Halloween brings the annual Witches Tea to the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art.  

Executive Director Eric Fuson says the event is one of the best costumed events that he has ever been to 

"Cause it's easy to, if you if you just want to come put a witches hat on, done, you're good to go, so you can pop in out of work at lunchtime, cause the first ones at noon for lunch and then we’ll have a dinner at 6:30,” Fuson says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “But we do have a lot of people that pop in for the lunch over there, lunch hour, throw on their hat and their good to go, but some of them go full out.” 

Fuson says the event has been one of the more popular events since the museum took it over 

"It generally sells out, especially the lunch goes pretty quick, so that’s why we’re kind of talking about it now, if you really have been saying I should go, I’ve been meaning to do that, get your reservations in soon because it does fill every time,” Fuson says.  “We get about 100, 120, something like that for each one, so it is really, really a good time.” 

Marketing and Communications Manager Madison McKinley says people shouldn't be turned off by the name of the event  

“It’s fun to just come and hang out with your friends or your family, get in costume, there are specialty drinks from our bar,” McKinley explains.  “We have a little boutique shopping that will be going on, we always have little pop-up vendors that are selling witchy trinkets and jewelry and plants, stuff like that, and then we have psychic readings.” 

The lunch will be at noon with the dinner at 6:30pm at the museum.  Tickets can be purchased while available on the Albrecht Kempers website. 

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

Anuual Witches Tea celebrates the Halloween season at Albrecht Kemper

Buchanan County Sheriff, Bill Puett, says
his jail has seen a big increase in the number of mentally ill inmates
incarcerated in St. Joseph.

Puett says it’s not a local problem,
either. It is a problem faced statewide.

Puett says his jail is not equipped to
handle mentally ill inmates. Puett points to one example of an inmate housed in
the Buchanan County jail far longer than he should be.

“He has been with us 11 months,” Puett
tells KFEQmmunity. “And so, this is not like two weeks. We see 10, 12, 16
months sometimes before we can get them to the Department of Mental Health and
that’s just not good.”

Puett recently testified before a
Missouri House committee on the problem, telling lawmakers it is a serious
issue for his jail, but even more of a burden from rural jails.

The Buchanan County jail houses around
200 inmates at any one time with between 10-and-20% of those inmates ruled by
the courts as incompetent to stand trial.

Puett says his jail is ill equipped to
handle such inmates.

“I don’t need staff assaulted. I don’t
need the jail torn up. I don’t need all these things, because we have
individuals that should be in the Department of Mental Health,” Puett says.

The problem, according to Puett, is the
Department of Mental Health doesn’t have enough bed space, leading to mentally
ill inmates staying in his jail too long.

Puett says his jail isn’t equipped to
handle mentally ill inmates.

“Lots of problems with individuals who
are not getting treatment, who are not getting their medication,” Puett says.
“Individuals might be a lot better off and a lot more easily dealt with if they
were able to have treatment and medication. So, being incarcerated without that
makes some of them very violent.”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Sheriff Puett sees number of mentally ill inmates grow

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map faces a referendum campaign seeking to repeal it. Republican officials are using procedural roadblocks and litigation to protect the new districts

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

As the campaign to repeal Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map approaches the 106,000 signatures needed to put the issue on the 2026 ballot, Republicans are pulling out all the stops to block it.&nbsp;

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins announced Wednesday that roughly 100,000 signatures gathered so far for the referendum won’t count — and that gathering them before his office approved “constitutes a misdemeanor election offense.”

Later in the day, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a lawsuit arguing that holding a referendum on the congressional map is unconstitutional and asking a federal judge to stop it.&nbsp;

“Missouri politicians continue to try to confuse, intimidate and, frankly, silence us,” Richard Von Glahn of People Not Politicians, the committee behind the referendum campaign, told reporters Thursday.&nbsp;

People Not Politicians is already in court challenging Hoskins’ decision to reject its initial referendum petitions because they were filed in September before the governor signed the redistricting bill. &nbsp;If those petitions aren’t valid, neither are the 100,000 signatures already gathered for the referendum.&nbsp;

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green set the case for a trial on Nov. 4.&nbsp;

“This office remains committed to transparency, accuracy and protecting Missouri voters’ trust in the democratic process,” Hoskins said Wednesday.&nbsp;

At the heart of the debate is Missouri’s congressional map, which has eight districts with six currently represented by Republicans.&nbsp;

Lawmakers returned to the Capitol last month to gerrymander one of the Democratic seats in a way that would adhere to President Donal Trump’s instructions to create a new GOP district before the 2026 midterms.

