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The City of Grain Valley will be hosting its third annual Downtown Spooktacular, a free community event from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Friday, October 25th. In 2023, Downtown Spooktacular brought in over 2,000 residents and visitors to the downtown district. Businesses were able to register in contests and as a treat station – handing out goodies and hosting quick games at their assigned space. Trick-or-treaters were able to walk the downtown district and collect candy/goodies from local businesses, participate in the City’s haunted walk-through, and enjoy a stage show put on by volunteers and City staff. Downtown Spooktacular will commence with a Witches and Wizards Walk, beginning in Armstrong Park and ending at the Halloween stage in Downtown Grain Valley. Following the walk, festivities will be ready and waiting for residents in the downtown district. After an evening of your traditional trick-or-treating, Downtown Spooktacular will end with a Halloween fireworks show (weather permitting). For the safety of trick-or-treaters and staff, the City will close Main Street from Yennie to Front Street between 5:00pm - 9:00pm. Motorists are asked to seek alternative routes during event hours. Other closures are as follows:
 The City of Grain Valley will be hosting its third annual Downtown Spooktacular, a free community event from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Friday, October 25th. Photo credit: City of Grain Valley  Would sports betting boost Missouri school funding? There’s no guarantee, experts sayTakeaways
Missourians are being bombarded with ads promoting Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting. The betting operators urging voters to legalize sports betting say it would bring “tens of millions of dollars in education funding for our children and our schools.” But others aren’t so sure. It’s a familiar guarantee about casino or lottery campaigns — that betting generates money for Missouri schools. Political scientists and experts on the Missouri state budget say promising gambling revenue to education doesn’t necessarily boost school spending. A review by the state auditor found that sports betting could generate anywhere from zero to almost $29 million annually. The number depends on a lot of factors, such as how much Missourians bet, the amount of promotional bets that are placed tax-free and how much the Missouri Gaming Commission spends on operating costs. No matter how much the revenue may be, there’s no guarantee that it will mean an increase to the state’s education budget. “During a campaign, supporters always tout the most generous forecast of revenue coming in,” said Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Missouri. “The revenues probably won’t be as high as what’s being promised.” How will taxation actually work?The revenue that comes from sports bets will be taxed at 10%, half the rate at which casino gambling is taxed. But skeptics say that the amendment’s language doesn’t detail the collection of that 10% tax. The ballot measure says that a 10% wagering tax will be imposed on any revenue. But it doesn’t outline who may collect that tax, or the methods for doing so. Compare that to 2022’s amendment to legalize recreational marijuana. That measure laid out a path for the tax revenue, stating the tax must be paid to the Missouri Department of Revenue. Then the department is allowed to retain a small percentage for its own costs and any remaining money should be deposited by the department into a specific fund for veterans’ health care. A similar path for sports betting tax collection isn’t laid out in Amendment 2. “There have been questions raised because the ballot measure did not include the mechanism for funding that it needs to,” said Amy Blouin, the president and CEO of the left-leaning Missouri Budget Project. “Some of this stuff might have to be figured out in court if it were to pass,” Blouin said. “There are legitimate questions about whether or not this was ready for prime time … if some basic requirements are missing from the language.” The Department of Revenue reached the same conclusion in the fiscal information it sent to the state auditor’s office about the amendment. “Without the identification of an agency to collect the tax, no tax can be collected. Therefore, it appears this section will not generate any revenue to the state, the (gaming) Commission or to the Compulsive Gaming Prevention Fund,” the fiscal note said. Lawyers representing the Amendment 2 campaign wrote in a memo in January that the Department of Revenue has the independent authority under the Missouri Constitution and state law to collect taxes. “The Department has authority to collect taxes (including this new tax) and it should know that,” the memo said. Outside of a potential fix in the courts, the top Democrat on the Missouri House Budget Committee said the legislature may have to work around the amendment and come up with language to actually collect the tax. But he’s not too optimistic. “Historically, it’s not easy to get a Republican legislature to pass a bill about this topic to begin with, let alone a tax collection bill,” said Rep. Peter Merideth of St. Louis. How do school districts feel about Missouri Amendment 2?Public school districts and education groups are largely neutral on whether or not the amendment should pass. But some doubt whether it would put more funding in classrooms. During an Independence School Board meeting in October, Superintendent Dale Herl urged voters not to let promises of education funding sway their vote on Amendment 2. He said tax revenue isn’t likely to add to education spending, based on school districts’ experience with other gambling taxes in the past. “My belief is that all it’s going to do is further supplant money that we would already be getting,” he said. Voters should instead reflect on what they think about sports betting itself, he said. “If you don’t want to go across the state line to place your Chiefs bet or Royals bet, I would say vote yes,” he said. “If you’re opposed to sports betting in Missouri, then vote no.” Spokespeople for Kansas City Public Schools, North Kansas City Schools and the Lee’s Summit School District said they had no position on the ballot measure and no comment on its potential impact. The Missouri Association of School Administrators said it has no position on Amendment 2 and pointed to a handout from the Missouri School Boards’ Association. The MSBA also doesn’t take a position on Amendment 2. But its handout casts doubt on how much money would go to education, especially for public schools. Amendment 2 doesn’t lay out what grade levels or services the funding could cover, or specify whether it will go to public or private schools. In contrast, Amendment 5, a separate question on the Nov. 5 ballot about authorizing an additional casino in the Lake of the Ozarks, says tax revenue would go toward early literacy programs in public elementary schools. The lack of specificity “means that the state revenues from Amendment 2 could go to private and parochial schools in the state, not just public schools,” the MSBA handout says. “This is relevant as the state legislature continues to expand the state’s voucher programs and moves towards privatization of public education.” Missouri’s state-sponsored private school scholarship program is currently funded through a system of offering donors tax credits, but some lawmakers have proposed that it be directly funded by the state. The MSBA handout also notes that if estimates are correct, schools around the state would only receive about $29 million annually, about 0.7% of the approximately $4 billion of state general revenue used to fund the K-12 education budget last year. That’s without factoring in the hit casino tax revenue for schools could take from competition with sports betting, MSBA said. The Missouri National Education Association, a teachers union, also takes no position on Amendment 2. The group’s summary notes that the amendment doesn’t authorize any specific entity to collect the tax and has few requirements for how the money can be used. The Missouri State Teachers Association, a professional organization, also doesn’t take a position on the amendment. “While there may be financial implications relating to education, the heart of this ballot question asks if Missourians would like to expand gambling in our state,” Matt Michelson, director of education policy, said in an email. “MSTA has a long tradition, and guidance from members, to maintain a strong focus on issues that directly impact public education.” The measure has backing from both of Missouri’s candidates for governor, Democratic Rep. Crystal Quade and Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe. It also has backing from major sports teams in Missouri, including the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as The Kansas City Star and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “It is currently estimated that