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50-hour filibuster forces more negotiations on GOP-backed initiative petition changesby Anna Spoerre, Missouri Independent A 50-hour Democratic filibuster forced the Senate’s divided GOP majority to finally yield Wednesday evening, stalling a vote ona bill seeking to make it more difficult to amend Missouri’s constitution. Democrats have blocked all action in the Senate since Monday afternoon, demanding that the legislation be stripped of “ballot candy” that would bar non-citizens from voting and ban foreign entities from contributing to or sponsoring constitutional amendments, both of which are already illegal. The Senate passed the bill without ballot candy in February. The House added it back last month. Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, an Independence Democrat, on Tuesday said the situation presented an existential crisis for the Senate, as Republicans openly considered a rarely-used maneuver to kill the filibuster and force a vote on the bill. “Are the bullies going to win?” Rizzo asked. “Or is the rest of the Senate finally going to stand up for itself and say ‘no more.’” He got an answer just before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, when state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, an Arnold Republican and the bill’s sponsor, surprised many of her colleagues by asking that the Senate send the bill back to the House for more negotiations on whether to include “ballot candy.” Republicans simply didn’t have the votes to kill the filibuster, she said, and Democrats showed no signs of relenting before session ends at 6 p.m. Friday. “These policies are too important to play political games with,” Coleman said, adding that going to conference to work out a deal with the House was the only way to keep it alive in the face of unrelenting Democratic opposition. “In a perfect world, we would not be between a rock and a hard place.” The sudden change in tactics was not well-taken by members of the Freedom Caucus, who argued sending the bill back to the House with only two days left before adjournment puts its chances at risk. Tim Jones, a former Missouri House speaker and current director of the state’s Freedom Caucus, wrote on social media Thursday evening that Coleman “effectively killed her own bill today.” Ultimately, the Senate voted 18-13 to send the bill to conference, with nine Republicans joining nine Democrats in support of the move. If the bill passes, Missourians would have the opportunity to vote later this year on whether or not to require constitutional amendments be approved by both a majority of votes statewide and a majority of votes in five of the state’s eight congressional districts. Right now, amendments pass with a simple majority. A possible vote on abortion in November is a catalyst behind the battle over the bill, as a campaign to legalize abortion up to the point of fetal viability is on the path to the statewide ballot. Republicans have said that without raising the threshold for changing the state’s constitution, a constitutional right to abortion will likely become the law of the land in Missouri. Need to get in touch?Have a news tip?State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican and a member of the Freedom Caucus, tipped his hat to the Democrats’ “wherewithal” before scorning some of his Republican colleagues. “Unfortunately, this Republican Party has no backbone to fight for what is right for life,” he shouted from the Senate floor. “ … They will have the blood of the innocent on their heads. Shame on this party.” Coleman’s move also came as a surprise to state Rep. Alex Riley, a Republican from Springfield who sponsored the initiative petition bill in the House. “We’re going to have to have some conversations tonight to figure out what exactly it is they have in mind,” he said. “We will be having many conversations over the next few hours.” House Speaker Dean Plocher said he was pleased to see the impasse broken, adding that the House is ready to work on a final version that can be passed. He didn’t promise to remove the “ballot candy” added by the House.
Asked if Coleman made a tactical mistake in telling the House to restore the items removed during the first Democratic filibuster, Plocher said he hadn’t spoken to Coleman and declined to speculate on whether the outcome would have been different had she not. Democrats left the Senate Wednesday evening declaring victory. “This body by and large is a staunch supporter of democracy. That doesn’t just go for one side of the aisle. That goes for both sides,” Rizzo said. “This is not protecting the ballot for Democrats or Republicans or one issue or the other issue that you might like or dislike. This protects the ballot box for Republicans and Democrats alike for the future.” Rizzo maintained that removing the ballot candy is still the only way Democrats will allow the bill to get through the Senate if it returns from the House. “If you haven’t figured that out in the last three or four days, I don’t know where you’ve been,” Rizzo said, adding: “Hopefully sleeping.” As the Senate prepared to vote, state Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican and Freedom Caucus member, warned his colleagues not to be optimistic that the Senate will come back Thursday and pass other bills waiting in the pipeline. “If the hope is that this process is going to somehow lead us back to a place of engaging more legislation besides this, I’m gonna say this very clearly,” he said. “Don’t get your hopes up.” Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and Twitter.
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Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 16,700 jobs in April 2024, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.4 percent. Private industry employment increased by 16,400 jobs and government employment increased by 300 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 74,900 jobs from April 2023 to April 2024, and the unemployment rate increased by half of a percentage point, from 2.9 percent in April 2023 to 3.4 percent in April 2024.
