The St. Joseph Police department is investagting a hit and run incident along Frederic Avenue on Tuesday morning. 

St. Joseph Police report that around 8am on Tuesday, a light colored SUV was seen leaving the parking lot of City Star along Frederick Avenue.  Traffic in the area was backed up at the time, and the vehicle drove between a line of cars in the eastbound lane of Frederick Avenue.

As the SUV exited the parking lot, it struck a second vehicle that was traveling eastbound in the left turn lane at 22nd Street. Following the collision, the SUV continued westbound on Frederick Avenue without stopping.  St. Joseph police are investigating the incident and are seeking witnesses with information. 

If you have any information, please contact the Traffic Office at (816) 596-8206, referencing case number 2025-062746.

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

St. Joseph Police investigating Tuesday morning hit and run incident

Click below to watch. Rep. Graves begins at 21:10 of the conference.

🎥Graves joins House Speaker on impacts of shutdown on air traffic controllers

Since May, food banks across Missouri have experienced severe federal food aid loss due to cuts to USDA programming by the Trump Administration. 

Nearly 1.6 million pounds have been lost from programs that buy food from farmers, such as chicken, eggs, pork, and gallons of milk.   

Second Harvest Community Food Bank CEO Chad Higdon says the food bank has seen these losses even as demand has risen. 

"Our pantries that we work with throughout the 18 counties in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas that are calling and asking if there’s any kind of additional food available or support that we can provide,” Higdon tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “And families that are calling, with the shutdown looming both Missouri and Kansas have now kind of indicated that if the shutdown goes on past November 1st that SNAP benefits will be paused.” 

Second Harvest is planning as best it can to help offset the losses even as demand increases. 

Higdon says while the cuts and changes are having an effect on the food bank, it's really the families that rely on the programs that are going to feel it more than anyone else 

"We’re proud of being able to distribute six to seven million pounds of food every year at Second Harvest, but the reality for every one meal that a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides nine meals,” Higdon explains.  “So, there’s no way for us to pick up that kind of gap, so we’re watching this as close as anybody.” 

Higdon says several families have called asking for assistance across the 18 counties the food bank serves in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. 

Higdon says he's been with Second Harvest for just over a decade and has seen circumstances change numerous times, but no matter the circumstance, the food bank still strives to help. 

"We’re working now to see what we can do and how responsive we can be and going to share some of that information with our coordinators at a lot of the area pantries and some of those kinds of those things,” Higdon says.  “But we’re monitoring this and going to do the best we can to just respond and be there for families that need us.” 

Higdon says now would be a critical time to reach out to Second Harvest, or your local food pantry, to see how you can help provide for local families. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

Second Harvest Community Food Bank seeing demands at record highs

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

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

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. 

Christmas spirit takes over the Albrecht Kemper during annual Sugarplum Festival

December corn closed up 5 cents and March corn was up 5 1/2 cents. November soybeans closed up 10 cents and January soybeans were up 12 cents. December KC wheat closed up 11 1/2 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 9 1/4 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was up 10 1/4 cents.

Corn, soybean, and wheat markets all enjoyed higher sessions for Thursday, with the wheat market taking a rare position as the daily leader, as sub-$5.00 prices for nearby Kansas City futures may finally be incentivizing some short covering amongst traders. Meanwhile, U.S. and Chinese officials are set to meet in Malaysia this weekend to hopefully set the stage for the long-anticipated meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi at the end of the month. Outside markets for Thursday were very supportive of Ag futures, especially from an energies standpoint, with crude oil futures launching higher on fresh U.S. sanctions against Russia's biggest oil producers.

Now that the live cattle industry has had time to see and absorb Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins plan to revitalize the U.S. beef herd, the market was back to trading higher as traders and industry experts saw no real issue with the proposal. There are some bids beginning to hit the market as packers have offered $238 live in Nebraska and $370 dressed in Nebraska. But at this time, no major sales have been reported. Asking prices are still not established in the North but are now listed in the South at $243 plus. Packer interest could improve later this afternoon, but it's most likely that trade is delayed until Friday as feedlot managers are going to try to see prices trade higher again this week.

The feeder cattle complex is still trading sorely lower, as it remains uneasy with the cattle complex being a hot ticket item this week for the President. The spot November contract is nearing the market's 40-day moving average, which would be a bad threshold to cross for the market as it could signal more downward pressure.

