KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement across the Kansas City metro conducted a violent crimes initiative over the past week. Officers from the KCPD Special Investigations Division worked with the FBI, ATF, DEA, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Missouri Probation and Parole.

Officers arrested 96 people&nbsp; across federal, state, and city charges/warrants, according to a statement from the Kansas City Police Department. This included four homicide suspects.

The officers also recovered 24 handguns and issued 89 new charges. Officers recovered meth, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone, and other drugs.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement across the Kansas City metro conducted a violent crimes initiative over the past week. Officers from the KCPD Special Investigations Division worked with the FBI, ATF, DEA, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Missouri Probation and Parole.Officers arrested 96 people&nbsp; across federal, state, and city charges/warrants, according to a statement from the Kansas City Police Department. This included four homicide suspects.The officers also recovered 24 handguns and issued 89 new charges. Officers recovered meth, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone, and other drugs.

4 homicide suspects among 96 arrested in KC violent crime bust

Lawmakers have until Friday to finish work on state spending for the coming year. They must find agreement on school funding, child care subsidies and more than 300 new earmarked items

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

A provision quietly tucked into the state budget last week to allow the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.casino.org/news/lottery-courier-lotto-com-celebrates-2m-customer-milestone/" target="_blank">bulk online purchase of lottery tickets</a>&nbsp;has set off a flurry of lobbying on both sides of the issue as lawmakers finalize their work this week on Missouri’s $49.5 billion spending plan.&nbsp;

The change, which was added by the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee without any public debate, would open the door for lottery courier services — companies that charge fees to buy lottery tickets on behalf of customers. The business model has proven controversial in other states, even sparking a criminal investigation in Texas.&nbsp;

The Senate finished debating the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/missouri-senate-approves-budget-plan-with-boost-for-schools-child-care/">state operating budget</a>&nbsp;about midnight on Tuesday of last week and by Thursday, lobbyists were bending the ears of lawmakers with seats on the conference committee that will decide the provision’s fate.

Lobbyists working for casinos and the bill to allow&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/31/bill-regulating-video-gambling-faces-hazy-future-with-weeks-left-in-missouris-legislative-session/">video lottery games</a>&nbsp;— groups generally at odds — are opposing it. The major lottery courier companies like Jackpocket and Lotto.com have hired veteran Jefferson City lobbyists to push for their interests in Missouri.

“I had six or seven people come pull me off the (House) floor to talk about that language specifically,” said state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee. “They are concerned with doing it through the budget and making the argument that we’re legislating through the budget and that should be a statutory conversation.”

All budget decisions must be made before this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++25&amp;bid=31765&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">6 p.m. Friday constitutional deadline</a>. Conference committees on 13 spending bills making up the operating budget must settle differences on hundreds of items, including the lottery language, and close the $1.6 billion gap between the House and Senate on total spending.

The lottery provision in the Senate budget — about 125 words in all — directs the Missouri Lottery to launch a three-year pilot program “allowing the digital delivery of lottery tickets by lottery couriers through a brick and mortar licensed retailer to adults physically present in Missouri at the time of order.”

The language also exempts the sales from lottery rules barring retailers from altering the price of tickets. Courier services typically add a 15% to 25% surcharge on the cost of tickets.

That is far more than licensed lottery retailers make selling tickets. Lottery retailers are paid a 5% commission on the tickets they sell and 2% for cashing tickets up to $600.

“It doesn’t say that our Missouri lottery has to utilize this,” said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican. “It just kind of opens it up for them to use it if they wanted to.”

There are 45 states that have lotteries, but only nine allow lottery courier services. Some allow courier services to deliver their tickets anywhere in the world, while others, like the provision in the Missouri budget, only allow it for residents of their state.

Questions raised about courier operations led the Texas Lottery Commission last week to ban ticket sales through couriers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tpr.org/economy-and-labor/2025-04-29/texas-lottery-commission-passes-ban-on-purchasing-lotto-tickets-through-online-courier-services" target="_blank">Texas Public Radio reported</a>. The issues being confronted in Texas included an April 2023 drawing won by a consortium led by London-based trader Bernard Marantelli, which bought&nbsp;<a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/29/us-news/inside-the-scheme-to-buy-25m-tickets-and-win-the-texas-lottery/" target="_blank">all 25.8 million possible number combinations</a>&nbsp;to win a $92 million prize.

