By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

Eastern Kansas
Congressman Derek Schmidt hopes the country learns something in the wake of the
tragic death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kirk was shot and
killed while taking questions from students at Utah Valley University September
10th.

Schmidt, a
Republican, says he didn’t know Kirk personally, but had followed his work.

“Look, here’s the
bottom line, we all say that we want people who are willing to sit down and debate
with and try to persuade people who have a very different view from them. That’s
the way our self-governing system is supposed to work and that’s what Charlie Kirk
did,” Schmidt tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.&nbsp;
“Some people really didn’t like or they really did like it, but at the
end of the day he went and sat down and debated with people who had a different
world view and tried to persuade them and often did. And I think we ought to
celebrate that. It’s the way the system is supposed to work.”

Suspect Tyler
Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder and could face the death
penalty.

Schmidt says this
goes beyond the murder of one young man.

“So, when he was assassinated,
when he was murdered, you know it was an assault not just on one young man, it
was also an assault on the idea that we want this country to work in a
non-violent way, where instead there’s a clash of ideas and not a clash of
bullets,” according to Schmidt.

Schmidt hopes the
country grows from this tragedy.

“I hope it’s been
a wakeup call for a lot of people,” Schmidt says. “It’s always easier to sort
of default to the name calling and the exaggeration. It’s harder to have a thoughtful
discussion about issues you disagree on, but that’s what the country requires. It’s
what the people expect. And I hope it’s what’s going to come out of this
terrible, terrible crime.”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Congressman Schmidt hopes country learns from Kirk tragedy

DEKALB COUNTY—A Missouri man died in an accident just after 9a.m. Wednesday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported an all- electric three wheeled VanderHall Santa Rosa driven by a 28-year-old Cameron man was eastbound on U.S. 36 one mile west of Cameron. The driver lost control of the vehicle. It began to skid, traveled off the south side of the road, overturned and the driver was ejected.

Cameron EMS transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man dies after ejected when electric vehicle overturns

&nbsp;BROWN COUNTY —&nbsp;On Wednesday, the Brown County Sheriff's office took several reports from farmers who were concerned about suspicious vehicles lurking around their fields recently, according to a statement from Sheriff John Merchant.

 A dark colored SUV and a Maroon colored pickup have been reported pulling in to fields where harvest is taking place and when farmers notice this, the vehicles leave in a hurry.&nbsp; Another report of a lighter colored passenger car with Missouri plates was notice driving around the fields repeatedly. 

Most of this activity has been in the northern part of Brown County. Deputies and other law enforcement agencies have been notified of this and will be providing extra patrol, according to Merchant.

We are alerting farmers so they can take extra precautions when changing fields or leaving vehicles or equipment unattended or with keys left in the ignition. 

No theft have been reported , only suspicious activity. "Unfortunately, this time of year we have unscrupulous individuals who are always looking for an opportunity to steal from others instead of working an honest job," Merchant wrote. We are asking that if anyone notices anything suspicious or unusual to contact the Sheriff's Office at once at 785-742-7125 or 911 ifan emergency exists.

Sheriff investigating suspicious activity near harvest fields

Mizzou Tiger Football is in action against Alabama Saturday October 11th in Columbia, MO. Enter to win a pair of tickets to the game before Wednesday October 8th at 9:27 pm. If you are planning on sports betting in Missouri soon. Check out the special offer – Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now to grab $300 in bonus bets with just a five dollar bet when it goes live December 1st. Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred GAMBLER. Twenty one plus. Physically present in Missouri. Eligibility restrictions apply. Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance. Excludes customers who redeem prelaunch sign-up offer. Terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos.

Enter To Win A Pair Of MU vs. Alabama Tickets

The St. Joseph Sports Commission is celebrating another successful marathon.

Director Brett Esely says he determines the success of an event on how participants felt and says he received several positive comments from attendees on Saturday.  

Esely says it was another record year for attendance in the marathon 

"We ended up with 635 folks that registered for the event, and that included roughly 100 marathoners, 210 half marathoners, we had a record number of 10kers this year with over 150, roughly 150 5kers, and then a handful of virtual participants as well,” Esely tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “So that’s up slightly from last year, each year that registration number continues to climb.” 

Esely says the hope though is the event will continue to grow, with hopes of one day having over 1,000 runners participating in the race 

"But for us to get there we’ve got to find a way to get at least 350 more folks registered for a race, is it possible, yes, is there a magic potion for that, no, I think there’s a number of different ways we can do that,” Esely explains.  “I think a great goal for us moving forward is to find another race that wants to partner with us in marketing, you see that a lot in series racing, whether that be in locales that are close together or locales that have similar themes for their race.” 

