CLINTON COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announce the arrest of Robert C. Cox, 55, of Lathrop, Missouri, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, according to a media release. 

Cox’s arrest was the result of a narcotics investigation conducted by members of DDCC’s Narcotics/Vice Unit. The Patrol was assisted by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and the Northwest Missouri Drug Taskforce.

On September 10, 2025 Troopers and Deputies executed a search warrant at Cox’s home, in Lathrop. Once inside the residence, officers searched the premises and located evidence related to drug activity, including a white powdery substance and a loaded handgun. 

A presumptive test of the powdery substances was conducted, identifying the drugs as methamphetamine. Cox was arrested prior to executing the search warrant and placed on an investigative hold.

On September 11, 2025, the Clinton County Prosecuting Attorney formally charged Cox with one count of felony Possession of a Controlled Substance and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. 

He is being held at the Clinton County Jail without bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757715338078.png" alt="Cox photo Clinton County" />
 <figcaption>Cox photo Clinton County</figcaption>
 </figure>CLINTON COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announce the arrest of Robert C. Cox, 55, of Lathrop, Missouri, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, according to a media release. Cox’s arrest was the result of a narcotics investigation conducted by members of DDCC’s Narcotics/Vice Unit. The Patrol was assisted by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and the Northwest Missouri Drug Taskforce.On September 10, 2025 Troopers and Deputies executed a search warrant at Cox’s home, in Lathrop. Once inside the residence, officers searched the premises and located evidence related to drug activity, including a white powdery substance and a loaded handgun. A presumptive test of the powdery substances was conducted, identifying the drugs as methamphetamine. Cox was arrested prior to executing the search warrant and placed on an investigative hold.On September 11, 2025, the Clinton County Prosecuting Attorney formally charged Cox with one count of felony Possession of a Controlled Substance and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. He is being held at the Clinton County Jail without bond.

Suspect jailed after drug bust at Missouri home

Saturday will be a chance for the dogs to get into the pool in Savannah, all benefitting a new aquatics facility.&nbsp;

The Andrew County Aquatics Initiative is partnering with Fantastic Fido to host Dog Day at the Pool tomorrow from 10AM until Noon at the Savannah Aquatic Center.&nbsp; Following the success of their Splash Bash last weekend, this second fundraiser for ACAI will give dogs s a chance for a dip in the pool before the permanent closure of the facility at the end of this summer.

Each dog must be accompanied by at least one handler. This is a dog-only swim, no people will be allowed in the pool. Thirty-minute sessions are available and space is limited to 15 dogs per session. A minimum donation of $10 per dog is requested. 

The public is invited to the event. All donations are in support of building a new pool in Andrew County with a mission to preserve and reimagine a vital aquatic amenity for future generations.

You can register for the event by visiting the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative Facebook page.&nbsp;&nbsp;

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By MATT PIKESaturday will be a chance for the dogs to get into the pool in Savannah, all benefitting a new aquatics facility.&nbsp;The Andrew County Aquatics Initiative is partnering with Fantastic Fido to host Dog Day at the Pool tomorrow from 10AM until Noon at the Savannah Aquatic Center.&nbsp; Following the success of their Splash Bash last weekend, this second fundraiser for ACAI will give dogs s a chance for a dip in the pool before the permanent closure of the facility at the end of this summer.Each dog must be accompanied by at least one handler. This is a dog-only swim, no people will be allowed in the pool. Thirty-minute sessions are available and space is limited to 15 dogs per session. A minimum donation of $10 per dog is requested. The public is invited to the event. All donations are in support of building a new pool in Andrew County with a mission to preserve and reimagine a vital aquatic amenity for future generations.You can register for the event by visiting the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative Facebook page.&nbsp;&nbsp;You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dog day at the Savannah pool benefits new Andrew County aquatics facility 

The Democratic congressman from Kanas City skipped votes in Washington to testify, but the panel advanced the proposed new map a few hours later

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>

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver warned Missouri lawmakers Thursday that the effort to redraw the 5th District seat to favor Republicans will be long remembered by voters who resent being swapped by politicians seeking to increase their power.

Speaking to the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee, Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, noted that Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/04/2025-texas-redistricting-maps/" target="_blank">has already revised district lines</a>&nbsp;this year to favor Republicans and California will vote later this year on a&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-vote/" target="_blank">plan that favors Democrats</a>.

President Donald Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">demanding the changes</a>&nbsp;to help Republicans keep their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Democrats are fighting back in the states they control.

“If we fight fire with fire long enough,” Cleaver said, “all we’ll have left is ashes.”

Cleaver’s warning went unheeded and the committee, on a 6-2 party-line vote a few hours later, sent the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1&amp;year=2025&amp;code=S2" target="_blank">redistricting plan</a>, which has already&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">passed the Missouri House</a>, to the Senate for debate. By the same vote, the committee also approved a proposal altering how majorities are calculated for constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">proposed by initiative petition</a>.

Both pieces of legislation will be debated Friday, with Republicans apparently ready to shut down debate as they did to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">push through rules changes</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.

During the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, said he expects little or no debate on Friday.

“They’re going to shut us down,” Beck said. “They’re not going to let us speak on this, because it’s inconvenient.”

There was some grumbling about the process from one Republican, state Sen. Joe Nicola of Grain Valley, who said he has been told he can speak on the floor about the legislation but that no amendments will be accepted.

“When I don’t have my voice, the 185,000 people I represent also lose their voice, and that’s extremely irritating to me,” Nicola said. “I’ve seen many processes here, and even recently, the rules being broken. And it’s just a shame. It’s a real shame for this institution.”

Nicola voted for both pieces of legislation in the committee.

Missouri has eight congressional districts, with six currently represented by Republicans. Cleaver represents the 5th DIstrict, which includes most of Kansas City and Jackson County. The other Democrat, U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell, represents the 1st District in St. Louis.

Cleaver said he skipped votes in Washington to make the rare appearance for a member of Congress before a state legislative committee.&nbsp;

“I chose to miss (Wednesday) votes, and I chose to miss the ones today, because I thought this was extremely important,” Cleaver said.

The 5th District, which he has represented since 2005, would be carved up, with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts while heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County, would be added to the remaining Kansas City portions.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Cleaver said he is saddened by the bill and the need to explain how he works to represent all points of view and work with Missouri Republicans in Congress on the state’s behalf.

Polling, Cleaver said, shows voters oppose the redistricting plan.&nbsp;

“This is immensely unpopular, so I was not just here representing myself,” Cleaver said. “I’m representing the people of this district.”

And, he said, he intends to seek re-election.

“A lot goes into making another decision,” Cleaver said. “But right now, I’m running.”

No one from the public spoke in favor of the bill. While state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel who sponsored the bill, was testifying, he was challenged by state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, on the origin of the new map.

Deaton said it was drawn in Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office before the special session was called.&nbsp;

“I think it is a lot of BS what you guys keep doing, that you’re saying that this map was drawn in the state of Missouri,” Nurrenbern said. “We all know the truth, representative. We all know that this came straight from D.C.”

Deaton said he accepted Kehoe’s word that the bill was drafted in his office.&nbsp;

“People in Washington, D.C., as I’ve observed them, are not shy,” Deaton said. “If they had a map, I assume they would have been willing to put it out there and say, ‘we think this is a wonderful map. We hope Missouri would adopt it.’”

Final passage on Friday won’t automatically put the maps into place for next year’s election. The bill will take effect 90 days after the special session ends, but plans are being made by labor unions and others to seek a referendum, which would delay implementation until a statewide vote.

And opponents promised the bill will be challenged in court. The Missouri Constitution directs lawmakers to draw new congressional district lines after every decennial census. The current map was passed in 2022 and the next census is in 2030.

Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition said she believes the constitution does not allow a new map to be imposed now.

“This map is also subject to a challenge under the Voting Rights Act for the dilution of African-American votes,” Lieberman said.&nbsp;

Cleaver is Black and the line chosen for part of the district boundary, Troost Avenue, was the line separating Black and white sections of Kansas City when housing segregation was legal, Lieberman said.

“This is an unprecedented power grab here in Missouri,” she said.

The hearing on the changes to the initiative process brought some testy exchanges between Democrats and Republicans.

Currently, any proposal placed on a statewide ballot needs only a majority of votes to pass. That is the standard for constitutional amendments, statutory changes and proposals subject to a referendum.

