Sandra Hemme has been released from the
Chillicothe women’s prison after a judge found “clear and convincing evidence”
of her innocence in the 1980 murder of Patricia Jeschke, a library worker at
the St. Joseph State Hospital.

Hemme has served 43 years in prison after
confessing to the murder, though evidence points to a discredited former St.
Joseph police officer.

Livingston
County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman ordered Hemme be released or retried.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey objected and sought to block her release.

Hemme,
who is now 64, reunited with family after her release.

The Innocence Project of New York says Hemme had been the
longest-held incarcerated woman in the United States.

During a court hearing in Chillicothe, Judge Horsman stated Hemme
must be released or the Attorney General must appear before him.

A state appeals court ruled Hemme should be released while it
reviewed her case. The Missouri Supreme Court agreed.

Hemme was sentenced to life for the stabbing death of Jeschke.

Judge Horsman concluded the St. Joseph Police Department
ignored evidence that pointed to Officer Michael Holman. Evidence placed Holman
outside Jeschke’s apartment and found that he had used her credit card and had
her earrings at his home.

In his ruling Horseman called Hemme “the victim of a manifest injustice.”

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687623288901.png" alt="Sandra Hemme/Dept. of Corrections photo" />
 <figcaption>Sandra Hemme/Dept. of Corrections photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSandra Hemme has been released from the
Chillicothe women’s prison after a judge found “clear and convincing evidence”
of her innocence in the 1980 murder of Patricia Jeschke, a library worker at
the St. Joseph State Hospital.Hemme has served 43 years in prison after
confessing to the murder, though evidence points to a discredited former St.
Joseph police officer.Livingston
County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman ordered Hemme be released or retried.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey objected and sought to block her release.Hemme,
who is now 64, reunited with family after her release.The Innocence Project of New York says Hemme had been the
longest-held incarcerated woman in the United States.During a court hearing in Chillicothe, Judge Horsman stated Hemme
must be released or the Attorney General must appear before him.A state appeals court ruled Hemme should be released while it
reviewed her case. The Missouri Supreme Court agreed.Hemme was sentenced to life for the stabbing death of Jeschke.Judge Horsman concluded the St. Joseph Police Department
ignored evidence that pointed to Officer Michael Holman. Evidence placed Holman
outside Jeschke’s apartment and found that he had used her credit card and had
her earrings at his home.In his ruling Horseman called Hemme “the victim of a manifest injustice.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Sandra Hemme released from prison, after found innocent in 1980 St. Joseph murder

HARRISON COUNTY–A Kansas man died in an accident just before 5p.m. Sunday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Kia Sorento driven by Karam J. Bedros, 65, Woodbury, Minnesota, was southbound on Interstate 35 seven miles north of Eagleville.

The SUV traveled off the west side of the road into the median, struck the emergency crossover, became airborne, rolled and came to rest on its top.

A passenger identified as Victor B. Imad, 31, Manhattan, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported by the Harrison County Coroner to Roberson Funeral Home in Bethany.

Decatur County Ambulance transported Bedros to Harrison County Community Hospital. He was later transferred to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.&nbsp; Decatur County Ambulance transported passenger Carla E. Bedros, 59, Woodbury, Minnesota to Harrison County Community Hospital.&nbsp;

North Harrison Ambulance transported a third passenger Reena Bedros, 27, Woodbury, Minnesota to Lamoni Hospital. She was later air-lifted to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.&nbsp; Imad and Reena Bedros were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

HARRISON COUNTY–A Kansas man died in an accident just before 5p.m. Sunday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Kia Sorento driven by Karam J. Bedros, 65, Woodbury, Minnesota, was southbound on Interstate 35 seven miles north of Eagleville.The SUV traveled off the west side of the road into the median, struck the emergency crossover, became airborne, rolled and came to rest on its top.A passenger identified as Victor B. Imad, 31, Manhattan, was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported by the Harrison County Coroner to Roberson Funeral Home in Bethany.Decatur County Ambulance transported Bedros to Harrison County Community Hospital. He was later transferred to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.&nbsp; Decatur County Ambulance transported passenger Carla E. Bedros, 59, Woodbury, Minnesota to Harrison County Community Hospital.&nbsp;North Harrison Ambulance transported a third passenger Reena Bedros, 27, Woodbury, Minnesota to Lamoni Hospital. She was later air-lifted to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.&nbsp; Imad and Reena Bedros were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

Kansas man dies, 3 injured after violent rollover crash

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 11a.m. Sunday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Pateol reported a 2015 Jeep driven by Marshall A. Underwood, 18, Amazonia, was northbound on Route CC four miles west of Savannah.

The driver fell asleep. The Jeep treveled off the road, struck a mailbox, an embankment and came to rest on the west side of the road.

A private vehicle transported Underwood to Mosaic. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

ANDREW COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 11a.m. Sunday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Pateol reported a 2015 Jeep driven by Marshall A. Underwood, 18, Amazonia, was northbound on Route CC four miles west of Savannah.The driver fell asleep. The Jeep treveled off the road, struck a mailbox, an embankment and came to rest on the west side of the road.A private vehicle transported Underwood to Mosaic. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Jeep strikes mailbox after Mo. teen fell asleep while driving

After missing training camp during last year's contract negotiations, defensive tackle Chris Jones was back with the Chiefs at the start of this year's camp at Missouri Western State University. 

Jones signed a new five-year deal with the Chiefs earlier this offseason.  He says he's happy to be back at camp in St. Joseph 

"You know it's been two years since I've been able to be out here with the guys," Jones tells reporters following practice.  "Love being in this environment where we all can focus on football, get better, compete, and challenge each other day in and day out, it feels good to be back in the dorm staying on a twin bed." 

Energy was high as the Chiefs kicked off this year's training camp in front of fans at Missouri Western. 

With full attendance, aside from those on the injury list, one face everyone was excited to see back was Jones. 

Head Coach Andy Reid says Jones is one of the team captains and he's excited to have him in St. Joseph.  

"To have him out here, he brings energy, he always brings energy," Reid says. "He has fun out here and I'm glad he's here." 

A significant blow to the Chiefs defense was the announcement today of safety Justin Reid being placed on the non-football injury list with a quad injury. 

Fans also got an opportunity during practice to see some options to replace some key defensive players.  

The Chiefs defense lost players like Mike Edwards and most notably cornerback L'Jarius Sneed this offseason and now look to replace them.  

Jones admits in doing that, there are going to be some challenges ahead 

"We can compare to last year but it's a completely different team from last year, we've got some challenges ahead of us, we've got a lot of young guys that we're looking forward to stepping up," Jones says. "We've still got Trent McDuffie and we can build off of it, we can build off it, we've got a lot of young guys who when the pads come on, we can see what's going on." 