With pork cutout values lower again today, it comes as no real surprise that the lean hog complex is trading lower yet again. Unfortunately, it's most likely that the market will continue to trade sideways/somewhat lower throughout the remainder of the week as support is expected to significantly change ahead of the week's end.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/23135446/web-closing-markets-1.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

For the past year, the drumbeat across cattle country has been lower herd numbers, market fluctuations and rising input costs. Total beef supply tightened by 3% and beef retail prices climbed to an average of $8 per pound. Yet consumer demand for beef surged to a 40-year high. Despite the challenges, Certified Angus Beef (CAB) sales reached 1.235 billion pounds globally, marking it one of the brand’s strongest years in history. 

“The brand’s success this year is the direct result of the hard work and innovation across our entire beef community,” says John Stika, CAB president. “It’s their intentional efforts to win with Certified Angus Beef year in and year out that have allowed this brand to thrive over 47 years.” This year marks the brand’s third-best year, with a record-setting month in November and the brand’s all-time best sales month in March. April and May followed with strength heading into grilling season, landing in the brand’s top 10 for monthly sales.

Despite challenges, beef demand at 40-Year high

The American Petroleum Institute (API) on Tuesday urged congressional leadership to adopt a more balanced and up-to-date approach to E15 legislation, warning the current proposal no longer reflects today's fuel market realities. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, API President and CEO Mike Sommers said sweeping changes to federal biofuel policy, state volatility mandates, and market conditions have upended the fuels landscape, prompting API to oppose the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 in its current form. 

The letter details how recent changes to federal tax rules, EPA decisions, and state-level policy reversals have imposed new costs on refiners and disrupted the fuels marketplace. Sommers urged lawmakers to pursue a holistic and balanced approach to E15 that supports consumer choice while maintaining reliable, affordable fuel supply. 

API calls for balanced E15 policy amid shifting market realities

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>

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>

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest following a pursuit.

Just before 10:30p.m.&nbsp;October 20, sheriff's deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle near Main and Liberty Street in Cherryvale, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

The vehicle did not display a visible rear license plate. The driver failed to stop, and a short vehicle pursuit ensued. The vehicle eventually came to a stop at a residence in the 200 block of Neosho Street in Cherryvale. 

Deputies made contact with the driver, later identified as Jacob Hamilton, of Cherryvale, Kansas. Hamilton resisted arrest but was quickly taken into custody without further incident. He was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. During the investigation, deputies determined that Hamilton had discarded approximately 48 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle during the pursuit. 

A loaded firearm was also located inside the vehicle. Deputies developed probable cause and obtained a narcotics search warrant for Hamilton’s residence. With the assistance of the Cherryvale Police Department, deputies executed the search warrant and located additional drug paraphernalia, evidence indicating narcotics had been destroyed, and multiple stolen items linked to thefts in Cherryvale, Coffeyville, Labette County, Wilson County, and Neosho County.

Hamilton was booked into the Montgomery County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine,&nbsp; Possession of drug paraphernalia, Interference with law enforcement, Fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement, Transporting an open container, Failure to use a turn signal, No vehicle registration and No vehicle insurance.

Kan. man accused of throwing meth from vehicle during chase

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

As Missouri lawmakers consider&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/21/missouri-house-committee-eyes-plan-to-silo-property-classes-for-taxation/">changes to property taxes</a>&nbsp;and look ahead to an election-year session where they again are likely to debate&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/27/bill-to-end-missouri-sales-tax-on-groceries-draws-resistance-from-local-agencies/">eliminating the sales tax</a>&nbsp;on groceries, they face the unanswered question of whether the constitution allows them to take away a source of local revenue.

Two southeast Missouri counties are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=25AC-CC07837&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0004_CT19&amp;inputVO.isTicket=false#header" target="_blank">asking the courts</a>&nbsp;to answer that question after losing one-fifth of their sales tax revenue because of an exemption enacted in 2021. In a bill designed to capture&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/21info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=54245348" target="_blank">sales tax from online purchases</a>, the legislature expanded an exemption for mines and factories, first enacted in 2007, for utilities and equipment purchases.

Ste. Genevieve County, which has five voter-approved sales taxes, saw its total revenue from the levies decline from $6.1 million in 2022, the last full year without the exemption, to $4.8 million in 2024. Iron County, which has a single half-cent sales tax for general revenue, saw a revenue decline 20%, to $1.1 million from $1.35 million.

In a case filed last week in Cole County, Ste. Genevieve and Iron counties accuse lawmakers of violating the Missouri Constitution by taking away revenue required for bond payments, reducing the funds available for state-mandated functions and adding excessive new tax burdens on Missourians without a statewide vote.

