Missouri had a total teacher turnover rate of 14.6% during the 2023-24 school year, more than double the national average

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/juliannamejia/">JULIANNA MEJIA</a>

Summertime may almost be over, but for teachers like Audra Day, the work has been nonstop.

Day is a kindergarten teacher at Hillsboro Primary School during the academic year, but has spent her break as a summer school teacher and mentor while also preparing for the upcoming school year.

She said one of the misconceptions about being a teacher is that they have the entire summer off. In reality, Day doesn’t have the opportunity to take much of a break outside of the weeks that bookend summer school activities.

“That’s only for four weeks off, which is what most people get off for vacation,” Day said.

Though she loves her job, Day said it can be frustrating.

Missouri had a total teacher turnover rate of 14.6% during the 2023-24 school year, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.primecenter.org/education-reports-database/teacher-turnover" target="_blank">a May 2025 report</a>&nbsp;led by Cameron Anglum, a researcher affiliated with St. Louis University’s PRiME Center. That’s more than double the national average of 7% during the same school year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA956-29.html" target="_blank">according to research organization RAND</a>.

Anglum defines total teacher turnover as teachers switching districts within Missouri and teachers leaving Missouri public education altogether. He said both the pandemic and the years following were rough for teachers as online accommodations were limited and the ensuing global inflation made teacher salaries even more dismal by comparison.

“You mix all of those things together, and it was an enormously difficult two- or three-year period for teachers,” Anglum said. “Teaching in general is an enormously difficult profession, but over the pandemic, working conditions worsened pretty significantly.”

The National Education Association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nea.org/resource-library/educator-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank" target="_blank">ranks Missouri</a>&nbsp;as the 49th state in the nation in both average teacher starting salary and average educator salary, as of the 2023-24 school year. As teacher turnover rates remain high, Anglum said the pressure of filling in the gaps weighs on educators and school districts.

“When schools see an increase in teachers leaving, that places a much larger burden on recruiting new teachers, and we often don’t have the supply of new teachers to fill those vacant positions,” Anglum said.

As issues with teacher retention and recruitment continue, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state legislature have implemented policies to improve teacher pay before classes begin next month.

During the 2024 legislative session, lawmakers passed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244" target="_blank">Senate Bill 727</a>, which requires the minimum salary for teachers to increase from $25,000 to $40,000 for the 2025-26 school year, with a minimum salary of $46,000 for educators with master’s degrees and at least ten years of experience.

“This hopefully will be part of one of several strategies that will help us get more qualified teachers into the field and keep the ones that we have,” said Kari Monsees, former deputy commissioner of the Division of Administrative and Financial Services at DESE, who retired in June.

To facilitate this, lawmakers created and have provided funding for an initiative known as the Teacher Baseline Salary Grant Program. While these grants existed before, the same legislation that implemented higher minimum teacher salaries also created the formal program that will provide school districts paying wages below the minimum with funding to comply with the new state policy.

While the intent is good, some experts said the grant program could cause uncertainty for continued funding in future school years.

Caitlin Whaley is the senior director of advocacy and governmental relations for the Missouri School Boards’ Association. Whaley said that because the grant is subject to annual state appropriations that are not mandated by law, it may not be a reliable funding stream.

“We certainly appreciate that the legislature is willing to put their money where their mouth is and fund that program, but it’s just hard to rely on it year over year, when you don’t know when that funding could potentially not be renewed,” she said.

Rebeka McIntosh, president of the Missouri National Education Association and a former educator, said that increasing the teacher salary and funding certain aspects of education like transportation and the foundation formula is a good first step, but it’s the bare minimum. She said the state also made several cuts and withholdings for educational programs recently.

“Those have direct impact on our public school classrooms, and that is of great concern,” she said. “To say we need to recruit, retain, and then to cut the legs off from underneath … that will then fall again onto districts to find some sort of avenue to have to Scotch tape it together again, and our students deserve better.”

Even more, Todd Fuller, spokesperson for Missouri State Teachers Association, said the increase in minimum salary still leaves Missouri behind its neighboring states, which have also been increasing the minimum salaries for their educators.

“It’s felt like a battle to try to get us to a point where teachers are adequately compensated and we’ve finally gotten to a starting salary of $40,000, [but] the frustrating part of that is when you look at us and all the states bordering Missouri, we’re still last,” Fuller said. “Just as soon as we increase that salary, everybody else has increased their salary, and it keeps us still toward the bottom of starting salaries.”

While organizations like MSTA have been advocating for an increase in the minimum salary, Fuller said the results of&nbsp;<a href="https://msta.org/news-and-media/2025-member-survey" target="_blank">an annual survey</a>&nbsp;from the group show that the reason for high teacher turnover rates is not entirely because of pay, though it is a contributing factor for some.

“Salary is not the number one reason that teachers are leaving,” Fuller said. “Teachers are leaving because of discipline issues. They’re leaving because of unrealistic expectations for classroom management, especially when they don’t have backing from the administration.”

As an educator for 30 years, Aimee Epley, a kindergarten teacher at Hillsboro Primary School, feels that those outside of education may not realize the challenges that teachers face in their profession.

“I think they think that we’re glorified babysitters, so they don’t feel that pay is low because they don’t have an understanding of what we actually do,” Epley said. “Once you have somebody come in and observe, people are in awe of how a classroom is handled and ran.”

As rewarding as her career has been, Epley was relieved when her daughter didn’t pursue work in education despite being interested in that vocation.

“I knew she had the heart of a teacher. I was afraid of that, because I didn’t want her to be a teacher, because I didn’t want her to struggle financially in ways I have had to struggle,” Epley said.

Still, Epley remains hopeful for the future of education.

“I think we’re going to be on a struggle bus for a while, and then I think it’ll eventually swing back,” Epley said. “I don’t think there’s a point where we’re not appreciated for the job we do. I [just] don’t think we’re fiscally supported for the job that we do.”

