The Missouri Western State University men's basketball team is back in the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time since the COVID shortened 2021 season, earning the #5 seed in the Central Region in Topeka hosted by Washburn University.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It's been a remarkable season for the Griffons under first year head coach Brooks McKowen, who came to the university after his time at Upper Iowa University where he led the Peacocks to three NCAA tournament appearances in his time.&nbsp; McKowen says the fit had to be right for him and his family to leave Upper Iowa, and the support he's received from MoWest is what makes this run so special.&nbsp;

"When Andy called me and I came down and met everybody here and got to see the facilities and see the people and see what they were about, that's where the belief and excitement came for me," McKowen tells reporters.&nbsp; "And then to go full circle now and at the end of this year get a chance to play in the postseason is special, it's a big deal and it's something that to me it makes us feel good as a family, moving my family here that we made the right choice and we're on the right track, this isn't the end of us, we're going to continue to build this program and hopefully compete every year."

McKowen essentially rebuilt the Griffons program from the ground up, with only one returning player from former head coach Will Martin's team.&nbsp; The groundwork started with three players that followed McKowen from Upper Iowa to MoWest, senior Noah King, sophomore Gavin Hershberger, and junior&nbsp;William Kiburis, as well as freshman&nbsp;Trey McKowen, the nephew of Brooks who played for his brother at&nbsp;Kennedy High School.&nbsp;

King, says it's special to do this with McKowen, with one of his hold ups prior to transferring being wanting to go somewhere he could compete for a national tournament in his final year.

"On my visit we had a really good heart to heart in his office and he said he truly believed that this was a special place and that he'd be able to put a team together if some of us guys followed him where we'd be able to do that and compete for these goals that we're talking about to be in the spot we are right now," King explains.&nbsp; "And obviously I had a blast in the couple seasons before doing that with him and on his team, so I just believed in him and he said that he thought we'd be not rebuilding, that we'd still be competing for the same goals as we were together at the previous stop, so just trusted him and pretty sweet moment now that we are in this spot."

For McKowen, he says one of the biggest emotions that comes for him is getting to see the guys that followed him getting this moment, not having to follow him away from Upper Iowa.&nbsp;

"The joy that to see them get to play in a postseason now, that they believed in me and they believed this wasn't a rebuild it was a chance to go compete," McKowen says.&nbsp; "Because we won over 20 games last year at Upper Iowa and should have been in the NCAA tournament, but some bad luck happened for us at the end, so for these guys to now take that next step and get to play in an NCAA tournament after their hearts were broken sitting on a bus watching themselves get played out and having nothing to do with it, that's huge, that's where my emotions come and that's why it means so much this time around."

It's just as surreal though for the one returner from last year's squad, senior Devin Butler.&nbsp; Butler was the lone player off Will Martin's squad to not depart from the team, and was key in helping grow McKowen's team as well.&nbsp;

"I just think about everything that led me up to this point and all the hard times, the losing seasons, and I've never had a chance to go to the dance," Butler says.&nbsp; "It's exciting, I'm extremely happy to be here, this is a blessing."

One surprise from this year's team has been the emergence of freshman Marko Pavlovic.&nbsp; Pavlovic burst onto the scene in his first year averaging 29 minutes a game and&nbsp;7.3 rebounds per game, along with 12 points per game.&nbsp; Pavlovic says it's a lot to take in, but everything in his freshman year has exceeded expectations.&nbsp;

"I'm just grateful to be in this position and to play for a coach like Brooks, it's just been a great experience overall and I would say not bad for a freshman year, not bad," Pavlovic says.&nbsp; "It's been a great experience and I'm excited to play St. Cloud in the regional tournament and I hope we get some wins there."

MoWest will travel to Topeka on Saturday as Washburn hosts the Central regional.  The Griffons will face St. Cloud State in the first round of the tournament, tip off time is currently unknown.

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

MoWest men's basketball in NCAA tournament for first time since 2021

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/emilyskidmore/">Emily Skidmore</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kjdrazen/">KJ Drazen</a>

The Missouri Senate passed a criminal and juvenile justice bill Thursday on a 20-9 vote after hours of negotiations.

Introduced by state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, the legislation seeks to classify older juveniles who commit felonies as adults and share fingerprints of juveniles involved in felonies to a central database.

The bill also allows an increase in the number of juvenile detention centers in the state and solidifies mandatory prison time for adults before parole eligibility.

While Missouri law allows inmates to serve a range of time before being eligible for parole, the bill sets fixed percentages of time served for each felony category:

Class A: 70%Class B: 50%Class C: 40%Class D: 25%Class E: 25%

Senators worked on finalizing the bill language and amendments as part of an ongoing effort this week with negotiations held until early Thursday before the vote.