Lottery sales in Missouri fell by $50 million in the most recent fiscal year and transfers from sales to education programs are down 15% in the current year. The lottery provides about 4% of the state’s total education funding.

The Missouri Lottery, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment on the proposal.

Hough said he did not know about the issues in Texas when he added the language and the lottery director was indifferent to the idea.

“My guess is it probably comes out,” Hough said.

In the four months leading up to last week’s debate, Hough met with a parade of visitors to his office where they discussed budget requests in private.

Almost every change made by the Senate committee to the House’s version of the budget was done by Hough directing the decision. He made cuts, stated the new sections for earmarks and the other 12 members generally were silent.

In all,&nbsp; the Senate put 169 earmarked items into the operating budget while cutting 57 of 105 House earmarks.

New state Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Independence, complained at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/missouri-senate-approves-budget-plan-with-boost-for-schools-child-care/">end of the budget debate</a>&nbsp;that the Senate should have more than five hours to debate the budget because of its complexity of the budget and the often-obscure language used to identify the target of earmarks.The lottery courier language that appeared in the budget for the first time in the Senate Appropriations Committee is an example of the issue he has with the process, Nicola said.

“The whole chairmanship and the whole committee, and the way senators have to ask for budget items, all of that is bogus,” Nicola said. “It’s all deal making, bogus stuff.”

Hough defended the Senate budget process as transparent because each budget item, as proposed by the governor, was aired in a public hearing and the changes were announced in public.

“We run as open and transparent a budget process as there is in this business,” Hough said. “We go through requests from not just specific senators but also representatives and stakeholders and advocacy groups all over the state in a very open way.”

Nicola visited him to ask for budget items, Hough noted at a news conference Thursday.

“I visited with Senator Nicola a number of times on a number of specific items that I will more than gladly remind him are actually in the budget now, per his request,” Hough said. “So, in my opinion, I think it probably worked pretty well for him.”

Senate leadership from both parties said they are comfortable with that process and back Hough.

“I give credit to Sen. Hough, who’s run a good process there,” said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck , a Democrat fromAffton. “Everybody has their say in it.”

What to some may appear to be mysterious is actually hundreds of hours of work and attention to detail that should be admired, O’Laughlin said.

“We’re in a strong position heading into conference with the House, and I’m confident that we’ll finish with the budget that Missourians can be proud of,” O’Laughlin said.

The biggest change needed in the budget process, Nicola said, is for the public to easily know which lawmaker or stakeholder asked for an earmark.

In the U.S. Congress, members put their earmark requests on their web sites. U.S. Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, has six projects costing $21 million&nbsp;<a href="https://cleaver.house.gov/constituent-services/member-designated-transportation-infrastructure-project-disclosure" target="_blank">on his infrastructure list</a>, while U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, a Republican from Tarkio, has $322 million on&nbsp;<a href="https://graves.house.gov/services/community-project-funding-requests" target="_blank">his list for the current fiscal year</a>.&nbsp;

The legislature should also publish the name of the lawmaker or entity requesting money, Nicola said.

“As much transparency as we can have, I am completely for,” Nicola said. “Transparency to our constituents and to everybody else of what’s going on here.”

Missouri is sitting on an historically high surplus of general revenue, with $3.8 billion on hand at the end of April as well as another $1.4 billion that can be spent like general revenue.

Both the Senate and the House spending plans would reduce that surplus. The Senate would spend $15.7 billion on operations, the House would spend $14.4 billion and both are well above the $13.6 billion estimated as general revenue receipts for the coming year.

But with current revenues almost 2% from last year, the call on the surplus could grow. Based on revenues through Friday, that difference could be as much as $100 million.

Before the conference committees meet, Hough and House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton will meet privately to find agreement on as many items as possible and present those decisions at the meeting, which has yet to be scheduled.

The biggest issues that must be resolved are $300 million the Senate added money for public schools, plus $107 million for child care that the House did not approve. The Senate also spent more on state employee pay raises and higher education.