This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouribusinessalert.com/government/on-a-struggle-bus-educators-await-increase-in-starting-teacher-pay-amid-high-turnover-rates/article_8bb8e10d-1a94-49ef-826a-c224e7f3208b.html" target="_blank">Missouri Business Alert</a>, a digital newsroom covering businessand the economy in Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755398942914.png" alt=" Aimee Epley is a kindergarten teacher at Hillsboro Primary School (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption> Aimee Epley is a kindergarten teacher at Hillsboro Primary School (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri had a total teacher turnover rate of 14.6% during the 2023-24 school year, more than double the national average</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/juliannamejia/">JULIANNA MEJIA</a>Summertime may almost be over, but for teachers like Audra Day, the work has been nonstop.Day is a kindergarten teacher at Hillsboro Primary School during the academic year, but has spent her break as a summer school teacher and mentor while also preparing for the upcoming school year.She said one of the misconceptions about being a teacher is that they have the entire summer off. In reality, Day doesn’t have the opportunity to take much of a break outside of the weeks that bookend summer school activities.“That’s only for four weeks off, which is what most people get off for vacation,” Day said.Though she loves her job, Day said it can be frustrating.Missouri had a total teacher turnover rate of 14.6% during the 2023-24 school year, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.primecenter.org/education-reports-database/teacher-turnover" target="_blank">a May 2025 report</a>&nbsp;led by Cameron Anglum, a researcher affiliated with St. Louis University’s PRiME Center. That’s more than double the national average of 7% during the same school year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA956-29.html" target="_blank">according to research organization RAND</a>.Anglum defines total teacher turnover as teachers switching districts within Missouri and teachers leaving Missouri public education altogether. He said both the pandemic and the years following were rough for teachers as online accommodations were limited and the ensuing global inflation made teacher salaries even more dismal by comparison.“You mix all of those things together, and it was an enormously difficult two- or three-year period for teachers,” Anglum said. “Teaching in general is an enormously difficult profession, but over the pandemic, working conditions worsened pretty significantly.”The National Education Association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nea.org/resource-library/educator-pay-and-student-spending-how-does-your-state-rank" target="_blank">ranks Missouri</a>&nbsp;as the 49th state in the nation in both average teacher starting salary and average educator salary, as of the 2023-24 school year. As teacher turnover rates remain high, Anglum said the pressure of filling in the gaps weighs on educators and school districts.“When schools see an increase in teachers leaving, that places a much larger burden on recruiting new teachers, and we often don’t have the supply of new teachers to fill those vacant positions,” Anglum said.As issues with teacher retention and recruitment continue, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state legislature have implemented policies to improve teacher pay before classes begin next month.During the 2024 legislative session, lawmakers passed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244" target="_blank">Senate Bill 727</a>, which requires the minimum salary for teachers to increase from $25,000 to $40,000 for the 2025-26 school year, with a minimum salary of $46,000 for educators with master’s degrees and at least ten years of experience.“This hopefully will be part of one of several strategies that will help us get more qualified teachers into the field and keep the ones that we have,” said Kari Monsees, former deputy commissioner of the Division of Administrative and Financial Services at DESE, who retired in June.To facilitate this, lawmakers created and have provided funding for an initiative known as the Teacher Baseline Salary Grant Program. While these grants existed before, the same legislation that implemented higher minimum teacher salaries also created the formal program that will provide school districts paying wages below the minimum with funding to comply with the new state policy.While the intent is good, some experts said the grant program could cause uncertainty for continued funding in future school years.Caitlin Whaley is the senior director of advocacy and governmental relations for the Missouri School Boards’ Association. Whaley said that because the grant is subject to annual state appropriations that are not mandated by law, it may not be a reliable funding stream.“We certainly appreciate that the legislature is willing to put their money where their mouth is and fund that program, but it’s just hard to rely on it year over year, when you don’t know when that funding could potentially not be renewed,” she said.Rebeka McIntosh, president of the Missouri National Education Association and a former educator, said that increasing the teacher salary and funding certain aspects of education like transportation and the foundation formula is a good first step, but it’s the bare minimum. She said the state also made several cuts and withholdings for educational programs recently.“Those have direct impact on our public school classrooms, and that is of great concern,” she said. “To say we need to recruit, retain, and then to cut the legs off from underneath … that will then fall again onto districts to find some sort of avenue to have to Scotch tape it together again, and our students deserve better.”Even more, Todd Fuller, spokesperson for Missouri State Teachers Association, said the increase in minimum salary still leaves Missouri behind its neighboring states, which have also been increasing the minimum salaries for their educators.“It’s felt like a battle to try to get us to a point where teachers are adequately compensated and we’ve finally gotten to a starting salary of $40,000, [but] the frustrating part of that is when you look at us and all the states bordering Missouri, we’re still last,” Fuller said. “Just as soon as we increase that salary, everybody else has increased their salary, and it keeps us still toward the bottom of starting salaries.”While organizations like MSTA have been advocating for an increase in the minimum salary, Fuller said the results of&nbsp;<a href="https://msta.org/news-and-media/2025-member-survey" target="_blank">an annual survey</a>&nbsp;from the group show that the reason for high teacher turnover rates is not entirely because of pay, though it is a contributing factor for some.“Salary is not the number one reason that teachers are leaving,” Fuller said. “Teachers are leaving because of discipline issues. They’re leaving because of unrealistic expectations for classroom management, especially when they don’t have backing from the administration.”As an educator for 30 years, Aimee Epley, a kindergarten teacher at Hillsboro Primary School, feels that those outside of education may not realize the challenges that teachers face in their profession.“I think they think that we’re glorified babysitters, so they don’t feel that pay is low because they don’t have an understanding of what we actually do,” Epley said. “Once you have somebody come in and observe, people are in awe of how a classroom is handled and ran.”As rewarding as her career has been, Epley was relieved when her daughter didn’t pursue work in education despite being interested in that vocation.“I knew she had the heart of a teacher. I was afraid of that, because I didn’t want her to be a teacher, because I didn’t want her to struggle financially in ways I have had to struggle,” Epley said.Still, Epley remains hopeful for the future of education.“I think we’re going to be on a struggle bus for a while, and then I think it’ll eventually swing back,” Epley said. “I don’t think there’s a point where we’re not appreciated for the job we do. I [just] don’t think we’re fiscally supported for the job that we do.”This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.missouribusinessalert.com/government/on-a-struggle-bus-educators-await-increase-in-starting-teacher-pay-amid-high-turnover-rates/article_8bb8e10d-1a94-49ef-826a-c224e7f3208b.html" target="_blank">Missouri Business Alert</a>, a digital newsroom covering businessand the economy in Missouri.

Missouri educators await increase in starting teacher pay amid high turnover rates

ATCHISON COUNTY —A St. Joseph couple are in custody after a police investigation in Atchison.

On Thursday, police arrested 35-year-old&nbsp;Christopher C. Cash and 43-year-old Crystal L. Cash both of St. Joseph in the 11000 block U.S.59. He was booked into jail in connection with a Nodaway County Missouri warrant for stealing, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp;

She was jailed on a Nodaway County Missouri warrant for stealing and a Doniphan County Ks warrant for failure to appear in court.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ATCHISON COUNTY —A St. Joseph couple are in custody after a police investigation in Atchison.On Thursday, police arrested 35-year-old&nbsp;Christopher C. Cash and 43-year-old Crystal L. Cash both of St. Joseph in the 11000 block U.S.59. He was booked into jail in connection with a Nodaway County Missouri warrant for stealing, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp;She was jailed on a Nodaway County Missouri warrant for stealing and a Doniphan County Ks warrant for failure to appear in court.&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Joseph couple jailed for alleged theft in Kansas

The Maryville City Council has a new member, filling the open seat vacated by Tye Parsons, the city announced following a special meeting on Monday.&nbsp;

According to a news release from the City of Maryville, the City Council&nbsp;voted to appoint Erin Allen. Allen's term will begin Aug. 25, and she will aid in the ongoing work to address community needs, support city services and guide the future growth and development of Maryville.

"We are confident that Erin will bring valuable insight and dedication to the Council," Mayor Dannen Merrill said in the news release. "We look forward to working with her to serve our community.

Allen will serve in the role until April 2026 in the next municipal election.