The proposed changes, which would be on a ballot and subject to the current standard for passage, would only apply to constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petitions. Along with a statewide majority, those constitutional amendments would also need a majority vote in their favor in all eight congressional districts.

If one district opposed a ballot measure while the other seven passed it, as few as 5.3% of voters could control the outcome for the whole state.

“The main purpose is to protect the Constitution from changes that the majority of all the voters in Missouri, in every area of the state, don’t agree with,” said state Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly, as he presented the bill to the Senate committee.

As the committee was voting, Beck tried to make it subject to the same majority requirements it would impose on citizen initiative petitions.

“If this is such a great idea and we are going to change the constitution, and this is the best way to do it, why don’t we use that same standard for the legislature changing it as the initiative process,” Beck said.

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, said Beck was being “too clever” and joined other Republicans in voting down the proposal.

“The whole point of this is to set those standards and to change those standards,” Brattin said, “but it has to be adopted by the current standard.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757695774249.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, testifies Thursday against a redistricting plan that would gerrymander his district in favor of Republicans (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, testifies Thursday against a redistricting plan that would gerrymander his district in favor of Republicans (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Democratic congressman from Kanas City skipped votes in Washington to testify, but the panel advanced the proposed new map a few hours later</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>U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver warned Missouri lawmakers Thursday that the effort to redraw the 5th District seat to favor Republicans will be long remembered by voters who resent being swapped by politicians seeking to increase their power.Speaking to the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee, Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, noted that Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/04/2025-texas-redistricting-maps/" target="_blank">has already revised district lines</a>&nbsp;this year to favor Republicans and California will vote later this year on a&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-vote/" target="_blank">plan that favors Democrats</a>.President Donald Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">demanding the changes</a>&nbsp;to help Republicans keep their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Democrats are fighting back in the states they control.“If we fight fire with fire long enough,” Cleaver said, “all we’ll have left is ashes.”Cleaver’s warning went unheeded and the committee, on a 6-2 party-line vote a few hours later, sent the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1&amp;year=2025&amp;code=S2" target="_blank">redistricting plan</a>, which has already&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">passed the Missouri House</a>, to the Senate for debate. By the same vote, the committee also approved a proposal altering how majorities are calculated for constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">proposed by initiative petition</a>.Both pieces of legislation will be debated Friday, with Republicans apparently ready to shut down debate as they did to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">push through rules changes</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.During the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, said he expects little or no debate on Friday.“They’re going to shut us down,” Beck said. “They’re not going to let us speak on this, because it’s inconvenient.”There was some grumbling about the process from one Republican, state Sen. Joe Nicola of Grain Valley, who said he has been told he can speak on the floor about the legislation but that no amendments will be accepted.“When I don’t have my voice, the 185,000 people I represent also lose their voice, and that’s extremely irritating to me,” Nicola said. “I’ve seen many processes here, and even recently, the rules being broken. And it’s just a shame. It’s a real shame for this institution.”Nicola voted for both pieces of legislation in the committee.Missouri has eight congressional districts, with six currently represented by Republicans. Cleaver represents the 5th DIstrict, which includes most of Kansas City and Jackson County. The other Democrat, U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell, represents the 1st District in St. Louis.Cleaver said he skipped votes in Washington to make the rare appearance for a member of Congress before a state legislative committee.&nbsp;“I chose to miss (Wednesday) votes, and I chose to miss the ones today, because I thought this was extremely important,” Cleaver said.The 5th District, which he has represented since 2005, would be carved up, with portions attached to the 4th and 6th Districts while heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County, would be added to the remaining Kansas City portions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757695727180.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, speaks to reporters Thursday after testifying against a redistricting plan that would gerrymander his district in favor of Republicans (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, speaks to reporters Thursday after testifying against a redistricting plan that would gerrymander his district in favor of Republicans (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Cleaver said he is saddened by the bill and the need to explain how he works to represent all points of view and work with Missouri Republicans in Congress on the state’s behalf.Polling, Cleaver said, shows voters oppose the redistricting plan.&nbsp;“This is immensely unpopular, so I was not just here representing myself,” Cleaver said. “I’m representing the people of this district.”And, he said, he intends to seek re-election.“A lot goes into making another decision,” Cleaver said. “But right now, I’m running.”No one from the public spoke in favor of the bill. While state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel who sponsored the bill, was testifying, he was challenged by state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City, on the origin of the new map.Deaton said it was drawn in Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office before the special session was called.&nbsp;Nurrenbern said she did not believe it.“I think it is a lot of BS what you guys keep doing, that you’re saying that this map was drawn in the state of Missouri,” Nurrenbern said. “We all know the truth, representative. We all know that this came straight from D.C.”Deaton said he accepted Kehoe’s word that the bill was drafted in his office.&nbsp;“People in Washington, D.C., as I’ve observed them, are not shy,” Deaton said. “If they had a map, I assume they would have been willing to put it out there and say, ‘we think this is a wonderful map. We hope Missouri would adopt it.’”Final passage on Friday won’t automatically put the maps into place for next year’s election. The bill will take effect 90 days after the special session ends, but plans are being made by labor unions and others to seek a referendum, which would delay implementation until a statewide vote.And opponents promised the bill will be challenged in court. The Missouri Constitution directs lawmakers to draw new congressional district lines after every decennial census. The current map was passed in 2022 and the next census is in 2030.Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition said she believes the constitution does not allow a new map to be imposed now.“This map is also subject to a challenge under the Voting Rights Act for the dilution of African-American votes,” Lieberman said.&nbsp;Cleaver is Black and the line chosen for part of the district boundary, Troost Avenue, was the line separating Black and white sections of Kansas City when housing segregation was legal, Lieberman said.“This is an unprecedented power grab here in Missouri,” she said.<h2>Initiative petition changes</h2>The hearing on the changes to the initiative process brought some testy exchanges between Democrats and Republicans.Currently, any proposal placed on a statewide ballot needs only a majority of votes to pass. That is the standard for constitutional amendments, statutory changes and proposals subject to a referendum.The proposed changes, which would be on a ballot and subject to the current standard for passage, would only apply to constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petitions. Along with a statewide majority, those constitutional amendments would also need a majority vote in their favor in all eight congressional districts.If one district opposed a ballot measure while the other seven passed it, as few as 5.3% of voters could control the outcome for the whole state.“The main purpose is to protect the Constitution from changes that the majority of all the voters in Missouri, in every area of the state, don’t agree with,” said state Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly, as he presented the bill to the Senate committee.As the committee was voting, Beck tried to make it subject to the same majority requirements it would impose on citizen initiative petitions.“If this is such a great idea and we are going to change the constitution, and this is the best way to do it, why don’t we use that same standard for the legislature changing it as the initiative process,” Beck said.State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, said Beck was being “too clever” and joined other Republicans in voting down the proposal.“The whole point of this is to set those standards and to change those standards,” Brattin said, “but it has to be adopted by the current standard.”

Emanuel Cleaver testifies against redistricting plan before Missouri Senate committee

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a&nbsp; suspect for an alleged violent domestic incident.

Just after 8:30p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;responded to a disturbance in the 700 block S Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; It was determined the disturbance had occurred between two mn who were known to each other and both had been at a residence there. 

One of the men, a 30-year-old victim, had left the scene and had been taken to Amberwell Hospital by a family member to be treated for injuries sustained during the altercation. The victim had sustained head and facial injuries from being struck with fists and kicked. 

Following an investigation, police took 40-year-old Ryan White into custody on requested charges of aggravated battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757618795848.png" alt="White photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>White photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a&nbsp; suspect for an alleged violent domestic incident.Just after 8:30p.m. Tuesday, police&nbsp;responded to a disturbance in the 700 block S Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; It was determined the disturbance had occurred between two mn who were known to each other and both had been at a residence there. One of the men, a 30-year-old victim, had left the scene and had been taken to Amberwell Hospital by a family member to be treated for injuries sustained during the altercation. The victim had sustained head and facial injuries from being struck with fists and kicked. Following an investigation, police took 40-year-old Ryan White into custody on requested charges of aggravated battery.

Police: Kan. man's violent attack sent victim to a hospital

A group raising money in hopes of building a new pool facility in Andrew County saw success during its first fundraiser over the weekend.  

The group Andrew County Aquatics Initiative set out to raise $50,000 during the Splash Bash fundraiser, but by the end of Saturday, raised nearly $60,000.  