The House approved $50 million to expand a tuition scholarship program for private schools that the Senate omitted.

Democrats, who hold fewer than one-third of the seats in the General Assembly, are generally pleased with the budget, preferring the Senate version on several items. But House Democrats feel their negotiating position on two of the biggest — foundation formula funding and money for private school tuition scholarships — was undermined when House Speaker Jon Patterson rejected some of their selections for the negotiations.

During a news conference last week, Democrats said most of their caucus supports the Senate spending proposals on public schools and child care and opposes the scholarship funding.

But the party did not get its preferred representatives on the 13 conference committees — one for each spending bill — because instead of including the ranking Democrat from appropriations subcommittees, as recommended, Patterson chose another member.

The biggest surprise was the selection of state Rep. Marlene Terry, a St. Louis Democrat who does not sit on the Budget Committee but has sided with Republicans on school choice bills.

“To come down to the very end of this process and feel disrespected at the end is a huge disappointment to me,” said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City. “It’s a huge disappointment to our budget team, and to say that I am a little frustrated by it would be probably an understatement.”

Patterson said he appointed Terry because she is his Democratic appointment to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/23/missouri-governors-school-funding-task-force-assembles-slowly/">a school funding task force</a>&nbsp;created by Gov. Mike Kehoe and a long-time school board member. She also supports the scholarship funding, he noted.

“I want Rep. Terry to fight for school kids in the best way that she knows how. I think she is supportive of that,” Patterson said.

The conferees must also determine the fate of earmarked spending — items delivering money to a specific location or program at the request of individual lawmakers, state institutions or lobbying interests.

“I wouldn’t anticipate that all investments for our local nonprofits and for communities back home will see themselves across the finish line,” Fogle said.”But we as Democrats will be at the table to try to make sure that we’re making the fiscally responsible investments in our nonprofits, in our communities back home, whether it be an infrastructure investment or an investment with a nonprofit whose whose goal is to provide pathos out of poverty for families.”

Defending the earmarks at a news conference Thursday, Hough said that many provide only a portion of the money needed for a project and require local and private matching funds to spend the state funds.

