DAVIESS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after noon Saturday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Harley Davidson driven by Emillia R. Galbraith, 45, Hamilton, was northbound on Route DD five miles northwest of Gallatin.&nbsp;

The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road. The motorcycle traveled off the east side of the road, overturned and the driver was ejected.

Daviess County EMS transported Galbraith to Mosaic in St. Joseph. She was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

DAVIESS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after noon Saturday in Daviess County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Harley Davidson driven by Emillia R. Galbraith, 45, Hamilton, was northbound on Route DD five miles northwest of Gallatin.&nbsp;The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road. The motorcycle traveled off the east side of the road, overturned and the driver was ejected.Daviess County EMS transported Galbraith to Mosaic in St. Joseph. She was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

Mo. woman hospitalized in St. Joe after motorcycle accident

The Freedom Caucus, a faction of Republicans, has vowed to debate the budget in detail and attempt to cut hundreds of millions in spending. That could push final votes on spending past the constitutional deadline of May 10

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

The Missouri Senate’s budget plan approved in a committee Wednesday has more money for workers who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/22/missourians-with-developmental-disabilities-languish-in-hospitals-jails-shelters/">help people with developmental disabilities</a>, more to help low-income families&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/29/missouri-child-care-crisis-a-top-priority-for-governor-bipartisan-group-of-lawmakers/">afford child care</a>&nbsp;and more for counties to defray the cost of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missourinet.com/2021/02/18/missouri-could-soon-catch-up-on-its-jail-reimbursement-debt/">holding people convicted of felonies</a>.

There are also big new road projects and a boost to higher education funding.

The committee did make some cuts to House-approved items, including slashing $2.5 million for schools to install artificial intelligence gun detection equipment and $10 million for medical research with psilocybin mushrooms to treat mental illness.

Over two days, the Senate Appropriations Committee dug through thousands of individual lines as it prepared a spending plan for floor debate. Totals were not immediately available but the additions mean the Senate plan will be closer to Gov. Mike Parson’s $52.7 billion proposal than the $50.8 billion spending plan the House approved.

The budget will be on the Senate floor next week. Final approval could prove difficult with the six-member Freedom Caucus promising extended debate by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/23/match-rules-limit-spending-of-missouris-federal-infrastructure-funds-as-deadlines-loom/">digging into every item</a>&nbsp;added to the budget for the coming year.

Republicans on the committee also&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/25/senate-committee-adds-anti-immigration-sanctions-targeting-kansas-city-to-missouri-budget/">injected a new issue</a>&nbsp;into the budget at the end of Wednesday’s hearing – a provision, targeting Kansas City, that punishes any city declaring itself a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants with the loss of all state funding.

Among the larger items added during the markup session are:

The restored money in Medicaid lines, and in other places in the budget, is to make sure departments can function until lawmakers can pass a supplemental spending bill next year, said state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Republican from Springfield and chair of the appropriations committee

“I don’t want any of those things running out of money while we’re not here,” he said.

The money for developmental disability services will help diminish a waiting list, said Val Huhn, director of the Department of Mental Health. A boost in pay last year helped recruiting and the waiting list stopped growing, she said.

“Our waitlist is kind of stagnant, but we’re not seeing an increase,” she said.

Hough said he was disappointed last year that the full boost wasn’t possible.

“It’s one of those things that takes a long time, and we ended up kind of with half of what I really wanted to do,” Hough said. “This was finishing off, more or less, a commitment from last year.”

Another change made in the budget that won’t add costs is to take one employee from each of the state’s prisons and assign them to a centrally directed investigations unit. Their job will be to improve interdiction of contraband coming into the prisons.

That has proven difficult and arrests of corrections officers in recent years for carrying drugs into prisons illustrates the issue. In one instance, a corrections officer brought drugs&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/11/22/authorities-arrest-south-central-correctional-center-officer-accused-trafficking-trugs-7-up-cans/">in soda cans</a>&nbsp;and another brought rolls of paper&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/04/07/missouri-correctional-officer-arrested-intending-give-illegal-drugs-an-inmate/">soaked in synthetic cannabinoid</a>.

Trevor Foley, director of the Department of Corrections, said contraband gets into prisons in a variety of ways and catching it will also require a variety of approaches.

“There’s prevention, there’s perimeter security, there’s searches, there’s body scanners, there’s pushing our perimeters back, there’s drone monitoring,” he said. “There’s staff reviews, there’s visitor reviews, there’s vendor and delivery screenings.”

A wrongful death lawsuit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/24/missouri-prison-agency-to-pay-60k-for-sunshine-law-violations-over-inmate-death-records/">filed earlier this month</a>&nbsp;over a prisoner suicide describes the ease at which items can move from cell to cell even in the administrative segregation unit. Prisoners run strings that can move items as heavy as bed sheets from cell to cell. Sometimes goods are moved between floors, the lawsuit says, based on video obtained from the department.

It is very difficult to catch those types of activities, Foley said.

“I would need to triple my staff to have eyes watching every camera, even splitting them up by floors,” he said.

As of Friday, there will be two weeks left for lawmakers to finish a budget before the constitutional deadline. The deadline has only been missed once, and legislative leaders expressed confidence they can meet it again, although it will be close.

“Time is of the essence,” House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith said Thursday. “We do have enough time but certainly we are on the countdown.”

Smith said he needs time to study the changes made by the Senate to determine which he can accept.