State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, expressed concerns over the hasty manner of passing the bill. She stated that the Senate Committee of Fiscal Oversight was not able to do a thorough investigation of the fiscal note attached to the bill because of the late night and early morning meetings.

“No other agency had the opportunity to respond to this fiscal note,” Nurrenbern said. “We don’t know the fiscal impact of this legislation.”

Under the bill, any county wanting to place a juvenile detention center may place “a sales tax up to one percent on all retail sales” for its establishment. Nurrenbern said that 1% of sales tax will result in about $1 billion annually for the state.

Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, also expressed concerns over the lack of information with the fiscal note during Senate debate.

“I guess we’re in a position now in the Senate where you vote up something that (you) don’t even know what the fiscal impact is,” Beck said sarcastically.

In addition to the fiscal note, there were concerns from Democratic senators on the vote excluding state Sen. Steven Roberts, a St. Louis Democrat, from participation as he is serving with Missouri’s Air Force National Guard overseas.

Roberts has been a vocal member from the Democratic Caucus regarding criminal justice reform in Missouri.

Beck emphasized this by stating that Roberts has been a part of every negotiation on a crime bill since he started in his position in 2021.

“He truly wanted to be involved in negotiations on this bill,” Beck said.

All the Democrats who spoke on the floor regarding the bill asked to delay the vote until next week when Roberts would be back.

Democratic state Sens. Barbara Washington of Kansas City and Karla May of St. Louis expressed concerns with certain issues getting prioritized in the bill as it seeks to change criminal justice in Missouri by creating more juvenile detention centers and stricter processing for juveniles committing felonies.

The bill was passed with opposition from Democrats and two Republicans, state Sens. Mike Moon of Ash Grove and Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold. It now heads to the Missouri House.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/senate-passes-criminal-system-changes-for-juvenile-detention-centers/article_a018f06c-e787-41da-af57-2a17e36e4748.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Missouri Senate approves mandatory minimums, juvenile justice legislation

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&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2014&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R" target="_blank">supplemental spending bill</a>&nbsp;pushing total state appropriations for the fiscal year to almost $55 billion was the first legislation sent to Gov. Mike Kehoe in this year’s session when the Missouri House voted 137-13 for final passage.

The $3.1 billion spending package was pushed quickly through the General Assembly to speed distribution of $59.5 million of federal security funding for the FIFA World Cup matches this summer in Kansas City.&nbsp;

Lawmakers can cut items requested by the governor in a supplemental spending bill but they cannot add new items. Kehoe received most of the money he requested, but a few items were cut because of objections from lawmakers or political disputes of the Capitol.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/03/03/missouri-senate-axes-funds-for-attorney-generals-new-st-louis-offices/">state Senate cut</a>&nbsp;just under $15 million set aside to hire an “owners representative” for a proposed expansion of the state Capitol Building and $150,000 to send a Missouri delegation to Washington D.C. this summer for the Great American State Fair that is part of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The Senate also cut $972,000 to build out and furnish space for&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/14/missouri-attorney-general-wants-1-million-to-furnish-new-st-louis-offices/">the attorney general’s office</a>&nbsp;at a new state building in Chesterfield.

The funding for the Capitol construction project will come back in the budget for the coming fiscal year, said state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Seneca who is chairman of the House Budget Committee.

The money comes from a fund holding $595 million for the project, money that could be transferred back to the general revenue fund to alleviate the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/29/missouri-auditor-warns-of-vanishing-state-general-revenue-surplus-as-spending-rises/">state’s cash crunch</a>.

“My understanding is they will have some difficult conversations about what that looks like,” Deaton said of the plans for capitol construction.

Some of the biggest individual items in the spending bill are:

Much of the bill is routine, seen every year, to make sure the state has enough money to keep major programs like Medicaid running for the remainder of the fiscal year, Deaton said.

“It is,” he said, “a very conventional supplemental.”

Missouri House sends $3.2B supplemental spending bill to governor’s desk

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on child sex crimes.

On March 5,&nbsp;Alexander Holmes, 35 of Maryville, Missouri was booked into the Brown County jail on requested charges of Rape, Aggravated Sodomy and AggravatedIndecent Liberties with a Child, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

The requested charges are based on the suspect being over 18 years of age and victim less than 14 years of age.&nbsp;&nbsp; This was determined after a lengthy investigation by the Brown County Sheriff's office and upon sending reports to the County Attorney for review, a warrant was&nbsp; issued&nbsp; for Holmes arrest.

Missouri man accused of violent child sex crimes

The Andrew County Sheriff’s Office has officially been notified by the Missouri Department of Public Safety that it has earned the Missouri Blue Shield designation for 2026. 

