Joplin man arrested in Platte County for possession of controlled substance

 The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested a Joplin man on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance 9:34 a.m. today in Platte County.

At the time of his arrest, Jacob R. Miksell, 36, was on probation. Miksell pleaded guilty February 22 to a felony forgery charge. Under a plea agreement, the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office dismissed a second felony charge, trafficking in stolen identities.

Judge Dean Dankelson sentenced him to seven years in prison, then suspended the sentence and placed him on probation for five years, according to Jasper County Circuit Court online records.

BIlly Long: In defense of Steve Bannon

(From Seventh District Congressman Billy Long)

If it wasn't for partisan politics we'd have no politics. If you don't believe me just Google 'Linda Sanchez flips off Republican bench.' It was last night during the annual Congressional Baseball game that originated in 1909. It's a fun filled evening with camaraderie between Republicans and Democrats as we all come together to raise money for charity and last night's game raised $1.7 million. 

Ms. Sanchez (D-CA) took this lighthearted congenial competition as an opportunity to flip off the Republican dugout as she jogged past. Which brings us to today's column regarding how Republicans and Democrats are treated differently by the Department of Justice. 

Reference Steve Bannon, a populist ideologue and the political target of the Left, who recently fell casualty to the hyperbolic anti-Trump witch hunt that is the January 6th Select Committee. The move can only be described as a textbook example of Democrats' weaponization of government authority to maintain political dominance in D.C.

Bannon was indicted and convicted of contempt of Congress. What was his crime? Refusal to hand over personal communications to Nancy Pelosi's committee, which has spent 8 million dollars trying to smear Trump and Republicans via televised hearings. 

However, Steve Bannon's criminal conviction is unique. 

It seems that whenever a prominent Democrat is charged by the House of Representatives with Contempt of Congress, the Department of Justice (DOJ) does nothing with the case. The Democrats seem to share Groucho Marx' principals. Groucho famously said "Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others."

The most notable example was in 2012 when the House voted to hold then Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress over his failure to turn over documents related to the 'Fast and Furious' gun running scandal which resulted in the release of over 2,000 weapons by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to suspected criminals. The theory was to release all of these guns to criminals and then see where they end up and nab those same criminals. What? 

The DOJ Inspector General cleared Holder of any wrongdoing that same year. Still, the Attorney General refused to comply with a Congressional subpoena and was held in Contempt by the House. You would think that the DOJ would be concerned about this failure to appear, but apparently they weren’t.

No charges were ever brought against Attorney General Holder. I remember well the day he was held in contempt and it just so happened the White House picnic was held that night and people were coming up to get selfies with him like he was a rockstar.

It's clear that the Democrats will protect their own. Prominent Democrats don't get charged for refusing to comply with a Congressional subpoena, only Republicans do. Eric Holder's case, in particular, is an apples-to-apples comparison to Steve Bannon's with the notable exception that one is a Republican apple and the other is a Democrat apple. 

Both withheld documents, but Bannon was held to a different standard. It’s all because of who the Democrats are attacking. This whole charade is collateral damage to the main objective of smearing Trump. 

However, unlike Holder, Bannon is not a prominent Democratic official. Subsequently, Steve Bannon was found guilty of contempt of Congress in the bright blue district of Washington D.C while Holder was never charged. As Steve Bannon walked out of court there were no long lines clamoring for a selfie with him.

Ten races that could shape Missouri Senate, including Bill White-Jill Carter

By Jason Hancock

Missouri Independent

For much of the last two years, the Missouri Senate has been mired in Republican infighting.

On one side is GOP leadership, who have struggled to advance a legislative agenda despite controlling 24 of the chamber’s 34 seats. On the other is the conservative caucus, which spent most of the 2022 legislative session throwing up procedural roadblocks and grinding the chamber to a halt.

Whether or not this dynamic will continue into the future could very well be decided next Tuesday, when voters head to the polls to cast their ballots in the primary election. While there are Democrats filed in seven of the 10 contests, the districts in past elections have been solidly Republican, making the primary winner likely to prevail in November.

Both sides of the Senate fight have lined up behind candidates in key GOP primaries across the state. Joining the fray this year is Missouri Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion organization, which threw in its lot with the conservative caucus and decided to endorse challengers to incumbent Republicans in several primaries.

And the battle lines aren’t always so clear. In most races, the candidates differ little on the issues. In one, a candidate has won support from both sides of the Senate divide.

Here are 10 Republican primaries that could decide the fate of the Missouri Senate next year.

District 2

State Sen. Bob Onder is leaving office because of term limits. And the open seat has turned into a showdown between two GOP state representatives from O’Fallon: Nick Schroer and John Wiemann.

Schroer has made it clear his intention is to join the conservative caucus. The political action committee set up to support his candidacy — called the 1776 PAC — received $25,000 from 100 PAC, which is aligned with the conservative caucus. He also won the endorsement of Missouri Right to Life.

Wiemann is more aligned with party leadership, having previously served as speaker pro tem in the House. JW Leadership Fund, a PAC supporting his candidacy, has gotten contributions from traditionally Republican groups like the Missouri Soybean Association, but also received $150,000 from the carpenters union.

District 8

Incumbent Sen. Mike Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit is trying to fend off two challengers from his right — Rachl Aguirre of Lee’s Summit and Joe Nicola of Grain Valley

Cierpiot is seeking his second term in the Senate after serving seven years in the Missouri House. He raised and spent far more than either of his rivals for the nomination. But he suffered a setback when Missouri Right to Life refused to endorse him, instead giving their seal of approval to both Aguirre and Nicola.

While still favored to win, given how rare it is for Missourians to kick out legislative incumbents, Cierpiot has taken nothing for granted, spending $57,000 directly attacking Nicola.

District 10

State Sen. Jeannie Riddle is leaving office because of term limits, inspiring five candidates to jump into the GOP primary.