The target was the 5th District, based in Kansas City and represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver since 2005. It is carved up under the new map with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts. Heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County were added to the remaining Kansas City portions.

Hours after the map won legislative approval, People Not Politicians filed for a referendum to put it on the ballot. Under the Missouri Constitution, if the group gathers 106,000 signatures before Dec. 11, the map will not go into effect until after a statewide vote.&nbsp;

The referendum poses a real threat to the new map. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected actions by the General Assembly all but twice. That includes 1922, when&nbsp;<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Missouri_Proposition_17,_Congressional_Redistricting_Referendum_%281922%29" target="_blank">voters rejected a new congressional map</a>&nbsp;drawn by the legislature.&nbsp;

A referendum was last deployed in Missouri seven years ago, when labor unions collected 300,000 signatures in 90 days to put a question on the statewide ballot repealing a GOP-backed right-to-work law.

A year later, the secretary of state’s office used procedural maneuvers to derail a referendum campaign that sought to overturn newly-passed restrictions on abortion.&nbsp;

That 2019 referendum never got off the ground because of the secretary of state’s actions. But it sparked a 2022 Missouri Supreme Court ruling that determined the laws the secretary of state used to obstruct the citizen-initiated referendum process were unconstitutional.

“We’ve been here before,” said Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing People Not Politicians. “The Secretary of State knows better.”

People Not Politicians has raised $2.6 million in six-figure donations since the campaign began last month. According to disclosure reports filed with the state ethics commission, more than $1.2 million of that has gone directly towards signature gathering.&nbsp;

Most of the group’s money has come from out-of-state nonprofits who are not obligated to disclose their donors. Last week, Kansas City-based Health Forward Foundation donated $750,000.&nbsp;

Hanaway pointed to People Not Politicians out-of-state donors in announcing her federal lawsuit seeking to block the referendum.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Missouri’s redistricting process cannot be dictated by out-of-state special interests,” Hanaway said. “We will not allow dark money groups to silence Missouri voices or hijack the work of the General Assembly.”

Hatfield called the actions of Hanaway and Hoskins “outrageous” and a “full on tantrum about the right of the people to overrule these congressional districts, which is a right the people are guaranteed in the constitution.”

In particular, he called the accusation that gathering signatures could ever be considered a crime “totally ridiculous.”

“This is nothing,” Hatfield said, “but an attempt to intimidate and deny people the right to petition their government.”

Lawsuit, threat of criminal charges part of GOP effort to block vote on Missouri map

A classic score of
a classic film kicks off the St. Joseph Symphony season Saturday.

The St. Joseph
Symphony will perform Frankenstein…It’s Live on Saturday evening at the
Missouri Theater.

Symphony
Conductor, Chris Kelts, says this performance fits perfectly with the setting.

“The Missouri
Theater has been, was, an old movie house at one time,” Kelts tells
KFEQmmunity. “So, we are bringing the original Frankenstein movie, from the
early 30s, to the Missouri Theater. And we will be playing the soundtrack, the
live soundtrack, with live orchestra, which is why we’ve called the concert
series Frankenstein, It’s Live.”

Mary Shelley wrote
the novel Frankenstein which has spun into a variety of popular cultural takes.
The original film didn’t have a musical score. It likely did have a live organ
that played during its showing. Kelts will be working off Michael Shapiro’s “Frankenstein:&nbsp; The Move Score,” which was composed for the 1931
classic film starring Boris Karloff.

Kelts says this
performance works well with his vision for the St. Joseph Symphony.

“So, when audiences
come to the Missouri Theater, I want them to experience live, classical music
played by a live orchestra,” Kelts says. “What we’re doing now is we’re giving
them a glimpse into actually what it takes to make a film its fullest that it
can be.”

Patrons are
encouraged to come in costume for a preconcert reception that begins at six o’clock
Saturday evening in the Missouri Theater lobby. The Windy Wine Company will provide
complimentary wine. The performance begins at 7pm.

Kelts says it’s an
appropriate way to begin the new season which features a lot of music,
concluding with a special performance next spring.

“And then we close
out our season in April with St. Joseph Symphony’s and St. Joseph community’s
very own, Tony Glise,” Kelts says. “And Tony is an award winning, international
classical guitarist. And he lives half the year in Paris, France and half the
year in the United States.”

Kelts says Glise
will perform a new composition with the symphony next year.