“If you look at the 115 counties in Missouri, there’s probably several other counties in a similar boat here,” attorney Stephen Jeffrey, who is representing the counties, said in an interview with The Independent.

There are no large retailers in Ste. Genevieve County, Presiding Commissioner Randy Ruzicka said. The county of about 18,500 people has sand and gravel mining. Not only did the exemption mean the county lost sales tax on utilities used in the operations, the companies no&nbsp; longer pay sales tax on equipment and maintenance supplies purchased locally.

Ste. Genevieve County is paying for a water park and community center financed by a $10 million bond issue in 2018. The revenue loss from the exemption means the tax dedicated to bond payments is $300,000 to $400,000 short of the funds needed to meet the debt service, Ruzicka said.

So far, he said, the payments have been made by tapping reserves. That can’t continue, he said.

“If every year you have to pull money out of what you have put aside, there comes that point where you don’t have any more money,” Ruzicka said.

It will likely be many months before the lawsuit comes to a resolution, so lawmakers will meet next year with the questions it raises pending.&nbsp;

“This would have an implication if the legislature tries to get rid of the local tax on food,” said Elias Tsapelas, director of state budget and fiscal policy for the Show-Me Institute, a conservative think tank. “Just more broadly, in the discussion of what to do with Missouri’s tax policy, I think it’s pretty big.”

In 2018, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/17-494_j4el.pdf" target="_blank">U.S. Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;that states could require residents to pay sales tax on purchases shipped to them from retailers outside the state. The decision reversed earlier precedents that determined a retailer had to have a physical presence within a state before it had to collect tax on retail sales.

The decision required each state to add language to its sales tax law to capture the revenue. Missouri was the last state to do so when the 2021 bill passed. Under the bill, Missourians who make online or catalog purchases must pay the state tax of 4.225%, while local governments were required to ask voters if they wanted to extend the sales tax to those goods.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://senate.mo.gov/FiscalNotes/2021-1/0752S.01I.ORG.pdf" target="_blank">fiscal note</a>, the legislature’s official estimate of each bill’s financial impact, pegged the additional state revenue from online sales at $111 million to $170 million annually, with local revenue expected to grow by $41 million to $62 million if enacted in every taxing jurisdiction.

As part of the deal to capture the new revenue, business lobbyists convinced lawmakers that they also had to extend every exemption from state sales tax to local sales taxes to simplify collections.

“One of the key parts of the United States Supreme Court decision in the Wayfair case was the fact that they have made it simple for businesses to comply,” said Ray McCarty, executive director of Associated Industries of Missouri.

That means local governments cannot tax anything that is not taxed at the state level, McCarty said.

The sales tax on food is an example. While the state does not impose the 3% general revenue sales tax on grocery purchases, it does collect a 1.225% tax — earmarked money for schools, conservation, state parks and soil conservation.

The 2021 bill did not have to include an exemption for food sales, McCarty said, because the state taxes it even if it is not the full tax imposed on other goods.

“You can imagine the complexity if you have different sales tax bases for state and local governments,” McCarty said. “If you’re not located in the state of Missouri, then you could have issues with that.”

Along with the exemption for purchases by manufacturers and mining companies, the bill enacting the online tax for Missouri extended state exemptions for purchases by broadcasters, defense contractors and commercial laundries to local sales taxes.

The Wayfair decision did not require any state to change how it levied sales tax or to make exemptions uniform, Jeffrey said.&nbsp;

“I have read the Wayfair decision on more than one occasion, and nowhere in the language, in that opinion, does it say a state must do this,” he said. “There is never this requirement that you have to do it this way.”

The case filed by Ste. Genevieve and Iron counties alleges three violations of the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=X++++16&amp;bid=32052&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">Hancock Amendment</a>, the tax limitation provisions added to the Missouri Constitution in 1980.

Those provisions are the guarantee that local governments will be able to impose the taxes necessary to pay voter-approved bond debt, that the state cannot reduce its support for any state-financed service or activity and that the state enacted revenue increases that exceed the limits.

The lawsuit asks the courts to order lawmakers to make appropriations to replace the lost revenue and declare the legislation void, restoring the taxes.

The Hancock Amendment bars the legislature from imposing any new duties on local governments without an appropriation to pay the costs. But that hasn’t stopped lawmakers from doing so, said Jim Scaggs, presiding commissioner of Iron County.

