Charges dismissed in McDonald County voluntary manslaughter case

Voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action charges against Brian L. Hole (DOB 1969), Anderson, who shot and killed his brother June 25, 2025 were dismissed earlier this week.

According to the probable cause statement, Hole was administering lifesaving measures and talking with dispatch when McDonald County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the call.

From the probable cause statement:

Brian advised he went to pick up his brother to take him to work, and his brother became upset and a physical fight between the two occurred. Brian, who had visible signs of trauma on his face from the incident, advised he was actually proud of his brother because this was the first time he has had a job in the last eight years.

Stotts City aldermen schedule special meeting

(From Stotts City Mayor Tracy Knight)

Residents are hereby informed that a Special Meeting of the Board of Aldermen has been requested by two aldermen and scheduled for Friday, May 29, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Stotts City Hall.

At approximately 10:36 a.m. today, the Mayor’s Office received email notification from the City Clerk regarding the requested special meeting. The meeting agenda was later publicly posted at approximately 12:00 p.m.

While notification was provided prior to posting, the agenda itself was prepared and posted without prior coordination or input from the Mayor’s Office regarding its contents or publication.

In the interest of transparency and ensuring residents remain informed about the operations of their municipal government, the posted agenda is being shared publicly alongside this statement.

As Mayor, I believe residents deserve open communication regarding city business, including when meetings are called, how agendas are prepared, and how official actions are communicated to the public.

The City of Stotts City administration remains committed to:
• Maintaining transparency with residents
• Ensuring accurate public records
• Addressing ongoing operational and governance concerns
• Working toward restoring public trust and accountability within city government

Residents are encouraged to attend the special meeting, remain engaged in the process, and continue voicing their concerns and questions regarding city operations and the future direction of the City of Stotts City, Missouri.

Additional information will be shared as it becomes available through official city communication channels.

Go Fund Me page launched for family of Pittsburg child who lost leg in lawnmower accident

A Go Fund Me account has been launched for the family of 8-year-old Jaxsen Woods of Pittsburg, Kansas, whose leg had to be amputated following a recent lawnmower accident.

The following description is from the page:

Jaxsen Wools is an energetic eight-year-old who recently experienced a life-changing accident. After a lawnmower accident, doctors were unable to save his foot, and he now faces a leg amputation. 

Jaxsen is one of six children in a single income, parent household, and his mom and dad just welcomed a new baby. With both parents at the hospital supporting Jaxsen, grandparents are helping care for the other five kids at home. The family is working together to make sure everyone is cared for during this difficult time. 

Jaxsen will need a ramp for the house, medical equipment like a porta potty, wheelchair, and shower chair, and a way to safely travel to the hospital, which is three hours away. He will be undergoing intensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and emotional support, not just for himself but for the whole family. With his ADHD, it's important to find safe activities and equipment to keep him engaged and prevent further injury. The family also needs help with gas and food for frequent trips to the hospital, so the burden doesn't fall on just one person.

We would be very appreciative for any help, whether it's a donation or a prayer. This will be a long recovery for Jaxsen and the whole family as they adapt to a new way of life. Anything anyone can do is greatly appreciated. Thank you for everything already done and for continued support and prayers.

The campaign has a goal of $4,500.

Jaxsen Woods Go Fund Me Page

Jill Carter appointed chairman of Select Committee on Rural Healthcare

(From Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby)

State Senator Jill Carter, R-Joplin, has been appointed chair of the Missouri Senate’s newly formed Select Committee on Rural Healthcare by the Senate President Pro Tem. The committee will begin work immediately to study the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare facilities and professionals in rural Missouri and develop practical recommendations to strengthen access to care in local communities.

“Rural Missouri families, farmers and small businesses deserve dependable access to quality healthcare close to home,” Sen. Carter said. “As chair, I look forward to working with my colleagues on common-sense solutions that keep rural hospitals open and remove unnecessary barriers so care is more accessible and affordable for the people who sustain our communities.”

The Select Committee on Rural Healthcare will review key issues affecting rural Missouri, including hospital sustainability, provider shortages, healthcare access, mental and behavioral health services, telehealth expansion, innovative care delivery models and the geographic and economic barriers that often delay care. The committee may form subcommittees as needed and will issue a formal report with recommendations for potential updates to Missouri law.

“Rural communities have unique strengths and face unique pressures,” Sen. Carter said. “This committee will focus on practical, targeted ideas that support the long-term health and vitality of the places we call home.”

Rob O'Brian: Working together toward a common vision

In his monthly community update, Joplin Mayor Rob O'Brian explains the importance of council retreats.

For Joplin, as in many other cities and even private businesses, it’s a best practice for the board, or in this case - the council - to occasionally take a step back from the usual City business. Many cities refer to this as a leadership retreat, or a vision or strategy session. The real purpose is for the elected officials serving as volunteers on your City Council to spend a day building team cohesion while thinking about the needs of the residents.

The remainder of his message can be found in the video, including a transcript.

Ellen Nichols responds to Jill Carter tax statement

(From Missouri State Senate Candidate Ellen Nichols0

Senator Jill Carter offered several explanations in an article posted on the Turner Report for why she did not fight to freeze property taxes in Jasper and Newton counties while every other Southwest Missouri Republican senator stood with homeowners and gave them the chance to vote on a freeze. 

Each of her explanations deserves a direct, factual response. What follows is my point-by-point rebuttal, drawn from Senate procedure, the public legislative record, and the April 2026 vote.