Click <a href="https://saintjosephsymphony.org/">HERE</a> for more on the St. Joseph Symphony.

Frankenstein comes alive for the St. Joseph Symphony Saturday

Tomorrow you can get your morning coffee and raise money to help benefit breast cancer patients during Mosaic Life Cares Coffee for a Cure.    

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Human Bean in St. Joseph will, for a 10th year, raise money to help in aiding patients.  

Dr. Rony Abou-Jawde at the Mosaic Cancer Center says he's biased, but believes that Coffee for a Cure is the best event that Mosaic Life Care does to raise awareness  

“I think the more you talk about it, the more you realize it’s not that big of a deal to do it how other patients’ experiences are,” Abou Jawde tells reporters.  “Or even if you talk with patients and say ok I had a very small Stage 1 breast cancer and here I am 20 plus years later, go in for the Coffee for a Cure to help, that should spread a good result that if you find it early you’re going to be cured, this is a great event and I would encourage everybody to go there.” 

And the best part, Dr. Rony Abou Jawde says. 

“It all goes to the event for breast cancer, so it’s a great event to attend and support and help your community, just one fun way of doing it,” Abou Jawde says.  “And you drink coffee, so it’s good.” 

Abou-Jawde says the event really shows the commitment of the community, to help the community 

"So, what we see there, we see the patients and their families and their neighbors and their friends coming to support one individual, and then the next year we see five, six, seven, eight more people doing the same thing,” Abou Jawde says.  “So, it’s the community helping the community.” 

Abou Jawde says treating cancer is not only a big cancer center with excellent technology that can be delivered 

“You want to be treated in your own community to have the help and support of your community, and what better way to do that than your own community coming, going to the Coffee for a Cure, helping with the fundraising that is going to help those patients being treated right here,” Abou Jawde explains. 

During the event from 5am to 7:30pm tomorrow (Fri.) at 4414 Commons Drive, 100% of sales and tips will be donated to benefit the Mosaic Life Care Auxiliary Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund 

The Mosaic Life Care Auxiliary will provide a 100% match as well to funds raised tomorrow. 

10th annual Coffee for a Cure raises money for breast cancer patients

KFEQ Morning News 

Gov. Mike Kehoe has repeatedly said the plan was drafted in his office. A filing by the attorney general’s office says only that ‘various governmental actors’ worked on the plan to give a seat to the GOP

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

A filing in one of the many lawsuits challenging Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">gerrymandered redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;appears to cast uncertainty on Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s statements that the map was prepared by staff in his office.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=25AC-CC07128&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0004_CT19" target="_blank">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed by the committee seeking to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/22/missouri-voters-likely-to-deliver-final-verdict-on-congressional-map-initiative-changes/">force a referendum</a>&nbsp;on the map states: “Governor Kehoe prepared and provided to the General Assembly the new congressional districts and accompanying map.”

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Answer%20and%20Affirmative%20Defenses%20of%20Defendant%20to%20First%20Amended%20Petition%20for%20Declaratory%20Judgment%20and%20Injunctive%20Relief.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3696163" target="_blank">an answer</a>&nbsp;filed Tuesday, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office wrote:&nbsp;“State Defendant admits that various governmental actors participated in the State’s 2025 congressional reapportionment. To the extent further response is required, State Defendant denies the allegations…”

The lawsuit was filed by a political action committee called People not Politicians against Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins after he rejected three proposed referendum petitions because they were filed before Kehoe signed the bill. &nbsp;The answer also denies that Hoskins made any error and asserts that People not Politicians filed suit in the wrong court and against the wrong defendant.

Missouri Democrats have publicly questioned the governor’s public statements that his office crafted the new map, arguing instead that it most likely came from President Donald Trump’s White House.&nbsp;

The phrasing used by the state’s attorneys is revealing, state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, said in an interview with The Independent.

“I am not surprised at all to see the attorney general use this language,” she said. “Obviously now we are entering the court of law and facts matter.”

All along, Nurrenbern said, she has been convinced “this map was just a copy and paste from Washington, D.C.”&nbsp;

Discovering the map’s author has been frustrating, she said, and it was never adequately answered during the special session.&nbsp;Lawmakers were not fully trained on mapping software, she said, and no map was produced by legislative staff.

“The day that the governor called the extraordinary session, the map was already done,” Nurrenbern said, “and so that’s why I could say with absolute certainty that this map was not drawn in the state.”

Throughout the special session and after, Kehoe’s office has been adamant that it was done by the governor’s staff without assistance from Washington.

Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing People Not Politicians in its lawsuit, said he was surprised by the state’s response. It could mean, he said, that Kehoe didn’t personally make the map. But he said “various governmental actors” is certainly broad enough to include federal employees at the White House.

&nbsp;“Why are people embarrassed about taking credit for this bill?” Hatfield said.&nbsp;

Hanaway’s office did not respond immediately to requests for clarification. A spokeswoman for the governor’s office said Tuesday that&nbsp;the original filing “does not specifically say ‘Governor Kehoe’s office’” prepared and provided the map.

On Wednesday morning, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green set the case for a trial on Nov. 4.&nbsp;Green is being asked to decide whether a referendum can be launched as soon as lawmakers take the final vote on a bill or if petitioners must wait until a bill is signed.

In a news release Wednesday, Hoskins said he had approved a new version of the referendum petition and that signature gathering could begin. Any signatures already gathered, Hoskins said, are not valid and gathering them before his approval of the petition form is a misdemeanor.

People Not Politicians said last week that it had collected more than 50,000 signatures from registered voters. The campaign needs at least 106,384 signatures spread over six of the state’s eight congressional districts to put it on a ballot.

The referendum campaign has until Dec. 11 to turn in signatures.

Nurrenbern said she has personally been collecting signatures to put the new map on the ballot next year. She sees Hoskins’ warning about signatures gathered before his approval as a personal threat that she may be prosecuted.

“It is incredibly frustrating that we have a secretary of state using the office to intimidate voters and threaten democracy,” Nurrenbern said.

The new Missouri map targets the Kansas-City based 5th District, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, with the goal of winning seven of Missouri’s congressional seats for the GOP.

Lawmakers approved the new map after Trump started&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">pressuring Misouri Republicans in July</a>&nbsp;to redraw the districts. A special session in Texas was preparing to revise that state’s 34 districts to provide as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/texas-redistricting-congressional-districts-past-mistakes-overreach/" target="_blank">many as five</a>&nbsp;new safe GOP districts. In retaliation, California lawmakers put a new district map on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/14/obama-california-prop-50-redistricting-texas" target="_blank">that state’s ballot</a>&nbsp;with the aim to shift five seats to Democrats.&nbsp;

In a lawsuit currently underway in Texas, Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, testified Oct. 7 that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chron.com/politics/article/texas-redistricting-map-court-21090265.php" target="_blank">he prepared the map</a>&nbsp;passed by the Texas legislature.

According to records obtained by The Independent, Kincaid produced a memo used by the map’s legislative sponsor in Missouri explaining the details of the new districts. In a September interview with The Independent, he insisted that is not evidence that he had a hand in creating the map.

In an interview Tuesday, Kincaid said he would not discuss whether he had a role in the Missouri map.

“I am going to defer to the governor’s office and the AG’s office on that,” he said.

Along with the lawsuit over referendum rules, there are four other lawsuits in various stages where opponents of the new map seek to have it declared unconstitutional. One,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/15/judge-hears-arguments-in-case-seeking-to-toss-missouris-new-congressional-maps/">filed by the NAACP of Missouri</a>, argues Kehoe had no authority to call lawmakers into special session and have all actions of the special session declared void.

The case was argued Sept. 15 before Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh, who has yet to make a ruling.

There is one other case in Cole County that directly challenges the redistricting plan and two more filed in Jackson County.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=25AC-CC06964&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0004_CT19#header" target="_blank">Cole County case</a>&nbsp;is set for a trial on Nov. 12, also before Limbaugh. In the lawsuit, which also has Hatfield as the lead attorney, the plaintiffs argue the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++45&amp;bid=31801&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">Missouri Constitution</a>&nbsp;only allows redistricting to occur immediately after the state receives a new census report.

“All we’ve got to do is look at the Constitution, take a look and see whether they can do redistricting,” Hatfield said. “The answer to that is no, they can’t do it at all.”

The Jackson County cases are not scheduled for trial. One includes accusations that the map approved by lawmakers is flawed and therefore not valid because it uses the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/18/court-battle-looms-over-kc-precinct-listed-twice-in-missouris-new-congressional-map/">same precinct</a>&nbsp;in two different districts.

The other, filed the day&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/29/4th-lawsuit-challenges-missouris-new-congressional-maps-just-as-kehoe-signs-them-into-law/">Kehoe signed the bill</a>, includes the argument that no authority exists in the Constitution allowing lawmakers to revise congressional districts in the absence of new census data. It also argues that the districts are not legal because they are not compact and stretch for hundreds of miles across the state.

