Missouri AG Eric Schmitt wins Senate seat over Trudy Busch Valentine

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is the state’s next U.S. Senator, earning a victory over Trudy Busch Valentine in the 2022 general midterm election. The Associated Press called the race just after 9:00 pm.

This U.S. Senate seat was held by longtime Senator Roy Blunt, who announced he would not be running for reelection in early 2021.

“Missourians made the right choice in sending Eric Schmitt to the U.S. Senate. I congratulate the Schmitt family, campaign staff, and supporters on a well-deserved victory,” tweets Sen Roy Blunt.

“Congratulations to Missouri’s next U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt and State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick on their well-earned election victories. Guided by common sense, conservative principles, and family values, we know both men will be exceptional leaders that serve our state with the dignity and respect that Missourians deserve and demand,” tweets Gov. Parson.

Schmitt won the Republican primary in August over former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, U.S. Representatives Vicky Hartzler and Billy Long, and others.

During Schmitt’s time as attorney general, he made headlines for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schmitt sued multiple school districts in Missouri over mask mandates, accusing districts of overstepping their authority and asking parents to report schools enforcing the mandates.

Busch Valentine ran for U.S. Senate by campaigning in favor of safe and legal abortions and standing with the LGBTQ+ community.

Cori Bush wins reelection bid for Missouri Congressional District 1

ST. LOUIS – Cori Bush will serve a second term as a Missouri Congresswoman. The Associated Press has projected Bush the winner of the election for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.

Bush will retain her seat after a challenge from Republican candidate Andrew Jones.

When first elected to her role in 2018, Bush was the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri. Bush has taken a lead role in fighting to extend the CARES Act eviction moratorium last year and has served on several judiciary committees during her tenure.

District 1 covers all of St. Louis City and several cities in north and central St. Louis County. The congressional district seat, which was last occupied by a Republican in 1949, is one of five in Missouri for which voters elected candidates.  Three of those districts represent parts of eastern Missouri or the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Click here for the latest election results.

Amendment 3: Missouri voters approve marijuana legalization

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missourians have voted Tuesday in favor of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.

The Associated Press called the race at 1:40 a.m. Wednesday with Missouri Amendment 3 garnering about 53% of voter support at that time.

Missouri’s legislators failed to pass recreational marijuana at least twice in the past, leading advocates to go to voters for approval instead. The group Legal Missouri 2022 led a petition drive to get the constitutional amendment on the ballot.

At a campaign party Tuesday night in St. Louis, Legal Missouri 2022 leaders called Amendment 3 a win and addressed supporters.

“How does it feel to make history?” campaign manager John Payne asked the crowded room.

Missouri is now the 20th state, as well as Washington D.C., to legalize marijuana in the United States. The move coming 10 years after Colorado was the first to do so. Four other states are also voting on marijuana legalization on Election Day.

The new amendment changes the state constitution to allow those 21 and older to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana and have up to six flowering plants, six clones and six seedlings.

Missourians could legally buy recreational marijuana as soon as February 2023, according to the Department of Health and Senior Services.

Recreational marijuana products would have a 6% sales tax, estimated to bring in $40 million for the state. The funds would be split amongst veterans services, the Missouri State Public Defender program and for grants related to drug addiction prevention and treatment.

Medical marijuana dispensaries, cultivation facilities and manufacturing licensees will be given the first chance to apply for a comprehensive license to sell both medical and recreational marijuana. After that, a lottery system will be used for an additional 144 micro-licenses.

The amendment will also erase past marijuana-related convictions for nonviolent offenders and those whose conviction didn’t include selling to minors or driving while high.

In October, Democratic President Joe Biden announced he was pardoning thousands of people for federal marijuana possession convictions.

Justice Gatson, a spokesperson with Legal Missouri 2022, said sentencing for some minor marijuana offenses doesn’t often fit the crime.

But opponents of Amendment 3 have argued many of the states that have legalized marijuana are still dealing with the issues they expected to fix by making the change. Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd pointed to marijuana-related traffic fatalities, crimes and children in possession of the drug.

There are also voters who support legalizing marijuana, but don’t believe Amendment 3 was the right answer. They are unhappy about the possession limits and other restrictions included in the amendment.

Missouri’s decision on recreational use comes just four years after voters approved the medical use of marijuana in 2018.

Across the state line in Kansas, however, neither medical nor recreational marijuana use is legal. State lawmakers have failed to approve a medical marijuana bill multiple times. It is one of only three states that has not implemented any kind of public-use marijuana program.

In less than two years since Missouri’s stores opened, medical marijuana dispensaries have reported about $500 million in sales. Tax revenue on medical marijuana sales benefits veterans’ healthcare services, resulting in almost $27 million.

