Members of
Congress from rural districts in Missouri and Kansas have joined forces to
introduce legislation aimed at bringing stability to the energy grid in states
served by the Southwestern Power Administration.

Northern Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves and Congressman Tracey Mann, who represents the largest
Congressional district in Kansas, are co-sponsoring the Southwestern Power
Administration Fund Establishment Act. The Southwestern Power Administration
markets power produced by federal hydropower projects to electric cooperatives
and municipal utilities in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and
Texas. It is a part of the Energy Department.

“Missouri’s rural
electric cooperatives and municipal utilities have worked with the Southwestern
Power Administration (SWPA) to provide affordable and reliable electricity to
Missouri families for over 80 years,” Congressman Graves said in a written
statement. “But the way SWPA is set up, droughts and other disruptions can
cause rate spikes that are passed on to co-ops and municipalities that have no
choice but to increase electric rates on Missouri families. This common sense
legislation creates a revolving fund to fix that problem—giving SWPA the stable
funding necessary to avoid costly rate spikes, and lower customer rates.”

&nbsp;“For more than eight decades, the Southwestern
Power Administration has allowed rural electric cooperatives and municipal
utilities to provide reliable, affordable energy to Kansans,” Congressman Mann
said in a written statement. “Under the current funding structure, SWPA has not
had the flexibility to make necessary investments into their infrastructure. As
a result, when natural disasters and bad weather limit the Administration’s
ability to produce power, replacement power has to be purchased, and that cost
is absorbed by everyday Kansans. Establishing a revolving fund for SWPA ensures
that they can continue to invest in their infrastructure while providing safe,
reliable, and affordable energy to Kansas families and rural communities like
those in the Big First.”

The Southwestern
Power Administration Fund Establishment Act would give Southwestern Power
authority to establish self-funded financing to provide long-term stability,
helping to mitigate drastic spikes in power rates. 

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

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMembers of
Congress from rural districts in Missouri and Kansas have joined forces to
introduce legislation aimed at bringing stability to the energy grid in states
served by the Southwestern Power Administration.Northern Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves and Congressman Tracey Mann, who represents the largest
Congressional district in Kansas, are co-sponsoring the Southwestern Power
Administration Fund Establishment Act. The Southwestern Power Administration
markets power produced by federal hydropower projects to electric cooperatives
and municipal utilities in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and
Texas. It is a part of the Energy Department.“Missouri’s rural
electric cooperatives and municipal utilities have worked with the Southwestern
Power Administration (SWPA) to provide affordable and reliable electricity to
Missouri families for over 80 years,” Congressman Graves said in a written
statement. “But the way SWPA is set up, droughts and other disruptions can
cause rate spikes that are passed on to co-ops and municipalities that have no
choice but to increase electric rates on Missouri families. This common sense
legislation creates a revolving fund to fix that problem—giving SWPA the stable
funding necessary to avoid costly rate spikes, and lower customer rates.”&nbsp;“For more than eight decades, the Southwestern
Power Administration has allowed rural electric cooperatives and municipal
utilities to provide reliable, affordable energy to Kansans,” Congressman Mann
said in a written statement. “Under the current funding structure, SWPA has not
had the flexibility to make necessary investments into their infrastructure. As
a result, when natural disasters and bad weather limit the Administration’s
ability to produce power, replacement power has to be purchased, and that cost
is absorbed by everyday Kansans. Establishing a revolving fund for SWPA ensures
that they can continue to invest in their infrastructure while providing safe,
reliable, and affordable energy to Kansas families and rural communities like
those in the Big First.”The Southwestern
Power Administration Fund Establishment Act would give Southwestern Power
authority to establish self-funded financing to provide long-term stability,
helping to mitigate drastic spikes in power rates. You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MO&KS Congressmen move to stabilize hydro power to rural America

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-412025-e30vbv4/a-abs5a0t" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning Sports

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-News-412025-e30vbr1/a-abs59r0" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning News

Interim Andrew
County Circuit Clerk, Tannah Buhman, no longer has to use “interim” in her
title.

Buhman, who is
from St. Joseph, has been named the Andrew County Circuit Clerk by Gov. Mike
Kehoe.

Buhman had been
appointed on an interim basis by the Presiding Judge after a year as Deputy Court
Clerk.

Buhman previously
worked as a patient care representative for Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. She
holds certifications as a Certified Nurse Assistant and Certified Medication
Technician.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostInterim Andrew
County Circuit Clerk, Tannah Buhman, no longer has to use “interim” in her
title.Buhman, who is
from St. Joseph, has been named the Andrew County Circuit Clerk by Gov. Mike
Kehoe.Buhman had been
appointed on an interim basis by the Presiding Judge after a year as Deputy Court
Clerk.Buhman previously
worked as a patient care representative for Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. She
holds certifications as a Certified Nurse Assistant and Certified Medication
Technician.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Tannah Buhman appointed Andrew County Circuit Clerk

State approval and
expedited work to prepare a new cell should enable the St. Joseph landfill to
continue uninterrupted operations.

St. Joseph Public
Works Director, Abe Forney, says the city has received approval from the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources to pile trash in Cell #7 470,000 cubic
yards higher.

“So we don’t have
to relocate all of that trash now,” Forney tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. &nbsp;“We can just continue to receive the trash
from the haulers and fill up Cell #7 without bringing over the excess trash
that we had previously piled up to give us more space.”

Forney says contractor
M-Con has nearly completed the digging of Cell #8 and will soon be spreading
clay on the new cell, which will take three to four weeks. Liner and leachate
piping comes next. Then, the city must wait for DNR approval.

“I’m thinking
around July – August timeframe is when it’ll be done.”

Forney says the
twin moves have taken pressure off the landfill.

“If the trash
continues to come in at the rate that it is and we really appreciate all the
trash haulers reducing some of the trash that they’re bringing in,” Forney
says. “And us getting this vertical expansion, we believe that it gives us
enough time to get Cell #8 opened.”

Forney says the
city hopes to learn from this ordeal.

“I really
appreciate everybody’s patience,” Forney says. “We knew that there was a lot of
trash coming in, but we didn’t foresee this circumstance and we got behind the
power curve. I’ll take ownership of it. We screwed up and we’re doing
everything that we can to eliminate the problem.”