This honor marks the second consecutive year the office has been recognized, following its initial designation in 2025. The Blue Shield program serves as a formal recognition of Missouri communities that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to enhancing public safety, investing in law enforcement resources, and fostering strong partnerships between officers and the citizens they serve.

Originally established by Governor Kehoe in January 2025 through Executive Order 25-03, the program was designed to highlight local governments making significant strides in crime reduction. In its inaugural year, 201 communities across the state met the rigorous standards required for the designation. For 2026, the application process reopened on February 4, requiring previously honored communities to reapply and prove their continued alignment with the program’s public safety goals.

Governor Kehoe emphasized that the program’s success is rooted in the prioritization of law enforcement. Following the distribution of $50,000 grants to more than 200 communities last year, the state is continuing this momentum by welcoming new participants and renewing the status of existing partners. Mark James, Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, noted that the program has already facilitated the acquisition of essential equipment, including hundreds of body cameras, mobile data terminals, and ballistic vests, as well as dozens of new patrol vehicles and interoperable radios.

For Andrew County, this designation translates into tangible benefits for both deputies and taxpayers. The 2025 grant funding allowed the Sheriff’s Office to outfit every deputy with new, advanced ballistic vests. This critical safety upgrade was completed at no cost to local residents, saving the community $49,346.30 in equipment expenses. The 2026 designation ensures that the county remains eligible for further grant funding for training and equipment, supported by Governor Kehoe’s recommended $10 million budget for the 2027 fiscal year.

Eligibility for the Blue Shield designation is based on a community's proactive efforts in officer recruitment, substantial law enforcement funding, and active collaboration with community stakeholders. By meeting these criteria, the Andrew County Sheriff’s Office continues to demonstrate its dedication to creating a secure environment. In addition to financial support, recognized communities are featured on the Department of Public Safety website and the Governor’s social media platforms to highlight their leadership in public safety.

Andrew Co. Sheriff’s Office secures 2026 Missouri Blue Shield Designation for second consecutive year

Sharing the importance of making sure your pets are spayed and neutered, the St. Joseph Friends of the Animal Shelter have brought back a popular event.  

Stemming from World Spay Day at the end of February, the Friends of the Animal Shelter launched an event last year that ran through the year called Spay it Forward.  

Melanie Barnes with Friends says the event allows people to donate money towards the cause 

"And then we can turn around and based on an income need, so you do have to prove your income, we can support the spay and neuter process for those families that need that additional financial support,” Barnes says on the KFEQmunnity show.  “And it’s wonderful, it’s a wonderful program, over the course of the last year we were able to support spaying and neutering 148 pets, pretty significant, and when you think about both the pet population, and the medical and behavioral positive outcomes of spaying and neutering, it’s a great initiative to have and we hope to do even more in 2026.” 

The program runs throughout the year, and applications can be found online on Friends of the Animal Shelters website for those that meet the low-income requirements. 

Another event comes prior to St. Patrick's Day next week, the St. Joseph Friends of the Animal Shelter will host an annual fundraiser  

St. Pittie’s Day takes place on March 14th, next Saturday during the St. Joseph St. Patrick's Day parade, with fun events all raising money to support Friends of the Animal Shelter.  

Barnes says most of the fundraising comes through a sale of T Shirts, however,  

"There’s usually opportunities to just donate in general, usually an initiative with River Bluff on one of the pints, as well as also usually hot dogs and auction items,” Barnes explains. 

T shirt sales have ended for this year's event, but Barnes says you can still wear your shirts from past year's events if you didn't get your order in in time 

"This has been an annual event, I think this may be our third annual I’m not quite sure, and it’s a wonderful event to get out,” Barnes says.  “If you’re going to watch the parade anyways, why wouldn’t you want to get out and make it a fundraiser.” 

St. Pitties Day runs from 11am to 5pm next Saturday at River Bluff Brewery, the week before St. Patrick's Day.  The St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at 10:30am. 

Friends of the Animal Shelter hosting events through March supporting pets

Local health officials are gathering Friday to observe Black Balloon Day, an annual event dedicated to honoring those lost to substance use disorder and supporting families affected by the overdose epidemic.

The St. Joseph Health Department and the Family Guidance Center will co-host a memorial to remember the hundreds of Missourians who have died from drug-related causes.

Recent data from the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) Addiction Science Team shows a downward trend in fatalities:

Organizers say the event serves as both a somber remembrance and a vital platform for raising awareness about recovery resources.

Local organizations observe Black Balloon Day to honor overdose victims

KFEQ Morning Sports

The minimum levy has been $2.75 since 1993, districts must meet it to qualify for state school aid. The 63 districts at the minimum would have to roll back taxes as assessed values increase

A revised&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/02/16/missouri-property-tax-overhaul-bill-may-inadvertently-move-municipal-elections-to-november/">property tax overhaul</a>&nbsp;proposes to lower the minimum school levy — the lowest tax a district can impose and still qualify for state aid — by up to 20%, the first cut since Missouri law began mandating a minimum in 1988.

