(Radio Iowa) - A central Iowa English professor's debut collection of short stories is being released today (Tuesday) and it's an atypical collection since it reads more like a novel. 

Marc Dickinson, who teaches creative writing at Des Moines Area Community College, says each of the 12 stories is linked with multiple recurring characters. "Replacement Parts" centers on a series of people struggling with personal demons and societal expectations in small-town Iowa. If you read it from beginning to end, Dickinson says it has "a novelistic feel" as the stories are "talking to each other." His collection is set in a fictional Iowa town of Dexton, which is loosely based on an amalgamation of many small, struggling towns. 

Dickinson's first appearance with the book is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday), and he says the association with the Nine Eleven attacks isn't entirely coincidental, as one of his characters is a veteran who served in Afghanistan.

(Radio Iowa) - A central Iowa English professor's debut collection of short stories is being released today (Tuesday) and it's an atypical collection since it reads more like a novel. Marc Dickinson, who teaches creative writing at Des Moines Area Community College, says each of the 12 stories is linked with multiple recurring characters. "Replacement Parts" centers on a series of people struggling with personal demons and societal expectations in small-town Iowa. If you read it from beginning to end, Dickinson says it has "a novelistic feel" as the stories are "talking to each other." His collection is set in a fictional Iowa town of Dexton, which is loosely based on an amalgamation of many small, struggling towns. Dickinson's first appearance with the book is scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday), and he says the association with the Nine Eleven attacks isn't entirely coincidental, as one of his characters is a veteran who served in Afghanistan.

Small-town Iowa is setting for 'novelistic' short story collection

Schwab urges U.S. Postal Service to guarantee timely delivery of postmarked ballots

TOPEKA — The Kansas secretary of state said in a letter to the U.S. postmaster general that approximately 1,000 August primary voters in Kansas were disenfranchised because ballots mailed before Election Day in August arrived in county offices more than three days after the deadline or without an essential postmark.

Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican who serves as the state’s chief elections officer, told Postmaster General Louis DeJoy there was cause to be “extremely concerned” about “a troubling pattern that persists in the U.S. Postal Service’s processing and handling of ballots.” He send the same letter to the six members of the Kansas congressional delegation.

During the August primary, Schwab said, 18% of Kansans exercised the constitutional right to vote by sending ballots through the mail. Nearly 1,000 of those individuals, or 2% of ballots transmitted by mail in Kansas, weren’t counted “due to USPS administrative failures,” he said.

In correspondence released Monday, Schwab sought assurances that the USPS would guarantee every mail ballot in the November general election received a postmark so it could be counted. Schwab also asked that ballots placed in USPS custody before Election Day would be delivered to county offices before the three-day, post-election window closed.

“The USPS’ proper and timely handling of mail ballots is a key aspect to maintaining trust in our election system by assuring the public that utmost care is taken to preserve the safety and security of their ballot,” Schwab said. “Kansas has had mail voting in some form since the Civil War, but never has a lack of confidence in the delivery of our ballot been questioned as it has in the 21st century.”

Kansas law requires advance mail-in ballots to be postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Only ballots received in county election offices within three days of a primary or general election could be counted in Kansas.

Schwab said a post-election survey showed county election offices in the state received ballots from the postal service days or weeks after they were mailed. He said some ballots placed in the mail ahead of Election Day didn’t get a postmark.

Approximately half the state’s county clerks reported receiving mail-in ballots without a postmark or after the three-day grace period permitted under statute, he said.

“It is unacceptable that voters, who follow the rules for requesting, voting and returning their mail ballot, are disenfranchised by the USPS because ballots that were properly and timely mailed were delivered without a postmark or not at all,” Schwab said.

In July, the USPS’ office of inspector general recommended the postal service make changes to allow postmarking of ballots that erroneously didn’t receive one. The operational shift could help voters feel more confident their ballot would move efficiently through USPS, the inspector general said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720316487639.png" alt="Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, send a letter to the U.S. postmaster general and the Kansas congressional delegation complaining that nearly 1,000 advance ballots dropped in the mail before Election Day in the August primary weren't counted because envelopes lacked the required postmark or arrived after the three-day grace period&nbsp;authorized under state law.-Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, send a letter to the U.S. postmaster general and the Kansas congressional delegation complaining that nearly 1,000 advance ballots dropped in the mail before Election Day in the August primary weren't counted because envelopes lacked the required postmark or arrived after the three-day grace period&nbsp;authorized under state law.-Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Schwab urges U.S. Postal Service to guarantee timely delivery of postmarked ballots</h2>TOPEKA — The Kansas secretary of state said in a letter to the U.S. postmaster general that approximately 1,000 August primary voters in Kansas were disenfranchised because ballots mailed before Election Day in August arrived in county offices more than three days after the deadline or without an essential postmark.Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican who serves as the state’s chief elections officer, told Postmaster General Louis DeJoy there was cause to be “extremely concerned” about “a troubling pattern that persists in the U.S. Postal Service’s processing and handling of ballots.” He send the same letter to the six members of the Kansas congressional delegation.During the August primary, Schwab said, 18% of Kansans exercised the constitutional right to vote by sending ballots through the mail. Nearly 1,000 of those individuals, or 2% of ballots transmitted by mail in Kansas, weren’t counted “due to USPS administrative failures,” he said.In correspondence released Monday, Schwab sought assurances that the USPS would guarantee every mail ballot in the November general election received a postmark so it could be counted. Schwab also asked that ballots placed in USPS custody before Election Day would be delivered to county offices before the three-day, post-election window closed.“The USPS’ proper and timely handling of mail ballots is a key aspect to maintaining trust in our election system by assuring the public that utmost care is taken to preserve the safety and security of their ballot,” Schwab said. “Kansas has had mail voting in some form since the Civil War, but never has a lack of confidence in the delivery of our ballot been questioned as it has in the 21st century.”Kansas law requires advance mail-in ballots to be postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Only ballots received in county election offices within three days of a primary or general election could be counted in Kansas.Schwab said a post-election survey showed county election offices in the state received ballots from the postal service days or weeks after they were mailed. He said some ballots placed in the mail ahead of Election Day didn’t get a postmark.Approximately half the state’s county clerks reported receiving mail-in ballots without a postmark or after the three-day grace period permitted under statute, he said.“It is unacceptable that voters, who follow the rules for requesting, voting and returning their mail ballot, are disenfranchised by the USPS because ballots that were properly and timely mailed were delivered without a postmark or not at all,” Schwab said.In July, the USPS’ office of inspector general recommended the postal service make changes to allow postmarking of ballots that erroneously didn’t receive one. The operational shift could help voters feel more confident their ballot would move efficiently through USPS, the inspector general said.

Kansas election official says nearly 1,000 primary ballots tossed due to mail processing issues

A Savannah Police Lieutenant has been charged in the death of Savannah
K-9 officer Horus.

The Missouri Attorney General’s office filed the class A
charge of misdemeanor animal abuse against Police Lt. Daniel Zeigler after an
investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

A probable cause statement filed by the patrol states Zeigler
and his K-9 partner Horus had completed their overnight shift on June 20th
when Horus was left in the Savannah Police K-9 vehicle and died of heat exposure.
The patrol reports a safety feature designed to roll down windows and sound the
horn when temperatures reach 90 degrees had been turned off.

The misdemeanor charge carries a punishment of up to one year
in jail and a fine of $2,000.

This article has been updated since first published.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720202220440.png" alt="K-9 Horus/ File photo" />
 <figcaption>K-9 Horus/ File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostA Savannah Police Lieutenant has been charged in the death of Savannah
K-9 officer Horus.The Missouri Attorney General’s office filed the class A
charge of misdemeanor animal abuse against Police Lt. Daniel Zeigler after an
investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.A probable cause statement filed by the patrol states Zeigler
and his K-9 partner Horus had completed their overnight shift on June 20th
when Horus was left in the Savannah Police K-9 vehicle and died of heat exposure.
The patrol reports a safety feature designed to roll down windows and sound the
horn when temperatures reach 90 degrees had been turned off.The misdemeanor charge carries a punishment of up to one year
in jail and a fine of $2,000.This article has been updated since first published.

Savannah officer charged in death of K9 Horus

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will take the stage next week in the only planned debate between the respective Democratic and GOP presidential candidates between now and November.

It’s the first presidential debate since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race following his own disastrous debate performance in late June against Trump. Biden, who faced mounting calls to resign,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pass-torch-biden-addresses-nation-why-he-wont-seek-second-term" target="_blank">passed the torch</a>&nbsp;to Harris back in July.

