SUMMARY: Montgomery County leaders convened a special meeting in Hillsboro after property owners faced staggering tax increases of up to 1500%. Local officials, including state representatives Blain Willauer and Rosenthal, expressed concerns that solutions are unlikely from Springfield. The steep assessment hikes, particularly for wooded acreage, stem from a poorly implemented 2007 state law intended to promote conservation. Assessor Kendra N. has offered to delay increases for landowners committing to conservation plans. However, Willauer argues this compromise undermines private property rights and urges the county to adopt a fairer approach, as other counties manage these assessments differently.

Two local State Representatives are urging the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners to find a solution after some landowners saw a 1500% increase in their wooded acreage assessments.

“At the drop of a hat here they’re going one year to the next with 1000% to 3000% increase in property taxes,” Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-IL 110th) said.

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SUMMARY: Corey Lewis, a 45-year-old coach and substitute teacher at Pattonville High School, was arrested for sexual contact with a former student. The investigation began after the Pattonville School District reported that a graduate from 2013 alleged a sexual relationship with Lewis when she was a 16-year-old student. Lead detective Ben Burgess noted that the victim provided proof of the relationship and Lewis eventually admitted to it during police questioning. The victim’s delayed report may stem from processing trauma and realizing the wrongdoing. Lewis is currently in custody, having applied for a public defender, with a bond hearing scheduled next week.

A Pattonville High School coach and substitute is behind bars after facing a judge in his first court appearance Wednesday morning.

The day prior, 45-year-old Corey Lewis was arrested for sexual contact with a former student, who was 16 at the time.

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SUMMARY: Homeschooling has surged in Missouri, with at least 61,000 students, or 6% of the school-age population, now homeschooled, according to a report from the PRiME Center at Saint Louis University. This rise began during the COVID-19 pandemic but has persisted. The number of homeschooled students has doubled since 2019, with no sign of a decline. Despite Missouri’s lack of enrollment data collection for homeschooling, the study uses estimates to highlight the shift in education attitudes. This growing trend signals a permanent change in Missouri’s educational landscape, prompting a need for policymakers to understand the numbers.

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