roughly $2 billion a year are placed in bets using offshore gaming websites, money that is currently not going back into our education system,” the campaign’s website reads. “By legalizing sports betting we are ensuring tens of millions of dollars in education funding for our children and our schools bringing that economic activity back to Missouri.” An August poll from St. Louis University and YouGov found that 50% of Missourians supported Amendment 2, while 30% were opposed.. That support hasn’t come without major spending from the campaign backing the amendment. The latest campaign finance reports show that the group has raised $21.5 million since its launch. The rocky relationship with gambling revenue and the General AssemblyAside from the unknown path to collect revenue, the amendment’s language doesn’t outline a guarantee that schools will actually get more funding when it comes to the overall state budget. The amendment’s language says the revenue will be appropriated to elementary, secondary and higher education schools in the state, after two conditions are met. First, the revenue will be used to reimburse the Missouri Gaming Commission for any costs it takes to oversee sports betting in Missouri. Second, a maximum payout of $5 million will go to Missouri’s compulsive gambling fund. Whatever revenue is left over would then be appropriated to schools after those two payouts are made. Critics of the measure say states such as Kansas and Indiana haven’t seen as much revenue as what was promised. Part of that reason is because revenues from promotional bets or free credits aren’t taxed. Plus, a provision that accounts for “negative revenues” for sportsbooks might actually limit how much is being taxed. If exemptions and deductions exceed how much money sportsbooks take in, they aren’t taxed for the month. “If the amount of adjusted gross receipts in a calendar month is a negative figure, the licensee shall remit no sports wagering tax for that calendar month,” the constitutional amendment reads. “Any negative adjusted gross receipts shall be carried over and calculated as a deduction in the subsequent calendar months until the negative figure has been brought to a zero balance.” The largest exemption for sportsbooks is always paying out the winners. That cuts into the company’s profits on paper and, consequently, its obligation to pay taxes. In February 2023, Kansas only collected $1,134 in taxes on sports betting because so many people won their bets. There were $194 million in wagers and $194.8 million in payouts. To counter that problem, the campaign argues that because Missouri’s amendment includes a 25% cap for promotional or free credit bets for each sports betting operator, the state will collect more revenue. A study prepared for the campaign backing Amendment 2 found that Missouri sports betting operators would see $3.4 billion in bets placed in the first year of operation. The study estimated that total revenue would be $335 million, but more than $272 million of that would be from tax-deductible promotional credits. After deducting federal fees and uncollectible fees, Missouri would generate approximately $4.7 million in state tax revenue outside of license fee revenue. Lawmakers, though, could move around other parts of the state’s education budget. “The reality is there’s really not a lot you can do to protect monies from the General Assembly,” said Squire, the University of Missouri professor. “It’s very hard to limit their ability to shift budgets or shift monies around.” Squire pointed to the formula for funding public school transportation. It’s something that lawmakers put on the back burner in the overall education budget and haven’t always fully funded, leaving districts to take up the costs themselves of running buses and hiring drivers. “They can say, ‘Well, here’s new money coming into one area,’ and then slip money out in another area,” Squire said. “Given the experience that we’ve had with various programs that are supposedly protected, the legislature really won’t be constrained by any of the promises that have been made.” The campaign directed The Beacon to an Oct. 9 memo prepared by Alixandra Cossette, a Jefferson City attorney who filed the initiative petition. The memo says that the General Assembly will be tasked with interpreting Amendment 2’s language plainly, and that the money should be used as a supplement to already existing education budgets. A 2007 study of nationwide state lottery revenue spending from lawmakers found that some states outline in their legislation that lottery revenue must be used to supplement, not replace, funding that goes to education. Other states aren’t as specific, leaving room for money to be swapped with other parts of the budget. Some states also direct lottery revenue to specific funds related to K-12 public education, while others say the money should be spent on education more broadly. “While earmarking on this level falls short of ensuring lottery dollars are not fungible, its transparency and independence from the general education fund make it easier to measure the extent to which lottery dollars supplement previous public education spending,” the study concluded. Merideth also pointed to the year-to-year process of outlining the state budget. What happens with the revenue one year may not happen the next, he said. “The budget is the budget, and essentially, the legislature can’t tie the hands of future lawmakers on the budget,” said Merideth, the representative from St. Louis. “So it’s going to be a fight every year, basically, to try and make sure that they’re funding schools, just like it’s been every year.” This article first appeared on Beacon: Missouri and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. 
by Tamra Reall, PhD, Field Specialist in Horticulture University of Missouri Extension - Urban West (Article used with permission from the Kansas City Gardener.) Why do some bugs make so much noise at night? Several insects, like crickets and katydids, make noise at night to find others of their species. Male crickets rub their wings together to create that chirping sound, hoping to attract a female or warn other males to stay away. Each cricket species has its own song, so if you listen closely, you can tell what kind of cricket is singing. Female crickets can’t make sounds because they don’t have the special file-and-scraper structures on their wings, but they do have ears—on their legs!—to hear the songs. Katydids also rub their wings together to make their distinctive sounds. This sound-making process is called stridulation. These insects are most active at night when it's cooler and there are fewer predators around. Next time you're outside in the evening, take a moment to enjoy the nighttime insect concert! For more fun facts about insect sounds, watch the Kids Ask Dr. Bug YouTube videos. August’s video was all about insect songs: https://youtu.be/-jCREA0nDOs Are any bugs scary looking but actually super helpful? Some people think that all critters with more than four legs are creepy, but the truth is, less than 2% of insects are pests—meaning over 98% are helpful or harmless! A lot of insects that look scary are actually great to have around. One of my favorite "scary" insects is the swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. When disturbed, it pops out two bright orange, antennae-like organs from its head and sometimes flings itself toward whatever is bothering it. These organs, called osmeteria, release a stinky smell to scare predators away. Praying mantises can be intimidating too, with their long, spiky legs and heads that turn to follow you. But they’re excellent hunters, eating insects that can damage your plants. Sometimes they catch helpful insects, but overall, they’re beneficial in the garden. And let's not forget spiders—though they’re not insects, they’re also very helpful! Spiders eat pests in the garden and in your home. My favorite is the jumping spider, with its big eyes and fuzzy body. Jumping spiders sometimes wave their arms to make themselves look bigger, but it's pretty cute. Male jumping spiders also have elaborate dance moves to attract a mate. Some people even keep them as pets, but I prefer to let them roam free in my garden to keep pests in check. One insect that doesn’t look scary but can be dangerous is the mosquito. They can spread diseases and bite without you even noticing. That’s why it's important to wear bug repellent and get rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed. Do bugs trick or treat? Not like we do, by dressing up and knocking on doors for candy, but insects definitely have their own tricks, and some offer treats as well! Many insects are masters of camouflage. One of the funniest tricks is played by caterpillars that look like bird poop. This clever disguise helps them avoid being eaten. Another sneaky insect is the walking stick, which looks very much like a twig and even sways like a stick in the breeze when it moves to blend in with its surroundings. Another insect that plays tricks