The Chiefs made it through day one with no major injuries and practiced for just over an hour.  Practice on Monday will be for season ticket members at 9:15am.

The Kansas City Chiefs have placed safety Justin Reid on the non football injury list.

Reid appeared at practice without a helmet.&nbsp; The Chiefs report that a quad injury is what landed Reid on the list, he can now not practice until he completes a physical and head coach Andy Reid reports he is day to day.&nbsp;

The Chiefs activated running back Clyde Edwards Helaire from the non football injury list and also released tight end Gerrit Prince, who struggled with drops during the rookie and quarterback portion of camp.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To get the roster back to 91 players Kansas City signed tight end Izaiah Gathings.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721584074205.jpeg" alt="Defensive tackle Chris Jones walks down the hill on the first day of practice alongside defensive end Mike Danna.&nbsp; Jones is back at training camp this year after a holdout last year during contract negotiations/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Defensive tackle Chris Jones walks down the hill on the first day of practice alongside defensive end Mike Danna.&nbsp; Jones is back at training camp this year after a holdout last year during contract negotiations/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post After missing training camp during last year's contract negotiations, defensive tackle Chris Jones was back with the Chiefs at the start of this year's camp at Missouri Western State University. Jones signed a new five-year deal with the Chiefs earlier this offseason. He says he's happy to be back at camp in St. Joseph "You know it's been two years since I've been able to be out here with the guys," Jones tells reporters following practice. "Love being in this environment where we all can focus on football, get better, compete, and challenge each other day in and day out, it feels good to be back in the dorm staying on a twin bed." Energy was high as the Chiefs kicked off this year's training camp in front of fans at Missouri Western. With full attendance, aside from those on the injury list, one face everyone was excited to see back was Jones. Head Coach Andy Reid says Jones is one of the team captains and he's excited to have him in St. Joseph. "To have him out here, he brings energy, he always brings energy," Reid says. "He has fun out here and I'm glad he's here." A significant blow to the Chiefs defense was the announcement today of safety Justin Reid being placed on the non-football injury list with a quad injury. Fans also got an opportunity during practice to see some options to replace some key defensive players. The Chiefs defense lost players like Mike Edwards and most notably cornerback L'Jarius Sneed this offseason and now look to replace them. Jones admits in doing that, there are going to be some challenges ahead "We can compare to last year but it's a completely different team from last year, we've got some challenges ahead of us, we've got a lot of young guys that we're looking forward to stepping up," Jones says. "We've still got Trent McDuffie and we can build off of it, we can build off it, we've got a lot of young guys who when the pads come on, we can see what's going on." The Chiefs made it through day one with no major injuries and practiced for just over an hour. Practice on Monday will be for season ticket members at 9:15am.Injury report and roster movesThe Kansas City Chiefs have placed safety Justin Reid on the non football injury list.Reid appeared at practice without a helmet.&nbsp; The Chiefs report that a quad injury is what landed Reid on the list, he can now not practice until he completes a physical and head coach Andy Reid reports he is day to day.&nbsp;The Chiefs activated running back Clyde Edwards Helaire from the non football injury list and also released tight end Gerrit Prince, who struggled with drops during the rookie and quarterback portion of camp.&nbsp;&nbsp;To get the roster back to 91 players Kansas City signed tight end Izaiah Gathings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721584304820.jpeg" alt="Chris Jones rides to the locker room following practice waving to fans/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Chris Jones rides to the locker room following practice waving to fans/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

After last year's holdout, Chiefs Chris Jones excited to be back at Training Camp

ANDREW COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a 2-vehicle injury crash and continue searching for one of the drivers.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Explorer was southbound on County Road 379 at Route K just north of St. Joseph.

The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and traveled into the path of a northbound 2006 Pontiac Torrent driven by Jennifer L. Hess, 45, Amazonia.&nbsp; The Pontiac struck the drivers side of the Ford. After impact the driver of the Explorer ran from the crash.

Andrew County EMS transported Hess to Mosaic Life Care.&nbsp; She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

ANDREW COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a 2-vehicle injury crash and continue searching for one of the drivers.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Explorer was southbound on County Road 379 at Route K just north of St. Joseph.The driver failed to stop at the stop sign and traveled into the path of a northbound 2006 Pontiac Torrent driven by Jennifer L. Hess, 45, Amazonia.&nbsp; The Pontiac struck the drivers side of the Ford. After impact the driver of the Explorer ran from the crash.Andrew County EMS transported Hess to Mosaic Life Care.&nbsp; She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Driver ran from crash that injured Andrew County woman

The state’s Medicaid rolls are down by roughly 136,000 kids since June 2023, and Missouri’s worst-in-nation processing delays make it arduous to re-enroll — causing many to miss doctor’s appointments, prescriptions

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

Dr. Maya Moody, a community pediatrician in St. Louis, knows a new month has begun when her clinic’s billing department runs patients’ names and she hears about the children no longer covered by Medicaid.&nbsp;

One of those patients, now 3 years old and deaf in one ear, was scheduled for a cochlear implant. But when his family unexpectedly lost Medicaid last year, they had to cancel the appointment.&nbsp;

Delays getting their coverage reinstated and securing another specialty appointment set the procedure back by around a year.

“And now,” Moody said, “he has developmental delays because he wasn’t getting all of his services that he needed for his hard-of-hearing.”&nbsp;

Other parents, she said,&nbsp;don’t learn their child lost Medicaid coverage until they reach the clinic’s front desk. And though they quickly submit paperwork to get coverage back, it can be months before it’s reinstated.

Since June of last year, Missouri has been re-checking the eligibility of all Medicaid enrollees, after a three-year federal pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

The Medicaid rolls are down by roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/mis/clcounter/history.htm" target="_blank">136,000 kids</a>&nbsp;since the process of recertification started up again. Many qualify for coverage but are losing out due to paperwork or “procedural” reasons.

And in recent months, the state’s application processing times for Medicaid have gotten so long the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/feds-to-scrutinize-missouris-worst-in-the-nation-medicaid-application-delays/">federal government was compelled to intervene</a>&nbsp;to help Missouri improve the situation.

In the meantime, thousands of children who lost coverage are dealing with delayed or foregone medical care, which can include missed vaccines for infants, preventative care and prescriptions for chronic diseases like asthma and diabetes — doctors, families and advocates told The Independent.

“While we’re waiting for this bureaucratic process of solutions and people sitting at tables talking about procedural issues, I’ve got kids in my office who are suffering poor health outcomes, delayed care,” Moody said. “It’s just heartbreaking.”&nbsp;

Over the last year, the state’s Medicaid&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/mis/clcounter/history.htm" target="_blank">rolls</a>&nbsp;shrunk by&nbsp;249,209 people. Over half of that decline was children, even though children are eligible at higher income levels.

