to follow suit.”

California E15 mandate good for the U.S.

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

Ag futures took a breather following a strong four day run up in prices as traders are content at this point to pause and reevaluate positions ahead of the end of U.S. harvest and the upcoming trade meeting between President Trump and President Xi of China. Technical resistance in the row crop markets likely also played a role in incentivizing some selling on Tuesday. For outside markets, the most notable storyline for Tuesday was the sudden and volatile reversal in gold futures, reported by the Wall Street Journal to be among the largest single day loss in over a decade, just one session removed from setting yet another record high as profit-taking seemed to morph into compounding fear induced selling as the session wore on. This was a source of widespread pressure on commodities for Tuesday, and agricultural markets were no exception.

Although the live cattle complex originally started the day off weaker, the market changed its direction and again traded higher into the day's closing bell. The market continues to recover some of the position lost last Friday as traders believe that the market's fundamentals will continue to support the market's bullish underpinning. Still no developments have occurred in the fed cash cattle market, and trade will likely be delayed until the second half of the week.

The feeder cattle complex also traded higher into Tuesday's close, but the market isn't doing so wildly. The feeder cattle contracts were trading around $1.00 higher throughout most of the contracts, through most of the session, seeming to keep right in line with the live cattle market's pace, but not storming $3.00 to $5.00 higher like the contracts did just a couple of weeks ago. More than anything, traders seem to respect and acknowledge the strong fundamental position, but at the same time, they see and are keenly aware of the technical risk that lingers.

The lean hog complex was trading higher as well into Tuesday's close, as the market is potentially finding somewhat of a bottom in the futures complex. After trailing mostly lower since late September, the lean hog complex could be establishing a support plane.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/21140541/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The government shutdown and resulting absence of USDA data has left a big void in the volatile grain and oilseed markets. In order to fill the gap, Farm Journal conducted a survey to get an update on yields and harvest progress as well as other topics on the minds of producers. The biggest takeaway is that U.S. corn yields are estimated to be lower compared with USDA’s September estimates in six of the seven Pro Farmer Crop Tour states. 

Due to disease pressure and dry weather, the 2025 national yield could be lower than the 2024 average of 179.3 bushels. As of mid-October, yields are steady to lower for 74 percent of the respondents from the Crop Tour states. That’s a long way from the higher production for each state’s estimate in USDA’s September Crop Production Report. The biggest decline appears to be in Illinois, down seven percent from September. 

Farm Journal survey says corn yields are decreasing

A new report from Mizhuo investment bank said potash and phosphate fell last week, while nitrogen was mostly unchanged. The price of potash in New Orleans fell about 1.5 percent to $328 per ton, while Midwest costs declined 0.7 percent to $373 a ton. The report said phosphate prices dropped slightly to $851 a ton. “Phosphate affordability is at its lowest level since 2008, and continues to raise concerns about demand referral and destruction,” the report said. 

Nitrogen prices were mostly unchanged last week at about $376 a ton in New Orleans and $435 per ton in the Midwest. “Supply disruptions and delays in capacities coming online have led to higher ammonia prices, with the benchmark Tampa price recently settled up $40 in October following a $53-per-metric-ton increase in September." Despite some volatility and recent declines, overall fertilizer prices are still considered high compared to long-term averages.

Weekly phosphate, potash prices fall

December corn closed up 3/4 cents and March corn was up 1/2 cents. November soybeans closed up 12 1/4 cents and January soybeans were up 13 1/4 cents. December KC wheat closed down 1 1/2 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 1 cent, December MIAX Minneapolis wheat was unchanged.

Grain markets were sluggish to begin the new week with corn and wheat futures both hitting chart resistance in their path to higher prices. Meanwhile, the soybean complex moved firmly higher again to open the week following a weekend agreement between U.S. and Chinese officials to reopen the dialogue on trade, with more talks planned for later this week ahead of the meeting between President's Trump and Xi at the end of the month. The trade optimism was alive in outside markets as well, with equities higher. However, lower energy markets continue to serve as a headwind to agricultural commodities, with crude oil falling ever closer to the May low to start the week.

The live cattle complex is luckily trading higher early this week, as traders seem to be moving past the emotion turmoil that ran rampant throughout the marketplace on Friday as President Trump stated that he wants beef prices to cheapen. New showlists appear to be lower in all major feeding areas again this week.