is the caddisfly larva that dresses up like its surroundings by attaching whatever is nearby—sticks, leaves, or small stones—to its body with silk threads. Some insects give treats, too! Male insects often bring tasty gifts to females as part of courtship. Scientists think this helps the female get more nutrients, so she can lay healthier eggs so more of the offspring survives. Sometimes, though, the gift is meant to keep the female occupied so she doesn’t eat the male! Do people really eat bugs? Yes, in many parts of the world, people eat insects as a regular part of their diet. This practice is called entomophagy. Insects like crickets, grasshoppers, and mealworms are packed with protein, vitamins, and healthy fats, and seasonings can be added when cooking. People even say they taste good! Eating insects can also be good for the environment because farming insects uses fewer resources than raising animals like cows or chickens. While it might sound strange to some, eating bugs is actually quite common and nutritious. Plus, since it's impossible to keep all insect parts out of our food, you've already eaten some without even knowing it! How do entomologists use AI? Entomologists, like many other scientists, are exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can help us learn more. Generative AI can be very useful, but we have to be careful because it doesn’t always get things right. One of the cool things AI can do is compare lots of insect photos really fast to help identify different species. It can also make predictions about where certain insects might show up based on things like weather and habits. AI can even help scientists be more creative! For example, I used AI to make a fun insect game where you catch fireflies. Want to try it? https://bit.ly/CatchFireflies ~~~~ Did you know that there is a Kids Ask Dr. Bug video series? Check it out! https://bit.ly/KADBvideos Do you have questions for Dr. Bug? Send them to https://bit.ly/KidsAskDrBug To help her learn what you learn from this column, or to share feedback, please consider filling out this survey: https://bit.ly/KidsAskDrBugSurvey Tamra Reall (@MUExtBugNGarden) is a horticulture specialist for MU Extension – Urban West Region. For free, research-based gardening tips, call 816-833TREE (8733), email [email protected], or visit extension.missouri.edu. The University of Missouri is an equal opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer.  One of my favorite "scary" insects is the swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. When disturbed, it pops out two bright orange, antennae-like organs from its head and sometimes flings itself toward whatever is bothering it. These organs, called osmeteria, release a stinky smell to scare predators away. Photo credit: Dr. Bug  Missouri Independent: Frustration about crime shapes race for next Jackson County prosecutor10/24/2024
Frustration about crime shapes race for next Jackson County prosecutorby Mary Sanchez, Missouri Independent Public anxiety about crime is fueling interest in the campaign to succeed longtime Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker Republican Tracey Chappell and Democrat Melesa Johnson are on the Nov. 5 ballot. The candidates have attacked each other’s qualifications on social media and in person in the final stretch of the campaign. That political drama is playing out amid mounting concerns among voters that criminal charges aren’t being filed on property crimes — especially car thefts, break-ins and drug cases. Recent incidents with guns in the hands of juveniles are drawing the attention of Waldo and Brookside residents, along with owners of restaurants and other small businesses in Westport, the Crossroads and the River Market. It’s a broadening conversation often centered on the traumatic and disproportionate impact violent crime has on Black communities. “Crime is bonding us all,” said Julie Prudden, a Realtor and Brookside resident.
Sharp differences
Chappell and Johnson have distinct differences in how they plan to approach the job. Chappell vows to be an aggressive criminal prosecutor, while Johnson promises a balance of prosecution and crime prevention efforts. Chappell leans into her time as the appointed prosecutor for Blue Springs and her private defense practice, including cases where juveniles have been charged with violent crimes. She speaks of getting tough on criminals and sees social justice programming as secondary to pursuing criminal convictions. “We can’t afford to just program our way out of prosecution,” Chappell said. Johnson promotes her lifelong connections to Kansas City’s urban core, her ability to strike a balance between crime prevention efforts and swift prosecution, and her experience as public safety director for Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. Johnson’s job in the mayor’s office gives her a role in the city’s latest anti-violence effort, SAVE KC, a model that focuses on people deemed most likely to be perpetrators or victims of violence. “I am the only candidate with a real plan to bring meaningful change to our community,” Johnson said. Each Wednesday morning, Johnson joins a Kansas City Police Department discussion analyzing every shooting of the prior week — whether someone was grazed by a bullet or killed. It’s part of a strategy to be responsive to the trauma that gun violence inflicts. Police and other community-based programs can intervene before retaliatory violence occurs and offer help for the people impacted.
Campaign attacks
The candidates have also questioned each other’s qualifications. Chappell repeatedly has asked if Johnson has ever tried a felony case during her time in the Jackson County prosecutor’s office. Johnson says she was involved in the prosecution of felony cases, including murders, but not as the lead prosecutor. Johnson said her experience includes making opening statements, cross-examinations and preparing jury instructions in drug and murder trials. “Your obsession with my resume versus your actual platform is concerning,” Johnson posted to Chappell’s campaign Facebook page. Johnson has questioned why Chappell left previous legal work with the county, noting that Chappell filed a discrimination suit accusing the Jackson County counselor of discrimination. Chappell joined the county counselor’s office in April 2008 and filed the discrimination suit in 2016. Chappell’s lawsuit alleged that she was demoted from handling litigation to working the mental health docket after taking a three-month maternity leave. The suit alleged she was fired after filing a complaint with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The case was settled in July 2018. “The truth?” Chappell said. “I filed a disability discrimination lawsuit related to maternity leave issues that led to a firing — an issue close to my heart as both a mother and a legal professional.” After leaving the county counselor’s office, Blue Springs hired Chappell as a contract city prosecutor from December 2018 through May 2022.
Anti-violence programs
The next Jackson County prosecutor’s office has historically played a role in a wide range of anti-violence efforts. Kansas City, in coordination with local nonprofits and community leaders, is deeply invested in programs like SAVE KC and KC 360, led by KC Common Good. “Safety and justice go hand in hand,” Johnson said. SAVE KC is a revamp of a similar anti-violence program championed by Baker, KC NoVA, for Kansas City No Violence Alliance. KC NoVA saw some early success, including a drop in homicides in 2014. But the program unraveled without the backing of former Police Chief Rick Smith. Chappell questions if there is enough community buy-in for SAVE KC to be any more successful than KC NoVA, which she called a “snitch” program too reliant on expecting people to lead police to suspects in exchange for social service help. “You have services right now that a person can get without snitching,” Chappell said. “If they wanted to take it, they could get help right now.” Chappell has accused Johnson of being “a director of no one,” noting she functions without staff reporting to her. “I’m the only one in this room who’s actually trained police officers on Fourth Amendment issues,” Chappell said, adding that she has experience training other prosecutors and staff during her time as prosecutor in Blue Springs. Johnson promotes her time with the Jackson County prosecutor’s office early in her career. “I am the only candidate in this race with felony prosecutorial experience and public safety administrative leadership experience as well,” Johnson said. Johnson said she leads a city task force that works with businesses that have been plagued with public safety issues, finding them relief through numerous departments at City Hall. Both candidates are critical of Baker, vowing to prosecute more property crimes and drug cases. Johnson plans to form a property crimes division in the office, staffed in part by law students. Chappell proposes satellite offices at police stations to work more collaboratively.