Of Missourians who lost coverage between June 2023 to May, state data shows&nbsp;<a href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-145554475?r=svnx&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web" target="_blank">nearly 80%</a>&nbsp;were for a “procedural” issue, and the rest were no longer eligible.&nbsp;

Procedural issues generally refer to paperwork issues, meaning a participant failed to return paperwork or the state didn’t receive it. Those can include people not understanding the forms, not receiving them because of a change in address or the state losing the paperwork upon receipt.

As the state evaluates hundreds of thousands of current Medicaid recipients each month and processes their updated information, it continues to receive new applications — some of which are from people who were cut and trying to get back on.

<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/downloads/magi-app-process-time-snapshot-rpt-oct-dec-2023.pdf" target="_blank">Federal data</a>&nbsp;shows Missouri’s application processing times have been among the worst in the nation since late last year.

Medicaid applications are generally required to be reviewed within 45 days. Nationwide, most applications were processed&nbsp;<a href="https://timothymcbride.substack.com/p/enrolling-medicaid-in-missouri-challenges" target="_blank">within 24 hours</a>&nbsp;last year.

But more than half of applications took longer than 45 days to process in Missouri between December and March, the most recent available data. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/downloads/medicaid-chip-unwinding-oper-snap-february2024.pdf" target="_blank">February</a>, that portion was 72% and in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/downloads/medicaid-chip-unwinding-oper-snap-march2024.pdf" target="_blank">March</a>&nbsp;it was 64%.&nbsp;

Nationally, only 14% of applications took longer than 45 days to process in March.&nbsp;

The federal&nbsp;Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wrote in a May&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/feds-to-scrutinize-missouris-worst-in-the-nation-medicaid-application-delays/">letter</a>&nbsp;obtained by the Independent that it is concerned the state is not doing enough to “achieve and sustain” compliance with federal rules on Medicaid and is intervening to help Missouri identify strategies to come back into compliance.&nbsp;

The Department of Social Services, which oversees the state’s Medicaid program, declined to comment for this story.

Kids hospitalized because of Medicaid lapses

Dr. Thuylinh Pham, a pediatric urgent care doctor in Kansas City, said she’s been seeing kids come in who have had Medicaid lapses and “can’t afford their chronic medications.”

Some families are unable to get a primary care appointment because they’re no longer insured, and don’t go to the ER because they’re worried about the cost.

“These kids are coming in really, really sick,” Pham said. “We’re having to call 911, we’re having to get transport and get them into the hospital, and the reason for a lot of it is they want to avoid a bill, and so that is a really dangerous situation for these kids.”

Asthma medications out of pocket can cost over $100 per month.

“We are seeing kids who have been out of their medications for months and may have been well-controlled on the medications, but now…they’re being hospitalized for it because of Medicaid lapses,” she said.

Dr. Heidi Sallee, a pediatrician in St. Louis who is also president of the Missouri chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, remembers a specific patient’s deterioration.

A 5-year-old asthmatic girl was recently cut from Medicaid and her family couldn’t afford refills of her prescription. The girl ended up in the emergency room two times while waiting to be reinstated, Sallee said.

At one point, her mother had tried to fill a room with steam to ease the girl’s symptoms, but she stopped breathing and was rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance.

“If she’d been able to stay on her Medicaid and not have that interruption, she would have been on her medicines and would likely have not had that asthma exacerbation that then brought her to the ER two times,” Sallee said.

Dr. Shanon Luke, who for the past three years worked as a pediatric resident in Columbia, said she’s seen disenrolled families postpone preventative care, such as getting lab testing done to determine the cause of a child’s slow physical growth.

“It can be frustrating just wanting to provide the best care for the patient, but having this barrier,” she said, “…seeing the difficulty that they had in making the decisions on what to do for their kid because they were concerned about finances was just really sad.”&nbsp;

Several pediatricians mentioned patients driving from hours away, from rural areas without pediatricians who take Medicaid, only to be turned away for lack of coverage.

Missouri Ozarks Community Health is a federally-qualified health center with six clinics in rural south-central Missouri. It offers limited pediatric care, said COO Randall Gann, and is primarily seeing the current Medicaid issues in kids’ dental care, where they provide services for many more kids.

Gann said he’s seeing patients waiting five or six months to get dental care, after they’re disenrolled and try to come back on — and that those delays have gotten worse the last few months.

“We have a lot of parents making decisions right now to not pursue dental care for their kids,” he said, “unless, you know, they get on the Medicaid status and can actually get approved before bringing them back in.”&nbsp;

Parents and advocates trying to get answers from the state about their coverage issues often run up against seemingly insurmountable barriers.

The state has long been grappling with technology issues, including a dysfunctional call center, and staffing issues.&nbsp;

LaNetta Nole, a mother of two living in Malden, in the southeast part of the state, has been trying to get her kids — a 14-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter — back on Medicaid since February.&nbsp;

She works at Pizza Hut and her husband works as a mechanic. His employment health care plan would cost $500 per week to add her children, she said.

Her son got braces in December but hasn’t been able to go back to the orthodontist for his monthly routine checks and adjustments because he’s uninsured. Each visit to the orthodontist costs $170 without insurance, she said.

“We don’t have that,” she said. “…I don’t even have that to take him back to the orthodontist and he needs to go.”&nbsp;

Cole has called the state each month since January. She has waited up to four hours on the phone to connect with a representative.&nbsp;

When she tried going to her in-person to a Family Support Division office in East Prairie earlier this year, she said she was directed to a booth and told to wait for a call. She didn’t have time to wait beyond 20 minutes.&nbsp;

“I’m so confused by it, and I’ve wracked my brain trying to figure out why they have not been reactivated,” she said, “Because I submitted everything.”&nbsp;

Advocates who help people with their Medicaid enrollment issues say they’ve been frustrated the state hasn’t taken more action to address problems that have been there for the last year.

Joel Ferber, advocacy director at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, said they’ve noted a “multitude of glitches and systems issues,” including with the state failing to process documents in a timely way, losing documents and people being kicked off due to computer errors.&nbsp;

They’ve seen&nbsp;“so many newborns without coverage for more than a month missing doctor’s appointments,” Ferber said.

Jim Torres, program manager for health insurance services at Samuel Rodgers Health Center in Kansas City, said after he helps clients get their information to the state, “it’s hitting a brick wall,” often taking months to have the state register simple changes.

“Patients sometimes come back to us and say well, I gave you the information to send in. Didn’t you send it in?” Torres said.

“Yes, I did,” he replies. “It’s sitting on their computer system, it hasn’t been worked.”

Some women, Torres said, give birth before they finally are able to get switched from adult Medicaid to the pregnancy Medicaid category, which covers important services like prenatal visits.

“It’s a broken system,” Torres said “I think they’re dedicated hardworking public servants but the system just isn’t working.”

Saira Khobab, a mother in Kansas City, spent the last month calling Torres in a panic.