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

By MATT PIKEMaryville PostThe Maryville City Council has a new member, filling the open seat vacated by Tye Parsons, the city announced following a special meeting on Monday.&nbsp;According to a news release from the City of Maryville, the City Council&nbsp;voted to appoint Erin Allen. Allen's term will begin Aug. 25, and she will aid in the ongoing work to address community needs, support city services and guide the future growth and development of Maryville."We are confident that Erin will bring valuable insight and dedication to the Council," Mayor Dannen Merrill said in the news release. "We look forward to working with her to serve our community.Allen will serve in the role until April 2026 in the next municipal election.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Maryville City Council fills open seat

GRUNDY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Grundy County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Ranger side-by-side driven by a 15-year-old Galt boy was northbound on NE 2nd Street at NE 10th Street one mile east of Galt. The driver lost control of the vehicle. The driver overcorrected, the vehicle overturned and he was ejected.

Mizzou Health transported the boy to MU in Columbia. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

GRUNDY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Grundy County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Ranger side-by-side driven by a 15-year-old Galt boy was northbound on NE 2nd Street at NE 10th Street one mile east of Galt. The driver lost control of the vehicle. The driver overcorrected, the vehicle overturned and he was ejected.Mizzou Health transported the boy to MU in Columbia. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

15-year-old hospitalized after UTV accident

As "Closing Time" blared from the speakers, the traditional final song of Training Camp, the Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their time in St. Joseph. 

Head Coach Andy Reid thanked everyone at Missouri Western State University for another successful camp on the St. Joseph campus

"The people up here have been phenomenal," Reid tells reporters following practice.  "They feed us, they house us, they baby us, they keep this field looking groomed like they do, and the facility cleaned up, and so we appreciate that."

Reid says the team really attacked this camp with the right frame of mind

"I mentioned it to them last night that there wasn't one of those days where we had a hiccup day, where everything was just not right, the biorhythms were down, we didn't have one of those," Reid explains.

While coming to St. Joseph might not be for some on the team, Patrick Mahomes says he actually likes coming here for camp

"It's like the best practice fields that you can possibly have and the weather kind of held off pretty well, except for like one day, it was pretty good weather all camp long," Mahomes says.  "Even though the dorms, I could do without the dorms, but everything else like I have fun out here and I'm excited now to get home and see my kids. but at the same time you kind of get away and you focus just on football and it kind of locks you in for whenever you go back you're in football season and you're not in that offseason."

Mahomes spent much of the final practice in St. Joseph during Chiefs Training Camp with the scout team, and not in his usual spot with the starters. 

Early indication from Reid is that Mahomes, along with some other starters, may not play in Friday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. 

Mahomes says he always wants to play, but at the end of the day he trusts Reid

"He has a reason for everything that he does, I'll be ready to play this week and if I get to play I'll be ready to go and if I don't, I'll be ready to go again the next week, and if I'm not I'll be just as energized on the sideline as I would be if I was playing in the game," Mahomes says.  "And so, I trust in Coach Reid fully, and so whatever his decision is I'll be ready to go out there and get the most I can out of it."

The Chiefs and Seahawks kick off at 9pm on Friday, pregame will air at 8 on Q Country 92.7.  Following the game, the Chiefs will return to their facility in Kansas City for the remainder of the preseason.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754683498952.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes greets fans at NFL football training camp Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes greets fans at NFL football training camp Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKEAs "Closing Time" blared from the speakers, the traditional final song of Training Camp, the Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their time in St. Joseph. Head Coach Andy Reid thanked everyone at Missouri Western State University for another successful camp on the St. Joseph campus"The people up here have been phenomenal," Reid tells reporters following practice. "They feed us, they house us, they baby us, they keep this field looking groomed like they do, and the facility cleaned up, and so we appreciate that."Reid says the team really attacked this camp with the right frame of mind"I mentioned it to them last night that there wasn't one of those days where we had a hiccup day, where everything was just not right, the biorhythms were down, we didn't have one of those," Reid explains.While coming to St. Joseph might not be for some on the team, Patrick Mahomes says he actually likes coming here for camp"It's like the best practice fields that you can possibly have and the weather kind of held off pretty well, except for like one day, it was pretty good weather all camp long," Mahomes says. "Even though the dorms, I could do without the dorms, but everything else like I have fun out here and I'm excited now to get home and see my kids. but at the same time you kind of get away and you focus just on football and it kind of locks you in for whenever you go back you're in football season and you're not in that offseason."Mahomes spent much of the final practice in St. Joseph during Chiefs Training Camp with the scout team, and not in his usual spot with the starters. Early indication from Reid is that Mahomes, along with some other starters, may not play in Friday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Mahomes says he always wants to play, but at the end of the day he trusts Reid"He has a reason for everything that he does, I'll be ready to play this week and if I get to play I'll be ready to go and if I don't, I'll be ready to go again the next week, and if I'm not I'll be just as energized on the sideline as I would be if I was playing in the game," Mahomes says. "And so, I trust in Coach Reid fully, and so whatever his decision is I'll be ready to go out there and get the most I can out of it."The Chiefs and Seahawks kick off at 9pm on Friday, pregame will air at 8 on Q Country 92.7. Following the game, the Chiefs will return to their facility in Kansas City for the remainder of the preseason.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas City Chiefs say goodbye to St. Joseph as Training Camp ends

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

Twelve state schools serving students with disabilities will close next year as part of a plan approved Tuesday afternoon by the Missouri State Board of Education.&nbsp;

There was little discussion Tuesday about the plan to consolidate the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, or MSSD. Board members delved into the plan more thoroughly during a May meeting and a retreat last month.

“The State Board of Education believes this is the first step in providing more opportunities and strengthening education for all students enrolled in Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled,” Board President Mary Schrag said in a news release. “This decision is not taken lightly but will result in a more efficient program that enriches quality resources provided to students and their families.”

The following schools will be required to close by the end of June 2026: Briarwood in Harrisonville, Citadel in Potosi, College View in Joplin, Crowley Ridge in Dexter, Delmar Cobble in Columbia, Dogwood Hills in Eldon, Gateway/Hubert Wheeler in St. Louis, Lakeview Woods in Lee’s Summit, Lillian Schaper in Bowling Green, Ozark Hills in Salem, Prairie View in Marshall and Rolling Meadow in Higginsville.

Six of the schools were already under “temporary emergency closure” because of staffing issues, impacting 61 students. The other six buildings set to close have a combined enrollment of 64 students and were at risk of emergency closure, Mark Wheatley, the department’s assistant commissioner of special education, told the board.

The change comes as MSSD struggles with declining enrollment, with 36% fewer students over the past 16 years, and $50 million in deferred maintenance between 34 school buildings.

A consultant hired by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-unveils-plan-to-transform-program-for-students-with-disabilities/">called the current program “unsustainable.”</a>

Over the past two years, a&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/lrpac-member-list-101824" target="_blank">committee</a>&nbsp;has worked with consultants to give the program a direction. Their&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/long-range-planning-advisory-committee-recommendations" target="_blank">recommendation</a>&nbsp;is to consolidate the schools, closing 24 existing buildings and constructing two new ones to condense the program to 12 locations.

Missouri is the only state that operates separate day schools for special education, though the practice was once commonplace nationwide.