Forney says since
the city issued the contract for M-Con to prepare Cell #8, it has shifted city
workers to begin preparation of Cell #9 to ensure it doesn’t run into this
situation again.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostState approval and
expedited work to prepare a new cell should enable the St. Joseph landfill to
continue uninterrupted operations.St. Joseph Public
Works Director, Abe Forney, says the city has received approval from the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources to pile trash in Cell #7 470,000 cubic
yards higher.“So we don’t have
to relocate all of that trash now,” Forney tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. &nbsp;“We can just continue to receive the trash
from the haulers and fill up Cell #7 without bringing over the excess trash
that we had previously piled up to give us more space.”Forney says contractor
M-Con has nearly completed the digging of Cell #8 and will soon be spreading
clay on the new cell, which will take three to four weeks. Liner and leachate
piping comes next. Then, the city must wait for DNR approval.“I’m thinking
around July – August timeframe is when it’ll be done.”Forney says the
twin moves have taken pressure off the landfill.“If the trash
continues to come in at the rate that it is and we really appreciate all the
trash haulers reducing some of the trash that they’re bringing in,” Forney
says. “And us getting this vertical expansion, we believe that it gives us
enough time to get Cell #8 opened.”Forney says the
city hopes to learn from this ordeal.“I really
appreciate everybody’s patience,” Forney says. “We knew that there was a lot of
trash coming in, but we didn’t foresee this circumstance and we got behind the
power curve. I’ll take ownership of it. We screwed up and we’re doing
everything that we can to eliminate the problem.”Forney says since
the city issued the contract for M-Con to prepare Cell #8, it has shifted city
workers to begin preparation of Cell #9 to ensure it doesn’t run into this
situation again.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

State approval, emergency work should give St. Joseph landfill new life

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9p.m. Monday in Daviess&nbsp; &nbsp;County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Focus driven by a 27-year-old Princeton, Mo., woman was eastbound on MO 6 five miles west of Jamesport.&nbsp; The driver swerved to miss another vehicle. The Ford traveled off the south side of the road and struck an embankment.

Daviess County EMS transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

DAVIESS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 9p.m. Monday in Daviess&nbsp; &nbsp;County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Focus driven by a 27-year-old Princeton, Mo., woman was eastbound on MO 6 five miles west of Jamesport.&nbsp; The driver swerved to miss another vehicle. The Ford traveled off the south side of the road and struck an embankment.Daviess County EMS transported the driver to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. woman hospitalized after car strikes embankment

ANDREW COUNTY —Three people were injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Nissan Kicks driven by a 38-year-old St. Joseph woman was northbound on Route W at U.S. 169. The driver failed to yield to a southbound 2006 Ford F250 driven by a 43-year-old St. Joseph man.

The Ford struck the rear passenger side door of the the Nissan as it crossed U.S. 169.

Andrew County EMS transported both drivers and a 41-year-old female passenger in the pickup to Mosaic Life Care. All three were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ANDREW COUNTY —Three people were injured in an accident just after 6p.m. Monday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Nissan Kicks driven by a 38-year-old St. Joseph woman was northbound on Route W at U.S. 169. The driver failed to yield to a southbound 2006 Ford F250 driven by a 43-year-old St. Joseph man.The Ford struck the rear passenger side door of the the Nissan as it crossed U.S. 169.Andrew County EMS transported both drivers and a 41-year-old female passenger in the pickup to Mosaic Life Care. All three were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

3 from St. Joe hospitalized after pickup, SUV crash

The St. Joseph School District has narrowed down a section of land it hopes to purchase south of Highway 36 in order to build a new high school per Proposition 2 that is on the upcoming April 8th ballot.&nbsp;

In a news release, the St. Joseph Board of Education announced it has been evaluating land in the area and now has a more defined potential location and area.&nbsp;

In a press release, the School Board shared more information will be provided as it moves forward with the process.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph School District has narrowed down a section of land it hopes to purchase south of Highway 36 in order to build a new high school per Proposition 2 that is on the upcoming April 8th ballot.&nbsp;In a news release, the St. Joseph Board of Education announced it has been evaluating land in the area and now has a more defined potential location and area.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743468965416.jpeg" alt="The defined location of where the St. Joseph School District is evaluating building the new high school/ Photo courtesy of the St. Joseph School District" />
 <figcaption>The defined location of where the St. Joseph School District is evaluating building the new high school/ Photo courtesy of the St. Joseph School District</figcaption>
 </figure>In a press release, the School Board shared more information will be provided as it moves forward with the process.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

SJSD provides update on land planning for new high school

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two Kansas teens on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 10:30p.m. March 29, a Brown County Deputy initiated a traffic stop on US 73 Highway near 230 for speeding, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

K-9 Carla was deployed and indicated on the vehicle.&nbsp; Upon conclusion of the interdiction, several firearms were located in the vehicle, one of which was found to be stolen out of Missouri.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Michael Dibble 18 Leavenworth, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Possession of a Weapon by Felon and Criminal Carrying of Weapons.

A&nbsp; 17-year-old in the vehicle identified as Dewayne Johnson 17 was wanted in Leavenworth County on a juvenile Warrant for Battery.&nbsp; He was transported by a deputy to Leavenworth County detention center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743437054075.png" alt="Dibble -photo Brown County" />
 <figcaption>Dibble -photo Brown County</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two Kansas teens on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 10:30p.m. March 29, a Brown County Deputy initiated a traffic stop on US 73 Highway near 230 for speeding, according to Sheriff John Merchant.K-9 Carla was deployed and indicated on the vehicle.&nbsp; Upon conclusion of the interdiction, several firearms were located in the vehicle, one of which was found to be stolen out of Missouri.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Michael Dibble 18 Leavenworth, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Possession of a Weapon by Felon and Criminal Carrying of Weapons.A&nbsp; 17-year-old in the vehicle identified as Dewayne Johnson 17 was wanted in Leavenworth County on a juvenile Warrant for Battery.&nbsp; He was transported by a deputy to Leavenworth County detention center.

Sheriff's K9 caught teens with gun stolen from Mo. and drugs

The Pony Express Museum will celebrate 165 years of spreading the history of mail service to the West, by letting people in for free this coming weekend.  

Executive Director Cindy Daffron says to celebrate the anniversary, the entire campus of the museum will open to everyone for free 

"St. Joe is always telling me, you're never open, I can't ever go there, well I'm telling you right now I've got the money collected, it's free days," Daffron tells KFEQ News.  "So the 3rd, the 4th, the 5th, the 6th are all free days into all those facilities, so I'm really hoping people will take advantage of it, if not there's people coming from South Carolina and all kinds of different places, so you need to come and check it out." 

Daffron says on April 4th there will be music in the board room, and you can also pay a visit to Dick and Mignon's Soda Shop 

"You can get a sarsaparilla, you can get a root beer but knock yourself out because I've got a mug and you can also get a root beer float," Daffron explains.  "So those things you pay for, and on the way out you need to get a chocolate bar."  

Daffron encourages everyone to come visit the museum April 3rd through the 6th for free 

"You don't need your wallet, if you want to give a donation that's really fine, but you can come and enjoy our campus," Daffron says.  "Now it's the only time that I know of that I'm going to have everything open, it takes a lot of volunteers folks to pull off all of this getting all of these buildings open, but it's really our pleasure." 