At the optometrist in May, when Khobab went to buy a pair of glasses for her 6-year-old daughter, she was told her Medicaid had been deactivated. The glasses would cost around $200 out of pocket, which the family — her husband works overnight shifts at a gas station — couldn’t afford.

She worried her daughter wouldn’t be able to see the blackboard at school next month.

Her daughter, her 3-year-old son, 8-year-old son and Khobab all lost Medicaid coverage after the family’s annual renewal in April, even though they meet the income requirements for eligibility and Khobab remembers submitting the required paperwork.&nbsp;

Her youngest son has several health problems. Khobab needs care, too, that she’s had to delay — she fell twice while pregnant, gave birth in May, and has had trouble walking. She needs to go to physical therapy, she said.&nbsp;

“Especially after I gave birth, it’s been really stressful,” she said.&nbsp;

Late last week, she finally got news their coverage had been renewed.

“I’m happy for her,”&nbsp; Torres said, “because I could sense the frustration and the worry in her voice — ‘kids are sick, they have dentist appointments, doctor’s appointments, how are we going to do this?’”

The saga isn’t over. Bills are piled up on her dining room table for appointments she is relying on Medicaid to backpay, now that they’re finally reinsured.&nbsp;

And she rattles off the specialty appointments she’ll need to make now for herself and kids. She worries about what will happen in the months of waiting for openings.