The lawsuit lists some of those new duties without state support as “increasing compensation and training for officials, mandating law enforcement disciplinary proceedings, mandating assessment maintenance, and mandating administration of a new senior citizens property tax program.”

Any individual item “has not been that costly, but when we add them all together, the cost is pretty substantial,” Scaggs said.

At the same time that lawmakers are adding costs and taking away revenue, Scaggs and Ruzicka said, their small counties are losing businesses.

“My stores have closed down because they can’t compete with the big box stores,” Scaggs said. “So we just keep losing and losing.”

Ste. Genevieve, which once had three auto dealerships, lost its final one last year, Ruzicka said.

And neither has a marijuana dispensary, a substantial source of new revenue in many other locations, they said. Marijuana dispensaries pay regular sales taxes and a special tax just for pot sales.

Marijuana revenue, plus successful use tax elections, has spared some counties the pain as mining and manufacturing revenue is removed, Ruzicka said.

“A lot of other counties have, like our neighbors to the south Perryville, tons of retail,” he said. “They also have dispensaries, and there’s a 3% tax on dispensary stuff, so it has sort of papered over the problem for them.”

The lawsuit’s accusation that lawmakers exceeded their authority for increased taxes and fees is based on two bills, the Wayfair fix and an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/10/02/motorists-give-mixed-reaction-to-refund-plan-for-missouri-fuel-tax-hike/">increase to the state gas tax</a>, also passed in 2021.

The constitutional limit for new taxes and fees in fiscal 2022 was $111.8 million, according&nbsp;<a href="https://auditor.mo.gov/AuditReport/CitzSummary?id=932" target="_blank">to the 2023</a>&nbsp;annual Hancock Amendment review from the state auditor. The allowable new revenue for fiscal 2024, according to a review&nbsp;<a href="https://auditor.mo.gov/AuditReport/CitzSummary?id=1038" target="_blank">issued earlier this year</a>, was $144 million.

The Wayfair revenue was about equal to the allowable revenue, the lawsuit states, and the gas tax — 12.5 cents per gallon, phased in over five years — pushed the total of new taxes above the limit.

Local governments will be watching the lawsuit, said Steve Hobbs, executive director of the Missouri Association of Counties, because the Wayfair bill represents a shift in how lawmakers interact with local governments.&nbsp;

In the past, large sales tax exemptions excluded local governments or gave them an option on whether to participate, such as on back-to-school tax holidays.

“Now we’re seeing a trend at the state level where they’re saying, ‘No, voluntarily is not enough, we’re going to tell you that you’re going to roll this revenue stream back, even though the local citizens have voted on it,’” he said. “That’s the biggest discussion we’re having in the General Assembly and in the state right now.”

The lawsuit was a last resort, Scaggs said.

If Iron County voters approved a use tax, it would about make up the shortfall, he said. But that represents a shift of the tax burden from businesses to individuals that he opposes, he said.

“This is not something I want to be involved in,” Scaggs said. “This is not good government, in my mind. But at the same time, we can’t continue to go down this road where these small, third class counties will not have enough revenue to support themselves.”

The biggest sales tax exemption on the books at the state level that is not allowed at the local level is for food sales in grocery stores. Enacted in 1999 when state revenues were exceeding the Hancock Amendment allowance, it removed the 3% general revenue portion of the tax.

The state continues to charge 1.225%, with 1% dedicated to public schools and the remainder for conservation, state parks and soil conservation. Local taxes are also charged at the grocery check-out.

Expanding the exemption would reduce funding available for schools by about $200 million annually. The loss to local governments, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://senate.mo.gov/FiscalNotes/2025-1/0134S.02I.ORG.pdf" target="_blank">a fiscal note</a>&nbsp;for a bill filed in this year’s session, would be about $850 million.

A loss like that would be devastating to local governments, Hobbs said.&nbsp;

“I am starting to wonder if the state believes that we actually need local services, like firefighters, ambulance districts, libraries, levy districts and special road districts,” Hobbs said.

Every attempt to expand the general revenue exemption to local taxes has been met with stiff resistance. It helps that there is unity among local governments large and small to lobby to protect that revenue, Ruzicka said.

“That helps us, because they generally have the ear of the powers that be,” he said. “The small counties, it is kind of like, they nod and say whatever, and then it’s like, ‘just go away.’”

Legislative committees in both chambers are studying property taxes. The goal is to write legislation that can be enacted next year to make tax bills more predictable.

