ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9:30p.m. Saturday in Atchison.

A 2015 Subaru Forrester driven by Robert McCourtney, 72, Atchison, northbound in the 500 Block of 7th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; The SUV struck a 2010 Ford Mustang and a 2018 Nissan Sentra which were both parked on the east side of the street. After impact, the subaru landed on its top. The Fire Department was on the scene and extricated McCourtney from the Subaru. EMS transported him to Amberwell Hospital for examination. The investigation continues with alcohol as a factor, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765741723356.png" alt="photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9:30p.m. Saturday in Atchison.A 2015 Subaru Forrester driven by Robert McCourtney, 72, Atchison, northbound in the 500 Block of 7th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; The SUV struck a 2010 Ford Mustang and a 2018 Nissan Sentra which were both parked on the east side of the street. After impact, the subaru landed on its top. The Fire Department was on the scene and extricated McCourtney from the Subaru. EMS transported him to Amberwell Hospital for examination. The investigation continues with alcohol as a factor, according to Wilson.

Police: Alcohol a possible factor in 3-vehicle Kan. crash

Officials in Joplin recently passed an ordinance banning the practice after noticing out-of-state vehicles dropping off homeless people. Columbia, meanwhile, has adopted a voluntary ride home program

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

For years, stories circulated around Joplin, Missouri, about the city’s homeless population and how they arrived in the city.

Calls would come in to city officials following a recurring theme.

“People were coming to the City Council meetings and saying, ‘I don’t know why you guys don’t know this, but I’m witnessing busloads of people being dropped off in our town,’” said Joplin Mayor Keenan Cortez. “‘Buses are coming in, stopping at gas stations, unloading and the buses are turning around and going back.’”

The city commissioned a study to investigate. But it came back with no hard evidence.

Still, the reports kept coming in. So the city took a deeper look.

Officials collected video evidence of out-of-state law enforcement vehicles dropping people off at truck stops. Some medical systems seemed to be involved, too. They also gathered signed affidavits from people who were new to Joplin, saying they were given promises of a shelter bed or resources at the end of their ride.

“We were starting to hear from people in our community that, ‘I was brought to Joplin and just dropped off. I was in trouble over there. That community didn’t deal with me. They put me in a car, a van, a bus and said there’s help for you,’” Cortez said.

Instead, they were left without their support system, in a new city with limited resources and few places to turn.

Cortez said city officials aren’t sure how many people shared similar stories.

“At the end of the day, I don’t know if it was 15, if it was 50,” Cortez said. “As a mayor, it doesn’t matter.”

Joplin officials put their heads together with the city’s legal team. After sending cease-and-desist letters to the organizations they believed were dropping people off in the city, the City Council started considering legislation to ban the practice.

The City Council&nbsp;<a href="https://www.joplinmo.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/11777?fileID=69549" target="_blank">passed an ordinance</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of November. It isn’t uncommon for medical systems to refer patients needing specialized treatment, or for victims of domestic violence, to be sent to a shelter in another town. The ordinance includes exemptions for those situations.

So far, Cortez and city officials think the letters and new ordinance appear to be working. They haven’t had any reports of people being dropped off since the ordinance was passed. But the trend points to a larger problem Missouri’s cities are facing as homelessness rises across the state.

Missouri’s reliance on larger cities for services&nbsp;for the homeless population

It is fairly common for smaller, rural areas to rely on the services in larger cities for things like shelters, medical care or mental health treatment.

From 2023 to 2024, the number of unsheltered people grew 9% in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-02-11/homeless-residents-midwest-cities-increasingly-hard-track-help" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development point-in-time counts. In&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/05/02/kansas-cities-struggling-increase-homelessness/" target="_blank">Kansas</a>, the number grew by 6%, while Oklahoma saw an 18% jump.

Columbia is similar to Joplin when it comes to being a regional hub for services and shelter beds.

Columbia began working more closely on reducing homelessness in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.como.gov/city-managers-office/homelessness-citywide-efforts/" target="_blank">2023</a>&nbsp;by establishing a program within Boone County’s Department of Public Health to connect people with resources. City officials also created a homeless outreach team within the police department to try and divert people from the justice system.

Now, the city has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/pilot-program-in-columbia-hopes-to-reduce-homelessness-through-transportation/article_936f234d-3c03-47c8-a518-81f286951664.html" target="_blank">launched</a>&nbsp;the Ride Home program, which gives homeless or impoverished community members free rides back to their hometowns or to support systems up to three hours away. If someone needs to travel farther, the city will purchase a bus ticket to get them to where they need to go.

Since the launch in October, the city has provided three rides, said Austin Krohn, public information specialist at the Columbia &amp; Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services.

“People come in for mental health services, or if there is a facility that can only do a certain type of screening for them,” Krohn said. “People are coming here from all over Missouri to get services, and then they’re stuck here.”

Local service providers and shelters can refer people to the program to receive a free ride. People must have verifiable support at the destination, a referral, photo ID and no outstanding warrants in the county.

Studies have shown that voluntary transport to a support system can be instrumental in improving someone’s housing situation.

San Francisco runs a robust transportation program, similar to Ride Home in Columbia. In fiscal year 2024, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sfhsa.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2025-10/homeward_bound_annual_report_fy_2024-25_final.pdf" target="_blank">agency</a>&nbsp;that runs the program gave 230 rides.

San Francisco officials followed up with riders 90 days after their ride, and found that of the 230 served, 61 found housing, while 29 had another or unknown location. The remaining riders were unreachable or declined to be surveyed as part of the program.

“When I was doing direct service 30 years ago, people called it Greyhound therapy,” said Jeff Olivet, the former executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “Get a bus ticket to another town, just get out of here, basically. Sometimes that can be incredibly helpful if people are really wanting and needing to get back to family and social supports.”

But if someone is transported or coerced to leave town against their will, it can lead to poorer outcomes, Olivet said.

“Transportation can be critical,” Olivet said. “But if it’s basically, ‘Get out of town or we’re going to arrest you,’ that doesn’t solve homelessness for anybody. It just moves the problem around.”

One&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2803839?guestAccessKey=f321ceca-78d6-4d55-bcc5-e7a775ce1152&amp;utm_source=For_The_Media&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=ftm_links&amp;utm_content=tfl&amp;utm_term=041023" target="_blank">2023</a>&nbsp;study modeled over 20 U.S. cities concluded that involuntary displacement of people experiencing homelessness — things like encampment sweeps or involuntary transport to another area — could lead to substantial increases in morbidity and mortality.

The study linked involuntary displacement with worse outcomes for overdoses and hospitalizations and a decrease in getting connected with treatment for opioid use. It said the displacements could contribute to deaths of homeless people who use drugs.

A 2017&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2017/dec/20/bussed-out-america-moves-homeless-people-country-study" target="_blank">investigation</a>&nbsp;from The Guardian analyzed nearly 35,000 relocation journeys over a six-year period. The investigation found that most riders were relocated to places with a lower median income.

And as homelessness rates rise across all of Missouri, cities may need to start thinking about how to address these gaps, Olivet said.

“In the case of rural areas, or even suburban areas, where there aren’t as many shelter options for people, there aren’t as many mental health treatment programs, there aren’t as many supportive services. Oftentimes, the only way to get help is by going to a larger urban area,” Olivet said.

“That speaks to a tremendous gap when we don’t have good services, support and housing options for people in rural areas. They have to go somewhere else, even if they are from that rural area.”

In Missouri, the numbers aren’t improving.

The state’s continuum of care — a group of agencies that work under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness — found in its most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://moboscoc.org/resources/data/gaps-analysis/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;that homelessness is rapidly increasing across the state.

In Region 9, which includes the southwest corner of the state (but does not include metro areas like Joplin or Springfield, which run their own continuums of care outside of the statewide framework), 2023 data found a 133% rise in unsheltered homelessness and a 100% rise in sheltered homelessness from 2022 to 2023.

The area also saw family homelessness increase by 100% from 2022 to 2023.

Region 10, which represents the counties surrounding the Kansas City area, 2023 point-in-time data showed a 3% increase in unsheltered homelessness and a 119% increase in sheltered homelessness from 2022. Family homelessness increased by 173%.

In the group’s annual report, every region saw at least one metric of homelessness, sheltered or unsheltered, increase from 2022 to 2023.

It rings alarm bells with Mary Kenion, the chief equity officer at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

“At least half of all people experiencing homelessness in largely rural continuums of care do so outdoors, in unsheltered locations,” Kenion said. “We’re also seeing family homelessness on the rise, in rural communities specifically.”