The veep has embarked on an unprecedented and expedited campaign as she and Trump vie for the Oval Office. The election is just two months away.

Though the Harris and Trump campaigns clashed over debate procedures in recent weeks, both candidates have agreed to the finalized rules. ABC News, host of the debate, released the rules Wednesday.

The debate will be Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9 p.m. Eastern time at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The debate will be 90 minutes long and include two commercial breaks,&nbsp;<a href="https://abc.com/news/5e38600c-4732-4cd2-a99c-3dedfa81beb0/category/1138628" target="_blank">according to ABC</a>.

The Keystone State — where both Harris and Trump have spent a lot of time campaigning — could determine the outcome of the presidential election. The battleground state has narrowly flip-flopped in recent elections, with Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/2020-election/results/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">turning Pennsylvania blue</a>&nbsp;in 2020 after Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">secured a red win</a>&nbsp;in 2016.

The debate will air live on ABC News and will also be streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.

ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the debate.

Harris and Trump will each have two minutes to answer questions and two minutes to give rebuttals. They will also be granted one additional minute to clarify or follow up on anything.

Microphones will be muted when it’s not a candidate’s turn to speak, just like the previous debate between Biden and Trump in June.

The candidates will not give opening statements. Trump won a coin flip to determine the order of closing statements and podium placement. Trump, who selected the statement order, will give the final closing statement.

Each closing statement will be two minutes long.

Harris and Trump are not allowed to bring any props or prewritten notes to the debate stage. They will each receive a pen, a pad of paper and a water bottle.

There will be no live audience at the National Constitution Center, as was the case in the last presidential debate.

Harris and Trump are not permitted to interact with their campaign staff during the two commercial breaks.

Trump went on the attack over the details of the debate, telling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/town-hall-no-questions-trump-grouses-about-polls-attacks-debate-host" target="_blank">Fox News’ Sean Hannity</a>&nbsp;during an interview Wednesday in Pennsylvania that “ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness” and “the most dishonest network, the meanest, the nastiest.”

He accused the network of releasing poor polls on purpose ahead of a previous election to drive down voter turnout.

Trump also claimed, without evidence, that Harris would get the questions in advance of the debate. ABC’s debate rules state that no candidates or campaigns will receive any topics or questions ahead of the event.

Meanwhile, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance will battle it out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/mark-your-calendar-vp-candidates-walz-and-vance-debate-oct-1" target="_blank">vice presidential debate</a>&nbsp;hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1 in New York City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724867447394.png" alt="Photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will take the stage next week in the only planned debate between the respective Democratic and GOP presidential candidates between now and November.It’s the first presidential debate since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race following his own disastrous debate performance in late June against Trump. Biden, who faced mounting calls to resign,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pass-torch-biden-addresses-nation-why-he-wont-seek-second-term" target="_blank">passed the torch</a>&nbsp;to Harris back in July.The veep has embarked on an unprecedented and expedited campaign as she and Trump vie for the Oval Office. The election is just two months away.Though the Harris and Trump campaigns clashed over debate procedures in recent weeks, both candidates have agreed to the finalized rules. ABC News, host of the debate, released the rules Wednesday.<h2>When and where is the debate?</h2>The debate will be Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9 p.m. Eastern time at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The debate will be 90 minutes long and include two commercial breaks,&nbsp;<a href="https://abc.com/news/5e38600c-4732-4cd2-a99c-3dedfa81beb0/category/1138628" target="_blank">according to ABC</a>.The Keystone State — where both Harris and Trump have spent a lot of time campaigning — could determine the outcome of the presidential election. The battleground state has narrowly flip-flopped in recent elections, with Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/2020-election/results/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">turning Pennsylvania blue</a>&nbsp;in 2020 after Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">secured a red win</a>&nbsp;in 2016.<h2>How can I watch the debate?</h2>The debate will air live on ABC News and will also be streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the debate.Harris and Trump will each have two minutes to answer questions and two minutes to give rebuttals. They will also be granted one additional minute to clarify or follow up on anything.<h2>Will the mics be muted?</h2>Microphones will be muted when it’s not a candidate’s turn to speak, just like the previous debate between Biden and Trump in June.The candidates will not give opening statements. Trump won a coin flip to determine the order of closing statements and podium placement. Trump, who selected the statement order, will give the final closing statement.Each closing statement will be two minutes long.Harris and Trump are not allowed to bring any props or prewritten notes to the debate stage. They will each receive a pen, a pad of paper and a water bottle.<h2>Will there be a live audience?</h2>There will be no live audience at the National Constitution Center, as was the case in the last presidential debate.Harris and Trump are not permitted to interact with their campaign staff during the two commercial breaks.<h2>Trump slams ABC ahead of debate</h2>Trump went on the attack over the details of the debate, telling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/town-hall-no-questions-trump-grouses-about-polls-attacks-debate-host" target="_blank">Fox News’ Sean Hannity</a>&nbsp;during an interview Wednesday in Pennsylvania that “ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness” and “the most dishonest network, the meanest, the nastiest.”He accused the network of releasing poor polls on purpose ahead of a previous election to drive down voter turnout.Trump also claimed, without evidence, that Harris would get the questions in advance of the debate. ABC’s debate rules state that no candidates or campaigns will receive any topics or questions ahead of the event.Meanwhile, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance will battle it out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/mark-your-calendar-vp-candidates-walz-and-vance-debate-oct-1" target="_blank">vice presidential debate</a>&nbsp;hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1 in New York City.

5 things to know about the Harris-Trump presidential debate  

Newly reported campaign finance data shows that having the most money wasn’t an automatic ticket to success at the polls

By RUDI KELLER&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The top three finishers combined to spend $27.5 million in the Republican primary for governor, with the winner,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/mike-kehoe-wins-republican-nomination-for-missouri-governor/">Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe</a>, accounting for almost two-thirds of the total, newly filed campaign disclosure reports show.

Overall, Republicans in statewide contests spent almost $65 million, compared to just $4.8 million in the Democratic Party, where the only significant primary spending was in the race for governor,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/crystal-quade-captures-democratic-nomination-for-missouri-governor/">won by state Rep. Crystal Quade</a>&nbsp;of Springfield.

The new reports, which cover the period from July 27 to Aug. 31, were due Thursday at the Missouri Ethics Commission. Federal candidates do not file post-primary reports.

Campaign finance tracking by The Independent shows that having the most money didn’t equal success in either party. It did for Kehoe and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/vivek-malek-wins-republican-nomination-for-missouri-treasurer/">State Treasurer Vivek Malek</a>, who spent $5.8 million from his campaign fund and joint fundraising PAC.

But David Wasinger of St. Louis, who won the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/07/dave-wasinger-wins-republican-primary-for-missouri-lieutenant-governor/">primary for lieutenant governor</a>, state Sen. Denny Hoskins, the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/denny-hoskins-wins-republican-nomination-for-missouri-secretary-of-state/">nominee for secretary of state</a>, and Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/andrew-bailey-defeats-will-scharf-to-capture-gop-nomination-for-attorney-general/">fended off a challenge from Will Scharf</a>, all won while being outspent.

In the Democratic Party, Quade defeated Springfield businessman Mike Hamra despite being outspent almost 3-1. Hamra gave his own campaign more than $2.1 million and spent $3.3 million overall, while Quade raised and spent $1.2 million through her campaign and joint fundraising PAC.

No other contested Democratic primary featured a candidate who spent more than $50,000 to win the nomination. And while some Democrats ended August with bank accounts comparable to their Republican counterparts, polls showing&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">double-digit leads for the GOP</a>&nbsp;in statewide races and the fundraising prowess shown by Republicans show the difficulties any Democrat must surmount to win in November.

The best-funded Democrats who file reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission are state Senate candidates. In five of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/07/29/primaries-will-test-incumbents-in-year-of-historic-turnover-for-missouri-senate/">six districts being watched closely</a>, Democratic candidates had more in the bank on Aug. 31 than their Republican opponents and more than any statewide candidate from either party except Kehoe.

Almost every candidate running a full-scale campaign for statewide office or the Missouri Senate has both an official campaign committee and a joint fundraising PAC. Official campaign committees are subject to contribution limits – statewide candidates can accept donations up to $2,825 – while the joint fundraising PACs can accept donations of any size.

