Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri, City Council approves efforts to stop predatory towing

Published

1 year ago

May 2, 2025

Kansas City, Missouri, City Council approves efforts to stop predatory towing

KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne covers issues surrounding government accountability and solutions. Share your story with Isabella.

Big changes are coming to the regulations covering towing businesses in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council unanimously voted to crack down on predatory towing at Thursday afternoon’s meeting.

“It’s a new day,” Councilman Darrell Curls said.

Curls is the sponsor behind the proposed new towing ordinances.

Jack McCormick

Among the changes are a vehicle owner bill of rights, creating an electronic reporting system to the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD), and enforcing fines for violators.

The penalty for a first violation is a fine between $250 and $500 and/or 30 days in jail. A second violation could mean a fine of $500 to $750 and/or 90 days in jail. A third violation will mean a fine of $750 o $1,000 and/or 180 days in jail.

“A lot of times, what happens is people don’t know their rights when it comes to towing,” Councilman Curls said. “The ones that are affected are always the ones that can least afford it.”

The city council swiftly passed the ordinance after dozens of people shared their voice on how they suffered at the hands of illegal towing.

Councilman Curls said he started work on the legislation six months ago.

“I think that this is something that’s been long overdue,” Councilman Curls said. “This came from my constituents, my family members, as well as some of my colleagues expressing concerns about towing fees that affect everybody in the city.”

Tow truck drivers also shared their voice at Tuesday’s committee meeting on the ordinance.

“I’m all for regulation, I think all of us are here for that,” Josh Baker, Jackson County Tow Service, said. “The problem is nobody here [on council] tows.”

Drivers cited problems with the Kansas City Police Department’s communication and the city taking a large profit from public tows.

“Underneath the guise of public protection, you guys [the city] are profiting $143 off of every single tow that we bring down, and you own no tow trucks,” Junior Johnson with Empire Tow Service said.

Councilman Curls responded to their concerns by explaining that the police department is confident in their enforcement, and any profit problems within the city will be addressed.

“I know the director of public works is looking into that [profiting] and I think there will be some changes in regards to that if it hasn’t already been made,” Councilman Curls said. “We’ve had KCPD at the table for these discussions, and they were very confident that they would be able to enforce this ordinance.”

Now it’s up to Jackson County to pass legislation requiring all tow truck drivers to have a license.

According to Councilman Curls, Jackson County is the only county in the area that does not require licensure.

“Clay, Platte, and Cass County had something,” Councilman Curls said. “Jackson County was the only one that didn’t.”

The legislature is expected to take up the ordinance on Monday, May 5.

At Thursday’s meeting, the City Council also decided to dedicate funding to keep buses and IRIS micro transit running.

Two ordinances that would provide $2.75 million for the transit buses and an additional $3.25 million for KCATA and IRIS will be discussed May 6th in the council’s Finance, Governance, and Public Safety Committee meeting.

The Ride Share program was supposed to end on Thursday, but council members pledged an additional $500,000 on Wednesday afternoon to keep it running.

It’s unclear how long that funding will last, but the KCATA stated it costs about $500,000 a month to keep IRIS in service.

“I would love to see some more definition to [the funding], but I feel confident that we have the opportunity to work with council and help define what this looks like and find an opportunity to fund both sides of the services more long term,” Tyler Means, KCATA chief mobility and strategy officer, said.

According to the KCATA, IRIS helps more than 300 people get to work every day. Councilman Wes Rogers said they still need to find a long-term solution for public transit.

“We figured out how to keep the buses running, we figured out how to keep IRIS going,” Councilman Rogers said. “At least in the short term, everything’s going okay. I saw Bobby Witt hit a home run today. This is not a home run, it’s an infield single, but it’s a positive.”

IRIS rideshare will continue at least throughout the next week.

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Missouri

Missouri realtors hold statewide rally to vote no on Amendments 4 & 5

Published

5 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Missouri realtors hold statewide rally to vote no on Amendments 4 & 5

COLUMBIA — Hundreds of Missouri realtors were in Columbia Thursday to show their opposition to a couple of proposals on the August 4th ballot. The Missouri Association of Realtors hosted a statewide rally against Amendments 4 & 5. Realtors distributed tens of thousands of yard signs, bumper stickers, buttons, and literature.

More than 26,000 Missouri realtors want Missourians to vote no on Amendments 4 & 5. They said the proposals ignore tax restrictions that Missouri voters put into the Missouri Constitution. Amendment 4 would modify the current requirements for a simple statewide majority vote. Amendment 5 would require the phase out of the individual state income tax. Matthew Becker is the Treasurer-Elect for the Missouri Board of Realtors and said Amendment 5 would give too much power to state government.

Becker said, “Amendment 5 is nothing more than a bait and switch. Amendment 5 literally wants to go out and give our legislature a blank checkbook for the next 5 years.”

Jefferson City Realtor Logan Gratz said Amendment 4 favors politicians and destroys majority rule for Missourians.

Gratz said, “Realtors have always been major advocates of property owners, of property rights, good business, and good tax policy.”

Springfield area State Representative Bishop Davidson said Missouri realtors were wrong when they opposed Amendments 4 & 5. Davidson said Amendment 5 would improve Missouri’s tax system.