‘I will reserve judgment until I understand what’s in the legislation,” Smith said. “I don’t think I really have a clear understanding of that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714217661665.png" alt="enate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, center, takes notes as members vote on budget bills Wednesday after two days spent amending the spending plan. Hough is flanked by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, left, vice-chairman, and Sen. Lauren Arthur, right, a Kansas City Democrat. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption>enate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, center, takes notes as members vote on budget bills Wednesday after two days spent amending the spending plan. Hough is flanked by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, left, vice-chairman, and Sen. Lauren Arthur, right, a Kansas City Democrat. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Freedom Caucus, a faction of Republicans, has vowed to debate the budget in detail and attempt to cut hundreds of millions in spending. That could push final votes on spending past the constitutional deadline of May 10</h2>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri Senate’s budget plan approved in a committee Wednesday has more money for workers who&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/22/missourians-with-developmental-disabilities-languish-in-hospitals-jails-shelters/">help people with developmental disabilities</a>, more to help low-income families&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/29/missouri-child-care-crisis-a-top-priority-for-governor-bipartisan-group-of-lawmakers/">afford child care</a>&nbsp;and more for counties to defray the cost of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missourinet.com/2021/02/18/missouri-could-soon-catch-up-on-its-jail-reimbursement-debt/">holding people convicted of felonies</a>.There are also big new road projects and a boost to higher education funding.The committee did make some cuts to House-approved items, including slashing $2.5 million for schools to install artificial intelligence gun detection equipment and $10 million for medical research with psilocybin mushrooms to treat mental illness.Over two days, the Senate Appropriations Committee dug through thousands of individual lines as it prepared a spending plan for floor debate. Totals were not immediately available but the additions mean the Senate plan will be closer to Gov. Mike Parson’s $52.7 billion proposal than the $50.8 billion spending plan the House approved.The budget will be on the Senate floor next week. Final approval could prove difficult with the six-member Freedom Caucus promising extended debate by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/23/match-rules-limit-spending-of-missouris-federal-infrastructure-funds-as-deadlines-loom/">digging into every item</a>&nbsp;added to the budget for the coming year.Republicans on the committee also&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/25/senate-committee-adds-anti-immigration-sanctions-targeting-kansas-city-to-missouri-budget/">injected a new issue</a>&nbsp;into the budget at the end of Wednesday’s hearing – a provision, targeting Kansas City, that punishes any city declaring itself a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants with the loss of all state funding.Among the larger items added during the markup session are:<ul>
 <li>$171 million to increase pay to at least $17 an hour for people helping adults with developmental disabilities in their daily lives. There is also $9 million to pay a $2 differential for night work.</li><li>$80 million for reconstructing U.S. Highway 67 in Butler County. There is also $30 million for road improvements near a beef processing plant in Wright City and $48 million for improvements to U.S. Highway 65 between Buffalo and Warsaw.</li><li>$5 million to increase payments to counties for jail time served by inmates who are later convicted of felonies and sent to state prisons. With $5 million added by the House, it would increase the per-day rate to $27.31 from the current $22.58, an amount that has not been increased since fiscal 2017. State law&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=221.105&amp;bid=50039&amp;hl=">in effect since 1997</a>&nbsp;allows up to $37.50 per day but it has never been funded.</li><li>Restored $52 million cut from child care subsidies for lower income families and set new rates based on the latest rate study. The House directed that a rate study produced for the 2021-22 fiscal year be used.</li><li>Restored cuts the House made to Medicaid budget lines that pared back the amount set aside for anticipated cost increases.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>The restored money in Medicaid lines, and in other places in the budget, is to make sure departments can function until lawmakers can pass a supplemental spending bill next year, said state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Republican from Springfield and chair of the appropriations committee“I don’t want any of those things running out of money while we’re not here,” he said.The money for developmental disability services will help diminish a waiting list, said Val Huhn, director of the Department of Mental Health. A boost in pay last year helped recruiting and the waiting list stopped growing, she said.“Our waitlist is kind of stagnant, but we’re not seeing an increase,” she said.Hough said he was disappointed last year that the full boost wasn’t possible.“It’s one of those things that takes a long time, and we ended up kind of with half of what I really wanted to do,” Hough said. “This was finishing off, more or less, a commitment from last year.”Another change made in the budget that won’t add costs is to take one employee from each of the state’s prisons and assign them to a centrally directed investigations unit. Their job will be to improve interdiction of contraband coming into the prisons.That has proven difficult and arrests of corrections officers in recent years for carrying drugs into prisons illustrates the issue. In one instance, a corrections officer brought drugs&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/11/22/authorities-arrest-south-central-correctional-center-officer-accused-trafficking-trugs-7-up-cans/">in soda cans</a>&nbsp;and another brought rolls of paper&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/04/07/missouri-correctional-officer-arrested-intending-give-illegal-drugs-an-inmate/">soaked in synthetic cannabinoid</a>.Trevor Foley, director of the Department of Corrections, said contraband gets into prisons in a variety of ways and catching it will also require a variety of approaches.“There’s prevention, there’s perimeter security, there’s searches, there’s body scanners, there’s pushing our perimeters back, there’s drone monitoring,” he said. “There’s staff reviews, there’s visitor reviews, there’s vendor and delivery screenings.”A wrongful death lawsuit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/24/missouri-prison-agency-to-pay-60k-for-sunshine-law-violations-over-inmate-death-records/">filed earlier this month</a>&nbsp;over a prisoner suicide describes the ease at which items can move from cell to cell even in the administrative segregation unit. Prisoners run strings that can move items as heavy as bed sheets from cell to cell. Sometimes goods are moved between floors, the lawsuit says, based on video obtained from the department.It is very difficult to catch those types of activities, Foley said.“I would need to triple my staff to have eyes watching every camera, even splitting them up by floors,” he said.As of Friday, there will be two weeks left for lawmakers to finish a budget before the constitutional deadline. The deadline has only been missed once, and legislative leaders expressed confidence they can meet it again, although it will be close.“Time is of the essence,” House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith said Thursday. “We do have enough time but certainly we are on the countdown.”Smith said he needs time to study the changes made by the Senate to determine which he can accept.‘I will reserve judgment until I understand what’s in the legislation,” Smith said. “I don’t think I really have a clear understanding of that.”

With time running short, Missouri Senate set to debate $50 billion state budget next week

An overflow at the St. Joseph Animal Shelter only emphasizes the need for a new building.   

It's been a rough month for the St. Joseph Animal Shelter.  Despite running several adoption events, with discounted adoption fees, the shelter is still full. 

Friends of the Animal Shelter Melanie Barnes says the shelter is mostly full of older dogs and puppies. 

"We think of the spring as kitten season, and yes we do have lots of kittens down there and there's an event coming up to support that, but the kennels have just been crazy," Barnes tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. 

Barnes says that April has been so rough they have had to find creative ways to encourage adoption. 

"They started on April 1st and 2nd, and they ran a shelter event of It's Not an April Fool's and all adoptions were $1," Barnes says. 

Barnes says a majority of the pets were adopted at that event, but less than a week later it was full again, and another event was held. 

"They did essentially the Price is Right, and so they had specific pets maybe that had been down there for a while and overlooked, and if you were interested you could come in and play a Price is Right game and almost pick the price for adoptions," Barnes explains. 

Barnes says that event in the middle of the month saw a majority of pets adopted, but earlier this week.  

"We got 40 dogs in one day, so this is the third adoption special trying to get pets out of the shelter because we're constantly full," Barnes says. "Just this last Tuesday and Wednesday, sticking with the game show theme, they did a Wheel of Fortune." 

Barnes says adoption fees on a wheel spin ranged from a $1 to around $50.  Barnes indicates heading into May, it's not slowing down. 

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post An overflow at the St. Joseph Animal Shelter only emphasizes the need for a new building. It's been a rough month for the St. Joseph Animal Shelter. Despite running several adoption events, with discounted adoption fees, the shelter is still full. Friends of the Animal Shelter Melanie Barnes says the shelter is mostly full of older dogs and puppies. "We think of the spring as kitten season, and yes we do have lots of kittens down there and there's an event coming up to support that, but the kennels have just been crazy," Barnes tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. Barnes says that April has been so rough they have had to find creative ways to encourage adoption. "They started on April 1st and 2nd, and they ran a shelter event of It's Not an April Fool's and all adoptions were $1," Barnes says. Barnes says a majority of the pets were adopted at that event, but less than a week later it was full again, and another event was held. "They did essentially the Price is Right, and so they had specific pets maybe that had been down there for a while and overlooked, and if you were interested you could come in and play a Price is Right game and almost pick the price for adoptions," Barnes explains. Barnes says that event in the middle of the month saw a majority of pets adopted, but earlier this week. "We got 40 dogs in one day, so this is the third adoption special trying to get pets out of the shelter because we're constantly full," Barnes says. "Just this last Tuesday and Wednesday, sticking with the game show theme, they did a Wheel of Fortune." Barnes says adoption fees on a wheel spin ranged from a $1 to around $50. Barnes indicates heading into May, it's not slowing down. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Friends of the St. Joseph Animal Shelter try creative ways to ease overflow

St.
Joseph police report the body of a woman has been found in the 3200 block
of North 2nd Street.

