Missouri

Missouri awards second round of marijuana microbusiness licenses, 5 in Springfield

Published

1 year ago

July 26, 2024

Missouri awards second round of marijuana microbusiness licenses, 5 in Springfield

The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation issued 57 marijuana microbusiness licenses in the second round of applications. A minimum of six licenses were awarded within each of the state’s eight congressional districts. Per district, two licenses are for microbusiness dispensaries and four are for microbusiness wholesale facilities. In this round, an additional nine licenses were awarded due to the revocation of round one awardees for rule violations, including one in Springfield.

More than 2,000 applications were filed during the April 15-29 application period, according to a Department of Health and Senior Services news release. A microbusiness license allows licensees to operate on a smaller scale than medical or comprehensive licenses and the majority owner must meet certain criteria. The license is designed to provide a path to facility ownership for those for whom that opportunity may not be as easily accessible.

In the 7th District, which represents the southwest corner of the state, all three dispensary licenses were awarded in Springfield, two to individuals and one to Virgo Vermilio. With this type of license, these entities can process, package, deliver and sell marijuana and marijuana products to other microbusiness facilities and consumers.

For both of the individual licenses, John Payne, who was the campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022 backing the legalization of marijuana in the state, is listed as the designated contact. Both of these license applications also list 1612 N. Lexington Ave. in northeast Springfield as the address, per DHSS lottery results. According to the Heyle Realtors website, this space is available to lease and was the former office and lab for the nearby railroad.

The address listed on the Virgo Vermilio’s application is 1770 W. Sunset St., which is where BluCurrent Credit Union is located. A representative from BluCurrent said the bank had no knowledge of the address being listed on applications and is not affiliated with any marijuana businesses. The address was likely listed due it being advertised for lease for half of the building where BluCurrent is housed, according to the Jared Commercial & Management website.

While Virgo Vermilio does not show up in the Secretary of State business search, the designated contact for the application is Amanda Kilroe, an attorney with Michigan-based commercial marijuana real estate agency Canna Zoned MLS. Another application with Kilroe as the contact had its license revoked in Columbia for Frankenstein Enemy LLC due to failure to respond and provide documents requested by the DHSS.

Both Payne and Kilroe appear as the designated contacts for numerous applications, with both the Lexington and Sunset locations listed for several applications. According to past News-Leader reporting, just because the address is listed in the application, does not mean the dispensary must operate there. As long as it remains housed within the 7th District, it can be built elsewhere. All marijuana microbusiness applicants had to provide proposed facility locations, however, and these locations had to comply with location requirements outlined in the Missouri Constitution. Applicants also had to submit proposed blueprints of the entire facility.

Wholesale facilities awarded in Springfield

Two of the five wholesale facility licenses for the 7th District were awarded to applicants in Springfield. With this type of license, these four entities can grow up to 250 flowering plants and then process, manufacture and transport the products.

Braxton Jeske and Andrew Dean Bedell were both awarded the license. Per DHSS, the address listed on the Jeske’s application is 3244 E. Gasconade St., a home in southwest Springfield. According to the Secretary of State business search, Jeske has three active LLCs registered at this address. The address in Bedell’s application is 1612 N. Lexington Ave.

The other wholesale licenses awarded in the 7th District were to Sacred Smoke LLC in Seneca, Monsta Farms LLC in Sarcoxie and Fallout170 in Sarcoxie.

The 57 microbusiness licenses were selected by a random lottery conducted by the Missouri Lottery without reference to the identities of the applicants to ensure the “integrity” of the random drawing, according to the news release. Prior to issuing the licenses, DHSS conducted a review to determine whether applicants were eligible to receive a license.

What’s next?

Marijuana microbusiness license holders are required to be in operation within two years of their business license issuance, according to previous News-Leader reporting. Over the next 60 days, DHSS will review eligibility for all 57 entities in order to certify them.

Applicants not selected in the lottery may be eligible for a refund of their application fees. Refund requests will be accepted from Aug. 24 through Jan. 24, 2025. Each applicant had to pay $1,500 to apply.

Another 48 licenses will be issued during the third and final round of microbusiness applications in 2025.

More: Here’s why these Springfield, Columbia marijuana microbusiness licenses were revoked

Who received the remaining marijuana microbusiness licenses?

District 1 Dispensaries

Millennium Retail LLC at 6934 Olive Blvd. in University City
Green Oasis LLC at 322 Taylor Rd. in Hazelwood
The Chronic Club LLC at 322 Taylor Rd. in Hazelwood

District 1 Wholesale Facilities

Rare Breed Farms at 1283 Research Blvd. in St. Louis
BlueMeanies at 1009 Locust St. in St. Louis
Platinum Craft at 1009 Locust St. in St. Louis
MicroLegacy at 1009 Locust St. in St. Louis

District 2 Dispensaries

Euphoria Group LLC at 16590 Manchester Rd. in Wildwood
Bug Stinging LLC at 3 Valley Park Rd. in Valley Park
Pure Leaf Labs LLC at 16345 Westwoods Business Park in Ellisville
Premium Pack LLC at 16345 Westwoods Business Park in Ellisville