Chairperson Diane Gould says the goal of $50,000 was a sort of litmus test from the group, making sure they were doing the right thing 

"Are we representing a loud voice in our community?  We thought that if we could hit that $50,000 mark at our first kickoff event, we know that we are heading in the right direction and we’re doing the right thing,” Gould tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

The group was formed in response to the Savannah Parks and Recreation department announcing this would be the final summer for the pool which has been open for more than 60 years.  

Gould says the goal of the initiative is to build a new facility, which would serve not only Savannah, but all of Andrew County, as well as the surrounding area. 

Gould says though, in the quest to build a new pool facility, while that money helps clear the first hurdle it's not nearly enough for what they need. 

"We feel like we’re getting ready to eat an elephant but we’re going to eat it one bite at a time,” Gould explains.  “So, we are in the process of applying for a grant for $500,000, if we can raise $500,000 it would be matched dollar for dollar by the Land and Water Conservation fund, and that’s actually the same grant that built our pool initially back in 1964.” 

Gould says if they hope to build something comparable to what is currently in Savannah, the cost of the project could be around $4.5 million. 

Gould says the ultimate goal with the new facility would be to continue offering those much-needed outdoor pool spaces that are limited in the area. 

"Family, fun, music playing, kids socializing type of venue,” Gould says.  “It’s the only amenity in our area where kids can come and spend their whole day and be supervised and mentored and work on their swimming skills as well as their life skills.” 

Gould also sees the new facility as a complementary piece to the new indoor facility coming to the YMCA in St. Joseph in the future.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757608600436.jpeg" alt="Several participated in the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative's Splash Bash this past Saturday, raising money in the quest to build a new pool facility in Andrew County/ Photo courtesy of Andrew County Aquatics Initiative" />
 <figcaption>Several participated in the Andrew County Aquatics Initiative's Splash Bash this past Saturday, raising money in the quest to build a new pool facility in Andrew County/ Photo courtesy of Andrew County Aquatics Initiative</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEA group raising money in hopes of building a new pool facility in Andrew County saw success during its first fundraiser over the weekend. The group Andrew County Aquatics Initiative set out to raise $50,000 during the Splash Bash fundraiser, but by the end of Saturday, raised nearly $60,000. Chairperson Diane Gould says the goal of $50,000 was a sort of litmus test from the group, making sure they were doing the right thing "Are we representing a loud voice in our community? We thought that if we could hit that $50,000 mark at our first kickoff event, we know that we are heading in the right direction and we’re doing the right thing,” Gould tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. The group was formed in response to the Savannah Parks and Recreation department announcing this would be the final summer for the pool which has been open for more than 60 years. Gould says the goal of the initiative is to build a new facility, which would serve not only Savannah, but all of Andrew County, as well as the surrounding area. Gould says though, in the quest to build a new pool facility, while that money helps clear the first hurdle it's not nearly enough for what they need. "We feel like we’re getting ready to eat an elephant but we’re going to eat it one bite at a time,” Gould explains. “So, we are in the process of applying for a grant for $500,000, if we can raise $500,000 it would be matched dollar for dollar by the Land and Water Conservation fund, and that’s actually the same grant that built our pool initially back in 1964.” Gould says if they hope to build something comparable to what is currently in Savannah, the cost of the project could be around $4.5 million. Gould says the ultimate goal with the new facility would be to continue offering those much-needed outdoor pool spaces that are limited in the area. "Family, fun, music playing, kids socializing type of venue,” Gould says. “It’s the only amenity in our area where kids can come and spend their whole day and be supervised and mentored and work on their swimming skills as well as their life skills.” Gould also sees the new facility as a complementary piece to the new indoor facility coming to the YMCA in St. Joseph in the future.FULL INTERVIEW WITH DIANE GOULD<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7dLq0O6EWRHKbQeurUplUQ?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Successful fundraiser helps clear first hurdle towards new pool in Andrew County

Before his talk tonight at Wyatt Park Baptist Church at the Patriot Day Tribute, Captain Guy Gruters visited the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans. 

Base commander Colonel Barrett Golden says it means a lot to have someone with Gruters experience come onto the base and give young airmen motivation as they train 

"And you do that through providing history,” Golden tells reporters.  “And we always talk about you want to do lessons learned and not lessons observed, well if you can provide some of those lessons learned that he provided, it gives airmen some inspiration to continue to do their job and be prideful of how they serve their country.” 

Gruters says it meant a lot to him as well to get to speak to so many young people preparing to serve the country 

"I love service people, I just really do, they put their life on the line for the country and for each other and I think the world of them,” Gruters says. 

Gruters is a retired Air Force Captain who was taken prisoner during the Vietnam War and is the subject of the book Faith Conquers Through Courage Tested.   

The name of the book is also the name of Gruters talk tonight and Gruters hopes people take two things away from the talk. 

"If you trust in God everything will turn out ok, but you have to pray to have that happen,” Gruters explains.  “Another wards the basic thing is, whether it’s macro or micro, as a country or as an individual, you have to pray and do the right thing and then just trust God for the outcome because it’ll be good.” 

Golden says he hopes hearing the stories of how Gruters unit never quit, despite the hardships, motivates those young servicemen who attended 

"So, I think it inspires some of our airmen to absolutely never quite in the most dire of circumstances,” Golden says. 

During his visit to the 139th Gruters got a mission brief on the operations at the air guard base.  

Golden says it's special to be able to advocate for the base to an American hero like Gruters 

"Not only would he potentially take that forward and then maybe perhaps when he’s at the national level can go you know I just saw an amazing place like the 139th Airlift Wing and they have this thing called the Advanced Airlifts Tactics Training Center, sure that’s like a one off opportunity for him to advocate for us,” Golden says. 

But what Golden is more prideful to have shown off to Gruters is the history of the base, and how far they've come with the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center 

"From four years ago to know in the Advanced Airlifts Tactics Training Center, and to see the smile on his face that we’re still getting after things, we’re still the best United States Air Force, the best Air National Guard in the entire world,” Golden explains. 

Gruters, and others, will speak tonight at Wyatt Park Baptist Church beginning at 6pm during the Patriot Day Tribute.  Doors open at 5pm. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757606510597.jpeg" alt="Captain Guy Gruters (left) speaks at the 139th Airlift Wing/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Captain Guy Gruters (left) speaks at the 139th Airlift Wing/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEBefore his talk tonight at Wyatt Park Baptist Church at the Patriot Day Tribute, Captain Guy Gruters visited the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans. Base commander Colonel Barrett Golden says it means a lot to have someone with Gruters experience come onto the base and give young airmen motivation as they train "And you do that through providing history,” Golden tells reporters. “And we always talk about you want to do lessons learned and not lessons observed, well if you can provide some of those lessons learned that he provided, it gives airmen some inspiration to continue to do their job and be prideful of how they serve their country.” Gruters says it meant a lot to him as well to get to speak to so many young people preparing to serve the country "I love service people, I just really do, they put their life on the line for the country and for each other and I think the world of them,” Gruters says. Gruters is a retired Air Force Captain who was taken prisoner during the Vietnam War and is the subject of the book Faith Conquers Through Courage Tested. The name of the book is also the name of Gruters talk tonight and Gruters hopes people take two things away from the talk. "If you trust in God everything will turn out ok, but you have to pray to have that happen,” Gruters explains. “Another wards the basic thing is, whether it’s macro or micro, as a country or as an individual, you have to pray and do the right thing and then just trust God for the outcome because it’ll be good.” Golden says he hopes hearing the stories of how Gruters unit never quit, despite the hardships, motivates those young servicemen who attended "So, I think it inspires some of our airmen to absolutely never quite in the most dire of circumstances,” Golden says. During his visit to the 139th Gruters got a mission brief on the operations at the air guard base. Golden says it's special to be able to advocate for the base to an American hero like Gruters "Not only would he potentially take that forward and then maybe perhaps when he’s at the national level can go you know I just saw an amazing place like the 139th Airlift Wing and they have this thing called the Advanced Airlifts Tactics Training Center, sure that’s like a one off opportunity for him to advocate for us,” Golden says. But what Golden is more prideful to have shown off to Gruters is the history of the base, and how far they've come with the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center "From four years ago to know in the Advanced Airlifts Tactics Training Center, and to see the smile on his face that we’re still getting after things, we’re still the best United States Air Force, the best Air National Guard in the entire world,” Golden explains. Gruters, and others, will speak tonight at Wyatt Park Baptist Church beginning at 6pm during the Patriot Day Tribute. Doors open at 5pm. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757606579949.jpeg" alt="Mayor John Josendale reads a proclamation during Captain Guy Gruters visit to the 139th Airlift Wing/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Mayor John Josendale reads a proclamation during Captain Guy Gruters visit to the 139th Airlift Wing/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Former POW, speaking in St. Joseph tonight, inspires 139th

HOLT COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before noon Wednesday in Holt County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by a 26-year-old Lee's Summit woman was northbound on Interstate 29 five miles east of Oregon. The rear-ended a MODOT dump truckd driven by a 52-year-old Forest City man that was stopped in the left lane.

