That is the decision before the Kansas
City Chiefs as executives with the Chiefs consider proposals from both Missouri
and Kansas to offset the cost of either renovating Arrowhead Stadium or
building a new stadium.

Chiefs CEO, Clark Hunt, says the team has
made a lot of progress evaluating two really good options.

“I don't want to get into how
close we are making a decision, because I've found over time with stadium
situations, that until they're done, they're not done,” Hunt tells reporters
during his visit to Chiefs Training Camp in St. Joseph. “There's a lot of work,
a lot of moving parts, and we're working through those. Certainly, I would say
we feel an urgency to bringing the process to a conclusion. But that doesn't
mean I can will it to happen in any specified period of time.”

Hunt calls the two offers from the two
states two very good options.

Hunt says the Kansas offer would provide
financing needed to build a new stadium.

“And our priority on the
Missouri side has been a renovation of GEHA Field at Arrowhead,” Hunt says. “So,
those are the two primary options.”

Hunt acknowledges there is an emotional
pull toward Arrowhead.

“I think anybody who’s been
coming to Chiefs games for decades understands what a special stadium GEHA
Field at Arrowhead is,” Hunt says. “And you know, it's fun being here at
training camp and getting to interact with our fans. And I certainly hear from
them in terms of their thoughts. And many of them have grown up going to games
with their dad, their mother, their family, and so it's a very special place
for them. So that'll be part of the calculus for sure.”

Hunt says the team has a sense of urgency,
because the Arrowhead lease expires in the Spring of 2031 and it takes 4 ½ to 5
years to complete a stadium project.

“So, it's important for us to
be able to make a decision somewhat in the in the near term to be able to be on
schedule to have the renovated or new building open in ’31.”

Still, Hunt says the Chiefs must make a
decision that is best for the team’s fans and the organization’s future. Hunt
says the team is intent on getting it right.

Chiefs CEO, Clark Hunt, sees two good options for team's future home

A series of new trade deals between the United States and countries around the world could directly benefit America’s farmers and ranchers. Groups like the American Farm Bureau support the agreements, noting that strong and enduring agreements help connect U.S. farmers and ranchers with global markets. The U.S. Grains Council also applauded the trade deals, including the one between the U.S. and the EU.  

USGC President and CEO Ryan LeGrand said, “This deal promises to build upon long-established trade with our eighth-largest grains-in-all-forms trading partner, worth more than $1 billion in the 2023-2024 marketing year and our fourth-largest ethanol trading partner.”  The Renewable Fuels Association said the deal comes at a good time as corn growers prepare for what is looking like a record harvest. RFA President Geoff Cooper said, “We stand ready to produce larger volumes of cleaner-burning ethanol and valuable co-products for our customers around the world.”

Ag groups support new trade deals

For the first time since July and August of 2023, the Rural Mainstreet Index, a survey of bankers in areas that rely on agriculture, registered two consecutive months of above growth-neutral readings. It’s the highest level for the RMI since July 2023. Bankers reported very low farm loan delinquency rates over the past six months. Unfortunately, one in four farmers is expected to experience negative income in 2025. 

For the 13th time in the past 14 months, farmland prices sank below growth neutral. Farm equipment sales dropped below growth neutral for the 22nd straight month. Regional exports of agricultural goods and livestock for the first four months of 2025, compared to the same period last year, fell from $4.5 billion in 2024 to $3.7 billion in 2025, for a decline of 18.5 percent. Mexico was the top destination for regional ag exports, accounting for more than 55 percent of total exports.  

Rural Mainstreet Index expands in July

September corn closed down 4 1/2 cents and December corn was down 3 cents. August soybeans closed down 7 cents and November soybeans were down 2 cents. September KC wheat closed down 7 1/2 cents, September Chicago wheat was down 8 3/4 cents, September Minneapolis wheat was down 4 cents.