Missouri’s medical marijuana director Lyndall Fraker said there are about 204,000 patients and 3,000 caregivers that have medical marijuana licenses in Missouri.

The recreational marijuana amendment also includes revisions to the medical marijuana program.

“The patient renewal period goes from one year to three years,” Fraker said. “Now they are paying $25 for one year, it will be $25 for three years, so they will only have to have their doctor’s certification done every three years.”

The revisions also would allow nurse practitioners to certify a patient’s medical marijuana card instead of just a physician.

Much Warmer Temps Today; Chances For Storms Tomorrow

We will see a much warmer day today with highs approaching 80 likely across the Four States. For our Thursday we will begin to see our chances for storms increase and with this cold front moving through we could see the possibility for a strong storm as well. Once this front has passed though we should see a much colder air mass take hold for our Veterans Day and the weekend.

Temperatures this morning are warm in the low 60s across the Four States. We also have dewpoints in the upper 50s and low 60s so some patchy fog cant be ruled out especially in low lying areas. With the kids headed to school we will see a warm and breezy morning with temperatures in the low 60s and some cloudy skies as well.

We should remain relatively quiet today besides the breezy south winds. As we head into our Thursday we will see the cold front approach the Four States and we will continue to see breezy south winds leading up to its passage. We could see rain develop earlier in the day but the greatest development and chances for storms will be into the afternoon and evening hours with more widespread rain coverage likely but once the front has moved to the east we will see a much colder northwesterly wind take its place.

Rain totals from this could see some locations receive up to 3 quarters of an inch of rain and our temperatures in the next 6 to 10 days are expected to be very below average.

For today expect a high around 79 with warm and breezy conditions and partly cloudy skies. Tonight we will see a low around 65 with a warm night ahead and continued breezy winds. We will see those rain chances tomorrow before we cool way down for Veterans Day and likely hold on to the cold into next week.

Andy Reid among the most handsome NFL head coaches

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a new study ranking the most handsome head coaches in the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid stands among the top-five.

Pictures of all 32 head coaches were ran through the the Golden Ratio Face app and given a score based on their appearance.

  1. Kliff Kingsbury – Arizona Cardinals
  2. Brian Daboll – New York Giants
  3. Lovie Smith – Houston Texans
  4. Andy Reid – Kansas City Chiefs
  5. Frank Reich – Indianapolis Colts

The average score for NFL head coaches was a 7.68 out of 10. Reid received an 8.72.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell received the lowest ranking among all head coaches with a 6.36 rating.

Kingsbury, the most handsome coach in the NFL, earned a 9.2 rating.

Reid will face the the 13th most handsome head coach, Doug Pederson, on Sunday when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Probation for second Wichita man who filmed rape

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — One of two men accused of sexually assaulting a woman, filming it, and uploading the video to social media has been sentenced to probation.

21-year-old Ethan Garrett was sentenced to two years of probation, with an underlying sentence of 122 months if he violates the terms of his probation, with an addition of lifetime post-release.

Garrett was also ordered to pay $2,892.72 in restitution and complete sexual offender treatment.

His co-defendant, 20-year-old David Clark was given the same sentence last week. Both pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of sexual exploitation of a child.

Both men were accused of raping a 17-year-old girl while she was in an incoherent state. The assault was filmed and then posted and shared on social media.

Grove city workers find 1976 time capsule; bicentennial papers, coins

GROVE, Okla. – A 46-year-old time capsule was unearthed on Monday by Grove workers as they were preparing the ground for the community’s new skating rink.  

“The artifacts were likely placed in the time capsule in 1976 by the Grove Girl Scout troop to celebrate the country’s bicentennial,” said Debbie Bottorff, Grove city manager.  

The time capsule was buried on the community center’s front lawn close to where a flagpole once stood,” she said.  

City workers worked for over an hour chipping away at the large monument flagpole base with heavy jack-hammer type machinery.  

Excavation Unlimited, a Grove company, arrived at the site with heavy equipment and started picking away revealing decades-old secrets. 

The 1976-dated newspapers were water-soaked and had mold and mildew.  

“Everything had to do with the bicentennial,” Bottoroff said. “There were several paper documents, including newspapers, a Grove School Board pamphlet, a local diner’s menu, and maybe a Readers Digest.” 

Other items included coins, a license plate, two bicentennial pins and a bicentennial coin that was made into a necklace, a limited-edition bicentennial plate that appeared to be commissioned by Grove city leaders, photograph negatives, and a container that held broken glass.  

“It was possibly a perfume bottle,” Bottoroff said.  

Bottoroff said she plans to reach out to the Girl Scouts but she said she isn’t sure how to store or display the items.  

“Most of the papers are destroyed,” she said.  

Bottoroff said she learned there is another time capsule buried at the same spot.   

