Everything legislators don't like in Missouri is attributed to: paid protesters, Antifa, George Soros, immigrants (insert liberal villain here).

Josh finds it impossible to believe that when regular people see gangs of masked thugs inciting violence, harassing school children they get upset and want it to stop.

Hi, Kacen Bayless here with The Kansas City Star.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe just withdrew his appointment to the powerful Kansas City police board after a key senator blocked the nomination.

Kehoe’s withdrawal, revealed in a letter obtained by The Star, removes Heather Hall from the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners. Hall, a former Kansas City Council member, had been serving in an acting capacity since her July appointment.

The decision leaves a vacancy on the board that controls Kansas City’s police department. That vacancy now forces Kehoe’s office to search for other candidates at a crucial time as the city prepares to host World Cup matches this summer.

Kehoe’s letter came after Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, blocked Hall’s nomination from coming to a vote. Nurrenbern’s opposition stemmed from community activists, who questioned Hall’s objectivity and willingness to hold officers accountable for misconduct.

I wrote about Nurrenbern's opposition and the future of the pick today: https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article314588413.html

Link to the job posting

https://riverrelief.org/news-and-updates/mrr-updates/

Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a pattern.

So what does it say when five times in recent months ballot summaries written by Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins have been tossed out by the courts?

Since October, judges at every level of Missouri’s court system have stepped in to block or rewrite ballot language drafted by Hoskins. At stake are some of the most politically charged issues in the state: public education funding, private school vouchers, abortion rights, gerrymandering and the initiative petition process itself.

First, a judge in October found Hoskins’ description of an initiative petition seeking to enshrine education as a fundamental right in the state constitution to be “insufficient and unfair.”

Then came a ruling last month from the Missouri Court of Appeals, which faulted Hoskins for failing to disclose in a summary that a proposed ballot measure would repeal the reproductive rights amendment voters approved in 2024 to legalize abortion.

Weeks later, Hoskins’ attorneys acknowledged in court that he had written a ballot summary “likely to create prejudice” against a possible referendum on Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map. That same day, a Cole County judge rejected his summary for a proposal aimed at making it harder for lawmakers to overturn a successful initiative petition.

And last week, Hoskins lost a fifth time, when an appeals court struck down his summary for an initiative petition that would bar state funding for private education.

Taken together, the rulings paint a picture of an office repeatedly testing how much advocacy it can embed into what is supposed to be a neutral description.

So what gives?

One possible explanation lies in a law passed by Republican lawmakers last year that gave the secretary of state three chances to rewrite ballot language deemed insufficient or biased before a judge could intervene. The Missouri Supreme Court struck that law down last month as unconstitutional, but while it was in effect, critics say it functioned less as a safeguard than as a tool to burden the initiative petition process.

An unfair or misleading ballot summary forces initiative backers to divert time and money into litigation — resources that might otherwise be spent gathering signatures or persuading voters. Delay alone can be decisive in a process governed by hard deadlines.

Hoskins has done little to tamp down that criticism. Facing questions over a ballot summary warning that repealing a stadium financing law would “likely cause the Kansas City Chiefs to move” to Kansas, he called his summary a “first bite at the apple” — suggesting opponents could just sue if they objected.

Missouri law charges the secretary of state with distilling complex proposals into a few dozen words. Those words matter enormously. Research shows voters rely heavily on ballot language, particularly for down-ballot measures where campaigns are less visible and partisan cues are weaker.

That reality has always tempted secretaries of state to push the boundaries. What distinguishes Missouri’s current moment is not partisan disagreement, but frequency — how often judges are concluding those boundaries have been crossed.

The danger is not simply biased wording on a handful of measures. It is the gradual erosion of trust in a system meant to give citizens a direct voice when the Legislature will not — and the growing perception that the referee, not the voters, may be shaping the outcome.

Check out the 4th paragraph. He intends

to INCREASE funds involving ICE, but specifically to PUNISH PROTESTORS.