Hatfield said he would like clarification on the statement denying Kehoe prepared the map as well as other statements in the answer that deny statements of fact, such as that the legislature passed the redistricting bill.

“It’s them being difficult,” Hatfield said, “but it’s just lawyer games.”

Court filing raises questions about source of gerrymandered Missouri congressional map

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 7p.m. Wednesday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford Escape driven by a 45-year-old Cameron woman was southbound on U.S. 69 one mile east of Winston. The car struck a deer.

Daviess County EMS transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center.&nbsp; She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. woman injured after car strikes a deer

December corn closed up 3/4 of a cent and March corn was up 1 cent. November soybeans closed up 8 3/4 cents and January soybeans were up 8 1/4 cents. December KC wheat closed up 2 3/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 1 1/4 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 1 cent.

December corn closed up 9 1/2 cents and March corn was up 7 1/2 cents. November soybeans closed up 12 3/4 cents and January soybeans were up 13 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed up 8 1/2 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 5 1/4 cents and December Minneapolis wheat was down 3 1/4 cents.

Corn, soy, and wheat markets continued their weekly recovery efforts, gaining back losses from last week's trade-war-induced selloff. President Trump said early Friday he still plans to meet with China's President Xi in South Korea at the end of the month, ahead of a Nov. 1 target date to potentially raise tariffs against China in response to recent restrictions imposed on rare-earth exports by China. This is providing some optimism to traders that, as was the case through the summer, an extension of the previous "trade truce" will be achieved, although how soybeans and other key ag exports will fare in any such agreement remains in the balance. Stock indices were higher following the president's comments, while higher gasoline and diesel prices for Friday also supported corn and soy futures.

It was a tumultuous session for the live cattle complex, as the market opened in a panicked manner, as on Thursday afternoon, President Trump shared that the administration is going to do something about beef prices being too high. Although no specific details have been shared just yet, there's a belief that some sort of deal could have been done with Argentina, as President Trump just met with their President, Javier Milei, at the White House. This comes at such an un-opportunistic time as the fed cash cattle market is trading anywhere from $5.00 to $9.00 higher, which should have a bolstering effect on the market, but this looming news has clouded that positive fundamental achievement. This news development has been gut-wrenching for the market as the cattle complex was just in the middle of adding another record-breaking high to the complex's already impressive rally, but this development has completely shaken the complex.

It comes as no real surprise that the news from President Trump about a potential fix on beef prices being too high sent the feeder cattle complex limit lower in all of its contracts except the soon-to-expire October 2025 contract. This news development has been gut-wrenching for the market as the cattle complex was just in the middle of adding another record-breaking high to the complex's already impressive rally, but this development has completely shaken the complex.

The lean hog complex traded mostly higher, although a couple of the nearby contracts traded slightly lower. The market's positive turn could be partly because of the uptick in pork cutout prices, but it could also be that traders believe the market has traded lower enough for the time being.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/17141317/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

High premiums on Brazilian cargoes are discouraging soybean buyers in China, which means the country has yet to secure much of its needed soybean supply for December and January. Reuters says the development could prompt the Chinese government to tap state reserves to meet the near-term needs. China covered its needs through November with hefty buys from Argentina in recent weeks, but still needs eight to nine million metric tons for December and January. 

Escalating Washington-Beijing trade tensions continue to shut American soybeans from the market. “China isn’t buying U.S. beans because of the trade war, and Brazilian beans have become too expensive,” one oilseed trader at an international trading company that supplies agricultural products to China told Reuters anonymously. “China might end up using its own reserves for its year-end needs and into early next year, and will wait until the new South American harvest comes in.” 

China holding off on Brazil soybean purchases

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City launched the Center for Agriculture and the Economy. This initiative underscores the Bank’s ongoing commitment to including perspectives from agriculture and rural areas in discussions on the national economy. “For many years, the Kansas City Fed has provided critical insights into one of the nation’s most vital industries, which is agriculture,” said Jeff Schmid, president and CEO of the Kansas City Fed. “The establishment of the Center formally recognizes our District’s investment in the area and highlights the vital importance that we place on gathering insights from all of those who have a role in the ag economy.” 

The new Center will serve as a resource within the Federal Reserve System by providing timely analysis of industry developments and conducting ongoing research on the agricultural economy and the rural regions where production predominates. Production agriculture is central to the Tenth District’s overall economy. 