The other time capsule was from the Grove Class of 1970 and was to be opened in 2020, possibly at the school’s 50-year reunion. But COVID hit and the reunion was canceled.  

“We are seeking people who have lived during that time or are part of the Class of 1970 that might know exactly where it is located,” Bottoroff said.  

The 1976 Girl Scout time capsule was wrapped in plastic and placed in a large, encased plastic PVC-type pipe and surrounded by cement in about a two-foot-tall flagpole base. Near the pipe were two plastic bags also surrounded by cement.  

"The Lord's Diner" goes mobile with a food truck

PITTSBURG, Kan. — A Pittsburg ministry is taking its show on the road.

An anonymous donor is helping “The Lord’s Diner” with the purchase of a brand-new food truck.

They intend to use it to feed even more food-insecure residents in Southeast Kansas.

The ministry has been in operation for five years and feeds anyone that needs a meal.

In the past, site director Laura Ramsey says those in need would have to come to the diner to receive meals. Now, she says, the ministry can go to them.

“We are no longer serving out the door at this facility because we feel we wouldn’t be able to get a true reading on how many people would use the truck,” said Laura Ramsey, Lord’s Diner Site Director.

The truck will make daily stops Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m, at 707 North Broadway, from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at 700 North Pine, and from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. at 117 West 4th.

Weekend meals will be given out on Friday evenings from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at 700 North Pine.

Here's why Powerball numbers weren't drawn Monday night

(NEXSTAR) — If you were patiently waiting for Monday night’s Powerball numbers to be drawn, you had to wait longer than usual.

The Powerball drawing wasn’t announced on time Monday night due to a technical issue, the Multi-State Lottery Association said in a statement. The winning numbers were finally announced after 9 a.m. ET Tuesday morning.

The record-breaking $2 billion Powerball drawing was delayed because a participating lottery had issues processing sales, officials said. In the end, a single California ticket matched all six numbers from the overnight draw.

“Powerball requires all 48 participating lotteries to submit their sales and play data prior to the winning numbers being selected. Once Powerball receives the outstanding submission, the drawing can proceed,” the lottery said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Nearly three hours after the scheduled 10:59 p.m. EST drawing, the association told the AP, “It’s against our policy to name the lottery that is experiencing the delay.”

On Tuesday morning, the association said in a new statement that Powerball had been “in communication with the lottery throughout the night as it works to resolve the issue.”

A similar issue delayed a Powerball drawing just a couple of weeks ago, according to Nexstar’s WEHT.

In April, a Powerball drawing was delayed over four hours for a similar reason. Nexstar’s WJW reports that, in that drawing, Powerball stated that a participating lottery needed extra time to complete security protocols.

Last summer, a Powerball drawing was delayed to allow several lotteries extra time to complete security protocols, Nexstar’s WCBD reports.

Those who spend $2 on a Powerball ticket might wonder if something is wrong when 40 drawings pass without a jackpot winner, but this is how the game is designed. With odds of 1 in 292 million, that means it’s unlikely anyone will win the prize until a growing jackpot attracts more players. And more ticket sales mean the lottery can raise more money for public programs, which is the point of the state lotteries.

The jackpot prize for Wednesday’s draw now reverts to an estimated $20 million.

The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Solving Pittsburg's need for childcare

PITTSBURG, Kan. — There haven’t been children in this old school building in downtown Pittsburg in years.

But that will eventually change thanks to the efforts of two not-for-profit groups working together to solve one of the community’s biggest needs, daycare.

“Point Forward” which will renovate the structure and “Harmony Childcare Incorporated” which will run it.

“Found this old building, it’s on the National Historical Society, so through private donations, we’re gonna renovate it and then lease it at a favorable rate to a childcare provider and that will be Harmony,” said Ron Scripsick, Chairman, Point Forward.

“Childcare in general in our community is so necessary, we developed Harmony Childcare Inc. as a non-profit organization just to supply 200 additional childcare slots and then 80 additional preschool slots in our community,” said Dr. Jacqueline Youtsos, Chair, of Harmony Childcare Inc.

To call the former Washington School Building built in 1937 a “fixer-upper” is an understatement.

But project officials say the $5,000,000 price tag is a bargain compared to the expense of constructing a new building these days.

“We’ve done several buildings in recent years, we had a committee meeting here a few weeks ago and we’re just amazed that we’re running out of old dilapidated buildings to renovate here in downtown Pittsburg,” said Scripsick.

“That is my biggest problem you know, and I have young kids. If we don’t have childcare if our kids are sick, or if they have a day off school, my husband and I have to draw straws and see who can be there at home, it’s very difficult, and we also need to go to work, and people need an income,” said Youtsos.

An exact timeline is not yet known, but the project could be ready for occupancy by late next year.