Esely says finding a race to partner up with, providing incentives to participate in both races, could draw more runners looking for things like that to St. Joseph for the marathon.  

Runners from 20 states and two countries participated in the St. Joseph Marathon on Saturday, some qualifying for a spot in the Boston Marathon. 

Esely says there are several factors to consider qualifying for the Boston Marathon, such as age and gender.  

"Our winner of the marathon on the men’s side, and our overall winner, William Henry actually was the winner in our inaugural year, so pretty cool that he came back and ran the race two years later,” Esely says.  “He ran in two hours and forty-five minutes, which that is definitely a Boston qualifying time for somebody his age, so definitely one for sure.” 

Esely reports overall from the marathon there were seven total qualifiers for the Boston Marathon, with four women qualifying and three men. 

The Boston Marathon will be held in April next year.

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

St. Joseph Marathon succesful again, but still room for growth

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

Missouri Western
State University’s first president, Marvin O. Looney, has died.

Missouri Western
reports Looney died September 29th in Mountain Home, Arkansas. He
was 97.

“There are few
figures, if any, more vital than Dr. Looney to the development of Missouri
Western State University,” Missouri Western President, Elizabeth Kennedy, the
University’s fifth president said in a written statement released by the
university. “When he arrived in St. Joseph, a four-year regional university was
little more than a dream. He gave that dream shape and substance, inspiring
faculty, staff, students and the community to build MoWest into the vibrant
university it remains today.”

Looney grew up in
southwest Missouri and graduated from what then was Southwest Missouri State
University in Springfield. He served in the Navy during World War II and began
teaching and coaching at his alma mater, Gainesville High School.

Looney earned his
Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas in 1961 and after stops at the University
of Central Missouri, Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, Michigan, and
Mahoning Community College. Looney became president of Missouri Western Junior
College in 1967, two years before the college became a four-year institution
and moved to its current campus.

Looney establish
Missouri Western as a four-year institution and saw it through accreditation.
He oversaw construction of buildings on the St. Joseph campus. The M.O. Looney
Fieldhouse bears his name.

He and his
family–wife Dorsey and sons Doug, Bill and Chris–lived in the President’s House
on campus until it was destroyed by fire on New Year’s Eve, 1981.

“We can say with
certainty that he has been a good leader,” wrote Dr. Frances Flanagan in her
history of the college. “If we recall the struggling–no, staggering–junior
college in which Dr. Looney began his presidency and contrast that institution
with the energetic and assured college in which he will end his presidential
odyssey, we will see what he has accomplished.” 

Mooney retired
from MWSU in 1983, but returned to the workforce to lead the University of
Alaska Anchorage, then served eight years as chancellor of Missouri State
University-West Plains. He lived in Pontiac, Missouri.

MWSU 1st President, Marvin O. Looney, dies at age 97

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

Legislators upset that a bill they oppose becomes law don’t have a right to sue over it, attorneys defending the special session measure that provides&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-governor-signs-kansas-city-stadium-funding-st-louis-disaster-aid/">state support to professional sports stadiums</a>&nbsp;said in court on Tuesday.

“It’s not recognized in the state of Missouri that a legislator can come to the court simply because they don’t like a vote that was taken… the court system would be flooded,” Marc Ellinger, an attorney representing the Missouri General Assembly, argued in Cole County Circuit Court.

Ellinger was joined by assistant attorney general Sean McDowell in arguments seeking to dismiss the lawsuit filed in July by state Sen. Mike Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, and state Rep. Bryant Wolfin, a Republican from Ste. Genevieve and conservative activist Ron Calzone.

Moon and the other plaintiffs want to throw out the entire legislative package, which includes tax credits for home repairs after natural disasters this year and property-tax restrictions for some counties.

The law, they say, goes beyond the bill’s original subject and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-legislators-file-lawsuit-claiming-stadium-funding-for-chiefs-royals-is-unconstitutional/">provides unconstitutional aid</a>&nbsp;to private interests. But if the state’s motion to dismiss is approved, they won’t get to argue these points in court.

Ellinger and McDowell argued the case can’t move forward, saying plaintiffs lack taxpayer standing and dismissing the idea of “legislative standing.”

“I don’t think there’s any standing for specific legislators to bring a case as the plaintiffs have,” McDowell said.

Taxpayer standing requires a direct expenditure and because the bill operates through tax credits and is “subject to appropriation,” there is no direct cost to the taxpayer, he argued.