And in their report, the Missouri continuum of care providers noted that while larger towns were better equipped to handle homelessness, it highlights the lack of resources in more rural areas.

The report found a positive relationship between the number of beds available in permanent housing situations and the length of time someone was homeless. For every 1% increase in permanent housing beds, there was a 54-day decrease in the length of time someone was homeless.

Although solutions like access to permanent housing show promise, roadblocks remain.

A coalition of nonprofits and local governments recently&nbsp;<a href="https://democracyforward.org/updates/local-governments-and-nonprofit-groups-challenge-unlawful-new-trump-vance-administration-restrictions-that-threaten-proven-solutions-to-homelessness/?utm_source=Master+Email+List&amp;utm_campaign=12ffa7439b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_09_22_03_36_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bd1968e562-&amp;utm_source=Master+Email+List&amp;utm_campaign=12ffa7439b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_09_22_03_36_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bd1968e562-267376953" target="_blank">sued</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration, arguing it created unreasonable restrictions on state continuums of care across the country. The lawsuit argues that the administration is looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/hud-partners/community-coc" target="_blank">shift funding away</a>&nbsp;from proven solutions that improve homelessness and that it could force up to 170,000 Americans into homelessness.

The new rules change what types of projects are eligible for funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the criteria for selecting projects and the conditions grantees have to accept to receive the funding, the lawsuit argues.

Ultimately, Joplin Mayor Cortez and other experts said that following up with someone after they receive care or resources is key in reducing homelessness.

Cortez is excited about a new development of 16 tiny homes dedicated to providing permanent housing situations for Joplin. But addressing the issue takes everyone coming together, he said.

“This is an ongoing thing that everybody in the community is involved in —– the health care community, the religious community,” Cortez said. “We have some passionate champions in our community working to resolve this problem.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/12/12/missouri-homeless-drop-offs-joplin-rides-columbia/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765715093916.png" alt=" Officials collected video evidence of out-of-state law enforcement vehicles dropping people off at truck stops. Some medical systems seemed to be involved, too (Naomi O’Donnell/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> Officials collected video evidence of out-of-state law enforcement vehicles dropping people off at truck stops. Some medical systems seemed to be involved, too (Naomi O’Donnell/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Officials in Joplin recently passed an ordinance banning the practice after noticing out-of-state vehicles dropping off homeless people. Columbia, meanwhile, has adopted a voluntary ride home program</h2>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">Meg Cunningham</a>For years, stories circulated around Joplin, Missouri, about the city’s homeless population and how they arrived in the city.Calls would come in to city officials following a recurring theme.“People were coming to the City Council meetings and saying, ‘I don’t know why you guys don’t know this, but I’m witnessing busloads of people being dropped off in our town,’” said Joplin Mayor Keenan Cortez. “‘Buses are coming in, stopping at gas stations, unloading and the buses are turning around and going back.’”The city commissioned a study to investigate. But it came back with no hard evidence.Still, the reports kept coming in. So the city took a deeper look.Officials collected video evidence of out-of-state law enforcement vehicles dropping people off at truck stops. Some medical systems seemed to be involved, too. They also gathered signed affidavits from people who were new to Joplin, saying they were given promises of a shelter bed or resources at the end of their ride.“We were starting to hear from people in our community that, ‘I was brought to Joplin and just dropped off. I was in trouble over there. That community didn’t deal with me. They put me in a car, a van, a bus and said there’s help for you,’” Cortez said.Instead, they were left without their support system, in a new city with limited resources and few places to turn.Cortez said city officials aren’t sure how many people shared similar stories.“At the end of the day, I don’t know if it was 15, if it was 50,” Cortez said. “As a mayor, it doesn’t matter.”Joplin officials put their heads together with the city’s legal team. After sending cease-and-desist letters to the organizations they believed were dropping people off in the city, the City Council started considering legislation to ban the practice.The City Council&nbsp;<a href="https://www.joplinmo.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/11777?fileID=69549" target="_blank">passed an ordinance</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of November. It isn’t uncommon for medical systems to refer patients needing specialized treatment, or for victims of domestic violence, to be sent to a shelter in another town. The ordinance includes exemptions for those situations.So far, Cortez and city officials think the letters and new ordinance appear to be working. They haven’t had any reports of people being dropped off since the ordinance was passed. But the trend points to a larger problem Missouri’s cities are facing as homelessness rises across the state.<h2>Missouri’s reliance on larger cities for services&nbsp;for the homeless population</h2>It is fairly common for smaller, rural areas to rely on the services in larger cities for things like shelters, medical care or mental health treatment.From 2023 to 2024, the number of unsheltered people grew 9% in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-02-11/homeless-residents-midwest-cities-increasingly-hard-track-help" target="_blank">Missouri</a>, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development point-in-time counts. In&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/05/02/kansas-cities-struggling-increase-homelessness/" target="_blank">Kansas</a>, the number grew by 6%, while Oklahoma saw an 18% jump.Columbia is similar to Joplin when it comes to being a regional hub for services and shelter beds.Columbia began working more closely on reducing homelessness in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.como.gov/city-managers-office/homelessness-citywide-efforts/" target="_blank">2023</a>&nbsp;by establishing a program within Boone County’s Department of Public Health to connect people with resources. City officials also created a homeless outreach team within the police department to try and divert people from the justice system.Now, the city has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/pilot-program-in-columbia-hopes-to-reduce-homelessness-through-transportation/article_936f234d-3c03-47c8-a518-81f286951664.html" target="_blank">launched</a>&nbsp;the Ride Home program, which gives homeless or impoverished community members free rides back to their hometowns or to support systems up to three hours away. If someone needs to travel farther, the city will purchase a bus ticket to get them to where they need to go.Since the launch in October, the city has provided three rides, said Austin Krohn, public information specialist at the Columbia &amp; Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services.“People come in for mental health services, or if there is a facility that can only do a certain type of screening for them,” Krohn said. “People are coming here from all over Missouri to get services, and then they’re stuck here.”Local service providers and shelters can refer people to the program to receive a free ride. People must have verifiable support at the destination, a referral, photo ID and no outstanding warrants in the county.Studies have shown that voluntary transport to a support system can be instrumental in improving someone’s housing situation.San Francisco runs a robust transportation program, similar to Ride Home in Columbia. In fiscal year 2024, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sfhsa.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2025-10/homeward_bound_annual_report_fy_2024-25_final.pdf" target="_blank">agency</a>&nbsp;that runs the program gave 230 rides.San Francisco officials followed up with riders 90 days after their ride, and found that of the 230 served, 61 found housing, while 29 had another or unknown location. The remaining riders were unreachable or declined to be surveyed as part of the program.“When I was doing direct service 30 years ago, people called it Greyhound therapy,” said Jeff Olivet, the former executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “Get a bus ticket to another town, just get out of here, basically. Sometimes that can be incredibly helpful if people are really wanting and needing to get back to family and social supports.”But if someone is transported or coerced to leave town against their will, it can lead to poorer outcomes, Olivet said.“Transportation can be critical,” Olivet said. “But if it’s basically, ‘Get out of town or we’re going to arrest you,’ that doesn’t solve homelessness for anybody. It just moves the problem around.”One&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2803839?guestAccessKey=f321ceca-78d6-4d55-bcc5-e7a775ce1152&amp;utm_source=For_The_Media&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=ftm_links&amp;utm_content=tfl&amp;utm_term=041023" target="_blank">2023</a>&nbsp;study modeled over 20 U.S. cities concluded that involuntary displacement of people experiencing homelessness — things like encampment sweeps or involuntary transport to another area — could lead to substantial increases in morbidity and mortality.The study linked involuntary displacement with worse outcomes for overdoses and hospitalizations and a decrease in getting connected with treatment for opioid use. It said the displacements could contribute to deaths of homeless people who use drugs.A 2017&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2017/dec/20/bussed-out-america-moves-homeless-people-country-study" target="_blank">investigation</a>&nbsp;from The Guardian analyzed nearly 35,000 relocation journeys over a six-year period. The investigation found that most riders were relocated to places with a lower median income.<h2>How Missouri fares&nbsp;</h2>And as homelessness rates rise across all of Missouri, cities may need to start thinking about how to address these gaps, Olivet said.“In the case of rural areas, or even suburban areas, where there aren’t as many shelter options for people, there aren’t as many mental health treatment programs, there aren’t as many supportive services. Oftentimes, the only way to get help is by going to a larger urban area,” Olivet said.“That speaks to a tremendous gap when we don’t have good services, support and housing options for people in rural areas. They have to go somewhere else, even if they are from that rural area.”In Missouri, the numbers aren’t improving.The state’s continuum of care — a group of agencies that work under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness — found in its most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://moboscoc.org/resources/data/gaps-analysis/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;that homelessness is rapidly increasing across the state.In Region 9, which includes the southwest corner of the state (but does not include metro areas like Joplin or Springfield, which run their own continuums of care outside of the statewide framework), 2023 data found a 133% rise in unsheltered homelessness and a 100% rise in sheltered homelessness from 2022 to 2023.The area also saw family homelessness increase by 100% from 2022 to 2023.Region 10, which represents the counties surrounding the Kansas City area, 2023 point-in-time data showed a 3% increase in unsheltered homelessness and a 119% increase in sheltered homelessness from 2022. Family homelessness increased by 173%.In the group’s annual report, every region saw at least one metric of homelessness, sheltered or unsheltered, increase from 2022 to 2023.It rings alarm bells with Mary Kenion, the chief equity officer at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.“At least half of all people experiencing homelessness in largely rural continuums of care do so outdoors, in unsheltered locations,” Kenion said. “We’re also seeing family homelessness on the rise, in rural communities specifically.”And in their report, the Missouri continuum of care providers noted that while larger towns were better equipped to handle homelessness, it highlights the lack of resources in more rural areas.The report found a positive relationship between the number of beds available in permanent housing situations and the length of time someone was homeless. For every 1% increase in permanent housing beds, there was a 54-day decrease in the length of time someone was homeless.Although solutions like access to permanent housing show promise, roadblocks remain.A coalition of nonprofits and local governments recently&nbsp;<a href="https://democracyforward.org/updates/local-governments-and-nonprofit-groups-challenge-unlawful-new-trump-vance-administration-restrictions-that-threaten-proven-solutions-to-homelessness/?utm_source=Master+Email+List&amp;utm_campaign=12ffa7439b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_09_22_03_36_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bd1968e562-&amp;utm_source=Master+Email+List&amp;utm_campaign=12ffa7439b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_09_22_03_36_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-bd1968e562-267376953" target="_blank">sued</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration, arguing it created unreasonable restrictions on state continuums of care across the country. The lawsuit argues that the administration is looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hud.gov/hud-partners/community-coc" target="_blank">shift funding away</a>&nbsp;from proven solutions that improve homelessness and that it could force up to 170,000 Americans into homelessness.The new rules change what types of projects are eligible for funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the criteria for selecting projects and the conditions grantees have to accept to receive the funding, the lawsuit argues.Ultimately, Joplin Mayor Cortez and other experts said that following up with someone after they receive care or resources is key in reducing homelessness.Cortez is excited about a new development of 16 tiny homes dedicated to providing permanent housing situations for Joplin. But addressing the issue takes everyone coming together, he said.“This is an ongoing thing that everybody in the community is involved in —– the health care community, the religious community,” Cortez said. “We have some passionate champions in our community working to resolve this problem.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/12/12/missouri-homeless-drop-offs-joplin-rides-columbia/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