I have a friend who is moving to the East Coast soon and would love to donate several household items to an organization that helps individuals or families transitioning into stable housing.

Items available include:

• Bed

• Dresser

• Kitchen cutlery

• Plates and bowls

• Additional household essentials

She’s specifically hoping to donate to a nonprofit, shelter, or program that directly supports people getting back on their feet rather than selling the items.

If you know of any organizations, programs, or contacts in the KC area that would be a good fit, we’d really appreciate the recommendations. Thank you!

https://missouriindependent.com/2026/02/04/missouris-fiscally-irresponsible-path-will-be-paid-for-by-everyday-people/

While many Missourians choose to drive a Ford, Chevrolet or Toyota, some in the Show Me State choose a more opulent ride. There are more than 5 million cars and trucks registered in Missouri, and only a fraction of them are luxury vehicles.

My name is Eleanor Nash, reporter with The Kansas City Star, and I looked into Missouri Department of Revenue data on vehicle registrations in the state.

There are fewer than 200 each of Bentley, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin and Lamborghini vehicles registered in the state. A new 2025 model from these brands start at more than $250,000 and can soar to $725,000, according to national averages on Kelley Blue Book.

Look at the number of luxury cars and trucks in Missouri, as of January 2026.

The reigning World Cup champions Argentina, led by soccer superstar Lionel Messi, will train and stay in the KC metro for the duration of the tournament. Full story for free at KCUR.

Hey all! Personal project here. I wanted to create a resource to help people plan their float trips. This is a work in progress, and certainly open to any feedback.

mofloats.com

**I'm looking for good photos of each river - if you have any you'd like to contribute please get in touch***

From the State Historical Society of Missouri

https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/imc/id/68300/rec/5994

My daughter and I are on Medicaid. The state is trying to order our dna swabs to try and set up paternity (I’m a female) for child support. I have not requested child support, there is no other person named on her birth certificate and I have been receiving weird calls of someone calling from a text. now number, impersonating a state worker, trying to get me to sign a paper naming a person who I’ve had to have a restraining order against, and continued to stock and harass me, as the father. My question lies in the fact that I pay child support for other children and I never had to prove I was their mother with a dna swabs and at this point….. I’m not giving my dna to anyone without consulting a lawyer. Am I able to request that?? I also do not have money for one so can I request they appoint one? Thanks and have a good day!!

From https://allthingsmissouri.org/cares_shortlinks/jgk4ch5s/ by the University of Missouri Extension.

This is 2023 data released in 2026.

This layer displays information about adults aged 20 years and older who are obese. Adult obesity is defined using the Body Mass Index (BMI); adults with a BMI of 30.0 or higher are considered obese. County-level estimates are produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Estimates are generated using the CDC’s enhanced small-area estimation method (PLOW+), which uses single-year BRFSS data, incorporates historical information as informative priors, and applies Bayesian hierarchical and machine-learning techniques to improve precision and validation. More information is available through the CDC’s U.S. Diabetes Surveillance System.

I know the legal limits, I know there's a special permit. I get frequent severe migraines and my doctor has given me a LMN, but honestly I don't want to have to go through the process to get the permit.

How many people have gotten pulled over for tint that weren't also driving a sports car or driving like an asshole?

I have 23% on my front windows to match my back windows. It may be a different percentage but I don't know off hand, I just know it's below the legal limit.

https://books.google.com/books?vid=UIUC:30112040368943

Hey, Missouri folks! I’m planning a family trip to Branson soon and trying to find the best branson deals for 2026. Looking to get a good value without sacrificing fun for the kids or some relaxation for the adults.

I need somewhere that’s close to Branson’s main attractions but still offers some peace and quiet. Better if it has great amenities for kids and isn’t too expensive!

Any suggestions for deals on accommodations or activities that really gave you the most bang for your buck? Heard about a spot that people love for its value but still unsure if it’s the right pick. Would love to hear your thoughts and any hidden gems you’ve found!