Prices slipped further Tuesday into 2025 lows and in some instances contract lows as another round of mixed crop ratings from USDA on Monday gave bearish traders little incentive to change their current market bias. Market news for Tuesday was slim, but it was reported in the early afternoon that U.S. and Chinese officials had agreed in principle to extend the trade truce which had been set to expire on Aug. 12, with later reports indicating that President Trump would give final approval on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Lutnick said Tuesday that Friday's tariff deadline for other countries is a firm cutoff before reciprocal tariffs go back into place. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar has surged through the first two days of the week to its highest level in over a month on the weekend trade deal with the European Union. Lastly, investors and traders alike will tune in Wednesday for the conclusion of the July FOMC meeting in which the Fed is widely expected to hold interest rates despite growing tension between the Trump Administration and Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

Although traders were cautious at the day's initial start, the live cattle complex got back to trading higher after shaking the morning's initial jitters. Today's slight uptick, although it still is less than a dollar's advancement, is enough of a push to lead many of the nearby contracts to new contract highs yet again. No business has developed yet in the fed cash cattle market, and it isn't expected to any time soon, as feedlot managers and packers are likely to go round again this week as both parties want starkly different outcomes for the market. Asking prices are noted in the South at $235 plus, but are still not established yet in the North.

Per the norm here lately, the feeder cattle complex was again rocking and rolling into the day's closing bell as the sky truly remains the limit for the feeder cattle complex right now. Like the live cattle complex, today's advance scores new all-time highs in most of the nearby contracts once again. And regarding demand in the countryside, buyers remain so active in the market that Monday's CME feeder cattle index closed at $329.93.

With cash prices and pork cutouts values lower, it doesn't surprise many that the lean hog complex traded lower. The weakness in the market's fundamentals, mixed with the continued pressure being seen in the futures complex, has gravely affected the complex today as the contracts were all trading $1.00 to $2.00 lower.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/07/29154319/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

The July Cattle on Feed Report offered little relief to customers paying higher prices for beef. That’s despite the cycle of herd liquidation that seems to be slowly ending. There were 94.2 million cattle and calves in the U.S. as of July 1, the lowest mid-year number of cattle since 1973. The USDA also said the number of animals placed in feedlots for weight gain before being sent to packers plunged to its lowest level since 2017. 

Reports show a severe shortage in the world’s largest beef-producing country has sent cattle costs soaring, wiping out billions in profits for packers and driving record-high beef prices in U.S. grocery stores. Dr. Derrell Peel at Oklahoma State University says the latest USDA numbers offer little indication of herd rebuilding or, at least, it’s not very aggressive so far. “The number of heifers in feedlots remained mostly stable.” 

Smallest U.S. cattle herd since 1973

Numerous stakeholders, like farmers, Extension Services, researchers, and policymakers, all rely on the data that USDA has collected for more than 150 years. The data is collected through agencies and programs like the National Agricultural Statistics Service and the Economic Research Service. Decreasing responses to USDA’s farmer surveys are beginning to put the integrity of the data at risk. One of the biggest challenges to getting a good survey response is timing. Unfortunately, many survey collection periods overlap with farmers’ busiest times.

For example, leading up to the June 30 Planted Acreage Report, NASS contacted almost 92,000 farmers during a time that overlaps with the end of planting and spraying seasons for many row crop farmers. A Farm Bureau Market Intel page says USDA should look to examine ways to increase participation and reliability without imposing more burdens on the already too busy growers whom the data is designed to serve. 

Falling farmer responses to surveys are a growing problem

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Corn sales strong last week, soybean sales struggled

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

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

USDA to cut salaries and relocate staff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rollins announces USDA reorganization

UPDATED WITH IDENTITY AND MORE INFORMATION

A young
motorcyclist died, another suffered injuries in a multi-motorcycle crash at
North Belt and Blackwell in the early morning hours of Wednesday.

The St. Joseph
Police Department identifies the person killed in the crash as 23-year-old
Tristian Plumley of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph police
officers responded to the scene shortly before two o’clock and found the two
individuals. The other subject, not identified by police, was taken for medical
treatment. Plumley was rushed to the hospital, but died of his injuries.