Despite a nationwide push to better integrate students with learning disabilities, some parents say Missouri’s model works for their students. When consultants polled parents about their satisfaction,&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/pcg-final-report-and-appendices" target="_blank">85% said they felt that MSSD met their child’s needs</a>&nbsp;better than previous schools.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755080730193.png" alt=" Missouri Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger reacts to a presentation on a plan to rework the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled during a State Board of Education meeting in May (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger reacts to a presentation on a plan to rework the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled during a State Board of Education meeting in May (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ahanshaw/">Annelise Hanshaw</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Twelve state schools serving students with disabilities will close next year as part of a plan approved Tuesday afternoon by the Missouri State Board of Education.&nbsp;There was little discussion Tuesday about the plan to consolidate the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, or MSSD. Board members delved into the plan more thoroughly during a May meeting and a retreat last month.“The State Board of Education believes this is the first step in providing more opportunities and strengthening education for all students enrolled in Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled,” Board President Mary Schrag said in a news release. “This decision is not taken lightly but will result in a more efficient program that enriches quality resources provided to students and their families.”The following schools will be required to close by the end of June 2026: Briarwood in Harrisonville, Citadel in Potosi, College View in Joplin, Crowley Ridge in Dexter, Delmar Cobble in Columbia, Dogwood Hills in Eldon, Gateway/Hubert Wheeler in St. Louis, Lakeview Woods in Lee’s Summit, Lillian Schaper in Bowling Green, Ozark Hills in Salem, Prairie View in Marshall and Rolling Meadow in Higginsville.Six of the schools were already under “temporary emergency closure” because of staffing issues, impacting 61 students. The other six buildings set to close have a combined enrollment of 64 students and were at risk of emergency closure, Mark Wheatley, the department’s assistant commissioner of special education, told the board.The change comes as MSSD struggles with declining enrollment, with 36% fewer students over the past 16 years, and $50 million in deferred maintenance between 34 school buildings.A consultant hired by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-unveils-plan-to-transform-program-for-students-with-disabilities/">called the current program “unsustainable.”</a>Over the past two years, a&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/lrpac-member-list-101824" target="_blank">committee</a>&nbsp;has worked with consultants to give the program a direction. Their&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/long-range-planning-advisory-committee-recommendations" target="_blank">recommendation</a>&nbsp;is to consolidate the schools, closing 24 existing buildings and constructing two new ones to condense the program to 12 locations.Missouri is the only state that operates separate day schools for special education, though the practice was once commonplace nationwide.Despite a nationwide push to better integrate students with learning disabilities, some parents say Missouri’s model works for their students. When consultants polled parents about their satisfaction,&nbsp;<a href="https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/pcg-final-report-and-appendices" target="_blank">85% said they felt that MSSD met their child’s needs</a>&nbsp;better than previous schools.

Missouri State Board of Education votes to close 12 schools for disabled students

LIVINGSTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Tuesday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer driven by a 20-year-old Breckenridge man was westbound at the intersection of Matson Street and Garrow Street in Utica.

The driver failed to yield and the SUV struck a southbound 2013 Chrysler 200 driven by a 17-year-old girl from Hamilton.

Livingston County EMS transported the teen to Hedrick Medical Center. The SUV driver was not wearing a seat belt and not injured, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Tuesday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer driven by a 20-year-old Breckenridge man was westbound at the intersection of Matson Street and Garrow Street in Utica.The driver failed to yield and the SUV struck a southbound 2013 Chrysler 200 driven by a 17-year-old girl from Hamilton.Livingston County EMS transported the teen to Hedrick Medical Center. The SUV driver was not wearing a seat belt and not injured, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri teen injured after 2-vehicle crash

BUCHANAN COUNTY —A St. Joseph woman was injured in an accident&nbsp; just after 9a.m. Tuesday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy HHR driven by a 35-year-old St. Joseph man was southbound in the northbound passing lane of South Belt Highway at Powers Drive in St. Joseph.

The vehicle began to skid. The driver changed lanes and struck a northbound 2013 Hyundia Sonota driven by a 78-year-old St. Joseph woman.

Buchanan County EMS transported the 78-year-old to Mosaic Life Care. The Chevy driver was not wearing a seat belt and not injured, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

BUCHANAN COUNTY —A St. Joseph woman was injured in an accident&nbsp; just after 9a.m. Tuesday in Buchanan County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy HHR driven by a 35-year-old St. Joseph man was southbound in the northbound passing lane of South Belt Highway at Powers Drive in St. Joseph.The vehicle began to skid. The driver changed lanes and struck a northbound 2013 Hyundia Sonota driven by a 78-year-old St. Joseph woman.Buchanan County EMS transported the 78-year-old to Mosaic Life Care. The Chevy driver was not wearing a seat belt and not injured, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

St. Joseph woman injured after wrong-way crash on South Belt highway

Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp is nearing its end in St. Joseph, but jumping back to the start of camp, there was the big news of the signing of two players. 

The Chiefs extended the contract of George Karlaftis and signed Trey Smith to a new four year deal. 

Assistant General Manager Chris Shea, who was part of getting those deals done, says it was huge to make sure the team got those new contracts completed

"Zooming out to the big picture, one of the of the core operating principals we have that (Brett) Veach has adopted as the General Manager here. goes all the way up to ownership, is that we want to draft well and retain our own players to the maximum extent possible that's feasible within our constraints," Shea tells reporters following practice.  "We were very happy to get both of those guys done as important starters on both offense and defense."

Shea would not speak however on how close the team is to getting a new deal done for cornerback Trent McDuffie, but emphasized again the importance of keeping a player like that on the team. 

During Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp, fans have seen the battle raging along the offensive line. 

Trying to find the best five guys to protect Patrick Mahomes has been a key focus during this camp in St. Joseph, and the most talked about battle on the team. 

Offensive Line Coach Andy Heck says this has probably been one of the best years of competition among guys along the line, and that talent can stem to the guys beyond the starting five

"When you talk about the eighth, ninth, and 10th spot, there's a lot of competition going on and there's still a lot more to be done there in terms of evaluation, those preseason games are going to be huge," Heck explains. "So, whose operating and grading out, basically getting their guy blocked, the most consistently, who do we trust to put in there on a Sunday or Monday night?"

The Chiefs saw a dip in sacks last year, and hope to emphasize getting to the quarterback more this season. 

Defensive line coach Joe Cullen feels they have the guys to do that with what he's seen during Chiefs Training Camp

"When you look at the two years we won the Super Bowl, and Spags (defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) is creative as it comes in terms of getting to the quarterback, we have guys who can get to the quarterback, and we had like 57 0r 60 two years in a row and we dipped a bit last year, but we picked it up at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs," Cullen says.

Cullen says what they need to do a better job of this year however is not letting the quarterback get out of the pocket, saying his line got to the quarterback plenty last season but couldn't finish, but so far, he's seen a better job of that this season. 

The Chiefs have just one more practice left in St. Joseph, welcoming in the military tomorrow for an 8:15 practice at Missouri Western State University. 