Kansas City Fed launches Center for Agriculture and the Economy

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

Corn, soybean and (for the most part) wheat markets were higher on Thursday as traders continue to speculate how far production in 2025 could fall from prior estimates amid talk of lower-than-expected yields. Compounding that effect were reminders this week that the demand for U.S. grains and oilseeds remains very strong, especially within the U.S. Outside markets were mixed on Thursday as renewed trade war concerns are weighing on equities, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down for the seventh time in the past ten session. Energy markets are also lower, closing in on May lows for crude oil futures.

With the anticipation that fed cash cattle prices will trade higher again this week; traders continued to push the live cattle contracts at least softly higher into Thursday's closing bell. Again, today it's the market's deferred contacts that are seeing the biggest day-over-day gains as everyone in the industry is clearly recognizing that although supplies are thin now, they're going to become even thinner before the cowherd is rebuilt. A few bids are now on the table in the North, where packers are offering $370 for dressed cattle. But at this point, still no cash cattle have traded. Asking prices are set in the South at $240 plus, and in eastern Nebraska at $380.

The feeder cattle complex also traded higher into Thursday's close as traders continue to believe in the market's positive long-term fundamentals. Demand has been utterly incredible this week in sales across the countryside, as shown by the CME feeder cattle index's rally, which reached a new all-time high Wednesday afternoon at $374.47.

The lean hog complex was again trading lower as the market simply isn't seeing the fundamental support it needs to give traders enough confidence that the contracts should trade steady to somewhat higher. Yes, pork cutout values may be a tick stronger, but overall demand has been volatile, and traders want steadfast confidence.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/16140939/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Representatives Elise Stefanik and Rick Crawford have reintroduced the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security Act that will protect U.S. national security by prohibiting foreign adversaries from purchasing or controlling American agricultural land and businesses. “Food security is national security, and I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation that will stand up against our foreign adversaries as they attempt to control our agriculture industry,” Stefanik said. “The U.S. cannot allow ownership bids of assets by communist China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea to undermine the efforts of our farmers, who work hard to feed and fuel our communities.” 

The PASS Act will ensure that the USDA is involved in reviewing foreign acquisitions of American agricultural land and businesses, and blacklists America’s foreign adversaries from controlling U.S. agricultural land. Representative Crawford added, “U.S. agriculture is a critical industry with real and significant impacts on our national security.”   

Agriculture Safeguards and Security Act reintroduced in congress

The National Farmers Union recently sent letters to President Trump and Congressional leaders urging immediate action to provide economic relief to family farmers and ranchers facing deteriorating economic conditions. NFU emphasized that aid should reach the family farm operations that need it most. The group also asked for parallel efforts to rebuild fair markets and curb corporate consolidation in agriculture. “Family farmers and ranchers face severe economic challenges and a deepening crisis if they don’t receive assistance,” said NFU President Rob Larew. 

Larew emphasized that aid payments must be directed to family agricultural operations and balanced among regions and crops. The payments must be paired with efforts to investigate monopolies in the agriculture industry and their resulting impacts on the farm economy. Resources must also be dedicated to developing new and enhanced domestic markets for American crops while enhancing existing markets, including markets at the local and regional level. 

Farmers union asking for relief for family farms and ranches

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

For the most part, grains and oilseed markets were steady to slightly higher at midweek as traders continue to form price opinions without input from USDA and other government agency reports. The latest development in the U.S.-China trade war was President Trump's comments late Tuesday that the U.S. is preparing to restrict Chinese imports on goods such as cooking oil in retaliation to the boycott of U.S. soybeans, which supported U.S. soybean oil futures on Wednesday. Meanwhile, equity markets were higher, more-or-less recovering losses from last week's trade scare as investors continue to shrug off greater trade war concerns. Energy markets were lower again Wednesday, with crude oil futures closing in once again on May lows which were at the time the lowest price in over four years.

Following the tremendous gains seen earlier this week, the live cattle complex traded mixed as traders appear more cautious, seeming to need more fundamental support to develop before they'll advance the contracts any higher. Still no cash cattle trade has developed, but it is assumed that feedlot managers are going to aim for higher prices again this week. No bids have surfaced yet, and it's assumed that the market won't see some trade develop until Thursday or Friday. Asking prices are noted at $240 plus in the South.

The feeder cattle complex has been one of the biggest driving factors in the cattle market's recent rally, but it also traded mixed into Wednesday's closing bell, as traders have seemed to notice the immense gains the market has seen recently and want to see more fundamental support arise before they push the market any higher.