Police
say family members Friday night reported finding the body of a 53-year-old
woman outside. An autopsy has been ordered.

An
investigation continues, though no foul play is suspected.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt.
Joseph police report the body of a woman has been found in the 3200 block
of North 2nd Street.Police
say family members Friday night reported finding the body of a 53-year-old
woman outside. An autopsy has been ordered.An
investigation continues, though no foul play is suspected.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Investigation underway after body discovered in St. Joseph

Human remains found in north-central Missouri have been
identified as that of an Iowa man missing since 2018.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the remains have
been identified as those of Sebastian Tyrese Husted, a Black male who was 24 at the time
he was reported missing by the Centerville, Iowa Police Department. The patrol says
Centerville authorities reported Husted missing on January 22nd of
2018.

A turkey hunter discovered the remains Tuesday afternoon on
private property in Mercer County.

Members of the public is asked to contact the Mercer County
Sheriff’s Office or the Centerville, Iowa Police Department if they have any
information which might help in the investigation.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostHuman remains found in north-central Missouri have been
identified as that of an Iowa man missing since 2018.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the remains have
been identified as those of Sebastian Tyrese Husted, a Black male who was 24 at the time
he was reported missing by the Centerville, Iowa Police Department. The patrol says
Centerville authorities reported Husted missing on January 22nd of
2018.A turkey hunter discovered the remains Tuesday afternoon on
private property in Mercer County.Members of the public is asked to contact the Mercer County
Sheriff’s Office or the Centerville, Iowa Police Department if they have any
information which might help in the investigation.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Human remains found in north-central Missouri identified

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with an alleged violent crimes.

Just before 3p.m. Thursday,&nbsp; a search warrant was initiated at a residence at 1114 Holden Eagle Road on the Kickapoo Reservation, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

&nbsp; KansasHighway Patrol assisted the Brown County Sheriff’s Office in the execution of the warrant. Officers arrested 48-year-old Lester Randall&nbsp; on a requested charge of Aggravated Domestic Battery.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714127202620.png" alt="Randall-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Randall-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with an alleged violent crimes.Just before 3p.m. Thursday,&nbsp; a search warrant was initiated at a residence at 1114 Holden Eagle Road on the Kickapoo Reservation, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; KansasHighway Patrol assisted the Brown County Sheriff’s Office in the execution of the warrant. Officers arrested 48-year-old Lester Randall&nbsp; on a requested charge of Aggravated Domestic Battery.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Search warrant leads to arrest for alleged domestic battery

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/dmitrymartirosov/">DMITRY MARTIROSOV</a>&nbsp;

Rep. Aaron McMullen is fighting an uphill battle — and he knows it.

McMullen, a Republican from Independence, is pushing legislation that would require Missouri’s members of Congress to reside in the district they represent.

But there’s one problem: His proposal conflicts with the U.S. Constitution.

Article 1 Section 2 of the Constitution states that to be a U.S. representative, a candidate must be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for seven years and a resident of the state they seek to represent at the time of the election. Adding further requirements, such as those proposed in McMullen’s bill, would go against the Constitution.

McMullen’s 2-page proposal states that beginning in the 2026 federal elections, a candidate running to represent a congressional district in Missouri may do so only if they live in that district.

The bill further states that if a candidate runs for a congressional district in which the boundaries have not been changed in the past 24 months, that candidate must reside in that district for a period of 12 months before the election and for three months if the district’s boundaries have been changed. Before a candidate’s name appears on the ballot, their residency would have to be verified by the secretary of state’s office, the bill states.

But all of these requirements conflict with the U.S. Constitution, as determined by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1995.

In that ruling, Arkansas residents passed an amendment to their state constitution that sought to limit the number of terms members of their state legislatures and their congressional representatives could serve. In a narrowly split decision, the Supreme Court ruled that putting additional requirements on members of Congress is prohibited, and thus unconstitutional. The ruling invalidated similar measures passed by 22 other states, including Missouri.

“This is going to be a long process,” McMullen said in an interview, adding that he and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office are currently working to amend some language in the bill.

When McMullen first presented his bill during last year’s session, he faced stern opposition from Rep. Adam Schwadron, a St. Charles Republican, who called the measure “blatantly unconstitutional” and said he couldn’t support it.

Last week, Schwadron again laid out his argument for why the bill is flawed when it was heard by the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee.

“I understand where people are coming from,” Schwadron later said in his office. “Unfortunately, I don’t want to have to spend state money on something that we 100% know will be struck down by the courts.”

The question at the heart of McMullen’s bill is one of representation. Specifically, whether a candidate who doesn’t live in a particular district should be able to represent it.

The Missouri Constitution lays out requirements for members of the legislature, which includes district residency. But the U.S. Constitution, while specifying age, citizenship and state residency requirements, does not address the issue.

“The members of the Constitutional Convention were familiar with district residency requirements and many of the states imposed them in state constitutions. But they did not choose to put them in the U.S. Constitution,” said Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Missouri. “While many Americans might agree on requiring district representation, it could only be mandated through a constitutional amendment.”

And an amendment is something McMullen, a candidate for Senate District 11, said he is open to.

“I feel like what this bill does is start the conversation to try to look and, you know, amend, possibly, the (U.S.) Constitution,” he said. “Everybody agrees with the concept and agrees that this is something that needs to be fixed. It’s just a long and arduous process.”

In 1996, Missouri residents passed a constitutional amendment that sought to place term limits on members of Congress to a maximum of three terms for House representatives and two for Senators. The measure passed with more than 57%, but was deemed invalid by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 2001 decision.

Opposition to McMullen’s bill is sparse, with most either indifferent as a result of the legal hurdles still in its way or concerned with the precedent it might set.

“I get a little bit weary anytime we start confining the requirements that are already in the federal constitution,” said Rep. Kevin Windham, a Democrat from Hillsdale, who sits on the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee.

Windham said the bill raises a few red flags for him as it relates to placing boundaries around certain areas of the law.

“The state legislature draws the lines for congressional districts. What happens when what has seemingly been a practice of drawing folks out of certain congressional districts (occurs during redistricting every 10 years)? It has a little bit more of an effect when you say that that person can’t run at all in that district,” Windham said.