1. She Only Consulted the People Who Benefit from High Property Taxes

Sen. Carter cites conversations with county commissioners, city administrators, and school budget directors as justification for her skepticism of the freeze. Those officials carry real responsibilities, and their concerns deserve to be heard. But local government will always find more it can do with more money — that is the nature of government. 

The Legislature cannot rely solely on the voices of those who collect the taxes when crafting policy meant to protect the people who pay them. Missing from Sen. Carter’s account is any meaningful consultation with the homeowners, retirees on fixed incomes, and working families being priced out of their homes.

2. She Had Every Senate Tool Available and Used None of Them

Senator Carter has suggested she was unable to stop or improve the property tax legislation. The Senate journal tells a different story. Any senator can filibuster, demand answers from bill sponsors, or offer amendments. Senator Carter did none of these things. 

If she believed the bill was wrong for her constituents, she had the power to stop the process until she did. She chose not to. Additionally, any Senator can slow things down by requesting a reading of the bill or amendment being debated. Typically, reading the bill is waived but if just one Senator objects to the waving and requests the bill to be read, everything stops while the bill is read to the entire chamber.

The Senate journal is the permanent record. It shows every question asked, every amendment offered, every filibuster attempted. Sen. Carter’s name does not appear in the fight for Southwest Missouri homeowners.

3. A Freeze Does Not Stop Revenue Growth. It Provides Homeowners Certainty

In her explanation she claimed a property tax freeze would devastate local government revenue. This is not how a freeze works. New construction, home additions, and property sales all continue to generate growing tax revenue even under a freeze:

• New homes and commercial buildings are assessed at current market value.

• Additions and improvements trigger reassessment of the added value.

• Property sales reset assessments to the higher sale price.

A freeze does not stop revenue growth. It stops punishing long-term homeowners for staying in their own homes while the community around them expands.

4. The Claim She Could Not Read the Bill Language Is Not Credible

Any senator who cannot obtain bill language has a simple remedy: filibuster and stop the process until it is provided. The Missouri Senate’s rules make this possible for any member. Claiming she lacked information she had the power to demand is, at best, an exaggeration of the constraints she faced and at worst, evidence that she does not fully understand the legislative tools available to her. 

As mentioned above, any Senator can object to the wavier of the reading of the bill and the bill or amendment being debated must be read to the entire chamber.

5. A Cap Does Not Wall Off the State Tax Commission

Senator Carter has argued that a property tax cap would create a barrier to the State Tax Commission’s work. This is incorrect. A cap limits the rate of assessment growth on existing homes. It does not alter the Commission’s jurisdiction, its appeals process, its audit authority, or any of its core oversight functions. Conflating a cap on assessment growth with an assault on the Tax Commission obscures rather than clarifies the issue.

6. Every Adjoining County and Every Other SWMO Republican Senator Said Yes

All counties adjoining Jasper and Newton were given the chance to freeze their property taxes. McDonald, Barry, Lawrence, Dade, and Barton counties voted overwhelmingly to do so on April 7. Every surrounding Republican senator fought for their homeowners. Other northern, mid-Missouri, and Southeast Missouri senators also settled for a property tax cap, but Senator Carter, chose not to join her fellow Southwest Missouri colleagues who are small-government conservatives and allowed their citizens to freeze their property taxes.

Every Republican senator in the southwest corner of our state fought for the property tax freeze except one. The homeowners in Jasper and Newton counties noticed.

7. Critics Said It Was Unconstitutional. The April 2026 Votes Proved Them Wrong.

One of Senator Carter’s central arguments was that the freeze was constitutionally unworkable and would never reach voters. That argument was rejected by the courts. County-level votes took place across Missouri in April 2026, and homeowners in neighboring counties are now receiving protection from runaway assessments. Jasper and Newton County homeowners are not because their senator did not fight for them.

8. The House Passed an Excellent Bill. The Senate Gave Homeowners a Watered-Down Version.

After the debacle of SB 3 in 2025, the Missouri House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform, chaired by Rep. Tim Taylor, produced House Bill 2780 this last session. This was an 87-page comprehensive reform package passed with bipartisan support after more than a year of public hearings. That bill included stronger ballot transparency requirements, general election restrictions on tax increase votes, commercial property inspection protections, and reigned in the unelected Tax Commission’s authority. It died in the Senate. The Senate passed SB1066 & SB1088 instead — measures most observers described as stripped of the structural reforms needed to reign in the Tax Commission and deliver real, lasting relief. Senator Carter now touts her vote for that watered-down result.

9. She Voted to Give $1.5 Billion to Billionaire Team Owners Who Then Left Missouri

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of Senator Carter’s record to reconcile with her claimed concern for Missouri taxpayers is her vote for the Show-Me Sports Investment Act, a package offering up to $1.5 billion in tax credits to the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals ownership groups. After the bill died in the 2025 legislative session, it was rushed through a special session. The Chiefs used Missouri’s offer as leverage to negotiate a better deal from Kansas then left anyway. During that special session, Senator Carter asked no questions, offered no amendments, and did not filibuster. It was the same pattern she followed on property tax reform, and she was not a first-year inexperienced senator.

The Bottom Line

Senator Carter’s explanations do not hold up. She had the filibuster and did not use it. She consulted tax collectors, not taxpayers. She mischaracterized how a freeze works. She voted for a $1.5 billion subsidy package. Every surrounding county voted for the freeze. The House passed a serious reform bill; the Senate watered it down.

I want to be clear: these are straightforward policy differences worthy of open debate. Senator Carter and I have honest differences of opinion on some important issues, and we have different instincts about how a senator should fight for her constituents. Those are exactly the kinds of differences that belong in the marketplace of ideas that are openly debated in the public square and decided by voters. Jasper and Newton County homeowners deserve a senator who will stand on the floor and fight for them. I will be that senator.