“This invests,” Hough said, “in apprenticeship programs, workforce development programs, infrastructure projects all over the state.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746614239543.png" alt=" Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, right, and Vice Chairman Rusty Black speak with state budget director Dan Haug April 16 during a break in committee work (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, right, and Vice Chairman Rusty Black speak with state budget director Dan Haug April 16 during a break in committee work (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Lawmakers have until Friday to finish work on state spending for the coming year. They must find agreement on school funding, child care subsidies and more than 300 new earmarked items</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A provision quietly tucked into the state budget last week to allow the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.casino.org/news/lottery-courier-lotto-com-celebrates-2m-customer-milestone/" target="_blank">bulk online purchase of lottery tickets</a>&nbsp;has set off a flurry of lobbying on both sides of the issue as lawmakers finalize their work this week on Missouri’s $49.5 billion spending plan.&nbsp;The change, which was added by the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee without any public debate, would open the door for lottery courier services — companies that charge fees to buy lottery tickets on behalf of customers. The business model has proven controversial in other states, even sparking a criminal investigation in Texas.&nbsp;The Senate finished debating the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/missouri-senate-approves-budget-plan-with-boost-for-schools-child-care/">state operating budget</a>&nbsp;about midnight on Tuesday of last week and by Thursday, lobbyists were bending the ears of lawmakers with seats on the conference committee that will decide the provision’s fate.Lobbyists working for casinos and the bill to allow&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/31/bill-regulating-video-gambling-faces-hazy-future-with-weeks-left-in-missouris-legislative-session/">video lottery games</a>&nbsp;— groups generally at odds — are opposing it. The major lottery courier companies like Jackpocket and Lotto.com have hired veteran Jefferson City lobbyists to push for their interests in Missouri.“I had six or seven people come pull me off the (House) floor to talk about that language specifically,” said state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee. “They are concerned with doing it through the budget and making the argument that we’re legislating through the budget and that should be a statutory conversation.”All budget decisions must be made before this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++25&amp;bid=31765&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">6 p.m. Friday constitutional deadline</a>. Conference committees on 13 spending bills making up the operating budget must settle differences on hundreds of items, including the lottery language, and close the $1.6 billion gap between the House and Senate on total spending.The lottery provision in the Senate budget — about 125 words in all — directs the Missouri Lottery to launch a three-year pilot program “allowing the digital delivery of lottery tickets by lottery couriers through a brick and mortar licensed retailer to adults physically present in Missouri at the time of order.”The language also exempts the sales from lottery rules barring retailers from altering the price of tickets. Courier services typically add a 15% to 25% surcharge on the cost of tickets.That is far more than licensed lottery retailers make selling tickets. Lottery retailers are paid a 5% commission on the tickets they sell and 2% for cashing tickets up to $600.“It doesn’t say that our Missouri lottery has to utilize this,” said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican. “It just kind of opens it up for them to use it if they wanted to.”There are 45 states that have lotteries, but only nine allow lottery courier services. Some allow courier services to deliver their tickets anywhere in the world, while others, like the provision in the Missouri budget, only allow it for residents of their state.Questions raised about courier operations led the Texas Lottery Commission last week to ban ticket sales through couriers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tpr.org/economy-and-labor/2025-04-29/texas-lottery-commission-passes-ban-on-purchasing-lotto-tickets-through-online-courier-services" target="_blank">Texas Public Radio reported</a>. The issues being confronted in Texas included an April 2023 drawing won by a consortium led by London-based trader Bernard Marantelli, which bought&nbsp;<a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/29/us-news/inside-the-scheme-to-buy-25m-tickets-and-win-the-texas-lottery/" target="_blank">all 25.8 million possible number combinations</a>&nbsp;to win a $92 million prize.Lottery sales in Missouri fell by $50 million in the most recent fiscal year and transfers from sales to education programs are down 15% in the current year. The lottery provides about 4% of the state’s total education funding.The Missouri Lottery, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment on the proposal.Hough said he did not know about the issues in Texas when he added the language and the lottery director was indifferent to the idea.“My guess is it probably comes out,” Hough said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746614204610.png" alt=" State Sen. Joe Nicola laughs during his introduction to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> State Sen. Joe Nicola laughs during his introduction to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Transparency complaints</h2>In the four months leading up to last week’s debate, Hough met with a parade of visitors to his office where they discussed budget requests in private.Almost every change made by the Senate committee to the House’s version of the budget was done by Hough directing the decision. He made cuts, stated the new sections for earmarks and the other 12 members generally were silent.In all,&nbsp; the Senate put 169 earmarked items into the operating budget while cutting 57 of 105 House earmarks.New state Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Independence, complained at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/missouri-senate-approves-budget-plan-with-boost-for-schools-child-care/">end of the budget debate</a>&nbsp;that the Senate should have more than five hours to debate the budget because of its complexity of the budget and the often-obscure language used to identify the target of earmarks.The lottery courier language that appeared in the budget for the first time in the Senate Appropriations Committee is an example of the issue he has with the process, Nicola said.