Two current state representatives — Travis Fitzwater of Fulton and Jeff Porter of Montgomery City — along with former state Rep. Bryan Spencer of Wentzville quickly joined the race. They were joined by Mike Carter, a judge from Wentzville, and Joshua Price, who runs an auto shop in Mexico, Missouri.

Carter, Fitzwater and Spencer are considered the frontrunners for the nomination.

Carter, who previously ran for lieutenant governor twice — once as a Democrat and once as a Republican — gave his campaign a big boost by cutting himself a $500,000 check in April. His campaign has spent nearly all of that money, though the PAC supporting his candidacy, Shield PAC, has $330,000 cash on hand.

Fitzwater was first elected to the Missouri House in 2014. He won the endorsement of Riddle and has the support of the Missouri Federation for Children, a school-choice advocacy group that has spent nearly $150,000 supporting Fitzwater and opposing Carter. Fitzwater also won support from RightPath PAC, which is widely seen as an effort to thwart conservative caucus candidates.

Spencer won the coveted Missouri Right to Life endorsement and has garnered support from the libertarian-leaning PAC Make Liberty Win. He has courted the conservative caucus, specifically 100 PAC, but hasn’t received any contributions. In July, his campaign reported that it spent more than $100,000 on direct mail.

Senate 12

Three candidates are vying to replace Sen. Dan Hegeman, who is leaving because of term limits — former state Rep. Delus Johnson and current state Reps. Rusty Black and J. Eggleston.

Black, of Chillicothe, is considered the frontrunner. He’s received support — indirectly — from RightPath, which donated $85,000 to Aegis PAC in June, which in turn has spent roughly $55,000 in support of Black. A PAC set up to support his candidacy, called Great Northwest PAC, has spent $80,000 attacking Eggleston and $8,000 attacking Johnson.

 

Eggleston, of Maysville, has nearly $200,000 cash on hand but has barely spent anything over the last few months.

Johnson, of St. Joseph, earned the Missouri Right to Life endorsement. He appears to be largely self-funding his campaign, kicking in $70,000 of his own money so far.

District 16

Incumbent Sen. Justin Brown of Rolla is facing off with state Rep. Suzie Pollock of Lebanon in the seat he won after his father held it for eight years.

Pollock is considered the conservative caucus’ pick for the seat, though that hasn’t translated to financial support for her candidacy.

She’s been badly outspent by Brown, who between his campaign committee and the PAC supporting him, called JB PAC, has poured more than $350,000 into the race in recent months compared to only $30,000 by Pollock.

Brown has also won support from Senate GOP leadership, with Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden’s PAC giving him $17,000.

District 20

State Sen. Eric Burlison is giving up the seat to run for Congress, setting up a showdown between state Rep. Curtis Trent and businessman Brian Gelner.

Both men reside in Springfield. And both are spending big to win the seat. Between the candidates themselves and the PACs supporting them, each has spent nearly $400,000 in recent months.

But Trent won both the endorsement of Missouri Right to Life and support from RightPath, which donated $75,000 to Gladius PAC, which then spent more than $100,000 to support Trent and oppose Gelner.

Trent is also being aided by $50,000 in spending by Rusty Black’s Great Northwest PAC.

District 22

Perhaps the most unpredictable of the Senate primaries, the race to replace term-limited Sen. Paul Wieland attracted four GOP candidates.

State Rep. Dan Shaul of Imperial has won much of the establishment Republican support, including an endorsement from House Speaker Rob Vescovo, who lives in the district and briefly flirted with running himself.

State Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman is the pick of the conservative caucus, with $70,000 in donations from 100 PAC.

State Rep. Shane Roden has badly trailed in fundraising and is considered a longshot in the race.

The wildcard is Jeff Roorda, who served as a Democratic state representative in the district and was defeated by Wieland for the state Senate seat eight years ago. He also ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for Jefferson County Council and county executive.

Roorda became a lightning rod for controversy, thanks to his role as the public face of the St. Louis police union. The PAC supporting his candidacy, called JEFF PAC, has received more than $240,000 in donations from labor unions. But he’s also seen more than $110,000 spent opposing his candidacy by school choice advocates at the Missouri Federation for Children.

District 26

Five candidates are hoping to replace term-limited Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz. The three considered the top contenders are restaurant owner Ben Brown, businessman Bob Jones and state Rep. Nate Tate.

Both Jones and Brown won a Missouri Right to LIfe endorsement, while Tate has gotten $125,000 in support from organized labor.

Brown is the conservative caucus’ preferred candidate, with 100 PAC chipping in $180,000 to the political action committee supporting his candidacy, called BB Freedom Fund. Meanwhile, Jones has benefited from $30,000 in donations connected to Greg Hoberock, the influential GOP donor who resides in the district and is a member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators..

District 30

Incumbent Sen. Lincoln Hough, a regular target of conservative caucus scorn, is trying to fend off a challenger from his right from former Springfield City Councilor Angela Romine.

Hough, who is in line to become chairman of the powerful Senate appropriations committee, has vastly outspent Romine. Between his campaign committee and the PAC set up to support his candidacy, called Lincoln PAC, Hough has benefited from more than $450,000 in spending in the race.

Romine has spent less than $20,000, though she has received around $15,000 in support from the libertarian-leaning PAC Make Liberty Win. She also won the endorsement of Missouri Right to Life.

District 32

Incumbent Sen. Bill White of Joplin is facing off with Jill Carter of Granby in his effort to win a second term.

White, an attorney who previously served eight years in the Missouri House, has spent nearly six times as much as Carter, between his candidate committee and the PAC supporting him, called Southwest Missouri Patriot PAC.

 

RightPath chipped in $10,000 to support White’s candidacy.

Carter has benefited from both an endorsement from Missouri Right to Life and $18,000 in spending on her behalf by Make Liberty Win.

A PAC called Missouri Leadership Fund recently dropped $30,000 into the race to oppose White. Among its biggest donors is Missouri Senate Leadership PAC, which is affiliated with conservative caucus member Sen. Bob Onder.