Atchison-Holt EMS transported the Nissan driver to Mosaic Life Care. The drump truck driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

HOLT COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before noon Wednesday in Holt County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by a 26-year-old Lee's Summit woman was northbound on Interstate 29 five miles east of Oregon. The rear-ended a MODOT dump truckd driven by a 52-year-old Forest City man that was stopped in the left lane.Atchison-Holt EMS transported the Nissan driver to Mosaic Life Care. The drump truck driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. woman injured after SUV rear-ends a MODOT dump truck

Free speech advocates and internet companies assailed the rule as an attack on First Amendment rights. Bailey, now co-deputy director of the FBI, withdrew the rule but claimed it did not infringe free speech

One of former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s headline-grabbing actions — a rule that would have required social media companies to provide third-party content moderators — was quietly dropped just before he resigned.

Bailey became co-<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/18/andrew-bailey-stepping-down-as-missouri-attorney-general-for-job-in-trump-administration/">deputy director of the FBI</a>&nbsp;on Monday and was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/catherine-hanaway-missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey/">replaced as attorney general by Catherine Hanaway</a>. The rule for social media companies was announced in May and hailed by Bailey as a protection for individual free speech on popular platforms.

“This rule marks the beginning of a sustained effort to dismantle the ‘Big Brother’ speech-control machinery of corporate America,” Bailey said in a May 6 news release.

The proposed rules were published in the Missouri Register on June 16. Comments closed on July 16, opening a 59-day window for the next step, filing the proposal with the legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.&nbsp;

The rule was filed with the committee but withdrawn on Friday. Bailey’s office did not put out a news release about the decision to withdraw the rule.

The proposal sought to use the attorney general’s authority under Missouri’s consumer protection laws to impose the requirements. Any user would be allowed to select a content moderator of their choosing — either the system provided by the social media platform or a third party — when they created an account and every six months it is active.

Free speech advocates and lobbying groups for the communications industry filed comments arguing Bailey had overstepped his authority, was imposing unworkable requirements and violated the free speech rights of the social media providers.

“This rule is economically inefficient, technically unworkable and legally vulnerable, representing a regulatory solution that is demonstrably worse than the problems it purports to address,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://laweconcenter.org/resources/icle-comments-to-missouri-attorney-general-on-moderator-choice-rule/" target="_blank">International Center for Law &amp; Economics</a>, a Portland, Oregon,-based think tank, said in its comments.

The rule, the&nbsp;<a href="https://ccianet.org/news/2025/07/ccia-opposes-missouri-rules-that-would-undermine-content-moderation-and-threaten-online-safety/" target="_blank">Computer &amp; Communications Industry Association</a>&nbsp;said in its comments, would force platforms to allow outside entities to manage content without oversight or privacy protections.&nbsp;

“This approach would make it harder to remove scams, harassment, and other illegal or dangerous content, while violating websites’ First Amendment right to decide what speech they host,” said the association, which is the lobbying arm of the computer industry.

And NetChoice, a trade association of online businesses that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2023/22-277" target="_blank">successfully sued</a>&nbsp;to block laws in Florida and Texas that had similar objective, said in its comments that Bailey had misunderstood the U.S. Supreme Court decision in its favor.

In that ruling, the court said the Florida and Texas laws violate the First Amendment rights social media companies enjoy as publishers of content.&nbsp;

NetChoice wrote in its comments that “rather than respecting regulated websites’ First Amendment rights recognized in (the court decision), the rule would trample over those protections.”

In the withdrawal notice, the attorney general’s office said it agreed with the concerns from commenters about the feasibility of implementing the rule as drafted and that more work would be required.

“The attorney general’s decision to withdraw this rulemaking,” the notice stated, “is not due to comments suggesting he lacks legal authority to issue the rule.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732796525522.png" alt="Former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, shown in a 2024 photo, withdrew his proposal to require social media platforms to allow third-party content moderators&nbsp; just before resigning to become co-deputy director of the FBI. (Photo provided by Andrew Bailey's 2024 campaign)." />
 <figcaption>Former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, shown in a 2024 photo, withdrew his proposal to require social media platforms to allow third-party content moderators&nbsp; just before resigning to become co-deputy director of the FBI. (Photo provided by Andrew Bailey's 2024 campaign).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Free speech advocates and internet companies assailed the rule as an attack on First Amendment rights. Bailey, now co-deputy director of the FBI, withdrew the rule but claimed it did not infringe free speech</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>One of former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s headline-grabbing actions — a rule that would have required social media companies to provide third-party content moderators — was quietly dropped just before he resigned.Bailey became co-<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/18/andrew-bailey-stepping-down-as-missouri-attorney-general-for-job-in-trump-administration/">deputy director of the FBI</a>&nbsp;on Monday and was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/catherine-hanaway-missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey/">replaced as attorney general by Catherine Hanaway</a>. The rule for social media companies was announced in May and hailed by Bailey as a protection for individual free speech on popular platforms.“This rule marks the beginning of a sustained effort to dismantle the ‘Big Brother’ speech-control machinery of corporate America,” Bailey said in a May 6 news release.The proposed rules were published in the Missouri Register on June 16. Comments closed on July 16, opening a 59-day window for the next step, filing the proposal with the legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.&nbsp;The rule was filed with the committee but withdrawn on Friday. Bailey’s office did not put out a news release about the decision to withdraw the rule.The proposal sought to use the attorney general’s authority under Missouri’s consumer protection laws to impose the requirements. Any user would be allowed to select a content moderator of their choosing — either the system provided by the social media platform or a third party — when they created an account and every six months it is active.Free speech advocates and lobbying groups for the communications industry filed comments arguing Bailey had overstepped his authority, was imposing unworkable requirements and violated the free speech rights of the social media providers.“This rule is economically inefficient, technically unworkable and legally vulnerable, representing a regulatory solution that is demonstrably worse than the problems it purports to address,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://laweconcenter.org/resources/icle-comments-to-missouri-attorney-general-on-moderator-choice-rule/" target="_blank">International Center for Law &amp; Economics</a>, a Portland, Oregon,-based think tank, said in its comments.The rule, the&nbsp;<a href="https://ccianet.org/news/2025/07/ccia-opposes-missouri-rules-that-would-undermine-content-moderation-and-threaten-online-safety/" target="_blank">Computer &amp; Communications Industry Association</a>&nbsp;said in its comments, would force platforms to allow outside entities to manage content without oversight or privacy protections.&nbsp;“This approach would make it harder to remove scams, harassment, and other illegal or dangerous content, while violating websites’ First Amendment right to decide what speech they host,” said the association, which is the lobbying arm of the computer industry.And NetChoice, a trade association of online businesses that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2023/22-277" target="_blank">successfully sued</a>&nbsp;to block laws in Florida and Texas that had similar objective, said in its comments that Bailey had misunderstood the U.S. Supreme Court decision in its favor.In that ruling, the court said the Florida and Texas laws violate the First Amendment rights social media companies enjoy as publishers of content.&nbsp;NetChoice wrote in its comments that “rather than respecting regulated websites’ First Amendment rights recognized in (the court decision), the rule would trample over those protections.”In the withdrawal notice, the attorney general’s office said it agreed with the concerns from commenters about the feasibility of implementing the rule as drafted and that more work would be required.“The attorney general’s decision to withdraw this rulemaking,” the notice stated, “is not due to comments suggesting he lacks legal authority to issue the rule.”