Attorney Bevis Schock, who is representing the law’s challengers, said there are up-front costs to the bill such as an estimated $10,000 expense to create the tax-credit application.

“If these plaintiffs have no standing and we throw this case in the trash, we might as well pitch the constitution in there with it,” he wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Memo%20in%20Opposition%20to%20Defendants%20Motion%20to%20Dismiss.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3667593" target="_blank">in a pre-hearing filing</a>.

The purpose of the lawsuit, Schock said in court on Tuesday, is to challenge bills with multiple subjects.

“The problem is.. the voter can’t tell what item the legislator is for or against,” he said. “That is why we are bringing the case.”

If they lose in circuit court, Schock said, he will appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court.

Missouri AG, General Assembly seek to dismiss lawsuit against stadium funding bill

Jefferson City&nbsp;—&nbsp;Governor Mike Kehoe announced Tuesday that he has authorized the Missouri National Guard (MONG) to assist with administrative, clerical, and logistical duties at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facilities within the State of Missouri, according to a media release from the governor's office.

 This decision comes in response to a request for assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the Department of War (DOW) to ensure the resources and personnel needed to effectively enforce immigration laws and maintain operational control of the border.

Missouri National Guard service members will provide support starting October 1, 2025, by assisting with tasks such as data entry, case management, and logistical support, enabling ICE personnel to focus on core enforcement and security functions. MONG personnel who have been assigned to this mission were selected on a volunteer basis.

“Public safety, keeping Missourians safe, and upholding the rule of law is our administration's top priority,” said&nbsp;Governor Kehoe. “The Missouri National Guard is uniquely equipped to provide this essential administrative support, and we are confident their contributions will be invaluable to immigration enforcement efforts. Missouri is proud to join in the Trump administration's efforts to keep our state and nation secure.”

On July 25, 2025, the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth approved the duty status of DOW military personnel providing support at ICE processing facilities allowing for Title 32 duty status, which is a federally funded status under authority of the Governor. The Missouri National Guard regularly works alongside local, state, and federal agencies in support roles to ensure the safety and security of communities.

Military personnel are authorized to be on duty for this mission through September 30, 2026.

Gov. Kehoe authorizes Missouri National Guard to assist in ICE enforcement

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins must try again to write ballot language for a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban most abortions, a Cole County judge ruled Tuesday.

Circuit Judge Daniel Green, in his second ruling on the ballot description of the measure proposed by lawmakers, said that Hoskins got most of the language right.

But Hoskins’ language on the portion that will be the issue the question turns on — repealing the abortion rights protections approved by voters last year —&nbsp; is “insufficient and unfair” and must be revised, Green ruled.

Hoskins rewrote the ballot language&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-republicans-shut-down-senate-debate-to-pass-abortion-ban-repeal-sick-leave-law/">prepared by Republican lawmakers</a>&nbsp;after Green ruled it, also, did not alert voters that<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-orders-revisions-to-ballot-language-for-missouri-abortion-ban-proposal/">&nbsp;it would repeal the voter-approved amendment.</a>

The measure would repeal the citizen-led initiative passed in 2024 that made Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">the first state to overturn an abortion ban</a>&nbsp;by guaranteeing the constitutional right to abortion up to the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Green ruled that Hoskins also missed the mark by failing to inform voters of the repeal, taking issue with just one bullet point in Hoskins’ summary that reads:&nbsp;

“Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:&nbsp;&nbsp;

This summary “fails to adequately alert voters that the proposed constitutional amendment would abrogate&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?constit=y&amp;section=I%20%2036" target="_blank">Article 1, Section 36 of the Missouri Constitution,</a>&nbsp;which voters recently approved,” Green wrote.&nbsp;

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s Office in briefings submitted Monday said Hoskins’ latest language was sufficient because it stated the new amendment would cause a “modification” of state statute and that repeal language would be inaccurate because the new amendment “does not abolish all the constitutional rights first enshrined in Article I, section 36,” including the right to miscarriage care.

For example, the attorney general wrote, the new amendment “recognizes a right to abortion in some cases, and such a right was unprecedented in the Missouri Constitution before the voters enacted Article I, section 36 in 2024.”&nbsp;

Prior to the passage of the abortion rights amendment, nearly all abortions were illegal in Missouri, with limited exceptions for medical emergencies.

Attorneys with The ACLU of Missouri and Stinson Law&nbsp;in briefings Monday said Hoskins’ new language “at best, pays lip service” to Green’s order but “does not describe the probable effects of the measure.”

Hoskins is obligated, they argued, “to tell voters that they are being asked to repeal, not merely amend, the right to reproductive freedom.”