Focus on property crime
Baker has long emphasized that the prosecutor’s office can only file the cases it receives and that property crimes are notoriously difficult to solve. In 2022, the Kansas City Police Department recorded 24,356 property crimes. Just 6.4% were sent to the prosecutor. The same year, KCPD logged 7,587 violent crimes. Only 18% were sent to the prosecutor’s office. “If they sent me another 1,000 property crimes a year I would do them,” Baker said. “I would file them. … It’s not because (police) are lazy or that they don’t care. It’s because they aren’t solving them.” The prosecutor’s office is a check on police powers. A prosecutor has the discretion to decide whether evidence in a case supports a likely conviction. In 2020, Baker began research that led her office to focus on drug cases with a connection to violent crime, declining to pursue charges in other, nonviolent cases. Baker’s research showed a disproportionate number of nonfelony drug cases charging African American suspects (81% of buy-bust cases had a Black suspect, while the county is 39% Black). Chappell and Johnson have vowed to charge more cases, even those without a tie to violence. Most of the cases brought to the prosecutor’s office come from Kansas City police. But the county also works with eastern Jackson County and law enforcement agencies from Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Blue Springs, Greenwood, Lake Lotawana, Levasy, Lone Jack, Sugar Creek and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Most cases processed and tried by the prosecutor’s office are felonies. Misdemeanors are managed through the Municipal Court by city prosecutors. Kansas City has seen 122 homicides as of Oct. 21 this year, compared to 152 at the same time a year ago, with 14 of the cases currently in the prosecutor’s office, according to Kansas City police. Black men were the victims in 79 cases and the suspects in 76, by far the highest demographic group affected. A firearm was used in 116 of the cases. KCPD data also show a 68% clearance rate, meaning at least one person was arrested and the case turned over for prosecution.
Teenagers with guns
In early October, two men and two juveniles were taken into police custody after a series of armed robberies in parking lots behind Brookside businesses. Charges against the men, for robbery and armed criminal action, came swiftly after police pieced together fraudulent use of a credit card, victim statements and surveillance footage. The county’s Family Court handles juvenile cases. But the prosecutor can play a role if the Family Court judge certifies a teenager to stand trial as an adult. Chappell said she’s more qualified to take on crime by juveniles because she has represented teenagers in her defense work and understands the laws of the family court system. She believes the next prosecutor needs to be willing to charge teenagers prosecuted after they have been certified as adults by the court. Johnson has criticized “giving slaps on the wrist” to violent juveniles, arguing that disrespects their victims and also the young people. “We’re selling them a dream that they can conduct themselves in this way, without consequence,” she said. This will “fast-track their journey to either a jail cell or a morgue for the rest of their life,” she added. Johnson has also said that her work with Kansas City police, through her job as the city’s public safety director, gives her an understanding of cases where the parents of juveniles who commit crimes need to be held accountable. “I see incidents where parents can be proven to be complicit in the criminal conduct of their children, or are criminally negligent,” she said. The adult charges in the Brookside robberies are only the latest incidents that also involve young people as suspects or victims. Of the homicides reported by KCPD so far this year, 13 victims were younger than 18. Another 27 were 18 to 24 years of age.
Prosecutor candidates in Jackson County
Tracey ChappellChappell is from Alabama but moved to Kansas City in 1997 and later enrolled in law school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She’s running as a Republican in a Democratic-leaning county. She identifies as conservative and said she does not plan to vote for either Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. “But why bring national politics into something, into a local race?” she said. Doing so, Chappell said of her opponents, is a “dog whistle” attempting to link her campaign to racially divisive comments made by Trump. Chappell ran for Jackson County prosecutor in 2020 but was defeated handily by Baker. Her platform includes a pledge of “safety for every ZIP code,” calling for prosecuting violent offenders and property crimes while protecting the rights of victims. Chappell said that she has not tried to gain the endorsement of unions or other groups. Melesa JohnsonJohnson grew up in the Oak Park neighborhood of Kansas City. She often credits her single mother for working three jobs so Johnson could attend Bishop Miege High School. Johnson graduated from Columbia University in New York with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Her law degree is from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. But it is her deep connections to Kansas City’s urban core that she often taps in forums, noting that she knows families who are fearful of their own neighborhoods because of rising gun violence. She recently posed with Kevin Strickland, who was released after serving 43 years for murders that he didn’t commit. She plans on invigorating the conviction integrity unit, if elected, running on a promise for “fairness, transparency, and accountability in our justice system.” Johnson has been endorsed by numerous elected and civic leaders including Jackson County Executive Frank White, Kansas City Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw, Kansas City Council member Melissa Robinson, longtime area leader Alvin Brooks and the community group Southland Progress. This article first appeared on Beacon: Kansas City and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. 
The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls service log for the week of October 16-22, 2024. October 16, 2024 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol 100 BLK SUNNY LN Extra Patrol PINK HILL/BUCKNER TARSNEY Crash Injury PHQ Extra Patrol 300 BLK E OLD 40 HWY Burglary DUNCAN / TYRE-DILLINHAM Area Check RD MIZE / VALLEY WOODS COURT Area Check 1600 BLK NE ANDEON ST Area Check 1100 BLK SE PRAIRIE LN Parking Complaint/Viol 100 BLK ROCK CREEK DR Runaway PHQ Public Service 1400 BLK S BUCKNER TARSNEY Alarm-Commerical PHQ Prisoner Transport 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Security Check 300 BLK E OLD 40 HWY Suspicious Person 400 BLK SW LAURA LN Citizen Contact 1000 BLK FOXTAIL Suspicious Vehicle October 17, 2024 WOODBURY LN Extra Patrol 400 BLK SW LAURA LN Agency Assist EMS 200 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Extra Patrol 100 BLK E HARRIS RD Stealing Vehicle 1200 BLK SW STOCKMAN CT Overdose WOODBURY BB Motorist Assist 700 BLK SW RIDGEVIEW DR Area Check 5300 BLK NW BARR RD Parking Complaint/Viol WOODBURY / BB Crash Non-Injury 300 BLK NW JEFFERSON ST Suspicious Vehicle 600 BLK YENNIE Check Well Being 2100 BLK SW MITCHELL ST Threats 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol October 18, 2024 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Alarm-Commerical HEREFORD / NELSON Public Service; Extra Patrol MAIN AND WALNUT Crash Non-Injury SHORTHORN / FOXTAIL DR Suspicious Activity 1400 BLK GOLFVIEW DR Security Check PHQ Walk In Report 700 BLK NW WILLOW DR Stealing Over 1500 BLK SHALE CT Parking Complaint/Viol 500 BLK GREGG ST Alarm-Commerical 1100 BLK NW SAWGRASS DR Agency Assist DFS BUCKNER TARSNEY AND RUST Crash Injury 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Off