Under&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2780&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;sent to the Missouri Senate on Thursday by the House, tax rates currently at the minimum levy of $2.75 per $100 assessed value would would have to roll back their tax rates as property values rise — but only until they hit the proposed new floor of $2.20 per $100.

The bill passed on a bipartisan 133-13 vote.

The bill seeks to control property tax bill increases by&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/21/missouri-house-committee-eyes-plan-to-silo-property-classes-for-taxation/">“siloing” property classes</a>&nbsp;with separate rates for residential, commercial, agricultural and personal property. A&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2668&amp;year=2026&amp;code=R" target="_blank">separate bill</a>&nbsp;that would move all property tax elections to November in even numbered years is awaiting House debate.&nbsp;

The minimum levy is the lowest rate that can be charged by a school district and still receive state aid&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-school-funding-formula" target="_blank">through the foundation formula</a>. No district would be required to cut taxes immediately and no rollbacks that would have resulted from previous reassessment cycles would be imposed, the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Tim Taylor of Bunceton, said during debate on Tuesday.

That will protect current revenue, Taylor said, while promising future relief. School districts currently at the minimum would be subject to the same rules governing other taxing districts, which must reduce rates to avoid a windfall of revenue when assessments increase faster than inflation,&nbsp;

“The schools would remain whole, even with the rollbacks, but they’re not receiving that,” Taylor said. “That has been my goal this whole time, is to allow those districts to lower that floor so that those districts, those folks in the districts, can get that Hancock provision rollback.”

State Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, a Columbia Democrat and former teacher, had been skeptical of the provision lowering the minimum levy during committee debate and voted against the bill. Provisions protecting current revenue make it more palatable, she said.

The issue, she said, is how much should local taxpayers contribute to maintain state support.

“It was kind of that social contract of, you have a minimum levy set to this, and then you will be able to participate in the foundation formula,” Steinhoff said.

During debate Tuesday on the property tax bill, no House member knew why there is a minimum school levy at all.

“As far as I understand it, it’s because of the federal funding, the federal reimbursement” that districts receive, Taylor said. “And I’m going to be completely honest, I can’t go into the foundation formula with any knowledge.”

Prior to 1988, there was no minimum local property tax levy for school districts.&nbsp;

The Missouri Constitution at the time allowed school districts to set the rate at $1.25 per $100 assessed value without a public vote but did not require it.

That constitutional limit without a vote became the&nbsp;<a href="https://cdm16795.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16795coll26/id/221383/rec/78" target="_blank">floor for receiving state aid</a>&nbsp;because two things combined to convince lawmakers and then-Gov. John Ashcroft that it was needed — the enactment of the Hancock Amendment in 1980 and the passage of the 1-cent&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=144.701" target="_blank">Proposition C sales tax</a>&nbsp;in 1982.

The Hancock Amendment’s property tax provisions address how local governments should change rates when assessed values rise faster than inflation. It allows the taxing district to capture enough revenue to match inflation and requires rates to be lowered so there is not a windfall of revenue.

The sales tax revenue, which is distributed to schools on a per-pupil basis, had two purposes — half was earmarked as new funds for education, the other half was used to offset lower property tax rates.

By 1987, there were 86 districts below $1.25 per $100 assessed value. Three — two in Ripley County and one in Pulaski County — had no local levy at all, the state auditor’s 1988 annual report on property taxes shows.

The minimum levy was increased five years later as part of a major education bill that revised the school-aid formula. That formula promised each district it would receive funding equal to what its local levy would produce in the district with property wealth equal to 90% of the property value of the state’s wealthiest district.

The higher local voters set a levy, the more state aid the formula would provide.

“It was a levy-driven formula,” said Otto Fajen, lobbyist for the Missouri National Education Association. Fajen was a Senate staffer when the formula revision passed in 1993.

“It was the linchpin by which we addressed equity and adequacy,” Fajen said.

To protect the minimum levy, first state law, then the constitution, were changed to allow districts to remain at $2.75 regardless of how much of a rollback was required by the Hancock Amendment or Proposition C revenue.

The formula was changed again in 2005, but the minimum levy was retained. The local levy rate is no longer the basis for determining how much state aid a district receives.

“The formula doesn’t really care about equity, and so what I would describe as tax rate indifferent to a degree,” Fajen said. “That’s an historical artifact.There’s no current real relevance of that number.”