There will also be several other events surrounding the anniversary weekend.  The museum will be open from 9am to 5pm each day.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644606840719.jpeg" alt="Pony Express Stables R.JPG" />
 <figcaption>Pony Express Stables R.JPG</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Pony Express Museum will celebrate 165 years of spreading the history of mail service to the West, by letting people in for free this coming weekend. Executive Director Cindy Daffron says to celebrate the anniversary, the entire campus of the museum will open to everyone for free "St. Joe is always telling me, you're never open, I can't ever go there, well I'm telling you right now I've got the money collected, it's free days," Daffron tells KFEQ News. "So the 3rd, the 4th, the 5th, the 6th are all free days into all those facilities, so I'm really hoping people will take advantage of it, if not there's people coming from South Carolina and all kinds of different places, so you need to come and check it out." Daffron says on April 4th there will be music in the board room, and you can also pay a visit to Dick and Mignon's Soda Shop "You can get a sarsaparilla, you can get a root beer but knock yourself out because I've got a mug and you can also get a root beer float," Daffron explains. "So those things you pay for, and on the way out you need to get a chocolate bar." Daffron encourages everyone to come visit the museum April 3rd through the 6th for free "You don't need your wallet, if you want to give a donation that's really fine, but you can come and enjoy our campus," Daffron says. "Now it's the only time that I know of that I'm going to have everything open, it takes a lot of volunteers folks to pull off all of this getting all of these buildings open, but it's really our pleasure." There will also be several other events surrounding the anniversary weekend. The museum will be open from 9am to 5pm each day.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Pony Express Museum opens doors for 165th anniversary for free

Spring brings
warmer weather and warmer weather brings out motorcycle riders.

St. Joseph Police
Chief, Paul Luster, points out the city has already experienced a motorcycle
fatality, one that took the life of a young man earlier this month.

Luster has several
tips for motorists to avoid tragedy.

“One is just that
awareness that they’re back out on the roads and everybody knows motorcycles,
they’re smaller, they’re harder to see than other vehicles, so it’s important
to check those blind spots and be vigilant of that, especially when you’re
changing lanes or when you’re pulling out of that parking lot,” Luster says. “It’s
important to do things like that and just be on the lookout; look twice for the
motorcycles.”

For the riders,
Luster advises staying ever vigilant; being on the alert for drivers who might
be distracted by phones or other devices. He also advises wearing helmets and
other safety clothing.

“I’ve seen a lot
of accidents that could have been worse if that helmet wasn’t on,” Luster says.
“So, I think it’s important that you’re wearing all that protective gear that you
can and that it can be high visibility and all that stuff’s going to ultimately
make you more visible and make you safer when you’re out there riding. If you’re
going to ride a motorcycle, I think it’s very important that you have all the
protective gear that you can on.”

One final piece of
advice should go without saying.

“Always stay
sober. Don’t ever ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It’s hard
enough and dangerous enough; that impairs your reaction time and judgment. That’s
going to really even more so significantly increase that risk of accidents,”
Luster says.&nbsp; “You need to have all your
wits about you when you’re riding a motorcycle.”

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSpring brings
warmer weather and warmer weather brings out motorcycle riders.St. Joseph Police
Chief, Paul Luster, points out the city has already experienced a motorcycle
fatality, one that took the life of a young man earlier this month.Luster has several
tips for motorists to avoid tragedy.“One is just that
awareness that they’re back out on the roads and everybody knows motorcycles,
they’re smaller, they’re harder to see than other vehicles, so it’s important
to check those blind spots and be vigilant of that, especially when you’re
changing lanes or when you’re pulling out of that parking lot,” Luster says. “It’s
important to do things like that and just be on the lookout; look twice for the
motorcycles.”For the riders,
Luster advises staying ever vigilant; being on the alert for drivers who might
be distracted by phones or other devices. He also advises wearing helmets and
other safety clothing.“I’ve seen a lot
of accidents that could have been worse if that helmet wasn’t on,” Luster says.
“So, I think it’s important that you’re wearing all that protective gear that you
can and that it can be high visibility and all that stuff’s going to ultimately
make you more visible and make you safer when you’re out there riding. If you’re
going to ride a motorcycle, I think it’s very important that you have all the
protective gear that you can on.”One final piece of
advice should go without saying.“Always stay
sober. Don’t ever ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It’s hard
enough and dangerous enough; that impairs your reaction time and judgment. That’s
going to really even more so significantly increase that risk of accidents,”
Luster says.&nbsp; “You need to have all your
wits about you when you’re riding a motorcycle.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Spring brings out the bikes and a warning from the St. Joseph Police Chief

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-Sports-3312025-e30sv5o/a-abs297s" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Morning-News-3312025-e30tjeh/a-abs3334" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

A St. Joseph man is accused of
stealing the identity of a Minnesota man for years, using it to get work.

Federal prosecutors have charged
42-year-old Romeo Perez-Bravo with aggravated identity theft and misuse of a
Social Security number.

The Social Security
Administration began its investigation after receiving a tip from the St.
Joseph Police Department. Social Security claims Perez-Bravo has been living in
St. Joseph and using the identity to work for local area employers since 2009. The victim reported
the identity theft when he began to receive unpaid income tax bills from the
IRS.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA St. Joseph man is accused of
stealing the identity of a Minnesota man for years, using it to get work.Federal prosecutors have charged
42-year-old Romeo Perez-Bravo with aggravated identity theft and misuse of a
Social Security number.The Social Security
Administration began its investigation after receiving a tip from the St.
Joseph Police Department. Social Security claims Perez-Bravo has been living in
St. Joseph and using the identity to work for local area employers since 2009. The victim reported
the identity theft when he began to receive unpaid income tax bills from the
IRS.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joe man accused of stealing Minnesota man ID for years

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/natanyafriedheim/">NATANYA FRIEDHEIM</a>

A bill in the Missouri Senate’s education committee concerning religion in the classroom had senators, faith-based leaders and school advocates at odds Tuesday.

If passed, Senate Bill 594 would require classrooms to display a poster of at least 11 inches by 14 inches with the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

Missouri students would see the words “I AM THE LORD thy God” followed by the Ten Commandments posted in every public and charter school classroom they enter.

“I honestly believe that when prayer went out of schools, and religion was removed from schools, that guns came in and violence came in,” the bill sponsor, state Sen. Jamie Burger, a Benton Republican, said during the hearing.

In opposition to the bill, Democratic state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern of Kansas City expressed concern about the costs of potential litigation. She also opposed the bill on principle. “This goes against the very founding of our nation,” she said.

Burger disagreed. After a back and forth, he said, “You know one thing, I think, when they talk about separation of church and state, I think they were talking about, we don’t want any church ran by the state. That’s my feelings. That’s my interpretation.”

Faith leaders testified both in support of and opposition to the bill — and people on both sides took issue with the version of the Ten Commandments included in the bill.

Faiths that adhere to the Ten Commandments, including Judaism, Catholicism and Lutheranism, have different versions of it, so the bill would “take sides in a deeply theological debate,” said Brian Kaylor, a Baptist minister and president of Word &amp; Way, an online publication.

“This bill would make many students feel like second-class citizens in their own classrooms, just because they come from a religious tradition that lists the Ten Commandments differently, they adhere to a religious faith that does not even include the Ten Commandments, or they have no faith at all,” he added.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year. A federal judge blocked the law in November, and the state appealed the court’s decision.

In 1980’s Stone v. Graham decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a similar law in Kentucky violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which states “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.”

For Sage Coram of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, the bill violates the U.S. and Missouri constitutions. Children are required to attend school, and SB 594 could pressure students into adopting the state’s preferred religion, usurping parents’ right to choose what religious doctrine, if any, to instill in their children, Coram said at the hearing.

Bev Ehlen of Liberty Link Missouri supported the bill but asked that “kill” be replaced with “murder” in “Thou shalt not kill.”