There are some conservatives who have pushed to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/07/23/bill-eigel-missouri-governor-immigration-budget-taxes/">eliminate personal property taxes</a>&nbsp;— the tax on vehicles and other high-value goods that are not real estate. That would eliminate about 20% of the statewide property tax base.

Tax rates on other property would have to rise or local governments would have to do without the revenue if that is included in the final bill.

“It’s going to get to the point where these counties are not going to be able to pave their roads or provide the services for their people,” Ruzicka said.

The lawsuit over legislative powers to change taxes in ways that reduce revenue is flawed, McCarty said, because the taxes were created by the General Assembly and can be changed by it.

“I do believe that the state has the ability to control what is included in the sales tax base, and the local ability to tax flows from the state,” McCarty said.

The lawsuit, if it survives a motion for dismissal, could set a firm boundary for the legislature and how far its powers extend over local revenue.

“Well,” Hobbs said, “it’s about time.”

Loss of sales tax revenue spurs lawsuit by two Missouri counties 

On Thursday, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging six defendants — Eric Earnest, also known as “Spook,” Marves Fairley, also known as “Vez,” “Vezino,” and “Vezino Locks”, Shane Hennen, also known as “Sugar,” Damon Jones, also known as “D Jones,” and “Dee Jones,” Deniro Laster, also known as “Niro,” “Payso,” and “Peso,” and Terry Rozier, also known as “Scary Terry” and “Chum” — with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for their alleged roles in a scheme to use inside information from National Basketball Association (NBA) players and coaches to profit from illegal betting activity, according to the United State's Attorney.

The defendants, who are located across the country, will be arraigned at a future date in the Eastern District of New York.

Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Kash Patel, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI, New York Field Office; and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges.

“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, using private locker room and medical information to enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.&nbsp;“This was a sophisticated conspiracy involving athletes, coaches, and intermediaries who exploited confidential information for profit.&nbsp; Insider betting schemes erode the integrity of American sports, and this Office will continue in its strong tradition of holding accountable anyone who seeks to corrupt sports through illegal means.”

Mr. Nocella thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office for their invaluable assistance in the investigation.

“Today the FBI arrested six people, including current and former NBA players, for their alleged role in illegal sports betting and money laundering conspiracy – the result of a sweeping investigation conducted by outstanding FBI professionals and partners. Using private information and positions of power to rig sports gambling outcomes is not only illegal, but destroys the integrity of the game and will never be tolerated. We will continue following the money to ensure gambling operations of all kinds stay within the law and bring to justice those who take advantage of innocent victims,” stated FBI Director Patel.

“Former and current NBA players and coaches, including Terry Rozier, Damon Jones and additional co-conspirators, allegedly informed the defendants and others of confidential information relating to upcoming NBA games and player performances, such as pre-release medical information and a player’s intention to alter their upcoming game performance, which favored certain bettors within their inner social circle,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.&nbsp; “This alleged collusion resulted in the defendants secretly pocketing their lavish winnings and corrupting NBA games. The FBI will never turn a blind eye to any insider betting scheme within sporting industries – regardless of title or professional affiliation – to protect its integrity and afford all participants a fair chance to win big.

“Rigging a professional basketball game for personal profit is as immoral as it is illegal,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.&nbsp; “This investigation exposed a gambling ring built around the NBA, where players and associates allegedly used inside information and even faked injuries to fraudulently manipulate bets on games.&nbsp; The fact that some players altered their performance or took themselves out of games to ensure these bets paid out is an offense to every player and fan. Thanks to the incredible work of the NYPD detectives and our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, this illegal sports betting operation has been benched for good.”

As set forth in the indictment, between December 2022 and March 2024, the defendants and their associates obtained and misused non-public information about upcoming NBA games to place fraudulent sports wagers for profit and then laundered the proceeds.

The conspirators allegedly obtained insider information from several NBA players and coaches, including Rozier and Jones, and distributed that information through a network of bettors.&nbsp; These bettors placed wagers through online sportsbooks and retail betting outlets, falsely representing that their wagers complied with the betting companies’ rules—which included, as relevant here, not betting on non-public information or using straw bettors—while concealing that their wagers were based on confidential team information.&nbsp; Some of the co-conspirators’ activities alleged in the indictment are described below:&nbsp;March 23, 2023 – Charlotte Hornets Game

As alleged, Rozier, then an active player for the Hornets, tipped off longtime friend Laster that Rozier planned to leave the game early due to a purported injury.&nbsp;Rozier provided this information to Laster for the purpose of enabling Laster to place wagers based on this information.&nbsp; Laster, Fairley, and Hennen, among others, used that confidential information to place and direct more than $200,000 in wagers predicting Rozier’s “under” statistics (i.e., that Rozier would underperform).&nbsp; Rozier exited the game after nine minutes, and many of the bets paid off, generating tens of thousands of dollars in profits.&nbsp; Laster collected the cash and drove through the night to Rozier’s house, where together they counted the profits together.