After closing lower Friday afternoon, the lean hog complex is back to trading slightly higher, closing mixed, as the market could be finding some technical footing and luckily pork demand was up slightly this morning.&nbsp;

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/06194004/30001.mp3">Click Here for Audio</a>

The federal government shutdown has continued, resulting in another week without the USDA publishing a Crop Progress report. According to a Reuters poll of 10 analysts, the U.S. corn harvesting progress lagged behind last year’s pace. On average, the analysts estimated that 44% of the U.S. corn crop had been harvested as of Sunday, with estimates ranging from 35% to 55% for corn. 

Here’s a closer look at the corn crop progress in Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska through the perspective of local agronomists:

In Iowa, Eric Wilson, Wyffels agronomy manager, shared that corn harvest is moving quickly, with some farmers in his area nearing the end of corn harvest.

Phil Krieg, agronomy service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection in Illinois, shared that corn harvest is 60% complete.

Travis Gustafson, agronomic service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection in Nebraska, estimated that 10–15% of corn has been harvested.

Agronomists Share Corn Harvest Insights Amid USDA Reporting Pause

The top Senate Republican is privately warning the White House that American farmers — a key GOP constituency — will continue to suffer if the Trump administration doesn’t reopen the flow of certain farm loans amid the government shutdown. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is quietly pressing the administration officials to let farmers continue to access Marketing Assistance Loans, which allow them to meet cash flow needs during harvest season and as they make planting decisions for next year, according to four people with direct knowledge of the conversations, including two Trump officials. 

Politico reports that would also require USDA to reopen thousands of shuttered county Farm Service Agency offices across the country in order to facilitate those loans. So far, administration officials say they have no plans to shift other money around for the agriculture loans like they’ve done with troop pay and other priorities. “We’re working that issue, and I hope to get an answer soon,” Thune said in a brief interview Thursday.&nbsp;

Thune Urges Trump to Open Up Farm Loans

Kansas officials issued a public notice after testing confirmed the invasive Asian longhorned tick was identified in Franklin County and posed an emerging threat to animal and human health. Successful Farming reports this was the first known detection in Kansas of the prolific tick, which afflicts wildlife, pets, and livestock. 

The tick is a hazard for cattle as it infects red and white blood cells and causes weakness, fever, loss of appetite, and even death. The reddish-brown tick is known to carry a variety of pathogens and has proven efficient at establishing populations in new areas due to its ability to reproduce without mating. In Asia, the tick has transmitted a virus causing human hemorrhagic fever. 

“Right now, our concern is mainly for cattle,” said Gregg Hanzlicek, a Kansas State University professor.&nbsp;&nbsp;“But like any tick, people should take precautions: wear long sleeves, use insect repellent, and check for ticks after being in grassy or wooded areas.”

Kansas Health, Agriculture Officials Warn About Presence of Invasive Asian Longhorned Tick

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a bank robbery that that occurred Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City, according to a statement from the FBI.

The masked suspect demanded money from the U.S. Bank branch at 221 W. Gregory Boulevard.&nbsp; &nbsp;The suspect is described as approximately 5-foot-10 with a medium build and was&nbsp; wearing a grey hoodie with a black New Balance jacked and sunglasses over a mask that covered the lower half of his face.

After the robbery, the suspect ran on foot from the bank. There were no injuries reported.

Suspect wearing sunglasses over a mask robbed Kansas City bank

JOHNSON COUNTY, MO. — On Wednesday,&nbsp;the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, in collaboration with Leeton Police Chief Rick Stropes and the Missouri State Fire Marshal's Office, assisted in the investigation of the arson incident at the Leeton United Methodist Church, according to a media release.

During the investigation, authorities identified juveniles as having committed the arson fire. Due to their age, further information regarding their identities cannot be released in compliance with Missouri law governing juvenile information.

This case will be referred to the Johnson County Juvenile Office for appropriate actions.

JOHNSON COUNTY, Missouri- Investigators confirmed that a fire Monday night at the Leeton United Methodist Church was intentionally set, prompting an arson investigation led by the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to a statement from the Johnson County Fire Protection District.

Just after 9p.m. Monday, firefighters from the Johnson County Fire Protection District and the Warrensburg Fire Department, responding through automatic mutual aid for a ladder truck to 106 N. Wall Street in Leeton.

