Missouri
Missouri House narrowly sends private-school tax credit, charter expansion to governor’s desk • Missouri Independent
A massive education bill that expands a private school scholarship program and opens up Boone County to charter schools squeaked out of the Missouri House and to the governor’s desk on Thursday, winning the bare minimum number of votes needed for passage.
The 153-page bill, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester, is estimated to cost taxpayers $468 million when fully implemented. It passed 82-69 and heads to Gov. Mike Parson. Three Democrats joined with 79 Republicans in support of the bill, with 45 Democrats and 24 Republicans voting against.
State Rep. Phil Christofanelli, a St. Peters Republican, carried the Senate bill and sponsored the legislation in 2021 that created the tax-credit scholarships, called MOScholars.
He said during Thursday’s debate that the bill combines his interest in the MOScholars program with investment in rural schools.
“We put together a package that serves all the diverse interests in education,” Christofanelli said.
The original bill was 12 pages, but negotiations in the Senate led to the inclusion of over a hundred pages of education legislation.
“We’re all going to take a step together,” Christofanelli said Thursday. “This is the most substantive investment in public education that this state has ever seen.”
Lawmakers filed 53 amendments prior to the vote, but none were allowed by GOP leadership to offer them for consideration.
Rep. Paula Brown, a Democrat from Hazelwood, said during debate that the Senate was controlling the process.
“This is an esteemed chamber, and we’re acting like we don’t matter,” she said.
Christofanelli said the Senate had listened to concerns, and amendments were made to another bill Wednesday to smooth over issues with the larger package.
“My concern was that if I did those changes on this bill and sent it back into the Senate, it would get caught in the abyss and we would never have a law at the end,” he said.
He gathered input from key lawmakers, and delivered suggestions to the Senate. Then, Wednesday evening, the Senate introduced and passed a new version of Christofanelli’s bill on full-time virtual schools.
The House passed this second bill, with the fixes, after approving the larger education package.
Although the bill has measures to boost teacher salaries and school-district funding, Democrats had concerns. Many focused on the estimated cost.
“This is a bill that has some great, shiny things that we like in exchange for some really bad (things),” said House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat. “But as we’ve talked about, the real problem with this bill is the amount of money we have.”
Democrats from Boone County also spoke against the addition of charter schools in their community.
State Rep. David Tyson Smith, a Democrat from Columbia, called the bill “poison” to Boone County.
“Our schools are accredited. We don’t need this bill,” he said. “We are hanging on by a razor’s edge financially already. You bring charter schools into Boone County, which is what this bill specifically does, and it hurts us.”
As the final votes rolled in and the bill’s passage was assured, Koenig sat on the House dais, smiling as the bill he has called his top legislative priority made it across the finish line.
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LEXINGTON, Mo. (KCTV) – A motorcycle driver is recovering in an area hospital after he sustained serious injuries when he ran into a deer on a highway just outside of Lexington.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol indicates that around 4:40 p.m. on Friday, March 28, emergency crews were called to the area of Missouri Highway 224 and Myrick Rd. with reports of a motorcycle crash.
When first responders arrived, they said they found a 20-year-old Odessa man had been headed west on a 2013 Suzuki motorcycle when he collided with a deer on the highway.
During the crash, State Troopers indicated that the driver had been thrown from the bike. He was taken to Centerpoint Regional Medical Center with serious injuries.
Investigators noted that it remains unknown if the driver was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. The bike was totaled as a result.
No further information has been released.
Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Now that the 2024-2025 high school basketball season has ended for Missouri schools, it’s time for postseason awards to honor the season’s top performers.
As it does every year, the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) has released its annual all-district and all-state teams. MBCA all-district teams are used by the MBCA to draw its candidates for boys and girls all-state teams. Member coaches vote on candidates from within their own district for all-district teams, and all-state teams are then selected by members of the MBCA All-State Selection Committee.
MBCA all-district teams are selected based on overall season performance and are not an all-district tournament team.
MBCA Class 1-6 boys all-state teams below are listed by school in alphabetical order.