EMPLOYMENT Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 3,042,600 in April 2024, up by 16,700 from the revised March 2024 figure. The March 2024 total was revised upward by 3,900 jobs from the preliminary estimate. Goods-producing industries increased by 5,900 jobs over the month, with manufacturing gaining 3,500 jobs and mining, logging, and construction gaining 2,400 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 10,500 jobs between March 2024 and April 2024. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in private education and health services (2,900 jobs); professional and business services (2,000 jobs); leisure and hospitality (1,900 jobs); other services (1,400 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (1,200 jobs); information (900 jobs); and financial activities (200 jobs). No private high-level industries reported a decline in employment for the month. Total government employment increased by 300 jobs over the month, with increases in local government (600 jobs) and decreases in federal (-200 jobs) and state government (-100 jobs). Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 74,900 jobs from April 2023 to April 2024. The largest gains were in private education and health services (22,600 jobs); leisure and hospitality (15,000 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (9,800 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (6,300 jobs); other services (5,100 jobs); financial activities (4,100 jobs); manufacturing (2,900 jobs); and information (500 jobs). Employment decreased in professional and business services (-2,000 jobs). Government employment increased by 10,600 jobs over the year, with increases in local (5,000 jobs), state (4,100 jobs), and federal government (1,500 jobs). UNEMPLOYMENT Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in April 2024, reaching 3.4 percent from the revised March 2024 rate of 3.3 percent. The April 2024 rate of 3.4 percent was half of a percentage point higher than the April 2023 rate of 2.9 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 105,408 in April 2024, up 1,734 from the revised March total of 103,674. The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased in April 2024, declining by half of a percentage point to 3.2 percent from the March 2024 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 3.7 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 2.6 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for April 2024 was 3.5 percent. Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.3 percent in April 2024, six-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.7 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.1 percent in April 2024, nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 60.2 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in April 2024, half of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.9 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for nine years. The following information is derived from Grain Valley Police Department daily calls service log for the week of May 7-14, 2024.
May 7, 2024 PHQ Citizen Contact 1100 Blk BB Citizen Assist 600 Blk SW Creek Ridge Alarm 600 Blk SW Westview Dr Alarm PHQ Public Service 400 Blk Main st Physical Disturbance 500 Blk NW Woodbury Barking Dog May 8, 2024 200 NW Woodbury Well check PHQ Warrant Confirmation Buckner Tarsney/Greystone Physical Altercation 1400 NE Mary Ct Alarm 1500 Blk NE Erin Ct Animal Control Buckner Tarsney Rd/Greystone Blvd Physical Disturbance 600 Blk SW Creek Ridge Dr Alarm May 10, 2024 1700 Blk NW Woodburry Threats 700 Blk R.D. Mize Citizen Contact 1300 Blk NW Rosewood Noise Complaint 900 Broadway Suspicious Vehicle May 11, 2024 40/Main Motor Vehicle Accident 900 Blk SW Sandy Ln Well check 800 Blk SW Brome Area Check 1400 Willow Dr Area Check 1800 Blk Broadway Verbal Disturbance May 12, 2024 500 Blk R.D. Mize Citizen Contact May 13, 2024 700 Blk R.D. Mize Rd Custody exchange May 14, 2024 I-70/ E B Agency Assist 1400 Blk NW Highview Alarm 1100 Blk NW Buckner Tarsney Motor Vehicle Accident 600 Blk SW Sunset Parking Complaint 1300 Blk SW Eagles Suspicious Vehicle 1100 Blk McQuerry Rd Parking Complaint by Michael Smith The Grain Valley girls soccer team got a key player back just in time. This week, sophomore Radleigh Childers made her return in a Monday game against William Chrisman after missing two games due to a right knee injury she suffered during a 1-0 win against Blue Springs on April 23. She made an immediate impact upon her return as she helped the team beat Chrisman 8-0 on Monday and Platte County 6-1 Wednesday. She appeared to be 100 percent in the Eagles’ regular-season finale against Raytown on Thursday as she had two goals and two assists as Grain Valley cruised to a 9-0 victory on the road. “I was just easing back into games this week and the knee felt fine,” Childers said. Childers provides Grain Valley speed and athleticism at the forward possession, and she forms a dynamic goal-scoring duo with senior Emma Thiessen. “It’s huge,” Grain Valley head coach Brett Lewis said of getting his star forward back. “She gives us a log of speed at the forward or wing position. She gives us a big boost in terms of attacking power.” Sophomore goalkeeper Alayna Maybell is another Eagle who has been dealing with an injury as she has a bruised rib that she sustained in a 1-0 loss to Blue Springs South on May 2. Lewis said he anticipates she will be ready to play by the time his team plays Fort Osage on Monday in the first round of the Class 4 District 6 Tournament. “She’s good. She played against Platte County. This is precautionary,” Lewis said. “We want her to have a rest. Hopefully things feel better next week.” Even without Maybell the Eagles were able to shut out Raytown and have some fun doing it. Lewis allowed back line players to play up top as forwards and wings, while those who were normally in those positions were dropped to the back line. Childers was one of them as she played as a right back late in the game and senior Sevi Aumua, a defender, played as a forward and scored a goal with 12 seconds left. “I promised Sevi and some of the defenders if we get a certain amount of a lead, I will try them at forward and have a little bit of fun,” Lewis said. Added Aumua: “Playing up top was definitely weird. I didn’t know where to go. I was yelling at Emma (Thiessen) and Meghan (Knust) ‘Where do I stand?’ Scoring felt good, I thought I was going to kick it over the top.” Joining Aumua and Childers in the scoring were Thiessen, junior Ally GIlbert, senior Sophia Guiliano, sophomore Avery Stumpenhaus and junior Josie Daniels, who each had a goal. Correction: Corrected name of Radleigh Childers from original version. 5/11/2024 8:00pm Grain Valley senior Sevi Aumua, left, and sophomore Radleigh Childers got to try playing new positions during their team's 9-0 win against Raytown Thursday on the road. Childers had two goals and two assists and Aumua had a score. Photo credit: Michael Smith
The Grain Valley Police Department celebrated its newly constructed station during a ribbon cutting and open house on May 8th. The new building features an upgraded property storage area, a juvenile holding area, ample space for officers to complete reports, holding cells that meet state statutes, and a dedicated training room for officers and community use. Voters approved a $14,000,000 bond issue in April 2022 to fund the construction of the new police facility, located near Butterfly Trail at 719 NW R.D. Mize Road. During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mayor Mike Todd recognized the officers and staff of the police department for their patience and flexibility as they worked in cramped conditions at City Hall. Todd recalled the department's humble beginnings in a small building on Front Street to their home of 20 years at City Hall. Police Chief Ed Turner echoed the Mayor's praise of the officers and staff during the transition. "I can tell you personally, that almost 30 years ago now, I started in that little building that the mayor talked about on Front Street, and it was tight then. And I know there's been a lot of growing pains in the building we are in now. I want to thank the community for their outpouring of support and acknowledging the need in the community. Our promise to the community is to reciprocate that, elevating our level of service, provide those things that are necessary to you, and we look forward to opportunities in this building for community outreach," Turner said. A public open house followed the ribbon cutting, where residents could tour the new station. The department will begin moving into the new space this week. Correction: Date corrected from May 9th to May 8th. (10:30am 5/9/2024) Despite thunderstorms and a tornado watch, 70 people gathered at the Good People Café on Saturday, April 27th for the launch of a new type of worship service in Grain Valley. Good People Worship is designed to be accessible and inclusive of people with all different abilities. “Over half of families of individuals with disabilities report that they have refrained from participating in religious activities because they felt unsupported and unincluded,” Mike Cassidy, pastor of Faith UMC, the church behind Good People Worship said. “Often churches that do provide support offer separate ministries for the disability population. We created Good People Worship not as a ministry for people with disabilities, but rather a ministry that includes and is led by all people, with and without disabilities.” This was evident throughout the night. Bella West, a local “super senior” in Grain Valley High School’s SPED program, opened the evening with prayer. Sam Laws, another “super senior” who will be attending UCM’s Thrive program in the fall, served as the acolyte, lighting the worship candles on the altar. One of the highlights of the service was Blanca Garcia, a young woman with Down Syndrome, who tap danced to Luke Bryan’s Country Girl during the offering time. A portion of the offering collected at each service will go toward opening and operating the Good People Café. Like the worship service, the café will intentionally employ people of all abilities, providing a place for many in the area disability community to work with dignity and purpose. Good People Café will open for breakfast and lunch in mid-May 2024. The theme of Saturday night was loving our community. “When we love one another,” said Pastor Mike, “our hearts get a little bigger, and the world gets a little smaller.” The world did seem smaller on Saturday. People from multiple surrounding communities were in attendance, the worship band included musicians from three different denominations, and members of five different United Methodist congregations helped make this night happen. Good People Worship meets every Saturday night at 6pm at the Good People Café, located at 101 SW Eagles Parkway, Grain Valley, MO inside the former public library. Grain Valley High School senior Sam Laws lighting the worship candles at the beginning of the service. Photo credit: Good People Worship
A new policy brief from Jackson County Public Health (JCPH) "Improving Tenant Health: A Proactive Approach Through Rental Inspection Policies," highlights the crucial correlation between housing quality and resident well-being in Eastern Jackson County (EJC).