Former Missouri AG shelves rule on social media moderation as he leaves office

President Donald Trump spoke to GOP state senators during a caucus meeting and later in the day they moved to shut down debate over new rules intended to make it easier to pass a new congressional map

Just hours after hearing from President Donald Trump during a caucus meeting, Republicans in the Missouri Senate showed they are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">ready to please him</a>&nbsp;by shoving a new congressional district map to passage over opposition from Democrats.

The General Assembly is meeting in special session to revise the state’s eight congressional districts so Republicans are likely to win seven instead of the six they currently hold. The Missouri House has&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">already approved the map</a>&nbsp;sought by Trump, who on Tuesday demanded on social media that the Senate do the same.

“The Missouri Senate must pass this Map now, AS IS, to deliver a gigantic Victory for Republicans in the ‘Show Me State,’ and across the Country,” Trump wrote.

To push the bill to final passage by Friday, Republicans had to get the two bills passed in the House into position for committee hearings on Thursday. But before that could take place, the chamber had to vote on rules for the session and Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin rolled out revisions intended to make House bills the Senate’s top priority.

And to get those revisions passed, they voted to shut off debate — using a once-rare motion known as the previous question. This year saw a major break from tradition, when Republicans used the motion to slam through partisan priorities at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-republicans-shut-down-senate-debate-to-pass-abortion-ban-repeal-sick-leave-law/">end of the regular session</a>&nbsp;in May.

It was the first time since 2017 when the previous question was used during a regular session.

The proposed rule changes triggered a Democratic-led debate that consumed two hours before Republicans forced a vote.

For about two hours, Democrats accused the Republicans of cheating by substituting the new rules instead of using the rules used&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/webPDFs/RuleBook.pdf" target="_blank">during this year’s regular session</a>&nbsp;— and for the veto session that took place just minutes before the chamber convened for the special session.

“For those of you that are going to be here for a few years, why would you give away your power just to make today a little bit easier?” said state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Democrat from Columbia. “That doesn’t make any sense, and it really saddens me, because I don’t know where it stops.”

The new rules were not distributed before the session convened and many Republicans were not informed in advance the changes were coming.

State Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Independence, said he was given the new rules and the bill on congressional maps&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">approved in the Missouri House</a>&nbsp;with the expectation he would be an automatic vote in favor of both. But Webber’s point was valid, he said, and he’s not ready to go along.

“I’m nobody’s puppet. I will never be anybody’s puppet,” Nicola said. “I’m not going to come down here and be expected to rubber stamp anything. That is not what I was elected to do.”

But when the chamber voted on the previous question, Nicola went along.

The previous question motion is used commonly in the Missouri House, but until this year it was considered a last resort in the Senate. When the votes were held, Democrats started calling the presiding officer of the Senate “Speaker” instead of “President.”

“There are no speakers in the Missouri Senate,” said state Sen. Jason Bean of Holcomb, who was presiding at the time.

Following the vote, the House bills were read and the Senate will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday to move them to committees for hearings later in the day.

The Republicans’ target is the 5th Congressional District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, a Democrat who has been in office since 2005. The map being considered would split the district into pieces, putting portions in the 4th and 6th districts and adding enough Republican votes to what remains to flip the district to the GOP.

Gov. Mike Kehoe also wants lawmakers to pass a state constitutional amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/08/missouri-house-advances-bill-to-make-it-harder-for-voters-to-amend-state-constitution/">raising the majority requirement</a>&nbsp;for passing constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition.&nbsp;

Instead of a statewide majority deciding the questions, initiative proposals would have to win majorities statewide and in every congressional district. That would allow&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">as few as 5% of voters</a>&nbsp;to decide the question.

But it is Trump’s insistence on a new congressional map to shore up the GOP’s shaky majority in the U.S. House that is the main focus of the special session.

During a caucus of the Republican senators Wednesday, Trump called Kehoe and spoke to the members through the governor’s phone.

State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, insisted in an interview that the special session was not called just because Trump wanted it. The proposed new map puts all of Schroer’s county into the 3rd Congressional District — it is now split between the 3rd and the 2nd districts — and he said that will keep a community together in the same district.

But when asked whether Kansas City, which is almost entirely in the 5th District but would have its population split among three in the proposed map, deserved the same consideration, Schroer said it did not.

“Donald Trump is encouraging Republicans to grow a spine, and stop bending the knee to the Democrats to avoid filibusters like we did in 2022,” Schroer said. “It’s really helped and it’s binding the Republican Party back together.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757550296708.png" alt=" Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, D-Affton, speaks against proposed Senate rule changes Wednesday during the special session for redistricting (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, D-Affton, speaks against proposed Senate rule changes Wednesday during the special session for redistricting (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>President Donald Trump spoke to GOP state senators during a caucus meeting and later in the day they moved to shut down debate over new rules intended to make it easier to pass a new congressional map</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>Just hours after hearing from President Donald Trump during a caucus meeting, Republicans in the Missouri Senate showed they are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">ready to please him</a>&nbsp;by shoving a new congressional district map to passage over opposition from Democrats.The General Assembly is meeting in special session to revise the state’s eight congressional districts so Republicans are likely to win seven instead of the six they currently hold. The Missouri House has&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">already approved the map</a>&nbsp;sought by Trump, who on Tuesday demanded on social media that the Senate do the same.“The Missouri Senate must pass this Map now, AS IS, to deliver a gigantic Victory for Republicans in the ‘Show Me State,’ and across the Country,” Trump wrote.To push the bill to final passage by Friday, Republicans had to get the two bills passed in the House into position for committee hearings on Thursday. But before that could take place, the chamber had to vote on rules for the session and Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin rolled out revisions intended to make House bills the Senate’s top priority.And to get those revisions passed, they voted to shut off debate — using a once-rare motion known as the previous question. This year saw a major break from tradition, when Republicans used the motion to slam through partisan priorities at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-republicans-shut-down-senate-debate-to-pass-abortion-ban-repeal-sick-leave-law/">end of the regular session</a>&nbsp;in May.It was the first time since 2017 when the previous question was used during a regular session.The proposed rule changes triggered a Democratic-led debate that consumed two hours before Republicans forced a vote.For about two hours, Democrats accused the Republicans of cheating by substituting the new rules instead of using the rules used&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/webPDFs/RuleBook.pdf" target="_blank">during this year’s regular session</a>&nbsp;— and for the veto session that took place just minutes before the chamber convened for the special session.“For those of you that are going to be here for a few years, why would you give away your power just to make today a little bit easier?” said state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Democrat from Columbia. “That doesn’t make any sense, and it really saddens me, because I don’t know where it stops.”The new rules were not distributed before the session convened and many Republicans were not informed in advance the changes were coming.State Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Independence, said he was given the new rules and the bill on congressional maps&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">approved in the Missouri House</a>&nbsp;with the expectation he would be an automatic vote in favor of both. But Webber’s point was valid, he said, and he’s not ready to go along.“I’m nobody’s puppet. I will never be anybody’s puppet,” Nicola said. “I’m not going to come down here and be expected to rubber stamp anything. That is not what I was elected to do.”But when the chamber voted on the previous question, Nicola went along.The previous question motion is used commonly in the Missouri House, but until this year it was considered a last resort in the Senate. When the votes were held, Democrats started calling the presiding officer of the Senate “Speaker” instead of “President.”“There are no speakers in the Missouri Senate,” said state Sen. Jason Bean of Holcomb, who was presiding at the time.Following the vote, the House bills were read and the Senate will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday to move them to committees for hearings later in the day.<h2>Flipping the 5th District</h2>The Republicans’ target is the 5th Congressional District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, a Democrat who has been in office since 2005. The map being considered would split the district into pieces, putting portions in the 4th and 6th districts and adding enough Republican votes to what remains to flip the district to the GOP.Gov. Mike Kehoe also wants lawmakers to pass a state constitutional amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/08/missouri-house-advances-bill-to-make-it-harder-for-voters-to-amend-state-constitution/">raising the majority requirement</a>&nbsp;for passing constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition.&nbsp;Instead of a statewide majority deciding the questions, initiative proposals would have to win majorities statewide and in every congressional district. That would allow&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">as few as 5% of voters</a>&nbsp;to decide the question.But it is Trump’s insistence on a new congressional map to shore up the GOP’s shaky majority in the U.S. House that is the main focus of the special session.During a caucus of the Republican senators Wednesday, Trump called Kehoe and spoke to the members through the governor’s phone.State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, insisted in an interview that the special session was not called just because Trump wanted it. The proposed new map puts all of Schroer’s county into the 3rd Congressional District — it is now split between the 3rd and the 2nd districts — and he said that will keep a community together in the same district.But when asked whether Kansas City, which is almost entirely in the 5th District but would have its population split among three in the proposed map, deserved the same consideration, Schroer said it did not.“Donald Trump is encouraging Republicans to grow a spine, and stop bending the knee to the Democrats to avoid filibusters like we did in 2022,” Schroer said. “It’s really helped and it’s binding the Republican Party back together.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757550223525.png" alt="State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, compares the State Senate to the House, remarking about the lack of debate allowed (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, compares the State Senate to the House, remarking about the lack of debate allowed (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>

After hearing from Trump, Missouri GOP muscle redistricting map forward in state Senate

Tomorrow Northwest Missouri State University will honor lives lost in the tragic events of 9/11  

The university will host a stair climb at Bearcat Stadium, to give students and community members the opportunity to honor the lives lost on that day.  