Duty Assignment I70/ BUCKNER TARSNEY Crash Non-Injury PHQ Public Service 700 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY (AA HWY) Citizen Contact 600 BLK THIEME ST Extra Patrol 1400 BLK S BUCKNER TARSNEY RD Alarm-Commerical 1300 BLK NW CRESTWOOD DR Disturbance-Verbal 1100 BLK SEYMOUR RD Alarm-Commerical 1300 BLK NW CRESTWOOD DR Disturbance-Physical 300 BLK SW CRESTVIEW DR Agency Assist LE 200 BLK VALLEY DR Suspicious Vehicle October 19, 2024 200 BLK NW RD MIZE Follow Up Investigation 200 BLK NE HANNAH CT Open Door-Structure 200 BLK NE JENSEN ST Public Service 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Off Duty Assignment 100 BLK NW CROSS CREEK DR Agency Assist EMS PHQ Walk In Report BB / JS DUNCAN Area Check 100 BLK E HARRIS ST Suspicious Vehicle PHQ Walk In Report 200 E HARRIS ST Suspicious Vehicle 300 BLK MAIN ST Security Check EAGLES PRKWY / JP SNI-A-BAR BLVD Careless and Imprudent Driver 600 BLK SW GATEWAY CT Citizen Contact 600 BLK SW TISHA LN Area Check PHQ Walk In Report 40 HWY AND SNI A BAR Crash Non-Injury 200 BLK SE SALEM ST Stealing Under PHQ Walk In Report EE KIRBY / WILLOW Area Check bs detention Follow Up Investigation 800 BLK SW LEANN DR Follow Up Investigation 600 BLK NW WILLOW DR Citizen Contact DILLINHAM/PERSIMMON Sound of Shots BB/JEFFERSON Area Check 2100 BLK NW HEDGEWOOD DR Runaway PHQ Public Service 500 BLK NW WALNUT ST Missing Person-Adult 200 BLK S MAIN ST Noise 600 BLK SW MINTER RD Disturbance-Verbal PHQ Public Service 1600 BLK NE JACLYN DR Suspicious Activity October 20, 2024 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Citizen Contact RD MIZE/BUCKNER TARSNEY Check Well Being MEADOW/HIGHVIEW Area Check 2100 BLK S DILLINGHAM RD Off Duty Assignment 1100 BLK NW PERSIMMON DR Stealing Under 500 BLK SW HILLSIDE DR Missing Person-Juvenile 1500 BLK NE SHALE CT Follow Up Investigation 500 BLK SW HILLSIDE DR Follow Up Investigation 1300 BLK NW HONEYLOCUST CT Disturbance-Physical 1100 BLK NW MEADOW CT Assault 700 BLK SW CROSS CREEK DR Information; Extra Patrol 700 BLK N MAIN ST Area Check 1800 BLK NW NICHOLAS DR Animal Bite 100 BLK SUNNY LN Follow Up Investigation 200 BLK NW JEFFERSON Follow Up Investigation 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Citizen Contact 1100 BLK BUSH DR Alarm-Commerical October 21, 2024 600 BLK SW RYAN RD Agency Assist EMS DUNCAN RD / ROSEWOOD Suspicious Vehicle PHQ Public Service 100 BLK E HARRIS ST Property Damage 4000 BLK S RUST RD Fraud 500 BLK N MAIN ST Parking Complaint/Viol 1100 BLK ASPEN CT Parking Complaint/Viol 900 BLK SW RYAN RD DARE NB BB / 40 HWY Crash Left Scene PHQ Public Service 500 BLK SW EAGLES PARKWAY Off Duty Assignment 1100 BLK NW BUCKNER TARSNEY RD Agency Assist EMS FOOTBALL FIELDS/OLD 40 HWY Follow Up Investigation PHQ Public Service PHQ Follow Up Investigation 7600 BLK PROSPECT AVE Prisoner Transport 600 BLK NW YENNIE AVE Missing Person-Juvenile 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol October 22, 2024 WOODBURY Extra Patrol 300 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Alarm-Commerical 1100 BLK BUSH DR Stealing Vehicle 700 BLK SW MEADOW GLEN Parking Complaint/Viol 1300 BLK SW EAGLES PKWY Suspicious Person PHQ Public Service 1400 BLK S BUCKNER TARSNEY Alarm-Commerical PHQ Prisoner Transport 1300 BLK NW CRESTWOOD DR Public Service 1600 BLK NW EAGLE RIDGE DR Disturbance-Verbal 1100 BLK NW BUSH DR Extra Patrol 500 BLK N MAIN ST Pedestrian Check WOODBURY Extra Patrol Additional calls for service: Suicidal subject: 1 CIT/Mental Health Check: 1  by Michael Smith The 2024 season was one to remember for the Grain Valley softball team. The Eagles won 24 consecutive games to start the season before suffering their first loss. They were ranked No. 8 in the MaxPreps.com National High School Softball rankings, were No. 9 on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, and were No. 1 in Class 5 in the Missouri High School Softball Coaches Association poll. Grain Valley did have a challenging matchup in the championship game of the Class 5 District 6 Tournament in Columbia Rock Bridge, and while it consistently put the ball in play throughout the contest, it couldn’t get the timely hit needed. The Eagles magical season came to an end in a 4-1 loss Monday at home. The Bruins jumped on Grain Valley early when junior first baseman Kennedy Watson blasted a two-run home run over the center field fence off ace pitcher Makenna Moore with two outs in the first inning to put her team ahead 2-0. “She made a couple of mistakes to two of their top hitters,” Grain Valley head coach Flip Courter said of Moore. “They had five hits and four of them were for extra-base hits. I thought she threw well. She was shaky early and settled in. She gave us a chance to get back in it. Moore then delivered another center cut fastball to Bruins leadoff hitter Bella Stephens to hit a sharp line drive over the left-field fence for a solo shot to increase the margin to three runs. Following the homer, Rock Bridge loaded the bases and still had no one out. “I couldn’t do anything about those, I had to put them behind me,” Moore said. “I just tried to move to the next batter and have a short memory.” She did just that. Moore got out of the tough spot after inducing a pop out and two strikeouts to help keep the Eagles (33-3) in the game. Grain Valley finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. After freshman Abe Scott reached on a single to center, sophomore centerfielder Madison Rust blasted a double off the center field wall for an RBI to make it 3-1. One batter later, junior Sydnee Wagner hit a lazy fly ball to center field with one out. Stephens made the catch and doubled off Rust at second base who took off for third after the ball was struck. In the top of the seventh, the Bruins added an insurance run when pinch runner Aida Fedenia scored from first base on an opposite field double to left from Ava Bush. Moore, who was the Grain Valley pitcher who Courter used in the most important games, finished with four runs surrendered on five hits, she walked six and struck out 14. “I feel like I used my changeup effectively,” Moore said. “I could have used it more but I didn’t.” While Rock Bridge pitcher Addie Morris wasn’t dominant, Grain Valley struggled to get hard contact against her. Morris pitched a complete game and allowed just one run on six hits, walked three and struck out four. “We hit too many lazy fly balls,” Courter said. “(Morris) did a good job keeping us off balance. She had a really good changeup. We had a couple of good opportunities that we couldn’t capitalize on them. We didn’t strike out a bunch. We knew we were going to put the ball in play.” Following the game, Courter and his senior shared an emotional moment in locker room as he shared the field with them one last time. “I am done crying now,” Courter said. “It was pretty tough. This group did stuff this year that has never been done before. It doesn’t make it easier telling them that, ‘We know it stinks that the season ended tonight, but don’t sour what this season was.’” Added Moore: “I couldn’t have asked for a better team to be my last (high school team). We had great chemistry; it just didn’t turn out how we wanted it to.”  