Jefferson City attorney Chuck Hatfield, in his filing, also took issue with the use of a semi-colon in the statement, saying it contributes to the “grammatical nonsense” of the language sure to leave voters confused.

Green on Tuesday ruled that the remaining bullet points are now acceptable. They read:&nbsp;

“Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

Under a law passed this year and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/24/judge-rules-unconstitutional-law-missouri-attorney-general-special-appeal-power/">upheld in a separate case by Green</a>, Hoskins has five days to submit revised ballot language to the court. If after that, Green decides the language still doesn’t follow the law, Hoskins has one&nbsp;more opportunity to rewrite it. If Green still doesn’t find the language satisfactory, the judge will rewrite it himself.&nbsp;

Hoskins was also responsible for writing the fair ballot statement that appears in polling places and on the office’s website that summarize what both a “yes” and “no” vote mean.

Green previously told Hoskins to rewrite the “fair ballot language” summary posted to the secretary of state’s website, calling the old language misleading for also failing to state abortion would be banned in most cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In his ruling Tuesday, Green deemed the new summary was sufficient.&nbsp;

This approved summary states that a “yes” vote would guarantee women’s medical care under specific scenarios, including ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages and allow abortions in the first 12 weeks festation in cases of rape or incest. It would also ban gender-affirming health care for minors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

A “no” vote, Hoskins wrote, would “limit abortion” to specific scenarios.

As the one-year anniversary of the abortion rights amendment approaches, access to the procedure in Missouri remains limited as legal battles challenging a series of abortion regulations play out in the courts.

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/11/laws-regulations-medication-abortion-mifepristone-misoprostol-missouri/">Medication abortions remain halted.</a>&nbsp;Procedural abortions are available on a limited basis at Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis.&nbsp;

Missouri judge says new ballot language again fails to mention repeal of abortion rights

December corn closed up 1 cent and March corn was up 3/4 cents. November soybeans closed up 11 1/4 cents and January soybeans were up 10 3/4 cents. December KC wheat closed down 2 1/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 1 1/4 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 5 3/4 cents.

U.S. crop markets were en route to another lower finish Wednesday, with corn and wheat futures in particular continuing to trade the fallout from bearish Sept. 1 stocks reported by USDA on Tuesday. However, the tide quickly turned shortly after noon when President Trump posted on Truth Social he will meet with Chinese President Xi in four weeks, and soybeans will be a "major topic of discussion." This ultimately sent soybean futures surging over a dime in the last hour plus of trade and ultimately 19 1/4 cents higher than the daily low, pulling corn futures higher as well. Outside markets Wednesday were mixed, as the featured macroeconomic news was the government shutdown which took effect late Tuesday/early Wednesday. Equity markets turned higher after ADP's September employment report indicated a slowing labor market and pointed toward another rate cut in the next Fed meeting. Energy markets were lower after Wednesday's Petroleum Status report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed a general building of crude and crude product inventories in the U.S. and ahead of this weekend's OPEC+ production meeting.

Despite the U.S. government shutdown, the live cattle complex trudged on with business as normal. The live cattle contracts traded fully higher into Wednesday's noon hour, with yet again the market's deferred contracts seeing the biggest day-over-day gains. But even so, the spot December contract was still trading slightly below the market's 40-day moving average, which continues to be a threshold the market is struggling to conquer and the contracts finished the day no better than mixed. Still no cash cattle trade has developed but asking prices are now noted in the South at $237 to $240 but are still elusive in the North. With no packer interest having developed yet, it's likely the week's trade will be delayed another day if not two.

The feeder cattle complex was also scaling higher into Wednesday's noon hour as the market points to the corn complex's continued decline as a slightly bullish factor. The market is growing closer to resistance levels which could cause traders some angst, but traders were content to scale the contracts higher until the reversal in the grain complexes, that triggered some late session selling and the feeder contracts finished in the red all but a few far deferred contracts.

The lean hog complex continued to struggle as the market is currently trading below support at $87.00 in the spot December contract -- which has been a threshold the market has respected since early September. And again, adding to the market's disappointment is the fact that pork cutout values were lower once again today.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/01144403/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

The USDA’s Grain Stocks Report showed corn stocks down 13 percent from last year, soybean stocks are eight percent lower, and all wheat stocks are up six percent from 2024. Old crop corn stocks in all positions on September 1, 2025, totaled 1.53 billion bushels, down 13 percent from September 1, 2024. Both on-farm and off-farm stocks were down from last year. 