Initial reports
indicated a third motorcyclist might have been involved in the wreck, but fled
the scene. The St. Joseph Police Department released a photo and asked anyone
with information to contact the department.

The Tips Hotline
at (816) 238-TIPS or the SJPD Traffic Unit at (816) 271-4882.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Young motorcyclist dies in early morning St. Joseph wreck (UPDATED)

ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating an injury accident that occurred at&nbsp;5p.m. on Tuesday in Atchison.

Isaiah Williams, 24, Atchison, was riding his electric scooter eastbound in the 1800 block Main Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Williams lost control of the scooter and crashed. There were no other vehicles involved.&nbsp; A private vehicle transported Williams to Amberwell Hospital&nbsp; for treatment of injuries. Police were then notified and an investigation followed.

Police: Kansas man injured in electric scooter crash

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

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

Nonprofit organizations that provide refugee services in Missouri are pivoting to diversified financial strategies to reduce their dependency&nbsp;on government funding. These organizations are now focusing more on expanding community-based crowdfunding and scaling up revenue-generating programs to address anticipated financial gaps and ensure continued support for refugees.

City of Refuge, a Columbia-based nonprofit that provides services for refugees resettled in mid-Missouri, was notified that 40% of its federal and state funding might dry up by October 2026.

Jackson Efuta, a former refugee and now a staff member at City of Refuge, said witnessing the ongoing funding cuts is deeply painful.

“I have personally experienced how vital these resources are during the most vulnerable time in a person’s life, when they are trying to adjust, heal and survive in a completely new environment,” Efuta said. “It is life-changing, providing emotional, practical and community based help that gives individuals the chance to thrive, not just survive.”

Garrett Rucinski, director&nbsp;of engagement at City of Refuge, said the organization is making plans in case its funding dries up.

“We already have a plan now,” Rucinski said. “It’s to grow the revenue producers, grow the monthly donors.”

Hilary Cohen Singer, executive director at Jewish Vocational Service of Kansas City, said it’s hard to determine a specific number of funds lost, as some programs have been discontinued permanently, others temporarily paused and some funding has fluctuated between being frozen and unfrozen.

“We are increasingly looking to our local community to help provide the vital services for refugees and immigrants to help them integrate into the community,” Cohen Singer said. “We are certainly affected in significant ways by the loss of federal funding.”

David Gonzalez, vice president of development at the International Institute of St. Louis, thinks the future for these service providers is going to be less reliant on government funding, and that is the direction his organization is moving in.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://moora.org/data-reports" target="_blank">Missouri Office of Refugee Administration reported</a>&nbsp;3,272 refugee arrivals in Missouri during the 2024 fiscal year, which extended from Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024 — the highest number in the past eight years. According to the American Immigration Council, the&nbsp;<a href="https://map.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/locations/missouri/" target="_blank">total number of refugees in Missouri</a>&nbsp;is estimated to be around 24,600.

City of Refuge launched a campaign to recruit 1,000 donors contributing $50 per month. According to Rucinski, it has reached 20% of that goal within just a couple of months.

The organization is also focusing on its three revenue-generating initiatives — City Boutique, City Cuisine and City Preschool. City Boutique is a thrift shop that sells goods from local donors and refugee artisans; City Cuisine operates a food truck and provides catering services; and the preschool program supports young children’s social and language development.

Together, these initiatives help fund the larger organization, with revenue from the boutique funding 15% of the total annual budget, Rucinski said.

“We are knocking on every door possible, asking for monthly gifts, asking for end-of-year gifts. That’s what every nonprofit is doing right now,” Rucinski said. “We have the benefit of having those three revenue generators, and those revenue generators are going to help&nbsp;us.”

Amid news of future funding cuts, an unexpected opportunity arose for City of Refuge — the building next to its location was listed for sale. The organization purchased it using previously awarded American Rescue Plan Act funds to expand on its services.

“When the building came up, we realized that we could put down the down payment,” Rucinski said. “With tenants still in the building next door, we can continue to operate as we were, while affording the building next door to us, so it is self-sustaining.”