Seniors Makenna Moore, left, and Sal Haley share a hug with a supporter following a season-ending 4-1 loss to Rock Bridge in the Class 5 District 6 championship game. Photo credit: Michael Smith  by Michael Smith Grain Valley 2023 graduate Brock Smith said he owes a lot to the sport of wrestling. He was one of the top wrestlers in the Kansas City area in his four years as a varsity wrestler for the Eagles as he was a three-time Missouri State qualifier. Now a sophomore at the University of Central Missouri, Smith will wrestle his first full season this winter after starting as a redshirt freshman last season, so the sport has helped set up his future. But getting in the circle isn’t the only way he’s involved in the sport. Smith has been a wrestling official since his freshman year at Grain Valley High School and it’s something he said he’s grateful he’s been able to do. “It’s an opportunity to stay involved in the sport and to make a little money on the side,” Smith said of being an official. “I want to give back to the sport that gave me everything. I want to carry the legacy and continue to grow the sport.” Smith said he primarily officiates wrestling tournaments in the spring and summer for USA wrestling and may ref a few during the high school season for the Missouri State High School Activities Association, while he’s wrestling for the Mules. He said he had to take some tests before becoming a referee and he said he was thrown into the fire immediately as he officiated some big youth tournaments around the Midwest area. Recently, he’s been able to referee in some of the biggest tournaments in the United States such as the US Marine Corps Junior & 16U Nationals in Fargo, N.D. and the Schoolboys National Duals in Oaks, Pa. Officiating comes with its challenges, however, as some occasionally deal with angry fans and parents. So far, Smith said he hasn’t had to deal with that and said the key to being a good official is to not get rattled. “It’s about just staying calm, you can’t get too emotional doing this,” Smith said. “I am still competing, so it’s nice to dabble in both sides and both points of view. I think I have been doing well at that so far. It’s been smooth, I got to do the Fargo Finals this summer, that was pretty cool. I have been blessed to be able to do this. “At all the USA events, there are people watching and evaluating you. The better evaluations you get, the more rewards you get. That’s why I got to referee the Finals match in Fargo.” In 2022, Smith got to be the lead official for the first time at a youth tournament. It was a unique experience as he not only had to officiate multiple matches, he had to recruit other referees to help out. “Throwing yourself out there and getting experience is the best thing you can do as a referee,” Smith said. “I have got to be around some great wrestling. I got to be around some (wrestlers on the US World Team) and be around some high-level guys. I have made some great relationships all around the country and I have some people I can call and ask some questions to.” Smith said he had to give credit to Adam Venegas, an official and a wrestling coach at Baker University, and Rick Schwab for helping him throughout his career as a referee. He said he plans on being an official for the foreseeable future and has a big goal in mind for that part of his wrestling career.” “The wrestling community never fails to amaze me,’ said the 19-year old Smith. “It’s nice to be young and have a lot of people willing to help you out. A goal of mine is to referee a (United World Wrestling) World Championships by the time I am 30.”  Grain Valley graduate, Brock Smith, officiates a match during the Super Early 32 Tournament last September at Belton High School. Photo credit: Michael Smith The November ballot includes a series of questions related to the retention of Jackson County, Missouri Court of Appeals, and Missouri Supreme Court judges. Voters seeking more information on the judges up for retention can find performance reviews at http://www.yourmissourijudges.org.
The Missouri Bar Association has been evaluating judges appointed under the Non-Partisan Court Plan and providing that information to voters since 1948. The Missouri Bar currently offers administrative and financial support to the independent, statewide Judicial Performance Review Committee. The state’s formal judicial performance review process was created in 2008 and revised in 2016 by order of the Supreme Court of Missouri. The Missouri judicial performance review process was developed after a committee studied model rules and best practices from the American Bar Association and more than 20 judicial performance evaluation systems in the nation. The current judicial performance review process in Missouri was adopted June 15, 2016, when the Supreme Court of Missouri issued an order revising Rule 10 which leaves judging the judges to the voters and fosters consistency in the process with the implementation of one, statewide review committee. To review the evaluations for judges on the November ballot, visit: Jackson County (16th Circuit Court) Archives - Missouri Judicial Evaluations (yourmissourijudges.org) by Michael Smith Grain Valley head football coach David Allie said he felt like he needed to make a change. His Eagles were in a 8-8 deadlock halftime at against Suburban White Conference rival Fort Osage Friday as starting quarterback Chase Neer lost two fumbles and the offense had yet to score a touchdown through the first 24 minutes. Allie turned to sophomore Ethan Page to try and have him provide a spark in the second half, but the Eagles were held scoreless by a stingy Fort Osage defense and the Indians scored late in the third period as Grain Valley fell 15-8 at Moody Murray Memorial Field. “We felt like we needed a little bit of a spark,” Grain Valley head coach David Allie said. “Chase did well for us. He can read the defense and we ended up having too many turnovers, snap issues, whatever you want to call them. We needed to try to … not save the day … give us a little bit of extra mojo. We thought he did well for his first time getting in there.” On the Eagles’ penultimate drive of the game, they made it to the Fort Osage 17-yard line and looked like it might have a chance to tie the game with Fort Osage being ahead 15-7. However, penalties derailed the drive and after a false start made it fourth-and-9 from the 21, the Indians pass rush made Page rush his throw and he was intercepted by Fort senior Alex Todd and the ball was placed at the Indians 22 after a block in the back penalty during the return. A face mask penalty on the Eagles extended the ensuing drive for Fort Osage and the Indians ran all but 10 seconds left off the clock in the fourth quarter, which was aided by an 8-yard run by senior running back Ryver Peppers, who made it to the first-down marker after he ran the ball out of the wildcat formation. The Indians (5-3, 5-1 Suburban White Conference) scored the only touchdown by either team in the second half when freshman quarterback Lucas Tucker, who was making his first varsity start of his career, hit junior wide receiver Trace Smith on a tunnel screen. Smith nearly fell down but planted his right hand on the ground, kept his balance, outraced the Grain Valley defense for 82-yard receiving TD to make it 15-8 at the 1:43 mark of the third period. “Something broke down there,” Allie said of the screen pass. “They made a great call. We moved the ball; we just couldn’t put it in the end zone. We came close to scoring a touchdown but we either missed a block or missed a snap.” Fort Osage’s defense bottled up the Eagles offense as the home team totaled just 154 yards from scrimmage. The Indians were the first team to hold Grain Valley senior running back Robert Palmer to under 100 yards as he had just 31 yards on 13 carries. Sophomore Sjoeren Aumua led the team with 84 yards on 13 totes. Grain Valley got all its points in the first half. Six of them came on a pair of 32-yard field goals made by junior Colton Clyman. The second one was made as time expired in the first half and was set up by a kick return from Palmer, who caught the ball the Eagles 28-yard line and made it all the way to the Fort 12. The Eagles also notched a safety when a bad snap got by Tucker and he was tackled out of the back of the end zone by senior linebacker Toby Inman, which gave Grain Valley (5-3, 4-2 Suburban White Conference) it first lead at 2-0 at the 6:46 mark in the first period. Grain Valley surrendered a touchdown with 24 seconds left in the first half when Tucker connected with 6-foot-5 tight end Isaac Woodward, who made a leaping catch on the right side of the end zone for a score. The Indians added a two-point conversion on a pass from Tucker to Siri Ray to make it 8-5 before Clyman later tied it with his second field goal. That TD was set up by Neer, who fumbled while trying to hand the ball off to freshman wide receiver Dawson head as Woodward recovered the fumble at the Eagles 36, setting them up with a short field. “In a rivalry game like this, the team that keeps their composure and makes the fewest mistakes wins,” Allie said. “In the first half, each team matched each other mistake for mistake. Unfortunately, we made one more and that allowed them to score. We got to clean those things up.” Junior linebacker Hunter Nally led the Eagles defense with nine tackles and four for a loss. He also added a sack. Junior safety Brody Jones had an interception of Tucker late in the third, but Grain Valley couldn’t capitalize.  