Windham added that he thinks there’s a clear conflict of interest when the legislature controls the process of both drawing the lines for congressional districts and narrowing down the district residency requirements in the U.S. Constitution.

“It puts, at least me, in particular, in a weird space as far as being able to support (the bill),” Windham said.

Squire said candidates can easily find themselves in new districts following redistricting, which could then place them in situations where they’re running for a district they do not live in.

“District lines shift and candidates may not want to move with them,” Squire said.

“In urban areas,” he added, “the lines don’t usually match media markets and members may be sufficiently well-known to run even if they don’t currently live in the district.”

It’s been nearly 32 years since the U.S. Constitution has last been amended, when in May 1992 Michigan became the 38th state needed to ratify the 27th Amendment.

Yet despite the slim odds McMullen’s bill might be facing during this legislative session, he remains optimistic.

“The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step,” McMullen said.

And if he somehow manages to pull it off, beginning the process of amending the U.S Constitution, even Schwadron, McMullen’s most ardent opponent, said he would support it.

“I would vote for that,” Schwadron said, “I would approve that, so long as it is an amendment to the United States Constitution.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/a-missouri-lawmaker-wants-congressional-members-to-live-in-their-districts-can-he-pull-it/article_8027f766-00cc-11ef-a1d1-73fbee3c5bff.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714092097711.png" alt=" State Rep. Aaron McMullen, R-Independence, presents a bill in committee on Jan. 16, 2024 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption> State Rep. Aaron McMullen, R-Independence, presents a bill in committee on Jan. 16, 2024 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/dmitrymartirosov/">DMITRY MARTIROSOV</a>&nbsp;Rep. Aaron McMullen is fighting an uphill battle — and he knows it.McMullen, a Republican from Independence, is pushing legislation that would require Missouri’s members of Congress to reside in the district they represent.But there’s one problem: His proposal conflicts with the U.S. Constitution.Article 1 Section 2 of the Constitution states that to be a U.S. representative, a candidate must be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for seven years and a resident of the state they seek to represent at the time of the election. Adding further requirements, such as those proposed in McMullen’s bill, would go against the Constitution.McMullen’s 2-page proposal states that beginning in the 2026 federal elections, a candidate running to represent a congressional district in Missouri may do so only if they live in that district.The bill further states that if a candidate runs for a congressional district in which the boundaries have not been changed in the past 24 months, that candidate must reside in that district for a period of 12 months before the election and for three months if the district’s boundaries have been changed. Before a candidate’s name appears on the ballot, their residency would have to be verified by the secretary of state’s office, the bill states.But all of these requirements conflict with the U.S. Constitution, as determined by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1995.In that ruling, Arkansas residents passed an amendment to their state constitution that sought to limit the number of terms members of their state legislatures and their congressional representatives could serve. In a narrowly split decision, the Supreme Court ruled that putting additional requirements on members of Congress is prohibited, and thus unconstitutional. The ruling invalidated similar measures passed by 22 other states, including Missouri.“This is going to be a long process,” McMullen said in an interview, adding that he and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office are currently working to amend some language in the bill.When McMullen first presented his bill during last year’s session, he faced stern opposition from Rep. Adam Schwadron, a St. Charles Republican, who called the measure “blatantly unconstitutional” and said he couldn’t support it.Last week, Schwadron again laid out his argument for why the bill is flawed when it was heard by the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee.“I understand where people are coming from,” Schwadron later said in his office. “Unfortunately, I don’t want to have to spend state money on something that we 100% know will be struck down by the courts.”The question at the heart of McMullen’s bill is one of representation. Specifically, whether a candidate who doesn’t live in a particular district should be able to represent it.The Missouri Constitution lays out requirements for members of the legislature, which includes district residency. But the U.S. Constitution, while specifying age, citizenship and state residency requirements, does not address the issue.“The members of the Constitutional Convention were familiar with district residency requirements and many of the states imposed them in state constitutions. But they did not choose to put them in the U.S. Constitution,” said Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Missouri. “While many Americans might agree on requiring district representation, it could only be mandated through a constitutional amendment.”And an amendment is something McMullen, a candidate for Senate District 11, said he is open to.“I feel like what this bill does is start the conversation to try to look and, you know, amend, possibly, the (U.S.) Constitution,” he said. “Everybody agrees with the concept and agrees that this is something that needs to be fixed. It’s just a long and arduous process.”In 1996, Missouri residents passed a constitutional amendment that sought to place term limits on members of Congress to a maximum of three terms for House representatives and two for Senators. The measure passed with more than 57%, but was deemed invalid by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 2001 decision.Opposition to McMullen’s bill is sparse, with most either indifferent as a result of the legal hurdles still in its way or concerned with the precedent it might set.“I get a little bit weary anytime we start confining the requirements that are already in the federal constitution,” said Rep. Kevin Windham, a Democrat from Hillsdale, who sits on the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee.Windham said the bill raises a few red flags for him as it relates to placing boundaries around certain areas of the law.“The state legislature draws the lines for congressional districts. What happens when what has seemingly been a practice of drawing folks out of certain congressional districts (occurs during redistricting every 10 years)? It has a little bit more of an effect when you say that that person can’t run at all in that district,” Windham said.Windham added that he thinks there’s a clear conflict of interest when the legislature controls the process of both drawing the lines for congressional districts and narrowing down the district residency requirements in the U.S. Constitution.“It puts, at least me, in particular, in a weird space as far as being able to support (the bill),” Windham said.Squire said candidates can easily find themselves in new districts following redistricting, which could then place them in situations where they’re running for a district they do not live in.“District lines shift and candidates may not want to move with them,” Squire said.“In urban areas,” he added, “the lines don’t usually match media markets and members may be sufficiently well-known to run even if they don’t currently live in the district.”It’s been nearly 32 years since the U.S. Constitution has last been amended, when in May 1992 Michigan became the 38th state needed to ratify the 27th Amendment.Yet despite the slim odds McMullen’s bill might be facing during this legislative session, he remains optimistic.“The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step,” McMullen said.And if he somehow manages to pull it off, beginning the process of amending the U.S Constitution, even Schwadron, McMullen’s most ardent opponent, said he would support it.“I would vote for that,” Schwadron said, “I would approve that, so long as it is an amendment to the United States Constitution.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/a-missouri-lawmaker-wants-congressional-members-to-live-in-their-districts-can-he-pull-it/article_8027f766-00cc-11ef-a1d1-73fbee3c5bff.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Missouri lawmaker wants congressional members to live in their districts

A survivor of childhood sexual assault told her story at the
Crime Victims’ Rights Week Breakfast, hoping her story can encourage others.

Haley McKee of St. Joseph now works as a paralegal in the
Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and delivered the address at the
Crime Victims’ Rights Week Breakfast.

McKee survived not only the assault, but the trials in Texas
when she pressed charges against her stepfather. McKee wants to provide crime
victims hope, especially those abused as children.

“What I really wanted to get with my story was that you can be
successful and you can get past the hardships in your life,” McKee tells
reporters after addressing the breakfast. “That’s the main thing. That you can
do something. It doesn’t define who you are.”

