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This Week in Missouri Politics: Panel of Democrat Reps. Donna Baringer and Marlene Terry, along with GOP Reps. Dirk Deaton and Kurtis Gregory, chat with Scott Faughn about the federal reimbursement allowance (FRA) (0:30); state budget process (6:20); House Ethics Committee inquisition into Speaker Dean Plocher (15:45); Rep. Terry says Ethics investigation should have been concluded “a day or two after it started,” said “personal vendettas” led to lengthy process (18:30); initiative petition changes (22:15); who won the week: Norm Stewart family, Jay Ashcroft, Donna Baringer’s new puppy Ruby, Lincoln Hough (27:05)

KWTO: All the Above with Garett Bowles: Sen. Curtis Trent (R-Battlefield) on remaining legislation, including initiative petition changes and budget (-32:00); thoughts on House budget (-30:20); praise for Cody Smith and Lincoln Hough (-29:45); FRA (-27:45); expectation that filibuster would be a “significant disruption” that would be weathered (-26:30); questioning Freedom Caucus mathematics on initiative petition votes (-25:00); filibuster negatively affecting other legislation (-23:30); optimism for 2025 session (-21:50); chances of special session (-21:00); legislative wins this session on private property/landlord rights, insurance regulation (-20:30); whether IP legislation could affect existing petitions (-18:05)

St. Louis Public Radio: Missourians could vote to boost state’s minimum wage and establish paid sick leave

P-D: Casino at Lake of the Ozarks moves closer to statewide vote (avoid stltoday paywall by reading Combest-archived version here)

KC Star’s Eric Adler: In this Missouri county, Republicans go to ‘war’ over who can run as a Republican; in 2020, Mark and Patricia “McClosky [sic] … emerged from their affluent St. Louis home brandishing weapons to ostensibly project [sic] themselves from the protesters.” (avoid KC Star paywall by reading free syndicated version on Yahoo! News here)

The Mancave Caucus with Rep. Ben Baker (R-Neosho), Tim Holden and Joel Mace: The MRP Convention Caucus Coup

YouTube: Missouri Republicans elected Sophie Shore chair of the Missouri Republican State Convention in Springfield on Saturday. Here’s that time in November she put a couple cultural enrichers in their place. (via Brad & John Show)

Columbia Missourian: Boone Republicans struggle to find candidate for Caleb Rowden’s open Senate seat

Missouri Independent: Friday budget deadline tests Republican factional fractures in Missouri Senate

KC Star: ‘Reality check’ series: ‘Missed warning signs.’ Missouri child welfare failed kids who died of fentanyl, panel says (avoid KC Star paywall by reading free syndicated version on Yahoo! News here)

P-D: Missouri lawmakers attempt to encourage five-day school weeks (avoid stltoday paywall by reading Combest-archived version here)

St. Louis Public Radio: Millions in federal funding will be used to expand charter schools in St. Louis

Brad (Hildebrand) & John (Combest) Show on 104.5 FM (Franklin/St. Charles/Warren Counties), Friday morning (Segment A): Recap of Jimmy Kimmel mocking Will Scharf; what to tell your clients, candidates and execs about smiling on camera; sports betting on November ballot; Brad’s “Prostitutes for Education”; judge okays stacking marijuana taxes; Spanish Lake Easter eggs

Brad & John Show, Friday morning (Segment C): St. Louis Public Radio vs. Andrew Bailey over transgender tip line; John give Brad online therapy about expectations and resentments; Ameren “Renewable Energy Center” coda; why you should go buy some Roundup/glyphosate this weekend

Brad & John Show, Friday morning (Segment B): St. Louis on the Air features they/them human with chartreuse hair, promotes LGBTQIA*+-friendly comic book gimmick

Amazon.com: John Combest: Stalking, Harassment, Internet Trolling: A Guide to Recovering and Rebuilding After Online Attacks – available in paperback and Amazon Kindle

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