Carthage R-9 Board receives updates on school safety, COVID funds during work session

(From the Carthage R-9 School District)

The Carthage R-9 Board of Education met in work session on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, 6:00 pm, at the Carthage Junior High School. Present were Board members Niki Cloud, Karen Wilkinson, Nathan Terry, Jeff Jones, Patrick Scott, and Ryan Collier. Bill Lasley was absent. Niki Cloud led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Dr. Baker, Superintendent, provided an update on School Safety with an overview on national school safety issues, a discussion on district safety protocols, and law enforcement safety protocols. Captain Dininger and Sgt. Miller with the Carthage Police Department and Sgt. Teed with the Jasper County Sheriff Department shared their roles in school safety for the Carthage R-9 School District. 

Beth Hunt, Curriculum Director, and Brittany Thompson, Instructional Facilitator (K-12 ELA and K-3 Reading Specialist) and other certified staff presented a call to action plan to improve reading outcomes throughout the Carthage R-9 School District. 

Certified staff attended LETRS Training and have piloted the curriculum at schools in 2020-2022 with the goal of district-wide implementation. 

Jamie Newman and Kassandra Lipscomb, Intermediate Center teachers, presented a Carthage R-9 Transitions plan to create seamless transitions between buildings and into the district for students and staff. Four key contributors for success of the program will be school counselors/administrators, staff, students, and families. The plan is to pilot the program at the Intermediate Center with the goal of district-wide implementation. 

Dr. Angela Holman, CHS Principal and Chase Carlton, Powers Learning Center Administrator, presented information regarding the MO Options and FLEX Program available at the Powers Learning Center. The MO Options is available to seniors and the FLEX Program is available to juniors or seniors. Both alternative learning programs have a selection process and qualifications before opting into the program. 

CDr. Baker, Superintendent, provided an update on COVID related information stating the Tigers Together Back-to-School Plan was approved in the June 2022 board meeting. COVID funds received and allocation of those funds across the district was discussed.

Edward Raschen named Joplin High School assistant principal

 (From Joplin Schools)

Joplin Schools is pleased to announce Edward Raschen as the new assistant principal at Joplin High School. He succeeds Jacob Williams who was recently named principal of South Middle School for 22-23.

"We are super excited for Mr. Raschen to join our team at Joplin High School," said Dr. Steven Gilbreath, JHS principal. "He brings with him a wealth of experience and a heart for students, teachers and staff. I know Mr. Raschen will be an excellent fit for the greatest high school in the universe."

Raschen holds Bachelors of Art and History degrees from Southwestern College, followed by a Masters of Liberal Arts and History plus a Masters of Science in school leadership, both from Baker University in Kansas. He holds an educational specialist degree for advanced studies in leadership from Pittsburg State University and is currently working toward a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Kansas.

Raschen's professional experience includes his most recent position as assistant principal at Unified School District #506 in Altamont, Kansas, where he previously also served as athletic director, teacher and had coaching duties for basketball, football and track.

He previously worked as an educator and coach at Unified School District #445 in Coffeyville, Kansas, where he served on the curriculum development team, the building leadership team and acted as department chair.

"I am truly blessed and humbled to become a part of the Joplin High School team," Raschen said. "I look forward to serving the Joplin High School students, family members, faculty, staff and administrators. Go Eagles!"

In addition to his professional and education qualifications, Raschen currently serves as a commissioned officer for the Kansas Army National Guard.

Project manager hired to clean contaminated soil in Granby park pleads guilty to lying to EPA

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A project manager pleaded guilty in federal court today to misleading federal authorities about lead contamination in a Granby, Mo., city park after he was hired to conduct remediation at the site.

“This defendant was responsible for cleaning up the contaminated soil at Granby City Park, but he deliberately made false statements and provided false information about the dangerous level of lead contamination that continued to threaten the health and safety of the community,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore.

“This unconscionable deceit cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to correct, which we intend to recoup through fines or restitution.”

“The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General is committed to providing strong oversight for grants and contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Garrett J. Westfall of the EPA OIG’s Western Division Field Office. “Recipients will be held accountable for ensuring that they use taxpayer funds in accordance with federal regulations and to support the health and safety of communities. 

"In this case, a guilty plea by a formerly trusted contractor serves to help restore confidence in the EPA health and environmental programs the people of Newton County, Mo., deserve. The EPA OIG thanks our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners for their dedication to this investigation.”

“Today’s guilty plea highlights the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s commitment to protect the integrity of the DoD procurement process,” said Michael Mentavlos, Special Agent in Charge, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS, in concert with our federal law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, stand united in ensuring the safety and welfare of our communities.”

“The defendant intentionally provided false information to regulators regarding lead contamination in the Granby community,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Missouri. "Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that EPA and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding accountable individuals who choose to violate the law.”

Lynn Eich, 65, of St. Louis, Mo., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to a federal information that charges him with one count of making a false statement relating to a federal environmental remediation contract.

Eich was employed by Environmental Quality Management as the project manager for a soil remediation project in Newton County, Mo. The remediation company was awarded a contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency, which ultimately totaled nearly $12 million, to perform mine waste remediation at the Newton County Mine Waste Remediation Superfund Site in and around Granby. This area had been previously contaminated with lead in the surface soil deposited through historical mining and smelting operations in the area.

The contract required the removal of contaminated soil and backfilling some areas, including Granby City Park, using clean fill material.

Approximately one month before it was awarded the contract for the Newton County project, the remediation company was also awarded an EPA contract in Oronogo, Mo., to complete a similar but larger soil remediation project. 

The receipt of both contracts was not expected and caused Eich to request a personnel change to the Newton County project’s Quality Assurance, Quality Control (QAQC) Manager in order to complete both contracts. 

Eich represented to the Corps of Engineers that the replacement for the QAQC Manager had comparable experience as the person listed on the original application and that the replacement was qualified to fulfill the duties of a QAQC Manager on the Newton County project. In fact, the replacement QAQC Manager was not qualified and had little to no experience testing soil for hazardous materials.