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, who chairs the education committee, spoke at length in favor of the measure. He cited his belief that the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation.

“We just need to be willing to plant that flag,” Brattin said, “that God, and the God of the Ten Commandments, is who gave us this amazing nation, and we need to be able to reflect and look at that.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/senate-bill-proposes-religious-doctrine-become-a-staple-in-missouri-classrooms/article_a2eacad6-e8d2-44e9-9ad2-946cf929cd30.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743422862506.png" alt="State Sen. Jamie Burger is introduced to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session in January (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Jamie Burger is introduced to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session in January (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/natanyafriedheim/">NATANYA FRIEDHEIM</a>A bill in the Missouri Senate’s education committee concerning religion in the classroom had senators, faith-based leaders and school advocates at odds Tuesday.If passed, Senate Bill 594 would require classrooms to display a poster of at least 11 inches by 14 inches with the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” beginning Jan. 1, 2026.Missouri students would see the words “I AM THE LORD thy God” followed by the Ten Commandments posted in every public and charter school classroom they enter.“I honestly believe that when prayer went out of schools, and religion was removed from schools, that guns came in and violence came in,” the bill sponsor, state Sen. Jamie Burger, a Benton Republican, said during the hearing.In opposition to the bill, Democratic state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern of Kansas City expressed concern about the costs of potential litigation. She also opposed the bill on principle. “This goes against the very founding of our nation,” she said.Burger disagreed. After a back and forth, he said, “You know one thing, I think, when they talk about separation of church and state, I think they were talking about, we don’t want any church ran by the state. That’s my feelings. That’s my interpretation.”Faith leaders testified both in support of and opposition to the bill — and people on both sides took issue with the version of the Ten Commandments included in the bill.Faiths that adhere to the Ten Commandments, including Judaism, Catholicism and Lutheranism, have different versions of it, so the bill would “take sides in a deeply theological debate,” said Brian Kaylor, a Baptist minister and president of Word &amp; Way, an online publication.“This bill would make many students feel like second-class citizens in their own classrooms, just because they come from a religious tradition that lists the Ten Commandments differently, they adhere to a religious faith that does not even include the Ten Commandments, or they have no faith at all,” he added.Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year. A federal judge blocked the law in November, and the state appealed the court’s decision.In 1980’s Stone v. Graham decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a similar law in Kentucky violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment, which states “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.”For Sage Coram of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, the bill violates the U.S. and Missouri constitutions. Children are required to attend school, and SB 594 could pressure students into adopting the state’s preferred religion, usurping parents’ right to choose what religious doctrine, if any, to instill in their children, Coram said at the hearing.Bev Ehlen of Liberty Link Missouri supported the bill but asked that “kill” be replaced with “murder” in “Thou shalt not kill.”State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, who chairs the education committee, spoke at length in favor of the measure. He cited his belief that the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation.“We just need to be willing to plant that flag,” Brattin said, “that God, and the God of the Ten Commandments, is who gave us this amazing nation, and we need to be able to reflect and look at that.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/senate-bill-proposes-religious-doctrine-become-a-staple-in-missouri-classrooms/article_a2eacad6-e8d2-44e9-9ad2-946cf929cd30.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

GOP lawmaker proposes bill to require Ten Commandments in Missouri schools

The cuts could lead to nearly 30,000 jobs lost across Missouri and Kansas health care systems and food suppliers, a new study found.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/author/meg-cunningham/">MEG CUNNINGHAM</a> <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/25/missouri-kansas-medicaid-snap-cuts-2025/">The Beacon</a>

As Congress looks to cut billions of dollars in federal spending over the next decade, states are anxiously awaiting how current proposed cuts to Medicaid and other programs may impact their own budgets and benefits their residents receive.&nbsp;

The Republican-controlled Congress is asking committees to slash their budgets over the next decade by $1.5 trillion and pay for a $4.5 trillion extension of tax cuts endorsed by President Donald Trump in 2017. Those tax cuts largely benefit corporations and wealthy Americans.&nbsp;

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said in an analysis that to cut the amount of spending the Trump administration is requesting,&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/03/medicaid-cuts-missouri-mo-healthnet/">cuts to Medicaid</a>&nbsp;and Medicare are inevitable.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-budget-resolution-republicans/">Under the plan</a>&nbsp;proposed by the House of Representatives, Medicaid, the joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for people whose income and resources are very limited, could be subject to $880 billion in cuts over the next 10 years.&nbsp;

And the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to low-income families, would see about $230 billion in cuts over the same period.&nbsp;

The plan could result in a $95 billion loss in federal funding for states in 2026 alone, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/mar/how-cuts-medicaid-snap-could-trigger-job-loss-state-revenue">new report from the Commonwealth Fund</a>. And as the details are ironed out, the report shows that Missouri and Kansas have plenty on the line when it comes to their federal funding and potential economic slowdown in their states.&nbsp;

Missouri could see a $2 billion reduction in federal funding across Medicaid and SNAP over the next decade, according to the report. 

Kansas, which has not expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and receives less federal money as a result, stands to lose $485 million in federal funds over the same period.&nbsp;

Researchers at the Commonwealth Fund, a group that studies health care access, also found that the downstream economic effects of potential cuts could mean more than a $2.4 billion hit in Missouri’s gross domestic product in 2026 alone. 

In Kansas, the cuts could amount to $556 million in economic losses through ripple effects such as cuts to jobs in hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, agriculture and more.&nbsp;

“If a nurse in a hospital loses her job because of a cutback, then that means she can’t afford to do things like pay her rent or pay her grocery bills,” said Leighton Ku, one of the study’s lead researchers and the director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University. “So there are repercussions that ripple through the rest of the economy.”&nbsp;

What’s at stake with cuts in Missouri and Kansas

The study found that if $880 billion in federal Medicaid funding were to go away, each state would see an 11.8% reduction in federal spending.&nbsp;

For SNAP, states could see a 20.6% reduction in federal SNAP dollars.&nbsp;

In Missouri, direct health care jobs are estimated to see the biggest losses, with an estimated 11,300 jobs cut as a result of the change in spending. Combined with other potential job loss as a result of Medicaid cuts, nearly 22,000 would be lost.&nbsp;

“The way us economists think about it,” said Timothy McBride, a health economist at Washington University in St. Louis, “is that spending on one side is matched by income on another. So if the federal government cuts $880 billion, that’s $880 billion in revenue to hospitals, doctors and drug companies or managed care companies.”&nbsp;

Another 2,400 Missouri jobs are estimated to be lost as a result of spending changes to the SNAP program.&nbsp;

The report estimates that between cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in Missouri, the end result could mean a $2.4 billion decrease in the state’s GDP and a $175 million reduction in state and local tax revenue.&nbsp;

It’s a different picture in Kansas, where state lawmakers haven’t expanded Medicaid and fewer people are part of the program. The analysis estimates that the state could lose about $485 million in federal funds across cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.&nbsp;

Kansas could lose about 2,700 in direct health care jobs and another 2,900 food industry or other jobs.&nbsp;

“I think of both Kansas and Missouri as being agriculture food production states,” Ku said. “The people who produce food, who process food, who grow food, they’re going to suffer cutbacks to (SNAP).”&nbsp;

