Parson Signs Bills to Increase Teacher Pay

On May 8, Governor Mike Parson signed Senate Bill (SB) 727 and House Bill (HB) 2287 into law. Together, the bills permanently increase baseline teacher pay to at least $40,000 per year, incentivize 5-day school weeks, increase support for early childhood education programs, and increase funding for small schools, among other provisions.

"I have and always will support Missouri teachers. Since the beginning of our administration, we've looked at ways to increase teacher pay and reward our educators for the hard work they do, and this legislation helps us continue that progress," Governor Parson said. "We ask a lot of our educators when it comes to teaching and caring for our children. Together, this legislation supports Missouri students, teachers, and families with more educational opportunities to succeed – including additional investments in pre-k – while ensuring our teachers earn a better wage."

SB 727 and HB 2287 contain provisions relating to the following subjects:

- Permanently raises starting teacher pay to at least $40,000 per year.

- Increases salaries for teachers with a master's degree and 10+ years experience to a minimum of $48,000 per year by 2027.

- Increases all Missouri teachers' salaries by the January Consumer Price Index report, with a cap of 3 percent annually.

- Increases state funding for early childhood education programs.

- Increases the funding limit and expands access for Missouri's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts.

- Incentivizes school districts in municipalities larger than 30,000 inhabitants to have 5-day school weeks.

- Establishes the Elementary Literacy Fund.

- Increases the small school grant funding program from $15 million to $30 million per year.

- Protects retirement benefits for educators who continue teaching after retirement.

- Establishes the Teacher Recruitment and Retention State Scholarship Program.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.

May Is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, reminds motorists that May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. It's important for motorcyclists to take an active role in their safety. Preliminary 2023 statistics indicate there were 2,459 crashes involving motorcycles. In these crashes, 2,141 people were injured and 175 people were killed.

Please keep these suggestions in mind when you're on the road:

* Be visible. Motorists often have a hard time seeing you. Keep your headlights on, day or night. Use reflective strips/decals on your clothing and on your motorcycle. Be aware of other vehicles’ blind spots.

*Dress for safety. Wear a helmet and eye protection. Wear bright clothing. Wear thick or leather clothing for protection.

*Think safety while riding. Give yourself space to react to other motorists’ actions. Use lane positioning to increase visibility. Watch for turning vehicles. Signal your next action in advance. Pretend you’re invisible and drive defensively.

*Know your bike. Get formal training and take refresher courses. Practice riding your motorcycle before going into heavy traffic. Know how to handle your motorcycle in all types of road conditions.

Car and truck drivers need to share the road with motorcyclists and keep the following in mind:

* Drivers should actively watch for motorcyclists.

* Motorcycles may look farther away than they are due to their smaller size. It is also difficult to judge the speed at which a motorcycle is traveling as it approaches.

*Motorcycles are hidden easily in a vehicle’s blind spots, or masked by objects or backgrounds. Thoroughly check traffic before changing lanes!

*Motorcyclists may slow down by downshifting or easing off the throttle. So, you may not see a brake light. Allow extra distance between your vehicle and a motorcycle.

*A motorcycle’s turn signal does not cancel after the turn like a vehicle’s signal does. The motorcycle may not be turning, so pay attention.

*A motorcyclist will often adjust their position in the lane so they can see more easily or to avoid debris, wind, or passing vehicles. Allow the motorcyclist to share the lane; don’t assume they are being reckless.

*Stopping distance for motorcycles is similar to that of cars. But, slippery pavement can make stopping quickly difficult. Please allow more distance behind a motorcycle in these types of road conditions.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Bulldogs Send Five to State Boys Golf

The Kearney High School Boys Golf team finished second at the 2024 Class 4-District 4 Tournament with a 347 as a team.

As the district runner up, all five Kearney High School golfers qualified for the Class 4 State Tournament on May 13-14 at Dalhousie Golf Course in Cape Girardeau. This is the first time since 2023 that the Bulldogs have qualified as a team for state golf tournament.

Will Staab finished T-13th, shooting an 87 and was selected for the All-District team. Carter Smith earned the same honor by finishing in fourth place with an 80.

State qualifiers:

Alex Gustafson

Will Staab

Aiden Tyner

Carter Smith

Carter Brock

Ray Weikal contributed to this story.

Missouri Health Advisory Regarding Consumption of Cannabinoids

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has issued a vital health advisory concerning the potential risks associated with the consumption of hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids. This advisory comes as a response to a recent increase in availability of products containing hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids and the emerging concerns regarding the health effects of these substances, especially among youth.

These intoxicating compounds are currently untested in humans, unregulated and sold to the public without restriction. Until safety data is available for human consumption, Missourians are advised to avoid these products.

According to the advisory released by DHSS, hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids, including but not limited to delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, and THC-P, have been found in various products available in the market. These cannabinoids, while derived from hemp, possess psychoactive properties similar to delta-9 THC found in marijuana, and their consumption can result in impairment and adverse health effects.

Currently, a wide variety of foods, beverages, purported dietary supplements, and other commodities containing hemp-derived compounds, both intoxicating and non-intoxicating, are available online and in traditional brick-and-mortar establishments in Missouri. These products are marketed progressively and assertively in eye-catching ways to attract public consumption, particularly that of young consumers.

Consumption of hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids puts individuals at risk for poisoning, unintended intoxication, contaminants and byproduct effects on the body, impaired driving and more.

“It is highly concerning how accessible these products are to the public, especially our youth,” said Paula F. Nickelson, director of DHSS. “There is no way for consumers to know exactly what is in the product they are consuming and just how intoxicating it may be.”

Missouri consumers are urged to only purchase cannabis-infused products from state-licensed dispensaries. These regulated facilities adhere to strict quality control measures and provide transparent information about the contents and potential risks associated with their products.

If a product is sold outside of a Missouri-regulated cannabis dispensary, product labels should be checked when possible to identify and avoid the following product ingredients, which are hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids: Delta-8 THC, Delta-6 THC, Delta-10 THC, Delta-11 THC, THC-A, THC-O, THC-P, THC-V, THC-JD, PHC, HHC, HHC-P and HXC. However, it is important to note there is no regulatory authority verifying these product labels are accurate.

Reported from submitted press release.

Kearney Musicians Hit Right Notes at State

The Kearney High School band and choir sent several musicians to state contests this spring. Many students came back with Gold ratings.

Choir

The Kearney High School Choir excelled during the MSHSAA State Solo and Small Ensemble Contest held on April 25. The vocal music students performed admirably on the day with seven competing events. Of those events, five of them received Gold Ratings while the other two received Silver Ratings.

Gold

Kate Martens, Lia Wilson, Archer Schmidt, Arianna Sypniewski, Ryan Bowles, Connor Green, Logan West, Delayne Boyd – Mixed Double Quartet

Ryan Bowles – Vocal Solo

Emi Eberhardt – Vocal Solo

Logan West – Vocal Solo

Connor Green – Vocal Solo

Silver

Aiden Vasquez (JH) – Vocal Solo

Arianna Sypniewski – Vocal Solo

Band

Kearney High School Band students gave some equally great performances at the MSHSAA State Solo/Ensemble Festival. The band took 13 qualifying students to this event. Seven earned Gold, five Silver, and one Bronze.

Gold Performances included:

Avery Morgan

Kieran Cooper

Hailey Robertson

Phoebe Taylor

Emma Daniel

Alex Kinstler

Andie George

Brian Watts contributed to this story.