Sophomore Sjoeren Aumua led the team with 84 yards on 13 totes. Photo credit: Addie Kennedy  Junior linebacker Hunter Nally led the Eagles defense with nine tackles and four for a loss. He also added a sack. Photo credit: Addie Kennedy by Michael Smith The Grain Valley boys soccer team was trying to put itself in a prime position to win the Suburban White Conference championship. The Eagles entered Wednesday conference matchup with Truman with an 8-1 league record. The Patriots were on the verge of making the race for the conference title a little closer. With the game tied at 1-all, Truman had multiple opportunities to score. Midway through the second half, Truman senior Joshua Deras had a wide-open shot at the goal line but his shot bounced off the crossbar. His teammate, junior Stephen Dixon, had the rebound attempt sail over the net. Deras later caught Grain Valley goalkeeper Alex Tuttle off his line and had a shot at a wide-open net late in the second half, but he shot went over the goal. The Patriots struggled to gets shots on the target, and the Eagles made them pay when senior Jackson Bieri scored the go-ahead score in the 64th minute to give his team a 2-1 victory, putting them in the driver’s seat to win the conference title. Next week, Grain Valley (10-6, 9-1 conference) can clinch the conference title with wins over William Chrisman and Raytown. “We’re trying to get off on the right foot after not having a good game not too long ago (a 1-0 loss to Belton on Monday),” said Grain Valley assistant coach Tyler Schmidt, who was helping fill in for head coach Brett Lewis, who was serving a one-game suspension for a red card. “Conference has been going well for us until recently. We came against a good Truman team that plays really physical. The conference title is not too far away from us right now.” Bieri put the Eagles one step closer to a conference title when he fired a breakaway shot right at Truman goalkeeper Paul Vincent Chavez Jr. The ball was deflected by the freshman but Bieri knocked in the rebound for the winner. “(Bieri) is one of my favorite people,” Schmidt said. “I got a chance to coach him on the middle school basketball team. The fact is he’s contributing at the varsity level. He’s got the grit and determination. He showed that on his goal. He hit it right at the goalkeeper but he’s a finisher. He imposed his will on the game.” The Grain Valley senior forward said he thought his team outplayed the Patriots despite the opponent creating more opportunities in the second half. “I thought we were better,” Bieri said. “We just one bad mistake that led to their goal. Other than that, we played good. We had great combinations in the midfield and finished out opportunities.” The “bad mistake” Bieri was referring to was when the officials called Tuttle for a foul when trying to joust for a ball in the box as he knocked over Deras. Truman senior Jose Segovia knocked in a shot on the play but the goal was waived off because of the foul called. Deras punched in the penalty kick to tie the score at 1-all. Before that, Grain Valley took the lead in the 15th minute when sophomore defender Cooper Bousselot crossed the ball into the Truman 18-yard box. Chavez tried to corral the ball but it went through his hands and into the net for a score. “I was looking for (Bieri) near the back post,” Bousselot said. “I knew it would be open. They had their backup keeper in, so I figured I might as well test him. It went in.” The Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame in Columbia will induct four award-winning photojournalists on October 17th. This will be the 20th group of inductees since the founding of the Hall of Fame in 2005. Inductees are the late William Paul Straeter, Jr.; Talis Bergmanis of Kansas City; David Eulitt of Kansas City; and John Trotter of New York. The late William Paul Straeter, Jr. is the father of Grain Valley resident Pamela Lindsay. Photographs made by the inductees will be on display during the 4:00 p.m. ceremony and reception in the Sam B. Cook Hall at the Center for Missouri Studies, the State Historical Society of Missouri’s location in downtown Columbia. Those photographs will join the Hall of Fame’s collection of work by inductees. The Photojournalism Hall of Fame was founded at the urging of Bill Miller Sr., publisher of the Washington Missourian newspaper, to recognize outstanding contributors to visual communication with ties to Missouri. William Paul Straeter, Jr. started work as a bookkeeper in the 30s and shortly before World War II he began to believe he could make more money as a full-time freelance photographer, and “posting records bored the hell out of me,” he said. During the war, Straeter took photos and taught photography for the Navy Seabees in the South Pacific and then he was a photographer for the Associated Press Kansas City bureau. After 30 years, he retired “to start leading a normal life.” The plan was lots of golfing, fishing, watching sports, and especially sleeping through the night since he had been on call for 30 years as AP’s only photographer for the region. Straeter often received a call in the middle of the night to shoot a fire or cover a plane crash, and he often covered regions all the way into Oklahoma and Kansas. For bigger stories, he traveled even further, including when he covered the school integration conflict in Little Rock, Arkansas and a 1947 explosion in Texas. He also covered Big Eight sports (Big Six when he started) and the 1960 Winter Olympics. When Straeter joined AP in 1945, he called photography his life, his vocation and hobby, his love, almost his religion. Straeter frequently said every time he was sent out it was his favorite time because he got to help make sure that anyone getting up early before work or coming home after a long day could reach for a newspaper and see what’s happening. In December 1981, Straeter died after a long illness.  The Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame in Columbia will induct four award-winning photojournalists on October 17th. This will be the 20th group of inductees since the founding of the Hall of Fame in 2005. Inductees are the late William Paul Straeter, Jr.; Talis Bergmanis of Kansas City; David Eulitt of Kansas City; and John Trotter of New York. The late William Paul Straeter, Jr. is the father of Grain Valley resident Pamela Lindsay. Photo credit: MO Press Association  The National Weather Service in Kansas City has issued a Red Flag Warning for eastern Kansas and western Missouri for Thursday, October 17th. Dry conditions combined with south winds gusting to 35 mph on Thursday result in critical fire weather conditions across northwestern MO and northeastern KS. Similar dry conditions are expected on Friday, but the winds won’t be as strong.  As COVID-19 activity remains active across Missouri, Jackson County Public Health (JCPH) will once again offer free vaccines to help our community navigate respiratory virus season.