As homeless population rises in Missouri, cities confront cross-border ‘drop-offs’

A significant cold front is forecast to move through Missouri this weekend, bringing the coldest temperatures experienced so far this season. Residents should prepare for a sharp drop in mercury.

Overnight lows on Saturday are expected to dip into the single digits across much of the state. Coupled with brisk winds, wind chills could fall below zero, creating potentially hazardous conditions.

Northern and northeast Missouri should also anticipate accumulating snow, with up to three total inches possible between Friday and Saturday. Temperatures are expected to begin warming up early next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761773444972.jpg" alt="ice, crystals, frost, window, frosted, icy, winter, snow, glass, cold, snowflake, freezing, frozen, transparent, flake, clear, freeze, water, weather, snowfall, silver, white, blue window, nature, blue glass, blue snow, blue glasses" />
 <figcaption>ice, crystals, frost, window, frosted, icy, winter, snow, glass, cold, snowflake, freezing, frozen, transparent, flake, clear, freeze, water, weather, snowfall, silver, white, blue window, nature, blue glass, blue snow, blue glasses</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHA significant cold front is forecast to move through Missouri this weekend, bringing the coldest temperatures experienced so far this season. Residents should prepare for a sharp drop in mercury.Overnight lows on Saturday are expected to dip into the single digits across much of the state. Coupled with brisk winds, wind chills could fall below zero, creating potentially hazardous conditions.Northern and northeast Missouri should also anticipate accumulating snow, with up to three total inches possible between Friday and Saturday. Temperatures are expected to begin warming up early next week.

Brace for the deep freeze in Northern Missouri

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/juanvassallo/">Juan Vassallo</a>

The nation’s cattle inventory is at its lowest level in decades, the result of a long-term decline that has been pushed even lower in recent years by drought.

Much of the country endured severe dry spells in recent years, most notably in 2022. But the impact has been especially felt in the regions where America’s beef industry is most concentrated.

In November 2022, the U.S reached a drought index of 202 on the Drought Severity and Coverage Index (DSCI), where values range from 0, meaning no dryness, to 500, indicating exceptional drought across an entire area. That month marked the nation’s second-highest drought reading of the century, surpassed only by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094715300360" target="_blank">2012-2013 North American drought</a>.

But for the top 200 cattle-producing counties — together representing roughly a quarter of the national herd — the drought index peaked at 267.5 in the same period, far higher than the national average.

A similar pattern happened in 2024, when national drought conditions intensified in October and November, and again were more severe across the top beef-producing counties. These counties span 21 states. While they are largely clustered across the central U.S. — particularly in the top five beef-producing states of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota — several are outside that core region as well, including in states like Oregon and Florida.

Ranchers in those regions have faced shrinking pastures, dwindling water supplies and the rising cost of feed, conditions that have forced many to thin their herds. And because rebuilding cattle numbers is a slow biological process, there is no quick path to replenishing the nation’s supply.

As beef prices continue to rise, meat has become a political flashpoint.

The Trump administration has ordered a review of consolidation in the meatpacking industry and lifted tariffs on beef imports from Brazil and Argentina in an effort to expand supply, while also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/us/politics/hamburger-beef-prices-trump.html" target="_blank">blaming immigrants and former President Biden</a>&nbsp;for the high cost of beef.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oklahomafarmreport.com/okfr/2025/11/07/dr-darrell-peel-cattle-market-fundamentals-havent-changed-despite-the-noise/" target="_blank">experts say</a>&nbsp;the price surge is mostly driven by drought, which has shown signs of improvement in recent months.

This year, the top 200 beef-producing counties have fared better than the rest of the country.

“Drought conditions have improved to the point where it is not a major limiting factor for potential herd rebuilding,” said Derrell Peel, professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University and one of the country’s leading experts on the cattle industry. “Drought is less of an issue now compared to the last several years.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/12/09/data-harvest-droughts-cattle-production-states/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722448527185.png" alt="&nbsp;Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association)." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/juanvassallo/">Juan Vassallo</a>The nation’s cattle inventory is at its lowest level in decades, the result of a long-term decline that has been pushed even lower in recent years by drought.Much of the country endured severe dry spells in recent years, most notably in 2022. But the impact has been especially felt in the regions where America’s beef industry is most concentrated.In November 2022, the U.S reached a drought index of 202 on the Drought Severity and Coverage Index (DSCI), where values range from 0, meaning no dryness, to 500, indicating exceptional drought across an entire area. That month marked the nation’s second-highest drought reading of the century, surpassed only by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094715300360" target="_blank">2012-2013 North American drought</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765538680857.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>But for the top 200 cattle-producing counties — together representing roughly a quarter of the national herd — the drought index peaked at 267.5 in the same period, far higher than the national average.A similar pattern happened in 2024, when national drought conditions intensified in October and November, and again were more severe across the top beef-producing counties. These counties span 21 states. While they are largely clustered across the central U.S. — particularly in the top five beef-producing states of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota — several are outside that core region as well, including in states like Oregon and Florida.Ranchers in those regions have faced shrinking pastures, dwindling water supplies and the rising cost of feed, conditions that have forced many to thin their herds. And because rebuilding cattle numbers is a slow biological process, there is no quick path to replenishing the nation’s supply.As beef prices continue to rise, meat has become a political flashpoint.The Trump administration has ordered a review of consolidation in the meatpacking industry and lifted tariffs on beef imports from Brazil and Argentina in an effort to expand supply, while also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/us/politics/hamburger-beef-prices-trump.html" target="_blank">blaming immigrants and former President Biden</a>&nbsp;for the high cost of beef.But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oklahomafarmreport.com/okfr/2025/11/07/dr-darrell-peel-cattle-market-fundamentals-havent-changed-despite-the-noise/" target="_blank">experts say</a>&nbsp;the price surge is mostly driven by drought, which has shown signs of improvement in recent months.This year, the top 200 beef-producing counties have fared better than the rest of the country.“Drought conditions have improved to the point where it is not a major limiting factor for potential herd rebuilding,” said Derrell Peel, professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University and one of the country’s leading experts on the cattle industry. “Drought is less of an issue now compared to the last several years.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/12/09/data-harvest-droughts-cattle-production-states/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Recent droughts hit the top cattle counties hardest, including in Missouri

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacobrichey/">Jacob Richey</a>

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved Missouri’s request to restrict the use of food stamps for the purchase of some junk food items, according to a news release from the USDA.