“The whole chairmanship and the whole committee, and the way senators have to ask for budget items, all of that is bogus,” Nicola said. “It’s all deal making, bogus stuff.”Hough defended the Senate budget process as transparent because each budget item, as proposed by the governor, was aired in a public hearing and the changes were announced in public.“We run as open and transparent a budget process as there is in this business,” Hough said. “We go through requests from not just specific senators but also representatives and stakeholders and advocacy groups all over the state in a very open way.”Nicola visited him to ask for budget items, Hough noted at a news conference Thursday.“I visited with Senator Nicola a number of times on a number of specific items that I will more than gladly remind him are actually in the budget now, per his request,” Hough said. “So, in my opinion, I think it probably worked pretty well for him.”Senate leadership from both parties said they are comfortable with that process and back Hough.“I give credit to Sen. Hough, who’s run a good process there,” said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck , a Democrat fromAffton. “Everybody has their say in it.”What to some may appear to be mysterious is actually hundreds of hours of work and attention to detail that should be admired, O’Laughlin said.“We’re in a strong position heading into conference with the House, and I’m confident that we’ll finish with the budget that Missourians can be proud of,” O’Laughlin said.The biggest change needed in the budget process, Nicola said, is for the public to easily know which lawmaker or stakeholder asked for an earmark.In the U.S. Congress, members put their earmark requests on their web sites. U.S. Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, has six projects costing $21 million&nbsp;<a href="https://cleaver.house.gov/constituent-services/member-designated-transportation-infrastructure-project-disclosure" target="_blank">on his infrastructure list</a>, while U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, a Republican from Tarkio, has $322 million on&nbsp;<a href="https://graves.house.gov/services/community-project-funding-requests" target="_blank">his list for the current fiscal year</a>.&nbsp;The legislature should also publish the name of the lawmaker or entity requesting money, Nicola said.“As much transparency as we can have, I am completely for,” Nicola said. “Transparency to our constituents and to everybody else of what’s going on here.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746614170062.png" alt=" Missouri House Democratic Leader Ashley Aune of Kansas City makes a point Thursday during a news conference with other Democratic lawmakers (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)," />
 <figcaption> Missouri House Democratic Leader Ashley Aune of Kansas City makes a point Thursday during a news conference with other Democratic lawmakers (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent),</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Conference questions</h2>Missouri is sitting on an historically high surplus of general revenue, with $3.8 billion on hand at the end of April as well as another $1.4 billion that can be spent like general revenue.Both the Senate and the House spending plans would reduce that surplus. The Senate would spend $15.7 billion on operations, the House would spend $14.4 billion and both are well above the $13.6 billion estimated as general revenue receipts for the coming year.But with current revenues almost 2% from last year, the call on the surplus could grow. Based on revenues through Friday, that difference could be as much as $100 million.Before the conference committees meet, Hough and House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton will meet privately to find agreement on as many items as possible and present those decisions at the meeting, which has yet to be scheduled.The biggest issues that must be resolved are $300 million the Senate added money for public schools, plus $107 million for child care that the House did not approve. The Senate also spent more on state employee pay raises and higher education.The House approved $50 million to expand a tuition scholarship program for private schools that the Senate omitted.Democrats, who hold fewer than one-third of the seats in the General Assembly, are generally pleased with the budget, preferring the Senate version on several items. But House Democrats feel their negotiating position on two of the biggest — foundation formula funding and money for private school tuition scholarships — was undermined when House Speaker Jon Patterson rejected some of their selections for the negotiations.During a news conference last week, Democrats said most of their caucus supports the Senate spending proposals on public schools and child care and opposes the scholarship funding.But the party did not get its preferred representatives on the 13 conference committees — one for each spending bill — because instead of including the ranking Democrat from appropriations subcommittees, as recommended, Patterson chose another member.The biggest surprise was the selection of state Rep. Marlene Terry, a St. Louis Democrat who does not sit on the Budget Committee but has sided with Republicans on school choice bills.“To come down to the very end of this process and feel disrespected at the end is a huge disappointment to me,” said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City. “It’s a huge disappointment to our budget team, and to say that I am a little frustrated by it would be probably an understatement.”Patterson said he appointed Terry because she is his Democratic appointment to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/23/missouri-governors-school-funding-task-force-assembles-slowly/">a school funding task force</a>&nbsp;created by Gov. Mike Kehoe and a long-time school board member. She also supports the scholarship funding, he noted.“I want Rep. Terry to fight for school kids in the best way that she knows how. I think she is supportive of that,” Patterson said.The conferees must also determine the fate of earmarked spending — items delivering money to a specific location or program at the request of individual lawmakers, state institutions or lobbying interests.“I wouldn’t anticipate that all investments for our local nonprofits and for communities back home will see themselves across the finish line,” Fogle said.”But we as Democrats will be at the table to try to make sure that we’re making the fiscally responsible investments in our nonprofits, in our communities back home, whether it be an infrastructure investment or an investment with a nonprofit whose whose goal is to provide pathos out of poverty for families.”Defending the earmarks at a news conference Thursday, Hough said that many provide only a portion of the money needed for a project and require local and private matching funds to spend the state funds.“This invests,” Hough said, “in apprenticeship programs, workforce development programs, infrastructure projects all over the state.”&nbsp;