City of Refuge is now planning to use the remaining space in that new building for youth programming and a commercial kitchen, which it hopes will generate additional revenue for the organization, Rucinski said.

“If we keep getting more monthly donors and end-of-year donors, if we keep getting more visitors to the Boutique, Cuisine and people attending our preschool, more sponsors and we continue on the pace that we are at, I feel very positive about October 2026,” Rucinski said.

Jewish Vocational Service of Kansas City continues to support refugees despite the ongoing challenges caused by the federal funding cuts. The organization has adapted by reducing staff and expanding its search for alternative funding sources.

Katie Norman, communication manager at JVS, said that the organization supports approximately 7,500 refugees and immigrants each year, with community integration, health and education.

“We do receive quite a bit of funding&nbsp;from the federal government, so we have been impacted by the cuts and freezes to federal funds,” Norman said. “But we also receive funding from private foundations and the state as well.”

Due to federal funding cuts, JVS has already reduced its services and is now seeking and has received new funding to continue much of its work, Cohen Singer said.

“We did have to make staff reductions, and so we have done that,” Cohen Singer said. “We anticipate being able to continue with our operations at the size and scale that we are certainly into next fiscal year, and that is probably as far as we are able to plan for.”

Agencies like JVS have traditionally been closely involved in the initial resettlement period of refugees. That program has now stopped, and there are no new arrivals associated with it. Following that, there is no funding available for refugee resettlement, said Cohen Singer.

“But that doesn’t mean that our work stops, because the work that we do provides support to people who have been here one year, but also three years or five years or 10 years, depending on what their needs are,” she said.

According to Cohen Singer, the organization now reaches the local community, individuals, foundations, and state and local governments that have programs to support people’s wellbeing, even if the funding is not specifically for refugees and immigrants.

“The people that we serve can benefit from funding that is targeted towards employment or education or youth services or mental health, or any number of things,” Cohen Singer said. “So we are talking to folks that provide funding in all of those areas so that we can bring additional resources into the organization.”

The International Institute of St. Louis, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping refugees, has been forced to make staff reductions and a renewed push for community and private-sector support to adapt to the federal funding cuts.

The organization has been a government contractor since the 70s, working to safely and legally bring refugees to the area and support them by providing housing, education and employment. Last year, the organization served over 3,500 individuals. However, since&nbsp;January, things have been tough due to a roughly $500,000 funding cut.

Gonzalez said that even when federal funding was frozen, the organization still had an agreement with the federal government to bring refugees to the St. Louis region and provide support.

“We immediately found a shortfall of about half a million dollars that we had to come up with,” Gonzalez said. “This money would be used for things like housing.”

To continue that support, the International Institute of St. Louis launched a campaign in February called Keeping Our Promise, aiming to raise $500,000. The organization also made workforce reductions in areas that didn’t have much direct client access, Gonzalez said.

“We had about 125 people here locally, and we had to cut about 60% of those,” Gonzalez said. “So we were down to under 60 staff in February and March.”

Gonzalez said the organization has now been able to bring some staff back, bringing the current team size to around 70 to 75, with some community support.

The annual budget of the International Institute of St. Louis is roughly $24 to $25 million, with 70% to 80% of that coming from federal funding, Gonzalez said.

“That is not a long-term solution for funding, particularly when our funding is at the whims of whoever’s in&nbsp;the White House,” he said. “So we have looked at&nbsp;re-establishing or establishing alternative sources of funding.”

Gonzalez outlined three key strategies for future financing: increasing support from the corporate sector by making&nbsp;them understand the importance of new people in the local economy; uncovering new grant opportunities from organizations that are new but interested&nbsp;in the program outcomes; and engaging the broader community, which values the long-term impact of this work.

“They understood the cuts, they understood what was happening. And so we had a tremendous response to the Keeping Our Promise campaign,” Gonzalez said. “I will say now we’ve had more individual donors already, at this point, halfway through the year, than we had all of last year.”

Last year, the International Institute of St. Louis increased its non-governmental fundraising by 33%, which amounted to over a million dollars, Gonzalez said.