Old crop soybeans stored in all positions on September 1, 2025, totaled 316 million bushels, down eight percent from September 1, 2024. Both on-farm and off-farm stocks were lower. All wheat stored in all positions on September 1, 2025, totaled 2.12 billion bushels, up six percent from a year ago. Based on the 2024 end of the marketing year analysis, corn for grain production was revised up 25 million bushels from the prior estimate. 2024 soybean production was revised up 7.7 million bushels from the previous estimate. 

Corn and soybean stocks are lower

In the event of a government shutdown that has now come to fruition, the USDA says it’s taken steps to be ready. Back in the 2018 federal shutdown, Food Safety and Inspection Service meat inspection and laboratory testing personnel continued to work. USDA says it is prepared for all possible contingencies covering operations, including critical services and support programs. Two people with direct knowledge of the agency’s plans said that USDA employees may face more layoffs. 

The department submitted its tentative shutdown contingency plan to the Office of Management and Budget, and it does include a reduction-in-force provision. No further details were provided on which employees could be cut, but the two people said the rest of the proposal largely mirrors USDA’s typical shutdown contingency plan, last updated during the Biden administration.

USDA ready for government shutdown

December corn closed down 6 cents and March corn was down 6 1/2 cents. November soybeans closed down 8 3/4 cents and January soybeans were down 9 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed down 10 1/2 cents, December Chicago wheat was down 11 1/2 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 6 1/2 cents.

Grain markets were under pressure through Tuesday's session with selling intensifying on the release of overall bearish quarterly Grain Stocks and Small Grains Summary reports from USDA. Outside markets also leaned negatively on ag futures on Tuesday, with crude oil futures retreating to start the week back toward 2-month support near $62 per barrel. Meanwhile, equities were lower on Tuesday as well as investors weigh what a potential government shutdown could mean for markets moving forward, with bearish concerns being the potential for interference with the Federal Reserve's path to rate cuts, as well as job market concerns amid the potential for layoffs at the federal level.

Although the market started the day off weaker, the live cattle complex collectively advanced its position and traded slightly higher into Tuesday's closing bell. Unfortunately, the market continues to stagger around its 40-day moving average in the spot December contract as traders don't know which way to truly push the market just yet. On one hand, they look at the market's immediate fundamentals and are disappointed to see fed cash cattle prices and boxed beef prices continuing to drift lower as they typically do seasonally. But on the other hand, traders have also recognized that from a 10,000-foot view perspective, the market is still incredibly bullish with herd supplies at a multi-decade low, and the fact remaining that supplies can't be rebuilt overnight. Still no cash cattle trade has developed and it's not likely that any trade develops until Wednesday at the earliest. Bids and asking prices remain elusive at this point too.

The feeder cattle complex was not being as cautious as the live cattle market, as its contracts were confidently trading $3.00 higher into Tuesday's noon hour. And with the feeder cattle complex not up against immediate resistance pressure, it's likely that even if the live cattle market does weaken, the feeder cattle contracts should be able to maintain their momentum for the short term.

It was a painful morning for the lean hog complex as the market continued to break lower. Seeming unable to maintain the gains made just last week, the lean hog complex is continuing to back away from the highs scored late last week as fundamental support isn't as strong as traders need it to be.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/09/30144122/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The August Rural Mainstreet Index covering a multi-state region shows one-fifth of grain farmers will experience a negative cash flow in 2025. For the seventh time this year, the overall regional economic index sank below growth-neutral, falling to 38.5 in September, down from 48.1 in August. Also, for the 16th time in the past 17 months, farmland prices sank below growth-neutral. Elevated interest rates, higher input costs, and below breakeven prices caused the downward pressure on farmland. 

Farm equipment sales dropped below growth neutral for the 25th straight month. Three out of four bank CEOs reported that tariff increases have had a negative impact on farm operations. “Weak agricultural commodity prices for grain producers continue to dampen economic activity in the ten-state region covered by the Index,” said Dr. Ernie Goss. “Falling agricultural commodity prices represent the greatest threat to agricultural banks over the next 12 months.”

Rural Mainstreet Index turns negative

The USDA will issue a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. Of the authorized $10 billion in ECAP assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has already provided over $8 billion in payments to eligible producers to mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices. “Initial ECAP payments were factored by 85 percent to ensure that total program payments didn’t exceed $10 billion in available funding,” said USDA Deputy Undersecretary Brooke Appleton. “Because additional funds remain, FSA is issuing another payment.” 

Payments will automatically be made to eligible producers with approved ECAP applications who received an initial payment. Any application approved after September 25 will receive one lump sum. Appleton said, “These payments, combined with the entire suite of supplemental disaster assistance programs, will help producers navigate market uncertainty, pay down debt from the 2024 crop year, and secure financing for 2026.” 