Campaigns must observe other restrictions on donations as well. Corporations and labor unions are&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=VIII++++23&amp;bid=36200&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">prohibited from contributing directly to candidate and political party committees</a>, but may set up PACs for voluntary contributions from employees or members to do so.

Corporations and labor unions may also contribute to joint fundraising PACs and independent PACs that are allowed to contribute to candidate committees.

The $17.1 million spent by Kehoe and his joint fundraising committee, American Dream PAC, was equal to $64 for each of the 275,139 votes he received in the primary for governor. His two main rivals, state Sen. Bill Eigel and secretary of state Jay Ashcroft, spent $5.8 million and $4.6 million, respectively, which equals $25.46 per vote for Eigel and $28.15 per vote for Ashcroft.

Legislative Democrats have set a goal of breaking the GOP supermajorities that have two-thirds of the seats in the Missouri House and state Senate in Republican hands. That would require at least 55 seats in the House– three more than they have now – and 12 in the Senate – two more than their current strength.

In state Senate races for the competitive seats, Democrats avoided primaries while the GOP winners in three seats drained their campaign treasuries to win the nomination.

In five districts — the 1st and 15th in the St. Louis metropolitan area, the 11th and 17th in the Kansas City region and the 19th in Boone County — Democrats have campaign funds ranging from $550,000 to almost $1 million. No Republican in those districts ended August with more than $70,000 on hand.

In the sixth district considered competitive, the 23rd District in St. Charles County, the candidates entered September with similar amounts on hand. State Rep. Adam Schnelting of St. Charles, who won a four-way primary, had $42,762 in his campaign account and $30,962 in the account of his joint fundraising committee, Protect Our Kids PAC.

Democratic candidate Matt Williams had $40,266 on hand. Williams does not have a joint fundraising PAC.

<h2>Newly reported campaign finance data shows that having the most money wasn’t an automatic ticket to success at the polls</h2>By RUDI KELLER&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The top three finishers combined to spend $27.5 million in the Republican primary for governor, with the winner,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/mike-kehoe-wins-republican-nomination-for-missouri-governor/">Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe</a>, accounting for almost two-thirds of the total, newly filed campaign disclosure reports show.Overall, Republicans in statewide contests spent almost $65 million, compared to just $4.8 million in the Democratic Party, where the only significant primary spending was in the race for governor,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/crystal-quade-captures-democratic-nomination-for-missouri-governor/">won by state Rep. Crystal Quade</a>&nbsp;of Springfield.The new reports, which cover the period from July 27 to Aug. 31, were due Thursday at the Missouri Ethics Commission. Federal candidates do not file post-primary reports.The next reports are due Oct. 15.Campaign finance tracking by The Independent shows that having the most money didn’t equal success in either party. It did for Kehoe and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/vivek-malek-wins-republican-nomination-for-missouri-treasurer/">State Treasurer Vivek Malek</a>, who spent $5.8 million from his campaign fund and joint fundraising PAC.But David Wasinger of St. Louis, who won the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/07/dave-wasinger-wins-republican-primary-for-missouri-lieutenant-governor/">primary for lieutenant governor</a>, state Sen. Denny Hoskins, the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/denny-hoskins-wins-republican-nomination-for-missouri-secretary-of-state/">nominee for secretary of state</a>, and Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/andrew-bailey-defeats-will-scharf-to-capture-gop-nomination-for-attorney-general/">fended off a challenge from Will Scharf</a>, all won while being outspent.In the Democratic Party, Quade defeated Springfield businessman Mike Hamra despite being outspent almost 3-1. Hamra gave his own campaign more than $2.1 million and spent $3.3 million overall, while Quade raised and spent $1.2 million through her campaign and joint fundraising PAC.No other contested Democratic primary featured a candidate who spent more than $50,000 to win the nomination. And while some Democrats ended August with bank accounts comparable to their Republican counterparts, polls showing&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">double-digit leads for the GOP</a>&nbsp;in statewide races and the fundraising prowess shown by Republicans show the difficulties any Democrat must surmount to win in November.The best-funded Democrats who file reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission are state Senate candidates. In five of the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/07/29/primaries-will-test-incumbents-in-year-of-historic-turnover-for-missouri-senate/">six districts being watched closely</a>, Democratic candidates had more in the bank on Aug. 31 than their Republican opponents and more than any statewide candidate from either party except Kehoe.Almost every candidate running a full-scale campaign for statewide office or the Missouri Senate has both an official campaign committee and a joint fundraising PAC. Official campaign committees are subject to contribution limits – statewide candidates can accept donations up to $2,825 – while the joint fundraising PACs can accept donations of any size.Campaigns must observe other restrictions on donations as well. Corporations and labor unions are&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=VIII++++23&amp;bid=36200&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">prohibited from contributing directly to candidate and political party committees</a>, but may set up PACs for voluntary contributions from employees or members to do so.Corporations and labor unions may also contribute to joint fundraising PACs and independent PACs that are allowed to contribute to candidate committees.The $17.1 million spent by Kehoe and his joint fundraising committee, American Dream PAC, was equal to $64 for each of the 275,139 votes he received in the primary for governor. His two main rivals, state Sen. Bill Eigel and secretary of state Jay Ashcroft, spent $5.8 million and $4.6 million, respectively, which equals $25.46 per vote for Eigel and $28.15 per vote for Ashcroft.In other races:<ul>
 <li>Wasinger spent $2.7 million — $2.6 million of it personal funds – to defeat five other candidates. Hough spent $3.6 million. Wasinger spent just under $13 for each vote he received, while Hough’s spending equalled $18.14 per vote.</li><li>Hoskins spent $241,768 from his campaign fund and benefited from $247,262 spent by Old Drum Conservative PAC. The best-funded candidate in the eight-way race was Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, who spent $640,000 in campaign funds and $934,000 from his joint fundraising committee, Missouri United PAC. Hoskins spent $3.11 per vote for his primary win, while Plocher spent $18.16 per vote and came in fourth.</li><li>Malek’s $5.8 million in spending included $1.35 million in personal funds and equaled $21.17 per vote. His best-funded opponent in the six-way primary was House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, who spent $737,266 from his campaign committee and $563,121 via the Ozark Gateway Leadership Fund. Smith spent the equivalent of $10.27&nbsp; per vote and finished fourth.</li><li>The attorney general’s race was second to the gubernatorial primary in total spending. Bailey spent $1.3 million through his campaign and his PAC, Liberty and Justice, spent $5.3 million. Scharf’s campaign spent $1.7 million, and his joint fundraising PAC, Defend Missouri, spent $7.6 million. Another PAC Scharf used for joint fundraising, Club for Growth Action, spent $1.6 million on his behalf. Bailey’s total equals $16 per vote, while Scharf’s costs equal&nbsp; $45 per vote.</li>
 </ul>Legislative Democrats have set a goal of breaking the GOP supermajorities that have two-thirds of the seats in the Missouri House and state Senate in Republican hands. That would require at least 55 seats in the House– three more than they have now – and 12 in the Senate – two more than their current strength.In state Senate races for the competitive seats, Democrats avoided primaries while the GOP winners in three seats drained their campaign treasuries to win the nomination.In five districts — the 1st and 15th in the St. Louis metropolitan area, the 11th and 17th in the Kansas City region and the 19th in Boone County — Democrats have campaign funds ranging from $550,000 to almost $1 million. No Republican in those districts ended August with more than $70,000 on hand.In the sixth district considered competitive, the 23rd District in St. Charles County, the candidates entered September with similar amounts on hand. State Rep. Adam Schnelting of St. Charles, who won a four-way primary, had $42,762 in his campaign account and $30,962 in the account of his joint fundraising committee, Protect Our Kids PAC.Democratic candidate Matt Williams had $40,266 on hand. Williams does not have a joint fundraising PAC.

Republicans combine to spend $65 million in Missouri primaries for statewide offices

As of Monday afternoon, Amendment 3 was no longer listed on the secretary of state’s website as appearing on the November ballot

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Brief%20of%20Respondent%20Secretary%20of%20State%20John%20R.%20Ashcroft.PDF?courtCode=SC&amp;di=201733" target="_blank">Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft decertified</a>&nbsp;a ballot measure that would legalize abortion, a move aimed at blocking it from appearing on the November ballot, according to a brief filed Monday with the state Supreme Court.