Coordinator for the Disaster and Emergency Management program at Northwest Travis Surprise says events like this are important to not only remember, but to help teach younger students  

"This is what happened and this is a really bad day inside of our lives that we lived through and then faced the consequences, not with just losing the firefighters and the first responders, but just also the chaos that ensued afterwards with 20 years of the global war on terrorism and all the other stuff that came along with it and the changes to our policy,” Surprise tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “Basically, everything that’s happened now and in your life is somehow affected by what happened on that tragic day in 2001.” 

Additionally, Missouri Western State University is doing a stair climb at Spratt Stadium tomorrow  as well, challenging participants to climb the equivalent of the 110 flights of stairs found in the World Trade Centers, to honor the 3,000  lives lost on that tragic day.

Angie Osborn with the MoWest Military and Veteran's Office says it’s not only important to remember the event for its history, but also for the way Americans responded by coming together 

"There’s a lot of emotion that went into planning this event and trying to make sure that we’re honoring obviously all of the victims, but also all of the heroes that were there that day and continue to work on that site for months to come,” Osborn explains. 

During the stair climb, both universities will do special thing to pay tribute to the lives lost during the attacks on September 11th, 2001.  

Surprise says as students walk, the news ceremony from the day of the attack will play on the scoreboard at Bearcat Stadium. 

"And it’s really sombering to watch some of these kids who have never seen this before, and even some adults who have forgot, to watch and be like oh man those feelings I felt were real and I remember exactly what I was doing and how I felt that day,” Surprise says. 

Additionally, bells will toll from the center of campus at the four times planes crashed on that day.  

Osborn says climbers at Spratt Stadium will carry a picture of one of the people lost in the attacks 

"There’s a photo and it tells a little bit, a little clip about that person, and their age when they passed away,” Osborn says.  “And then we play some music as they climb.” 

Osborn says they will also pause at the time of each significant moment to talk about how America was feeling.  

MoWest's stair climb will begin with check in at 8am, the climb starting at 8:46 when the first plane struck.  Northwest's will go from 6 to 8pm.  Both are free to attend. 

Throughought the day from the center of Northwest’s campus a bell will also chime at 8:46 a.m., 9:03 a.m., 9:37 a.m. and 10:03 a.m., marking the times that each of the four planes crashed on 9/11. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756904178117.jpeg" alt="Northwest community members participate in the 9/11 stair climb last year at Bearcat Stadium. (Photo by Maria Nino-Elliott/Northwest Missouri State University)" />
 <figcaption>Northwest community members participate in the 9/11 stair climb last year at Bearcat Stadium. (Photo by Maria Nino-Elliott/Northwest Missouri State University)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE Tomorrow Northwest Missouri State University will honor lives lost in the tragic events of 9/11 The university will host a stair climb at Bearcat Stadium, to give students and community members the opportunity to honor the lives lost on that day. Coordinator for the Disaster and Emergency Management program at Northwest Travis Surprise says events like this are important to not only remember, but to help teach younger students "This is what happened and this is a really bad day inside of our lives that we lived through and then faced the consequences, not with just losing the firefighters and the first responders, but just also the chaos that ensued afterwards with 20 years of the global war on terrorism and all the other stuff that came along with it and the changes to our policy,” Surprise tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “Basically, everything that’s happened now and in your life is somehow affected by what happened on that tragic day in 2001.” Additionally, Missouri Western State University is doing a stair climb at Spratt Stadium tomorrow as well, challenging participants to climb the equivalent of the 110 flights of stairs found in the World Trade Centers, to honor the 3,000 lives lost on that tragic day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757519496643.jpeg" alt="MoWest students and St. Joseph community members participate in the annual stair climb event honoring the attacks in New York on September 11th, 2001 at Spratt Stadium/ Photo courtesy of MoWest" />
 <figcaption>MoWest students and St. Joseph community members participate in the annual stair climb event honoring the attacks in New York on September 11th, 2001 at Spratt Stadium/ Photo courtesy of MoWest</figcaption>
 </figure>Angie Osborn with the MoWest Military and Veteran's Office says it’s not only important to remember the event for its history, but also for the way Americans responded by coming together "There’s a lot of emotion that went into planning this event and trying to make sure that we’re honoring obviously all of the victims, but also all of the heroes that were there that day and continue to work on that site for months to come,” Osborn explains. During the stair climb, both universities will do special thing to pay tribute to the lives lost during the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Surprise says as students walk, the news ceremony from the day of the attack will play on the scoreboard at Bearcat Stadium. "And it’s really sombering to watch some of these kids who have never seen this before, and even some adults who have forgot, to watch and be like oh man those feelings I felt were real and I remember exactly what I was doing and how I felt that day,” Surprise says. Additionally, bells will toll from the center of campus at the four times planes crashed on that day. Osborn says climbers at Spratt Stadium will carry a picture of one of the people lost in the attacks "There’s a photo and it tells a little bit, a little clip about that person, and their age when they passed away,” Osborn says. “And then we play some music as they climb.” Osborn says they will also pause at the time of each significant moment to talk about how America was feeling. MoWest's stair climb will begin with check in at 8am, the climb starting at 8:46 when the first plane struck. Northwest's will go from 6 to 8pm. Both are free to attend. Throughought the day from the center of Northwest’s campus a bell will also chime at 8:46 a.m., 9:03 a.m., 9:37 a.m. and 10:03 a.m., marking the times that each of the four planes crashed on 9/11. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Annual stair climb events to honor victims of 9/11 attacks

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The effort would repeal the 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.

A coalition of Missouri hemp business leaders and advocates formally filed four initiative petitions Tuesday that would ask voters to allow marijuana and intoxicating hemp products to be sold in the same stores as alcohol and tobacco.

The goal of the effort, led by Kansas-City-based hemp business American Shaman, is to repeal the 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.&nbsp;

Each version of the proposed initiative petition would replace the marijuana legalization amendment with language that instructs Missouri lawmakers to create regulations that are “no more burdensome than what we already have for alcohol and tobacco,” said Eapen Thampy, a longtime hemp lobbyist.

“Marijuana and hemp are one plant,” Thampy said in an interview Tuesday. “They should be regulated in the same way. It should be a free, fair and regulated market.”

The effort is being organized under a new political action committee called&nbsp;<a href="https://mec.mo.gov/MEC/Campaign_Finance/CommInfo.aspx?MECID=C253534#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank">Missourians for a Single Market</a>.

The four petitions differ slightly, but they each would take out criminal offenses for possessing too much marijuana. They’d also retain the current taxes on the products for at least the next 10 years, and allow businesses to obtain licenses to sell the products through a similar process as they do with alcohol and tobacco products.&nbsp;

Currently marijuana facility licenses are limited and highly regulated, but businesses don’t need a license to sell intoxicating hemp products — despite numerous legislative attempts to outright ban them.&nbsp;

“Legislative efforts to ban hemp products allow the illegal market to flourish,” said Gary Wiegert, a retired St. Louis City police sergeant, in the group’s Tuesday press release announcing the initiative petition campaign. “Regulating these products and preserving legal access to the market ensures public safety by allowing business owners to serve the consumer market instead.”

In many ways, it’s the latest showdown between the marijuana industry, which has operated legally in Missouri since 2018 but is still outlawed federally,&nbsp; and the hemp industry, whose products were legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill.

At the end of the day, what’s the difference between intoxicating hemp products and intoxicating marijuana products?