The state auditor’s&nbsp;<a href="https://auditor.mo.gov/AuditReport/ViewReport?report=2026006" target="_blank">annual report</a>&nbsp;on property tax rates shows there were 63 school districts that levied the $2.75 minimum on all property in 2025, and three at that rate on at least one type of property in St. Louis County, where there are separate rates for residential, commercial, agricultural and personal property.

The provisions of the bill address only Hancock Amendment rollbacks, which districts charging above the minimum levy must make when needed.&nbsp;

Most districts have asked — and received — voter permission to waive their Proposition C rollbacks. The bill does not change that and does not require districts to include new Proposition C revenue as part of their rollback calculation.

That is important because Proposition C revenue has increased by about 40% in the past five years, from about $925 million in fiscal 2020 to $1.3 billion in the year that ended June 30.

Proposition C rollbacks are required in statute and lawmakers can write a bill excluding the new minimum from that provision, Taylor said in an interview with The Independent.

Hancock rollbacks are designed to maintain revenue and are part of the constitution, so the law must recognize that, he added.

Lawmakers are changing the minimum levy at the same time a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/23/missouri-school-funding-task-force-turns-its-attention-to-property-tax-inequities/">new foundation formula is being crafted</a>&nbsp;by a task force appointed last year by Gov. Mike Kehoe.

During debate, Steinhoff said the interplay between legislation and the task force work is her biggest concern about the property tax bill.

“I am worried that we are going to do something that could totally upset the apple cart that’s being created in another very important task force,” she said.

Property tax increases are one of the biggest public concerns right now, Taylor said, and doing nothing is not an option.

“Until somebody starts it, it’s not going to get done,” Taylor said. “And our taxpayers are asking us to get something done.”

The bill passed Thursday was debated in the House two times. It won&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/02/11/missouri-house-moves-ahead-on-bill-to-silo-property-tax-rates-move-tax-elections-to-november/">preliminary approval</a>&nbsp;in early February, but before it came up for a final vote, flaws in language on tax elections&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-house-sends-property-tax-overhaul-bill-back-to-committee/">forced a rewrite</a>, and the result was splitting off the election provisions to a separate bill.

The key provision that will provide relief to taxpayers, Taylor said during Tuesday’s debate, is the change that would require separate tax rates for the various types of property.

“It is truly the one thing that is going to bring some relief to our constituents back home, and even to us as individual taxpayers,” he said.

The legislature tried to require separate rates in legislation passed in 2002, but only St. Louis County and the city of Gladstone adopted the voluntary move. Taylor’s bill would make it mandatory in the remaining 113 counties and the city of St. Louis.

Because Hancock rollbacks look at total revenue from a tax levy, when assessed values in one type of property rise rapidly, it&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/30/diluting-the-rollback-missouris-tool-for-capping-property-tax-rates-gives-limited-relief/">shifts the burden</a>&nbsp;to those taxpayers.

“If one of them skyrockets, which we’ve seen, it can be watered down by the other subclasses who may have gone down or remain level, and that says that Hancock shouldn’t kick in,” Taylor said during debate.&nbsp;

The Missouri State Tax Commission has been pushing local assessors to increase appraised values to match market prices for residential and commercial property. At the same time, taxable value of farmland, set by the commission based on productive value, is below&nbsp;<a href="https://stc.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/Ag-Land-History-1985-2026.pdf" target="_blank">what it was in 1985</a>&nbsp;and values for railroad, pipeline and utility property, also set by the commission, have lagged behind other property.

The additional taxes on residential property because of the shifting burden was one of the biggest concerns raised as Taylor’s committee studying property taxes toured the state last summer, said state Rep. Jim Murphy, a Republican from St. Louis County.

“In the last few years, as we saw residential assessments go up and the other assessments didn’t, it just piled more and more tax burden onto our residential property owners,” Murphy said. “And that was the biggest thing we heard as we traveled this state. The biggest concern we heard from taxpayers…”

“Was that people,” Taylor said as he finished Murphy’s sentence, “would be taxed out of their homes.”

Missouri House moves to cut minimum school levy in property tax overhaul

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

Just after 4p.m. Wednesday.an officer on patrol conducted a traffic stop of a Ford Taurus for a traffic violation in the 700 block North 11th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 The driver, 48-year-old William Gehring of Kansas City, Missouri, was found to be in possession of illegal drugs and was transporting an open container.

Police arrested him on requested charges of possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, transporting an open container, and illegal use of vehicle tag.&nbsp;

Mo. man was transporting cocaine in Kansas, had illegal car tag

HARRISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 8:30a.m. Thursday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Chevy Impala driven by a 17-year-old Bethany boy was southbound on 250 Avenue two miles south of Bethany. The car began to skid. It crossed the center of the road, traveled off the east side of the road, struck a ditch and rolled onto its top.