“Tomorrow,” she said, “I will call when my card is active. I’ll call and see what we are going to do.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721486495774.png" alt="Saira Khobab and her 8-year-old son, both of whom were cut from Medicaid and struggled to re-enroll, walk into a pediatrician’s office in Kansas City on July 11 (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Saira Khobab and her 8-year-old son, both of whom were cut from Medicaid and struggled to re-enroll, walk into a pediatrician’s office in Kansas City on July 11 (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The state’s Medicaid rolls are down by roughly 136,000 kids since June 2023, and Missouri’s worst-in-nation processing delays make it arduous to re-enroll — causing many to miss doctor’s appointments, prescriptions</h2>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Dr. Maya Moody, a community pediatrician in St. Louis, knows a new month has begun when her clinic’s billing department runs patients’ names and she hears about the children no longer covered by Medicaid.&nbsp;One of those patients, now 3 years old and deaf in one ear, was scheduled for a cochlear implant. But when his family unexpectedly lost Medicaid last year, they had to cancel the appointment.&nbsp;Delays getting their coverage reinstated and securing another specialty appointment set the procedure back by around a year.“And now,” Moody said, “he has developmental delays because he wasn’t getting all of his services that he needed for his hard-of-hearing.”&nbsp;Other parents, she said,&nbsp;don’t learn their child lost Medicaid coverage until they reach the clinic’s front desk. And though they quickly submit paperwork to get coverage back, it can be months before it’s reinstated.Since June of last year, Missouri has been re-checking the eligibility of all Medicaid enrollees, after a three-year federal pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;The Medicaid rolls are down by roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/mis/clcounter/history.htm" target="_blank">136,000 kids</a>&nbsp;since the process of recertification started up again. Many qualify for coverage but are losing out due to paperwork or “procedural” reasons.And in recent months, the state’s application processing times for Medicaid have gotten so long the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/feds-to-scrutinize-missouris-worst-in-the-nation-medicaid-application-delays/">federal government was compelled to intervene</a>&nbsp;to help Missouri improve the situation.In the meantime, thousands of children who lost coverage are dealing with delayed or foregone medical care, which can include missed vaccines for infants, preventative care and prescriptions for chronic diseases like asthma and diabetes — doctors, families and advocates told The Independent.“While we’re waiting for this bureaucratic process of solutions and people sitting at tables talking about procedural issues, I’ve got kids in my office who are suffering poor health outcomes, delayed care,” Moody said. “It’s just heartbreaking.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708341005704.png" alt=" A letter from the Missouri Department of Social Services (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> A letter from the Missouri Department of Social Services (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Worst-in-nation processing delays</h2>Over the last year, the state’s Medicaid&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/mis/clcounter/history.htm" target="_blank">rolls</a>&nbsp;shrunk by&nbsp;249,209 people. Over half of that decline was children, even though children are eligible at higher income levels.Of Missourians who lost coverage between June 2023 to May, state data shows&nbsp;<a href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-145554475?r=svnx&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web" target="_blank">nearly 80%</a>&nbsp;were for a “procedural” issue, and the rest were no longer eligible.&nbsp;Procedural issues generally refer to paperwork issues, meaning a participant failed to return paperwork or the state didn’t receive it. Those can include people not understanding the forms, not receiving them because of a change in address or the state losing the paperwork upon receipt.As the state evaluates hundreds of thousands of current Medicaid recipients each month and processes their updated information, it continues to receive new applications — some of which are from people who were cut and trying to get back on.<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/downloads/magi-app-process-time-snapshot-rpt-oct-dec-2023.pdf" target="_blank">Federal data</a>&nbsp;shows Missouri’s application processing times have been among the worst in the nation since late last year.Medicaid applications are generally required to be reviewed within 45 days. Nationwide, most applications were processed&nbsp;<a href="https://timothymcbride.substack.com/p/enrolling-medicaid-in-missouri-challenges" target="_blank">within 24 hours</a>&nbsp;last year.But more than half of applications took longer than 45 days to process in Missouri between December and March, the most recent available data. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/downloads/medicaid-chip-unwinding-oper-snap-february2024.pdf" target="_blank">February</a>, that portion was 72% and in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/downloads/medicaid-chip-unwinding-oper-snap-march2024.pdf" target="_blank">March</a>&nbsp;it was 64%.&nbsp;Nationally, only 14% of applications took longer than 45 days to process in March.&nbsp;The federal&nbsp;Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wrote in a May&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/feds-to-scrutinize-missouris-worst-in-the-nation-medicaid-application-delays/">letter</a>&nbsp;obtained by the Independent that it is concerned the state is not doing enough to “achieve and sustain” compliance with federal rules on Medicaid and is intervening to help Missouri identify strategies to come back into compliance.&nbsp;The Department of Social Services, which oversees the state’s Medicaid program, declined to comment for this story.<h2>Kids hospitalized because of Medicaid lapses</h2>Dr. Thuylinh Pham, a pediatric urgent care doctor in Kansas City, said she’s been seeing kids come in who have had Medicaid lapses and “can’t afford their chronic medications.”Some families are unable to get a primary care appointment because they’re no longer insured, and don’t go to the ER because they’re worried about the cost.“These kids are coming in really, really sick,” Pham said. “We’re having to call 911, we’re having to get transport and get them into the hospital, and the reason for a lot of it is they want to avoid a bill, and so that is a really dangerous situation for these kids.”Asthma medications out of pocket can cost over $100 per month.“We are seeing kids who have been out of their medications for months and may have been well-controlled on the medications, but now…they’re being hospitalized for it because of Medicaid lapses,” she said.Dr. Heidi Sallee, a pediatrician in St. Louis who is also president of the Missouri chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, remembers a specific patient’s deterioration.A 5-year-old asthmatic girl was recently cut from Medicaid and her family couldn’t afford refills of her prescription. The girl ended up in the emergency room two times while waiting to be reinstated, Sallee said.At one point, her mother had tried to fill a room with steam to ease the girl’s symptoms, but she stopped breathing and was rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance.“If she’d been able to stay on her Medicaid and not have that interruption, she would have been on her medicines and would likely have not had that asthma exacerbation that then brought her to the ER two times,” Sallee said.<h2>Parents’ difficult calculations</h2>Dr. Shanon Luke, who for the past three years worked as a pediatric resident in Columbia, said she’s seen disenrolled families postpone preventative care, such as getting lab testing done to determine the cause of a child’s slow physical growth.“It can be frustrating just wanting to provide the best care for the patient, but having this barrier,” she said, “…seeing the difficulty that they had in making the decisions on what to do for their kid because they were concerned about finances was just really sad.”&nbsp;Several pediatricians mentioned patients driving from hours away, from rural areas without pediatricians who take Medicaid, only to be turned away for lack of coverage.Missouri Ozarks Community Health is a federally-qualified health center with six clinics in rural south-central Missouri. It offers limited pediatric care, said COO Randall Gann, and is primarily seeing the current Medicaid issues in kids’ dental care, where they provide services for many more kids.Gann said he’s seeing patients waiting five or six months to get dental care, after they’re disenrolled and try to come back on — and that those delays have gotten worse the last few months.“We have a lot of parents making decisions right now to not pursue dental care for their kids,” he said, “unless, you know, they get on the Medicaid status and can actually get approved before bringing them back in.”&nbsp;<h2>A ‘multitude of systems issues’</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721486409840.png" alt="LaNetta Nole (photo submitted)" />
 <figcaption>LaNetta Nole (photo submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>Parents and advocates trying to get answers from the state about their coverage issues often run up against seemingly insurmountable barriers.The state has long been grappling with technology issues, including a dysfunctional call center, and staffing issues.&nbsp;LaNetta Nole, a mother of two living in Malden, in the southeast part of the state, has been trying to get her kids — a 14-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter — back on Medicaid since February.&nbsp;She works at Pizza Hut and her husband works as a mechanic. His employment health care plan would cost $500 per week to add her children, she said.Her son got braces in December but hasn’t been able to go back to the orthodontist for his monthly routine checks and adjustments because he’s uninsured. Each visit to the orthodontist costs $170 without insurance, she said.“We don’t have that,” she said. “…I don’t even have that to take him back to the orthodontist and he needs to go.”&nbsp;Cole has called the state each month since January. She has waited up to four hours on the phone to connect with a representative.&nbsp;When she tried going to her in-person to a Family Support Division office in East Prairie earlier this year, she said she was directed to a booth and told to wait for a call. She didn’t have time to wait beyond 20 minutes.&nbsp;“I’m so confused by it, and I’ve wracked my brain trying to figure out why they have not been reactivated,” she said, “Because I submitted everything.”&nbsp;Advocates who help people with their Medicaid enrollment issues say they’ve been frustrated the state hasn’t taken more action to address problems that have been there for the last year.Joel Ferber, advocacy director at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, said they’ve noted a “multitude of glitches and systems issues,” including with the state failing to process documents in a timely way, losing documents and people being kicked off due to computer errors.&nbsp;They’ve seen&nbsp;“so many newborns without coverage for more than a month missing doctor’s appointments,” Ferber said.Jim Torres, program manager for health insurance services at Samuel Rodgers Health Center in Kansas City, said after he helps clients get their information to the state, “it’s hitting a brick wall,” often taking months to have the state register simple changes.“Patients sometimes come back to us and say well, I gave you the information to send in. Didn’t you send it in?” Torres said.“Yes, I did,” he replies. “It’s sitting on their computer system, it hasn’t been worked.”Some women, Torres said, give birth before they finally are able to get switched from adult Medicaid to the pregnancy Medicaid category, which covers important services like prenatal visits.“It’s a broken system,” Torres said “I think they’re dedicated hardworking public servants but the system just isn’t working.”<h2>Ripple effects</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721486348826.png" alt=" Saira Khobab and Jim Torres discuss her Medicaid loss, in July 2024 (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Saira Khobab and Jim Torres discuss her Medicaid loss, in July 2024 (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Saira Khobab, a mother in Kansas City, spent the last month calling Torres in a panic.At the optometrist in May, when Khobab went to buy a pair of glasses for her 6-year-old daughter, she was told her Medicaid had been deactivated. The glasses would cost around $200 out of pocket, which the family — her husband works overnight shifts at a gas station — couldn’t afford.She worried her daughter wouldn’t be able to see the blackboard at school next month.Her daughter, her 3-year-old son, 8-year-old son and Khobab all lost Medicaid coverage after the family’s annual renewal in April, even though they meet the income requirements for eligibility and Khobab remembers submitting the required paperwork.&nbsp;Her youngest son has several health problems. Khobab needs care, too, that she’s had to delay — she fell twice while pregnant, gave birth in May, and has had trouble walking. She needs to go to physical therapy, she said.&nbsp;“Especially after I gave birth, it’s been really stressful,” she said.&nbsp;Late last week, she finally got news their coverage had been renewed.“I’m happy for her,”&nbsp; Torres said, “because I could sense the frustration and the worry in her voice — ‘kids are sick, they have dentist appointments, doctor’s appointments, how are we going to do this?’”The saga isn’t over. Bills are piled up on her dining room table for appointments she is relying on Medicaid to backpay, now that they’re finally reinsured.&nbsp;And she rattles off the specialty appointments she’ll need to make now for herself and kids. She worries about what will happen in the months of waiting for openings.“Tomorrow,” she said, “I will call when my card is active. I’ll call and see what we are going to do.”

Missouri children are losing Medicaid coverage at rate that is alarming pediatricians

GENTRY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 1:30a.m. Saturday in Gentry County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1988 Honda 650 NX driven by Devin M. Johnson, 27, Alanthus Grove, was northbound on Route B two miles south of&nbsp;Alanthus Grove. The driver fell off the motorcycle.

Grand River Ambulance transported Johnson to KU Medical Center. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

GENTRY COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 1:30a.m. Saturday in Gentry County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1988 Honda 650 NX driven by Devin M. Johnson, 27, Alanthus Grove, was northbound on Route B two miles south of&nbsp;Alanthus Grove. The driver fell off the motorcycle.Grand River Ambulance transported Johnson to KU Medical Center. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man injured in fall from motorcycle

ATCHISON—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged criminal damage after an explosion at a home in Atchison.

