We’ll find out soon if a judge in St. Louis will allow prosecutors from western Missouri to intervene in a lawsuit filed to get a medical marijuana initiative back on the ballot in Missouri.

A dozen Missouri prosecutors, including Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Scroggins, hope to block the measure because they say it would violate federal law.

The plaintiffs, including a St. Louis woman and the group New Approach Missouri, say that about 2,200 signatures collected in St. Louis during their petition drive were improperly rejected by state election officials.

But in an interview, Scroggins says that really doesn’t matter.

“The number of signatures is not relevant to anything because it totally misses the point,” Scroggins said. “The point is Missouri cannot pass a Constitutional Amendment or a law, either one, that contradicts or is violation of federal law.”

Two states currently allow recreational marijuana use and sales. But Scroggins says the laws in Colorado and Washington have not been fully tested by the courts, and when they are, Scroggins says they will be struck down.

“The question is ‘are they Constitutionally allowed to?’ ” Scroggins says. “I don’t think that question has been answered in those other states.”

“I sincerely believe that when that question is answered it will be no, they are not allowed to do that in contravention of federal law.”

To illustrate his reasoning, Scroggins offered an analogy. Women have the right to vote in the United States. Scroggins says Missouri does NOT have the right to deny women’s suffrage.

“I don’t think there’s anybody out there who believes that even if they got enough signatures, even if they got it on the ballot, even if it passed, I don’t think there’s anybody out there who believes that Missouri would be able to exclude women from voting, because it violates federal law. This is exactly the same situation.”

Earlier this month, Scroggins and 11 other county prosecutors announced they would file to intervene in the lawsuit Dundon versus Kander. The plaintiffs Shelia Dundon and the group New Approach Missouri, are challenging the Secretary of State’s rejection of signatures in their petition drive to get a marijuana measure on the ballot. Scroggins and the other prosecutors hope to convince the judge to reject the lawsuit and the petition drive.

“It doesn’t make any difference how many signatures you get, and it doesn’t make any difference whether something passes by popular vote, if it violates federal law, you’re not allowed to do it,” Scroggins said. “And, using, possessing or distributing marijuana violates federal law, and therefore Missouri is not allowed to pass a law to the contrary.”

A number of hearings are pending in the case, which could be decided as soon as September 6, according to online court records.

The Sound of Speed Airshow is this weekend at Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph. You can expect intermittent traffic jams along U.S. Highway 36 and Airport Road, a lot of aircraft activity overhead, and a few sonic booms each day.

A dozen or more static aircraft will be on display on the ground, including the A-10 “Warthog” fighter jet, The Northrop T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer and the AH-64 Apache helicopter.

The show will include performances both days from about twenty acts, including the Shockwave Jet Truck and some aerobatics from the Shetterly Squadron and the Franklin Airshow’s “Dracula.”

A concert Saturday will feature American Idol winner David Cook and country singer Danika Portz.

Saturday
Gates open at 11am
Airshow 2-5pm
Concert 5:30-7:30pm

Sunday
Gates open at 8am
Airshow1-4pm

You can get ticket information online here. (or visit the air show’s Web site here.)

Data released shows because of requirements, ACT test takers increased and scores declined for the St. Joseph School District.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released the data for April 2016 of eleventh grade students.

According to a press release from the district, the results show the composite score went from 20.1 for the district in 2015 to 18.8 composite score for 2016.

“In the past, the district received scores from students who voluntarily took the test,” Dr. Marlie Williams, Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services said. “Last spring, all students in their junior year took the test. We now have an accurate gauge of college and career readiness for all our students and will be able to identify ways to improve so that our students are ready for the post secondary choices they make.”

Due to the statewide changes that dictate all juniors take the ACT test, the SJSD now has a baseline that is a reflection of all students, whether they are college or career bound.

In 2015, 479 students took the test (before the statewide requirement); in 2016, 740 students took the test (after the statewide mandate). Out of all SJSD juniors, 94.6% of students took the test.

“We have a focus on academics and this is one of our target areas,” Williams said. “Each school made sure to communicate how important it was for students to be in school the day of the ACT test. While the data shows room for improvement, this information helps our schools create a road map to meet the needs of our students and begin the work to see growth in this area.”

ACT Scores were down for 2016 in the United States due to an increased percentage of students who were tested, according to a press statement from ACT.

“This year’s ACT-tested class is more representative of the student population than any we’ve ever had,” said ACT Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda. “We have likely added many more underrepresented students who may not have been preparing to go to college. In a situation such as this, it’s not at all surprising that overall achievement levels went down. Research clearly shows that scores initially decrease when states adopt the ACT for all students, but access and opportunities increase.”

One of the aerobatic acts on tap for this weekend’s Sound of Speed Airshow is the so-called “Shetterly Squadron,” a family of fliers with a passion, and a talent, for flight.

We spoke with Joe Shetterly, one-third of the “Shetterly Squadron.” Joe will join his father Greg and his brother Jeff Shetterly at the airshow at Rosecrans Airport this weekend.

“One of the folks that is very visually appealing to folks is when we take the three airplanes, that are very distinct in size, and shape, and sound, and color, and fly them in close formation,” Shetterly said in an interview. “We’ll be making multiple passes in front of the crowd in these airplanes that you normally would not see flying together, and certainly not very close together.”

Joe tells us his family perform at about 30 air shows each year, all together, but that all three only get together for about ten shows per year.

“We’ll fly solo and formation aerobatic routines,” he says, “and we’ll display both the capabilities of the pilots, and our long history of aviation experience, as well as the capabilities of the very diverse group of airplanes that we fly.”

The Sound of Speed Airshow takes off Saturday. The gates open at 11am, and the airshow runs from 2-5pm. Saturday will also feature a muscial concert featuring American Idol winner David Cook and country singer Danika Portz. The gates open on Sunday at 8am, with the airshow scheduled from 1-4pm.