By MATT PIKEKansas City Chiefs Training Camp is nearing its end in St. Joseph, but jumping back to the start of camp, there was the big news of the signing of two players. The Chiefs extended the contract of George Karlaftis and signed Trey Smith to a new four year deal. Assistant General Manager Chris Shea, who was part of getting those deals done, says it was huge to make sure the team got those new contracts completed"Zooming out to the big picture, one of the of the core operating principals we have that (Brett) Veach has adopted as the General Manager here. goes all the way up to ownership, is that we want to draft well and retain our own players to the maximum extent possible that's feasible within our constraints," Shea tells reporters following practice. "We were very happy to get both of those guys done as important starters on both offense and defense."Shea would not speak however on how close the team is to getting a new deal done for cornerback Trent McDuffie, but emphasized again the importance of keeping a player like that on the team. During Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp, fans have seen the battle raging along the offensive line. Trying to find the best five guys to protect Patrick Mahomes has been a key focus during this camp in St. Joseph, and the most talked about battle on the team. Offensive Line Coach Andy Heck says this has probably been one of the best years of competition among guys along the line, and that talent can stem to the guys beyond the starting five"When you talk about the eighth, ninth, and 10th spot, there's a lot of competition going on and there's still a lot more to be done there in terms of evaluation, those preseason games are going to be huge," Heck explains. "So, whose operating and grading out, basically getting their guy blocked, the most consistently, who do we trust to put in there on a Sunday or Monday night?"The Chiefs saw a dip in sacks last year, and hope to emphasize getting to the quarterback more this season. Defensive line coach Joe Cullen feels they have the guys to do that with what he's seen during Chiefs Training Camp"When you look at the two years we won the Super Bowl, and Spags (defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) is creative as it comes in terms of getting to the quarterback, we have guys who can get to the quarterback, and we had like 57 0r 60 two years in a row and we dipped a bit last year, but we picked it up at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs," Cullen says.Cullen says what they need to do a better job of this year however is not letting the quarterback get out of the pocket, saying his line got to the quarterback plenty last season but couldn't finish, but so far, he's seen a better job of that this season. The Chiefs have just one more practice left in St. Joseph, welcoming in the military tomorrow for an 8:15 practice at Missouri Western State University. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Penultimate practice in St. Joseph gives Chiefs one last long day at camp

The University of Missouri Extension is hosting a second annual event designed to empower women in agriculture. 

The 2025 Women in Agriculture night will take place August 21st at the R/Farm Distillery in Mound City, the second event of its kind 

Denise Ferguson with the Missouri Extension in Buchanan County says this type of event is something they are finding they need more of to access a larger audience

"So this is a partnership with the Atchison, Holt, and Nodaway counties soil, water, and conservation district, the Natural Resource Conservation Office, and the FSA office up there," Ferguson says on the KFEQmunnity show.  "They received a grant to cover three counties with Women in Ag events, so last year was the first annual and we did that in Atchison county, this year it's being held in Holt county, and next year it's going to be in Nodaway county."

Ferguson says the event will feature several local vendors and food trucks, but also educational opportunities

"For instance from 4:30 to 5:30 for about an hour, Luke Skinner from the NRCS, he's the area soil health specialist, and he's going to do demonstrations that's going to include rainfall on different ground covers, different scenarios, and he's also going to talk about the grazing schools," Ferguson explains.

&nbsp;Ferguson says this event isn't just for women, it's designed to be about creating community

"Obviously we're targeting women, but it's not limited to women, we just want to create community in the rural areas and educate and share in experiences as far as agriculture," Ferguson says.

The event will run from 4 to 7:30 pm on Thursday August 21st.  Admission is $5.  You can contact the Buchanan County Extension Office or Ferguson for more information.

By MATT PIKEThe University of Missouri Extension is hosting a second annual event designed to empower women in agriculture. The 2025 Women in Agriculture night will take place August 21st at the R/Farm Distillery in Mound City, the second event of its kind Denise Ferguson with the Missouri Extension in Buchanan County says this type of event is something they are finding they need more of to access a larger audience"So this is a partnership with the Atchison, Holt, and Nodaway counties soil, water, and conservation district, the Natural Resource Conservation Office, and the FSA office up there," Ferguson says on the KFEQmunnity show. "They received a grant to cover three counties with Women in Ag events, so last year was the first annual and we did that in Atchison county, this year it's being held in Holt county, and next year it's going to be in Nodaway county."Ferguson says the event will feature several local vendors and food trucks, but also educational opportunities"For instance from 4:30 to 5:30 for about an hour, Luke Skinner from the NRCS, he's the area soil health specialist, and he's going to do demonstrations that's going to include rainfall on different ground covers, different scenarios, and he's also going to talk about the grazing schools," Ferguson explains.&nbsp;Ferguson says this event isn't just for women, it's designed to be about creating community"Obviously we're targeting women, but it's not limited to women, we just want to create community in the rural areas and educate and share in experiences as far as agriculture," Ferguson says.The event will run from 4 to 7:30 pm on Thursday August 21st. Admission is $5. You can contact the Buchanan County Extension Office or Ferguson for more information.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Local annual event empowering women in agriculture

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shalina-chatlani/">Shalina Chatlani</a>

At least 12 states have received federal approval to restrict recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, from using their benefits to purchase certain foods such as soda and candy.

The states receiving waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are overwhelmingly Republican. Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia received approval last week. The feds granted waivers to Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah earlier this year.

Missouri lawmakers have debated a similar ban for several years, but it has yet to win legislative approval.

SNAP&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">served on average</a>&nbsp;nearly 42 million people a month in fiscal 2024, with about 12% of the U.S. population receiving benefits.

The trend is part of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda to “make America healthy again” by inviting states to apply for waivers to change SNAP rules to limit what types of food recipients can buy.

Kennedy said in a statement that SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to “fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics.”

“These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health,” the statement said.

Critics of these waivers say the policy could harm people in places such as food deserts, where healthy options are limited, and take away recipients’ power to make their own food choices.

Craig Gundersen, a professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University, told Stateline that these changes could harm the integrity of the program.

“One of the main reasons why SNAP is such a successful program is because it gives dignity and autonomy to recipients. It gives dignity to recipients by allowing them to shop in the same manner as their neighbors, friends and family, and it gives autonomy to recipients by saying to families: You are the best ones to make decisions for your families about what to purchase,” Gundersen said.

Gundersen said he worries the restrictions could stigmatize SNAP, which he called one of the best programs for fighting food insecurity.

<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754958706400.png" alt=" Sodas and chips are displayed at a convenience store in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York. As of this month, 12 states, mostly Republican and in the South, have opted to limit SNAP recipients from purchasing foods such as soda and candy (Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline)." />
 <figcaption> Sodas and chips are displayed at a convenience store in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York. As of this month, 12 states, mostly Republican and in the South, have opted to limit SNAP recipients from purchasing foods such as soda and candy (Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shalina-chatlani/">Shalina Chatlani</a>At least 12 states have received federal approval to restrict recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, from using their benefits to purchase certain foods such as soda and candy.The states receiving waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are overwhelmingly Republican. Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia received approval last week. The feds granted waivers to Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah earlier this year.Missouri lawmakers have debated a similar ban for several years, but it has yet to win legislative approval.SNAP&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">served on average</a>&nbsp;nearly 42 million people a month in fiscal 2024, with about 12% of the U.S. population receiving benefits.The trend is part of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda to “make America healthy again” by inviting states to apply for waivers to change SNAP rules to limit what types of food recipients can buy.Kennedy said in a statement that SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to “fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics.”“These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health,” the statement said.Critics of these waivers say the policy could harm people in places such as food deserts, where healthy options are limited, and take away recipients’ power to make their own food choices.Craig Gundersen, a professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University, told Stateline that these changes could harm the integrity of the program.“One of the main reasons why SNAP is such a successful program is because it gives dignity and autonomy to recipients. It gives dignity to recipients by allowing them to shop in the same manner as their neighbors, friends and family, and it gives autonomy to recipients by saying to families: You are the best ones to make decisions for your families about what to purchase,” Gundersen said.Gundersen said he worries the restrictions could stigmatize SNAP, which he called one of the best programs for fighting food insecurity.<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.&nbsp;

A dozen states win approval to restrict soda, candy for SNAP recipients

Coming off their first preseason game, the word of the day at Chiefs Training Camp was improvement. 