USDA issues second assistance payment to producers

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

Corn and soybean markets were moderately lower to begin the new week but also held nearby support as a good weather window across the U.S. Grain Belt looks to encourage harvest advancement. Wheat futures were higher, which offered support to the corn market, although technical resistance continues to hold those prices in check as well. Outside markets leaned negative on Monday with crude oil futures sharply lower on fears of another output increase when OPEC+ members meet this upcoming weekend. The U.S. dollar was lower for the second straight session, which likely worked to support wheat futures on Monday.

The live cattle complex is continuing to trade lower as the market looks around for reassuring support; but it isn't seeing much rise on Monday. October live cattle are down $0.35 at $231.45, December live cattle are down $0.45 at $233.85 and February live cattle are down $0.32 at $236.17. Thankfully (for the meantime) the spot December contract is remaining above the market's 40-day moving average, but the market seems to teeter at that threshold as traders aren't confident in which way the market should trade. New showlists appear to be mixed, higher in Kansas, but lower in Texas and Nebraska/Colorado.

The feeder cattle complex is mixed into Monday's noon hour as the market is unsettled seeing the live cattle contracts trade lower,; but some of the furthest deferred months are still trading higher. More than anything the futures complex seems to be held at a mere standstill, looking for support to develop, or waiting for more pressure to build to send the contracts one way or another.

Like the cattle complex, the lean hog market is mixed into Monday's noon hour. But following the big surge the lean hog market saw on Friday, it's quite commendable that the contracts that are trading lower are just doing so in a mild matter as traders could have panicked at Monday's start and opted to give back most of what Friday's trade secured.&nbsp;

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/09/08194004/30001.mp3">Here </a>for Audio

The White House budget office is instructing federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans for mass firings during a possible government shutdown, specifically targeting employees who work for programs that are not legally required to continue. The Office of Management and Budget move to permanently reduce the government workforce if there is a shutdown, outlined in a memo shared with Politico ahead of release to agencies tonight, escalates the stakes of a potential shutdown next week. 

In the memo, OMB told agencies to identify programs, projects and activities where discretionary funding will lapse Oct. 1 and no alternative funding source is available. For those areas, OMB directed agencies to begin drafting RIF plans that would go beyond standard furloughs, permanently eliminating jobs in programs not consistent with President Donald Trump’s priorities in the event of a shutdown. 

The move marks a significant break from how shutdowns have been handled in recent decades, when most furloughs were temporary and employees were brought back once Congress voted to reopen government and funding was restored.

White House Says to Plan for Shutdown and Mass Firings; Risk for Shutdown Continues to Increase

Consumer demand for products like cheese, butter and yogurt that rely on protein and butterfat content continues to drive dairy sales growth in the U.S. and abroad. Over the past decade, milk delivered to U.S. dairy processing plants has become more nutrient-dense with higher levels of the two key components to meet rising demand. However, the pace of growth in butterfat content has far exceeded protein, which creates challenges for U.S. cheddar and American-style cheesemakers that rely on a more balanced ratio of the two. 

“U.S. dairy producers did an exceptional job increasing butterfat levels in milk to meet demand,” said Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist at CoBank. “For 10 years, the market couldn’t supply enough of it, and now there’s an oversupply – it’s almost too much of a good thing. Cheesemakers strive for a protein-to-fat ratio near 0.80. Anything significantly lower than that can reduce cheese quality and compromise production yields.”

A Butterfat Boom Leaves Cheesemakers Demanding More Protein

As of Sept.1, there were 74.5 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, down 1% from September 2024 but up 1% from June. 1, 2025, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Other key findings in the report were:

United States Hog Inventory Down 1%

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City faces charges for allegedly striking a man to death and then setting the house on fire earlier this month in Kansas City’s northeast neighborhood.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2733/brown-dianna---complaint-packet-update-final">Dianna A. Brown</a>&nbsp;46, faces 2nd Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, 2nd Degree Arson, and Tampering with Physical Evidence in a Felony Prosecution, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2732/Diana-Brown---PC-Statement-Redacted-final">According to court records</a>, on September 19, the Kansas City Fire Department was dispatched to an apartment building near Kensington Avenue and Independence Avenue on a reported fire. After extinguishing the fire, which was contained to only one portion of the building, firefighters located a deceased male with severe burns, apparent head trauma, and signs of decomposition.&nbsp;

Detectives responded to the scene and found mail and prescription medication belonging to the defendant at the location.&nbsp;