At 8:30p.m. on Monday, police responded to the 1700 block Chestnut to investigate a report of an explosion, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

When officers arrived at the home., police was determined that there had been a dispute outside the residence that included a 56-year-old woman who lived at the home and 34-year-old Kevin L. Berning of Atchison who had arrived in a truck. 

During the disturbance Berning took a wooden trunk from his truck and threw it on the porch of the residence while the woman was standing nearby. It is believed that Berning had placed some type of explosive device inside the trunk before throwing it on the porch. 

The trunk exploded, damaging items on the porch including a mailbox, a chair, a flower pot, and a door. No one was injured. Berning had left the area before officers arrived. 

Police took him into custody on Thursday morning on requested charges of&nbsp;aggravated assault, arson, and criminal damage to property, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721399961717.png" alt="Berning-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Berning-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged criminal damage after an explosion at a home in Atchison.At 8:30p.m. on Monday, police responded to the 1700 block Chestnut to investigate a report of an explosion, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.When officers arrived at the home., police was determined that there had been a dispute outside the residence that included a 56-year-old woman who lived at the home and 34-year-old Kevin L. Berning of Atchison who had arrived in a truck. During the disturbance Berning took a wooden trunk from his truck and threw it on the porch of the residence while the woman was standing nearby. It is believed that Berning had placed some type of explosive device inside the trunk before throwing it on the porch. The trunk exploded, damaging items on the porch including a mailbox, a chair, a flower pot, and a door. No one was injured. Berning had left the area before officers arrived. Police took him into custody on Thursday morning on requested charges of&nbsp;aggravated assault, arson, and criminal damage to property, according to Wilson.

Kansas man accused of throwing explosive on woman's porch

MERCER COUNTY — A Missouri woman was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Mercer County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy HHR driven by Rachel L. Franklin, 43, Princeton, was westbound on Route E five miles southeast of Princeton.

The vehicle crossed the center line, traveled in the eastbound lane. An eastbound 2023 eastbound GMC 3500 driven by Eldo E. Eaglen, 27, Milan, attempted to avoid the Chevy by swerving to the left. The passenger side of the vehicles impacted. After impact the Chevy rotated, traveled off the south side of the road and caught fire.

Life Flight Eagle transported Franklin to St. Luke's in Kansas City. Eaglen was not injured. Franklin was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

MERCER COUNTY — A Missouri woman was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Mercer County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy HHR driven by Rachel L. Franklin, 43, Princeton, was westbound on Route E five miles southeast of Princeton.The vehicle crossed the center line, traveled in the eastbound lane. An eastbound 2023 eastbound GMC 3500 driven by Eldo E. Eaglen, 27, Milan, attempted to avoid the Chevy by swerving to the left. The passenger side of the vehicles impacted. After impact the Chevy rotated, traveled off the south side of the road and caught fire.Life Flight Eagle transported Franklin to St. Luke's in Kansas City. Eaglen was not injured. Franklin was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after 2-vehicle crash, fire

The official start to Chiefs Training Camp is just around the corner as rookies and quarterbacks wrapped up their final practice today at Missouri Western State University.  

Chiefs President Mark Donovan says it's exciting to be back in St. Joseph and on the Missouri Western campus for another year of camp. 

"There's a lot of excitement within our organization, there's a lot of excitement around the team, the players, the coach's, etc., they're excited to be back," Donovan tells reporters. "And they're excited to be back in St. Joe who just treat us so well every single year, there's a reason we keep coming back." 

As Chiefs Training Camp begins a looming question is will the reigning Super Bowl champions return to St. Joseph next year.  

This is the last guaranteed year Missouri Western is under contract to host the Chiefs for training camp.  

When asked if the Chiefs would like to return, Donovan counters with the question why wouldn't they? 

"It's been a great partnership, it's been something that as I said we're proud to have been here 14 of the last 15 years, we expect that to continue," Donovan says. "We'll do what we always do, and it's a great relationship, because we will get through this camp (and) at the end of camp we'll sit down and talk about what went well, where are the challenges, what was better this year than last year, what was worse than last year, what can we do to improve?" 

As for this year's camp, the first practice open to the public is on Sunday at 9:15.  There will be a $5 admission fee and tickets must be acquired online.

Final practice for rookies and quarterbacks provides extra opportunity

Ahead of the official start to Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western rookies and quarterbacks had one final practice before the full team reports to campus.  

Several veterans, including Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz, sat out today to give younger players valuable reps.  

Quarterback Chris Oladokuen says while getting extra reps is great, everyone is critical 

"It's good to see live color and then go in there and get in the classroom and see and make those corrections," Oladokun tells reporters following practice.  "It's really important for me especially, when Pat and Carson come back those reps get pretty short, so every rep is critical for me." 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721414550934.jpeg" alt="Chiefs President Mark Donovan speaks to the media ahead of the 2024 Chiefs Training Camp/ Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Chiefs President Mark Donovan speaks to the media ahead of the 2024 Chiefs Training Camp/ Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The official start to Chiefs Training Camp is just around the corner as rookies and quarterbacks wrapped up their final practice today at Missouri Western State University. Chiefs President Mark Donovan says it's exciting to be back in St. Joseph and on the Missouri Western campus for another year of camp. "There's a lot of excitement within our organization, there's a lot of excitement around the team, the players, the coach's, etc., they're excited to be back," Donovan tells reporters. "And they're excited to be back in St. Joe who just treat us so well every single year, there's a reason we keep coming back." As Chiefs Training Camp begins a looming question is will the reigning Super Bowl champions return to St. Joseph next year. This is the last guaranteed year Missouri Western is under contract to host the Chiefs for training camp. When asked if the Chiefs would like to return, Donovan counters with the question why wouldn't they? "It's been a great partnership, it's been something that as I said we're proud to have been here 14 of the last 15 years, we expect that to continue," Donovan says. "We'll do what we always do, and it's a great relationship, because we will get through this camp (and) at the end of camp we'll sit down and talk about what went well, where are the challenges, what was better this year than last year, what was worse than last year, what can we do to improve?" As for this year's camp, the first practice open to the public is on Sunday at 9:15. There will be a $5 admission fee and tickets must be acquired online.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721414540009.jpeg" alt="Photo by Brent Martin" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Brent Martin</figcaption>
 </figure>Final practice for rookies and quarterbacks provides extra opportunity<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721414749613.jpeg" alt="Chris Oladokun/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Chris Oladokun/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>Ahead of the official start to Chiefs Training Camp at Missouri Western rookies and quarterbacks had one final practice before the full team reports to campus. Several veterans, including Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz, sat out today to give younger players valuable reps. Quarterback Chris Oladokuen says while getting extra reps is great, everyone is critical "It's good to see live color and then go in there and get in the classroom and see and make those corrections," Oladokun tells reporters following practice. "It's really important for me especially, when Pat and Carson come back those reps get pretty short, so every rep is critical for me." You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chiefs President says team excited to be back in St. Joseph in last year of contract with MWSU

Former Missouri Chamber of Commerce President,
Dan Mehan, has retired after 29 years with the Chamber, 26 as president.