A private vehicle transported the driver to Harrison County Community Hospital. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. teen hospitalized after rollover accident

March corn closed up 5 1/2 cents per bushel at $4.47 and May closed up 7 cents per bushel at $4.60 1/2 and March soybeans closed up 21 1/4 cents at $11.85 and May soybeans were up 21 1/2 cents at $12.00 3/4. May KC wheat closed up 31 cents at $6.23 1/2, May Chicago wheat was up 33 cents at $6.16 3/4 and May Minneapolis wheat was up 23 1/2 cents at $6.43

Grain and soy markets added more war premium Friday as the bombing of Iran military sites continue; but Iran still has not backed down. Crude oil soared again as the Strait of Hormuz transit of energy and fertilizer supplies continues to be restricted. Wheat led the markets higher on Friday despite still overall bearish fundamentals as funds continued to buy.

The live cattle complex started the day off trading lower, and upon seeing some fed cash cattle trade develop at lower prices, the market extended with that trend through the day's close. Today's weakness seems to be stemming from a number of different areas. Technically speaking, the market's 40-day moving average seems to pose as too much of a technical barrier for traders to challenge at this point. From a fundamental sense, seeing prices trade $3 lower in the North doesn't send the market warm and fuzzy feelings either. Bids are currently on the table in the South, but no Southern trade has been noted yet.

The feeder cattle complex also traded lower as the market witnessed&nbsp; its contracts fall anywhere from $6 to $7 lower by the closing bell. More than anything, the weakness seen in the live cattle complex amid a lower trade in the fed cash cattle market doesn't give the feeder cattle complex much support to rally around.

The cattle contracts may have traded much lower, but the lean hog complex kept with a slightly higher trend as traders remain committed to keeping a sideways/somewhat higher trend in the hog sector. Today's support largely gets attributed to trades as the market's fundamentals aren't helping drive the ship higher.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2026/03/06140252/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

For many years, the Iowa Corn Growers Association has been raising concerns about the pressure and crushing prices put on farmers by the fertilizer industry. Fertilizer prices continue to rise while commodity prices go in the other direction. ICGA said an investigation by the Department of Justice would be a step in the right direction, as more probing needs to be done. The Association thanked the Iowa Congressional delegation for hearing corn farmers' concerns’ by bringing forward the Fertilizer Research Act in the Senate and House to review the competition and transparency within the fertilizer industry. 

Additionally, ICGA and the Texas Corn Producers Association sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi in early February requesting a status update on the report related to fertilizer pricing and industry consolidation. Reports this week show that the DOJ has begun an official investigation into the U.S. fertilizer industry to explore whether several of the country’s largest fertilizer producers conspired to raise prices on American farmers.

Iowa Corn Growers encourage investigation into fertilizer

The House Agriculture Committee advanced a Republican-led farm bill 34-17 in a vote early on Thursday. While the markup was slowed by partisan fighting about the package, the legislation was approved with the backing of seven Democrats. Reports said that the bill is basically the same as legislation that House Ag Committee Chair Glen Thompson advanced out of the committee two years ago. House Ag Ranking Member Angie Craig said that despite “bipartisan improvements” during the amendment process, the package remains a disappointing farm bill that doesn’t meet the moment. 

“The bill includes sweeping updates to agriculture and nutrition policies that haven’t been formally reauthorized since the last farm bill passed in 2018." Representative Eric Sorenson of Illinois attempted to amend the bill to include language enabling the year-round sale of E15, but the amendment did not pass. The bill still includes language that would eliminate California’s Proposition 12.

House Ag Committee advances farm bill

May corn closed up 9 3/4 cents and July corn was up 9 1/4 cents. May soybeans closed up 9 3/4 cents and July soybeans were up 9 1/2 cents. May KC wheat closed up 20 cents, May Chicago wheat was up 15 1/2 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was up 10 1/4 cents.

For Thursday, traders saw the need for added risk premium in commodity markets, with wheat futures leading the way with another double-digit spike back toward calendar year highs. That positively influenced corn futures as well in tandem with another very strong round of export data released by USDA on Thursday morning. Soybeans were higher and back toward early week highs for the rally, with soybean oil providing bullish influence given the firm energy sector. Meanwhile, in other outside markets, the Dow Jones Industrial Average crashed again following a brief midweek reprieve from selling. Inflation and high interest rates fears (as a result of high energy costs) are driving investor sentiment, with the U.S. Dollar pressing higher and back towards 2026 highs as well.

The live cattle complex traded mildly higher following Wednesday's sizeable surge. Traders are cautiously advancing the spot April contract above its 40-day moving average, but it's not come without some worry as traders question whether or not they're overdoing the upward trend right now. If we had seen some stronger trade in the fed cash cattle market, then there likely wouldn't be any worry amongst traders; but we've yet to see any cash trade develop. There's a single bid currently on the table at $375 in Nebraska, but otherwise the market is sitting idle as feedlot managers wait for packers to offer up stronger bids. Asking prices are noted at $244 in the South but are still not established in the North.