Class 1
Caegan Sensenich, sr., Braymer
Troy Zeilstra, sr., Brunswick
Brennen Meloy, so., Bunker
Clayton Garrison, sr., Chadwick
Tristan Smith, sr., Chadwick
Drew Foster, sr., Eminence
Ty Hall, sr., Green City
Xander Salas, sr., Green City
Hunter Miller, sr., Grundy County/Newtown-Harris
Gage Heussner, sr., Hale
Maddox McCarthy, jr., Halfway
Danny Janssen, jr., Higbee
John Fleeman, jr., Kingsville
Jackson Pitts, sr., Prairie Home
Gary Tilley, jr., Richland (Essex)
Owen Fortner, jr., Risco
Sammy Smith, sr., Risco
Jack Meyerkorth, so., Rock Port
Gavin Williams, sr., St. Elizabeth
Nathan Sawyer, jr., Wheatland
Player of the Year: Clayton Garrison, Chadwick
Coach of the Year: Shawn Guerin, Chadwick
Class 2
Preston Brewer, sr., Canton
Adam Newton, sr., Crocker
Justice Allen, sr., Eugene
Isaac Busch, sr., Eugene
Ethan Wunderlich, jr., Eugene
Trace Combs, sr., Harrisburg
Mason Cogdill, jr., Hartville
Payton Cogdill, sr., Hartville
J’Vonta Payne, jr., Hayti
Dillon Willis, sr., Maysville
Peyton McDaris, sr., Norwood
Cooper Vaughan, sr., Norwood
Jacob Miller, jr., Penney
Drew Woodruff, sr., Plato
Maverick Gentry, sr., Polo
Landan Burchard, jr., Puxico
Jett Hancock, jr., Puxico
Saywer Huff, sr., South Iron
Tate Kreisel, jr., St. Paul Lutheran (Concordia)
Elijah Van Wagner, sr., Van Buren
Player of the Year: Preston Brewer, Canton
Coach of the Year: Brian Wilde, Eugene
Class 3
Jermonte Alexander, sr., Caruthersville
Noah Johnson, sr., East Prairie
Marquan Haslip, sr., Ewing Marion Kauffman Charter
Spensar Seiger, sr., Fair Grove
Collin Clark, sr., Greenwood
Vinent Moss, sr., KIPP KC Legacy Charter
Kenneth Smith, sr., KIPP KC Legacy Charter
Demario Moss, sr., Lexington
Raife Smith, jr., Mid-Buchanan
Andrew Moore, sr., Montgomery County
Clayton Parker, sr., Montgomery County
Brenden Matt, jr., North Platte
Sekour Cisse, so., Principia
Quentin Coleman, jr., Principia
Gassim Toure, so., Principia
Kobe Watson, sr., Scott City
Devin Harrington, sr., Thayer
Easton Pitts, sr., Thayer
Korbin Kinder, jr., Woodland
Lane Lee, sr., Woodland
Player of the Year: Quentin Coleman, Principia
Coach of the Year: Matt Pitts, Thayer
Class 4
Cannon Thornhill, jr., Aurora
Myles Bachali, sr., Benton
Lincoln Goodwin, jr., Benton
Mach Mayom, jr., Benton
Zahir Ragsdale, sr., Central (Kansas City)
Eli Fauss, sr., Clayton
Blake Pingeton, sr., Father Tolton Regional Catholic
Aaron Rowe, sr., Father Tolton Regional Catholic
Zay Wilson, sr., Father Tolton Regional Catholic
Antonio Williams, sr., Lafayette (St. Joseph)
Chase Branham, so., Logan Rogersville
Abraham Nayou, jr., Maplewood-Richmond Heights
Jaydon Eldridge, sr., Mexico
Brandon Clemens, jr., MICDS
Carter Whitley, sr., Potosi
Cody Voysey, sr., Strafford
Terron Garrett, sr., Vashon
Dorea McCaskill, sr., Vashon
Jimmy McKinney III, so., Vashon
Trey Williams Jr., sr., Vashon
Player of the Year: Trey Williams Jr., Vashon
Coach of the Year: Jimmy McKinney III, Vashon
Class 5
Keion Epps, sr., Central (Springfield)
Logan Schaupert, sr., Farmington
Logan Hillman, jr., Helias Cathoic
Kyrese Simpson, so., Hillcrest
Will Salonies, jr., Holt
Jordan Martin, sr., Jefferson City
Sheek Pearson, jr., John Burroughs
Tristan Reed, jr., John Burroughs
Jack Edgerton, sr., Ladue Horton Watkins
Mavrick Hawkins, jr., Pembroke Hill
Ramelo Smith, sr., Raytown
Ethan Brown, jr., Rolla
P.J. Farmer, sr., Sikeston
Emery Woehrmann, so., St. Francis Borgia
Zyree Collins, sr., St. Mary’s South Side Catholic
Max Rieger, sr., Summit Christian Academy
Mike Thomas III, so., Summit Christian Academy
Luke Walsh, sr., Vianney
Scottie Adkinson, so., Webster Groves
Will Powers, so., Westminster Christian Academy
Player of the Year: Scottie Adkinson, Webster Groves
Coach of the Year: Justin Mathes, Webster Groves
Class 6
Jahadi White Jr., jr., Chaminade College Prep
Jamison White, jr., Chaminade College Prep
Jordan Boyd, jr., De Smet Jesuit
Riley Massey, sr., De Smet Jesuit
Eli Herbert, jr., Grain Valley
Brock Camp, sr., Hickman
Kole Deck, sr., Jackson
Reese Kimrey, jr., Kickapoo
Jackson Shorter, sr., Kickapoo
Cameron Barnes, so., Lee’s Summit West
Brody Owen, jr., Marquette
Jaise Combs, sr., Nixa
Adam McKnight, so., Nixa
Kordell Williams, sr., North Kansas City
Corbin Allen, sr., Oak Park
Caleb Estes, sr., Oak Park
Brenley Hagewood, sr., Republic
Callen Eskew, sr., Rockhurst
Xavier Wilson, sr., Staley
Jacob Aydelott, sr., Timberland
Player of the Year: Corbin Allen, Oak Park
Coach of the Year: Sherron Collins, Oak Park
More Missouri high school sports stories:
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