After falling to the Arizona Cardinals 20-17, head coach Andy Reid said the team had many mistakes to fix and clean up when it came to penalties, having 11 in the game. 

Reid says you address that in practice by detailing your work

"You've got to focus in on the gameplan, know where you're at, and then understand the snap counts and you have to up your attention span there so you get those things covered," Reid tells reporters following practice in St. Joseph.

It was a light practice as the Kansas City Chiefs returned to Missouri Western State University after their preseason opener against the Cardinals. 

Linebacker Nick Bolton says he felt like the defense as a whole did some good things during the preseason opener

"Our tackling was pretty decent, I think our run defense showed up pretty well, got some physicality, and obviously got a turnover," Bolton says.  "So, I feel like some of the things we wanted to do this year we were able to do that, so I think it's a good start, good foundation, but a lot to improve on still."

The Chiefs defense did suffer a blow in the game, losing Deon Bush to an Achilles tendon tear with the safety expected to miss the entire season. 

Kansas City will hope to address the mistakes quickly with their next preseason game coming up on Friday against the Seattle Seahawks.

For the first time in his career not in a quarterback competition, Gardner Minshew suited up for the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday for the first time in preseason action

Minshew rushed for a touchdown and threw for 54 yards before being pulled from the game.  

Minshew says during practices and leading into the season, the biggest challenge for him from Andy Reid has just been to be aggressive

"Take shots, take chances, these practices are times to learn, figure out your limits what you can do," Minshew explains.  "So it's been good, pushing myself, trying to be aggressive, and trying to figure out where i fit in the offense."

Minshew signed with Kansas City on a one year deal in March, replacing Carson Wentz as Patrick Mahomes primary backup, coming to the Chiefs from the Las Vegas Raiders

In a 10-10-10 capacity, in shorts and shells, the Chiefs practiced for just over two hours.  There are just two more practices in St. Joseph, the first tomorrow at 9:15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753213356048.jpeg" alt="Gardner Minshew (17) hands the ball off to Brashard Smith (30) as Patrick Mahomes and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy watch on/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Gardner Minshew (17) hands the ball off to Brashard Smith (30) as Patrick Mahomes and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy watch on/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostComing off their first preseason game, the word of the day at Chiefs Training Camp was improvement. After falling to the Arizona Cardinals 20-17, head coach Andy Reid said the team had many mistakes to fix and clean up when it came to penalties, having 11 in the game. Reid says you address that in practice by detailing your work"You've got to focus in on the gameplan, know where you're at, and then understand the snap counts and you have to up your attention span there so you get those things covered," Reid tells reporters following practice in St. Joseph.It was a light practice as the Kansas City Chiefs returned to Missouri Western State University after their preseason opener against the Cardinals. Linebacker Nick Bolton says he felt like the defense as a whole did some good things during the preseason opener"Our tackling was pretty decent, I think our run defense showed up pretty well, got some physicality, and obviously got a turnover," Bolton says. "So, I feel like some of the things we wanted to do this year we were able to do that, so I think it's a good start, good foundation, but a lot to improve on still."The Chiefs defense did suffer a blow in the game, losing Deon Bush to an Achilles tendon tear with the safety expected to miss the entire season. Kansas City will hope to address the mistakes quickly with their next preseason game coming up on Friday against the Seattle Seahawks.For the first time in his career not in a quarterback competition, Gardner Minshew suited up for the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday for the first time in preseason actionMinshew rushed for a touchdown and threw for 54 yards before being pulled from the game. Minshew says during practices and leading into the season, the biggest challenge for him from Andy Reid has just been to be aggressive"Take shots, take chances, these practices are times to learn, figure out your limits what you can do," Minshew explains. "So it's been good, pushing myself, trying to be aggressive, and trying to figure out where i fit in the offense."Minshew signed with Kansas City on a one year deal in March, replacing Carson Wentz as Patrick Mahomes primary backup, coming to the Chiefs from the Las Vegas RaidersIn a 10-10-10 capacity, in shorts and shells, the Chiefs practiced for just over two hours. There are just two more practices in St. Joseph, the first tomorrow at 9:15.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754992861863.jpeg" alt="Nick Bolton (32) walks to practice during Chiefs Training Camp alongside linebacker Jack Cochrane (43) / Photo by Justin Peacock" />
 <figcaption>Nick Bolton (32) walks to practice during Chiefs Training Camp alongside linebacker Jack Cochrane (43) / Photo by Justin Peacock</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Improvement focus of Chiefs Training Camp after first preseason game

The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation released the draft of cannabis rules that would give it more authority to keep non-compliant owners from obtaining other licenses

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>

Missouri cannabis business owners who have had their license revoked for violating state rules could be prohibited from getting another license under&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/comment/" target="_blank">proposed rules</a>&nbsp;announced by state regulators Thursday.&nbsp;

The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation released the draft of a massive overhaul of cannabis rules giving regulators more authority to address a range of issues, including predatory practices in the state’s social-equity cannabis licenses, product recalls involving hemp-derived THC and non-compliant owners obtaining other licenses.

“We have found over the years that there’s really not a lot of structure or authority in rule… for us to address individuals in ownership or potential ownership who have been found to be either violating regulations themselves or responsible for those who are violating rules,” Amy Moore, director of the division, told The Independent Friday. “We have found that that is a gap.”

Among the rule revisions, Moore said, is a requirement for businesses to have mechanisms in place to remove owners who are responsible for violating state regulations.&nbsp;

The changes cover so much ground, Moore said, because the division hasn’t made any rule alterations since the recreational marijuana constitutional amendment passed in 2022.

“It’s the things that we’ve learned over time,” she said, “and found it needed improvement or needed to be fixed. Hopefully we’re not missing anything.”&nbsp;

Aside from revisions, a brand new rule released Thursday would establish an unlimited number of research licenses to study cannabis in Missouri.

The public can submit the feedback on the&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/comment/" target="_blank">division’s website</a>&nbsp;until Aug. 21, and regulators will then review them and decide if they want to formally submit the rules to the Secretary of State’s Office.&nbsp;

Moore said if her team decides to move forward, they would like to do it “quickly.”

“If I thought, ‘Okay, we’ve solved everybody’s concern’…we could have it done in a couple weeks,” she said, “but we want to be sure that we are open to all the feedback and that we really consider it all.”

Nearly a year after the state stripped Robertsville-based Delta Extraction of its license in&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">November 2023</a>, regulators approved one of the company’s co-owners — AJO LLC — to take over a cultivation and manufacturing facility in Waynesville in May 2024. It’s a far bigger operation than Delta Extraction, and it also involves several dispensaries as well.