The live cattle complex is pushing its spot April contract above the 40-day moving average, but the feeder cattle complex isn't seeing the same level of support as traders aren't comfortable pushing above their 40-day moving average at this time. The feeder cattle contracts continued to hedge on the side of safety and continue to trade steady to slightly lower.

Following Wednesday's sharp rally, the lean hog complex was mixed heading into Thursday's close as traders no longer want to push the contracts up to the market's resistance. It is helpful to see pork cutout values mildly higher as traders need to see continued fundamental support.

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The dairy checkoff has unveiled “Dairy Does More,” a national marketing platform to help grow demand by reshaping how consumers think about dairy foods. 

Developed by Dairy Management Inc., the initiative brings to life the “Undeniably Dairy” brand in a contemporary way and reflects a long-term strategy to strengthen dairy’s role in modern lifestyles. DMI said the idea is about unlocking new growth by helping consumers see dairy products of all kinds in a whole new light. “Consumers often put food into boxes,” said Aris Georgiadis, senior vice president of marketing communications. “Milk is for kids, yogurt is for breakfast, and cheese is for dinner, but it’s our job to break those patterns.” 

Dairy Does More launched March 2 and will be supported by three 30-second digital video spots, social media activations, and in-market programs. State and regional checkoff teams will have opportunities to leverage campaign elements in their social and marketplace programs.

Dairy Checkoff Launches “Dairy Does More”

The tech industry’s relentless push for data centers in rural areas is colliding head-on with farmers, who see the projects as a threat to their way of life. 

Politico said the issue is drawing vocal criticism from conservative candidates for political office and fueling unrest in Republican primaries. Data center supporters are looking at vast parts of the nation’s farmland as excellent sites for the sprawling server-packed facilities they need to support the White House goal of making the U.S. the dominant force in developing artificial intelligence. “Farmers and some of the Republicans vying to represent them say that supporting these projects sends the wrong message when deep-red rural America is being hurt by the president’s tariff agenda and the high cost of living,” Politico reported. 

Data centers target rural areas because, like farms, they require a lot of land and access to substantial water and electricity supplies.

Farmers Increasingly Rejecting Data Center Bids for Land

The now closed Strait of Hormuz moves about 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products daily, totaling about 20 percent of global demand. DTN reports that fertilizer exports also move through the Strait, including about a quarter of the globally traded nitrogen market.

 Politico said the White House will offer naval escorts and political risk insurance for oil and gas tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to slow down a surge in energy prices after Iran warned it will attack ships at a choke point in the Strait. “The announcement brought some immediate relief to the overheated crude oil market,” Politico reported. 

In a Truth Social post, President Trump said he’s ordered the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to provide risk insurance and guarantees for the financial security of all maritime trade, especially energy. “If necessary, the U.S. Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump added.

Fertilizer Prices Significantly Higher After Attack on Iran

May corn closed down 2 3/4 cents and July corn was down 2 cents. May soybeans closed down 1 cent and July soybeans were down 1/4 cent. May KC wheat closed down 5 3/4 cents, May Chicago wheat was down 5 3/4 cents, May Minneapolis wheat was down 4 cents.

Row-crop futures fell marginally Wednesday, retreating from chart resistance after hitting fresh highs for their recent moves early this week, with little fundamental news to influence price direction. Outside markets have settled to some degree after a volatile start to the week amid the onset of war in the Middle East and corresponding disruptions to world energy trade. Crude oil futures, of course, remain elevated but have stalled on attempted moves above $75 per barrel on NYMEX futures. The U.S. Dollar Index also moved lower for the first time this week, still among the highest level of 2026 but a touch below the mid-January high after Tuesday's reversal. Equity markets have recovered well from early Tuesday lows as investors recover from the initial market shock through the weekend and turn to monitoring the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

The live cattle complex was charging full steam ahead into Wednesday's closing bell as the market is currently trading $3.00 to $4.00 higher into the afternoon. Pinpointing what's driving the rally in the cattle sector is somewhat challenging, but more than anything it seems as though traders have reignited their bullish sentiment toward the market and are now giving the complex more technical support. There's a single bid currently on the table in Nebraska at $375, but otherwise no cattle have traded yet in the cash market. Boxed beef prices are higher: choice up $0.78 ($388.83) and select up $1.79 ($380.37) with a movement of 52 loads (40.57 loads of choice, 4.68 loads of select, 2.56 loads of trim and 4.11 loads of ground beef).