New felony charges filed against Goodman man

Matthew James Self, 33, Goodman, who was already facing child sex charges in Newton and McDonald counties, will continue to be held without bond in the McDonald County Detention Center following the filing of four more felony charges against him today in McDonald County Circuit Court.

Self, a former Neosho resident, pleaded not guilty to the new charges- invasion of privacy and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The allegations had been mentioned in the probable cause statement in Self's earlier case.

According to a heavily redacted probable cause statement, Self allegedly had "hidden cameras, USBs, {and} chargers with hidden cameras in them" all through the residence including in the bathrooms. 

The crimes allegedly took place in 2019.

While living in Neosho in 2016, Self allegedly paid a 10-year-old girl $100 to allow him to sodomize her. The allegations came to light during an interview at the Children's Safety Center in Washington County, Arkansas, according to the Newton County probable cause statement, which was filed March 17 in Newton County Circuit Court.

Self is charged in Newton County with sexual trafficking of a child.

The McDonald County probable cause statement, which was filed March 11, also indicated that Self paid the child $100 for anal intercourse. According to the complaint, the alleged crime occurred in 2019 when the child was less than 12 years old.

The child said Self had hidden cameras in the bathroom and had nude photos on his phone of the child and one of her friends as they showered, according to the statement.

Exeter woman charged with arson, domestic assault

The Barry County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed arson and domestic assault charges against an Exeter woman who allegedly set fire to a trailer Tuesday while a person was asleep inside.

An arrest warrant was issued for Elizabeth Anne Burkett (DOB 1982) with bond set at  $100,000 cash-only,

From the probable cause statement:

On 05/26/2026. Elizabeth A. Burkett, knowingly and of sound mind, procured a green propane torch bottle
and started a fire in the west side interior room of her residence, a single-wide trailer home.

Another occupant. V1. who also resided at this residence, was located asleep in a nearby bedroom
(approximately ten yards from where the fire was set) and was unaware that Elizabeth had set the fire
inside the residence until the west part of the residence was fully engulfed. and Elizabeth told her the
residence was on fire.

VI later claimed that had she not gotten out of the residence when she did, she would have been seriously
injured or killed due to Elizabeth's heinous actions.

Elizabeth later admitted to VI. W1, W2, and this affiant; she had knowingly set the fire to the residence
with the intent to burn it down because she didn't like living there. Elizabeth was also aware that VI was
located asleep inside the residence when she set fire to the residence.

As a result of Elizabeth's heinous actions, she placed V1 in immediate risk of serious physical harm or
death and destroyed a residence beyond repair.

Indian national pleads guilty to role in illegal gambling ring

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

An Indian national pleaded guilty in federal court today for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar illegal gambling conspiracy occurring at six locations in southwest Missouri.

Tushar R. Patel, 40, a resident of the state of Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. 

 

Patel admitted that he and his co-conspirators, in aggregate, obtained approximately $9,506,464 in gross proceeds from their wire fraud scheme and illegal gambling businesses and then conducted various financial transactions for the purpose of laundering the proceeds.

On May 14, 2025, Patel was charged, along with eight other individuals, in a 72-count superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. The indictment charges all nine defendants with one count each of participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, and operating illegal gambling businesses from July 1, 2022, to May 13, 2025. In addition to the conspiracy counts, all nine defendants were charged with at least one count of wire fraud, and eight defendants were charged with money laundering.

Through Patel’s guilty plea, he admitted that he and his co-conspirators ran illegal gambling businesses at four separate locations under the guise of internet amusement arcade games, skill game arcades, and adult arcades. Patel and his co-conspirators hired local employees to work in their businesses, which operated contests of chance, gambling devices, and slot machines in violation of Missouri and Federal law. 

Under federal statutes, Patel is subject to a sentence of up to 20, five, and 20 years in federal prison without parole, respectively, for each count to which he pleaded guilty. 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 will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri National Guard Counter Drug Unit, the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center, the Greene County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney, the Jasper County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney, and the Johnson County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney.

Abortion-rights coalition launches campaign against Amendment 3

By Anna Spoerre

Missouri Independent

The campaign opposing a November ballot measure that would reinstate Missouri’s abortion ban formally launched Wednesday, arguing Republican lawmakers are trying to overturn the 2024 vote that ended the state’s near-total ban through a “bait and switch” measure.

The coalition, called Stop the Ban Missouri, has already amassed nearly $4 million, including a $2 million donation from the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation on Wednesday. Its first ad leans heavily into the idea that voters are being asked to revisit a decision they made less than two years ago.

“In America and here in Missouri, we believe our vote is sacred. That the people are the ones who decide. And in 2024, the people of Missouri decided to stop Missouri’s abortion ban,” a voiceover in the ad says.. “But now, politicians are trying to overturn the will of the people and ban abortion again.”

The proposed amendment, drafted and approved for the ballot by lawmakers in 2025, was a direct response to a citizen-led reproductive rights amendment that narrowly passed in 2024. That vote made Missouri the first state to overturn a near-total abortion ban through a public vote.

The 2024 measure was listed as Amendment 3. The new proposal will also appear on the ballot as Amendment 3.

Missouri voters,” said Tori Schafer, a spokesperson for Stop the Ban and an attorney with the ACLU of Missouri. “And we need to educate voters about the bottom line, and the bottom line here is clear: The new amendment 3 is an abortion ban that takes away a woman’s right to make her own medical decisions and instead puts it in the hands of politicians and lawyers.”