Mehan looks back with pride on the Chamber’s
accomplishments, especially its wins in the Missouri legislature, pushing for
workers compensation reform, changes to civil jurisprudence, economic
development, and infrastructure.

“Nothing less than historic this last year when
we’ve funded I-70 reconstruction and serious improvements for Interstate 44 as
well,” Mehan tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

The Missouri legislature has approved widening
Interstate 70 between Kansas City and St. Louis from four lanes to six lanes.
Construction has begun in mid-Missouri. This year, the legislature approved
widening I-44 at congested points between the Oklahoma state line and St.
Louis.

Mehan began as a lobbyist for the Chamber,
representing its interests during legislative sessions in Jefferson City, testifying
before legislative committees and meeting with legislators.

As president, Mehan led the Chamber to become
more active politically, forming both the Missouri Chamber Political Action
Committee and the Missouri Political Institute.

“This is not a sport for the timid, politics that
is,” Mehan says. “Business deserves and has the right to be heard as much as any
constituency out there.”

Mehan also helped the Chamber establish a 15-year
strategic plan called Missouri 2030:&nbsp; An
Agenda to Lead, which he says has been instrumental in passing some needed
economic proposals.

“Very proud of that impact that we’ve been able
to have and the support that we’ve been able to earn,” Mehan says. “At first,
there’s going to be doubt in any new idea, but once you prove it and once we
were able to do what we said we were going to do, then the support and the confidence
and the trust just flowed from that.”

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce search for a
successor begins soon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721401940804.jpeg" alt="Former Missouri Chamber of Commerce President Dan Mehan/Photo courtesy of Missouri Chamber of Commerce" />
 <figcaption>Former Missouri Chamber of Commerce President Dan Mehan/Photo courtesy of Missouri Chamber of Commerce</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostFormer Missouri Chamber of Commerce President,
Dan Mehan, has retired after 29 years with the Chamber, 26 as president.Mehan looks back with pride on the Chamber’s
accomplishments, especially its wins in the Missouri legislature, pushing for
workers compensation reform, changes to civil jurisprudence, economic
development, and infrastructure.“Nothing less than historic this last year when
we’ve funded I-70 reconstruction and serious improvements for Interstate 44 as
well,” Mehan tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.The Missouri legislature has approved widening
Interstate 70 between Kansas City and St. Louis from four lanes to six lanes.
Construction has begun in mid-Missouri. This year, the legislature approved
widening I-44 at congested points between the Oklahoma state line and St.
Louis.Mehan began as a lobbyist for the Chamber,
representing its interests during legislative sessions in Jefferson City, testifying
before legislative committees and meeting with legislators.As president, Mehan led the Chamber to become
more active politically, forming both the Missouri Chamber Political Action
Committee and the Missouri Political Institute.“This is not a sport for the timid, politics that
is,” Mehan says. “Business deserves and has the right to be heard as much as any
constituency out there.”Mehan also helped the Chamber establish a 15-year
strategic plan called Missouri 2030:&nbsp; An
Agenda to Lead, which he says has been instrumental in passing some needed
economic proposals.“Very proud of that impact that we’ve been able
to have and the support that we’ve been able to earn,” Mehan says. “At first,
there’s going to be doubt in any new idea, but once you prove it and once we
were able to do what we said we were going to do, then the support and the confidence
and the trust just flowed from that.”The Missouri Chamber of Commerce search for a
successor begins soon.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MO Chamber President Mehan steps down after 29 years

A former St. Joseph State Hospital mental patient,
incarcerated for the past 43 years for a 1980 St. Joseph murder, could soon be
free.

The Missouri Supreme Court has cleared the way for the release
of Sandra Hemme from the Chillicothe women’s prison.

Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman earlier found
there is credible evidence of Hemme’s innocence. An appeals court agreed and
ruled Hemme should be released while the case is under review.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey objected to her
release and pressed his case before the Missouri Supreme Court, but Hemme’s attorneys
argued that keeping her incarcerated any longer would be a “draconian outcome.”

The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld the lower court ruling
that would allow her to be placed in the custody of her sister in Higginsville.

Hemme is now 64. She has been serving life in prison after her
conviction in the death of St. Joseph State Hospital librarian Patricia
Jeschke. Judge Horsman, though, found evidence in the case points to her actual
innocence, stating she is a victim of a manifest injustice. Hemme confessed to
the crime, but evidence implicated Michael Holman, a St. Joseph police officer
fired from the force. Holman died in 2015.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721392702152.png" alt="Sandra Hemme/Missouri Dept. of Corrections photo" />
 <figcaption>Sandra Hemme/Missouri Dept. of Corrections photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA former St. Joseph State Hospital mental patient,
incarcerated for the past 43 years for a 1980 St. Joseph murder, could soon be
free.The Missouri Supreme Court has cleared the way for the release
of Sandra Hemme from the Chillicothe women’s prison.Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman earlier found
there is credible evidence of Hemme’s innocence. An appeals court agreed and
ruled Hemme should be released while the case is under review.Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey objected to her
release and pressed his case before the Missouri Supreme Court, but Hemme’s attorneys
argued that keeping her incarcerated any longer would be a “draconian outcome.”The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld the lower court ruling
that would allow her to be placed in the custody of her sister in Higginsville.Hemme is now 64. She has been serving life in prison after her
conviction in the death of St. Joseph State Hospital librarian Patricia
Jeschke. Judge Horsman, though, found evidence in the case points to her actual
innocence, stating she is a victim of a manifest injustice. Hemme confessed to
the crime, but evidence implicated Michael Holman, a St. Joseph police officer
fired from the force. Holman died in 2015.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Hemme, convicted of 1980 St. Joseph murder, could soon be free

Interstate 29 has reopened in St. Joseph.

I-29 through St. Joseph reopened shortly before eight o’clock Thursday night after Clarkson Construction completed the latest portion of
the Cook Road Bridge replacement project. Clarkson removed the deck of the
bridge and set new girders.

Reconstruction of the bridge has not been completed. The
Missouri Department of Transportation estimates the project will be completed by
October. Overnight lane closures of I-29 are anticipated throughout the
project. MoDOT says lane closures might occur between 7pm and 7am at various
dates throughout the project. There will be a 12-foot width restriction in
place during those closures.