The lean hog complex traded higher as the futures seemed to find some footing in the marketplace after plummeting lower on Wednesday. Thankfully, the market is trading further away from its support plane at $82.00, which was a concern heading into the day as traders haven't been overly supportive of the market this week. But with a little improvement in the cash market, traders feel as though the market has traded lower enough for the near term.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/15135459/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The U.S. has traditionally had a healthy agricultural trade surplus for years. As global dynamics change due to multiple political and economic factors, U.S. agricultural imports now exceed exports. A new study says the deficit is likely to get worse in the years ahead. University of Illinois and Texas Tech University researchers say the U.S. is importing much more than it exports. 

From 2017 to 2018, the dispute between the U.S. and China resulted in export values dropping by $9 billion (73 percent) for soybeans, $432 million (67 percent) for wheat, $93 million (61 percent) for corn, and $313 million (37 percent) for sorghum. The total value of lost agricultural exports amounted to approximately $14 billion. At the same time, the U.S. is losing export markets to other large grain producers like Brazil, Canada, Australia, and Ukraine. The only good news is that the U.S. is actively working on new trade agreements. 

Study shows agriculture exports faltering

The National FFA Organization is one of six national organizations to receive a $10 million grant from Lily Endowment, Inc. The grants are being awarded through the latest round of Lily Endowment’s initiative, called the “Character Through Youth Programs,” which helps youth-serving organizations with a nationwide reach create, test, implement, and sustain strategies that support character development in young people ages five to 18. 

“The organizations like National FFA have a long history of supporting young people and helping them grow into healthy, resilient adults,” said Ted Maple, Lily Endowment’s vice president for education and youth programs. “With their distinctive missions and programs, they are embarking on new creative and strategic approaches to support youth-serving organizations through the first round of the initiative.” Ambra Tennery, director of education programs in the programs and events division for the National FFA Organization, said, “We are honored to receive this support from Lily Endowment.”

FFA receives a $10 million grant

December corn closed up 2 1/4 cents and March corn was up 2 cents. November soybeans closed down 1 1/4 cents and January soybeans were down 1 cent. December KC wheat closed up 7 1/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 3 1/2 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was up 2 cents.

Row-crop futures were mixed Tuesday with grains trading higher while soybean futures fell on the most recent escalation of the U.S.-China trade war as China hit U.S. subsidiaries of a South Korean shipbuilding company with sanctions. Data out from the Brazilian National Supply Company also served as a reminder to traders of record soybean supplies in Brazil and subsequently what have been record-setting exports as well that have sustained into the typical U.S. sales window due to the ongoing dispute with China. Outside markets were mixed with the U.S. dollar seemingly feeling for a momentary ceiling near 2-month highs which aided wheat markets Tuesday. Meanwhile, energy markets were lower on the China-U.S. shipping news but did manage to bounce off daily lows following a speech by Fed Chair Jerome Powell which hinted at a slowing of the 3-year effort by the Federal Reserve to reduce its asset holdings, a move which would work to effectively pressure interest rates and stimulate growth. Stock indices reversed from early losses following Powell's comments.

Although the live cattle complex started the day off weaker, the market turned its direction and traded fully higher into the closing bell as traders were pleased to see morning boxed beef prices higher again. Again today, the uptick in the futures complex has pushed most of the nearby contracts to new contract highs. Still no developments have surfaced in the fed cash cattle market, and it's likely that with feedlot managers able to push prices higher last week, they'll again try to advance the market and wait to trade any of their pens until late in the week.

Once again leading the charge, the feeder cattle complex traded fully higher into Tuesday's close, with a snappy $4.00 to $5.00 rally being the theme throughout the complex. With strong equity markets, cheap feed and incredible demand, it's been almost easy for the feeder cattle market to push the contracts higher as demand continues to be wildly strong.

The lean hog complex hasn't been as fortunate today as its contracts traded lower and are nearing support thresholds in the spot December contract. One would hope that the support plane around $82.00 would hold strong and not be broken through, but with demand being fickle in the hog sector right now, it's anyone's guess how low traders are going to send this thing. Yes, pork cutout values were up a bit this morning, but traders are going to need to see more than a midday report's worth of higher prices before they'll say that demand is truly shining through in the market.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/14143038/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

It is not a year with presidential candidates, but the Alfred E. Smith&nbsp; Memorial Foundation dinner at the&nbsp;at Waldorf Astoria in New York City still raised a lot of fun and funds Thursday night.