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">Last month, Ashcroft announced&nbsp;</a>the reproductive-rights proposal would appear on the ballot as&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3</a>. But a Cole County judge on Friday ruled the amendment violated state law and shouldn’t have been certified.&nbsp;

That ruling is now before the Missouri Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled Tuesday morning and a ruling expected quickly thereafter. The deadline to remove a question from the ballot is also Tuesday.&nbsp;

But before the Supreme Court had the chance to weigh in, Ashcroft said he had changed his mind.&nbsp;

“On further review in light of the circuit court’s judgment, the Secretary believes the amendment is deficient,” the secretary of state argues in a filing with the court.&nbsp;

As of Monday afternoon, Amendment 3 was no longer listed on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2024BallotMeasures" target="_blank">secretary of state’s website as appearing on the November ballot.</a>

“The amendment proponents cannot evade constitutional requirements that advocates of other amendments must and have satisfied simply because the proposed amendment concerns a highly charged moral topic,” the brief read. “This court should enforce the circuit court’s judgment.”

Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for the campaign behind Amendment 3 — Missourians for Constitutional Freedom — said in a statement Monday that the Supreme Court has jurisdiction at this point, not Ashcroft.

Sweet added the campaign is “confident the court will order the secretary of state to keep Amendment 3 on the ballot.”

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/09/missouri-abortion-rights-amendment-state-supreme-court/">Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled last week that the measure should be taken off the ballot,</a>&nbsp;but deferred to a higher court for a final ruling. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom quickly appealed.

Missouri law requires that initiative petitions&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=116.050#:~:text=116.050.,pages%20of%20a%20uniform%20size." target="_blank">“include all sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure.”&nbsp;</a>

During a circuit court hearing Friday, an attorney representing Ashcroft maintained the office believed that the measure met the minimum requirements to be certified.&nbsp;

The anti-abortion plaintiffs who challenged the legality of the amendment have argued that because the campaign behind the ballot measure didn’t list the exact statutes that would be repealed on the initiative petition, the measure is invalid. Attorneys representing Missourians for Constitutional Freedom continue to argue that the measure, if passed, would not truly repeal any part of Missouri’s constitution, but rather supersede most of the current ban on the books.&nbsp;

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom turned in signatures of more than<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">&nbsp;380,000 Missourians&nbsp;</a>across the state who supported the issue landing on the ballot. If Amendment 3 is ultimately on the Nov. 5 ballot and wins by a simple majority, Missouri could be the first state to overturn an abortion ban.

<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3&nbsp;</a>would establish the constitutional right to an abortion up until fetal viability and grant constitutional protections to other reproductive health care, including birth control. It would also protect those who assist in an abortion from prosecution.&nbsp;

Nearly every abortion, with limited exceptions for the life and health of the mother, has remained illegal in Missouri since June 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to the procedure. Missouri’s ban does not include exceptions for victims of rape or incest.

The plaintiffs — state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly, anti-abortion activist Kathy Forck and shelter operator Marguerite Forrest — said in a statement Friday evening that the amendment’s scope is about more than just abortion and could be interpreted to also include gender-affirming care and human cloning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724262530682.png" alt="-Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft joined the Midwest March for Life on May 1 at the Missouri State Capitol. “I think regardless of what the legislature does, the people of this state – with hard work – can protect all life in this state,” Ashcroft said (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). " />
 <figcaption>-Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft joined the Midwest March for Life on May 1 at the Missouri State Capitol. “I think regardless of what the legislature does, the people of this state – with hard work – can protect all life in this state,” Ashcroft said (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>As of Monday afternoon, Amendment 3 was no longer listed on the secretary of state’s website as appearing on the November ballot</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Brief%20of%20Respondent%20Secretary%20of%20State%20John%20R.%20Ashcroft.PDF?courtCode=SC&amp;di=201733" target="_blank">Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft decertified</a>&nbsp;a ballot measure that would legalize abortion, a move aimed at blocking it from appearing on the November ballot, according to a brief filed Monday with the state Supreme Court.<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">Last month, Ashcroft announced&nbsp;</a>the reproductive-rights proposal would appear on the ballot as&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3</a>. But a Cole County judge on Friday ruled the amendment violated state law and shouldn’t have been certified.&nbsp;That ruling is now before the Missouri Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled Tuesday morning and a ruling expected quickly thereafter. The deadline to remove a question from the ballot is also Tuesday.&nbsp;But before the Supreme Court had the chance to weigh in, Ashcroft said he had changed his mind.&nbsp;“On further review in light of the circuit court’s judgment, the Secretary believes the amendment is deficient,” the secretary of state argues in a filing with the court.&nbsp;As of Monday afternoon, Amendment 3 was no longer listed on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2024BallotMeasures" target="_blank">secretary of state’s website as appearing on the November ballot.</a>“The amendment proponents cannot evade constitutional requirements that advocates of other amendments must and have satisfied simply because the proposed amendment concerns a highly charged moral topic,” the brief read. “This court should enforce the circuit court’s judgment.”Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for the campaign behind Amendment 3 — Missourians for Constitutional Freedom — said in a statement Monday that the Supreme Court has jurisdiction at this point, not Ashcroft.Sweet added the campaign is “confident the court will order the secretary of state to keep Amendment 3 on the ballot.”<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/09/missouri-abortion-rights-amendment-state-supreme-court/">Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled last week that the measure should be taken off the ballot,</a>&nbsp;but deferred to a higher court for a final ruling. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom quickly appealed.Missouri law requires that initiative petitions&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=116.050#:~:text=116.050.,pages%20of%20a%20uniform%20size." target="_blank">“include all sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure.”&nbsp;</a>During a circuit court hearing Friday, an attorney representing Ashcroft maintained the office believed that the measure met the minimum requirements to be certified.&nbsp;The anti-abortion plaintiffs who challenged the legality of the amendment have argued that because the campaign behind the ballot measure didn’t list the exact statutes that would be repealed on the initiative petition, the measure is invalid. Attorneys representing Missourians for Constitutional Freedom continue to argue that the measure, if passed, would not truly repeal any part of Missouri’s constitution, but rather supersede most of the current ban on the books.&nbsp;Missourians for Constitutional Freedom turned in signatures of more than<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">&nbsp;380,000 Missourians&nbsp;</a>across the state who supported the issue landing on the ballot. If Amendment 3 is ultimately on the Nov. 5 ballot and wins by a simple majority, Missouri could be the first state to overturn an abortion ban.<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3&nbsp;</a>would establish the constitutional right to an abortion up until fetal viability and grant constitutional protections to other reproductive health care, including birth control. It would also protect those who assist in an abortion from prosecution.&nbsp;Nearly every abortion, with limited exceptions for the life and health of the mother, has remained illegal in Missouri since June 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to the procedure. Missouri’s ban does not include exceptions for victims of rape or incest.The plaintiffs — state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly, anti-abortion activist Kathy Forck and shelter operator Marguerite Forrest — said in a statement Friday evening that the amendment’s scope is about more than just abortion and could be interpreted to also include gender-affirming care and human cloning.

Jay Ashcroft seeks to pull abortion amendment off Mo. ballot weeks after approving it

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges for a series of crimes on August 21, in the&nbsp; area of the 3300 block of Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2414/LJohnsonRedacted">Click here to read t</a>he charging documents.

Lorenzo Johnson, 31, faces Murder in the 2nd Degree, Robbery in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Resisting Arrest and three Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, on the evening of Aug. 21, Kansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to a shooting at the BP Gas Station in the 3300 block of Linwood Blvd. Officers found the victim at the gas pumps. He had been wounded by a gunshot and Johnson then backed the victim's car over him.

The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide. Hours earlier the suspect had committed robberies in the area. Johnson took the victim's vehicle after the shooting. Officers later forced the stolen vehicle off the road while the suspect was driving. He attempted to flee on foot and officers took him into custody. He had the victim's vehicle title in his pocket. Johnson remains in custody and is being held on no bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724866518643.png" alt="Johnson photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges for a series of crimes on August 21, in the&nbsp; area of the 3300 block of Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2414/LJohnsonRedacted">Click here to read t</a>he charging documents.Lorenzo Johnson, 31, faces Murder in the 2nd Degree, Robbery in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Resisting Arrest and three Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, on the evening of Aug. 21, Kansas City Police Department officers were dispatched to a shooting at the BP Gas Station in the 3300 block of Linwood Blvd. Officers found the victim at the gas pumps. He had been wounded by a gunshot and Johnson then backed the victim's car over him.The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide. Hours earlier the suspect had committed robberies in the area. Johnson took the victim's vehicle after the shooting. Officers later forced the stolen vehicle off the road while the suspect was driving. He attempted to flee on foot and officers took him into custody. He had the victim's vehicle title in his pocket. Johnson remains in custody and is being held on no bond.