Food pantries are seeing threats to their federal funding from multiple directions. But because the federal government pays all of the cost for SNAP and states only match the costs for administering the program, they are worried about what it means for their ability to provide food for those most in need.&nbsp;

“For every one meal that a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine,” said Karen Siebert, the public policy and advocacy adviser at Harvesters in Kansas City. “If these costs were shifted to the states, there’s no way our state budgets on either side of the state line could absorb that.”&nbsp;

“We’re concerned that folks are going to be turning to our charitable food pantries, which do not have resources to absorb those kinds of cuts,” she said.&nbsp;

Impacts may be outsized in rural communities, where more people rely on Medicaid, SNAP &nbsp;

In both Kansas and Missouri, rural counties tend to have a higher reliance on Medicaid or SNAP than other areas of the state.&nbsp;

That means rural areas could feel the pinch from the proposed cuts more than others.&nbsp;

“In the U.S., Medicaid coverage is higher in rural areas than in urban areas, across the whole U.S.,” McBride said. “That does mean the geographic impact will probably be somewhat higher in rural areas versus urban.”&nbsp;

McBride pointed to the financial margins of hospitals, which he said are lower than what most people would expect. In rural communities, margins for hospitals are often zero or negative. If Medicaid dollars were to be reduced, that could put rural hospitals in an even more difficult place, he said.&nbsp;

And for rural grocery stores that participate in SNAP, a reduction in SNAP recipients or spending could paint a bleak picture.&nbsp;

“A lot of grocery stores have really, really high purchasing minimums to even keep going and get a distributor willing to drive their truck to their area to deliver the food,” Siebert said.&nbsp;

“There are so many people who have SNAP benefits in these communities, and if the local grocery store cannot accept those, they may go to other communities where they can use their SNAP dollars,” she said. “And then, they’re going to use their other money there, too, and it takes all of that money out of the community.”&nbsp;

It’s still unclear what components of the House or Senate budget plans may move forward, making it difficult for recipients of the federal funds to plan.&nbsp;

“Depending on how these cuts are made, more people might become uninsured, more people might lose access to health care, more people might become hungry,” Ku said. “In general, if the state has a more sustained loss, and there’s unemployment, this is not going to help the state economies. This is going to hurt the state economies.”&nbsp;

<h2>The cuts could lead to nearly 30,000 jobs lost across Missouri and Kansas health care systems and food suppliers, a new study found.</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743087106525.png" alt="A report found a negative economic impact in Missouri and Kansas if federal spending for Medicaid and SNAP programs were reduced.&nbsp;Photo by Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>A report found a negative economic impact in Missouri and Kansas if federal spending for Medicaid and SNAP programs were reduced.&nbsp;Photo by Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/author/meg-cunningham/">MEG CUNNINGHAM</a> <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/25/missouri-kansas-medicaid-snap-cuts-2025/">The Beacon</a>As Congress looks to cut billions of dollars in federal spending over the next decade, states are anxiously awaiting how current proposed cuts to Medicaid and other programs may impact their own budgets and benefits their residents receive.&nbsp;The Republican-controlled Congress is asking committees to slash their budgets over the next decade by $1.5 trillion and pay for a $4.5 trillion extension of tax cuts endorsed by President Donald Trump in 2017. Those tax cuts largely benefit corporations and wealthy Americans.&nbsp;The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said in an analysis that to cut the amount of spending the Trump administration is requesting,&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/03/03/medicaid-cuts-missouri-mo-healthnet/">cuts to Medicaid</a>&nbsp;and Medicare are inevitable.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-budget-resolution-republicans/">Under the plan</a>&nbsp;proposed by the House of Representatives, Medicaid, the joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for people whose income and resources are very limited, could be subject to $880 billion in cuts over the next 10 years.&nbsp;And the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to low-income families, would see about $230 billion in cuts over the same period.&nbsp;The plan could result in a $95 billion loss in federal funding for states in 2026 alone, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/mar/how-cuts-medicaid-snap-could-trigger-job-loss-state-revenue">new report from the Commonwealth Fund</a>. And as the details are ironed out, the report shows that Missouri and Kansas have plenty on the line when it comes to their federal funding and potential economic slowdown in their states.&nbsp;Missouri could see a $2 billion reduction in federal funding across Medicaid and SNAP over the next decade, according to the report. Kansas, which has not expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and receives less federal money as a result, stands to lose $485 million in federal funds over the same period.&nbsp;Researchers at the Commonwealth Fund, a group that studies health care access, also found that the downstream economic effects of potential cuts could mean more than a $2.4 billion hit in Missouri’s gross domestic product in 2026 alone. In Kansas, the cuts could amount to $556 million in economic losses through ripple effects such as cuts to jobs in hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, agriculture and more.&nbsp;“If a nurse in a hospital loses her job because of a cutback, then that means she can’t afford to do things like pay her rent or pay her grocery bills,” said Leighton Ku, one of the study’s lead researchers and the director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University. “So there are repercussions that ripple through the rest of the economy.”&nbsp;<h2>What’s at stake with cuts in Missouri and Kansas</h2>The study found that if $880 billion in federal Medicaid funding were to go away, each state would see an 11.8% reduction in federal spending.&nbsp;For SNAP, states could see a 20.6% reduction in federal SNAP dollars.&nbsp;In Missouri, direct health care jobs are estimated to see the biggest losses, with an estimated 11,300 jobs cut as a result of the change in spending. Combined with other potential job loss as a result of Medicaid cuts, nearly 22,000 would be lost.&nbsp;“The way us economists think about it,” said Timothy McBride, a health economist at Washington University in St. Louis, “is that spending on one side is matched by income on another. So if the federal government cuts $880 billion, that’s $880 billion in revenue to hospitals, doctors and drug companies or managed care companies.”&nbsp;Another 2,400 Missouri jobs are estimated to be lost as a result of spending changes to the SNAP program.&nbsp;The report estimates that between cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in Missouri, the end result could mean a $2.4 billion decrease in the state’s GDP and a $175 million reduction in state and local tax revenue.&nbsp;It’s a different picture in Kansas, where state lawmakers haven’t expanded Medicaid and fewer people are part of the program. The analysis estimates that the state could lose about $485 million in federal funds across cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.&nbsp;Kansas could lose about 2,700 in direct health care jobs and another 2,900 food industry or other jobs.&nbsp;“I think of both Kansas and Missouri as being agriculture food production states,” Ku said. “The people who produce food, who process food, who grow food, they’re going to suffer cutbacks to (SNAP).”&nbsp;Food pantries are seeing threats to their federal funding from multiple directions. But because the federal government pays all of the cost for SNAP and states only match the costs for administering the program, they are worried about what it means for their ability to provide food for those most in need.&nbsp;“For every one meal that a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine,” said Karen Siebert, the public policy and advocacy adviser at Harvesters in Kansas City. “If these costs were shifted to the states, there’s no way our state budgets on either side of the state line could absorb that.”&nbsp;“We’re concerned that folks are going to be turning to our charitable food pantries, which do not have resources to absorb those kinds of cuts,” she said.&nbsp;<h2>Impacts may be outsized in rural communities, where more people rely on Medicaid, SNAP &nbsp;</h2>In both Kansas and Missouri, rural counties tend to have a higher reliance on Medicaid or SNAP than other areas of the state.&nbsp;That means rural areas could feel the pinch from the proposed cuts more than others.&nbsp;“In the U.S., Medicaid coverage is higher in rural areas than in urban areas, across the whole U.S.,” McBride said. “That does mean the geographic impact will probably be somewhat higher in rural areas versus urban.”&nbsp;McBride pointed to the financial margins of hospitals, which he said are lower than what most people would expect. In rural communities, margins for hospitals are often zero or negative. If Medicaid dollars were to be reduced, that could put rural hospitals in an even more difficult place, he said.&nbsp;And for rural grocery stores that participate in SNAP, a reduction in SNAP recipients or spending could paint a bleak picture.&nbsp;“A lot of grocery stores have really, really high purchasing minimums to even keep going and get a distributor willing to drive their truck to their area to deliver the food,” Siebert said.&nbsp;“There are so many people who have SNAP benefits in these communities, and if the local grocery store cannot accept those, they may go to other communities where they can use their SNAP dollars,” she said. “And then, they’re going to use their other money there, too, and it takes all of that money out of the community.”&nbsp;It’s still unclear what components of the House or Senate budget plans may move forward, making it difficult for recipients of the federal funds to plan.&nbsp;“Depending on how these cuts are made, more people might become uninsured, more people might lose access to health care, more people might become hungry,” Ku said. “In general, if the state has a more sustained loss, and there’s unemployment, this is not going to help the state economies. This is going to hurt the state economies.”&nbsp;