When crews arrived, heavy smoke and flames were visible from inside the 129-year-old church. Firefighters initiated an aggressive interior and exterior attack, bringing the fire under control after nearly three hours.

Despite extensive damage throughout the structure, the church remains standing, and crews were able to save some items from inside.

The Leeton United Methodist Church, built in 1896, has long served as a cornerstone of the Leeton community.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office conducted the initial investigation into the origin and cause of the fire with assistance from the Johnson County Fire Protection District, Leeton Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Johnson County Fire Investigation Unit.

Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set, prompting a formal arson investigation.“

It’s heartbreaking to see a place that has stood for generations be deliberately set on fire,” said JCFPD Captain Joe Jennings. “This church isn’t just a building; it’s part of the history and identity of Leeton.

Seeing it damaged in this way is difficult for the entire community.”Captain Jennings urged anyone with information to come forward.“Someone knows something,” Jennings said. “We’re asking the public to do the right thing and help bring whoever is responsible to justice. No tip is too small.”

Arson: Sheriff reports who started fire at 129-year-old Methodist church

KANSAS CITY —The staff at the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium are mourning the loss of African elephant Lois, who lived at the KCZoo for more than four decades, according to a statement from the zoo.

At 47-years old, Lois was considered a geriatric elephant, so her long life is really a testament to the excellent care of the Zoo’s animal care and veterinary health teams. 

Lois was beloved by Zoo staff and guests, and most easily identified by her pointed left tusk and red hair on top of her head. Lois was born in 1978 and arrived in Kansas City on September 17, 1982, with another African elephant, Lea, who still resides at the Zoo. 

Due to her age, Lois showed signs of degenerative joints and had also ruptured the caudal cruciate ligament (CCL) in one of her hind legs 15 years ago. 

This type of injury would have been fatal in her native range, but the specialized care provided at the Zoo gave her many more years of wellbeing. 

While treating an elephant is complex, Lois responded well to laser therapy, anti-inflammatories, changes to the substrate in the barn stall, and other accommodations to make her comfortable. 

Recently, Lois had been experiencing more challenges with movement, and she did not respond to additional treatment options over the past week. 

The difficult decision to euthanize her was made on October 21 due to diminished quality of life. The care specialists that knew her best described Lois as “a strong-willed girl with an unwavering spirit.”

 They say she was a fiery redhead with a spunky personality who loved snacks and lots of attention. Her favorite game was showering her unsuspecting caregivers with water, soaking them and all their paperwork and supplies. Those early morning showers will be remembered fondly.

With the loss of Lois, the Zoo is home to eight elephants, four of which are considered geriatric. Lady is the oldest African elephant in North America at the age of 57, and Lea, Megan, and Tattoo, are also all 47 years old. Zoe, 40, Christy, 38, Zuri, 15, and Tamani, a 20-year-old male, round out the herd

.Lois was a beloved ambassador for her endangered species and helped to inspire the Zoo’s conservation efforts to save elephants and other wildlife through programs in Zambia and South Africa.  Lois will be dearly missed by all her Zoo family, including staff, volunteers, and guests.

 Kansas City Zoo mourns loss of 47-year-old elephant

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges in connection with the fatal overdose of a teenager in 2023, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2744/Sajdak-Redacted-Complaint">Blake A. Sajdak</a>, 22, faces 2nd Degree Felony Murder and Delivery of a Controlled Substance to a Minor.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2743/Sajdak-Redacted-Probable-Cause-2">According to court records</a>, Independence police responded to an address on a call for medical service on January 10, 2023, and located the juvenile victim. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

The Jackson County Medical Examiner listed her cause of death as acute fentanyl intoxication.&nbsp; During the investigation over the last couple years, detectives identified Sajdak through messages between him and the victim clearly indicating drug transactions.&nbsp;

Based on the messages, the Sajdak delivered narcotics to the victim the day before her death. On the message thread that day, Sajdak said, “these ain’t the regular ones these are stronger…” He is being held on a $200,000/10% bond.&nbsp;

KC fentanyl dealer: These ain’t the regular ones, these are stronger

US strikes two alleged drug boats, expanding attacks to Pacific

The shift is part of a USPS push to cut costs by shifting mail transport from air travel to ground transportation, which has slowed delivery times across America

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

In 2025, almost everyone is online. Overnight shipping, online bill pay and endless streaming services are at our fingertips.