Upon seeing the live cattle complex rally aggressively, the feeder cattle contracts jumped into action as well as most of the contracts were sizeable $6.00 to $7.00 increases. The 40-day moving average seems to be giving the complex a little bit of resistance, but if the live cattle complex continues to trade higher traders may elect to conquer it later in the week.

With a slight uptick in pork demand, the lean hog contracts were also rallying into Wednesday's close. So far this week the market has chopped mostly sideways as traders haven't wanted to push the contracts any higher without increased fundamental support. But the slight uptick in pork demand has traders willing to advance the contracts at this point in time.

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The U.S. farm machinery equipment market experienced challenges across many fronts in 2025. Recent data suggests many new and used equipment sales categories continued to decline last year. Additionally, lower grain prices and farm incomes, along with the elevated cost of borrowing money, have dampened farmer demand for equipment and machinery. Major manufacturers like Deere, CNH Industrial, and AGCO are adjusting their inventories by scaling back production. 

Reports show the most significant challenge was the tariffs implemented in 2025, which further squeezed manufacturer margins. In 2020, farm tractor sales grew by 17.7 percent, and combine sales rose by almost five percent. A market downturn became more pronounced in 2023 and continued sharply the following year. But despite the decline in sales, machinery and equipment prices remain high. The National Agricultural Statistics Service said the index for machinery prices increased 0.8 percent in December 2025 compared to 2024.  

Farm machinery manufacturers facing headwinds

Farmer sentiment improved in February as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index rose from 113 points in January to 116. The Current Conditions Index increased by 11 points, while the Future Expectations Index dropped one point. The Future Expectations Index this month was 45 points lower than last year’s February index, reaching its lowest level since September 2024. 

Although concerns about agricultural exports moderated somewhat from the previous month, they’re still higher than those expressed in December. In addition, the percentage of respondents who think the U.S. is headed in the “right direction” declined for the second month in a row. Almost 44 percent of respondents to the survey indicated that their farm operations were worse off in February than they were a year earlier. About 15 percent of respondents plan to reduce the size of their operations, while 34 percent said they don’t plan to grow at all. 

Farmer sentiment rebounds

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent knife attack and have made an arrest.

Just after 5:30p.m. March 5, police responded to a call at the intersection of SW 17th Street and SW Washburn Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release.&nbsp;

Officers located a man with multiple stab wounds. He was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

As a result of the investigation, Kevin E. Hill, 54, Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and was booked on requested charges of Aggravated battery; Knowingly use weapon cause great body harm/disfigure/death.

Kansas man accused of violent knife attack

KANSAS CITY —Kansas City Aviation Department (KCAD) received a call of a potential device inside the Kansas City international Airport (MCI) terminal Sunday Morning, as well in the parking garage.

Airport police and other law enforcement, including the FBI, worked quickly to evaluate the situation and ensure the safety of everyone. 

As part of that process, KCAD staff evacuated travelers from the terminal and held inbound flights on the taxiway away from the gates during the event.

Law Enforcement was able to determine no credible threat to the Airport or those inside the terminal. Once that determination was made, KCAD has started working to resume normal operations and minimize disruptions. ​The evacuation lasted approximately two hours.

During the sweep of the garage, a vehicle on the top floor was identified by K9 units as suspicious. As protocol, KCPD Bomb and Arson were called in to investigate and the garage was kept closed for an additional three hours.

Bomb and Arson investigated the vehicle and was able to determine that there was no threat.

As always, the KCAD and FBI encourage anyone who becomes aware of anything suspicious or concerning to report that to law enforcement.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement including the FBI forced the evacuation of portions of Kansas City International Airport terminal Sunday afternoon due to a threat.

On their social media page, the airport wrote, "The Kansas City Aviation Department is aware of a situation at Kansas City International Airport (MCI). As a precaution, the department has evacuated sections of the Airport Terminal."

"Airport Police are working with the FBI to substantiate any potential threat."

FBI Director Kash Patrol wrote on social media, "The FBI&nbsp;and our law enforcement partners quickly responded to the scene and secured the area. The threat was reviewed and determined not to be credible. Terminal has been swept, cleared, and normal operations resumed." 

"Thank you to our federal partners at U. S. Department of Transportation and Secretary Duffy for the coordination and quick response. 

Threats like these are a federal crime. FBI and law enforcement partners will fully investigate and bring to justice anyone responsible."

Just before 2p.m. the Airport terminal re-opened.&nbsp;

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote, "The security incident at Kansas City&nbsp;is now clear and normal operations are resuming. I want to thank law enforcement including the FBI for their timely response.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

New details on KCI terminal evacuation during threat investigation

On Saturday night, a U.S. service member passed away from injuries received during the Iranian regime’s initial attacks across the Middle East, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 1.