KC robbery suspect shot and then backed car over victim at gas station

BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

A Cole County Circuit Court judge rejected an attempt to invalidate an initiative petition on sports betting Friday, allowing voters to decide whether to enshrine sports wagering in Missouri’s Constitution on the November ballot.

“Lawsuits seeking to remove an initiative petition from the ballot after it has been certified as sufficient by the secretary (of state) are highly disfavored,” Judge Daniel Green wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Judgment.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3287114" target="_blank">in his ruling</a>, quoting from another case that he must rule with “restraint, trepidation and a healthy suspicion of the partisan that would use the judiciary to prevent the initiative process from taking its course.”

Green reviewed lists of petition signatures plaintiffs submitted to allege that the amendment did not meet the minimum threshold in Missouri’s 1st congressional district. The evidence included 95 signatures that plaintiffs called “disqualified voters.”

Green, in his ruling, said the evidence did not show that the voters were ineligible when they signed the petition. Without these 95 signatures thrown out, the petition meets minimum qualifications.

Beyond that, plaintiffs’ argument failed to convince Green that the Missouri Secretary of State incorrectly certified the signatures.

In an argument led by Marc Ellinger — a seasoned Jefferson City attorney with experience representing Missouri gaming companies — plaintiffs took issue with the method the secretary used when calculating the number of votes needed in each district.

But, Green wrote, this calculation has been constant throughout all initiatives in 2022 and 2024 and was used by previous secretaries of state.&nbsp; The number was determined by multiplying the number of votes cast for governor in 2020 by 8%.

Ellinger said the number should be based on congressional district maps drawn after the 2020 election, but he “presented no evidence from which the court could determine what plaintiff’s target number should be,” Green wrote.

Should the threshold stand, Ellinger argued that there were a plethora of signatures that were improperly certified. For this, his expert witness was Kevin Oglesby, who manages National Political Consultants Inc and was hired to look at the signatures.

Oglesby received information from the secretary of state’s office to assess signatures, and his testimony was a large part of Thursday’s trial as he explained instances he deemed errors.

Local election authorities, which processed the petition for the secretary of state, had more information when reviewing signatures.

Green noted that plaintiffs “did not present evidence to qualify (Oglesby) as a handwriting expert.”

“Court did not find the testimony of the plaintiff’s witness to be credible or particularly helpful,” Green said in his judgment.

His ruling also dismissed a counter-claim by intervenors Winning for Missouri Education, the initiative’s campaign committee. The claim alleged that the committee, which has raised over $6.5 million to support the petition, is harmed by plaintiffs’ accusations

Green said there was no evidence presented on the matter, rendering it “moot.”

Winning for Missouri Education spokesman Jack Cardetti celebrated the victory Friday, focusing on the increased tax dollars that could go to public education if the initiative is approved.

“Today’s ruling, while expected, is nevertheless a big victory for Missourians, who overwhelmingly want to join the 38 other states that allow sports betting, so that we can provide tens of millions in permanent, dedicated funding each year to our public school,” he said. “For too many years, Missourians have watched as fans cross state lines to place sport bets, which deprives our Missouri public schools of much needed funding.”

Ellinger did not respond to a timely request for comment.

BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>A Cole County Circuit Court judge rejected an attempt to invalidate an initiative petition on sports betting Friday, allowing voters to decide whether to enshrine sports wagering in Missouri’s Constitution on the November ballot.“Lawsuits seeking to remove an initiative petition from the ballot after it has been certified as sufficient by the secretary (of state) are highly disfavored,” Judge Daniel Green wrote&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Judgment.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3287114" target="_blank">in his ruling</a>, quoting from another case that he must rule with “restraint, trepidation and a healthy suspicion of the partisan that would use the judiciary to prevent the initiative process from taking its course.”Green reviewed lists of petition signatures plaintiffs submitted to allege that the amendment did not meet the minimum threshold in Missouri’s 1st congressional district. The evidence included 95 signatures that plaintiffs called “disqualified voters.”Green, in his ruling, said the evidence did not show that the voters were ineligible when they signed the petition. Without these 95 signatures thrown out, the petition meets minimum qualifications.Beyond that, plaintiffs’ argument failed to convince Green that the Missouri Secretary of State incorrectly certified the signatures.In an argument led by Marc Ellinger — a seasoned Jefferson City attorney with experience representing Missouri gaming companies — plaintiffs took issue with the method the secretary used when calculating the number of votes needed in each district.But, Green wrote, this calculation has been constant throughout all initiatives in 2022 and 2024 and was used by previous secretaries of state.&nbsp; The number was determined by multiplying the number of votes cast for governor in 2020 by 8%.Ellinger said the number should be based on congressional district maps drawn after the 2020 election, but he “presented no evidence from which the court could determine what plaintiff’s target number should be,” Green wrote.Should the threshold stand, Ellinger argued that there were a plethora of signatures that were improperly certified. For this, his expert witness was Kevin Oglesby, who manages National Political Consultants Inc and was hired to look at the signatures.Oglesby received information from the secretary of state’s office to assess signatures, and his testimony was a large part of Thursday’s trial as he explained instances he deemed errors.Local election authorities, which processed the petition for the secretary of state, had more information when reviewing signatures.Green noted that plaintiffs “did not present evidence to qualify (Oglesby) as a handwriting expert.”“Court did not find the testimony of the plaintiff’s witness to be credible or particularly helpful,” Green said in his judgment.His ruling also dismissed a counter-claim by intervenors Winning for Missouri Education, the initiative’s campaign committee. The claim alleged that the committee, which has raised over $6.5 million to support the petition, is harmed by plaintiffs’ accusationsGreen said there was no evidence presented on the matter, rendering it “moot.”Winning for Missouri Education spokesman Jack Cardetti celebrated the victory Friday, focusing on the increased tax dollars that could go to public education if the initiative is approved.“Today’s ruling, while expected, is nevertheless a big victory for Missourians, who overwhelmingly want to join the 38 other states that allow sports betting, so that we can provide tens of millions in permanent, dedicated funding each year to our public school,” he said. “For too many years, Missourians have watched as fans cross state lines to place sport bets, which deprives our Missouri public schools of much needed funding.”Ellinger did not respond to a timely request for comment.

Attempt to block Missouri sports betting amendment lacks evidence, judge rules

The campaign behind the reproductive-rights amendment plans to appeal the decision, and as part of the judge’s stipulations, Amendment 3 will not yet be taken off the ballot

A Missouri judge ruled Friday evening that a reproductive-rights amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">did not comply with state initiative petition requirements,</a>&nbsp;leaving the door open to potentially withhold it from the November ballot.&nbsp;

Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled that the coalition behind the citizen-led ballot measure failed to meet the sufficiency requirement through a “failure to include any statute or provision that will be repealed, especially when many of these statutes are apparent.”

A spokesperson for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign behind the reproductive-rights amendment, said they plan to appeal.&nbsp;

Limbaugh also wrote that while he found a “blatant violation” of state law, he “recognizes the gravity of the unique issues involved in this case, and the lack of direct precedent on point.”&nbsp;

As a result, he won’t issue an injunction preventing the amendment from being printed on the ballot until Tuesday to allow time for “further guidance or rulings” from the appeals court.&nbsp;

The constitutional deadline for ballots to be printed is Tuesday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3&nbsp;</a>would establish the constitutional right to an abortion up until fetal viability and grant constitutional protections to other reproductive health care, including in-vitro fertilization and birth control. It would also protect those who assist in an abortion from prosecution.&nbsp;

“The court’s decision to block Amendment 3 from appearing on the ballot is a profound injustice to the initiative petition process,” Rachel Sweet, campaign manager with Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement. “And undermines the rights of the<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">&nbsp;380,000 Missourians who signed our petition&nbsp;</a>demanding a voice on this critical issue.

The lawsuit was filed two weeks ago by a group of anti-abortion lawmakers and activists against Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">certified the citizen-led ballot initiative for the Nov. 5 ballot&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>nine days earlier. The group is arguing that the initiative should never have been allowed on the ballot.

The plaintiffs — state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly, anti-abortion activist Kathy Forck and shelter operator Marguerite Forrest — said in a statement Friday evening that the amendment’s scope is “staggering.”&nbsp;

“Missourians have a constitutional right to know what laws their votes would overturn before deciding to sign initiative petitions,” they said. “Amendment 3 isn’t just about abortion.”