Lisa Cox, spokeswoman for the division,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/30/co-owners-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-marijuana-recall-got-greenlight-for-another-license/">told The Independent in May</a>&nbsp;that the rules currently do not prohibit individuals who have had a license revoked from acquiring another license.&nbsp;

Moore said Friday that the new rules would give the division “a much better standing” to deny an application for a license for an owner who’s been noncompliant previously.&nbsp;

She hopes it gives licensees “fair warning” when choosing future business partners.

“That’s part of why these new rules are so important,” she said. “This rule gives them a big heads up that that’s not going to work out for them, and they shouldn’t make that investment and get themselves tied up with individuals who have had previous non compliance.”

It also establishes an annual review of ownership for every license.&nbsp;

In February, Delta lost its appeal to get its license back, with Missouri’s administrative hearing commission concluding it had a “corporate culture of lax compliance with regulatory requirements.”

The scathing 137-page&nbsp;<a href="https://legacy.www.documentcloud.org/documents/25540171-delta-extraction-decision" target="_blank">ruling</a>, issued by Commissioner Carole Iles, informed the revisions released Thursday, Moore said.&nbsp;

Iles agreed with the division that the company’s practice of bringing in hemp-derived THC concentrate from other states and adding it to Missouri-grown marijuana products was a violation of state law.&nbsp;

“What this is doing is clarifying what we believe has always been in our rules and I think the Delta Extraction order from AHC confirms that that is what our rules mean…” Moore said, “that all the THC and THCA and those types of compounds need to originate from cannabis grown in our licensed facilities.”

The microbusiness program, which was written into the Missouri 2022 constitutional amendment that legalized marijuana, was designed for the licenses to end up in the hands of disadvantaged business owners. The eligibility criteria includes disabled veterans, those with lower incomes and people with non-violent marijuana offenses.

Since the program began in 2023, the division has struggled to prevent what some legal experts have called “fronts,” or arrangements where the profits and ownership weren’t going to people that regulators had certified were eligible.&nbsp;

Of the 96 microbusiness licenses issued so far,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/15/missouri-cannabis-regulators-revoke-25-microbusiness-licenses/">regulators have revoked 34</a>.&nbsp;

For&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/26/applicants-recruited-on-craigslist-competed-for-missouri-social-equity-cannabis-licenses/">the last two years</a>, The Independent has documented the pattern of well-connected groups and individuals flooding the microbusiness lottery by recruiting people to submit applications and then offering them contracts that limited their profit and control of the business. A majority of the revoked licenses followed this pattern.

These kinds of agreements violate the constitutional requirement that the license be “majority owned and operated” by eligible individuals, Moore explained at a division&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/21/unlawful-predatory-practices-must-be-rooted-out-of-missouri-microbusiness-program-regulator-says/">town hall meeting</a>&nbsp;in February.&nbsp;

“It is not sustainable to keep going through rounds of license issuance and then having to do rounds of revocations,” she said in February. “We’re never going to get this market fully built out.”

The division first released rule changes for microbusiness licenses in December.&nbsp;The draft released Thursday includes some of the feedback the division received this winter, Moore said, but retained the core elements.

The designated contact for a microbusiness applicant must still be an eligible individual contributing to the majority ownership of the microbusiness license. And any entity who was the designated contact for a license that was previously revoked for failure to comply with the ownership and operation requirements may not be allowed to be involved in any capacity in a future microbusiness application.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In order to prevent numerous revocations, the division is proposing to adjust when its extensive application-review period occurs.&nbsp;

“Those adjustments really clarify what we are actually accomplishing here, which is ensuring that these licenses are held by eligible individuals,” Moore said. “And I think everyone really should agree that that’s the goal. I think the language that they have now is better&nbsp;focused on doing that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754917767363.png" alt=" Amy Moore, (right) director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, speaks at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s summit on March 28 in St. Louis. At left is Mitch Meyers, partner at BeLeaf Medical marijuana company (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Amy Moore, (right) director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, speaks at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s summit on March 28 in St. Louis. At left is Mitch Meyers, partner at BeLeaf Medical marijuana company (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation released the draft of cannabis rules that would give it more authority to keep non-compliant owners from obtaining other licenses</h2>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>Missouri cannabis business owners who have had their license revoked for violating state rules could be prohibited from getting another license under&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/comment/" target="_blank">proposed rules</a>&nbsp;announced by state regulators Thursday.&nbsp;The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation released the draft of a massive overhaul of cannabis rules giving regulators more authority to address a range of issues, including predatory practices in the state’s social-equity cannabis licenses, product recalls involving hemp-derived THC and non-compliant owners obtaining other licenses.“We have found over the years that there’s really not a lot of structure or authority in rule… for us to address individuals in ownership or potential ownership who have been found to be either violating regulations themselves or responsible for those who are violating rules,” Amy Moore, director of the division, told The Independent Friday. “We have found that that is a gap.”Among the rule revisions, Moore said, is a requirement for businesses to have mechanisms in place to remove owners who are responsible for violating state regulations.&nbsp;The changes cover so much ground, Moore said, because the division hasn’t made any rule alterations since the recreational marijuana constitutional amendment passed in 2022.“It’s the things that we’ve learned over time,” she said, “and found it needed improvement or needed to be fixed. Hopefully we’re not missing anything.”&nbsp;Aside from revisions, a brand new rule released Thursday would establish an unlimited number of research licenses to study cannabis in Missouri.The public can submit the feedback on the&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/comment/" target="_blank">division’s website</a>&nbsp;until Aug. 21, and regulators will then review them and decide if they want to formally submit the rules to the Secretary of State’s Office.&nbsp;Moore said if her team decides to move forward, they would like to do it “quickly.”“If I thought, ‘Okay, we’ve solved everybody’s concern’…we could have it done in a couple weeks,” she said, “but we want to be sure that we are open to all the feedback and that we really consider it all.”<h2>Delta Extraction case</h2>Nearly a year after the state stripped Robertsville-based Delta Extraction of its license in&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">November 2023</a>, regulators approved one of the company’s co-owners — AJO LLC — to take over a cultivation and manufacturing facility in Waynesville in May 2024. It’s a far bigger operation than Delta Extraction, and it also involves several dispensaries as well.Lisa Cox, spokeswoman for the division,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/30/co-owners-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-marijuana-recall-got-greenlight-for-another-license/">told The Independent in May</a>&nbsp;that the rules currently do not prohibit individuals who have had a license revoked from acquiring another license.&nbsp;Moore said Friday that the new rules would give the division “a much better standing” to deny an application for a license for an owner who’s been noncompliant previously.&nbsp;She hopes it gives licensees “fair warning” when choosing future business partners.“That’s part of why these new rules are so important,” she said. “This rule gives them a big heads up that that’s not going to work out for them, and they shouldn’t make that investment and get themselves tied up with individuals who have had previous non compliance.”It also establishes an annual review of ownership for every license.&nbsp;In February, Delta lost its appeal to get its license back, with Missouri’s administrative hearing commission concluding it had a “corporate culture of lax compliance with regulatory requirements.”The scathing 137-page&nbsp;<a href="https://legacy.www.documentcloud.org/documents/25540171-delta-extraction-decision" target="_blank">ruling</a>, issued by Commissioner Carole Iles, informed the revisions released Thursday, Moore said.&nbsp;Iles agreed with the division that the company’s practice of bringing in hemp-derived THC concentrate from other states and adding it to Missouri-grown marijuana products was a violation of state law.&nbsp;“What this is doing is clarifying what we believe has always been in our rules and I think the Delta Extraction order from AHC confirms that that is what our rules mean…” Moore said, “that all the THC and THCA and those types of compounds need to originate from cannabis grown in our licensed facilities.”<h2>Microbusiness ‘fronts’</h2>The microbusiness program, which was written into the Missouri 2022 constitutional amendment that legalized marijuana, was designed for the licenses to end up in the hands of disadvantaged business owners. The eligibility criteria includes disabled veterans, those with lower incomes and people with non-violent marijuana offenses.Since the program began in 2023, the division has struggled to prevent what some legal experts have called “fronts,” or arrangements where the profits and ownership weren’t going to people that regulators had certified were eligible.&nbsp;Of the 96 microbusiness licenses issued so far,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/15/missouri-cannabis-regulators-revoke-25-microbusiness-licenses/">regulators have revoked 34</a>.&nbsp;For&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/26/applicants-recruited-on-craigslist-competed-for-missouri-social-equity-cannabis-licenses/">the last two years</a>, The Independent has documented the pattern of well-connected groups and individuals flooding the microbusiness lottery by recruiting people to submit applications and then offering them contracts that limited their profit and control of the business. A majority of the revoked licenses followed this pattern.These kinds of agreements violate the constitutional requirement that the license be “majority owned and operated” by eligible individuals, Moore explained at a division&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/21/unlawful-predatory-practices-must-be-rooted-out-of-missouri-microbusiness-program-regulator-says/">town hall meeting</a>&nbsp;in February.&nbsp;“It is not sustainable to keep going through rounds of license issuance and then having to do rounds of revocations,” she said in February. “We’re never going to get this market fully built out.”The division first released rule changes for microbusiness licenses in December.&nbsp;The draft released Thursday includes some of the feedback the division received this winter, Moore said, but retained the core elements.The designated contact for a microbusiness applicant must still be an eligible individual contributing to the majority ownership of the microbusiness license. And any entity who was the designated contact for a license that was previously revoked for failure to comply with the ownership and operation requirements may not be allowed to be involved in any capacity in a future microbusiness application.&nbsp;&nbsp;In order to prevent numerous revocations, the division is proposing to adjust when its extensive application-review period occurs.&nbsp;“Those adjustments really clarify what we are actually accomplishing here, which is ensuring that these licenses are held by eligible individuals,” Moore said. “And I think everyone really should agree that that’s the goal. I think the language that they have now is better&nbsp;focused on doing that.”