Kindness Begins with Me supports refugee women in the greater St. Louis area, providing English lessons and driving instruction. The organization serves 225 refugees each week.

Half of its annual budget comes from federal funding through the Missouri Office of Refugee Administration, which is about $125,000.

Jessica Pachak, executive director at Kindness Begins with Me, said its funding was temporarily frozen, then came back after the freeze. But it’s still unstable.

“We are going to have to be a mixture of fundraising initiatives, which will be individual donors and then additional foundations,” Pachak said. “So in the past, we relied 50% on federal funds, and now that 50% of federal funds, potentially, is going to need to be replaced with foundation donors.”

Pachak thinks that Kindness Begins with Me is going to be able to raise most of that money but not all.

KC for Refugees, an organization that supports refugees in the Kansas City metro area, is mostly funded by donations from the community and friends. It has not received any federal funding since 2019.

Linda Zemke, president of the Board of Directors at KC for Refugees, said it is planning to expand its program in the coming days.

“We’d like to have more to be able to help the refugees with more things, maybe with rent and emergency assistance,” Zemke said. “But right now we don’t have the money for that. So that would be a good thing to be able to get donations for that, for grants for that.”

Carson Myers, interim executive director at Refuge KC, said its programs are funded 100% by donations from individuals and churches.

“We have experienced an increased bandwidth for operations and support and future planning in the midst of a time of deep need,” Myers said in an email.

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

Missouri refugee service providers adjust financial strategies amid federal funding uncertainty

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 8:30p.m. July 27, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Cadillac sedan on U.S. Highway 75 near 126th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Jennifer Ann Bailey-Johnson, 41, of Atchison, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony interference with law enforcement.

Kan. woman accused of interference with deputy during arrest

The Kansas City Chiefs held their longest training camp practice today at Missouri Western State University in temperatures that felt upwards of 110 degrees with the heat index.  

Transitioning to a new position in camp is offensive lineman Kingsley  Suamataia, moving from left tackle to a position he's played just once left guard.  

Head Coach Andy Reid says now that players have had pads on for a few days now, he's seen good things from Suamataia 

“He’s done a nice job. He really battled in there, (he) looks solid. (I) really like what we see,” Reid tells reporters following practice 

Suamataia says while the move is going well, it's still a learning process, with things moving much faster at the guard position 

"It’s all just taking my mind from out here to in here and working it from in there and getting the work from Trey (Smith) and the inside guys,” Suamataia says.  “So, it’s been good.” 

Things did get chippy today in the heat with rookies Josh Simmons and Ashton Gillotte going at each other.     

With a packed running back room, Kansas City Chiefs seventh round pick Brashard Smith is trying to find whatever way he can to make the team and make an impact 

Smith spent his career at SMU as a pass catching back, which he could do with the Chiefs, but he has to work his way past Elijah Mitchell and Kareem Hunt first. Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub also likes Smith's potential as a punt and kick returner.  

For Smith, who didn't spend much time on special teams in college, he says he likes the possibility of being a returner.  

"I love the ball in my hands, and I feel like I can make explosive plays,” Smith says.  “So, I’d love to play punt return, kick return, it doesn’t matter just to help the team win I’ll do whatever for sure.” 

Practice at Chiefs Training Camp went just about two hours today.  The Chiefs will have one more practice tomorrow at 9:15 before an off day on Thursday. 

The heat at camp brought a slew of injuries with some leaving practice. Reid reported that linebacker Jeffrey Bassa was out with an ankle sprain. Tight end Jake Briningstool was out with a hamstring injury as was safety Deon Bush. Cornerback Kristian Fulton remains on the PUP list with a knee injury, and cornerback Darius Rush was out with a hamstring injury, 

Cornerback Eric Scott also had a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy had a rough fall during practice and left for the medical tent, but did return to practice, however fellow wide receivers Hollywood Brown and Skyy Moore left practice in a cart, Moore with a hamstring injury and Brown with an ankle injury. Linebacker Cooper McDonald was out of practice with an illness. 