Click <a href="https://www.modot.org/interstate-29-bridge-rehabilitation-buchanan">HERE</a> for information about the Cook Road Bridge project.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721385385019.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostInterstate 29 has reopened in St. Joseph.I-29 through St. Joseph reopened shortly before eight o’clock Thursday night after Clarkson Construction completed the latest portion of
the Cook Road Bridge replacement project. Clarkson removed the deck of the
bridge and set new girders.Reconstruction of the bridge has not been completed. The
Missouri Department of Transportation estimates the project will be completed by
October. Overnight lane closures of I-29 are anticipated throughout the
project. MoDOT says lane closures might occur between 7pm and 7am at various
dates throughout the project. There will be a 12-foot width restriction in
place during those closures.Click <a href="https://www.modot.org/interstate-29-bridge-rehabilitation-buchanan">HERE</a> for information about the Cook Road Bridge project.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

I-29 through St. Joseph reopens as Cook Road bridge project continues

TOM TREACY Deputy Assistant State Treasurer

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Office of the Kansas State Treasurer has learned that a Kansas resident was the victim of a scam by a government imposter. 

The scammer contacted the victim via phone call and claimed to be a representative of the Kansas State Treasurer’s office. The victim was told that he had recently won a sizable sum of money from the lottery. The scammer then informed the victim that collecting his lottery winnings would require a payment.

The victim was directed to wire funds as well as load money onto a gift card and once payment was received, the scammer indicated the State Treasurer would visit his home to present the winnings.

Imposter scammers may call, text or email to begin their scam. They often use caller ID to deceptively appear like the communication is coming from a reputable entity. Any request to make a payment in order to receive funds is likely fraud. Furthermore, any request for payment using gift cards is never a legitimate method a government entity would utilize.

“Imposter scams are a rising trend in Kansas,” said State Treasurer Steven Johnson. “Kansans should be aware that the State Treasurer’s office is not involved in the delivery of lottery winnings.”

The Office of the Kansas State Treasurer is currently the custodian of over $640 million in unclaimed property owed to Kansans. The distribution of those funds to the rightful owners never requires fees to be paid. Individuals and businesses can search for missing money at <a href="http://www.unclaimedproperty.ks.gov">www.unclaimedproperty.ks.gov</a>.

Kansans can learn more about fraud prevention by visiting <a href="http://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/fraud">www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/fraud</a>.

If you are concerned that you or someone you know may be the victim of a scam, please contact the Office of the Kansas Attorney General and local law enforcement.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712245575011.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>TOM TREACY Deputy Assistant State Treasurer TOPEKA, Kan. — The Office of the Kansas State Treasurer has learned that a Kansas resident was the victim of a scam by a government imposter. The scammer contacted the victim via phone call and claimed to be a representative of the Kansas State Treasurer’s office. The victim was told that he had recently won a sizable sum of money from the lottery. The scammer then informed the victim that collecting his lottery winnings would require a payment.The victim was directed to wire funds as well as load money onto a gift card and once payment was received, the scammer indicated the State Treasurer would visit his home to present the winnings.Imposter scammers may call, text or email to begin their scam. They often use caller ID to deceptively appear like the communication is coming from a reputable entity. Any request to make a payment in order to receive funds is likely fraud. Furthermore, any request for payment using gift cards is never a legitimate method a government entity would utilize.“Imposter scams are a rising trend in Kansas,” said State Treasurer Steven Johnson. “Kansans should be aware that the State Treasurer’s office is not involved in the delivery of lottery winnings.”The Office of the Kansas State Treasurer is currently the custodian of over $640 million in unclaimed property owed to Kansans. The distribution of those funds to the rightful owners never requires fees to be paid. Individuals and businesses can search for missing money at <a href="http://www.unclaimedproperty.ks.gov">www.unclaimedproperty.ks.gov</a>.Kansans can learn more about fraud prevention by visiting <a href="http://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/fraud">www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/fraud</a>. If you are concerned that you or someone you know may be the victim of a scam, please contact the Office of the Kansas Attorney General and local law enforcement.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Treasurer: Kansan scammed by government imposter

LIVINGSTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before noon Thursday in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy Colorado driven by Donald O. Bevelle, 91, Chillicothe, was&nbsp; southbound on U.S. 65 at LIV 415 five miles south of Chillicothe.

The pickup rear-ended a 2004 Toyota 4-Runner driven by Judy L. Frazier, 75, Chillicothe, who was slowing to turn.&nbsp;

Bevelle was transported to Hedrick Medical Center. Frazier was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before noon Thursday in Livingston County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy Colorado driven by Donald O. Bevelle, 91, Chillicothe, was&nbsp; southbound on U.S. 65 at LIV 415 five miles south of Chillicothe.The pickup rear-ended a 2004 Toyota 4-Runner driven by Judy L. Frazier, 75, Chillicothe, who was slowing to turn.&nbsp;Bevelle was transported to Hedrick Medical Center. Frazier was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

91-year-old Missouri driver hospitalized after rear-end crash

The K State womens basketball team will come to St. Joseph once again as the St. Joseph Sports Commission announces the second annual Bill Snyder Women's Classic. 

The game will feature an intriguing non conference matchup between the Kansas State Wildcats and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.  Tip off in the game is currently scheduled for 5pm on December 14th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702496764040.jpeg" alt="Civic Arena hosted the the inaugural Bill Snyder Classic between K-State and Mizzou women's basketball/ File Photo by Brent Martin." />
 <figcaption>Civic Arena hosted the the inaugural Bill Snyder Classic between K-State and Mizzou women's basketball/ File Photo by Brent Martin.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe K State womens basketball team will come to St. Joseph once again as the St. Joseph Sports Commission announces the second annual Bill Snyder Women's Classic. The game will feature an intriguing non conference matchup between the Kansas State Wildcats and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. Tip off in the game is currently scheduled for 5pm on December 14th.“We have a lot of sports momentum on several levels in St. Joseph right now and to have the honor of once again hosting Division I Women’s Basketball College Basketball between two programs that won a combined 56 games last season including each winning a game in the NCAA Tournament will be an absolute thrill and must ticket come this December,” said Brett Esely, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission in a news releaseThe title of the game further signifies and celebrates the legend of St. Joseph native and College Football Hall of Fame Coach Bill Snyder. This will be the 4thall-time meeting between the two schools including the 2nd time on a neutral floor with Kansas State holding a 2-1 series advantage. K-State won the first two matchups 54-53 at MTSU in 2001 and 79-61 in Manhattan in 2002. The Blue Raiders won the most recent match-up in 2010, 63-49 on a neutral court.“The resumes of both of these teams not only in recent history, but all-time is simply impressive. To think that a marquee matchup like this between two nationally ranked programs with coaches who have won more than 1,100 career games combined play right here in St. Joseph is an extremely big deal and we look forward to a packed house creating a great environment for this game this December,” Esely stated.In the inaugural Bill Snyder Classic played December 9, 2023, K-State defeated Mizzou in front of a capacity crowd 84-56.Ticket information will be released in mid to late August.

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