March 24, 2023 – Portland Trail Blazers Game

As alleged, Earnest received, and then passed on, insider information from a longtime friend, an NBA coach at the time, that several of the Blazers’ top players would sit out a game against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp; Before that information became public, Fairley and his associates wagered over $100,000 against the Blazers. When the lineup change was later confirmed, betting lines shifted dramatically and the group’s early bets yielded major winnings.

As alleged, Fairley profited from a tip obtained through an inside connection to a then Orlando Magic player.&nbsp; A co-conspirator leveraged a relationship with the Magic player to learn that several of the team’s top players would sit out a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers—information that had not yet been made public.&nbsp; The co-conspirator relayed the tip to Fairley, who placed an approximately $11,000 bet that the Cavaliers would outperform the point spread.&nbsp; When the lineup change was later confirmed and the Cavaliers went on to beat the Magic by 24 points, Fairley and the co-conspirator pocketed the winnings.

February 9, 2023 and January 15, 2024 – Los Angeles Lakers Games

As alleged, former NBA player and coach Jones shared and sold insider information on numerous occasions about undisclosed information relating to NBA games, such as lineup decisions and pre-release medical information, to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips.&nbsp; For example, on February 9, 2023 and January 15, 2024, respectively, Jones provided insider information to co-conspirators about pre-release medical information concerning star players on the Los Angeles Lakers for the purpose of enabling the co-conspirators to place wagers based on this information.

January 26, 2024 and March 20, 2024 – Toronto Raptors Games

As alleged, Jontay Porter, who was then an NBA player with the Toronto Raptors, informed co-conspirator Long Phi Pham and others that he would prematurely exit the games he was scheduled to play on January 26, 2024 and March 20, 2024,&nbsp;due to purported injuries.&nbsp; Porter agreed to exit the games early so that Pham and others could place bets on this non-public information.&nbsp; Pham, in turn, provided this information to Hennen, who also provided the information to Fairley.&nbsp; Subsequently, Hennen placed bets on Porter’s unders, or underperformance, in connection with the games through a network of straw bettors.&nbsp; When Porter exited both games early, numerous of the fraudulent wagers were successful.

Porter and Pham, among others, have previously pleaded guilty in connection with their participation in the scheme related to these two games.

ERIC EARNEST (also known as “Spook”)Age: 35Missouri

MARVES FAIRLEY (also known as “Vez,” “Vezino,” and “Vezino Locks”)Age: 33Mississippi

SHANE HENNEN (also known as “Sugar”)Age: 31NevadaDAMON JONES (also known as “D Jones” and “Dee Jones”)Age: 49California

DENIRO LASTER (also known as “Niro,” “Payso,” and “Peso”)Age: 30Ohio

TERRY ROZIER (also known as “Scary Terry” and “Chum”)Age: 31Florida

🎥Current and former players arrested in NBA, Mafia-linked gambling scandal

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Jorden Wynn, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 3a.m. Sunday police&nbsp;in the area of Westport and Mill Street in Kansas City, Missoui when they heard the sound of gunfire to the north of that intersection, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Officers immediately responded to the area to investigate and located a Wynn unresponsive to the north and west of Westport and Mill in the restaurant parking lot.

Officers rendered aid and called for EMS. EMS transported him to the hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

Preliminary indication Wynn was at the location in the business parking lot when he had an interaction with one or more suspect(s) that led to gunfire and he was struck. Police released no additional details.

Police ID victim killed in KC restaurant parking lot

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hawley-vows-hold-democrats-feet-fire-new-government-shutdown-funding-bills">introduced</a>&nbsp;two bills to reinstate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and critical farm programs during the government shutdown, according to a statement from his office.

“Since the Democrats refuse to fund the government, I’m introducing legislation to reinstate food stamps and farm programs immediately,”&nbsp;said Senator Hawley.“Missourians shouldn’t go hungry because of the Left’s incompetence. Our kids deserve to eat.”

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