The plaintiffs were represented in court by Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas More Society who&nbsp;argued during a brief bench trial Friday morning that the campaign behind the amendment fell short of the law by failing to list the specific laws or constitutional provisions which would be repealed if the amendment is approved by voters.&nbsp;

“No one disputes,” she said, “one of its primary purposes and effects is to repeal Missouri’s ban on abortion.”&nbsp;

Speculation isn’t necessary to come to this conclusion, Martin said, pointing to the ballot summary which reads, in part, that a yes vote would<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2024BallotMeasures" target="_blank">&nbsp;“remove Missouri’s ban on abortion.”</a>

Loretta Haggard, an attorney representing the campaign supporting the amendment, said that while the amendment would supersede existing law, it would not erase it from the current constitutional text, and therefore would not truly repeal the current statute.&nbsp;

She told the judge in court that this is because the two texts do have some overlapping similarities: both protect women who get abortions from prosecution and both restrict abortion after the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;

Fetal viability is an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.&nbsp;&nbsp;

When it comes to everything else, Haggard said, the amendment would leave the current law to be interpreted through the lens of the new law, meaning any restrictions implemented by the government on abortion prior to fetal viability will have to withstand strict scrutiny in court to remain. She ventured that most of Missouir’s current restrictions would not survive for this reason.

Ultimately, Limbaugh sided with the plaintiffs, writing that the page attached to the initiative petition forms “included no disclaimer or any equivalent to a disclaimer.”&nbsp;

“In fact,” he concluded. “The full and correct text failed to identify any ‘sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725707612193.png" alt=" Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas Moore Society, represented a group of Missouri anti-abortion lawmakers and activists Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, during a trial at the Cole County Courthouse (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas Moore Society, represented a group of Missouri anti-abortion lawmakers and activists Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, during a trial at the Cole County Courthouse (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The campaign behind the reproductive-rights amendment plans to appeal the decision, and as part of the judge’s stipulations, Amendment 3 will not yet be taken off the ballot</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A Missouri judge ruled Friday evening that a reproductive-rights amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">did not comply with state initiative petition requirements,</a>&nbsp;leaving the door open to potentially withhold it from the November ballot.&nbsp;Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled that the coalition behind the citizen-led ballot measure failed to meet the sufficiency requirement through a “failure to include any statute or provision that will be repealed, especially when many of these statutes are apparent.”A spokesperson for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign behind the reproductive-rights amendment, said they plan to appeal.&nbsp;Limbaugh also wrote that while he found a “blatant violation” of state law, he “recognizes the gravity of the unique issues involved in this case, and the lack of direct precedent on point.”&nbsp;As a result, he won’t issue an injunction preventing the amendment from being printed on the ballot until Tuesday to allow time for “further guidance or rulings” from the appeals court.&nbsp;The constitutional deadline for ballots to be printed is Tuesday.&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3&nbsp;</a>would establish the constitutional right to an abortion up until fetal viability and grant constitutional protections to other reproductive health care, including in-vitro fertilization and birth control. It would also protect those who assist in an abortion from prosecution.&nbsp;“The court’s decision to block Amendment 3 from appearing on the ballot is a profound injustice to the initiative petition process,” Rachel Sweet, campaign manager with Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement. “And undermines the rights of the<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">&nbsp;380,000 Missourians who signed our petition&nbsp;</a>demanding a voice on this critical issue.The lawsuit was filed two weeks ago by a group of anti-abortion lawmakers and activists against Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">certified the citizen-led ballot initiative for the Nov. 5 ballot&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>nine days earlier. The group is arguing that the initiative should never have been allowed on the ballot.The plaintiffs — state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly, anti-abortion activist Kathy Forck and shelter operator Marguerite Forrest — said in a statement Friday evening that the amendment’s scope is “staggering.”&nbsp;“Missourians have a constitutional right to know what laws their votes would overturn before deciding to sign initiative petitions,” they said. “Amendment 3 isn’t just about abortion.”The plaintiffs were represented in court by Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas More Society who&nbsp;argued during a brief bench trial Friday morning that the campaign behind the amendment fell short of the law by failing to list the specific laws or constitutional provisions which would be repealed if the amendment is approved by voters.&nbsp;Missouri law requires that initiative petitions&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=116.050#:~:text=116.050.,pages%20of%20a%20uniform%20size." target="_blank">“include all sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure.”&nbsp;</a>“No one disputes,” she said, “one of its primary purposes and effects is to repeal Missouri’s ban on abortion.”&nbsp;Speculation isn’t necessary to come to this conclusion, Martin said, pointing to the ballot summary which reads, in part, that a yes vote would<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2024BallotMeasures" target="_blank">&nbsp;“remove Missouri’s ban on abortion.”</a>Loretta Haggard, an attorney representing the campaign supporting the amendment, said that while the amendment would supersede existing law, it would not erase it from the current constitutional text, and therefore would not truly repeal the current statute.&nbsp;She told the judge in court that this is because the two texts do have some overlapping similarities: both protect women who get abortions from prosecution and both restrict abortion after the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;Fetal viability is an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.&nbsp;&nbsp;When it comes to everything else, Haggard said, the amendment would leave the current law to be interpreted through the lens of the new law, meaning any restrictions implemented by the government on abortion prior to fetal viability will have to withstand strict scrutiny in court to remain. She ventured that most of Missouir’s current restrictions would not survive for this reason.Ultimately, Limbaugh sided with the plaintiffs, writing that the page attached to the initiative petition forms “included no disclaimer or any equivalent to a disclaimer.”&nbsp;“In fact,” he concluded. “The full and correct text failed to identify any ‘sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure.’”

Missouri judge rules abortion amendment is in ‘blatant violation’ of state requirements

By REBECCA RIVAS&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri Hemp Trade Association sent letter to DHSS saying regulators don’t have the right to demand store owners destroy the products

State health regulators walked into the busy Prime Fuel gas station in Sedalia on Tuesday morning and asked the clerk if there were any intoxicating hemp-derived THC edibles in the store — products the governor banned as of Sept. 1.

The two employees of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services learned the store had already taken the products off the shelves, according to the regulators’ report on the visit, and they were being stored in a box in the office.

The report says regulators called the owner and he voluntarily agreed to destroy the products.&nbsp;

But that’s not how the owner describes the incident, said Craig Katz, spokesman for the Missouri Hemp Trade Association.&nbsp;

“He seemed to be forced into it,” Katz said.&nbsp;

Katz said the owner had boxed up the products so he could return them to the wholesaler for a refund, and he explained this to the regulators. Instead, they told him his manager had to pour bleach over about $5,000 worth of product, Katz said, a process that took two hours.

On Wednesday, the Missouri Hemp Trade Association’s attorney Chuck Hatfield sent a letter to the department’s general counsel saying the regulators deprived the owner of his right to tell his side of the story to a judge.

“The law is extremely clear that DHSS is not authorized to destroy product, or to demand that others do so, without a court order,” Hatfield wrote.&nbsp;

State regulators have visited 44 establishments as of 4 p.m. Thursday to inspect for the banned products, said Lisa Cox, spokesperson for the department.&nbsp;

Of the 44 facilities, regulators found “unregulated psychoactive cannabis products” during inspections at 23 of them, Cox said.&nbsp;

“Four facilities have refused to embargo or discard products,” she said. “The remaining facilities agreed to embargo and/or discard products. At this time, we have taken no court action.”&nbsp;

Cox declined comment on Hatfield’s letter.

The association says it has heard of three reports of “raids” by state health regulators on stores selling intoxicating hemp products, mainly edibles. Regulators asked owners or clerks to sign a document stating they agree with the destruction of the products, Katz said.

“I can only describe what is happening to small business owners in Missouri as disturbing,” Katz said.

The association filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25083049-petition-for-declaratory-judgment-preliminary-injunction-and-permanent-injunctive-relief" target="_blank">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 30 in Cole County Circuit Court to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/30/missouri-hemp-leaders-set-to-file-suit-to-halt-governors-ban-on-hemp-thc-products/">stop the governor’s ban</a>&nbsp;on all intoxicating hemp food and drinks from taking effect Sunday. The association argues the products are legal and state law prohibits regulators from deeming them as “adulterated.”

On Aug. 1, Gov. Mike Parson signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2024/eo10" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;to remove all hemp-derived THC edibles and beverages from store shelves and threatening penalties to any establishment that continues selling them.