McKee acknowledges she was angry after the assaults and during
her journey through the criminal justice system. Her stepfather assaulted her
at the age of eight when they lived in Texas and she endured testifying in two
trials in her teens.

McKee says her speech before law enforcement, victim rights advocates,
and the families of crime victims was the first time she spoke publicly about
her ordeal.

“I think it was always something that I wanted to do and I
just never had the opportunity to do it,” McKee says. “And when I was given
that opportunity, I definitely wanted to take it, just to share my story and to
help others.”

McKee says victims of childhood assault suffer not just once,
but again when their case comes to trial.

“Very much and to see him, the perpetrator in the courtroom,
had to do it twice; it was very, very scary,” according to McKee. “Like I
talked about in my speech, I did not know what to expect when I got up there.
It was very tough.”

McKee says the criminal justice system has improved over the
years and is much better at meeting the needs of victims.

The Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has been
honoring the victims of crime this week. On Wednesday, a small ceremony was
held at the Crime Victims’ Memorial at the Remington Nature Center. The Crime
Victims’ Rights Week Breakfast was held Thursday at the Fulkerson Center on the
Missouri Western State University St. Joseph campus.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714072891207.jpeg" alt="Haley McKee speaks at the Crime Victims' Rights Week Breakfast at MWSU/Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Haley McKee speaks at the Crime Victims' Rights Week Breakfast at MWSU/Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA survivor of childhood sexual assault told her story at the
Crime Victims’ Rights Week Breakfast, hoping her story can encourage others.Haley McKee of St. Joseph now works as a paralegal in the
Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and delivered the address at the
Crime Victims’ Rights Week Breakfast.McKee survived not only the assault, but the trials in Texas
when she pressed charges against her stepfather. McKee wants to provide crime
victims hope, especially those abused as children.“What I really wanted to get with my story was that you can be
successful and you can get past the hardships in your life,” McKee tells
reporters after addressing the breakfast. “That’s the main thing. That you can
do something. It doesn’t define who you are.”McKee acknowledges she was angry after the assaults and during
her journey through the criminal justice system. Her stepfather assaulted her
at the age of eight when they lived in Texas and she endured testifying in two
trials in her teens.McKee says her speech before law enforcement, victim rights advocates,
and the families of crime victims was the first time she spoke publicly about
her ordeal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714072976036.jpeg" alt="Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>“I think it was always something that I wanted to do and I
just never had the opportunity to do it,” McKee says. “And when I was given
that opportunity, I definitely wanted to take it, just to share my story and to
help others.”McKee says victims of childhood assault suffer not just once,
but again when their case comes to trial.“Very much and to see him, the perpetrator in the courtroom,
had to do it twice; it was very, very scary,” according to McKee. “Like I
talked about in my speech, I did not know what to expect when I got up there.
It was very tough.”McKee says the criminal justice system has improved over the
years and is much better at meeting the needs of victims.The Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has been
honoring the victims of crime this week. On Wednesday, a small ceremony was
held at the Crime Victims’ Memorial at the Remington Nature Center. The Crime
Victims’ Rights Week Breakfast was held Thursday at the Fulkerson Center on the
Missouri Western State University St. Joseph campus.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Crime-Victims-Rights-Week-Breakfast-e2isoat" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Sex abuse victim addresses Crime Victims' Rights Week Breakfast

A gala being held this weekend at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art will help raise funds for projects around the St. Joseph museum. 

Executive Director Eric Fuson says this year’s theme for the Pot of Gold gala is Out of this World, an Intergalactic Gala

"Everything from some swirling planets above us to the lighting and the table settings that will just bring you into another enviornment that goes all the way through the whole gallery," Fuson tells host of the KFEQ Hotine Barry Birr. 

Spokesperson Dansare Lawrence says the Pot of Gold gala is one of the biggest fundraisers the museum holds.

"Everyone who comes has the option to bid on our live and silent auctions and all of this helps the museum stay in operation," Lawrence explains. "It'g going to go towards the opening of our education department in the Carriage House, we have a lot of need for community support and so this is one of the biggest ways our community shows up for us."

Tickets can be purchased online to the gala or by contacting the museum.  Doors open to the event at 5pm on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714062552328.jpeg" alt="Several gathered for the 2022 Pot of Gold Gala at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art in St. Joseph, themed "Premiere Night". the 2024 Pot of Gold Gala is this Saturday/ Photo courtesy of the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art Facebook page" />
 <figcaption>Several gathered for the 2022 Pot of Gold Gala at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art in St. Joseph, themed "Premiere Night". the 2024 Pot of Gold Gala is this Saturday/ Photo courtesy of the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art Facebook page</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostA gala being held this weekend at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art will help raise funds for projects around the St. Joseph museum. Executive Director Eric Fuson says this year’s theme for the Pot of Gold gala is Out of this World, an Intergalactic Gala"Everything from some swirling planets above us to the lighting and the table settings that will just bring you into another enviornment that goes all the way through the whole gallery," Fuson tells host of the KFEQ Hotine Barry Birr. Spokesperson Dansare Lawrence says the Pot of Gold gala is one of the biggest fundraisers the museum holds."Everyone who comes has the option to bid on our live and silent auctions and all of this helps the museum stay in operation," Lawrence explains. "It'g going to go towards the opening of our education department in the Carriage House, we have a lot of need for community support and so this is one of the biggest ways our community shows up for us."Tickets can be purchased online to the gala or by contacting the museum. Doors open to the event at 5pm on Saturday.

Albrecht Kemper's largest fundraiser, Pot of Gold, coming up this weekend

A top rules official with the NCAA visited Missouri Western students on Wednesday.   

Vice President of NCAA Enforcement Jon Duncan met with students from the Craig School of Business on the St. Joseph campus Wednesday to discuss rule enforcement issues, especially pertaining to name, image and likeness. 

The NCAA has recently ruled that schools can now assist student-athletes in finding NIL contracts, which Duncan says will allow schools to do more for athletes than they could before. 

"To support those student athletes in seeking out NIL opportunities, managing responsibilities that come with NIL revenue. balancing risks that are connected with those," Duncan tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

Duncan says schools are now able to do more for their student-athletes after they enroll than in years past. 

Duncan says the purpose of NIL was to provide opportunities to student athletes while reducing the difference between athletes and non-athletes, knowing there would be a challenge in talent acquisition, which now they have run into. 

"So, we're trying to work together with schools on a policy level to have guardrails that are defensible with it comes time for court challenges, but also practically. What are schools seeing? What are student athletes seeing? What are third parties doing? So that everybody can keep their finger on the pulse of what's going on," Duncan explains. 

Duncan says the goal now is to encourage the good and address the less positive impacts of NIL. 

Last year, Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed into law an expansion of the state NIL.  Duncan says copycat legislation has been seen to help other states keep up, something the NCAA is discussing with Congress. 