District 2 Wholesale Facilities

Clifton Cannabis LLC at 1291 N. Highway Dr. in Fenton
Andrew Venne at 611 Trade Center Blvd. in Chesterfield
Wolfie Dank Co. at 670 Goddard Ave. in Chesterfield
Travis Dickens at 611 Trade Center Blvd. in Chesterfield

District 3 Dispensaries

Both are individuals at 3990 Mexico Rd. in Saint Peters

District 3 Wholesale Facilities

Twin Elephant at 6280 County Road 108 in Fulton
Individual at 1664 Highway W in Elsberry
DMS420 LLC at 7040B Highway HH in Catawissa
Individual at 1664 S. Highway W in Elsberry

District 4 Dispensaries

Potent Pals LLC at 501 W. Reed St. in Moberly
Xylo Gleam LLC at 689 S. Monroe St. in Lebanon
Divergent Dancers LLC at 689 S. Monroe St. in Lebanon
High & Tight LLC at 900 E. Broadway in Columbia

District 4 Wholesale Facilities

Lit Naturals LLC at 3421 State Route H in Fayette
High Maintenance Farm LLC at 4509 Interstate 70 Dr. SE in Columbia
Travis L Brown at 34651 Highway M in Edwards
Marley at 19015 S. Mackie Lane in Hartsburg

District 5 Dispensaries

KC Cultivators LLC at 1622-1624 Saint Louis Ave. in Kansas City
Flower to the People at 13621 US-40 E. in Independence
Farm Fantasies LLC at 3945 S. Bolger Rd. in Independence

District 5 Wholesale Facilities

Drama Dunes LLC at 704 Squire Ct. in Grain Valley
Cut the Grass LLC at 3690-3700 Main St. in Grandview
Verdant Sun Journey LLC at 113 Shotwell St. in Richmond
Cobalt Star Voyager LLC at 113 Shotwell St. in Richmond
Infinite Luck LLC at 340 NW Capital Dr. in Lee’s Summit

District 6 Dispensaries

Idyll Zone LLC at 119 S. Business Hwy 61 in Bowling Green
BL Enterprises at 4797 Siena Dr. Unit B in Saint Joseph
Captured Crescents LLC at 1403 N. Jesse James Rd. in Excelsior Springs

District 6 Wholesale Facilities

Individual at 35475 in Taylor (While this is an incomplete address, DHSS Communications Director Lisa Cox said there is only so much required early on in the application process.)
MB Doinks LLC at Pike 301 in Cyrenne
Individual at 35475 300th St. in Taylor
BK Doinks LLC Pike 301 in Cyrenne

District 8 Dispensaries

Individual at 330 N. Creek Dr. in Festus
Individual at 333 Leroux Dr. in Doniphan

District 8 Wholesale Facilities

Dorris Cultivating & Wholesale at 1166 Wayne Route EE in Silva
Andrew L Hoover at 16565 Highway BB in Licking
LL Wirtz LLC at 3602 Highway K in Bonne Terre
Baca Cultivating & Wholesale at 1166 Wayne Route EE in Silva

Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.

Source link

Click to comment

Missouri

Missouri Secretary of State admits to misleading ballot language for gerrymander referendum

Published

3 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Missouri Secretary of State admits to misleading ballot language for gerrymander referendum

Protestors gather in the rotunda to protest a redistricting plan that would split Kansas City into three districts on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at the Missouri State Capitol, in Jefferson City, Mo. (Yong Li Xuan/Missourian via AP)

An attorney representing Missouri’s top election official admitted in court Friday that her client had authored ballot language that could “prejudice” voters about a referendum to block the GOP’s new gerrymandered congressional map.

The state constitution gives Missourians the right to veto new state laws by holding a statewide referendum vote. Since Missouri Republicans passed mid-decade redistricting in September, voters have been fighting to put it to a referendum. But the Republican Party – including Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins – are throwing every possible hurdle in its path.

That apparently includes ballot language.

In November, People Not Politicians, the group leading the referendum effort, filed a lawsuit challenging what it termed the “dishonest” text Hoskins had approved.

The court could take over the task of writing the ballot language if Hoskins fails to provide an acceptable version after three tries. A bench trial is scheduled for Feb. 9.

Missouri law requires the secretary of state’s ballot language to be a “true and impartial statement” that isn’t “intentionally argumentative” or “likely to create prejudice either for or against the proposed measure.”

At a hearing Friday, Hoskins’ attorney admitted the ballot summary was likely to create prejudice against the referendum, according to People Not Politicians. She also said the language would be revised in negotiations with the referendum organizers, the Missouri Independent reported.

Now, the state will get “another bite at the apple” to write new language, Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing People Not Politicians, told Democracy Docket.

“Rather than losing in court, today the Secretary of State simply admitted that he broke the law and sought to deceive Missouri voters,” Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, said in a statement. “While warranted, this admittance does little to alleviate our concerns that a subsequent summary prepared by him will be any more accurate. Missourians deserve the truth about their rights and the referendum.”