Because hemp isn’t a controlled substance like marijuana, there’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy products, such as delta-8 drinks, or that stores can’t sell them to minors, Parson said.&nbsp;

And there’s no requirement to list potential effects on the label or test how much THC is actually in them. Hemp industry leaders themselves have pushed for such regulations, but state lawmakers have failed to pass proposals the last two years.

Parson said the main target of his order are companies that sell intoxicating hemp edibles that mimic popular candy. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">hemp industry leaders argue</a>&nbsp;the order also bans products that aren’t attractive to children, have gone through lab testing and are only sold to customers 21 and up.

The order directs regulators “to identify food that contains unregulated psychoactive cannabis products as deleterious, poisonous and adulterated.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725657142729.png" alt="Gov. Mike Parson speaks at his Capitol press conference announcing Executive Order 24-10 that bans the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Missouri “until such time approved sources can be regulated by the FDA or State of Missouri through legislative action,” he said (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor’s Office)." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Mike Parson speaks at his Capitol press conference announcing Executive Order 24-10 that bans the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Missouri “until such time approved sources can be regulated by the FDA or State of Missouri through legislative action,” he said (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor’s Office).</figcaption>
 </figure>By REBECCA RIVAS&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Missouri Hemp Trade Association sent letter to DHSS saying regulators don’t have the right to demand store owners destroy the products</h2>State health regulators walked into the busy Prime Fuel gas station in Sedalia on Tuesday morning and asked the clerk if there were any intoxicating hemp-derived THC edibles in the store — products the governor banned as of Sept. 1.The two employees of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services learned the store had already taken the products off the shelves, according to the regulators’ report on the visit, and they were being stored in a box in the office.The report says regulators called the owner and he voluntarily agreed to destroy the products.&nbsp;But that’s not how the owner describes the incident, said Craig Katz, spokesman for the Missouri Hemp Trade Association.&nbsp;“He seemed to be forced into it,” Katz said.&nbsp;Katz said the owner had boxed up the products so he could return them to the wholesaler for a refund, and he explained this to the regulators. Instead, they told him his manager had to pour bleach over about $5,000 worth of product, Katz said, a process that took two hours.On Wednesday, the Missouri Hemp Trade Association’s attorney Chuck Hatfield sent a letter to the department’s general counsel saying the regulators deprived the owner of his right to tell his side of the story to a judge.“The law is extremely clear that DHSS is not authorized to destroy product, or to demand that others do so, without a court order,” Hatfield wrote.&nbsp;State regulators have visited 44 establishments as of 4 p.m. Thursday to inspect for the banned products, said Lisa Cox, spokesperson for the department.&nbsp;Of the 44 facilities, regulators found “unregulated psychoactive cannabis products” during inspections at 23 of them, Cox said.&nbsp;“Four facilities have refused to embargo or discard products,” she said. “The remaining facilities agreed to embargo and/or discard products. At this time, we have taken no court action.”&nbsp;Cox declined comment on Hatfield’s letter.The association says it has heard of three reports of “raids” by state health regulators on stores selling intoxicating hemp products, mainly edibles. Regulators asked owners or clerks to sign a document stating they agree with the destruction of the products, Katz said.“I can only describe what is happening to small business owners in Missouri as disturbing,” Katz said.The association filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25083049-petition-for-declaratory-judgment-preliminary-injunction-and-permanent-injunctive-relief" target="_blank">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 30 in Cole County Circuit Court to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/30/missouri-hemp-leaders-set-to-file-suit-to-halt-governors-ban-on-hemp-thc-products/">stop the governor’s ban</a>&nbsp;on all intoxicating hemp food and drinks from taking effect Sunday. The association argues the products are legal and state law prohibits regulators from deeming them as “adulterated.”On Aug. 1, Gov. Mike Parson signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2024/eo10" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;to remove all hemp-derived THC edibles and beverages from store shelves and threatening penalties to any establishment that continues selling them.Because hemp isn’t a controlled substance like marijuana, there’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy products, such as delta-8 drinks, or that stores can’t sell them to minors, Parson said.&nbsp;And there’s no requirement to list potential effects on the label or test how much THC is actually in them. Hemp industry leaders themselves have pushed for such regulations, but state lawmakers have failed to pass proposals the last two years.Parson said the main target of his order are companies that sell intoxicating hemp edibles that mimic popular candy. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">hemp industry leaders argue</a>&nbsp;the order also bans products that aren’t attractive to children, have gone through lab testing and are only sold to customers 21 and up.The order directs regulators “to identify food that contains unregulated psychoactive cannabis products as deleterious, poisonous and adulterated.”&nbsp;

Missouri regulators visit nearly 50 stores to inspect for intoxicating hemp edibles

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa agricultural history will be showcased this Saturday and Sunday on an 80 acre farm in western Iowa that's near the town of Shelby. 

The annual Carstens Farm Days are held on a farmstead that dates back to the early 1870s. The Carstens family donated the property to the Pottawattamie County Historical Society in 1977 and the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Over 250 pieces of farm equipment will be on display and there will be threshing and a sawmill demonstrations.

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa agricultural history will be showcased this Saturday and Sunday on an 80 acre farm in western Iowa that's near the town of Shelby. The annual Carstens Farm Days are held on a farmstead that dates back to the early 1870s. The Carstens family donated the property to the Pottawattamie County Historical Society in 1977 and the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over 250 pieces of farm equipment will be on display and there will be threshing and a sawmill demonstrations.

Farm Days at historic western Iowa site to showcase threshing, antique equipment

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced more than $7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. Speaking in Wisconsin, Vilsack said the 16 initiatives announced Thursday will leverage private investments of more than $29 billion to build more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy for rural communities across the country. He added the programs will collectively reduce and avoid at least 43.7 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. 

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we are supporting a more prosperous future for rural communities by speeding up the transition to clean energy while at the same time keeping monthly bills low and investing in the American workforce with new jobs and apprenticeships,” said Secretary Vilsack. “One in five rural Americans will benefit from these clean energy investments, thanks to partnerships with rural electric cooperatives like Dairyland. Put simply, this is rural power, for rural America.”

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced more than $7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. Speaking in Wisconsin, Vilsack said the 16 initiatives announced Thursday will leverage private investments of more than $29 billion to build more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy for rural communities across the country. He added the programs will collectively reduce and avoid at least 43.7 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. “Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we are supporting a more prosperous future for rural communities by speeding up the transition to clean energy while at the same time keeping monthly bills low and investing in the American workforce with new jobs and apprenticeships,” said Secretary Vilsack. “One in five rural Americans will benefit from these clean energy investments, thanks to partnerships with rural electric cooperatives like Dairyland. Put simply, this is rural power, for rural America.”-NAFB

USDA announces $7 billion in rural clean energy initiatives

St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster has requested the Missouri
State Highway Patrol investigate an incident in which a young man shot himself
while riding with a St. Joseph police officer.

The St. Joseph Police Department reports that the officer
provided transportation for a 24-year-old man in a non-criminal matter shortly
before 10:30 Thursday night. Shortly after the ride began the man “severely
injured himself,” according to the department. The department says the officer
rushed the man to the Mosaic Life Care emergency room where he was treated for
a life-threatening injury.

The department reports the man is in critical condition.

Police Chief Luster asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s
Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate the matter. The St. Joseph
Police Department will also conduct an internal investigation into the matter.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster has requested the Missouri
State Highway Patrol investigate an incident in which a young man shot himself
while riding with a St. Joseph police officer.The St. Joseph Police Department reports that the officer
provided transportation for a 24-year-old man in a non-criminal matter shortly
before 10:30 Thursday night. Shortly after the ride began the man “severely
injured himself,” according to the department. The department says the officer
rushed the man to the Mosaic Life Care emergency room where he was treated for
a life-threatening injury.The department reports the man is in critical condition.Police Chief Luster asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s
Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate the matter. The St. Joseph
Police Department will also conduct an internal investigation into the matter.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Patrol to investigate St. Joseph self-inflicted wounding

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Ms. Wheelchair America&nbsp;Tamara Blackwell.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GBIy1dfbVY4?si=k3AZxslDQdFrhyJr" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Ms. Wheelchair America&nbsp;Tamara Blackwell.

🎤Forward Ever: Ms. Wheelchair America Tamara Blackwell

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a 7-hour standoff at a Kansas home.