Billions at stake in Kansas, Missouri if proposed Medicaid, SNAP cuts move forward

The agency said complication plans failed to meet requirements of an emergency rule that clinics must provide the names of any physicians who prescribe abortion medication

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri Planned Parenthood clinics remain unable to offer medication abortions after the state rejected their complication plans this week.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which operates clinics in the St. Louis region, Rolla and Springfield, and Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Kansas City and Columbia, received a letter from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on Thursday stating their complication plans did not meet state requirements.

The decision means that almost five months after voters approved a constitutional amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">restoring abortion rights</a>, the most common method to terminate a pregnancy is not available in Missouri.

This rejection was based on the criteria of an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/AdRules/main/EmergenciesforInternet/19c30-30.062IE.pdf" target="_blank">emergency rule</a>&nbsp;published the same day by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office.&nbsp;

That rule requires the complication plan for any facility prescribing abortion medication to more than 10 women a month must:&nbsp;

While three clinics —Columbia, Kansas City and St. Louis — have resumed some procedural abortions, Planned Parenthood leadership have said they will not begin prescribing medication abortions without an approved complication plan.&nbsp;

Leadership with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers is still deciding on next steps, a spokesperson said.&nbsp;

The Department of Health and Senior Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement in February, department spokeswoman Sami Jo Freeman said complication plans are “important to ensure the safety of patients because medication abortions will likely be completed at home without a physician present.”&nbsp;

When the clinics submitted their complication plans in February, they did not include the names of any physicians involved. The proposals state that patients could contact the clinic at any time with concerns, including an after-hours line staffed by licensed nurses who can refer calls to an on-call physician.&nbsp;

“If a potentially urgent complication is suspected based on the patient’s symptoms or the patient is not able to return to the health center in a timely way, the nurse will direct them to the emergency department (ED),” the initial plans submitted by Planned Parenthood read.&nbsp;

With the patient’s consent, the proposal continued, the ER would be told the patient’s medical history if possible. Planned Parenthood would follow up with the patient the next day.

Across the country, abortion medication is the most common method used to end a pregnancy.

In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/medication-abortion-accounted-63-all-us-abortions-2023-increase-53-2020" target="_blank">nearly two-thirds of abortions</a>&nbsp;in the United States took place using medication as opposed to in-clinic procedures, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research group.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In states where abortion is legal, medication that induces a miscarriage is available to patients in their first trimester of pregnancy. Patients typically take two doses of medication, the second of which is often taken at home. In recent years, a growing number of women have been ordering abortion medication from online providers in the United States and abroad, including to states where abortion remains illegal.&nbsp;

According to the FDA,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation#:~:text=When%20did%20the%20FDA%20approve,ten%20weeks%20gestation%20in%202016." target="_blank">mifepristone is safe to use if taken as directed</a>. Cramping and bleeding are common side effects of the medication. Those prescribed mifepristone are urged to call their doctor if they experience heavy bleeding, abdominal pain or a fever. The same guidance applies to those who recently underwent procedural abortions, experienced miscarriages or delivered a baby.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since the medication was approved for use 28 years ago, only 32 deaths have been reported associated with mifepristone, according to the FDA.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued a notice of an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/12/missouri-andrew-bailey-planned-parenthood-abortion-medication/">intent to serve a cease and desist&nbsp;</a>letter to the Planned Parenthood clinics, doubling down on his demand that Planned Parenthood stop performing a type of abortion that its clinics aren’t actually offering patients.

Several Planned Parenthood clinics remained open even after the procedure was outlawed statewide in June 2022. The clinics primarily provide family planning services, cancer screenings and STI testing and treatment, including to patients on Medicaid.&nbsp;

Shortly after Missourians in November narrowly approved Amendment 3, granting the constitutional right to an abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-abortion-access-planned-parenthood-lawsuit-amendment-3/">Planned Parenthood sued the state</a>, arguing dozens of regulations on abortion providers were no longer constitutional.&nbsp;

In mid-February, a Jackson County judge struck down most of the regulations, allowing Planned Parenthood to resume in-clinic procedural abortions for the first time in years.&nbsp;

The first abortion to happen in Missouri since the procedure was outlawed statewide in June 2022 took place in February at a Kansas City clinic. In early March, procedural abortions&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/04/abortion-returns-columbia-missouri-planned-parenthood-clinic/">returned to the clinic in Columbia</a>&nbsp;for the first time since 2018.&nbsp;

And on Thursday, the clinic in St. Louis quietly performed its first two abortions since 2022.&nbsp;

The clinic plans to take additional abortion patients who are earlier than 12 weeks gestation over the coming weeks, but the number of days abortion is provided in St. Louis will depend on physicians’ schedules, Nick Dunne, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, said Friday.

Staff at the St. Louis clinic did not initially indicate they would bring back procedural abortions this soon.&nbsp;

“Ahead of the December ruling, our staff had been preparing to start providing medication abortion — including staff training, as well as ordering supplies and medications,” Dunne said in a statement. “Recognizing more recently that we were likely to face additional hurdles from state officials on medication abortion, our medical and patient services teams pivoted to allocating staff, equipment, and other necessary resources in order to begin offering procedural abortion again.”&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood likely won’t be able to begin offering procedural abortions at its clinics in Rolla or Springfield until additional physicians are hired, Dunne said, adding that Planned Parenthood is “working aggressively” to expand their physician numbers.