As explored in the brief, renters are more likely to live in houses with severely inadequate plumbing, heating, wiring, and general upkeep. These conditions contribute to problems like asthma, mold exposure, pest exposure, and childhood lead poisoning. Most housing code enforcement programs only require an inspection after a complaint has been filed. But cities with proactive rental inspection (PRI) programs can reduce the length of time that property violations remain unaddressed. “Rental inspection policies serve as proactive measures to identify, rectify, and prevent housing issues in rental homes,” Meghan Senne, MPH, Health Policy Coordinator at JCPH said. “These policies protect tenants from living in chronically inadequate conditions, and ultimately promote the overall livability and well-being of the entire community.” Jackson County Public Health highlights the cities in EJC that already have a PRI in place, and calls on other cities in our jurisdiction to implement similar policies. Cities of any size or capacity can participate. The following municipalities currently have PRI programs in place:
These municipalities all require inspections before rental units can receive a permit or certificate, as well as routine follow-up inspections. “The City of Grandview first implemented this program to ensure families and individuals have access to safe and healthy housing,” Grandview Mayor Leonard Jones said. “After five years, I can confidently say this program is working. By inspecting units and homes between a change of tenants, our inspector can identify necessary repairs to protect future tenants. This program is one of the many ways Grandview is improving the quality of life for its residents.” Such interventions also enjoy broad community support. In JCPH’s 2023 Community Health Assessment Survey, 77% of survey respondents expressed support for a program that would establish health and safety standards for rental housing units. Through encouraging proactive rental inspection policies and providing data on the impact of inadequate housing conditions, Jackson County Public Health aims to uphold essential health and safety standards in rental properties. JCPH states the policies not only safeguard tenants from potential health risks but also foster a more robust sense of community well-being. By holding landlords accountable for maintaining safe and livable housing, cities can lay the groundwork for a healthier environment conducive to the flourishing of all residents. For further details, the full policy brief "Improving Tenant Health: A Proactive Approach Through Rental Inspection Policies," can be found here. The National WWI Museum and Memorial announced two Main Gallery exhibit areas that will open to the public on Tuesday, May 7. “Epilogue: A World Transformed” and “Into the Trenches” will reopen to feature new technology and stories showcasing the enduring impact of WWI. These renovations tell new and interesting narratives from WWI and create a richer and more immersive visitor experience.
Epilogue: A World Transformed “Epilogue: A World Transformed” is the final physical space visitors encounter in the Main Gallery. Projected using state-of-the-art technology on the back and side walls of the Epilogue room, a narrative environmental film surrounds guests with large-scale, floor to ceiling imagery, spoken word, sound design and music to provoke an understanding of the outcomes, continuing effects and challenges experienced in the 20th century and today, set off by the events of WWI. Into the Trenches Guests can now step inside the trenches and immerse themselves in five different trench settings. Additional cast figures and props, created using 3D scans of live models, have been added to enhance the experience. A new short, animated film details war plans like the Schlieffen Plan, which envisioned a quick-moving offensive leading to a rapid victory. A second video shows archival materials of destroyed trenches and the true terrors of trench warfare. Visitors celebrating Memorial Day at the Museum and Memorial will be some of the first to view these new spaces. From Friday, May 24 – Monday, May 27, the Museum and Memorial will offer free General Admission for Veterans/Active-Duty Military (plus spouses and dependents with ID) and half-price general admission for the public. “We are thrilled about the reopening of “Into the Trenches” and the new immersive video in “Epilogue.” Visitors who have experienced these two exhibit areas in the past will be blown away by the upgrades to technology and the way that we tell the stories from WWI,” said Dr. Christopher Warren, Vice President of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator of the National WWI Museum and Memorial. The original designer of the Main Gallery, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, is also the designer for this newest round of Main Gallery updates. The exhibition designer and fabricator for "Into the Trenches" is Taylor Studios Inc. Donna Lawrence Productions is the creator and producer of the "Epilogue" film and RLMG is the creator and producer for the two films in "Into the Trenches." Electrosonic is responsible for the AV design and integration in both spaces. This phase of construction follows the updates that opened in Nov. 2023 to “America Mobilizes,” the interactives tables and more, plus the recent renovation to the Lower Level that opened in May 2023, featuring the Berman Family Gallery and Open Storage Center. The next projects scheduled to open (in fall 2024) are: Casualties (Hospital) A replica bombed-out church repurposed to treat the wounded will give visitors a peek into the workings of a field hospital and the realities and innovations of battlefield medicine in WWI. Battlescape (Crater) A new immersive film will be projected onto the inner surface of a recreated battle crater, allowing visitors to view deeply affecting scenes that depict the horrors of WWI artillery. The Renault FT17 Tank The Renault FT17 will be repositioned for a full walk-around view of the tank. At interactive stations guests will learn about it with a 3D model. Phased construction will continue into 2025. The Museum and Memorial will remain open and guest impact is anticipated to be minimal. You've probably heard of Nextdoor, the social media app that's designed for you and your neighbors to connect with each other. Like other social media apps such as Meta, Linkedin, Snapchat and Pinterest, Nextdoor prioritizes the safety and privacy of user and have measures in place to help you have an enjoyable experience.