Between Sept. 12 and Oct. 19, 2016, the QAQC Manager failed to properly test fill material that was used to remediate Granby City Park.

On Oct. 14, 2016, the site superintendent, who reported to Eich, received laboratory analysis of two samples taken from the offsite borrow source. One sample indicated lead levels of 640 mg/kg and the other indicated a lead level of 720 mg/kg, both in excess of the contractual requirement of less than 100 mg/kg. The results of these samples were not reported to the EPA or the Corps of Engineers as required by federal environmental laws.

On June 4, 2018, Eich called the Corps of Engineers and indicated that a “hot spot” had been detected in Granby City Park. During the call, Eich misrepresented the scope of the area of contamination at the park by stating that it was less than 1,000 cubic yards. Eich also submitted a map of Granby City Park that showed a limited area of contamination when, as Eich knew, lead contamination was pervasive through the entire park.

By pleading guilty today, Eich admitted that he intentionally made this false statement and provided false information regarding the scope and amount of lead contamination at Granby City Park.

The EPA then conducted its own sampling of Granby City Park, followed by additional sampling by the EPA National Enforcement Investigations Center, which found Granby City Park was still contaminated by lead in the soil. The EPA was required to hire another remediation contractor to conduct a removal project of Granby City Park. The removal project required removal of the contaminated backfill and soil from the park to ensure the health and safety of the community. The removal project was completed in June 2021, resulting in additional costs to the EPA.

Under federal statutes, Eich is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2023.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Venneman and Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General; the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigative Division; the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the Army Criminal Investigative Division, Major Procurement Fraud Unit.

DNR awards Granby $30,000 grant to evaluate improvements to water treatment facility

(From Missouri Department of Natural Resources)

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded a total of $124,000 in Drinking Water Engineering Report Grants to five public drinking water systems to evaluate potential improvements to their treatment facilities. 

Grant recipients include: the city of Gerald, $25,600; city of Granby, $30,000; Vernon County Public Water Supply District No. 2, $24,000; Osage County Public Water Supply District No. 1, $14,400; and the Greene County Public Water Supply District No. 6, $30,000.

The Drinking Water Engineering Report Grant offers funding to qualified communities to help cover engineering costs for evaluating water system improvements. The drinking water systems will use the grant to identify improvements needed to continue providing reliable service to their customers and meeting drinking water quality standards.

“An important part of our work is helping Missouri communities maintain and improve their aging water treatment systems,” said Dru Buntin, director of the Department of Natural Resources. “One way we do that is by offering assistance through programs like the Drinking Water Engineering Report Grant. Through programs like this, communities can improve key infrastructure, protect public health and the environment, and experience real economic benefits.”

The department is committed to assisting Missouri communities with water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. Through its Financial Assistance Center, the department provides funding opportunities for qualified communities with water quality, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure needs. This project will be funded wholly or in part with monies received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information on wastewater and drinking water funding opportunities, visit dnr.mo.gov/water/business-industry-other-entities/financial-opportunities/financial-assistance-center.

State auditor releases report on agencies' use of federal dollars

(From State Auditor Nicole Galloway)

State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released her office's review of how Missouri state agencies managed and spent more than $20.6 billion in federal funds during fiscal year 2021. This year's Statewide Single Audit reviewed 20 federal programs within 10 state agencies.

"Billions of dollars have been sent to state agencies from the federal government for specific programs, including many new programs related to COVID-19 recovery," Auditor Galloway said. 

"State agencies need to be accountable for how these taxpayer funds are used, especially given the unprecedented amount of federal funding that is flowing into Missouri."

The audit of the state's financial statements and expenditures of federal awards for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021 contains 22 findings, a significant increase from the prior year's seven findings. Three are repeat findings from the last two to seven years. 

Half of the 22 findings relate to concerns surrounding compliance with federal rules for social service and health care assistance through Medicaid and other federal programs. 

In a repeat finding from prior years, auditors noted that the Department of Social Services still has not corrected system overrides for some Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program participants. Auditors also found the Department lacked adequate controls to prevent overpayments of subsidies to child care providers.

The federal Department of Health and Human Services disbursed approximately $22.7 million to Missouri through the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC) program. The state's Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) utilized this program to fund testing, contact tracing, vaccinations, and other COVID-19 activities by 123 subrecipients, including county and city health departments. However, auditors found that the DHSS did not have adequate procedures to ensure ELC reimbursements to subrecipients were allowable, reasonable, and supported with sufficient documentation. As a result, unsupported reimbursements were made to some subrecipients. In addition, the DHSS did not adequately monitor the ELC program subrecipients.

Additionally, the report identified improvements needed for internal controls and monitoring of the more than $323 million in federal emergency rental assistance passed through the Missouri Department of Economic Development to the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC). Auditors also found that the Department failed to report $337 million in federal COVID-19 relief aid for renters and homeowners in their required accounting reports of federal awards.

System controls in the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' UInteract system were not sufficient to prevent or detect improper payments authorized by an employee totaling approximately $123,000 during fiscal years 2020 and 2021. In fiscal year 2021, unemployment insurance program expenditures totaled more than $3.4 billion, including more than $2.7 billion in federal benefits and $661 million in state benefits paid to Missouri workers.

A complete copy of the Statewide Single Audit for fiscal year 2021 is available here.

Newton County Prosecuting Attorney asks for no bond or high bond for suspect in Joplin burglaries

 (From the Newton County Prosecuting Attorney's Office)

A Purdy man has been charged with two counts of burglary after two structures were broken in to on the south side of Joplin on July 27, 2022. 

Kevin Granger, 46, was charged on the two-count complaint and is currently being held on a warrant issued by Judge Christine Rhoades of the 40th Judicial Circuit. 

“It is important to remember that Mr. Granger is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” said William Lynch, Newton County Prosecuting Attorney.

 “It is true that he was sentenced to seven years of the Department of Corrections in Newton County in October of 2020 and was released after 12 months. It is disheartening that our state engages in a catch-and-release system of justice. The amount of resources wasted on chasing repeat offenders that should still be in prison is innumerable.” 