There are currently two long-term staff physicians and one contracted physician at Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which also oversees the clinic in Fairview Heights. The two long-term physicians are both based in the St. Louis area.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728400594576.png" alt=" The Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis on June 24, 2022 (Tessa Weinberg/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> The Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis on June 24, 2022 (Tessa Weinberg/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The agency said complication plans failed to meet requirements of an emergency rule that clinics must provide the names of any physicians who prescribe abortion medication</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri Planned Parenthood clinics remain unable to offer medication abortions after the state rejected their complication plans this week.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which operates clinics in the St. Louis region, Rolla and Springfield, and Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Kansas City and Columbia, received a letter from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on Thursday stating their complication plans did not meet state requirements.The decision means that almost five months after voters approved a constitutional amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">restoring abortion rights</a>, the most common method to terminate a pregnancy is not available in Missouri.This rejection was based on the criteria of an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/AdRules/main/EmergenciesforInternet/19c30-30.062IE.pdf" target="_blank">emergency rule</a>&nbsp;published the same day by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office.&nbsp;That rule requires the complication plan for any facility prescribing abortion medication to more than 10 women a month must:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Have an on-call OB-GYN who lives within 25 miles of the clinic available at all times for seven days after a patient takes the medication. This physician would be required to treat any complications that arise as a result of the medication unless the standard of care requires someone else to treat them.&nbsp;</li><li>Provide for patients who live further than 25 miles from the clinic, the name of the emergency room and a physician “within a reasonable distance of the location where the patient will complete the abortion.”</li><li>Submit the full names of all physicians involved in the local complication plans.</li>
 </ul>While three clinics —Columbia, Kansas City and St. Louis — have resumed some procedural abortions, Planned Parenthood leadership have said they will not begin prescribing medication abortions without an approved complication plan.&nbsp;Leadership with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers is still deciding on next steps, a spokesperson said.&nbsp;The Department of Health and Senior Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.In a statement in February, department spokeswoman Sami Jo Freeman said complication plans are “important to ensure the safety of patients because medication abortions will likely be completed at home without a physician present.”&nbsp;When the clinics submitted their complication plans in February, they did not include the names of any physicians involved. The proposals state that patients could contact the clinic at any time with concerns, including an after-hours line staffed by licensed nurses who can refer calls to an on-call physician.&nbsp;“If a potentially urgent complication is suspected based on the patient’s symptoms or the patient is not able to return to the health center in a timely way, the nurse will direct them to the emergency department (ED),” the initial plans submitted by Planned Parenthood read.&nbsp;With the patient’s consent, the proposal continued, the ER would be told the patient’s medical history if possible. Planned Parenthood would follow up with the patient the next day.Across the country, abortion medication is the most common method used to end a pregnancy.In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/medication-abortion-accounted-63-all-us-abortions-2023-increase-53-2020" target="_blank">nearly two-thirds of abortions</a>&nbsp;in the United States took place using medication as opposed to in-clinic procedures, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research group.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In states where abortion is legal, medication that induces a miscarriage is available to patients in their first trimester of pregnancy. Patients typically take two doses of medication, the second of which is often taken at home. In recent years, a growing number of women have been ordering abortion medication from online providers in the United States and abroad, including to states where abortion remains illegal.&nbsp;According to the FDA,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation#:~:text=When%20did%20the%20FDA%20approve,ten%20weeks%20gestation%20in%202016." target="_blank">mifepristone is safe to use if taken as directed</a>. Cramping and bleeding are common side effects of the medication. Those prescribed mifepristone are urged to call their doctor if they experience heavy bleeding, abdominal pain or a fever. The same guidance applies to those who recently underwent procedural abortions, experienced miscarriages or delivered a baby.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Since the medication was approved for use 28 years ago, only 32 deaths have been reported associated with mifepristone, according to the FDA.&nbsp;Earlier this month, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued a notice of an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/12/missouri-andrew-bailey-planned-parenthood-abortion-medication/">intent to serve a cease and desist&nbsp;</a>letter to the Planned Parenthood clinics, doubling down on his demand that Planned Parenthood stop performing a type of abortion that its clinics aren’t actually offering patients.Several Planned Parenthood clinics remained open even after the procedure was outlawed statewide in June 2022. The clinics primarily provide family planning services, cancer screenings and STI testing and treatment, including to patients on Medicaid.&nbsp;Shortly after Missourians in November narrowly approved Amendment 3, granting the constitutional right to an abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-abortion-access-planned-parenthood-lawsuit-amendment-3/">Planned Parenthood sued the state</a>, arguing dozens of regulations on abortion providers were no longer constitutional.&nbsp;In mid-February, a Jackson County judge struck down most of the regulations, allowing Planned Parenthood to resume in-clinic procedural abortions for the first time in years.&nbsp;The first abortion to happen in Missouri since the procedure was outlawed statewide in June 2022 took place in February at a Kansas City clinic. In early March, procedural abortions&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/04/abortion-returns-columbia-missouri-planned-parenthood-clinic/">returned to the clinic in Columbia</a>&nbsp;for the first time since 2018.&nbsp;And on Thursday, the clinic in St. Louis quietly performed its first two abortions since 2022.&nbsp;The clinic plans to take additional abortion patients who are earlier than 12 weeks gestation over the coming weeks, but the number of days abortion is provided in St. Louis will depend on physicians’ schedules, Nick Dunne, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, said Friday.Staff at the St. Louis clinic did not initially indicate they would bring back procedural abortions this soon.&nbsp;“Ahead of the December ruling, our staff had been preparing to start providing medication abortion — including staff training, as well as ordering supplies and medications,” Dunne said in a statement. “Recognizing more recently that we were likely to face additional hurdles from state officials on medication abortion, our medical and patient services teams pivoted to allocating staff, equipment, and other necessary resources in order to begin offering procedural abortion again.”&nbsp;Planned Parenthood likely won’t be able to begin offering procedural abortions at its clinics in Rolla or Springfield until additional physicians are hired, Dunne said, adding that Planned Parenthood is “working aggressively” to expand their physician numbers.There are currently two long-term staff physicians and one contracted physician at Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which also oversees the clinic in Fairview Heights. The two long-term physicians are both based in the St. Louis area.&nbsp;

Missouri health department rejects Planned Parenthood plan to start medication abortions

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe src="https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/KFEQ-Week-in-Review-3292025-e30qcmv/a-abrv1l0" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Week in Review

An 18-year-old St. Joseph man was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with St. Joseph police officers after a pursuit Thursday morning.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports Brayden Robertson died of gunshot wounds suffered in the shootout.

The patrol is investigating the officer-involved shooting at the request of the St. Joseph Police Department.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports its preliminary investigation indicates that around 10:30 Thursday morning officers responded to a report of an armed carjacking in the 600 block of Hall Street. Officers located the vehicle. Two suspects fled. Police pursued. The patrol states that during the pursuit, a suspect in the vehicle shot at officers.

The vehicle crashed at 28th and Mitchell. Officers took one suspect into custody at the site of the crash. The second fled on foot. The suspect exchanged gunfire with officers while on the run. The suspect was fatally wounded.