Supporters of the amendment argue it would restore abortion restrictions removed by the 2024 vote while preserving exceptions for medical emergencies, fetal anomalies and survivors of rape or incest. The campaign backing the measure, Her Health, Her Future, has also said the amendment is necessary to protect parental consent, clinic regulations and the proposed ban on gender transition procedures for minors.

“The Her Health, Her Future PAC was launched with one clear and unwavering mission,” Mike Hafner, who was an advisor to Kehoe’s gubernatorial campaign and who is now a campaign advisor for the PAC, said last fall. “To defend the dignity of human life and ensure Missourians have the knowledge and necessary tools to stand boldly for the unborn.”

Missouri became the first state to enforce a near-total abortion ban after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, when a 2019 trigger law took effect. The following year, more than 11,500 Missourians left the state to obtain abortions legally in Kansas and Illinois.

Since the 2024 reproductive rights amendment passed, Missourians can again legally access procedural abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis. Medication abortion is legal but remains inaccessible pending a state court decision on what regulations on abortion and abortion providers are now unconstitutional under the reproductive rights amendment.

Schafer said in the last year the campaign has heard from many Missourians angered that abortion is back on the ballot.

“Truthfully, the energy is really high because in the fight for reproductive freedom, we know that this has been going on for decades and decades,” she said. “Since the 1970s with Roe, politicians in Missouri and special interests have been trying to take this right away from Missouri voters. So we are, unfortunately, used to this fight, and we are ready for it.”

The Stop the Ban coalition is made up of Abortion Action Missouri, the ACLU of Missouri, Action St. Louis Power Project, Beacon Reproductive Health Network, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action, PROMO and the Fairness Project.

Hoping to overcome a narrow loss in 2024, anti-abortion leaders launched Her Health, Her Future last September. Backers include Gov. Mike Kehoe and First Lady Claudia Kehoe, who serves as campaign treasurer, as well as other top Republican elected officials.

So far, that campaign has raised nearly $500,000.

At the Midwest March for Life in Jefferson City this spring, campaign signs for Her Health, Her Future dotted the Capitol lawn. They read: “Yes on 3 Ban Transgender Surgeries for Minors.”

That message points to one of the central fights over the November amendment: whether voters will view it primarily as an abortion measure, as a restriction on gender-affirming care for minors, or both.

A recent poll by Saint Louis University and YouGov showed 60% of Missourians support abortion access in the first eight weeks of pregnancy. It also found 67% of Missourians oppose gender transition medications for minors and 73% oppose gender transition surgeries for minors.

The poll also found the proposed Amendment 3 ahead but without a majority, with 47% support, 40% opposition and 12% undecided.

Critics of the amendment have pointed to the addition of the gender-affirming care ban as “ballot candy” to draw support for an abortion ban that might otherwise be more difficult to pass.

“Unfortunately politicians are trying to trick Missouri voters into banning abortion by combining these two separate topics,” Schafer said. “And so, we’ll be talking to voters about that, and I think that voters will feel confident in voting ‘no’ in November, given that information.”

Missourians will see the following on the November ballot:

“Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:Repeal the 2024 voter-approved Amendment providing reproductive healthcare rights, including abortion through fetal viability;
Allow abortions for rape and incest (under twelve-weeks’ gestation), emergencies, and fetal anomalies;
Allow legislation regulating abortion;
Ensure parental consent for minors’ abortions;
Prohibit gender transition procedures for minors?”

The ballot language was finalized by Missouri’s Western District Court of Appeals in December after the court determined previous ballot language drafted by Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins failed to sufficiently inform voters that a “yes” vote would repeal abortion rights.

While Gov. Mike Kehoe could have placed abortion on the August ballot, he kept it as part of the November general election.

“Missourians are used to having to tell politicians in Jefferson City what they want by using the ballot measure process,” Schafer said. “And so we know Missourians are with us, and we already said no to abortion ban just two years ago, and we’re confident that Missourians will defeat this new abortion ban by voting no on Amendment 3 in November.”

Northpark Mall owner closes $78.5 million sale of Florida facility

(From CBL Properties)

CBL Properties (NYSE:CBL) announced today that, along with its joint venture partner, it has closed on the sale of Hammock Landing, a 397,000 square-foot open-air center in West Melbourne, FL, for $78.5 million, including the assumption of the $43.8 million loan. 

The sales of Hammock Landing, along with the first quarter sale of related infrastructure bonds, generate approximately $26 million of cash proceeds to CBL.

“The sale of Hammock Landing at an 8% cap rate further validates the value within CBL’s open-air portfolio,” commented Stephen D. Lebovitz, CBL’s Chief Executive Officer. 

“The transaction provides an attractive source of equity and advances our capital recycling strategy as we redeploy proceeds into higher-yielding opportunities. Notably, the proceeds from Hammock Landing effectively matched the equity required to acquire Gateway Mall earlier this year.”

(CBL Properties owns Northpark Mall in Joplin.)

Carthage R-9 Board accepts 4 teacher resignations, hires 5 teachers, assistant principal

(From the Carthage R-9 Board of Education)

The Carthage R-9 Board of Education met in regular session on Monday, May 18, 2026, 6:00 pm, at Carthage South Technical Center – Community Room. Present were board members Ms. Niki Cloud, Mr. Ryan Collier, Mrs. Lora Phelps, Mr. Jeff Jones, Ms. Maria Sanchez, and Mrs. Robin Blair. Dr. Mark Westhoff was absent. Ms. Niki Cloud led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Carthage Technical Center student groups, Skills USA, FCCLA, and FFA shared their successes as
National Qualifiers.