Hemp and marijuana are essentially terms the government uses to distinguish between the part of the cannabis plant that has high amounts of THC, or their psychoactive component.

Any part of the plant containing 0.3% or less THC by dry weight is defined as hemp. And that’s why in 2018 Congress removed hemp and hemp seeds from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s schedule of controlled substances as part of the Farm Bill.

Cannabis buds – or what the industry calls “flower” – must be smoked or heated to release Delta-9 THC that produces a high.&nbsp;

So eating most raw cannabis flower shouldn’t get someone high.

There is a growing legal argument that marijuana sold in dispensaries that doesn’t contain .3% Delta-9 THC before it’s smoked or heated is actually hemp.

Currently, a number of Missouri cannabis events – where people are selling weed outside of dispensaries – are operating under this interpretation of the federal definition.

The initiative petitions filed Tuesday support this interpretation.&nbsp;

The effort also aims to regulate products, such as edibles, beverages and vapes, that are currently being sold in gas stations and stores without any testing or tracking requirements. The lack of state regulation has led some&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/14/war-between-intoxicating-hemp-and-marijuana-industries-resumes-in-st-louis/">municipal governments</a>&nbsp;to try and find a way to regulate them through city health departments.&nbsp;

“Our position is that marijuana legalization has always been not about getting ‘high’ but to end prohibition against one of the most beneficial plants on earth,” said Tim Gilio, founder of the Missouri Marijuana Legalization Movement. “Our goal is to open up a free and open market to all and prevent a monopoly from encroaching on any benefits of the cannabis plant.”

However, Andrew Mullins, executive director for the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association, told The Independent in June that the idea is a “bait and switch.”&nbsp;

The state’s regulated marijuana industry, he said, generated $241 million in state and local tax revenues last year alone and is regarded as one of the most successful marijuana programs in the country, citing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/missouri-cannabis-market-business-34dd47ad?mod=e2tw&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAi6PE3BQERvbb-fuJyCT3TUHPqzyDmZaOBA7z2p4IrJNE448pqQQlOJuYZuLnI%3D&amp;gaa_sig=589hKhzJJ83VibbJThKqws5L0tFMC4cfGLVI7iP9s6rCqnTgzMAFY3xKdfW3eaoC4-voDJHOVTTiObvrNWiHgw%3D%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68507e7e" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal article</a>. At a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/05/missouri-cannabis-sales-remain-steady-as-new-products-emerge/">marijuana industry conference&nbsp;</a>last week, company leaders agreed that limited licenses for dispensaries and grow facilities was key to Missouri’s success.&nbsp;

Voters have twice voted for cannabis regulation, Mullins said in June, and any effort to roll back those constitutional protections would be a “spectacular failure.”

“Missourians aren’t about to take hundreds of millions away from local communities, veterans and our justice system, all in hopes that politicians will eventually replace it with something down the road,” Mullins said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thampy said that tax revenue wouldn’t go away. The taxable market would increase by about a third, he said, “meaning tens of millions in new revenue for public defenders, substance abuse prevention, and the Missouri Veterans Commission.”

The petitions were filed with the Missouri Secretary of State on Tuesday afternoon. The group aims to get enough signatures by May to appear on the November 2026 ballot.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757500072567.png" alt="Hemp-derived THC beverages like these Mighty Kind THC seltzers can be found at Total Wine and other large liquor stores throughout Missouri (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption>Hemp-derived THC beverages like these Mighty Kind THC seltzers can be found at Total Wine and other large liquor stores throughout Missouri (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The effort would repeal the 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.</h2>A coalition of Missouri hemp business leaders and advocates formally filed four initiative petitions Tuesday that would ask voters to allow marijuana and intoxicating hemp products to be sold in the same stores as alcohol and tobacco.The goal of the effort, led by Kansas-City-based hemp business American Shaman, is to repeal the 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.&nbsp;Each version of the proposed initiative petition would replace the marijuana legalization amendment with language that instructs Missouri lawmakers to create regulations that are “no more burdensome than what we already have for alcohol and tobacco,” said Eapen Thampy, a longtime hemp lobbyist.“Marijuana and hemp are one plant,” Thampy said in an interview Tuesday. “They should be regulated in the same way. It should be a free, fair and regulated market.”The effort is being organized under a new political action committee called&nbsp;<a href="https://mec.mo.gov/MEC/Campaign_Finance/CommInfo.aspx?MECID=C253534#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank">Missourians for a Single Market</a>.The four petitions differ slightly, but they each would take out criminal offenses for possessing too much marijuana. They’d also retain the current taxes on the products for at least the next 10 years, and allow businesses to obtain licenses to sell the products through a similar process as they do with alcohol and tobacco products.&nbsp;Currently marijuana facility licenses are limited and highly regulated, but businesses don’t need a license to sell intoxicating hemp products — despite numerous legislative attempts to outright ban them.&nbsp;“Legislative efforts to ban hemp products allow the illegal market to flourish,” said Gary Wiegert, a retired St. Louis City police sergeant, in the group’s Tuesday press release announcing the initiative petition campaign. “Regulating these products and preserving legal access to the market ensures public safety by allowing business owners to serve the consumer market instead.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757500035317.png" alt="Hemp lobbyist Eapen Thampy and Deb Nash of Canna Answers filed four initiative petitions on hemp and marijuana regulations on Tuesday with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in Jefferson City (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption>Hemp lobbyist Eapen Thampy and Deb Nash of Canna Answers filed four initiative petitions on hemp and marijuana regulations on Tuesday with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in Jefferson City (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>In many ways, it’s the latest showdown between the marijuana industry, which has operated legally in Missouri since 2018 but is still outlawed federally,&nbsp; and the hemp industry, whose products were legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill.At the end of the day, what’s the difference between intoxicating hemp products and intoxicating marijuana products?Hemp and marijuana are essentially terms the government uses to distinguish between the part of the cannabis plant that has high amounts of THC, or their psychoactive component.Any part of the plant containing 0.3% or less THC by dry weight is defined as hemp. And that’s why in 2018 Congress removed hemp and hemp seeds from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s schedule of controlled substances as part of the Farm Bill.Cannabis buds – or what the industry calls “flower” – must be smoked or heated to release Delta-9 THC that produces a high.&nbsp;So eating most raw cannabis flower shouldn’t get someone high.There is a growing legal argument that marijuana sold in dispensaries that doesn’t contain .3% Delta-9 THC before it’s smoked or heated is actually hemp.Currently, a number of Missouri cannabis events – where people are selling weed outside of dispensaries – are operating under this interpretation of the federal definition.The initiative petitions filed Tuesday support this interpretation.&nbsp;The effort also aims to regulate products, such as edibles, beverages and vapes, that are currently being sold in gas stations and stores without any testing or tracking requirements. The lack of state regulation has led some&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/14/war-between-intoxicating-hemp-and-marijuana-industries-resumes-in-st-louis/">municipal governments</a>&nbsp;to try and find a way to regulate them through city health departments.&nbsp;“Our position is that marijuana legalization has always been not about getting ‘high’ but to end prohibition against one of the most beneficial plants on earth,” said Tim Gilio, founder of the Missouri Marijuana Legalization Movement. “Our goal is to open up a free and open market to all and prevent a monopoly from encroaching on any benefits of the cannabis plant.”However, Andrew Mullins, executive director for the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association, told The Independent in June that the idea is a “bait and switch.”&nbsp;The state’s regulated marijuana industry, he said, generated $241 million in state and local tax revenues last year alone and is regarded as one of the most successful marijuana programs in the country, citing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/missouri-cannabis-market-business-34dd47ad?mod=e2tw&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAi6PE3BQERvbb-fuJyCT3TUHPqzyDmZaOBA7z2p4IrJNE448pqQQlOJuYZuLnI%3D&amp;gaa_sig=589hKhzJJ83VibbJThKqws5L0tFMC4cfGLVI7iP9s6rCqnTgzMAFY3xKdfW3eaoC4-voDJHOVTTiObvrNWiHgw%3D%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68507e7e" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal article</a>. At a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/05/missouri-cannabis-sales-remain-steady-as-new-products-emerge/">marijuana industry conference&nbsp;</a>last week, company leaders agreed that limited licenses for dispensaries and grow facilities was key to Missouri’s success.&nbsp;Voters have twice voted for cannabis regulation, Mullins said in June, and any effort to roll back those constitutional protections would be a “spectacular failure.”“Missourians aren’t about to take hundreds of millions away from local communities, veterans and our justice system, all in hopes that politicians will eventually replace it with something down the road,” Mullins said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Thampy said that tax revenue wouldn’t go away. The taxable market would increase by about a third, he said, “meaning tens of millions in new revenue for public defenders, substance abuse prevention, and the Missouri Veterans Commission.”The petitions were filed with the Missouri Secretary of State on Tuesday afternoon. The group aims to get enough signatures by May to appear on the November 2026 ballot.&nbsp;

New initiative petition would regulate Missouri marijuana, hemp products the same as alcohol

Both bills now head to the Missouri Senate, where Democrats are expected to use the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to gum up legislative business as much as possible

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

Bills creating a gerrymandered congressional map and making it virtually impossible to change the state constitution through the initiative petition process are on their way to the Missouri Senate.