The charges contained in the complaints against the defendant is simply an accusation and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting these charged must be presented to a jury of the defendants’ peers, and all criminal defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

This case was investigated by members of the Joplin Police Department and the case will be prosecuted by the Newton County Prosecutor’s Office.

(Note: Prosecuting Attorney Lynch filed a motion asking for no bond or high bond for Granger, listing all of the offenses he has committed and for which he received only minimum prison time. The motion is printed below)

COMES NOW THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by and through William P. Lynch, Prosecuting Attorney, for Newton County, Missouri, and moves that the Court set a high bond, or in the alternative no bond, for the defendant, Kevin Van Granger, pursuant to Rule 33 and states in support thereof as follows: 

1. Defendant was charged with felony property damage and misdemeanor stealing on May 29, 2022 and given a summons in case 22NW-CR00976.

 2. Defendant was sentenced to 7 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on October 27, 2020 in case 20NW-CR01249-01 for one count of Burglary in the Second Degree and two counts of Felony Stealing. He was released by the Department of Corrections after twelve months. 

3. Defendant was sentenced to 4 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on November 19, 2018 in case 16AO-CR00060-01 for Forgery. He was released by the Department of Corrections after thirteen months. 

4. Defendant was sentenced to 7 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on May 17, 2016 in case 16BR-CR00159-01 for two counts of Felony Tampering with a Motor Vehicle as well as two counts of Forgery in case 16BR-CR00482-01 to run concurrently as well as one additional count of Forgery in case 16BR-CR00074-01. He was released by the Department of Corrections after three months. 

5. Defendant was sentenced to 5 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on September 20, 2011 in case 10BR-CR00756-01 for Tampering with a Motor Vehicle and Assault in the Second Degree. He was released by the Department of Corrections after fifty months. 

6. Defendant was sentenced to 6 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on November 15, 2010 in case 10NW-CR01193-01 on one count of Felony Receiving Stolen Property. He completed four months of this sentence before being sentenced in 10BR-CR00756-01, which ran concurrently. 

7. Defendant was sentenced to 7 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on May 19, 2008 in case 07NW-CR02104-01 on one count of Felony Stealing. He was released by the Department of Corrections after 16 months. 

8. Defendant was sentenced to 4 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on August 17, 2005 in case 05SN-CR00151-01 on two counts of Forgery, one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, which ran concurrently with 5 years sentenced December 16, 2005 in case 05AO-CR01150-01 on one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance and one count of Felony Stealing, and concurrently with 3 years sentenced April 17, 2006 on cases 05NW-CR00549-01 for Tampering with a Motor Vehicle and 05NW-CR01461-01 for Tampering with a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Controlled Substance. He was released by the Department of Corrections after 20 months. 

9. Defendant was sentenced to 3 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on September 21, 2004 in case 04NW-CR00886-01 on Possession of a Controlled Substance, which ran concurrently with 3 years in case 39R020400863 on two counts of Forgery and also concurrent with 3 years in case 39R040400624 on four counts of Forgery. He was released by the Department of Corrections after 4 months. 

Defendant has been sentenced to a total of 74 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, 43 years, taking all concurrent time into consideration. He has spent 10 years and 2 months in the Missouri Department of Corrections, 4 years 2 months of that being on one case of Assault in the 2nd Degree. 

Based on the foregoing, the State of Missouri prays the Court set a high cash bond, or in the alternative no bond, in this case to protect the public and impose such conditions as to protect the public and for other such orders as the Court may deem necessary and proper.

Jill Carter campaign reports $8,400 in contributions on Wednesday

The Missouri Senate campaign of Jill Carter, R-Stark City, who is seeking ot unseat incumbent Bill White received an infusion of $8,400 Wednesday, according to a 24-hour report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Those contributing to the Carter campaign were:

Jamie Boock, St Charles, $1,500

Cynthia Boock, St. Charles, $1,000

Mark Farnham, Independence, $1,000

Donald Schlapprizzi, St. Louis, $2,500

Gary Grewe, St. Louis, $2,400

PAC-Man Plus: $40,000 pours into Bill White's campaign in one day

Wednesday was a good day for the re-election campaign of Sen. Bill White, R-Joplin.

A 24-hour report filed today with the Missouri Ethics Commission shows $40,000 in contributions from the following sources:

Evergy Power PAC, Kansas City, $2,000

Quality Housing PAC, Jefferson City, $2,400

AGC of MO PAC, St. Louis, $900

Missouri First, Jefferson City, $2,000

Kansas City Southern PAC, $1,000

Missouri Forest Products PAC, Jefferson City, $1,500

Pharmacist PAC, Jefferson City, $2,000

Emergency Medicine PAC, Jefferson City, $2,000

Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists PAC, Jefferson City, $2,400

Franklin County Leadership PAC, St. Louis, $2,400

Northwest Missouri Leadership  PAC, Jefferson City, $2,400

Ameren Missouri PAC, Jefferson City, $1,000

Missouri Corn Growers Association PAC, Jefferson City, $1,400

American Property Casualty Insurance PAC, Chicago, Illinois, $1,000

Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities, $1,000

The Madison PAC, Clinton, $1,000

Enterprise Holdings PAC, St. Louis, $2,400

Conservative Leadership of the Ozarks, Gainesville, $2,400

Andrew Taylor, St. Louis, (executive chairman Enterprise Holdings) $2,400

Don Bedell, Sikeston, $500

Katherine Holland, Arlington, Virginia, $2,400

Trey Butler, Joplin, $500

So you want to be a Royal Heights Elementary principal

The Joplin R-8 School District posted an opening on its website Tuesday for Royal Heights Elementary principal.

This is what the district is looking for:

Job Title:                   Elementary Principal

 

Qualifications:          Master’s Degree or higher in Educational Administration/Leadership; Valid Administrative Certification in Missouri

 

Supervisory:           Yes

 

Reports to:               Superintendent

 

Classification:           Certified/Exempt

 

Term:                    Full-time/10 Months

 

Summary

The principal is the instructional leader for his or her building and is responsible for the daily operation of the building.