Missouri cannabis regulators target rule breakers, predatory contracts

It’s national
“8-1-1 Day” – the day homeowners are reminded to call 8-1-1 before they dig.

Manager of Damage
Prevention for Spire, Alan Meyer, says it’s important to call 8-1-1 before
beginning that excavation project.

“Well, the
importance is to keep you and your community safe,” Meyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph
Post.

And a simple, free
call to 8-1-1 can accomplish that.

“Well, I would say
no matter how big or small the project is, you have utilities below ground. The
call is free,” Meyer says. “Why not protect yourself?”

After placing the
call to 8-1-1, utility representatives will come to your property and mark
where the utility lines run under your property. It takes two to three days for
utilities to respond to the job site.

Meyer says
property owners should place the free call to 8-1-1 before beginning to dig,
even if they think it’s a small project such as installing a mailbox, putting
on a deck, or planting flowers.

“The size of the
project doesn’t matter,” Meyer says. “Whether you’re planting tulips in your
flower bed or you’re planting trees in your backyard or you’re doing an
irrigation system intact, anything like that. It doesn’t relinquish the
importance of calling.”

But, if you don’t
call and you or your contractor rupture a gas line, Meyer says you need to move
to a safe location upwind of the damage. Call 9-1-1 immediately.

“And you also need
to call 8-1-1, notify them that you’ve hit a utility and you also need to call
the gas company so that they can respond,” Meyer says. “The beauty of calling
9-1-1 is you’re going to get people in route. They’re the first responders,
typically. They’ll start making the area safe. But, again, the first thing is
to move to a safe location, upwind of the damage.”

Spire recommends
these steps for safe digging:

• Dial 811 to
request a site be marked. The call and the locating services are free.

• Call at least
three days before digging. A locator will mark lines that could be impacted by
your project. Spire lines will be marked with yellow flags and/or spray paint.

• Be careful when
digging around the markers to avoid accidentally damaging buried natural gas or
other utility lines.

• Double check the
lines have been marked and ask your contractor if you hired one. Do not allow

The annual “811
Day” initiative is led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration.

For more
information about safe digging and excavation, visit
<a href="https://spireenergy.com/call-you-dig">spireenergy.com/call-you-dig</a>.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754672882162.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Spire" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Spire</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINIt’s national
“8-1-1 Day” – the day homeowners are reminded to call 8-1-1 before they dig.Manager of Damage
Prevention for Spire, Alan Meyer, says it’s important to call 8-1-1 before
beginning that excavation project.“Well, the
importance is to keep you and your community safe,” Meyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph
Post.And a simple, free
call to 8-1-1 can accomplish that.“Well, I would say
no matter how big or small the project is, you have utilities below ground. The
call is free,” Meyer says. “Why not protect yourself?”After placing the
call to 8-1-1, utility representatives will come to your property and mark
where the utility lines run under your property. It takes two to three days for
utilities to respond to the job site.Meyer says
property owners should place the free call to 8-1-1 before beginning to dig,
even if they think it’s a small project such as installing a mailbox, putting
on a deck, or planting flowers.“The size of the
project doesn’t matter,” Meyer says. “Whether you’re planting tulips in your
flower bed or you’re planting trees in your backyard or you’re doing an
irrigation system intact, anything like that. It doesn’t relinquish the
importance of calling.”But, if you don’t
call and you or your contractor rupture a gas line, Meyer says you need to move
to a safe location upwind of the damage. Call 9-1-1 immediately.“And you also need
to call 8-1-1, notify them that you’ve hit a utility and you also need to call
the gas company so that they can respond,” Meyer says. “The beauty of calling
9-1-1 is you’re going to get people in route. They’re the first responders,
typically. They’ll start making the area safe. But, again, the first thing is
to move to a safe location, upwind of the damage.”Spire recommends
these steps for safe digging:• Dial 811 to
request a site be marked. The call and the locating services are free.• Call at least
three days before digging. A locator will mark lines that could be impacted by
your project. Spire lines will be marked with yellow flags and/or spray paint.• Be careful when
digging around the markers to avoid accidentally damaging buried natural gas or
other utility lines.• Double check the
lines have been marked and ask your contractor if you hired one. Do not allowThe annual “811
Day” initiative is led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration.For more
information about safe digging and excavation, visit
<a href="https://spireenergy.com/call-you-dig">spireenergy.com/call-you-dig</a>.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