The Missouri House gave final approval to both proposals Tuesday after two days of contentious debate.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444832621.png" alt="House Speaker Jon Patterson presides over the final day of the 2025 legislative session on May 15 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Jon Patterson presides over the final day of the 2025 legislative session on May 15 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Both bills now head to the Missouri Senate, where Democrats are expected to use the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to gum up legislative business as much as possible</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Bills creating a gerrymandered congressional map and making it virtually impossible to change the state constitution through the initiative petition process are on their way to the Missouri Senate.The Missouri House gave final approval to both proposals Tuesday after two days of contentious debate.&nbsp;Gov. Mike Kehoe called the legislature back into session after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">weeks of pressure from the President Donald Trump&nbsp;</a>for GOP-run states to redraw congressional districts to ensure more Republican seats before next year’s midterm elections.&nbsp;In Missouri, the effort targeted the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, by carving it up and dispersing its voters into three districts that give Republicans an electoral advantage in seven of the state’s eight congressional districts.&nbsp;“This is a superior map,” said state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Noel Republican sponsoring the proposed new congressional map. “It better represents the state of Missouri.”In addition to the gerrymandered map, Republicans also took aim at the citizen initiative petition process. The House approved a plan Tuesday that would require constitutional amendments put on the ballot by Missouri voters to attain both a simple majority statewide and a majority in all eight congressional districts in order to pass.&nbsp;Based on last year’s election results, that change would mean&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">as few as 5% of voters could defeat any ballot measure</a>. The proposal would also ban foreign contributions to initiative petition campaigns, something that is already illegal.&nbsp;If it passes the Senate, the issue would go on the statewide ballot in 2026 and require a simple majority to approve.&nbsp;State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican, said amending the state constitution has become too easy and has been dominated by out-of-state interests. His proposal, he said, would address both of those issues.&nbsp;“There should be a broad consensus across the state to amend the constitution,” he said.&nbsp;Democrats denounced both of the proposals as a power grab by the Republican supermajority and a&nbsp;Trump-inspired assault on democracy.&nbsp;“The Missouri GOP is aiding and abetting the systematic destruction of our democracy by an authoritarian regime led by geriatric conman who knows the only way he can win is to cheat,” said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat.GOP state Rep. Bryant Wolfin of Ste. Genevieve was one of the few Republicans who voted against both measures, saying this week’s special session proves that the only thing that matters in the Missouri Capitol is “political power.”“Unfortunately, it’s not ethics,” he said. “It’s not morality. It’s definitely not liberty. It’s just political power.”If Democrats were in charge, Wolfin, said, he’s sure they would do the same thing. But that doesn’t justify what Republicans are doing.“There’s certainly nothing conservative about ignoring the moral implications of our actions,” he said. “Morality is not defined by what is legal. Morality is not defined by what you can get away with.”<h2>Gerrymandering</h2>Revising congressional district lines occurs every 10 years, after the allocation of seats following the federal census. The Missouri Constitution mandates it but is silent on whether lawmakers have the power to do so at other times.&nbsp;Democrats argue it is unconstitutional to draw another map before the next census is complete.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-09-04/naacp-sues-missouri-republicans-unconstitutional-gerrymander-kansas-city" target="_blank">Missouri NAACP filed a lawsuit last week</a>&nbsp;in Cole County arguing the governor’s decision to call a special session was unconstitutional. Cleaver has also&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/rep-emanuel-cleaver-promises-lawsuit-if-missouri-republicans-gerrymander-his-district/">promised to go to court</a>&nbsp;to challenge any gerrymandered map lawmakers approve.But Republicans say critics are misreading the constitution and are confident the new map would survive a legal challenge.&nbsp;“The constitution is clear that we can alter districts as we desire at any point at any point,” Deaton said.&nbsp;Legislators were elected to represent the people, Deaton said, and if a majority of legislators vote in support of the map “that’s representative democracy.”<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>The new map does not include an emergency clause that would have made it go into effect upon Kehoe’s signature. That means opponents of the map will have 90s days after it is signed into law to collect signatures to force a statewide vote.&nbsp;St. Louis Public Radio reported Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-09-08/missouri-redistricting-opponents-referendum" target="_blank">the Missouri AFL-CIO is considering whether to launch a petition drive</a>&nbsp;to force a referendum vote. If enough signatures are gathered before the law takes effect, it would be held in abeyance until after the vote.That strategy was last deployed in 2018, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/07/politics/missouri-right-to-work-vote" target="_blank">labor unions collected more than 300,000 signatures in 90 days</a>&nbsp;— more than three times the amount needed — to put a question on the statewide ballot repealing a GOP-backed right-to-work law.&nbsp;The repeal push was ultimately successful, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/08/08/636568530/missouri-blocks-right-to-work-law" target="_blank">67% of voters rejecting the right-to-work law</a>.&nbsp;In fact, of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the ballot, voters have rejected actions by the General Assembly all but twice.<h2>Constitutional amendments</h2>Missouri is<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/initiative-and-referendum-processes" target="_blank">&nbsp;one of 24 states</a>&nbsp;that allows citizen initiative petitions. They can be used to either amend the constitution or change state law, though the path to successfully doing so is often&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/05/missouri-abortion-2024-initiative-petition-ballot/">arduous and expensive</a>, requiring tens of thousands of signatures to even land on the ballot.&nbsp;Missourians in recent years have used the initiative petition process to legalize abortion and recreational marijuana use, as well expand Medicaid eligibility.&nbsp;In November, the abortion-rights amendment passed with just shy of 52% of the vote driven by large support from the state’s urban, more-populated areas. Voters in all but eight of Missouri’s 115 counties opposed the amendment.Lewis argued Tuesday that the process is dominated by liberal, out-of-state organizations who are pushing partisan amendments that would be impossible to pass through the Republican-dominated legislature.&nbsp;“Do you want partisan things going into the constitution,” Lewis said, “or do we want something that a broad consensus of all Missourians could support.”State Rep. Martin Jacobs, a Democrat from Liberty, questioned why the process should be changed to allow a fraction of voters to sink an initiative petition, arguing it violates the principle of one person, one vote.&nbsp;“Voters in one district can override voters of every other district,” Jacobs said.&nbsp;Based on last year’s general election, where 2,960,266 votes were cast for governor and only 311,915 in the 1st District, under the proposed change only 156,000 voters could defeat ballot question — or just shy of 5.3% of the statewide vote.The GOP-backed legislation “rigs the system,” said Democratic state Rep. Kathey Steinhoof of Columbia, “and I assure you all Missourians on both sides of the aisle are tired of the system being rigged.”<h2>On to the Senate</h2>Both bills now head to the Missouri Senate, where Democrats are expected to use the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to gum up legislative business as much as possible.&nbsp;In order to overcome the gridlock, Senate Republicans may once again have to break a filibuster and force a vote by turning to a rule that was previously rarely-used but got deployed twice during the regular legislative session in May.&nbsp;Doing so would create even more bad blood in a legislative chamber already teetering on the edge of full on partisan collapse. It could also upend the 2026 session before it even gets started.&nbsp;Republican leaders in the Senate are determined to push both measures across the finish line.&nbsp;“The map and the initiative petition reform measures will strike a huge blow to progressives and their efforts to turn Missouri into California,” Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cindy.olaughlin/posts/pfbid037UKuVtbBEUmy8c1NQ8FPzChj5zeVoFpxBfC9DonvRBiZChHTzgYdQkiG9JdDRJcZl" target="_blank">posted on social media</a>. “We are not California. We are not progressives.”