 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

 

General Expectations

• Supports the mission of Joplin Schools.
• Supports the value of education.
• Become familiar with, enforce, and follow all applicable Board policies and regulations, administrative procedures, other directions given by district administrators and supervisors, and state and federal laws.
• Properly supervise students at all times, if applicable to essential job functions.
• Obey all safety rules, including rules protecting the safety and welfare of students.
• Care for, properly use, and protect school property.
• Maintain courteous and professional relationships with students, parents/guardians, other district employees and the public.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors, department staff, all members of the school district, and community as required.
• Provides excellence in customer service both internally and externally.
• Complies with privacy rights and safeguards confidential and/or sensitive information pertaining to staff and students.
• Reacts to change productively and receive and transmit constructive criticism as it relates to job duties.
• Actively participate in professional development and obtain skills and information necessary to effectively perform job duties.
• Conduct all official business in a professional and timely manner, utilizing district technology resources.
• Arrive to work and leave work at the time specified by supervisors and attend all required meetings pertinent to the position.
• Maintains accurate records and filing systems for accountability and audit purposes as required by law and Board policy.
• Solve practical problems utilizing math functions as needed to complete job duties.
• Read and interpret documents such as work orders, safety rules, and handbooks and apply to job duties.

Essential Functions

• Supervision of instruction
• Evaluation of staff
• Training of staff
• Making hiring recommendations to the Board
• General supervision of students
• Supervision of student activities and events
• Implementation of the professional development plan
• Maintaining building records
• Preparation and management of the building budget
• Creation and update of student handbooks
• Positive interaction with students
• Administration of student discipline
• Motivation of staff
• Administration of meal service and the free and reduced lunch program in the building in conjunction with the Food Service Director
• An individual who holds this position is expected to attend:
• Board meetings
• Student activities and events
• IEP meetings
• Other duties as assigned

Physical Demands

An individual who holds this position must frequently move in and around buildings and grounds to visit classrooms, attend meetings and supervise bus loading and unloading areas and sit for an hour or more at a time.

 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

 

Attendance

Consistent and regular attendance is an essential function of this position.

 

The work conditions and environment described here are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

 

Conditions and Environment

The work environment is consistent with a typical office environment; however the individual who holds this position will occasionally be required to be outside in temperatures below freezing and above 100 degrees. The individual who holds this position is frequently required to work irregular or extended hours.

Joplin police, community observe Ben Cooper Day

 

(From the Joplin Police Department)

We want to thank everyone who came out today to honor Corporal Ben Cooper. 

We were honored to have members of Corporal Cooper's family (both blood and blue), along with friends, city staff, and city leadership in attendance.

While we continue to mourn his loss, we are proud to remember him, honor him, and continue daily to pass on the stories and legacy he left behind at JPD. Until we meet again brother.

 

 
OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
Proclaiming July 26, 2022, as Corporal Ben Cooper Day

WHEREAS, Ben was born on July 26, 1975, in Tulsa, OK, the son of Steven and Joyce (Peterson) Cooper; and

WHEREAS, Ben graduated from Carl Junction High School in 1993. Ben served his country as part of the U.S. Army for eight years and was stationed in Alaska and Hawaii during his service; and

WHEREAS, following his service, he moved to the Joplin area and graduated the Police Academy in 2003, where he joined the Joplin Police Department. Later working for a Sheriff's Department in Montezuma County Colorado, where he was a K-9 officer; then moving back to Joplin in 2013; and

WHEREAS, Family meant everything to Ben. Ben left behind his wife Roxy and his two daughters Tiffany and Ashley: and

WHEREAS, on March 8, 2022, Corporal Ben Cooper gave the ultimate sacrifice for his city through his service as a Joplin Police Officer; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that we express our sincerest gratitude for the dedicated service and courageous deeds of Corporal Cooper and recognize the ultimate sacrifice he paid to protect our loved ones and the citizens of Joplin; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Douglas W. Lawson, Mayor of the City of Joplin, Missouri, do hereby proclaim July 26, 2022, as Corporal Ben Cooper Day in the city of Joplin.

IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Joplin to be affixed this 30th day of April.

​​​​​​​Douglas W. Lawson, Mayor

Watch live- Joplin R-8 Board of Education meeting at 6 p.m.

 

Ron Lankford, Roy Blunt named Missouri Pioneers in Education

(From Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)

Six Pioneers in Education will be in the spotlight on Monday, August 1, in recognition of their commitment and contributions to public education in Missouri. 

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will recognize the 2022 Pioneers during the 61st Annual Cooperative Conference for School Administrators. The ceremony will take place during a luncheon with more than 600 school leaders in attendance.

“These individuals are true champions of public education, striving for excellence and advocating for Missouri students throughout their careers as public servants,” said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “DESE is honored to bring together educators from across the state to recognize the trailblazing efforts of these Pioneers in Education.”

The following individuals will be honored as Pioneers in Education:

Senator Roy Blunt, Niangua, first worked as a classroom teacher before serving the state of Missouri in Washington, D.C. as both a representative and, most recently, a senator for 24 years. Senator Blunt oversaw increases in federal spending on education programs and grants. He helped double funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and increased funding for Head Start programs. He has advocated for programs that provide maximum flexibility for parents, teachers, and administrators. Blunt has also supported the expansion of innovative, high-quality public charter schools.

 

Dr. J.J. Bullington, Caruthersville, spent most her life and her entire career in the Caruthersville School District, serving the district for more than 40 years. As superintendent, Bullington oversaw design and reconstruction in the district after an F-3 tornado devastated the area, completing the new high school in 2011. She then focused her efforts on regaining full accreditation for the district, which happened in 2015. In 2018, Caruthersville became part of the Missouri Model District Program, now known as District Continuous Improvement. Bullington served as the district leader for this program, overseeing the realignment of curriculum to the Missouri Learning Standards, identifying priority standards, writing specific learning targets, developing units of instruction, and training all staff on new instructional strategies.