"To help address the patchwork of different state laws to set states free from feeling like they need to adopt this copycat legislation to keep up and have a national standard" Duncan says. "So those are conversations that are happening at Congress right now." 

The expansion of Missouri NIL allows high school athletes to discuss NIL contracts before they sign with an in-state college and earn compensation once a letter of intent is signed. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714059116052.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western Craig School of Business' Linda&nbsp;Salfrank (at podium) leads a panel discussion featuring NCAA Vice President Jon Duncan/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western Craig School of Business' Linda&nbsp;Salfrank (at podium) leads a panel discussion featuring NCAA Vice President Jon Duncan/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A top rules official with the NCAA visited Missouri Western students on Wednesday. Vice President of NCAA Enforcement Jon Duncan met with students from the Craig School of Business on the St. Joseph campus Wednesday to discuss rule enforcement issues, especially pertaining to name, image and likeness. The NCAA has recently ruled that schools can now assist student-athletes in finding NIL contracts, which Duncan says will allow schools to do more for athletes than they could before. "To support those student athletes in seeking out NIL opportunities, managing responsibilities that come with NIL revenue. balancing risks that are connected with those," Duncan tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. Duncan says schools are now able to do more for their student-athletes after they enroll than in years past. Duncan says the purpose of NIL was to provide opportunities to student athletes while reducing the difference between athletes and non-athletes, knowing there would be a challenge in talent acquisition, which now they have run into. "So, we're trying to work together with schools on a policy level to have guardrails that are defensible with it comes time for court challenges, but also practically. What are schools seeing? What are student athletes seeing? What are third parties doing? So that everybody can keep their finger on the pulse of what's going on," Duncan explains. Duncan says the goal now is to encourage the good and address the less positive impacts of NIL. Last year, Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed into law an expansion of the state NIL. Duncan says copycat legislation has been seen to help other states keep up, something the NCAA is discussing with Congress. "To help address the patchwork of different state laws to set states free from feeling like they need to adopt this copycat legislation to keep up and have a national standard" Duncan says. "So those are conversations that are happening at Congress right now." The expansion of Missouri NIL allows high school athletes to discuss NIL contracts before they sign with an in-state college and earn compensation once a letter of intent is signed. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

NCAA rules chief addresses NIL at Missouri Western State University

LIVINGSTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Wednesday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Chevy Malibu driven by Terrance G. Givens, 34, Kansas City, Kansas, was westbound on U.S. 36 one mile west of Mooresville. The car rear-ended a 2022 Ford F750 driven by Adam E. Ponsor, 37, Waukee, Iowa.

Chillicothe ambulance transported Givens to Hedrick Medical Center. Ponsor was not injured.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Wednesday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Chevy Malibu driven by Terrance G. Givens, 34, Kansas City, Kansas, was westbound on U.S. 36 one mile west of Mooresville. The car rear-ended a 2022 Ford F750 driven by Adam E. Ponsor, 37, Waukee, Iowa.Chillicothe ambulance transported Givens to Hedrick Medical Center. Ponsor was not injured.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after rear-end crash

GRUNDY COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Wednesday Grundy County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Freightliner Trash Truck driven by Preston C. Ramsey, 71, Trenton, was southbound on Route CC two miles west of Brimson.&nbsp;

The driver failed to stop at a stop sign. The truck crossed MO 146, traveled off the south side of the intersection and overturned.

Life Flight Eagle transported Ramsey to Truman Medical Center.&nbsp; MU Air ambulance transported a passenger Caleb L. Hudson 34, Spickard, to St. Lukes on the Plaza. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

GRUNDY COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Wednesday Grundy County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Freightliner Trash Truck driven by Preston C. Ramsey, 71, Trenton, was southbound on Route CC two miles west of Brimson.&nbsp;The driver failed to stop at a stop sign. The truck crossed MO 146, traveled off the south side of the intersection and overturned.Life Flight Eagle transported Ramsey to Truman Medical Center.&nbsp; MU Air ambulance transported a passenger Caleb L. Hudson 34, Spickard, to St. Lukes on the Plaza. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

2 Mo. men air-lifted to hospital after trash truck overturns

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime.

On Tuesday, police arrested 32-year-old Kevin M. Shanks of Atchison in the 1600 block Jayhawk Drive, according to the Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Shanks met the requirements for bond and was released just before 10p.m. Tuesday, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713963798102.png" alt="Shanks-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Shanks-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime.On Tuesday, police arrested 32-year-old Kevin M. Shanks of Atchison in the 1600 block Jayhawk Drive, according to the Police Chief Mike Wilson.Shanks met the requirements for bond and was released just before 10p.m. Tuesday, according to online jail records.

Kansas man jailed for an alleged violent  crime

MARYVILLE - Matt Keeley started from the ground up when he took over as the head men's basketball coach at Ottawa University in Arizona.

Literally. The program didn't exist until he started there in 2017.

Seven years, 113 wins, three national tournament berths and two conference titles later, Keeley takes over, arguably, the most structurally sound Division II men's program in the country.

Keeley was picked as the 21st coach in the history of Northwest men's basketball on April 13, and officially introduced Wednesday at the Lamkin Activity Center on the Maryville campus.

Being Ben McCollum's successor, Keeley says it's McCollum's predecessor, Steve Tappmeyer, who offered some words of wisdom in the early days on the job.

"(Steve) challenged me to just continue to embrace the greatness that this place is," Keeley said, "and to see it as something you're a part of in the story, and not something you're not trying to come and reinvent. And, I certainly took that to heart."

Keeley knows Northwest and the MIAA well enough, even before this job was on his radar. He was an assistant at Washburn from 2007-09 and then at MidAmerica Nazarene from 2009-17.

Northwest athletic director Andy Peterson was an assistant on McCollum's staff at Northwest from 2011-17. Peterson says it always 'stuck with him' that the Bearcats and Pioneers seemed to go after the same type of players on the recruiting trail during that time.

"(Matt) knows the value of the type of student-athletes we're after," Peterson said. "I can't tell you how many kids we recruited against each other on. It seemed, when it came down to the wire of where that kid was going to go, it was Northwest, Washburn and MidAmerica Nazarene. Northwest, UCM, MidAmerica Nazarene."

Keeley, a father of four, knows moving a family from the Phoenix metro to Maryville is no small thing. His oldest son, Cade, is a multi-sport athlete coming up through high school.

He was the toughest sell, but became more bought in the more he learned about the Bearcats' rich history.

"Like a coaches' kid, he's processing," Keeley said.

"He goes, 'D2? Yup, D2. Alright. Are we going to have some more scholarships? Yeah, we'll have some more scholarships up there. Okay.'"

"He's checking it out.&nbsp; Just thinking it through. 'They pretty good? Yeah, man. They're pretty good.'"

Indeed, pretty good. Northwest has won four national titles, all since 2017, to go with 11 consecutive MIAA regular championships and eight MIAA tournament titles in the last nine seasons.

Taking over the program that's achieved so much over the last 15 years is no small task. Nor is assembling its roster.