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

Suamataia settling into new position as Chiefs tackle practice on hot day

St. Joseph has received permission to expand its landfill.

The City of St. Joseph has announced the opening of Cell 8, a
welcomed expansion that will relieve pressure on a landfill that needed special
permission to pack in more trash than normally allowed.

City officials saw the new landfill cell opened after an accelerated
construction period. The first loads of trash were dumped into Cell 8 this
(TUE) morning. The use comes after the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
gave official permission for the city to begin using the new cell. DNR had
previously given permission for the city to pack in more trash in Cell 7 than
normally permitted.

The St. Joseph Landfill has seen a big increase in its use.
The city reports the amount of trash it has received has more than doubled
since 2015 with 105,000 tons dumped at the landfill to 214,00 in 2024.

Work on Cell 8 began three years ago. The city contracted with
MCON to accelerate its preparation.

Preparation of Cell 9 is underway. Cell 8 is expected to have
a lifespan of three to five years.

St. Joseph opens new cell in city landfill

Missouri has a long history of struggling to process MO HealthNet applications in a timely manner. As states prepare for new federal work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP, advocates worry about what the workload will mean for people receiving benefits in Missouri

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

Kevin Wehner has been there for Missourians as they have dealt with unanswered questions, long wait times and the confusion as they enrolled for government insurance.

He was there as the Affordable Care Act marketplace came online, and as Missouri slowly expanded its Medicaid program, known as MO HealthNet.

He’s witnessed Missouri struggling for years to process benefits applications in a timely manner.

Now,&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/11/medicaid-mo-healthnet-kancare-changes-2025/" target="_blank">under President Donald Trump’s new budget plan</a>, Americans aged 19 to 64 who are enrolled in Medicaid will be required to show proof of 80 hours of work, school, caregiving or volunteering a month to be eligible for coverage.

Wehner worries about what new Medicaid work requirements might mean for the people he assists on a day-to-day basis.

“It’s going to directly affect the Medicaid expansion (group),” said Wehner, a benefits enrollment counselor at Missouri Connections for Health in Columbia. “I think tangentially, it will affect the other populations, just because of the amount of resources that will be needed to see if these people are putting in 80 hours.”

For years, Missouri has struggled to process social services applications in a timely manner, drawing the ire of advocates and the courts. Federal regulations require states to process Medicaid applications based on income in 45 days, but Missouri has&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/22/missouri-medicaid-application-delays-exceed-federal-limits-for-third-straight-month/">repeatedly violated the time frame requirements</a>.

Wehner anticipates more confusion with the new rules, which are slated to begin in December 2026, after the midterm elections.

<a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/politifact-healthcheck-fact-check-scott-jennings-medicaid-work-requirements/" target="_blank">Research</a>&nbsp;in states that have put work requirements in place confirms that suspicion. Enrollees found it difficult to fulfill the requirements and submit the proper documentation, leading to people losing coverage.

“I imagine I’m going to get a lot of people asking for help,” Wehner said. “You get your yellow letter in the mail. It’s several pages. Even when I’m working with people, I get a highlighter and I go through and find, ‘OK, here’s what we need to do.’ It’s not really obvious what you need to do.”

New estimates from KFF found that the Trump administration’s budget package would reduce federal Medicaid spending by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/allocating-cbos-estimates-of-federal-medicaid-spending-reductions-across-the-states-enacted-reconciliation-package/" target="_blank">$911 billion over the next 10 years</a>&nbsp;and increase the number of uninsured Americans by 10 million. The largest portion of savings would come from work requirements on the Affordable Care Act expansion group – totaling about $326 billion saved over the next decade.

In Missouri, that would amount to an estimated 130,000 people losing access to Medicaid as their form of health insurance.

How the state may shift to handle increased eligibility checks&nbsp;

For years, Missouri has looked to update its technology to better handle the administrative burden as advocates demanded solutions to the delays across Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications.