Starting in 2026,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-files-request-to-remove-junk-food-from-snap-approved-foods/article_f81709be-78a8-4671-a459-0a6ececb50d3.html" target="_blank">Missouri is set to stop allowing SNAP benefits to be used</a>&nbsp;to purchase candy, prepared desserts, soda, beverage mixes, juices and punches that are 50% or less natural fruit or vegetable juice, and concentrates intended to be made into drinks that are 50% or less natural fruit or vegetable juice.

The Missouri Department of Social Services filed the waiver request with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service in late September. The USDA administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on the federal level.

According to&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-snap-waiver-request" target="_blank">the waiver request</a>,&nbsp;the state anticipates implementing the change on Oct. 1, 2026.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the approval of Missouri’s waiver on Wednesday.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe asked the state Department of Social Services to file the request.

“We are incredibly thankful for Secretary Rollins’ approval of our waiver,” Kehoe said in a news release from the USDA. “Missouri is proud to partner with the Trump administration on the Make America Healthy Again movement as we refocus SNAP to maximize nutritional health for families while also supporting the abundant agricultural output of our state.”

The USDA also approved waiver requests for Hawaii, North Dakota, South Carolina,&nbsp;Tennessee and Virginia. The waiver requests, including Missouri’s, change the statutory definition of “food for purchase” under SNAP.

This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-set-to-block-junk-food-from-snap-purchases-after-usda-approval/article_9b5ee7c1-213c-4f4c-9619-c2020fd91684.html" target="_blank">KOMU</a>&nbsp;via Missouri Independent

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765503998882.png" alt=" Sodas and chips are displayed at a convenience store in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York. As of this month, 12 states, mostly Republican and in the South, have opted to limit SNAP recipients from purchasing foods such as soda and candy (Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline)." />
 <figcaption> Sodas and chips are displayed at a convenience store in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York. As of this month, 12 states, mostly Republican and in the South, have opted to limit SNAP recipients from purchasing foods such as soda and candy (Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacobrichey/">Jacob Richey</a>The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved Missouri’s request to restrict the use of food stamps for the purchase of some junk food items, according to a news release from the USDA.Starting in 2026,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-files-request-to-remove-junk-food-from-snap-approved-foods/article_f81709be-78a8-4671-a459-0a6ececb50d3.html" target="_blank">Missouri is set to stop allowing SNAP benefits to be used</a>&nbsp;to purchase candy, prepared desserts, soda, beverage mixes, juices and punches that are 50% or less natural fruit or vegetable juice, and concentrates intended to be made into drinks that are 50% or less natural fruit or vegetable juice.The Missouri Department of Social Services filed the waiver request with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service in late September. The USDA administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on the federal level.According to&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/media/pdf/missouri-snap-waiver-request" target="_blank">the waiver request</a>,&nbsp;the state anticipates implementing the change on Oct. 1, 2026.U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the approval of Missouri’s waiver on Wednesday.Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe asked the state Department of Social Services to file the request.“We are incredibly thankful for Secretary Rollins’ approval of our waiver,” Kehoe said in a news release from the USDA. “Missouri is proud to partner with the Trump administration on the Make America Healthy Again movement as we refocus SNAP to maximize nutritional health for families while also supporting the abundant agricultural output of our state.”The USDA also approved waiver requests for Hawaii, North Dakota, South Carolina,&nbsp;Tennessee and Virginia. The waiver requests, including Missouri’s, change the statutory definition of “food for purchase” under SNAP.This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-set-to-block-junk-food-from-snap-purchases-after-usda-approval/article_9b5ee7c1-213c-4f4c-9619-c2020fd91684.html" target="_blank">KOMU</a>&nbsp;via Missouri Independent

Missouri set to block junk food from SNAP purchases after USDA approval

With temperatures dipping and the wind picking up, pet owners are reminded to take care proper care of their four-legged family members during the colder months.

Senior Animal Care Specialist at the St. Joseph Animal Shelter, Aubrey Silvey, says one of the main things to remember is, "if it's too cold for you, its probably too chilly for your pet too."

She says to keep in mind that all pets are different and may require different care in the winter, depending on age, breed and overall health. "The best thing you can do is consult your veterinarian  if you aren't sure how long your pet should be outside when it's cold."

According to Silvey, most dogs generally are comfortable if the temperature is 45 degrees or over but she adds, "anything under that and they're going to start feeling a little more uncomfortable, so that's something to keep in mind."

The type of breed is a factor in the overall winter health of dogs especially. Silvery says, "Thick-coated dogs and double-coated dogs are more apt to be in that type of weather. They are kind of designed for that."

Silvey stresses that small dogs, puppies, and older dogs are more susceptible to colder temperatures. "You really need to be aware of the type of pet you have."

She says cats are more resourcfeul, though. "If cats have a good shelter for the winter they do pretty well." But still, kittens, older cats, and felines with any type of illness may not tolerate the cold as well.

Silvey emphasizes that if you have a dog that needs to be kept outside, to provide adequate shelter and dry bedding. "If it's going to be under 32 degrees outside, and if at all possible, you need to bring them and know the signs of hypothermia."

Some of the signs of hypothermia are shivering, lethargy, weakness, stiffness, and pale gums.

"Sometimes if an animal has hypothermia they can appear confused or clumsy and have increased urination. Those are early signs of hypothermia," Silvey says.

She adds that if your pet has been outside in the cold for fifteen minutes or longer, you need to take the appropriate steps to warm them up, and if in doubt, contact a veterinarian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755793251450.jpg" alt="dog, pet, cat, pets, mammals, animals, nature, friends, animal, friendship, brown dog, black cat, domestic, domestic animals, portrait, friendship day" />
 <figcaption>dog, pet, cat, pets, mammals, animals, nature, friends, animal, friendship, brown dog, black cat, domestic, domestic animals, portrait, friendship day</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHWith temperatures dipping and the wind picking up, pet owners are reminded to take care proper care of their four-legged family members during the colder months.Senior Animal Care Specialist at the St. Joseph Animal Shelter, Aubrey Silvey, says one of the main things to remember is, "if it's too cold for you, its probably too chilly for your pet too."She says to keep in mind that all pets are different and may require different care in the winter, depending on age, breed and overall health. "The best thing you can do is consult your veterinarian if you aren't sure how long your pet should be outside when it's cold."According to Silvey, most dogs generally are comfortable if the temperature is 45 degrees or over but she adds, "anything under that and they're going to start feeling a little more uncomfortable, so that's something to keep in mind."The type of breed is a factor in the overall winter health of dogs especially. Silvery says, "Thick-coated dogs and double-coated dogs are more apt to be in that type of weather. They are kind of designed for that."Silvey stresses that small dogs, puppies, and older dogs are more susceptible to colder temperatures. "You really need to be aware of the type of pet you have."She says cats are more resourcfeul, though. "If cats have a good shelter for the winter they do pretty well." But still, kittens, older cats, and felines with any type of illness may not tolerate the cold as well.Silvey emphasizes that if you have a dog that needs to be kept outside, to provide adequate shelter and dry bedding. "If it's going to be under 32 degrees outside, and if at all possible, you need to bring them and know the signs of hypothermia."Some of the signs of hypothermia are shivering, lethargy, weakness, stiffness, and pale gums."Sometimes if an animal has hypothermia they can appear confused or clumsy and have increased urination. Those are early signs of hypothermia," Silvey says.She adds that if your pet has been outside in the cold for fifteen minutes or longer, you need to take the appropriate steps to warm them up, and if in doubt, contact a veterinarian.

Winter weather requires extra care for furry friends

A single-vehicle crash early Thursday morning in southwest Iowa claimed the life of a Shenandoah man.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, 37-year-old Michael Dean Wilson died after the pickup truck he was driving rolled over on 235th Street at approximately 12:15 a.m.