The Board approved the Consent Agenda for the purpose of approving the meeting agenda, minutes of previous meeting, payment of bills, district financial report, and amendments to FY26 budget.

Mrs. Kim Ensminger, Director of Early Childhood Center, and Mrs. Kamie Bourgault, Director of
Parents as Teachers, presented to the board the CSIP Priority 1: Developing Successful Students,
Objective 3: Success-Ready Students (Kindergarten Readiness).

Mr. Jeff Jones provided a Carthage R-9 Foundation update stating scholarship season is completed.

For information regarding the Raise The Curtain campaign contact the Carthage R-9 School Foundation.

Dr. Holley Goodnight, Assistant Superintendent for Business, provided the Board information
regarding the bids the district received for the KE Baker remodel update. Bids came in higher than
originally anticipated. Dr. Goodnight is working through project costs and will follow up with the Board.

Dr. Goodnight provided the Board information regarding the contract for custodial supplies. Dr.
Goodnight stated Osborn Paper Company meets all bid requirements and specifications.

Dr. Goodnight provided the Board information regarding the contract for pest management control. Dr. Goodnight stated Bug Zero, Inc., meets all bid requirements and specifications.

Dr. Goodnight provided the Board information regarding the contract for HVAC-Energy Services Company (ESCO). Dr. Goodnight stated Navitas meets all bid requirements and specifications.

Dr. Luke Boyer, Superintendent, presented the 2026-2027 budget review. Key areas discussed were
state and federal funding, fund balances, district debt payments, tax revenue, and assessed valuation. The Board will approve the preliminary budget during the June 15th board meeting with amendments
made as the year progresses.

Dr. Boyer presented his report to the Board.

The Board met in closed session immediately following the regular meeting to discuss legal, personnel, student matters, and negotiated contracts in compliance with Section 610.021 (1), (3), (6), and (12) of the Revised Statutes of Missouri.

In closed session the Board approved the following personnel actions:

Approved the employment of certified, support, and substitute staff as presented contingent upon
receiving a clear criminal record check from the Missouri Highway Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a clear check of the Adult Abuse/Neglect Registry maintained by the Missouri
Department of Social Services for all employees new to the district:

Certified Hire

Kaily Harvey, fourth grade teacher, Carthage Intermediate Center- Ms. Harvey is an experienced elementary educator with a background in many subject areas in grades 5-7. She holds a Master's degree in reading from Grand Canyon University and has a Bachelors in Elementary Education from Missouri Southern State University.

Stephanie Rodgers, math teacher, Carthage High School- Ms. Rodgers is a certified educator with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Missouri State University. She has experience teaching math at both the elementary and secondary levels, currently serving as a high school math teacher in Diamond, Missouri, after previously teaching 5th grade math in Carthage.

Kenneth King, special education teacher, Carthage Junior High School- Mr. King holds an MBA in Healthcare from Colorado Technical University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Communication from Missouri Southern State University. Mr. King has served in leadership and consulting roles with organizations including Press Ganey, HealthStream, and Freeman Health System, specializing in patient experience improvement, leadership coaching, and organizational culture initiatives.

Richard Neria, math teacher, Carthage High School- Mr. Neria is being recommended under PSRS Critical Shortage. He comes highly recommended with 28 years of experience from Carl Junction

Schools. Mr. Neria has obtained 2 Masters Degrees in Educational Technology and Educational Leadership from Pittsburg State University.

Tim Head, assistant principal, Carthage Intermediate Center- Mr. Head is an experienced educator with more than 15 years in special education, currently serving as a Special Education Teacher with the Webb City R-VII School District. He previously taught in the Joplin R-VIII School District and has additional experience in paraprofessional support and youth ministry leadership. Mr. Head holds a Bachelor of Biblical Literature from Ozark Christian College, a Master’s degree in Special Education from Missouri State University, and is currently completing a post-master’s building principal certification through Pittsburg State University.

Maria Aguilar, dual language- Spanish teacher, Carthage Junior High School- Ms. Aguilar is a highly
experienced teacher with many years in Houston ISD. She obtained her Bachelors degree in political science from Texas A&M, and completed teaching certificate programs in Elementary education, Secondary Spanish, as well as English as a second Language.

Support Hire

Donald LeMasters, bus driver

Leticia Guevara Rodriguez, custodian, Carthage High School

Zia Honaker, IT tech seasonal, IT Department

Luke Jones, IT tech seasonal, IT Department

Substitute Hire

Breanna Lathrop

Certified Transfer

Nancy Stefan, science teacher, Carthage Junior High School

Ryan Mankin, special education teacher, Carthage Junior High School

Kimberly Hoover, special education teacher, Carthage High School

Jennifer Denney, Title 1 teacher, Steadley Elementary

Shelia Norwood, Title 1 teacher, Carthage Intermediate Center

Support Modification

Carter Brammer, IT tech seasonal, IT Department

Michael Lanyon, IT tech seasonal, IT Department

Landon Schmelzer, IT tech seasonal, IT Department

Support Transfer

Dakota Sisseck, behavior interventionist, Steadley Elementary

Kayla Foster, ELL paraprofessional, Carthage High School

Stephen Abbiatti, head custodian, Steadley Elementary

Kimberly Thomas, cook, Fairview Elementary

Paula Amershek, cook, Steadley Elementary

Kimberlee Patrick, cook, Steadley Elementary

Certified Resignation

Christina Ogden, Title 1 teacher, Steadley Elementary

Jessica Dutter, practical nursing instructor, Carthage Technical Center

Justin McKee, MO Options Teacher, Powers Learning Center

Jessica Alves, special education teacher, Fairview Elementary

Support Resignation

Carson Tyndall, bus aide

Lora McDaniel, custodian, Administration Building

Oakley Branstetter, special education paraprofessional, Steadley Elementary

Bradley Bos, bus driver

Raquel Lara, ELL paraprofessional

Courtney Lashmet, paraprofessional, Early Childhood Center

James Robinson, bus driver

Seven businesses fail Joplin Health Department inspections

Seven Joplin businesses failed Joplin Health Department inspections since the beginning of last week, according to information posted on the department website.