“It really is going to be a new system to implement,” said Lucas Caldwell-McMillan, the chief of policy at Empower Missouri, an anti-poverty advocacy group. “Right now we’ve got a pretty outdated system that is struggling. I think the frontline agency staff are working their hardest to implement it now, but they’re falling short.”

Under the new framework for Medicaid, states will need to process proof of the 80 hours of work, school, caregiving or volunteering, and will need to check eligibility for enrollment twice a year, rather than the current standard of once annually.

“These are six-month eligibility checks, so essentially doubling the work there,” said Caldwell-McMillan. “Both on the participant, but also the agency. And instituting these work requirements in Medicaid will require a whole new system to verify information that’s never been verified by the Medicaid agency before.”

According to Timothy McBride, a health economist and professor at the Washington University School of Public Health, states and enrollees have struggled to keep track of the documentation required to track whether people are working.

“The recipient has to actually interact with the program and make sure they get the paperwork filled out and submitted and it doesn’t get lost,” McBride said. “And that’s where it has broken down in states like Missouri, and where this has caused problems in our past.”

The increased burden for the state could come at a high cost, with not much savings. Research shows that both in Missouri and at the national level,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/5-key-facts-about-medicaid-work-requirements/" target="_blank">about 90% of adults</a>&nbsp;on Medicaid already have a job or would be considered exempt from work requirements.

States like Arkansas and Georgia have looked to put work requirements in place for years, but both have struggled.

Arkansas briefly put 20-hour per week work requirements in place from 2018 to 2019 for childless adults aged 30 to 49. After a federal court blocked the requirements, Arkansas stopped the program.

But in the brief time those requirements were in place, about 18,000 enrollees in the state lost their coverage. The state spent more than $26 million in administrative costs on eligibility checks and to put the program in place.

<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7497731/" target="_blank">A study</a>&nbsp;found that half of those in Arkansas who had lost Medicaid as part of the requirements reported serious problems paying off medical debt, while 56% delayed some form of medical care due to the cost and 64% delayed medication due to the cost.

The study also found that the work requirements did little to increase the number of enrollees who were employed. More than 95% of those in the work requirement group were either already working or qualified for an exemption. There did not appear to be any significant upticks in employment as a result of the requirements.

<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/understanding-the-intersection-of-medicaid-and-work-an-update/" target="_blank">In 2023,</a>&nbsp;44% of the adults 19-64 enrolled in Medicaid were working full time, while 20% were working part time. Another 12% didn’t work due to caregiving, while 10% didn’t work due to illness and 7% didn’t work because they were enrolled in school, leaving only 8% not working due to another reason.

In an interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-07-24/missouri-medicaid-director-todd-richardson-requirements-seamless-enrollees" target="_blank">St. Louis Public Radio</a>, Todd Richardson, the director of Missouri’s Medicaid program, said the state would look into using an online portal to streamline the process for enrollees.

“Our goal is to make sure that people who are eligible and entitled to be on the program have the easiest path to get access to those benefits, while at the same time ensuring that those who are not eligible for the program are not on the program,” he told the outlet.

“If they’re working and we can verify that they’re working through income data, then that’s a verification right there,” Richardson added. “Now, there are other exceptions to the work requirements that probably will require a participant to send some documentation or to involve a human. But I think there’s a lot of that income verification that can be done electronically.”

Reduction of federal support for the program and the ways that states can fund Medicaid will leave Missouri lawmakers with a&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/14/missouri-governor-budget-cuts-kansas-city/" target="_blank">tricky budget situation</a>&nbsp;in the years to come. Because the state’s expansion came through a voter-approved constitutional amendment, lawmakers won’t be able to easily undo the expansion, and the state is on the hook to pay for the full cost of the program.

States may turn to other programs to find ways to recoup the costs.

Missouri offers benefits through Medicaid beyond what is required by the federal government. Things like dental coverage, some mental health coverage, long-term care or Missouri’s recent expansion of Medicaid for postpartum women could be targets for cuts.

“I imagine they’re pretty nervous about this,” McBride said. “Frankly, those of us who just want the state to function are nervous for them because we want them to be able to do this. It’s really potentially catastrophic for the state.”