One officer had to be treated at a hospital for a minor wound.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostAn 18-year-old St. Joseph man was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with St. Joseph police officers after a pursuit Thursday morning.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports Brayden Robertson died of gunshot wounds suffered in the shootout.The patrol is investigating the officer-involved shooting at the request of the St. Joseph Police Department.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports its preliminary investigation indicates that around 10:30 Thursday morning officers responded to a report of an armed carjacking in the 600 block of Hall Street. Officers located the vehicle. Two suspects fled. Police pursued. The patrol states that during the pursuit, a suspect in the vehicle shot at officers.The vehicle crashed at 28th and Mitchell. Officers took one suspect into custody at the site of the crash. The second fled on foot. The suspect exchanged gunfire with officers while on the run. The suspect was fatally wounded.One officer had to be treated at a hospital for a minor wound.The investigation continues.

Man shot and killed after St. Joseph pursuit identified

A 29-year-old St. Joseph man is being held in the Buchanan County jail on a federal warrant, after being apprehended in a St. Joseph police pursuit in which another person was shot and killed.

The St. Joseph Police Department has identified the suspect as Dominick Hearn.

Police took Hearn into custody after he and another suspect crashed at 28th and Mitchell Streets in a vehicle they allegedly stole at gunpoint. The second suspect ran on foot to the 2500 block of Penn Street where he exchanged gunfire with police. He was struck. Officers attempted to save his life at the scene, but he later died of his wounds.

The identification of the person killed has yet to be released.

St. Joseph Police Chief, Paul Luster, says the department received a call about an armed carjacking late Thursday morning. Officers spotted the vehicle around 11 o'clock Thursday morning. When the two failed to stop, a pursuit began. Police say the suspects fired shots, hitting several buildings.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has been brought in to investigate the officer-involved shooting. The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743199843812.jpeg" alt="Dominick Hearn/Buchanan County photo" />
 <figcaption>Dominick Hearn/Buchanan County photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA 29-year-old St. Joseph man is being held in the Buchanan County jail on a federal warrant, after being apprehended in a St. Joseph police pursuit in which another person was shot and killed.The St. Joseph Police Department has identified the suspect as Dominick Hearn.Police took Hearn into custody after he and another suspect crashed at 28th and Mitchell Streets in a vehicle they allegedly stole at gunpoint. The second suspect ran on foot to the 2500 block of Penn Street where he exchanged gunfire with police. He was struck. Officers attempted to save his life at the scene, but he later died of his wounds.The identification of the person killed has yet to be released.St. Joseph Police Chief, Paul Luster, says the department received a call about an armed carjacking late Thursday morning. Officers spotted the vehicle around 11 o'clock Thursday morning. When the two failed to stop, a pursuit began. Police say the suspects fired shots, hitting several buildings.The Missouri State Highway Patrol has been brought in to investigate the officer-involved shooting. The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.

Suspect apprehended after deadly St. Joseph pursuit identified

ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Friday in Atchison.

According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 2010 Lincoln MKZ driven by Maria Rioux, 61, Cummings, was southbound on 4th Street and when approaching U.S.59&nbsp; rear-ended a stopped&nbsp; 2023 GMC SUV driven by Karen Pierce, 66, Faucett Missouri.&nbsp;

The impact pushed the SUV into a stopped 2011 Nissan Altima driven by Jessica Kerr, 35, Atchison. 

EMS transported Riou to Amberwell Hospital. There were no other injuries, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743195714570.jpeg" alt="Photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Friday in Atchison.According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 2010 Lincoln MKZ driven by Maria Rioux, 61, Cummings, was southbound on 4th Street and when approaching U.S.59&nbsp; rear-ended a stopped&nbsp; 2023 GMC SUV driven by Karen Pierce, 66, Faucett Missouri.&nbsp;The impact pushed the SUV into a stopped 2011 Nissan Altima driven by Jessica Kerr, 35, Atchison. EMS transported Riou to Amberwell Hospital. There were no other injuries, according to Wilson.

Kansas woman hospitalized after 3-vehicle rear-end crash

The new coach of Missouri Western men's basketball hopes to restore some of the glory days back to the program.  

Brooks McKowen brings a winning way to Missouri Western.  The seventh coach in program history has won at least 21 games in three of the past four seasons, coming from Upper Iowa University.  

McKowen says he's been in this region before and knows the MIAA is a great conference, and knows they won't walk in and win championships, but says that's the goal 

"We want to compete for championships and at the end of the year we want to be in the running for the tournament, we want to make constant attempts at getting into that NCAA tournament," McKowen tells a crowd during his introductory press conference.  "Because as we've all seen, if you can get into the tournament and get through our region, you've got a chance, this is one of the best regions in the country so if you can get in there and you can have teams that can compete in it, you've got a chance for a title." 

Now with the Griffons, McKowen says the goal, even in a tough MIAA conference, is to win those championships 

"On a year in, year out basis it's to have a team that you believe can get there," McKowen says.  "Now a lot of things have to go your way, you have to stay healthy, you have to mesh the right way, but it's to put a product out there that you can compete for championships." 

McKowen says he wants his team to be tough and hardnosed, but most of all he wants them to have fun 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743190474723.jpeg" alt="New Missouri Western men's basketball coach Brooks McCowen (middle) with President Elizabeth Kennedy (left) and Athletic Director Andy Carter (right)/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>New Missouri Western men's basketball coach Brooks McCowen (middle) with President Elizabeth Kennedy (left) and Athletic Director Andy Carter (right)/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The new coach of Missouri Western men's basketball hopes to restore some of the glory days back to the program. Brooks McKowen brings a winning way to Missouri Western. The seventh coach in program history has won at least 21 games in three of the past four seasons, coming from Upper Iowa University. McKowen says he's been in this region before and knows the MIAA is a great conference, and knows they won't walk in and win championships, but says that's the goal "We want to compete for championships and at the end of the year we want to be in the running for the tournament, we want to make constant attempts at getting into that NCAA tournament," McKowen tells a crowd during his introductory press conference. "Because as we've all seen, if you can get into the tournament and get through our region, you've got a chance, this is one of the best regions in the country so if you can get in there and you can have teams that can compete in it, you've got a chance for a title." Now with the Griffons, McKowen says the goal, even in a tough MIAA conference, is to win those championships "On a year in, year out basis it's to have a team that you believe can get there," McKowen says. "Now a lot of things have to go your way, you have to stay healthy, you have to mesh the right way, but it's to put a product out there that you can compete for championships." McKowen says he wants his team to be tough and hardnosed, but most of all he wants them to have fun "Basketball is fun, that's why I coach, I love being around the game I think it's a great game, it's a difficult game, but I want them to have some fun while they're doing it, and I want them to compete and I want them to play hard," McKowen explains. "Some of the best compliments I've gotten after games, win or lose, is when people come up to me and say. wow coach, your guys compete, how do you get them to play that hard?" McKowen says while he has respect for what the past coaches of the program have done, this team is going to be different "Our style is going to be different; our play is going to be different; I'm probably going to run the program different, there are going to be a lot of similarities but there's going to be differences in it," McKowen says. "So, I feel like the way we play and the style we have offensively, defensively, wins games and that's what we're hoping to continue here." McKowen spent 12 seasons with the Upper Iowa Peacocks and compiled over 200 wins. He replaces Will Martin who resigned in March. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743190497899.jpeg" alt="Brooks McKowen/ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Brooks McKowen/ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

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