And as technology and society shift to meet those changes, people living in rural Missouri don’t want to be left out of the conversation just because their packages may take more time to arrive.

Under a recent consolidation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/01/ig-regulator-bash-usps-plans-slow-some-mail-delivery/401975/" target="_blank">effort</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Postal Service, though, rural areas farther away from processing hubs are seeing more reductions in service compared to their urban counterparts, even in areas that haven’t technically seen parts of the plan go into effect yet.

“The mail, it’s awful. Sometimes we don’t even get things that were sent to us,” said Leah Lawson, vice president of the Bank of New Madrid in southeast Missouri.

The bank and its customers rely heavily on mail delivery to pay their bills. But more and more people are getting slapped with late fees because their payments don’t make it on time.

“It’s their light bill or water bill, and if it gets lost it doesn’t matter,” said Lawson. “You’re getting a late fee, because they say it’s your responsibility.”

In late July, USPS cut back on services in 540 — nearly half — of Missouri’s ZIP codes by reducing mail collection from morning and evening to morning-only collection.

It’s part of USPS efforts to cut costs under former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s “<a href="https://about.usps.com/what/strategic-plans/delivering-for-america/" target="_blank">Delivering for America</a>” plan, which launched in 2021.

During a June Congressional&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/usps-hearing-delivering-for-america-shipping-changes/752096/" target="_blank">hearing</a>, commercial mailing groups and package shippers pushed for a pause on the plan, citing negative performance impacts and increased costs.

“Some days you don’t get mail,” Lawson said. “It seems like I’ve gone a whole week without getting anything, then get a whole stack of it in one day.”

How Kansas City and St. Louis power mail for all of Missouri&nbsp;

USPS handled over&nbsp;<a href="https://facts.usps.com/table-facts/" target="_blank">112 billion</a>&nbsp;pieces of mail in 2024, down from 154 billion in 2015. In&nbsp;<a href="https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2024/1114-usps-reports-fiscal-year-2024-results.htm#:~:text=Total%20operating%20revenue%20was%20$79.5,Chief%20Financial%20Officer%20Joseph%20Corbett." target="_blank">fiscal year 2024</a>, the Postal Service’s total operating expenses were $89.5 billion, while the agency had a net loss of $9.5 billion.

USPS said that shifting from a focus on air transportation to primarily moving mail across the country on trucks would save the agency money. Pickup schedules started changing in 2023. Since then, the Postal Service has loosened its requirements for mail delivery times and has struggled to meet even those lower benchmarks.

Under the plan, post offices no longer have afternoon mail pickup, which collects mail and moves it to a larger plant in Kansas City or St. Louis for processing. The mail is now collected the next day, including priority mail,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2025-08/25-056-r25.pdf" target="_blank">delaying</a>&nbsp;its entry into processing by a day.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2025-08/25-056-r25.pdf" target="_blank">April</a>, the Postal Service changed its service standards to account for the change, by changing priority mail from a next-day guarantee to a one-to-three-day guarantee.

Even still, the agency has had trouble meeting those standards, said Christopher Shaw, a historian and author on the Postal Service.

“They’re changing the goalposts, but they’re also having trouble meeting the new standards they’ve set,” Shaw said. “There just hasn’t been a track record of success in terms of the results for the American public … or the claimed cost savings to the agency.”

In a statement, the Postal Service said the agency does not expect rural customers in Missouri and Kansas to see service downgrades

“These service standard refinements do not depend on whether an area is urban or rural, but rather a collection point’s distance from an origin (regional processing and distribution center),” regional spokeswoman Tara Jarrett said in an email.

“The changes add one day to the delivery expectation for mail and packages sent from certain ZIP Codes, but they also include improvements to the processing and transportation of mail and packages within our network. For some mail and packages, the changes will shorten expected delivery times by a full day,” she said.

Assessments of the plan by the Postal Regulatory Commission, a federal agency that oversees the Postal Service, found that the agency used&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prc.gov/sites/default/files/Advisory-Opinion.pdf" target="_blank">flawed methods</a>&nbsp;to justify the service changes.

“The Commission finds that the Postal Service’s proposal relies on defective modeling, overly optimistic financial and cost saving projects, and unclear timeframes for the rollout of the changes,” the group wrote in an advisory opinion in January.

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