On Saturday, October 26th, JCPH is hosting a free drive-thru clinic in Grandview to help residents stay current on their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. “While a COVID-19 vaccine dose can cost up to $200 at local pharmacies, Jackson County Public Health is committed to ensuring that everyone in our community has access to vital protection against COVID-19. By offering these vaccines for free, we aim to support those who need it most,” Amanda Fontaine, Health Services Manager at Jackson County Public Health said. JCPH is providing free COVID-19 vaccines for all clients, including those who are uninsured or under-insured. Additionally, JCPH is offering this season’s flu vaccines for a flat $20 fee for those without insurance. To register for the October 26th drive-thru clinic, visit Fall 2024 — Drive-Thru COVID-19 & Flu Vaccines - Jackson County Public Health (jcph.org) To make an appointment for a flu shot and/or a COVID-19 booster, visit Flu Shots - Jackson County Public Health (jcph.org). by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society Last week I made reference to the 1937 dissertation completed by Anne Atchison for her master's dissertation at the University of Missouri. While her works “Place Names of Five West Central Counties of Missouri" listed dozens of places, 15 pertained to the Grain Valley area.
I personally found it interesting that Monkey Mountain was not mentioned; however, in the 1930's it was still just a wooded “hill” on private property. Although Grain Valley residents often went there for picnics, it was not “officially” a part of anything other than a hillside covered with trees and shared with the public by the trustees of Sni-A-Bar Farms. I also found it curious that Ms. Atchison spelled Sni-A-Bar without the hyphens we use today. If her work were completed today, many “Place Names” would be eliminated. What names would you add?  Missouri Independent: Missouri Chamber backs Democrats in two swing state Senate districts10/17/2024
Missouri Chamber backs Democrats in two swing state Senate districtsby Jason Hancock, Missouri Independent Democrats hoping to chip away at the GOP supermajority in the Missouri Senate got a big boost last week when its candidates in two swing districts won the endorsement of the state’s largest business advocacy group. In a third hotly contested district, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry chose not to weigh in at all. The Missouri Chamber, an historically Republican-leaning organization, formally endorsed Democrat Robert Sauls in Senate District 11 and Joe Pereles in Senate District 15. In a third race — for the 17th Senate District in Clay County — the chamber declined to endorse Republican Jerry Nolte or Democrat Maggie Nurrenbern. Of the 17 Senate races taking place this year across the state, the 11th, 15th and 17th are widely considered the most competitive. Sauls, a Democrat from Independence, is taking on Republican Joe Nicola of Grain Valley for the seat vacated by former Democratic state Sen. John Rizzo. Both Pereles and his GOP rival, David Gregory, are from Chesterfield. They’re vying for the seat being vacated by Republican state Sen. Andrew Koenig. Nurrenbern, a state representative from Kansas City, and Nolte, a former state lawmaker and presiding county commissioner, hope to replace former Democratic state Sen. Lauren Arthur. In announcing its endorsements, the chamber pointed to “political dysfunction” that has derailed the Senate and “stalled key business priorities, harming Missouri employers and families.” Factional infighting between Republican members of the Freedom Caucus and the Senate’s GOP leadership has derailed the chamber for the last four years.The bad blood came to a head during the 2024 legislative session, when members of the Freedom Caucus waged a 41-hour filibuster that nearly upended the state budget. The 2024 legislative session was the least productive in living memory, surpassing even the COVID-shortened 2020 session in futility. Nicola is widely expected to join the Freedom Caucus if he wins next month. Gregory is a trial attorney, a group that has bankrolled Missouri’s Freedom Caucus in recent years. “Ultimately, the Missouri Chamber PAC chose to endorse Sauls and Pereles because we believe they are strong candidates and will work with the business community to move Missouri forward,” said Kara Corches, the chamber’s interim president and CEO. In addition to its endorsement, the chamber’s PAC reported earlier this month spending $25,000 to support Pereles in the race. Republicans currently hold 24 of the Senate’s 34 seats. Democrats are expected to pick up one seat currently held by Republicans — the Boone County-based 19th District. Success in the 11th, 15th and 17th would give the Democrats 12 seats in the Senate, denying the GOP a supermajority for the first time since 2008.
Sauls vs. Nicola
Senate District 11 in Jackson County includes eastern Kansas City and Independence. While held by a Democrat for the last few election cycles, former President Donald Trump carried the district in 2020 and 2016. Nicola, a pastor, overcame a massive fundraising disadvantage to defeat state Rep. Aaron McMullin in the August GOP primary, spending roughly $100,000 this cycle compared to $500,000 for McMullin. His last report, filed in September, shows only $15,000 cash on hand. Sauls, an attorney and former prosecutor, was unopposed in the Democratic primary and reported $202,000 cash on hand in September. Since that report was filed, a political action committee supporting his candidacy — called Independence Leadership PAC — has received $130,000 in large contributions. Sauls began airing television ads this week, spending $134,520 so far. Nicola has not purchased broadcast time. Nicola brushed off the chamber’s endorsement, saying that he will be a “pro-business senator” who will “work to cut taxes, slash governmental red tape and let the free market do what it does best: promote entrepreneurship and create wealth.” But he mostly chalks up the Missouri Chamber’s endorsement to his opposition to “vaccine mandates, China owning our farmland and taxpayer-funded DEI indoctrination.” “I completely disagree with these positions,” he said, “and the fact that my opponent is endorsed by a group with these radical policies is telling and completely out of touch with my district.”
Pereles vs. Gregory
The 15th District includes a large portion of suburban St. Louis County, including Chesterfield and Ballwin. It has historically been a Republican stronghold, but has slowly trended towards Democrats in recent years. Gregory, a former state legislator, won a three-way Republican primary in August, emerging with only $30,000 in his campaign committee and $4,000 in a PAC supporting him called Show-Me Growth PAC, according to disclosure reports filed last month. Pereles, a retired Drury Hotel executive, was unopposed in the Democratic primary. His campaign reported $650,000 cash on hand last month, with a PAC supporting him — called Fearless PAC — receiving more than $400,000 in large donations since the primary. Pereles is up on TV, spending $53,000 so far on ads hammering Gregory’s support of Missouri’s abortion ban and mocking his push to build a castle in Jefferson City for his family to live in if he were to win the Senate seat. The Missouri Senate Campaign Committee, which supports GOP candidates, launched an ad this month trying to tie Pereles to U.S. Rep. Cori Bush and arguing that Pereles is soft on crime.
Nurrenbern vs. Nolte
The 17th District covers Clay County and was held by Republicans until 2018, when Arthur captured the seat in a special election and cruised to an easy re-election in 2020. Both Nolte and Nurrenbern were unopposed in the August primary. Nolte reported nearly $70,000 in his campaign account in a disclosure filed last month. Nurrenbern reported $375,000 cash on hand as of last month in her campaign committee and another $200,000 in a PAC supporting her candidacy. Since the primary, the pro-Nurrenbern PAC — called Northland Forward — has received around $200,000 in large contributions. Nurrenbern’s campaign has spent $440,295 on TV ads, while Nolte is currently not on the air. Majority Forward, a PAC organized to support Democratic Senate candidates, has also spent $264,885 so far running a TV ad in the district. The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this story. Correction: This story was updated on Oct. 11 to note that Lauren Arthur was re-elected to the Missouri Senate in 2020. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X.
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