Dr. Charles Brown, St. Louis, first served in a support staff role in the office at Central High School, part of St. Louis Public Schools, and as the school’s head track and football coach after his professional football career ended. He then became the Executive Director of the Division of State and Federal Programs for St. Louis Public Schools in 1993. Brown was promoted to deputy superintendent for the district in 2000. He later became DESE’s Assistant Commissioner of Teacher Quality and Urban Education, and, at the request of DESE, served as the superintendent of the Wellston School District after the district lost accreditation in 2005.

Dr. Ronald Lankford, Webb City, lived and worked in the same school district for 45 of his 48 years in education. He became an assistant high school principal in East Newton Public Schools before moving to Webb City Public Schools, where he retired as superintendent in 2010. As superintendent, Lankford oversaw 13 bond and levy ballot measures to better serve Webb City students, started a local scholarship program to receive and distribute local donations to graduates, led an effort to form what was named the Southwest Center for Educational Excellence, and worked with Crowder College to secure a campus site in Jasper County. After retiring from Webb City, Lankford served as Deputy Commissioner of Financial and Administrative Services at DESE.

Dr. Julie Leeth, Springfield, served her home district, Springfield Public Schools, for 30 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and chief education officer. After retiring from the district, Leeth launched a second career with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks where she coordinated and led a concerted effort to build long-term assets for public schools in the Missouri Ozarks. In 2009, she helped establish the Rural Schools Partnership to help build education funds and foundations across the region. In 2010, the partnership launched the Ozarks Teacher Corps, a scholarship and professional development program for college students who are intent on becoming exemplary rural educators. The Corps has placed over 120 teachers in rural schools.

Dr. O. Victor Lenz, Jr., Lindbergh, dedicated his career to serving the students and families in the St. Louis area – and later all of Missouri as a member of the State Board of Education. Lenz served as a teacher and administrator in the Lindbergh School District for nearly 40 years. After retiring from the district, Lenz was elected to the Lindbergh Board of Education and joined the Missouri School Boards’ Association as the Lindbergh delegate, serving as President of MSBA for the 2011-12 school year. In 2013, Governor Jay Nixon appointed Lenz to the State Board of Education. He continues to work with MSBA as the president of the Immediate Past President group and is now spearheading a new venture, serving as a founding member of the Missouri Public Education Foundation.

State education officials have presented the Pioneer in Education awards for 47 years, which honor teachers, school administrators, citizens, and lawmakers for their distinguished careers and contributions to public education in Missouri.

Tyson asks U. S. Supreme Court to shield it from COVID-19 lawsuits in state courts

By Clark Kauffman

Iowa Capital Dispatch

Faced with court rulings that say a Trump administration directive doesn’t protect Tyson Foods from liability caused by workers’ deaths due to COVID-19, the food giant is now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the matter.

Arguing that recent court rulings against the company will have “drastic consequences for the next national emergency,” Tyson has told the nation’s high court that private companies “will not be so eager to willingly aid the federal government in a crisis” if those rulings are allowed to stand.

A recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which echoed a decision last year by the Eighth Circuit appeals court, found the Trump administration’s March 2020 efforts to keep meatpacking plants open during the pandemic don’t shield the company from lawsuits alleging negligence.

Tyson works to move workers' lawsuit to federal court

Those and other court decisions have paved the way for workers’ lawsuits against Tyson to be heard by state courts in Iowa, Texas and elsewhere, despite the company’s efforts to move the cases to federal court.

Court filings suggest that Tyson believes its argument that it was only doing business under the direction of the federal government will prove to be a more effective defense in federal court than in state court.

Trump’s March 2020 directive stated the Secretary of Agriculture had to “take all appropriate action” to ensure that the nation’s meat and poultry processors continued operations during the pandemic, but the companies had to operate in a manner that was consistent with guidance offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The directive stopped short of ordering the plants to remain open.

Tyson has since been hit with what it calls “a wave of litigation from former employees or representatives of former employees alleging that they contracted COVID-19 because Tyson kept its plants operating in unsafe conditions.”

Tyson’s stance is that since the plants continued to operate “at the direction of federal officers at the highest levels,” the federal courts must resolve any claims related to injuries and deaths that stemmed from that action.

In May, Tyson filed with the U.S. Supreme Court a petition seeking an extension of time in which it could file a petition for a writ of certiorari in a case involving a deceased Waterloo plant worker, Sedika Buljic. In that case, the appeals court for the Eighth Circuit had affirmed a decision sending the matter to state court, stating the company was not “acting under” a federal officer in keeping its plants operating.

Tyson argues ruling jeopardizes future cooperation in a crisis

In its filings with the U.S. Supreme Court, Tyson now argues it was merely following “the federal government’s instructions to help avert an impending national food shortage,” adding that Eight Circuit’s ruling “will have drastic consequences for the next national emergency.”

Tyson says private companies “will not be so eager to willingly aid the federal government in a crisis” if they first must obtain a formal command to remain open and thus be entitled to a federal forum in which to defend any actions they took at the behest of the federal government.

On Friday, the company filed its writ with the court, according to Bloomberg Law, although that filing has yet to be posted to the court’s official website.

The Supreme Court receives more than 7,000 petitions for a writ of certiorari each term, but agrees to hear arguments in roughly 80 cases, according to the court.

Just last week, three Iowa lawsuits against Tyson were moved from state court to federal court. The plaintiffs are the families of Victor Barahona Rivera, who died on June 15, 2020 after working at Tyson for 27 years; Ken Jones, a 12-year Tyson employee who died on June 3, 2020; and Juan Jauregui Samudio, a five-year employee of Tyson who died on June 10, 2020.

The families allege Tyson was fully aware of the risks associated with COVID-19, but continued to expose workers to contamination by forcing them to work within six feet of one another without proper barriers between them or adequate personal protection equipment. They also claim Tyson imposed inadequate disinfecting and sanitizing procedures and failed to implement COVID-19 testing and screening.