The incident occurred when the westbound vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, failed to negotiate a curve. The State Patrol indicated that Wilson was reportedly traveling above the posted speed limit at the time. The pickup left the roadway, entered a ditch, and rolled multiple times.

Wilson, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was transported to CHI Health Mercy Corning where he was pronounced deceased.

By RYAN SKAITHA single-vehicle crash early Thursday morning in southwest Iowa claimed the life of a Shenandoah man.According to the Iowa State Patrol, 37-year-old Michael Dean Wilson died after the pickup truck he was driving rolled over on 235th Street at approximately 12:15 a.m.The incident occurred when the westbound vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, failed to negotiate a curve. The State Patrol indicated that Wilson was reportedly traveling above the posted speed limit at the time. The pickup left the roadway, entered a ditch, and rolled multiple times.Wilson, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was transported to CHI Health Mercy Corning where he was pronounced deceased.

Shenandoah man killed in early morning single-vehicle crash in Southwest Iowa

A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa suggests that the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) is increasing across the state.

Rita Bettis Austen, legal director for the ACLU of Iowa, stated that Iowa taxpayers have been spending substantial collective amounts in recent years to acquire these high-tech surveillance systems.

The report is based on findings from a team of student researchers, led by University of Iowa Law professor Megan Graham, who filed open records requests with 48 Iowa law enforcement agencies regarding ALPRs.

&nbsp; The research revealed specific examples of this expansion, noting that Cedar Rapids, for instance, has secured a two-year, half-million-dollar contract with Flock Safety for the installation of 76 cameras. Furthermore, Professor Graham highlighted a significant finding from the reviewed records: law enforcement agencies currently exhibit a wide variation in policies governing the use of the license plate reader images, which inherently capture sensitive data such as location and time stamps.&nbsp;

A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa suggests that the use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) is increasing across the state.Rita Bettis Austen, legal director for the ACLU of Iowa, stated that Iowa taxpayers have been spending substantial collective amounts in recent years to acquire these high-tech surveillance systems.The report is based on findings from a team of student researchers, led by University of Iowa Law professor Megan Graham, who filed open records requests with 48 Iowa law enforcement agencies regarding ALPRs.&nbsp; The research revealed specific examples of this expansion, noting that Cedar Rapids, for instance, has secured a two-year, half-million-dollar contract with Flock Safety for the installation of 76 cameras. Furthermore, Professor Graham highlighted a significant finding from the reviewed records: law enforcement agencies currently exhibit a wide variation in policies governing the use of the license plate reader images, which inherently capture sensitive data such as location and time stamps.&nbsp;

ACLU Report Highlights Expanding Use of License Plate Readers in Iowa

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>

WASHINGTON — Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is ratcheting up pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to finish a study into medication abortion and to change its prescribing guidelines, sending a letter to Commissioner Marty Makary on Wednesday that the pace of the review is “totally unacceptable.”

The letter came just one day after leading anti-abortion groups called on President Donald Trump to fire Makary, following a report from Bloomberg Law that he planned to delay the agency’s review into mifepristone until past the November midterm elections.&nbsp;

Hawley wrote in the two-page letter he&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1998806068974240199/photo/2" target="_blank">posted to social media</a>&nbsp;that it was “unclear” whether the FDA was actually conducting a review of the current prescribing guidelines and the safety of medication abortion.&nbsp;

“There are more abortions in America now than when Roe was still law,” Hawley wrote, referring to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling from the Supreme Court, which established the constitutional right to an abortion. “And this is largely because of the chemical abortion drug and its generics, like the one you approved.”

Hawley asked Makary to reply to three questions before Dec. 15, including whether the FDA is “conducting a comprehensive safety review of mifepristone separate from the (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies) process,” if Makary delayed any safety reviews of mifepristone and if the FDA has plans to revert prescribing guidelines to require in-person dispensing.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump, asked about the timeline during a roundtable at the White House, said he would find out whether the FDA was stalling.&nbsp;

“I’ll find out. I’ll ask them,” Trump said. “I don’t think they’re slow walking anything, but I’ll find out.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the FDA, said that “FDA’s comprehensive scientific reviews take the time necessary to get the science right, and that is what Dr. Makary is ensuring as part of the Department’s commitment to gold-standard science and evidence-based reviews.”

Hawley’s letter continued the public pressure campaign from anti-abortion organizations and lawmakers that began Tuesday when leaders at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Live Action&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/leaders-2-major-anti-abortion-groups-call-trumps-fda-chief-be-fired" target="_blank">called for Makary to be fired</a>&nbsp;over the Bloomberg Law&nbsp;<a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/fda-slow-walking-a-long-awaited-abortion-pill-safety-study" target="_blank">news story</a>&nbsp;reporting he had delayed the review of mifepristone over political considerations related to the midterm elections.

Americans United for Life CEO John Mize released a statement after meeting with Makary, saying it “is glaringly obvious that flawed political calculations” have stalled the FDA’s review of mifepristone, but not calling for him to lose his job over it.&nbsp;

Mifepristone is one of two pharmaceuticals used in medication abortion. It is approved for up to 10 weeks gestation and can be prescribed via telehealth and shipped to patients.&nbsp;

Reducing or eliminating access to mifepristone has become a linchpin of the anti-abortion movement since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion in 2022.&nbsp;

Anti-abortion medical organizations, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Erin Morrow Hawley,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-limit-access-abortion-pill-6" target="_blank">tried unsuccessfully</a>&nbsp;to have the Supreme Court revert the prescribing guidelines for mifepristone in 2024.&nbsp;

Josh Hawley and Erin Morrow Hawley are married.&nbsp;

Numerous medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dozens-friend-court-briefs-backing-abortion-pill-access-arrive-supreme-court" target="_blank">filed briefs</a>&nbsp;to the justices in that case attesting to the safety and efficacy of medication abortion.&nbsp;

“The scientific evidence is overwhelming: major adverse events occur in less than 0.32% of patients,” the groups wrote. “The risk of death is almost non-existent.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765452252565.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on June 28 (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on June 28 (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>WASHINGTON — Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is ratcheting up pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to finish a study into medication abortion and to change its prescribing guidelines, sending a letter to Commissioner Marty Makary on Wednesday that the pace of the review is “totally unacceptable.”The letter came just one day after leading anti-abortion groups called on President Donald Trump to fire Makary, following a report from Bloomberg Law that he planned to delay the agency’s review into mifepristone until past the November midterm elections.&nbsp;Hawley wrote in the two-page letter he&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1998806068974240199/photo/2" target="_blank">posted to social media</a>&nbsp;that it was “unclear” whether the FDA was actually conducting a review of the current prescribing guidelines and the safety of medication abortion.&nbsp;“There are more abortions in America now than when Roe was still law,” Hawley wrote, referring to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling from the Supreme Court, which established the constitutional right to an abortion. “And this is largely because of the chemical abortion drug and its generics, like the one you approved.”Hawley asked Makary to reply to three questions before Dec. 15, including whether the FDA is “conducting a comprehensive safety review of mifepristone separate from the (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies) process,” if Makary delayed any safety reviews of mifepristone and if the FDA has plans to revert prescribing guidelines to require in-person dispensing.&nbsp;President Donald Trump, asked about the timeline during a roundtable at the White House, said he would find out whether the FDA was stalling.&nbsp;“I’ll find out. I’ll ask them,” Trump said. “I don’t think they’re slow walking anything, but I’ll find out.”A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the FDA, said that “FDA’s comprehensive scientific reviews take the time necessary to get the science right, and that is what Dr. Makary is ensuring as part of the Department’s commitment to gold-standard science and evidence-based reviews.”<h2>Second day of pressure on Makary</h2>Hawley’s letter continued the public pressure campaign from anti-abortion organizations and lawmakers that began Tuesday when leaders at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Live Action&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/leaders-2-major-anti-abortion-groups-call-trumps-fda-chief-be-fired" target="_blank">called for Makary to be fired</a>&nbsp;over the Bloomberg Law&nbsp;<a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/fda-slow-walking-a-long-awaited-abortion-pill-safety-study" target="_blank">news story</a>&nbsp;reporting he had delayed the review of mifepristone over political considerations related to the midterm elections.Americans United for Life CEO John Mize released a statement after meeting with Makary, saying it “is glaringly obvious that flawed political calculations” have stalled the FDA’s review of mifepristone, but not calling for him to lose his job over it.&nbsp;<h2>Access to mifepristone</h2>Mifepristone is one of two pharmaceuticals used in medication abortion. It is approved for up to 10 weeks gestation and can be prescribed via telehealth and shipped to patients.&nbsp;Reducing or eliminating access to mifepristone has become a linchpin of the anti-abortion movement since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion in 2022.&nbsp;Anti-abortion medical organizations, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Erin Morrow Hawley,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-limit-access-abortion-pill-6" target="_blank">tried unsuccessfully</a>&nbsp;to have the Supreme Court revert the prescribing guidelines for mifepristone in 2024.&nbsp;Josh Hawley and Erin Morrow Hawley are married.&nbsp;Numerous medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dozens-friend-court-briefs-backing-abortion-pill-access-arrive-supreme-court" target="_blank">filed briefs</a>&nbsp;to the justices in that case attesting to the safety and efficacy of medication abortion.&nbsp;“The scientific evidence is overwhelming: major adverse events occur in less than 0.32% of patients,” the groups wrote. “The risk of death is almost non-existent.”