 Three restaurants, Jimmy John's, 3030 S. Main Street, Taco Bell, 2315 W. 7th Street, and Mac's Stop, 703 W. 7th Street, failed inspections today. It was a re-inspection for Mac's Stop, which failed a recent inspection.

King's Kettle Corn, 321 S. Joplin Avenue; Queen's Bee, 3106 Connecticut Avenue, and Mosa Hibachi, Sushi, 501 W. 7th Street; and Charley's Cheesesteaks, 101 N. Range Line Road, failed inspections last week. Charley's Cheesesteaks and Queen's Bee were being re-inspected after failing earlier.

Jimmy John's

Jimmy John's received priority violations for having employee drinks improperly stored and ready to eat turkey and shredded chicken being cold held above 41 degrees.

Core violations were cited for having worn cutting boards, liquid waste accumulating on the cooling unit in the walk-in freezer and for having a ceiling tile missing.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell received priority violations for having food items in the walk-in freezer being cold held above 41 degrees, having Pico de Gallo being cold held above 41 degrees and for having sanitizer concentration for quaternary ammonium in the sink at <400 ppm.

Core violations were noted for using the handwashing sink to dump drinks, excess condensation freezing on the ceiling of the walk-in freezer and for having no hand towels at the sink by the register.

Mac's Stop

Mac's Stop received a priority violation for having flies in the drain in the cabinet below the tea station and core violations for a debris buildup on soda fountain surfaces behind the nozzles and for having damaged cabinet trim and doors.

King's Kettle Corn

King's Kettle Corn received a priority violation for not having water available at the hand washing station.

Queen's Bee

Queen's Bee received priority violations for having molded food in the walk-in freezer and for having custard being cold held above 41 degrees.

Core violations were cited for having jasmine rice and a food container stored on the floor, having an incorrect sanitizer kit, for having single service items stored incorrectly under the sink and for having a sticky floor in the walk-in freezer.

Mosa Hibachi and Sushi

Mosa Hibachi and Sushi received four priority violations:

-An employee did not wash hands when required.

-Employee drinks were stored above food in the cooler.

-Premade sushi rolls were being held in a cabinet at ambient temperatures and not being marked or discarded within four hours.

-Sushi rice was cold held above 41 degrees.

Charley's Cheesesteaks

Charley's Cheesesteaks received a priority violation for having multiple meats and cheeses being cold held above 41 degrees.

***

The following establishments received passing inspections:

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen, 2130 S. Range Line Road

Qdoba Mexican Eats, 3102 E. 7th Street

Granny's Shaffer's 2728 N Range Line Road (re-inspection)

Las Brasas, 1202 S. Range Line Road

Club 1201, 1201 E. 32nd Street (re-inspection)

China Pantry, 101 N. Range Line Road

CVS Pharmacy, 112 E. 32nd Street

McDonald's, 1123 S. Range Line Road

McKinley Elementary School, 610 S. Forest Avenue

Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, 3118 S. Range Line Road

Blackstone Gastropub, 1521 S. Broadway Street

Glow Nail Lounge, 1710 E, 32nd Street

Residence Inn Breakfast, 3128 E. Hammons Boulevard

Holiday Inn: Route 66 Pub and Grill, 3401 Arizona Avenue

Super 8 Breakfast, 2830 E. 36th Street

Casey's General Store, 2764 W. 32nd Street

Jimmy John's, 407 S. Range Line Road

Forest Park Baptist Church Mission Joplin, 725 S. Highview Avenue

Crazy Llama Coffee, 415 W. 32nd Street

Love's Travel Stop, 4013 S. 43 Highway

Discount Express, 2703 E. 32nd Street

Shell Knob man charged after shooting

(From the Barry County Sheriff's Office)

On 5/23/2026 at approximately 0200 hours, Barry County deputies were dispatched to a residence in Shell Knob, MO., for a shooting.

Deputies arrived on scene and detained Raymond Brownsberger, who had made a statement on the 911 call that he shot the victim one time. The victim was transported by ambulance with a gunshot wound.

Barry County detectives were called to the scene and began an investigation. A search warrant was granted and detectives began processing the scene.

Interviews were conducted with a witness and the suspect, who stated that an altercation occurred between the victim, the witness and Brownsberger.

Brownsberger admitted he went to his vehicle and returned with a firearm. Brownsberger stated the victim advanced toward him again, and he shot the victim. One of the witnesses of the incident was a juvenile.

Raymond Brownsberger, 30, Shell Knob, was charged with the following:

-Assault first degree

-Armed criminal action

-Unlawful use of a weapon

-Endangering the welfare of a child.

Brownsberger is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.

Anyone with information related to the assault is encouraged to contact the Barry County Sheriff's Office at 417-847-6556, as the investigation is ongoing.