Former Secretaries of State Mike Pompeo and&nbsp;Antony Blinken delivered lighthearted remarks.&nbsp;They shared their experiences working under different administrations and discussed many topics, including diplomacy, foreign policy, and the 2025 New York City Mayoral race. Pomopeo also discussed his weight loss.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/former-secretaries-of-state-blinken-pompeo-at-alfred-e-smith-dinner/667251">Click here to watch a replay</a> of the fun at the dinner.

The white-tie dinner raises millions of dollars for Catholic charities and has traditionally offered candidates from both parties the chance to trade lighthearted barbs, poke fun at themselves and pretend to get along.

Pompeo was the nation’s top diplomat from 2018 to 2021 in the administration of President Donald Trump. He was the GOP congressman from Wichita from 2011 to 2017.

🎥Former Kan. Congressman a keynote roaster at Alfred E. Smith dinner

KANSAS CITY—Police investigating a fatality accident that occurred just before 7:30a.m. Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri have released the name of the girl who died as 9-year-old Hazen Workman-Duffy, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-hazen-workmanduffy">Click here to visit </a>the online fundraiser for the family.

KCPD investigators determined a white Ford Transit van was northbound on Food Lane Drive and was turning westbound onto Longview Road at the intersection, according KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina. At the same time, the girl was riding her bicycle within the marked crosswalk and had a green signal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 The van struck the bicycle causing her to fall to the roadway.. EMS transported the girl to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.&nbsp;

Police ID girl killed after van struck her bicycle in KC crosswalk

🎥Trump deal will  lower the cost of a common IVF drug

KANSAS CITY—One person was injured in a fire Thursday in Kansas City.

Just after 1p.m., crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 9300 block of Bales Drive, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

 Crews reported smoke and fire showing from the exterior of a three-story occupied apartment building. Companies initiated an offensive fire attack on arrival using one handline. Searches of the structure were conducted and came back "all clear".&nbsp; The fire was brought under control just after 1:28 p.m. EMS transported&nbsp; one resident for evaluation and treatment of smoke&nbsp;inhalation.&nbsp;The cause of the fire is under investigation by KCFD.&nbsp;

One hospitalized after fire in 3-story KC apartment building

SALINE COUNTY—Police arrested a Salina FedEx employee for allegedly making a threat to 'shoot up the business.'&nbsp;

Just after 2p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to FedEx, 3450 Centennial Road in Salina about an employee who made allegedly made threat a coworker, according to a media release from Salina Police.

Prior to the report, the suspect identified as 19-year -old Trenton Fears made a threat on Monday, October 13 to a coworker when they were on the jobsite. Allegedly the coworker said something to Fears, which prompted him to make the threat.

That same day, Fears went to another coworker and told them to 'not show up to work the following day.'&nbsp;

The next day, October 14, Fears told the coworker he threatened, that he would 'shoot the facility up.'

Management then called Salina Police on Wednesday regarding the threat. Fears was not at FedEx initially, but showed up at a later time and officers immediately arrived to the scene.&nbsp;

Fears was then arrested and booked into the Saline County Jail for the requested charge of Criminal Threat.

Kansas man accused of threat of violence to work place

CLAY COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6a.m. Thursday in Clay County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Ford Fusion driven by a 47-year-old Maysville man was southbound at the intersection of U.S. 69 and Grove. The passenger side of the car struck a northbound 2023 Aprilia motorcycle driven by a 35-year-old Blue Springs man. 

The motorcyclist was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man killed in car, motorcycle crash

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert likely suffered a stroke, doctors determined after she was involved in a minor traffic accident.

Luckert, 70, was elevated to chief justice in 2019 and has been on the state’s highest court since appointed by Republican Gov. Bill Graves and sworn into office in 2003.

In a statement, Luckert said the accident occurred Oct. 9 while driving home from work.

“Fortunately, I did not hit any other vehicle or hurt anyone,” she said. “Doctors believe I had a stroke, which caused the accident.”

Luckert was hospitalized for several days and is recuperating at home while on medical leave from the Supreme Court.

“It does not appear that I will need speech or physical therapy, but I have been ordered to rest for at least the next few weeks,” her statement said. “I’m resting comfortably at home.”

Luckert expressed gratitude for prayers, expressions of concern and warm thoughts about her situation. She said she would release public updates in the future.

Luckert was born in Goodland and earned a law degree at Washburn University in Topeka. She worked in private practice for more than a decade. Democratic Gov. Joan Finney appointed her to the Shawnee County District Court in 1992. She was made chief judge of that district court in 2000.

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