The Medical Examiner determined the victim’s cause of death as blunt force trauma of the head and the manner of death as homicide.&nbsp;

On Sept. 27, the detctives interviewed the defendant. She said that on Sept. 14, she was with the victim at his apartment when an argument began. After the argument stopped and the victim went to sleep, Brown told detectives she used a nearby hammer to strike the victim multiple times. She said she continued to live in the apartment until setting it on fire.&nbsp;

The defendant is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond.&nbsp;

KC woman allegedly bludgeoned man to death, set home on fire

PAWNEE COUNTY– William M. Boos, 54 of Ellis, appeared in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff Tuesday before Pawnee Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell for Felony First Appearances on a four count felony complaint, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

Boos is currently charged with two counts of Aggravated Criminal Damage to Property in excess of $5,000 done with the intent to obtain scrap metal, one count of Theft of at least $25,000, but less than $100,000, and one count of Theft of at least $1,500, but less than $25,000.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Pawnee County Sheriff into the theft of radiators from approximately 26 vintage automobiles at two separate rural locations in the western portion of Pawnee County occurring between April 18, 2025, and June 20, 2025. The thefts were reported on June 29, 2025. The investigation determined approximately 40 vehicles were damaged.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled October 14.

Under Kansas law, criminal damage to property becomes as aggravated offense if the damage is done with the intent to obtain regulated scrap materials.

The defendant remains in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff with bond set at $65,000 cash or surety.

Kan. man accused of theft of radiators from 26 vintage vehicles

HARVEY COUNTY —The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office has begun an investigation after human remains were found southeast of Newton.

Emergency personnel were dispatched around noon to the 3000 block of South Hillside Road after a farmer discovered the remains in a hay field.

The cause of death nor the identity of the individual have been determined. The Harvey County Coroner’s Office is assisting in the investigation.

Sheriff: Body found in Kansas hay field

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an accident that occurred just after 7a.m. Wednesday in Douglas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Ford F350 driven by Kaden Roger Kerr, 19, Eudora, was southbound at&nbsp;173 E. 2338th Road. The truck rear-ended a 2017 IC School bus driven by Yesenia&nbsp;Vazquez-Arellano, 39, Edgerton, who was stopped with amber lights and stop sign activated, waiting for a student 

The bus had 11 juvenile passengers. Three had minor injuries. None of them required transport for treatment, according to the KHP.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A stark reminder of the importance of paying attention while driving, ditching all distractions, and focusing on the road, according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol Troop B.

 While children were about to load onto a stopped school bus in Douglas County near U.S. 56 and Kansas 33, a truck rear-ended the bus. 

"Sixteen children on their way to school, in what is supposed to be the safest way to get them there, shook and jarred by another vehicle that failed to stop for the bus."

There were no injuries to any children headed to school and only minor injuries to the truck driver.&nbsp;

KHP updates details on truck, Kansas school bus accident

TOPEKA, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) executed numerous search warrants in cities across the state at vape shops and CBD dispensaries to seize products being sold illegally in Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.

On Wednesday,&nbsp; Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and KBI Director Tony Mattivi announced KBI agents began a statewide enforcement operation, along with law enforcement partners, to seize marijuana vegetation, THC vape cartridges, and other items containing suspected illegal concentrations of THC (as prohibited in KSA 21-5705, and KSA 2-3908). In some instances, weapons and currency were also seized.

When these investigations conclude, the KBI will submit case findings to the prosecutor of jurisdiction for each charging decisions. Possible charges could include unlawful distribution of controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with the intent to sell.

“These illegal substances are in our homes, in our schools, and in the hands of our children. They are so widely-accessible that some Kansans are under the impression they are safe,” said KBI Director Tony Mattivi. “Anyone who sells illicit products poses a direct and unacceptable threat to the health and safety of our most vulnerable. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove these poisons from our streets.”

“These are brazen illegal activities. Not only are many of these stores selling illegal THC vapes, they are also selling pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes. The law is the law in Kansas, and it will be enforced,” said Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. "A young teen attempting to purchase tobacco would meet more resistance than they would if buying marijuana from one of the shops included in today’s operation."

KBI conducts statewide marijuana enforcement operation

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshmerchant/">Josh Merchant</a>

A large majority of Jackson County voters have&nbsp;cast ballots to recall County Executive Frank White Jr. Preliminary results from Sept. 30 reveal 85% of voters supported the recall.

The open question is whether those results will stand up against ongoing legal challenges.