Senator Hawley amps up pressure campaign on FDA chief to limit medication abortion

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday&nbsp;an officer on patrol observed a vehicle stopped in the southbound driving lane in the 400 block River Road in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 Stephen Oswalt, 62, was in the driver’s seat and appeared to be sleeping or passed out. During the investigation at the scene he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the County Jail and is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765378514283.png" alt="Oswalt photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Oswalt photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday&nbsp;an officer on patrol observed a vehicle stopped in the southbound driving lane in the 400 block River Road in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. Stephen Oswalt, 62, was in the driver’s seat and appeared to be sleeping or passed out. During the investigation at the scene he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the County Jail and is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Suspect was passed out in vehicle in driving lane of Kan. highway

(Radio Iowa) - USDA Rural Development has awarded a total of four-point-seven million dollars to support projects at two hospitals and for three municipal water systems. 

The Wayne County Hospital in Corydon is planning to build an addition for a more modern dialysis unit and is getting a two million dollar USDA grant. Palmer Lutheran Health Center in West Union is getting a one-point-one million dollar grant to support renovations of facilities for delivering babies and providing postpartum care. 

The USDA says Denison Municipal Utilities will use its million dollar grant to build a dam on the East Boyer River that will help recharge the area around a drinking water well. Macedonia, a town in Pottawattamie County, is getting 580-thousand dollars from the USDA to built a new well. And a 29-thousand dollar USDA grant to the town of Clearfield, in southwest Iowa, will be used on a study to evaluate the town's wastewater system and design improvements.

(Radio Iowa) - USDA Rural Development has awarded a total of four-point-seven million dollars to support projects at two hospitals and for three municipal water systems. The Wayne County Hospital in Corydon is planning to build an addition for a more modern dialysis unit and is getting a two million dollar USDA grant. Palmer Lutheran Health Center in West Union is getting a one-point-one million dollar grant to support renovations of facilities for delivering babies and providing postpartum care. The USDA says Denison Municipal Utilities will use its million dollar grant to build a dam on the East Boyer River that will help recharge the area around a drinking water well. Macedonia, a town in Pottawattamie County, is getting 580-thousand dollars from the USDA to built a new well. And a 29-thousand dollar USDA grant to the town of Clearfield, in southwest Iowa, will be used on a study to evaluate the town's wastewater system and design improvements.

$4.7 million in USDA grants for five Iowa projects

Building on her near-miss in last year's primary, Republican Wendy Larson of Odebolt decisively won the special election for the Iowa House seat formerly held by Mike Sexton. 

Unofficial tallies show Larson beating Democrat Rachel Burns by 40 points in the district encompassing Sac, Calhoun, Pocahontas, and a portion of Webster County.

Larson's campaign focused on the hot-button local issue of protecting landowner rights, particularly relevant to property owners opposing the Summit Carbon Solutions Pipeline. Her victory ensures the Republican Party's 67-seat supermajority is unchanged. 

The vacancy opened when President Trump appointed the previous representative, Mike Sexton, as state director for USDA Rural Development.

Building on her near-miss in last year's primary, Republican Wendy Larson of Odebolt decisively won the special election for the Iowa House seat formerly held by Mike Sexton. Unofficial tallies show Larson beating Democrat Rachel Burns by 40 points in the district encompassing Sac, Calhoun, Pocahontas, and a portion of Webster County.Larson's campaign focused on the hot-button local issue of protecting landowner rights, particularly relevant to property owners opposing the Summit Carbon Solutions Pipeline. Her victory ensures the Republican Party's 67-seat supermajority is unchanged. The vacancy opened when President Trump appointed the previous representative, Mike Sexton, as state director for USDA Rural Development.

Larson Triumphs in Special Election on Landowner Rights Platform

The students of Alpha Psi Omega (APO), Northwest Missouri State University’s theatre honor society, are preparing for their winter tour to perform “The Day the Crayons Quit: An Unofficial Adaptation” at area elementary schools. 

The play, which is based on the book by Drew Daywalt and adapted by Patt Collings, is about a girl who discovers her beloved crayons have gone on strike, airing their grievances through colorful letters.

The core message of the performance is about communication and empathy. Mara Mondt, a sophomore speech and theatre education major and the play’s lead actress, explained the theme: “The show is about listening to and compromising with the people you love. Duncan loves all of her crayons, but the way she shows her love isn’t really working for the crayons. She listens to them and their complaints and finds a way to compromise that works for everyone.”

The APO cast will first perform the play for the public at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 14th, in the Studio Theater at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is free. As a charitable effort, APO will be accepting donations of canned food from the audience to give to local food pantries.

Following the public show, the cast will take the production on the road from December 14th through the 19th. Their tour includes performances for elementary schools in Maryville and St. Joseph in Missouri, as well as Council Bluffs, Iowa. Director Madi Richter, a junior speech and theatre education major, highly encourages the community to attend the public showing: “Not only do you help support our actors in a completely different and unique role, but you also provide to the community. We encourage people to bring canned goods, so we can donate them to local shelters.”

T he APO tour schedule includes performances on several days between December 15th and 19th. On Monday, December 15th, the cast will have two performances: one at 10 a.m. at Hopewell Elementary and a second at 3 p.m. at Hawthorn Elementary, both located in Kansas City within the Park Hill School District. The tour continues on Wednesday, December 17th, with a 9 a.m. performance at Northeast Nodaway in Ravenwood, which is part of the Northeast Nodaway R-V School District. 

On Thursday, December 18th, the group will perform at 9:30 a.m. at Pershing Elementary in the St. Joseph School District. The tour concludes on Friday, December 19th, with an 8 a.m. performance at Helena Elementary in the Savannah R-III School District.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760456105736.jpg" alt="stage, curtain, theatre, red, stage, stage, stage, stage, stage, curtain, curtain, theatre" />
 <figcaption>stage, curtain, theatre, red, stage, stage, stage, stage, stage, curtain, curtain, theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN SKAITHThe students of Alpha Psi Omega (APO), Northwest Missouri State University’s theatre honor society, are preparing for their winter tour to perform “The Day the Crayons Quit: An Unofficial Adaptation” at area elementary schools. The play, which is based on the book by Drew Daywalt and adapted by Patt Collings, is about a girl who discovers her beloved crayons have gone on strike, airing their grievances through colorful letters.The core message of the performance is about communication and empathy. Mara Mondt, a sophomore speech and theatre education major and the play’s lead actress, explained the theme: “The show is about listening to and compromising with the people you love. Duncan loves all of her crayons, but the way she shows her love isn’t really working for the crayons. She listens to them and their complaints and finds a way to compromise that works for everyone.”The APO cast will first perform the play for the public at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 14th, in the Studio Theater at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is free. As a charitable effort, APO will be accepting donations of canned food from the audience to give to local food pantries.Following the public show, the cast will take the production on the road from December 14th through the 19th. Their tour includes performances for elementary schools in Maryville and St. Joseph in Missouri, as well as Council Bluffs, Iowa. Director Madi Richter, a junior speech and theatre education major, highly encourages the community to attend the public showing: “Not only do you help support our actors in a completely different and unique role, but you also provide to the community. We encourage people to bring canned goods, so we can donate them to local shelters.”T he APO tour schedule includes performances on several days between December 15th and 19th. On Monday, December 15th, the cast will have two performances: one at 10 a.m. at Hopewell Elementary and a second at 3 p.m. at Hawthorn Elementary, both located in Kansas City within the Park Hill School District. The tour continues on Wednesday, December 17th, with a 9 a.m. performance at Northeast Nodaway in Ravenwood, which is part of the Northeast Nodaway R-V School District. On Thursday, December 18th, the group will perform at 9:30 a.m. at Pershing Elementary in the St. Joseph School District. The tour concludes on Friday, December 19th, with an 8 a.m. performance at Helena Elementary in the Savannah R-III School District.