Each of the three lawsuits names plant manager Rick Retzlaff, plant superintendent Nathan Carnine, plant safety manager Jorge Sandoval, and area safety manager Laurie Garcia as defendants.

Tyson denies the allegations. According to court records, the company has denied the families’ claims for workers’ compensation benefits.

This story was originally published by the Iowa Capital Dispatch, a States Newsroom affiliate.

Former City Councilman: Few Joplin residents support public safety property tax increase

 

In a letter to the editor in today's Joplin Globe, former Joplin City Council member Morris Glaze said cityi residents he has spoken to support the police and fire departments, but do not offer the same approval for the tax proposal.

I have talked to very few Joplin voting residents who support the use of property and personal property tax to be used to fund the new wage matrix for both departments.

 

Driver who killed Terry and Rhonda Copple while high on meth sentenced to 23 years

Rita Michelle Glasgow, 32, Carthage, was sentenced to 23 years in prison during a hearing Monday in Jasper County Circuit Court for felony DWI and possession of a controlled substance.

Glasgow was high on meth and driving a stolen GMC Sierra January 4, 2021, when she ran a stop sign and crashed into an SUV killing Terry and Rhonda Copple of Joplin.

As part of a plea agreement, a third felony count against Glasgow, tampering with a vehicle, was dismissed.

The actions that led to the death of the Copples were described in the probable cause statement written by Joplin Police Department officer Mackenzie Roach:

I made contact with Ms. Glasgow at Freeman Hospital. I noticed that her pupils were constricted with eyelid tremors.

Ms. Glasgow appeared to very excited, as well as Ms. Glasgow continually fidgeted with her fingers and had uncontrollable body tremors which is common with methamphetamine use.

Ms. Glasgow's heart rate and body temperature were elevated according to methamphetamine use.
Ms. Glasgow's heart rate and body temperature were elevated according to medical staff on scene.

Ms. Glasgow admitted that she consumed methamphetamine and Klonopin prior to operating her vehicle. Medical staff located a bag of suspected methamphetamine in Ms. Glasgow's bra and placed it on top of Ms. Glasgow's purse. I observed a clear baggie with 3.7 grams with packaging of a white clear crystal substance on top of Ms. Glasgow's purse. During a probable cause search of Ms. Glasgow's purse, I located a black box. In the black box, I located a loaded syringe with a clear substance, a clear baggie with 0.4 grams with packaging of a white clear crystal substance and multiple other items of drug paraphernalia.

While I was at the hospital, I was notified that the white GMC Sierra was being reported as stolen to the Duquesne Police Department and that the owner of the vehicle, Ervin Whitt, was wanting to pursue charges.

While on scene at the hospital, I was notified by Colonel Swann that the passenger of the Ford SUV had been pronounced deceased at the scene. The passenger was identified as Rhonda Copple.

While still on scene at the hospital, medical staff advised that the driver of the SUV who had been identified as Terry Copple had been pronounced deceased due to the injuries he had sustained during the vehicle crash.

I read Ms. Glasgow implied consent asking for a blood sample. Ms. Glasgow admitted that methamphetamine would show up in her blood.

Her extensive record of breaking the law and not being punished for it was detailed in the January 4, 2021 Turner Report:

(Glasgow) was already facing two meth trafficking charges in Newton County with both arrests coming following vehicle pursuits by law enforcement, one in March 2020, the other in September 2019.

The 2019 arrest came after Newton County deputies determined Glasgow was driving with expired plates and tried to pull her over. She fled, eventually crashing her vehicle on McClelland Boulevard.
The probable cause statement indicated Glasgow had two rocks of methamphetamine, two bags of marijuana, three syringes and a drug pipe.
Even while Glasgow awaited trial on the first drug trafficking charge, she was given a break in Jasper County October 10, 2019, when Judge Gayle Crane approved a plea bargain agreement with the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office and gave Glasgow a suspended sentence on a felony meth possession charge. The deal included dismissing driving while suspended and drug paraphernalia charges.

The meth possession case occurred as a result of an October 6, 2017 incident in a convenience store parking lot at 2115 Connecticut Avenue, Joplin, where she was asleep in her car for more than a hour.

A search of her purse turned up 28 bags of methamphetamine, according to the probable cause statement.

Two months later, the Joplin Police Department arrested Glasgow for felony tampering with a motor vehicle in the first degree.

Judge Joseph Hensley set bond at $150 after Glasgow failed to appear at a January 15, 2020 hearing.

After that, court hearings were delayed due to the pandemic. Her next hearing was scheduled for May 20.

Glasgow failed to show.

Hensley issued a warrant and again set her bond at $150.

Glasgow was finally arraigned June 25 on the tampering charge. The hearing was held three months after Newton County authorities arrested Glasgow on a second meth trafficking charge, which occurred after a pursuit that began in Cherokee County, Kansas, and ended on MO 86 in Newton County.

Despite the second drug trafficking arrest and Glasgow's propensity for not showing for court hearings, Judge Hensley again allowed her to remain free while awaiting trial.

Glasgow's next court appearance was scheduled for July 29. Glasgow was a no-show and Hensley issued a warrant and set bond at $10,000.

Glasgow's next hearing was September 10. She wasn't there. The judge ordered her bond forfeited.

Online court records indicate Glasgow has not appeared at a Jasper County court hearing since June 25.

Not that things were much better in Newton County.

After Glasgow's second arrest on meth trafficking charges, Judge Anna Christine Rhoades released her on her own recognizance on January 3, 2020, one year to the day before Glasgow allegedly drove drunk and killed Terry and Rhonda Copple.

Online court records show Glasgow has a clear pattern of drug arrests dating back to age 17.

During a February hearing in Jasper County Circuit Court, Judge Dean Dankelson sentenced Glasgow to seven years in prison after she pleaded guilty to the October 2017 meth possession charge. She was credited with the time she has served since she killed the Copples.