However, where there are people, there are local and international cyber crooks who are looking to harass and scam you. With NextDoor being focused on your neighborhood connections, it's important that you take extra steps to keep you and your family safe. Check out the following tips to stay safe and secure when using this neighborhood-centered app and website. Hey, We're All Neighbors. One of the best things about Nextdoor is when you set up an account, it uses your geographic location. Verification is done via your smartphone billing address and by an SMS verification process which is essentially 2 step verification. This should give you peace of mind knowing that the people you connect and communicate on Nextdoor are real people and not bot accounts like you can encounter on other social media platforms. However, you still need to use caution. NextDoor Privacy Policy Works Like Other Social Media Networks. Nextdoor may work a little differently than other social media networks, but they collect your data as well just like every other social media app you're using. Collecting your data is one of the ways social media apps can survive. As the old saying goes, for free products on the web, "If you're not paying for the product, then you're the product". Whenever your use Nextdoor. it collects information from your browser and devices. This means that if you use Nextdoor on multiple devices (your computer, your phone, your tablet), then it collects data from all those places. Hide Your Address. One of the most important privacy features you have is ability to hide your address from everyone in your neighborhood and beyond. Unfortunately, your connections will still be able to see your street name, but they can't see your full address. This is helpful to protect you and your family from online bullying activity such as doxing. To verify your address is hidden, do the following: Select your profile picture in the top right and then select Settings > Privacy. Look for the Show address to my neighborhood as setting and select the option that only displays your street name. Build Up Your Personal Firewall. You may think cyber crooks aren't interested in your Nextdoor account, but remember any social media account is a target to criminals. This means you should protect your Nextdoor account like you would your bank. Strong passphrases and enabling 2 step authentication on your account is a must. Watch What You Post. When you post to NextDoor, your whole neighborhood sees what you post. This is helpful if you're trying to share important alerts about an item for sale or a lost pet. Nextdoor doesn't currently have a feature that allows you to post to select neighbors. If you want to send private messages, use the DM or direct message feature. Investigate Those Recommendations. One of the great things about NextDoor is you can get recommendations from your neighbors. However, just because you see a recommendation on Nextdoor, doesn't mean the business or person is going to do a good job. There have been reports of people hiring contractors for home repairs, only to be left with an incomplete or botched project after having paid thousands of dollars. Make sure you research businesses by reading online reviews, asking for references. Also, check qualifications and certifications. Additionally, privately message your neighbors you know who've done business with them and ask about their experience. Watch Out for Crooked People. Scams are everywhere online, including Nextdoor. Fraudulent content, phishing, you name it, you will encounter it on the app. Cybercrime is a human problem and you are your best defense to stay from scams and shams. Use common sense. If it feels like a scam, it probably is. Hopefully, this will help you use Nextdoor and stay safe. If you post personal information and ignore other privacy and security no-nos, you are bound to fall victim to some of the scams that have plagued Nextdoor. If you have any questions, please reach out. I'm always available. If you need help with your computers and technology in your home or your office, please reach out to my company Integral at www.callintegralnow.com by Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a free guided birding hike from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 18, at the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center in Blue Springs. Resident and migrating songbirds and raptors will be active as spring progresses. The Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area that surrounds the nature center has hiking trails through forest, woodland, and native grassland habitats. There are also creeks and small ponds within some trail areas. Hikers should see a variety of birds. Adam Brandsgaard, MDC conservation educator, will provide birding tips and help identify birds spotted. Also lending expertise on the hike will be members of the Burroughs Audubon Society of Greater Kansas City. Birding beginners or those with various experience levels are all welcome. Hikers should dress for the weather and bring their binoculars, drinks and snacks. The hike is open to participants ages 12 and older. Registration is required. To register, visit http://short.mdc.mo.gov/42b. To learn more about the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/burroakwoods. |
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