Davidson said, “Right now, the way our tax structure works is old and archaic. It discourages economic growth. When it comes to Amendment 4, what I would say is protecting our Missouri Constitution is important.”

Governor Mike Kehoe’s communication director sent KRCG a statement that said, “Governor Kehoe supports Amendment 5 because it is a revenue-triggered, constitutionally protected path to eliminating Missouri’s individual income tax, allowing workers to keep more of every paycheck.”

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Missouri

Missouri Farm Bureau to host agritourism conference in Hermann | Fulton Sun

Published

15 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Missouri Farm Bureau to host agritourism conference in Hermann | Fulton Sun

Missouri Farm Bureau’s 2026 Agritourism Conference will be held Sunday through Tuesday in Hermann, bringing together agritourism stakeholders to explore opportunities in Missouri’s growing agritourism sector.

The conference usually draws 60-70 attendees annually, said Janet Adkison, director of public affairs and advocacy with Missouri Farm Bureau. This includes farmers, agribusiness leaders, tourism professionals and local economic development partners.

At the conference, participants will see firsthand how farms, wineries, orchards and other value-added agriculture business and rural destinations are connecting tourists and consumers with the state’s agriculture scene, while diversifying revenue streams for farm families and rural communities.

“Whenever folks think of agritourism, they think of a pumpkin patch or a flower farm,” Adkison said. “But agritourism is really anything that gets folks to connect with the agriculture industry. So from your Airbnbs that are out in rural Missouri to the wineries that you see across the countryside, to even a tree farm or just a simple orchard, those are all part of Missouri’s agritourism industry.”

The conference kicks off Sunday with welcome remarks by Missouri Farm Bureau president Garrett Hawkins and a dinner at Hermann Farm Store Barn. Participants will spend the nights at The Inn at Hermannhof.

Monday will include an agritourism bus tour, with stops at Thierbach Orchard, Heritage Valley Tree Farm, White Mule Winery & BNB and Cool Cow Cheese, where participants have the opportunity to speak to business owners.

It will be followed by a farm-to-table, wine-pairing dinner at Hermannhof Winery Court with the Missouri Wine & Grape Board.

“If you are somebody who’s interested in agritourism, you get to hear from somebody who’s been there and done that, and some of the hurdles that they may have experienced along the way,” Adkison said. “You’ll have that exposure both on the tour and also during the programs that they’ll provide on Tuesday.”

On the final day of the conference, participants will attend educational workshops and network with other vendors at Hermannhof Festhalle. Topics discussed in the workshops include marketing, risk management, USDA Rural Development resources for agricultural businesses.

“You’ll hear from some folks as far as the missteps or wins that they had while trying to market and get those crowds to come to the farm, and sometimes something might work, (or) something surprises you and it doesn’t work,” Adkison said.

The conference location rotates around the state each year — past stops have included northeast and west central Missouri, which Adkison said gives the conference a chance to showcase how agritourism looks based on the terrain and agricultural strength of each region.

Find out more about the event or register for it at mofb.org/event/2026-agritourism.

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Missouri

Missouri politicians champion unity, diversity on America’s 250th

Published

1 day ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Missouri politicians champion unity, diversity on America’s 250th

Former Missouri Gov. Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon followed in his ancestor’s footsteps, 250 years to the day.

On July 8, 1776, Colonel John Nixon was the first person to publicly read the Declaration of Independence from the steps of the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall.

Jay Nixon, along with other Missouri officials from local, state and national offices, participated in a semiquincentennial celebration at the Historical Greene County Courthouse on July 8, 2026.

“As we commemorate 250 years of American independence, may we remember not only the courage of those who signed the declaration, but also our responsibility to preserve the freedoms they declare,” said Connie Yen, director of the Greene County Archives and Records Center.

While the reading of the Declaration of Independence was the main event, patriotic music from the Salvation Army Band, Springfield Sound, the Patriotic Chorale — as well as the national anthem sung by former U.S. Attorney John Ashcroft and former judge and representative Max Bacon — rang throughout the courthouse’s rotunda, which was packed with people. The music itself, Ashcroft said, was a metaphor for the nation.

“There is something charming about America that doesn’t require that we be uniform. There’s a difference between unity and uniformity. As a matter of fact, you can’t have harmony if you only have one note. You have to sing different notes for things to be harmonic and it’s much more beautiful,” he said. “Maybe America is America not because of uniformity or everybody being in unison, but America may be America because we have disparity, but we’re in harmony. We believe in unity, not uniformity.”

Before reading the Declaration of Independence, Nixon shared part of a speech he gave at Fulton’s Westminster College in August 2025, where he encouraged people to “resist apathy with action” through involvement with civic and faith organizations, and by voting. Like others, he emphasized diversity as the strength of America.

“(We’re) a nation of immigrants. Many of our ancestors fled poverty, injustice and tyranny to build something better. We are the great-great-great-grandchildren of slaves, and those who enslaved them; the first families who inhabited these lands, and those who drove them from it,” Nixon said. “A nation of scrappy strivers stitched together by our ideals, marked by original sins, but redeemed by the courage and sacrifice that saved us from fascism and unleashed freedom and prosperity — the envy of the world. That is the true story we all need to tell, the promise we made to each other that we work every day to keep.”

The reading was followed by an ice cream social, co-hosted by the Greene County Democratic and Republican women’s clubs.

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