McCollum is taking starters Bennett Stirtz, Isaiah Jackson and Daniel Abrieu with him to Drake, but Keeley expressed confidence that the nine other players on roster, for now, seem all in on coming back for the upcoming season.

That includes Luke Moustakas, Mitch Mascari and Byron Alexander - all with healthy starting and playing experience. Trey Moala, Jack Ratigan and Blake Danitschek also saw healthy minutes as underclassmen this past season.

Keeley can't be McCollum the sequel. No one can. However, Keeley promises he will bring his own style and personality to the job, saying the team will play "fast."

"I'm not Coach McCollum," he said. "My personality and play style and all of that stuff is absolutely going to come through, and we'll embrace that."

"'Fast' is, faithful, assertive, selfless and tough. We feel like when things are going well, those things are in a line. If something is off, we can usually find one of the four that we need to go and fix."

Keeley calls Northwest a "no-brainer" job and it's easy to see why. The culture, the trophies, the history, the fan support, the MIAA. It's all there.

But, Keeley was sure to emphasize the value he sees in the community of Maryville. Eerily similar in size and geography to he and his wife Jana's hometown of Great Bend, Kansas.

"We're high school sweethearts from out there. She lived on the west side of town, and I lived on the east side. Ten minutes and three stoplights away. So, the community felt awesome."

&nbsp;- Keeley says Northwest assistant Jaran Richman will remain on staff. This comes after assistant coach Xavier Kurth followed McCollum to Drake.

&nbsp;- Peterson was sure to thank his "search committee," which included assistant A.D. for media relations Colin McDonough, head strength and conditioning coach Joe Quinlin, Mel Tjeerdsma and Northwest Foundation Board member Seann O'Reily.

- Keeley met with each team member individually last Tuesday. He said his biggest challenge in the short term will be to "get the roster to where we want it to be," noting the list of players they're tying to recruit is "not short."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713988365177.jpeg" alt="Northwest Missouri State athletic director Andy Peterson (left) and new Northwest men's basketball coach Matt Keeley at a press conference Wednesday held inside the Harr Athletic Success Center in Maryville. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Northwest Missouri State athletic director Andy Peterson (left) and new Northwest men's basketball coach Matt Keeley at a press conference Wednesday held inside the Harr Athletic Success Center in Maryville. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMARYVILLE - Matt Keeley started from the ground up when he took over as the head men's basketball coach at Ottawa University in Arizona.Literally. The program didn't exist until he started there in 2017.Seven years, 113 wins, three national tournament berths and two conference titles later, Keeley takes over, arguably, the most structurally sound Division II men's program in the country.Keeley was picked as the 21st coach in the history of Northwest men's basketball on April 13, and officially introduced Wednesday at the Lamkin Activity Center on the Maryville campus.Being Ben McCollum's successor, Keeley says it's McCollum's predecessor, Steve Tappmeyer, who offered some words of wisdom in the early days on the job."(Steve) challenged me to just continue to embrace the greatness that this place is," Keeley said, "and to see it as something you're a part of in the story, and not something you're not trying to come and reinvent. And, I certainly took that to heart."Keeley knows Northwest and the MIAA well enough, even before this job was on his radar. He was an assistant at Washburn from 2007-09 and then at MidAmerica Nazarene from 2009-17.Northwest athletic director Andy Peterson was an assistant on McCollum's staff at Northwest from 2011-17. Peterson says it always 'stuck with him' that the Bearcats and Pioneers seemed to go after the same type of players on the recruiting trail during that time."(Matt) knows the value of the type of student-athletes we're after," Peterson said. "I can't tell you how many kids we recruited against each other on. It seemed, when it came down to the wire of where that kid was going to go, it was Northwest, Washburn and MidAmerica Nazarene. Northwest, UCM, MidAmerica Nazarene."Keeley, a father of four, knows moving a family from the Phoenix metro to Maryville is no small thing. His oldest son, Cade, is a multi-sport athlete coming up through high school.He was the toughest sell, but became more bought in the more he learned about the Bearcats' rich history."Like a coaches' kid, he's processing," Keeley said."He goes, 'D2? Yup, D2. Alright. Are we going to have some more scholarships? Yeah, we'll have some more scholarships up there. Okay.'""He's checking it out.&nbsp; Just thinking it through. 'They pretty good? Yeah, man. They're pretty good.'"Indeed, pretty good. Northwest has won four national titles, all since 2017, to go with 11 consecutive MIAA regular championships and eight MIAA tournament titles in the last nine seasons.Taking over the program that's achieved so much over the last 15 years is no small task. Nor is assembling its roster.McCollum is taking starters Bennett Stirtz, Isaiah Jackson and Daniel Abrieu with him to Drake, but Keeley expressed confidence that the nine other players on roster, for now, seem all in on coming back for the upcoming season.That includes Luke Moustakas, Mitch Mascari and Byron Alexander - all with healthy starting and playing experience. Trey Moala, Jack Ratigan and Blake Danitschek also saw healthy minutes as underclassmen this past season.Keeley can't be McCollum the sequel. No one can. However, Keeley promises he will bring his own style and personality to the job, saying the team will play "fast."Both in tempo and in work ethic."I'm not Coach McCollum," he said. "My personality and play style and all of that stuff is absolutely going to come through, and we'll embrace that.""'Fast' is, faithful, assertive, selfless and tough. We feel like when things are going well, those things are in a line. If something is off, we can usually find one of the four that we need to go and fix."Keeley calls Northwest a "no-brainer" job and it's easy to see why. The culture, the trophies, the history, the fan support, the MIAA. It's all there.But, Keeley was sure to emphasize the value he sees in the community of Maryville. Eerily similar in size and geography to he and his wife Jana's hometown of Great Bend, Kansas."We're high school sweethearts from out there. She lived on the west side of town, and I lived on the east side. Ten minutes and three stoplights away. So, the community felt awesome."Other news and notes&nbsp;- Keeley says Northwest assistant Jaran Richman will remain on staff. This comes after assistant coach Xavier Kurth followed McCollum to Drake.&nbsp;- Peterson was sure to thank his "search committee," which included assistant A.D. for media relations Colin McDonough, head strength and conditioning coach Joe Quinlin, Mel Tjeerdsma and Northwest Foundation Board member Seann O'Reily.- Keeley met with each team member individually last Tuesday. He said his biggest challenge in the short term will be to "get the roster to where we want it to be," noting the list of players they're tying to recruit is "not short."Full audio<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Matt-Keeley---full-press-conference-e2iraam" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Photos<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713990561097.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713990603795.jpeg" alt="Andy Peterson (left), Matt Keeley (center) and Northwest president Dr. Lance Tatum (right)." />
 <figcaption>Andy Peterson (left), Matt Keeley (center) and Northwest president Dr. Lance Tatum (right).</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Matt Keeley looks to 'embrace greatness' as new Northwest men's basketball coach

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/planned-parenthood-medicaid-abortion-db9adee20b60b625ea7b2709e5149704">ban Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;from going to Planned Parenthood, a move they have tried for years in a state where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">almost all abortions</a>&nbsp;are banned.