Cassville man killed in collision

A Cassville man was killed in aa two-vehicle collision 8;20 p.m. Sunday on Farm Road 2200 one mile south of Cassville.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 1995 Jeep Cherokee driven by a 69-year-old Cassville man and aa 2008 Chrysler Town and Country driven by a 66-year-old Cassville man struck each other in the side.

The Jeep Cherokee traveled off the roadway and overturned, ejecting the driver who was pronounced dead by Dr. Hartman at Mercy Cassville at 9:36 p.m.

The driver of the Town and Country was treated for moderate injuries at Mercy Cassville.

The fatality was the 51st this year for Highway Patrol Troop D. 

Burlison demands information on 1952 flying saucer report

 

(From Seventh District Congressman Eric Burlison)

As part of the ongoing push for UAP transparency under President Trump’s disclosure efforts, I sent a letter to MIT Lincoln Laboratory demanding answers about a reported 1952 “flying saucer” recording tied to the federal government’s early UAP investigations. 

The letter calls for the tape and any related records to be preserved and transferred to the National Archives as part of the federal UAP disclosure process. 

MIT now has 30 days to explain whether the recording exists and whether it can be released to the public.

 

Agenda posted for Carthage City Council meeting

 

15-year-old Joplin girl killed in ATV crash

A Joplin teen was killed in a one-vehicle crash 11:13 a.m. today six miles north of Greenfield.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a Yamaha 350 ATV driven by a 15-year-old Joplin girl traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree.

Dade County Coroner Gary Banta pronounced the girl dead at the scene at 12:01 p.m.

The fatality was the 50th this year for Highway Patrol Troop D.  

Stotts City Council members fail to show for meeting

(From Stotts City Mayor Tracy Knight)

On the evening of May 22, 2026, more than 25 residents attended the scheduled Stotts City Council meeting seeking answers regarding the recently released audit findings, city financial concerns, infrastructure issues, and other matters affecting the community.

Due to the absence of all the Board of Aldermen, the City Collector/Clerk, and the Water/Sewer Chief Operator, the City was unable to establish a quorum necessary to conduct an official Board of Aldermen meeting.

As a result, residents were unable to directly address questions and concerns to several city officials expected to be present.

Mayor Tracy Knight remained present throughout the gathering to hear resident concerns, discuss information currently available to the administration, and reaffirm the City’s commitment to improving transparency and accountability moving forward.

“The residents of Stotts City showed up tonight expecting answers and accountability from their local government,” said Mayor Knight. “I understand the frustration expressed by many members of the community. Citizens deserve officials who are willing to engage openly with the public regarding serious matters affecting the City.”

Mayor Knight further stated that while Missouri law limits the unilateral authority of the Mayor in matters requiring Board action, the administration will continue pursuing corrective action efforts related to the audit findings and advocating for greater transparency in city operations.

“The concerns raised by residents are legitimate and deserve to be addressed publicly and professionally,” Mayor Knight stated. “Avoiding difficult conversations only damages public trust further. My commitment remains to the people of Stotts City, and I will continue showing up, listening, and working toward solutions.”

The Mayor’s Office announced that ongoing efforts will continue in the following areas:

• Development of corrective action measures related to audit findings
• Increased transparency regarding city financial matters
• Improved public communication and access to information
• Strengthened oversight and accountability efforts
• Continued engagement with residents regarding city concerns

Mayor Knight thanked the residents who attended and encouraged continued public participation in local government processes.

“The future of Stotts City depends on an informed and engaged community,” Mayor Knight said. “The voices of our residents matter, and they will continue to be heard.”

Kehoe places tax overhaul, initiative petition limits on August ballot

By Jason Hancock

Missouri Independent

Gov. Mike Kehoe will ask Missouri voters in August to decide whether lawmakers should have new power to expand sales taxes to replace the income tax and whether citizen-led constitutional amendments should face a higher bar for passage.

Kehoe moved four proposed constitutional amendments to the Aug. 4 primary ballot: Amendment 1, renewing a sales tax for state parks and soil conservation; Amendment 2, requiring direct election of county assessors; Amendment 4, changing the threshold for constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition; and Amendment 5, authorizing lawmakers to expand sales taxes as part of an effort to eliminate the state income tax.

In a statement Friday, Kehoe defended the August timing on Amendment 5 by pointing to the work lawmakers would face if it passes.

“Modernizing Missouri’s outdated tax code, specifically, will be a momentous task for the Missouri General Assembly, and placing the measure to phase out Missouri’s income tax on the August ballot gives lawmakers additional time to prepare for the next phase of implementation,” Kehoe said.

The governor did not address why Amendment 4, the initiative petition measure, was also placed on the August ballot rather than November.

The decision places two of the year’s most consequential measures before a smaller, historically more Republican-leaning electorate than the November general election.

Major ballot measures have historically driven up Missouri primary turnout, particularly among voters taking Democratic ballots. But the August electorate still skews more conservative than November’s, and Kehoe’s choice keeps Amendment 4 and Amendment 5 off a fall ballot already expected to include fights over abortion rights and Missouri’s congressional map.

Scott Charton, who speaks for the campaign committees opposing both Amendment 4 and Amendment 5, called the August placement of the two measures “the most brazen power grab from our citizens on a single ballot in Missouri history.”

“The common thread between the amendments is luring Missouri citizens to surrender long-held constitutional power and freedom, and giving that power to politicians to use unchecked,” said Charton, whose groups are funded by the Missouri Association of Realtors.

Amendment 5 was Kehoe’s top priority during this year’s legislative session. If approved, it would allow lawmakers to apply sales taxes to transactions not currently taxed, with any new sales-tax revenue tied to cuts in the top state income tax rate, currently 4.7%. Lawmakers would have five years to redefine what is subject to sales tax.