Push to allow online lottery ticket sales in Missouri adds new issue to budget talks

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Monday in Kansas City.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 TaoTao 50 Moped driven by a 29-year-old Kansas City man was westbound on East Gregory Boulevard just west of Evanston Avenue in Raytown.

The vehicle crossed the center of the road and into the path of an eastbound 2013 Lexus RX450 driven by a 41-year-old Kansas City woman.&nbsp; The moped side-swiped the car.

EMS transported the moped driver to Research Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; He was wearing a helmet. The Patrol has not released the name of the victim.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 9p.m. Monday in Kansas City.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 TaoTao 50 Moped driven by a 29-year-old Kansas City man was westbound on East Gregory Boulevard just west of Evanston Avenue in Raytown.The vehicle crossed the center of the road and into the path of an eastbound 2013 Lexus RX450 driven by a 41-year-old Kansas City woman.&nbsp; The moped side-swiped the car.EMS transported the moped driver to Research Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; He was wearing a helmet. The Patrol has not released the name of the victim.

Kansas City man dies after moped side-swipes a car

Vietti Food Group of Nashville, TN is recalling 4,515 cases of its Yellowstone Brown Sugar Molasses Baked Beans (15 oz.) due to the presence of undeclared soy. Individuals with an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy risk serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume this product.

The recalled product was distributed through retailers in Kansas, Missouri and 21 other states including Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi,&nbsp; New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.&nbsp; The beans were sold at Walmart, Hy-Vee, Meijer and other retailers.

The product can be identified by its Lot Code: Best if Used By Feb 17, 2028. The code is printed on the bottom of each can.

To date, no illnesses or adverse reactions have been reported. Consumers who have purchased the affected product are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746612539735.png" alt="FDA courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>FDA courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>Vietti Food Group of Nashville, TN is recalling 4,515 cases of its Yellowstone Brown Sugar Molasses Baked Beans (15 oz.) due to the presence of undeclared soy. Individuals with an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy risk serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume this product.The recalled product was distributed through retailers in Kansas, Missouri and 21 other states including Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi,&nbsp; New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.&nbsp; The beans were sold at Walmart, Hy-Vee, Meijer and other retailers.The product can be identified by its Lot Code: Best if Used By Feb 17, 2028. The code is printed on the bottom of each can.To date, no illnesses or adverse reactions have been reported. Consumers who have purchased the affected product are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Baked beans sold in Kansas and Missouri recalled

WASHINGTON — Four Mexican nationals unlawfully residing in the United States have been charged for their roles in an international human smuggling conspiracy that illegally brought aliens across the Canadian border to the United States for profit, according to the United State's Attorney.

Edgar Sanchez-Solis, 23, unlawfully residing in Kansas City, Kansas; Ignacio Diaz-Perez, 35, unlawfully residing in Oakwood, Georgia; Samuel Diaz-Perez, 26, unlawfully residing in Dublin, Ohio; and Salvador Diaz-Diaz, 32, unlawfully residing in Columbus, Ohio, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States and 25 counts of bringing aliens illegally to the United States for profit. The defendants were arrested at multiple locations throughout the United States and are currently detained. Ignacio Diaz-Perez and Salvador Diaz-Diaz had been previously removed from the United States.

“As alleged, these defendants illegally entered this country and then sought to smuggle hundreds of aliens per week to the United States from Mexico, Central America, and South America through the Canadian border,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants instructed smuggled aliens to make testimonial videos touting the enterprise’s services. In reality, the defendants imperiled their human cargo and innocent American lives when they repeatedly engaged in life-threatening conduct, including multiple high-speed getaways from law enforcement.”

“This case demonstrates our relentless efforts to secure our northern border against the criminal organizations profiting from human smuggling and other illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “We are grateful for our partnership with Joint Task Force Alpha as we work to dismantle these transnational criminal organizations and make our North Country communities safer.”

According to court documents, the four defendants were part of an alien smuggling organization that has been operating for the last two years in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The four defendants, in exchange for money, conspired with others to smuggle hundreds of aliens per week from Mexico, Central America, and South America through Canada, into northern New York, including Franklin and Clinton Counties, as alleged in court documents. The aliens or their family members paid thousands of dollars to be smuggled into the United States. The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly facilitated the illegal travel of the aliens from Mexico to Canada and then across the northern border, where they were picked up and driven farther into the United States.