The bill, approved 106-48 Wednesday in the House, aims to make it illegal for Missouri’s Medicaid program to reimburse Planned Parenthood for health care services to low-income patients, such as pap smears and cancer screenings.

Abortions are not covered by Medicaid, and almost all abortions are illegal in Missouri. But abortion opponents say Planned Parenthood should not receive any public funding because clinics in other states provide abortions.

“My rhetorical question is: Is Planned Parenthood sending monies from our state budget to other states to allow for women to have an abortion?” Republican Rep. Brian Seitz asked during Wednesday debate on the House floor. "Abortion is murder.”

House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade in a statement described the bill as "an act of petty vengeance by Republicans against one of largest providers of women’s health care in Missouri.”

Planned Parenthood cautioned that other reproductive health care providers that serve Medicaid patients in Missouri do not have the capacity to take on all of Planned Parenthood's patients.

“Experts are clear: there are not enough other providers in the health care safety-net system to absorb Planned Parenthood’s patients,” the region’s Planned Parenthood said in a statement Wednesday. “At Planned Parenthood, we’ll continue to do everything we can to continue serving our patients — no matter what.”

Few states — Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas, according to Planned Parenthood — have successfully blocked Medicaid funding for the organization.

A February state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56d2d6">Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;found that Missouri lawmakers’ latest attempt at defunding Planned Parenthood was unconstitutional.

While past efforts to kick Planned Parenthood off Missouri’s Medicaid program have been struck down by courts, this year, GOP lawmakers are taking another approach and passing the ban as a policy bill in hopes of avoiding another legal showdown.

Some House Democrats predicted the latest defunding bill likely will be fruitless, too. They pointed to a pending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-abortion-campaign-fundraising-election-740fd1267ab84d5e2a4cf6ebe5a56b71">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that could go before Missouri voters this fall and would restore abortion rights in the state.

The abortion-rights campaign needs to collect at least 172,000 voter signatures by May 5 to get on the ballot.

A spokesperson for Gov. Mike Parson on Wednesday did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment on whether the Republican intends to sign the latest Planned Parenthood defunding bill. But his support is expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702301437196.png" alt="House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade in a statement described the bill as "an act of petty vengeance by Republicans against one of largest providers of women’s health care in Missouri.”&nbsp;(Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption>House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade in a statement described the bill as "an act of petty vengeance by Republicans against one of largest providers of women’s health care in Missouri.”&nbsp;(Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/planned-parenthood-medicaid-abortion-db9adee20b60b625ea7b2709e5149704">ban Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;from going to Planned Parenthood, a move they have tried for years in a state where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">almost all abortions</a>&nbsp;are banned.The bill, approved 106-48 Wednesday in the House, aims to make it illegal for Missouri’s Medicaid program to reimburse Planned Parenthood for health care services to low-income patients, such as pap smears and cancer screenings.Abortions are not covered by Medicaid, and almost all abortions are illegal in Missouri. But abortion opponents say Planned Parenthood should not receive any public funding because clinics in other states provide abortions.“My rhetorical question is: Is Planned Parenthood sending monies from our state budget to other states to allow for women to have an abortion?” Republican Rep. Brian Seitz asked during Wednesday debate on the House floor. "Abortion is murder.”House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade in a statement described the bill as "an act of petty vengeance by Republicans against one of largest providers of women’s health care in Missouri.”Planned Parenthood cautioned that other reproductive health care providers that serve Medicaid patients in Missouri do not have the capacity to take on all of Planned Parenthood's patients.“Experts are clear: there are not enough other providers in the health care safety-net system to absorb Planned Parenthood’s patients,” the region’s Planned Parenthood said in a statement Wednesday. “At Planned Parenthood, we’ll continue to do everything we can to continue serving our patients — no matter what.”Few states — Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas, according to Planned Parenthood — have successfully blocked Medicaid funding for the organization.A February state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56d2d6">Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;found that Missouri lawmakers’ latest attempt at defunding Planned Parenthood was unconstitutional.While past efforts to kick Planned Parenthood off Missouri’s Medicaid program have been struck down by courts, this year, GOP lawmakers are taking another approach and passing the ban as a policy bill in hopes of avoiding another legal showdown.Some House Democrats predicted the latest defunding bill likely will be fruitless, too. They pointed to a pending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-abortion-campaign-fundraising-election-740fd1267ab84d5e2a4cf6ebe5a56b71">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that could go before Missouri voters this fall and would restore abortion rights in the state.The abortion-rights campaign needs to collect at least 172,000 voter signatures by May 5 to get on the ballot.A spokesperson for Gov. Mike Parson on Wednesday did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment on whether the Republican intends to sign the latest Planned Parenthood defunding bill. But his support is expected.

Mo. GOP lawmakers vote to kick Planned Parenthood off Medicaid

In order to grow St. Joseph, city officials could discuss the possibility of expanding the borders of the city.  

However, City Manager Bryan Carter says, that may not be as easy as it sounds, despite the fact it is surrounded by land. 

"On the west side of course you have Kansas, so we can't expand into Kansas, on the north you have Country Club Village and then Andrew County," Carter tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  

Carter says county lines could be crossed, citing Kansas City as an example that covers three or four counties.  Expanding to the east also has its own challenges. 

"The 102 river out there has a wide flood plain, so there's a lot of land that's not easy to develop out there for structural purposes, it's great farmland but not going to be great for building on," Carter explains.  

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post In order to grow St. Joseph, city officials could discuss the possibility of expanding the borders of the city. However, City Manager Bryan Carter says, that may not be as easy as it sounds, despite the fact it is surrounded by land. "On the west side of course you have Kansas, so we can't expand into Kansas, on the north you have Country Club Village and then Andrew County," Carter tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. Carter says county lines could be crossed, citing Kansas City as an example that covers three or four counties. Expanding to the east also has its own challenges. "The 102 river out there has a wide flood plain, so there's a lot of land that's not easy to develop out there for structural purposes, it's great farmland but not going to be great for building on," Carter explains. Carter says that leaves expanding to the south, but when you go south there are issues with access off the interstate, which would be an expensive move. Carter says it won't be easy, but in order for St. Joseph to grow, it needs to expand. "We can only add housing, we can only add industrial land, we can only do those things within our current boundaries to a point," Carter says. "The land that's within our current boundaries is finite, we will run out of it, we're going to have to look at ways to expand." Carter adds while there are unique challenges in expanding almost every direction, a harsh reality is that Kansas City and Platte City are continually expanding north. "At some point, this is years and years and years into the future, they will get to us," Carter says. "If we're going to make that part of St. Joe, we will see the day that we have to move south, and that's really where there's a lot of planning and analysis, in it's very early stages, but some planning and analysis that's happening now to figure out what that future looks like." Carter says discussions are focused around this to ensure that the people who work in St. Joseph, can also live in St. Joseph. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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