According to court filings, the official certified ballot language reads: “Do the people of the state of Missouri approve the act of the General Assembly entitled ‘House Bill No. 1 (2025 Second Extraordinary Session),’ which repeals Missouri’s existing gerrymandered congressional plan that protects incumbent politicians, and replaces it with new congressional boundaries that keep more cities and counties intact, are more compact, and better reflects statewide voting patterns?”

In addition to the misleading ballot language, Republicans have devised relentless obstacles for referendum supporters, including trying to decline certifying the petition on holding a referendum for being filed too soon, reject signatures for being collected too soon, block the petition from moving forward and intimidate referendum supporters.

Hoskins is also insisting on enacting the new map before voters can hold the referendum, breaking with Missouri precedent.

Source link

Missouri

Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Jan. 8, 2026

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Midday: 3-5-3

Midday Wild: 9

Evening: 6-3-9

Evening Wild: 3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Midday: 7-1-3-4

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-6-9-8

Evening Wild: 9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

27-28-39-47-58, Cash Ball: 04

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Early Bird: 14

Morning: 07

Matinee: 06

Prime Time: 07

Night Owl: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

02-26-28-29-34

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link

Missouri

Missouri Democrats vow to fight increased taxes on sales or services

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Missouri Democrats vow to fight increased taxes on sales or services

Jason Hancock and Steph Quinn
| Missouri Independent

Missouri lawmakers returned to work Wednesday, Jan. 7, to kick off the 2026 legislative session, with Republicans determined to eliminate the state income tax and Democrats vowing to oppose any effort to replace it with increased taxes on sales or services.

Missing from the first day were the partisan fireworks that defined the end of last year’s session and a special session in September. Instead, both the House and Senate functioned normally on Wednesday, quickly running through motions of a first-day and adjourning with little fanfare.

But the partisan schism simmered under the surface.

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe is pushing for elimination of the state’s income tax and is expecting to lay out his plan next week when he speaks to a joint session of the legislature for his annual State of the State address.

Democrats — still smarting from last year’s GOP moves to cut off debate to pass bills repealing expanded paid sick leave, gerrymander the state congressional map, change the initiative petition process and reimpose an abortion ban — said they are withholding judgment until they see the details of Kehoe’s plan.

But they note the income tax represents 65% of last year’s $13.4 billion in state revenue.

Democrats will not support raising taxes that disproportionately impact lower-income Missourians to pay to eliminate the income tax, said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat.

“People are already having a really hard time making ends meet in this state,” Beck said. “People are living paycheck to paycheck. So if anyone wants to raise taxes on those folks, that is unacceptable to us. As Democrats, we say there should be no new taxes.”

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, said that while the possible elimination of the income tax is “being sold as … getting rid of your taxes,” most Missourians will see little benefit.

“What they’re not telling you is how much more you’ll have to spend every time you swipe your card,” Aune said, adding: “The next time you have an expensive car repair or costly emergency visit from a plumber to fix a broken pipe, you’ll also be paying double digit sales taxes on that bill. Struggling to pay your rent? The struggle will get even harder when Republicans add a sales tax onto that.”

Democrats will lay out their own income tax proposal next week, Aune said, that will offer “targeted tax relief for those who need it most.”

State Rep. Mark Boyko, the Kirkwood Democrat who will sponsor the measure, said that while Missourians earning over $250,000 could end up paying more under the Democrats’ tax plan, it would generate much-needed revenue.

The proposal, Boyko said, “will actually lower your costs.”

Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, urged her colleagues in an opening day speech to work together to “find solutions that move Missouri forward.”

While tax cuts weren’t directly mentioned in her speech, O’Laughlin left little doubt where she stood.

“Taxes, regulations, red tape and bureaucracy do not make Missouri better,” she said. “In every case, they take from Missouri families, they also take from Missouri small businesses. And our job is to reduce that impact. We must make sure what we take is as limited as possible.”

Missouri families want results, O’Laughlin said.

“They want better roads, better schools,” she said. “They want more private home ownership. They want safe streets and neighborhoods. They want better jobs and stronger job skills. They want thriving communities, and they want less dependence on the government at all levels.”

Hovering over the income tax debate is a state budget picture looking gloomier than it has in years.

General revenue is projected to be $400 million below estimates made a year ago. Part of the reason is that a capital gains tax cut passed last year that was estimated to reduce revenue by $111 million annually is now believed to cost as much as $500 million the first year and $360 million a year moving forward.

Beck said that while Democrats decided against using procedural maneuvers to gum up the Senate on the first day, the chamber will move much more slowly this year — not only in response to last year’s GOP moves quash Democratic filibusters, but also to avoid mistakes like the cost of the capital gains tax cut.

“When you shut off debate or refuse to engage with the other side to just rush things through, mistakes happen,” he said. “We were screaming from the hilltop that the capital gains cuts were going to cost way more. But we went too fast, and senators weren’t allowed to do their jobs.”

This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.

Source link