Just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Team which consisted of five deputies and one sergeant responded to a residence in the 8100 block of South Bernice in Haysville attempting to serve an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Robert Cook and began conducting surveillance on the home, according to statement from Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

Deputies conducted interviews and received information confirming that Cook was inside the home. At 2:55pm deputies requested the assistance of a K9 from the Haysville police department to assist with clearing the residence. 

After the K9 cleared the residence, a team of Deputies entered the residence and believed Cook was locked in a bedroom. A K9 from the Wichita Police Department responded and remained outside the residence for the duration of the incident.

A sergeant and two deputies exited the residence and prepared to deploy chemical munitions into the bedroom to end the barricade. At 3:48pm, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times.

Two deputies returned fire. One deputy fired three rounds from a rifle and another fired five rounds from a handgun. Neither Cook nor the involved deputies were injured in the exchange of gunfire.

The combined Wichita Police and Sedgwick County SWAT team and Wichita Police negotiators were activated at 4:03pm.

At 4:41pm, police negotiators contacted Cook by phone. Throughout the ensuing seven-hour negotiation Cook made multiple statements that this was his “last stand” and that he would shoot at officers if they made entry into the home. 

At 9:01pm, after negotiations deteriorated and continued threats by Cook, chemical munitions were deployed into the residence and SWAT operators heard gunshots inside.

Following the deployment of chemical munitions, Cook resumed communication with negotiators, who remained focused on achieving a peaceful resolution. While operators were preparing to introduce a second round of chemical munitions, peacefully surrendered at 11:33pm.

Cook has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested chargers that include three counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. 

This investigation is ongoing as detectives are currently serving a search warrant at the incident location to gather additional information. Cook’s charges may be updated as more information is gathered.

The Wichita Police Department does not typically release the names of arrested individuals until formal charges are filed. In this case, the suspect was arrested on an approved arrest warrant stemming from a charged case in Sedgwick County District Court. The warrant was for Failure to Appear and Contempt of Court stemming from an incident where&nbsp; Cook threatened to shoot bail bondsmen when they made an arrest attempt.

The facts of the incident that occurred Wednesday will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration by investigators from the Wichita Police Department ALERT team members.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725569911182.png" alt="-During the standoff, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times. Image from police body camera image provided by Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>-During the standoff, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times. Image from police body camera image provided by Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a 7-hour standoff at a Kansas home.Just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Team which consisted of five deputies and one sergeant responded to a residence in the 8100 block of South Bernice in Haysville attempting to serve an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Robert Cook and began conducting surveillance on the home, according to statement from Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725586579656.png" alt="Cook photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Cook photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies conducted interviews and received information confirming that Cook was inside the home. At 2:55pm deputies requested the assistance of a K9 from the Haysville police department to assist with clearing the residence. After the K9 cleared the residence, a team of Deputies entered the residence and believed Cook was locked in a bedroom. A K9 from the Wichita Police Department responded and remained outside the residence for the duration of the incident.A sergeant and two deputies exited the residence and prepared to deploy chemical munitions into the bedroom to end the barricade. At 3:48pm, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times.Two deputies returned fire. One deputy fired three rounds from a rifle and another fired five rounds from a handgun. Neither Cook nor the involved deputies were injured in the exchange of gunfire.The combined Wichita Police and Sedgwick County SWAT team and Wichita Police negotiators were activated at 4:03pm.At 4:41pm, police negotiators contacted Cook by phone. Throughout the ensuing seven-hour negotiation Cook made multiple statements that this was his “last stand” and that he would shoot at officers if they made entry into the home. At 9:01pm, after negotiations deteriorated and continued threats by Cook, chemical munitions were deployed into the residence and SWAT operators heard gunshots inside.Following the deployment of chemical munitions, Cook resumed communication with negotiators, who remained focused on achieving a peaceful resolution. While operators were preparing to introduce a second round of chemical munitions, peacefully surrendered at 11:33pm.Cook has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested chargers that include three counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. This investigation is ongoing as detectives are currently serving a search warrant at the incident location to gather additional information. Cook’s charges may be updated as more information is gathered.The Wichita Police Department does not typically release the names of arrested individuals until formal charges are filed. In this case, the suspect was arrested on an approved arrest warrant stemming from a charged case in Sedgwick County District Court. The warrant was for Failure to Appear and Contempt of Court stemming from an incident where&nbsp; Cook threatened to shoot bail bondsmen when they made an arrest attempt.The facts of the incident that occurred Wednesday will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration by investigators from the Wichita Police Department ALERT team members.

Gunfight with deputies during standoff at Kansas home

The state has banned transgender athletes from competing according to their gender identity, but student handbooks and board policies have yet to add the change

It has been a year since a&nbsp;<a href="https://senate.mo.gov/23info/pdf-bill/tat/SB39.pdf" target="_blank">state law</a>&nbsp;required Missouri schools to have athletes compete according to their sex as assigned at birth, and few student manuals and school-board policies reflect the change.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725571026542.png" alt=" A teenager speaks during a Senate hearing during the 2023 legislative session, donning a vest with a transgender flag (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> A teenager speaks during a Senate hearing during the 2023 legislative session, donning a vest with a transgender flag (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The state has banned transgender athletes from competing according to their gender identity, but student handbooks and board policies have yet to add the change</h2>BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>It has been a year since a&nbsp;<a href="https://senate.mo.gov/23info/pdf-bill/tat/SB39.pdf" target="_blank">state law</a>&nbsp;required Missouri schools to have athletes compete according to their sex as assigned at birth, and few student manuals and school-board policies reflect the change.Enforcement,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/21/enforcement-unclear-as-missouri-approaches-transgender-athlete-restrictions/">which was murky last year</a>, remains unprescribed with many districts stating that they will follow the law without describing how.The law, which bars transgender athletes from competing according to their gender identity, penalizes noncompliant schools by revoking their state funding. It calls for state education officials to create any rules necessary for enforcement.But the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education “is not involved in school athletics and activities,” its spokeswoman Mallory McGowin told The Independent.&nbsp;The Missouri High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), which is not a state entity, oversees eligibility for extracurricular events.The association has eligibility standards that schools statewide require their athletes to adhere to in order to compete in MSHSAA-sanctioned events. One such requirement is a semiannual physical, in which doctors clear athletes to compete.The paperwork provided by MSHSAA for the sports physical asks the student’s sex as assigned at birth and gender identity for the medical history provided to the doctor. The form submitted to schools only includes sex as assigned at birth.But MSHSAA is not the enforcer of the law, said Andrew Kauffman, the association’s spokesman. Individual schools are.When asked if MSHSAA has provided guidance to schools, he said it “has advised its (member) schools to follow the law.”According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans" target="_blank">Movement Advancement Project</a>, which maps policies affecting LGBTQ people in the U.S., 25 states ban transgender athletes from participating according to their gender identity.When a Missouri Senate committee was hearing the bill in 2023, a swath of advocates warned lawmakers that the legislation would harm transgender youth.“Bills, such as (this one), communicate not just to the LGBTQ community but to all people that our very existence can and should be rejected and devalued,”&nbsp;<a href="https://promomissouri.org/over-20-missourians-compromised-of-former-collegiate-athletes-educators-and-clergy-voice-opposition-to-senate-bill-42/" target="_blank">said Shira Berkowitz</a>, senior director of public policy and advocacy of PROMO, Missouri’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group.School had brief answers to questions about their policies, with most unwilling to grant requests for an interview.“We follow the state statute with regard to what gender is listed on a birth certificate and MSHSAA guidelines in terms of student participation in sports based on gender. We have worked effectively with families and student athletes to comply with the state law and we will continue to do so,” Rockwood School District’s spokesperson said.In a review by The Independent of Missouri’s 10 largest school districts’ student manuals, Rockwood was one of two to cite state law in policies around athletic eligibility.“The district complies with all relevant state law regarding participation in athletic competitions,” the policy says, citing&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=163.048" target="_blank">the section that restricts participation based on sex at birth</a>.Wentzville School District based its policy on the law, copying phrases out of state statute and noting a loss of funding if the district does not comply.The other districts lacked mention of the statute, or gender identity, in their athletics eligibility policies.The policy in North Kansas City High School says: “Participation… can be granted to those who meet the eligibility standards of the school and the state of Missouri.”MSHSAA is widely pointed to in eligibility policies.Fort Zumwalt School District, in O’Fallon, determines eligibility “in accordance with the MSHSAA regulations and school district policies and regulations.”Prior to the state law, there were only five transgender athletes eligible to compete in MSHSAA events.

Kbct