Northwest Theatre Students Take Educational Performance to Area Schools

The board’s legislative priorities appear to support legislation creating public-school open enrollment, but members are split on what the policy means

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

The Missouri State Board of Education approved&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/consideration-adopt-2026-legislative-priorities" target="_blank">legislative priorities</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that signal support for “legislation on voluntary public school open enrollment.”&nbsp;

Board members during a Tuesday morning meeting expressed differing opinions on open enrollment,&nbsp; a policy that broadly speaking would allow students to enroll in neighboring school districts. After debating the issue, the board initially seemed poised to remove it from its priorities for the upcoming legislative session but ultimately agreed to wave it through and make edits at a later date.

Board President Mary Schrag said the intention is to give the board and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education a “seat at the table” as lawmakers consider provisions that alter how open enrollment would be administered.

“We don’t have to take a stance on (open enrollment),” she said. “I do think we need to make sure that we stay as a player and are at the table.”

State lawmakers have filed open enrollment bills&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/12/open-enrollment-bill-clears-missouri-house-for-fifth-year-in-a-row/">for the past five years</a>, passing out of the House each time but coming to a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/open-enrollment-bill-causes-schism-among-missouri-senate-republicans/">standstill in the Senate</a>. The proposal has evolved over the years, with changes like a cap on the number of students that may leave a district and who is responsible for the cost of transportation.

Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger said if lawmakers move forward with open enrollment, she’d like the board to have a say in some of the details.

“(State lawmakers) continue to have conversations in the legislature about what is the best fit for Missouri and how do you create this opportunity for choice within the public system,” she said. “So, by having this board have an opinion that open enrollment is something we want to have a conversation about, it makes us relevant.”

She told state senators in a hearing about an unrelated issue last week that she “did not have a problem with” open enrollment as a concept.

“As a superintendent of schools, I can tell you that if a parent didn’t feel like that I met their needs, I want them to be able to go someplace,” she told the Senate Education Committee last Thursday.

Board member Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, of Pasadena Hills, said Tuesday that she had concerns that she would like to enumerate in a clearer policy position.

“I want to be supportive of our board, but I am concerned about harming small communities, and that isn’t reflected in this language,” she said.

Board member Mike Matousek, of Kansas City, indicated that he supported the idea of open enrollment but he felt like approving the legislative priorities was premature.

“There are key issues that we just need to talk about first to understand what it is we’re actually supporting here, and what are our priorities,” he said.

He was the lone vote in opposition to approving the document.

Schrag said many of the priorities, like a focus on early childhood literacy, have come up in numerous board conversations.

“As board members, we are learning and absorbing and digging in all the time through all of our conversations,” she said. “It doesn’t require a specific agenda item, in some cases, to come to an understanding of a position.”

The board has approved legislative priorities for four years, focusing on improving the programs offered by the state’s education department.

Other priorities approved Tuesday include a recommendation to fully fund the formula that determines state aid for public schools and the creation of a program to improve math instruction statewide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765366574720.png" alt="Missouri State Board of Education President Mary Schrag and Education Commissioner Karla Eslinger lead a board meeting Sept. 17 at the Missouri Special Olympics building in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption>Missouri State Board of Education President Mary Schrag and Education Commissioner Karla Eslinger lead a board meeting Sept. 17 at the Missouri Special Olympics building in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The board’s legislative priorities appear to support legislation creating public-school open enrollment, but members are split on what the policy means</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri State Board of Education approved&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/consideration-adopt-2026-legislative-priorities" target="_blank">legislative priorities</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that signal support for “legislation on voluntary public school open enrollment.”&nbsp;What this means, though, is unclear.Board members during a Tuesday morning meeting expressed differing opinions on open enrollment,&nbsp; a policy that broadly speaking would allow students to enroll in neighboring school districts. After debating the issue, the board initially seemed poised to remove it from its priorities for the upcoming legislative session but ultimately agreed to wave it through and make edits at a later date.Board President Mary Schrag said the intention is to give the board and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education a “seat at the table” as lawmakers consider provisions that alter how open enrollment would be administered.“We don’t have to take a stance on (open enrollment),” she said. “I do think we need to make sure that we stay as a player and are at the table.”State lawmakers have filed open enrollment bills&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/12/open-enrollment-bill-clears-missouri-house-for-fifth-year-in-a-row/">for the past five years</a>, passing out of the House each time but coming to a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/open-enrollment-bill-causes-schism-among-missouri-senate-republicans/">standstill in the Senate</a>. The proposal has evolved over the years, with changes like a cap on the number of students that may leave a district and who is responsible for the cost of transportation.Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger said if lawmakers move forward with open enrollment, she’d like the board to have a say in some of the details.“(State lawmakers) continue to have conversations in the legislature about what is the best fit for Missouri and how do you create this opportunity for choice within the public system,” she said. “So, by having this board have an opinion that open enrollment is something we want to have a conversation about, it makes us relevant.”She told state senators in a hearing about an unrelated issue last week that she “did not have a problem with” open enrollment as a concept.“As a superintendent of schools, I can tell you that if a parent didn’t feel like that I met their needs, I want them to be able to go someplace,” she told the Senate Education Committee last Thursday.Board member Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, of Pasadena Hills, said Tuesday that she had concerns that she would like to enumerate in a clearer policy position.“I want to be supportive of our board, but I am concerned about harming small communities, and that isn’t reflected in this language,” she said.Board member Mike Matousek, of Kansas City, indicated that he supported the idea of open enrollment but he felt like approving the legislative priorities was premature.“There are key issues that we just need to talk about first to understand what it is we’re actually supporting here, and what are our priorities,” he said.He was the lone vote in opposition to approving the document.Schrag said many of the priorities, like a focus on early childhood literacy, have come up in numerous board conversations.“As board members, we are learning and absorbing and digging in all the time through all of our conversations,” she said. “It doesn’t require a specific agenda item, in some cases, to come to an understanding of a position.”The board has approved legislative priorities for four years, focusing on improving the programs offered by the state’s education department.Other priorities approved Tuesday include a recommendation to fully fund the formula that determines state aid for public schools and the creation of a program to improve math instruction statewide.

Public school open enrollment wins tentative support from Missouri education board

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged criminal damage at a museum in Atchison.

On Monday, police&nbsp;responded to the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, 223 North Terrace Street in Atchison, after museum staff had arrived and found that an antique glass window on an exterior door with an estimated $350 had been broken, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. An investigation followed that lead officers to arrest 21-year-old Bernard M. Rempe, 21, Atchison, on requested charges of criminal damage to property. He was issued a notice to appear in court.

Police believe the damage occurred sometime between midnight and 1:00a.m. on Saturday night. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765293134903.png" alt="Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum- Google image" />
 <figcaption>Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum- Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged criminal damage at a museum in Atchison.On Monday, police&nbsp;responded to the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, 223 North Terrace Street in Atchison, after museum staff had arrived and found that an antique glass window on an exterior door with an estimated $350 had been broken, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. An investigation followed that lead officers to arrest 21-year-old Bernard M. Rempe, 21, Atchison, on requested charges of criminal damage to property. He was issued a notice to appear in court.Police believe the damage occurred sometime between midnight and 1:00a.m. on Saturday night. &nbsp;

Man accused of breaking an antique glass window at museum

Council Bluffs author Dan Henderson will be visiting two southwest Iowa towns this week to discuss his new book, “Rhythm and Pep: The Vaudeville Career of the Pearson Brothers.”

The book highlights both local history and a significant period in American entertainment by tracing the unlikely rise of Earl and Lester Pearson, who hailed from Clarinda. 

The brothers grew up working in their father’s coal mine just west of the town before achieving coast-to-coast fame in vaudeville starting in 1918, which even included a performance for President Woodrow Wilson.

Henderson hopes to illustrate the vital role Iowa communities played in shaping early American entertainment.

Council Bluffs author Dan Henderson will be visiting two southwest Iowa towns this week to discuss his new book, “Rhythm and Pep: The Vaudeville Career of the Pearson Brothers.”The book highlights both local history and a significant period in American entertainment by tracing the unlikely rise of Earl and Lester Pearson, who hailed from Clarinda. The brothers grew up working in their father’s coal mine just west of the town before achieving coast-to-coast fame in vaudeville starting in 1918, which even included a performance for President Woodrow Wilson.Henderson hopes to illustrate the vital role Iowa communities played in shaping early American entertainment.

Clarinda Vaudeville Brothers Take Center Stage in New Book

The mild weather will be quickly replaced by a potent system moving in Tuesday evening.