Supporters argue the proposal would make Missouri more economically competitive by moving the state away from income taxes. Opponents warn it gives lawmakers broad authority to tax services and consumer purchases that are not currently subject to sales taxes, shifting more of the state’s tax burden onto working families.

Charton said the proposal is too vague for voters to know what they are being asked to approve. He also pointed to the state auditor’s fiscal note, which says the General Assembly already has the power to reduce the state’s income tax by statute.

“The real agenda behind Amendment 5 is to trick voters into giving politicians a license to ignore current constitutional taxpayer protections approved by the people,” Charton said.

Amendment 5 would also allow lawmakers to override three prior voter-approved laws, Charton said, pointing to a 2010 amendment banning real estate transfer taxes, a 2016 amendment prohibiting new sales taxes on services and the 1980 Hancock Amendment, which requires significant tax increases to be approved by voters.

A lawsuit filed in Cole County argues Amendment 5 should be removed from the ballot because it contains too many subjects and because the ballot language written by lawmakers is misleading. If the measure remains on the August ballot, the legal fight could continue on a compressed timeline as election officials prepare ballots for military and overseas voters by the June 19 mailing deadline.

Amendment 4 would change how constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition are approved.

Instead of requiring a simple majority of votes cast statewide, citizen-sponsored constitutional amendments would need to win a majority in every congressional district. That means voters in one congressional district could defeat an amendment even if it wins statewide.

The proposal has been a priority for Republican lawmakers after Missouri voters used the initiative process in recent years to legalize marijuana, expand Medicaid eligibility, raise the minimum wage and protect abortion rights. Initiative campaigns have increasingly proposed constitutional amendments rather than state laws to make it harder for lawmakers to revise or repeal voter-approved measures.

Amendment 4 would apply only to constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition. Constitutional amendments placed on the ballot by lawmakers would continue to require a statewide majority for passage. The measure would also add prohibitions on foreign donations to ballot campaigns and signature fraud to the Missouri Constitution, though both are already addressed in state law.

“Amendment 4 effectively kills the IP process for citizens, while empowering the Legislature, which can still propose amendments for the ballot with simple majority votes in each chamber,” Charton said.

A legislative proposal that would repeal Missouri’s 2024 abortion rights amendment will remain on the November ballot. That measure would ban abortion except in medical emergencies and in cases of rape or incest during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It would also place Missouri’s ban on gender-affirming treatments for minors in the state Constitution.

A possible referendum on the gerrymandered congressional map passed by lawmakers last year is also expected to appear in November if Secretary of State Denny Hoskins certifies that supporters collected enough valid signatures and that the referendum is legal. The map was drawn to help Republicans flip the 5th Congressional District, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, and give the GOP seven of Missouri’s eight U.S. House seats.

The August ballot will also include Amendment 1, a 10-year extension of the one-tenth of 1% sales tax split between state parks and soil and water conservation programs. The tax raised about $140 million in fiscal 2025 and has been renewed by voters three times since it was first approved in 1984.

Amendment 2 would require every Missouri county to directly elect its assessor. Jackson County is currently the only county without an elected assessor.

The four measures Kehoe moved to August will appear in an election where the highest-profile candidate races are competitive Republican primaries in the 5th and 6th Congressional Districts and several state Senate districts.

The only statewide candidate race this year is for state auditor. Republican incumbent Scott Fitzpatrick is expected to easily win renomination in August before facing a Democratic challenger in November.

Stotts City mayor presenting formal action to plan to deal with state audit recommendations

(From Stotts City Tracy Knight)

Mayor Tracy Knight announced today that a formal Corrective Action Plan will be submitted to the Stotts City Board of Aldermen in direct response to the recent audit issued by the Missouri State Auditor's Office.

The plan outlines immediate and long-term actions intended to address deficiencies identified in the audit, strengthen financial accountability, improve operational oversight, and restore public confidence in city government.

“The findings identified in the audit are serious and demand immediate attention,” said Mayor Knight. “The residents of Stotts City deserve a government that is transparent, accountable, financially responsible, and fully compliant with the law. This corrective action plan is intended to establish real oversight, measurable reforms, and clear expectations moving forward.”

According to Mayor Knight, the corrective action plan includes:

Implementation of formal financial oversight and reporting procedures;

Increased scrutiny and documentation of city expenditures;

Verification and review of required public official bonds;

Development of written internal control and procurement policies;

Enhanced transparency measures for residents;

Standardized procedures for meeting records and public documentation;

Improved compliance with Missouri Sunshine Law requirements;

Ongoing public reporting regarding corrective action progress.

The Mayor stated that the plan is designed not only to address audit findings, but also to establish stronger systems of accountability to help prevent future deficiencies.

“For too long, residents have raised concerns regarding transparency, financial reporting, and oversight,” Knight stated. “This administration is committed to confronting those issues directly. Accountability cannot simply be discussed — it must be documented, implemented, monitored, and enforced.”

Mayor Knight also indicated that progress on corrective actions should be reviewed regularly in open session so residents can monitor implementation efforts and the status of outstanding audit concerns.

“This process must remain transparent to the public,” Knight added. “The community deserves to see both the problems identified and the steps being taken to correct them.”

The corrective action plan will be presented to the Board of Aldermen for formal review and discussion during the upcoming council meeting on May 22, 2026.

Residents are encouraged to remain actively engaged in the process as the City works toward strengthening governance, financial management, and public trust.