As soon as the vote is certified, White’s position will be considered immediately vacant and the campaign for the next county executive — which has been&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/09/24/jackson-county-executive-frank-white-recall-replacement/" target="_blank">quietly happening behind the scenes for weeks</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;will kick into high gear.

But it’s possible that the election result may not be certified soon.

You may have noticed that this year’s recall election was scheduled for an unusual September election date — instead of the normal schedule in early April, June, August or November. (Special bond elections sometimes happen in February, as well.)

Elections are almost always on those regularly scheduled election days.

That could explain why voter turnout was relatively low. White was voted out of office yesterday by just 16% of Jackson County voters — compared to the 48% that turned out in the 2022 general election where White won reelection. In Kansas City specifically, turnout for the Frank White recall was even lower at 11%.

White and the Kansas City and Jackson County election boards argue that a Sept. 30 election is not just unusual, but illegal. And that could spell doom for the recall vote if a judge agrees with them.

A judge initially set the Sept. 30 date as a compromise with the recall campaign, which initially wanted to set the date for Aug. 26. The election boards argued in court that scheduling an August election on such short notice would disenfranchise military and overseas voters, who would not have received their ballots in time.

Now, White’s lawyer is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=SC101299&amp;inputVO.courtId=OSCDB0024_SUP#docket" target="_blank">asking the Missouri Supreme Court directly</a>&nbsp;to stop the election boards from certifying the vote until they hear the case.

Here’s how that could affect Tuesday’s vote.

Why did the election boards sue to reschedule the election?

The Jackson County Legislature initially ordered the election to be held on Aug. 26 after approving the ballot language in early July.

That’s based on a requirement set by an&nbsp;<a href="https://jacksonco.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6313464&amp;GUID=48E9CAB8-5E5B-4FF1-9C1B-E6FEB76EC474&amp;Options=ID%7CText%7C&amp;Search=5782&amp;FullText=1" target="_blank">ordinance in 2023</a>&nbsp;that a special recall election be held within 60 days after signatures are filed.

But both the Kansas City Election Board and the Jackson County Election Board objected.

Those offices, which operate independently from White and the rest of county government, said that wasn’t enough time to prepare an election.

Military ballots would have needed to be mailed out just days later, and the boards would have had only about a week to prepare for absentee voting to begin.

DaRon McGee, chair of the county Legislature, was not sympathetic. McGee is one of the candidates vying to replace White now that he has been recalled.

“I am deeply concerned by reports that this election may not move forward on the timeline the law requires,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-07-08/jackson-county-election-board-frank-white-recall-election-almost-impossible-legislature-voting" target="_blank">he told KCUR in a statement at the time</a>. “The Legislature has done its part. We now look to the executive branch and the election board(s) to fulfill their roles.”

They argued that Missouri law only allows counties to schedule elections on regular election days — in February, April, August or November, unless otherwise specified in a city or county charter. The Aug. 5 election was already underway, so they asked a judge to reschedule the election for Nov. 4.

Notably,&nbsp;<a href="https://jcebmo.org/election-information/election-results/" target="_blank">every countywide Jackson County election for the past 27 years</a>&nbsp;has occurred the Tuesday after the first Monday of February, April, August or November.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kceb.org/elections/election-results/" target="_blank">same generally goes for elections in Kansas City</a>, which also schedules City Council elections in April and June under the city’s charter. The only recent exceptions were elections related to the streetcar in October 2017, December 2012 and on a Friday in August 2008.

The Jackson County circuit judge, Marty W. Seaton, ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/2516-CV21560-Order%20and%20Judgment_FINAL.pdf?courtCode=16&amp;di=28506132" target="_blank">disagreed with the election boards</a>.

He said that Missouri statute&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.123" target="_blank">carves out an exception</a>&nbsp;for elections that are authorized by a county’s charter. He argued that meant the 2023 Jackson County ordinance allowed a recall to happen outside of those dates in order to meet the 60-day requirement.

But he said an Aug. 26 election would still be too soon because military and overseas voters wouldn’t get their ballots in time, which would be unconstitutional. So he set a compromise date of Sept. 30.

The election boards wanted to appeal, but a procedural move made that impossible.

Weeks earlier, while the case was playing out, White joined the lawsuit, arguing that the recall petition signatures themselves were illegal because some of the signature gatherers were not Missouri residents.

The judge heard arguments on the election date, but he set aside the issue of the out-of-state signature gatherers.

And because that issue remains unresolved, Seaton&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/2516-CV21560-Order%20On%20Rule%2074_FINAL.pdf?courtCode=16&amp;di=28780431" target="_blank">has not certified his ruling yet</a>. That locked the election boards out of immediately appealing to a higher court.

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