 Winds are forecast to reach up to 50 miles per hour, creating significant blowing and drifting snow from the snow already on the ground. This surge of high wind and snow could lead to whiteout or even blizzard conditions. 

The National Weather service reports there is also the potential for quick snow showers to drop up to one inch of new snow, further reducing visibility and making travel extremely hazardous.

The mild weather will be quickly replaced by a potent system moving in Tuesday evening. Winds are forecast to reach up to 50 miles per hour, creating significant blowing and drifting snow from the snow already on the ground. This surge of high wind and snow could lead to whiteout or even blizzard conditions. The National Weather service reports there is also the potential for quick snow showers to drop up to one inch of new snow, further reducing visibility and making travel extremely hazardous.

Severe Evening Winds and Hazardous Travel Conditions Possible

The decision came just a few hours after a state trial over which signatures should be counted if petitions are delivered this week

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 federal judge Monday refused to back Missouri’s Republican leaders efforts to block a statewide vote on a gerrymandered&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">congressional district map</a>, dismissing a case filed by Attorney General Catherine Hanaway.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444658128.png" alt="Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago " />
 <figcaption>Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The decision came just a few hours after a state trial over which signatures should be counted if petitions are delivered this week</h2>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 federal judge Monday refused to back Missouri’s Republican leaders efforts to block a statewide vote on a gerrymandered&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">congressional district map</a>, dismissing a case filed by Attorney General Catherine Hanaway.U.S. District Judge Zachary Bluestone ruled he had no jurisdiction over the lawsuit brought on behalf of Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and the General Assembly claiming the U.S. Constitution&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/26/federal-ruling-on-missouri-gerrymandered-redistricting-plan-to-come-in-early-december/">bars state referendums</a>&nbsp;on Congressional district plans.The decision came just a few hours after Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh conducted a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=25AC-CC07128&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0004_CT19" target="_blank">three-hour trial</a>&nbsp;over when a referendum petition drive can begin and which signatures should be counted when petitions are submitted.Limbaugh did not issue a ruling Monday and gave attorneys until Wednesday afternoon to file proposed judgments.The redistricting bill forced through in September by Republicans at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">insistence of President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is scheduled to take effect Thursday for use in the 2026 elections.Republicans hope to win seven of the state’s eight congressional seats by adding enough GOP votes to flip the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.&nbsp;If referendum petitions with sufficient signatures are submitted, the map will take effect only if it is upheld in a statewide vote in November.The issues in the now-dismissed federal case can all be decided in state court, wrote Bluestone, a recent Trump appointee. All Hoskins has to do, he said, is reject the petitions gathered by People Not Politicians, the campaign committee seeking the referendum.The deadline for submitting signatures is Thursday.“Fortunately for the state, Secretary Hoskins has a tool at his disposal that almost no other litigant could boast — the power to declare the petition unconstitutional himself,” Bluestone wrote.That would trigger litigation over the main question, he wrote.“A decision that the Missouri Constitution does not permit a redistricting referendum would moot the state’s federal constitutional claims, while a decision that it does clearly permit them would significantly narrow the issues,” Bluestone wrote. “Further, abstaining here would avoid federal interference in a referendum process created entirely by the Missouri Constitution and state law.”<h2>State lawsuit over signatures</h2>The main question in the lawsuit heard Monday afternoon by Limbaugh is when a referendum petition drive can begin.Attorney Chuck Hatfield, representing People Not Politicians, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++49&amp;bid=31807&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">Missouri Constitution’s clause</a>&nbsp;giving the people the “power to approve or reject by referendum any act of the general assembly” means signature gathering can begin as soon as lawmakers hold the final vote on a bill.&nbsp;“We don’t need the governor’s signature on something to seek a referendum on it,” Hatfield said. “Nor do we need the secretary of state’s approval to gather signatures.”Deputy Solicitor General William Seidleck, arguing for the state, said a referendum can only be held on a law. No bill, he said, even if passed by lawmakers, is a law until it is signed by the governor. And a law giving the secretary of state authority to approve or reject the form of a referendum petition, he said, means no signatures can be gathered until the approval is received.“You can only have a referendum on an enacted law,” Seidleck said. “We submit that there’s no law without the governor’s signature.”Marc Ellinger, who represents a campaign committee set up to defend the map, Put Missouri First, asked Limbaugh to throw the whole case out as premature. No signatures have been submitted, he said, so there’s no true controversy over which are being counted.“They’re trying to get an answer on the validity of signatures before the statutory process is completed,” Ellinger said.To force a referendum on a new law, petitioners must get signatures from 5% of voters in six of the state’s eight congressional districts. That is about 110,000 signatures.People Not Politicians has enlisted more than 2,000 volunteers and gathered more than 300,000 signatures, including 12,000 last week, campaign Director Richard von Glahn said during a Monday morning conference call with the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition.“We are going to continue to fight to make sure every Missourian’s voice is heard,” von Glahn said to coalition members.In the afternoon, von Glahn was in a Cole County courtroom while Chrissy Peters, state elections director since 2017, testified that unless a court order says otherwise, no signatures collected before Oct. 14 will be checked against voter registration rolls.That is a key date because it’s the day Hoskins approved the form of the petition. In the lawsuit, People Not Politicians is arguing that signatures gathered after Sept. 15, when the petition form was submitted, should be checked.Of the 300,000 signatures the campaign says it has collected, the outcome of Monday’s hearing would only impact an estimated 92,000 that were pre-emptively rejected by Hoskins.&nbsp;Limbaugh has another decision pending that will impact whether or not the referendum occurs. He&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/12/judge-hears-arguments-over-legality-of-gerrymandered-missouri-congressional-map/">heard arguments Nov. 12</a>&nbsp;in a lawsuit brought by opponents of redistricting over the state Constitution’s directive on when and how to draw congressional district maps.&nbsp;If Limbaugh rules lawmakers did not have power to redraw the districts between census reports, the law would not take effect.&nbsp;The Missouri redistricting fight is part of a national debate over when states can redraw congressional district boundaries for partisan advantage.Republicans hold a 220-213 edge in the U.S. House, with two vacant seats previously held by Democrats. Six states, including Missouri, have enacted new congressional maps this year in response to the push initiated when Texas redrew its district lines to flip five Democratic seats. The U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/12/04/texas-redistricting-map-us-supreme-court-2026-midterms/" target="_blank">upheld the new Texas map</a>&nbsp;last week.California countered and revised its maps to move five seats to the Democratic Party,<a href="https://ncnewsline.com/2025/11/26/federal-court-allows-republican-led-north-carolina-redistricting-plan-to-proceed/" target="_blank">North Carolina’s new map</a>&nbsp;is intended to net one seat for Republicans, Ohio has passed a new map to&nbsp;<a href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/10/31/ohio-redistricting-commission-unanimously-passes-congressional-map-further-gop-advantage/" target="_blank">add two GOP seats</a>&nbsp;and a nonpartisan redistricting commission in Utah revised that state’s four districts in a way&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/11/25/utah-redistricting-republican-lawmakers-appeal-to-utah-supreme-court/" target="_blank">likely to favor a Democratic candidate</a>&nbsp;in one.Other redistricting efforts are underway. In Indiana, the legislature is&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/08/as-indiana-senate-begins-redistricting-turn-republicans-keep-mum/" target="_blank">meeting in special session</a>&nbsp;to help the GOP gain two seats. Democrats who took supermajorities in the Virginia legislature this year are considering whether to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vpm.org/generalassembly/2025-12-03/vadems-redistricting-gerrymandering-surovell-locke-spanberger-mcdougle" target="_blank">revise lines in that state</a>, where Democrats currently hold a 6-5 edge in the delegation.As the date for delivering signatures in Missouri approaches, attacks on the petitioners and von Glahn have intensified. Hanaway is demanding personnel records from Advanced Micro Targeting of Dallas, Texas, which is being paid to help with the signature campaign. And Advanced Micro Targeting is suing other political consulting firms, accusing them of paying large sums to sabotage the petition drive.Donald Trump Jr. led the attacks on von Glahn on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1996275378969559140" target="_blank">social media</a>, calling him a “leftist nut job” who is “trying to STEAL a GOP house seat in Missouri through an unlawful referendum.”Trump Jr. included a link to a website that called von Glahn a communist.Denise Lieberman, executive director of the Missouri Voter Protection coalition, called the attacks “absolutely disgusting and inexcusable” during the conference call.Von Glahn said the insults are generating a counter-reaction.“These are meant to be sort of psychological warfare, to make me and my family feel isolated and feel threatened,” he said. “It has been a complete backfire. I have gotten more messages of love and support across this state and across the country this week that I could have possibly imagined.”