JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The growing movement against partisan gerrymandering has achieved a new first.

A ballot measure approved in the midterm elections will make Missouri the first state to use a mathematical formula to try to engineer partisan fairness and competitiveness when redrawing its state legislative districts after the 2020 census.

An Associated Press analysis of the new formula shows it has the potential to end the Republicans’ supermajorities in Missouri’s state House and Senate. It also could move the chambers closer to the more even partisan division that is often reflected in statewide races.

Voters in Colorado, Michigan and Utah also approved redistricting measures in November.

Those initiatives create redistricting commissions with criteria intended to promote competitive districts. But they don’t mandate a mathematical test to ensure that occurs, as Missouri’s does.

Chip Holman of Gower joined KFEQ to talk about the upcoming things before and during the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting this Sunday in the Gower City Park. Listen to it below.

TodayA slight chance of showers between 3pm and 5pm. Patchy fog before noon. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Light east wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

TonightA chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 9pm. Low around 40. East wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

SaturdayShowers before 9am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 9am and noon, then showers likely after noon. High near 45. East wind 7 to 13 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday NightA chance of rain showers before midnight, then rain likely, possibly mixed with snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 34. West wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
SundayA chance of rain showers before 8am, then a chance of rain and snow showers between 8am and noon, then a chance of rain showers after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 38. West northwest wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

BUCHANAN COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Thursday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1985 Chevy Silverado driven by Latham A. Novak, 40, St. Joseph, was northbound on Route AC.

The driver failed to yield as he attempted to turn west on Gene Field Road.
The SUV struck a southbound 2007 Toyota Camry driven by Katelyn R. Arthur, 22, St. Joseph.

Arthur was transported to Mosaic Life Care. Novak was not injured. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Carol Noecker of Smithville joined KFEQ to talk about the upcoming things during Smithville’s Candy land Christmas. Listen to it below.

MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University Jazz Ensemble has been selected through competitive application and audition processes to perform at the 2019 Missouri Music Educators Association In-Service Workshop and Conference.

The ensemble’s performance is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, at the MMEA’s 81st annual conference. The ensemble’s program theme is “Made in Kansas City,” a tribute to composers and performers from the Kansas City area.

The Northwest Jazz Ensemble is the University’s premiere, audition-based jazz ensemble. With 20 members, it performs music representing a variety of styles and regularly tours the four-state region, in addition to on-campus performances throughout the academic year. The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. William Richardson, the University’s Dennis C. Dau Professor of Instrumental Music.

“The past two years, our jazz band has really stepped it up several notches,” Richardson said. “I’m very, very proud of them. We’ve got some great soloists, and the group just plays extraordinarily well.”

The Northwest Jazz Ensemble was the only university jazz ensemble selected for the MMEA performance this year. Each was vetted by an out-of-state committee of music educators who reviewed the recordings and recommended the performing ensembles for the conference.

The Northwest Jazz Ensemble performed at the Nebraska Music Educators Association conference in fall 2017 and last performed at the MMEA conference in 2006.

For more information about the Jazz Ensemble and other music ensembles at Northwest, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/finearts/music/.

BUCHANAN COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Buchanan County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ram 5500 driven by Warren R. Stalker, 57, St. Joseph, was eastbound entering U.S. 169 at Loop 29 from a private drive.  The Dodge struck a 2009 Chevy Malibu driven by Raven A. Clark Mammah, 22, St. Joseph, who failed to stop at a steady red light.

The Malibu skidded onto a crosswalk and struck a pedestrian crossing light.

Clark Mammah was transported to Mosaic Life Care with minor injuries. Stalker was not injured.  Clark Mamman was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.