Otherwise, McBride said, programs like education, roads or prison funding would be likely places for the state to turn.

“The other options are to cut spending elsewhere,” McBride said. “They would cut Medicaid in places where they can cut Medicaid, and I’m pretty sure the state would have to cut from all of the above.”

How could work requirements look in rural Missouri?&nbsp;

New work requirements pose hurdles in rural parts of the state that urban areas may not face. Completing the necessary paperwork with unreliable internet or technology access could add another layer of difficulty.

Things like access to transportation, or a job with enough hours, could set Missourians back from obtaining coverage, said Caldwell-McMillan.

“It’s finding a job, and finding a job that is going to give you enough hours all of the time when they’re checking eligibility requirements,” Caldwell-McMillan said. “Retail workers, cashiers, cooks, those shifts can change. All of those folks are very much at risk — although they’re working — of not exactly meeting the hourly requirements and at risk of losing coverage.”

Navigators like Wehner will have to consider ways to help people report their work or caregiving when they may not have much access to technology.

“A lot of people I work with live out in rural areas. They may not even have a smartphone and definitely not internet access,” Wehner said. “So just to report things online is going to be really burdensome.”

Other trickle-down impacts could also hit rural Missouri the hardest. Rural hospitals, for example, rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements to keep their doors open. Most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/a-closer-look-at-the-50-billion-rural-health-fund-in-the-new-reconciliation-law/?utm_campaign=KFF-Medicaid&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz--27paKCYlJEiAcVd9I52rdx8tOb2rJWYbIOiclkFMsYdG1ueFy_iwhfaouA4C0I6eBdmMHi8wZMbuk7OzDbAW3JSj6bg&amp;_hsmi=371627437&amp;utm_content=371627437&amp;utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">recent data</a>&nbsp;show 44% of rural hospitals have negative margins.

The budget package includes $50 billion for a rural hospital fund, which is equal to about one-third of the estimated loss of federal Medicaid funding in rural communities. The budget provides $10 billion a year for five years for the fund, but health economists and Medicaid experts say the federal spending will be finished before many of the losses to Medicaid funding are fully realized.

Coupled with cuts to SNAP, the potential loss of a hospital in a rural area could be damaging to local economies, Caldwell-McMillan said.

“Many of those counties are the folks who are facing perhaps a closure of a clinic or the closure of the closest hospital because of cuts to Medicaid,” Caldwell-McMillan said. “So it really is a perfect storm of folks — working families — who need the support, and then two big sources of support are going to be taken away.”

“There’s going to be really tough choices and really tough consequences.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/25/missouri-work-requirements-medicaid-mo-healthnet/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Looming Medicaid work requirements could worsen Missouri backlogs in social services

Former Cardinal Sandy Alcantara took the mound at Busch Stadium on Tuesday evening and shut down his former team, as the St. Louis Cardinals fell to the Miami Marlins in a 5-0 shutout evening up the series heading into a rubber match in Wednesday evening's finale.&nbsp;

Graham Pauley put the Marlins up in the second inning with a two run home run, driving in Troy Johnston after his one out single.&nbsp; In the fifth inning, Miami extended their lead on an RBI single by Otto Lopez that scored Kyle Stowers.&nbsp; The final runs came in the sixth inning for the Marlins with Eric Wagamn doubling to bring home Dane Myers, before later scoring on a triple by Xavier Edwards.&nbsp;

Sonny Gray took the loss, falling to 10-5 on the season, pitching five innings and giving up three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and a walk.&nbsp; At the plate, the Cardinals had just four hits in the loss.&nbsp; Jordan Walker was 1-for-3 with a walk. Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, and&nbsp;Pedro Pagés also had hits.&nbsp;

St. Louis and Miami wrap up their series tomorrow night.&nbsp; Miles Mikolas (6-7, 4.94 ERA) takes the mound against Cal Quantrill (3-8, 5.05 ERA) for the Marlins.&nbsp; First pitch is again at 6:45pm with coverage being joined around 6:35 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).&nbsp;

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