On multiple occasions members of the alien smuggling organization led local and federal law enforcement officers on high-speed vehicle chases along the U.S. northern border, creating a grave public safety risk, according to court documents. For example, in April 2023, smugglers allegedly fled the Burke Border Patrol Station’s sector at a high rate of speed after setting off a border sensor. Border Patrol successfully stopped the vehicle and apprehended the smugglers, who were transporting seven adult aliens and three minors. In another incident, in May 2023, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office used a tire deflation device to stop a van carrying aliens after it allegedly failed to yield to both federal and state law enforcement. The smugglers and aliens allegedly fled on foot after the vehicle was disabled. As additionally alleged, in August 2023, a vehicle carrying aliens that was fleeing from Border Patrol drove into Plattsburgh, New York, where it drove erratically, passed vehicles in a congested traffic area, ran a red light, and struck a motorist at an intersection. The driver and six illegal aliens fled the accident scene on foot but eventually were apprehended.

“These individuals acted in blatant disregard of our nation’s laws, allegedly smuggling hundreds of aliens into the United States for thousands of dollars each,” said Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo. “They’re alleged to have repeatedly put the public at risk through dangerous vehicle chases with law enforcement further demonstrating their contempt for the law and safety of others. We work every day with our partners in the U.S. Border Patrol and are proud to support the security of our borders and uphold public safety in our communities.”

“These charges are a testament to the hard work of the men and women of the United States Border Patrol and its partner agencies,” said Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector. “The days of catch-and-release are over, and the reality is clear; if you attempt to enter the United States illegally, if you attempt to smuggle or traffic human beings, you will be apprehended and you will face severe consequences.”

The investigation and arrests of the defendants were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 330 U.S. convictions; more than 275 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

Mr. Galeotti expressed his gratitude to Joint Task Force Alpha, which is focused on combatting human smuggling organizations, and its partners in this case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and HSI. HSI Rouses Point and U.S. Border Patrol Burke Station led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.

Trial Attorney Jenna Reed of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746215404230.png" alt="SANCHEZ-SOLIS photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>SANCHEZ-SOLIS photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Four Mexican nationals unlawfully residing in the United States have been charged for their roles in an international human smuggling conspiracy that illegally brought aliens across the Canadian border to the United States for profit, according to the United State's Attorney.Edgar Sanchez-Solis, 23, unlawfully residing in Kansas City, Kansas; Ignacio Diaz-Perez, 35, unlawfully residing in Oakwood, Georgia; Samuel Diaz-Perez, 26, unlawfully residing in Dublin, Ohio; and Salvador Diaz-Diaz, 32, unlawfully residing in Columbus, Ohio, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States and 25 counts of bringing aliens illegally to the United States for profit. The defendants were arrested at multiple locations throughout the United States and are currently detained. Ignacio Diaz-Perez and Salvador Diaz-Diaz had been previously removed from the United States.“As alleged, these defendants illegally entered this country and then sought to smuggle hundreds of aliens per week to the United States from Mexico, Central America, and South America through the Canadian border,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants instructed smuggled aliens to make testimonial videos touting the enterprise’s services. In reality, the defendants imperiled their human cargo and innocent American lives when they repeatedly engaged in life-threatening conduct, including multiple high-speed getaways from law enforcement.”“This case demonstrates our relentless efforts to secure our northern border against the criminal organizations profiting from human smuggling and other illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “We are grateful for our partnership with Joint Task Force Alpha as we work to dismantle these transnational criminal organizations and make our North Country communities safer.”According to court documents, the four defendants were part of an alien smuggling organization that has been operating for the last two years in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The four defendants, in exchange for money, conspired with others to smuggle hundreds of aliens per week from Mexico, Central America, and South America through Canada, into northern New York, including Franklin and Clinton Counties, as alleged in court documents. The aliens or their family members paid thousands of dollars to be smuggled into the United States. The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly facilitated the illegal travel of the aliens from Mexico to Canada and then across the northern border, where they were picked up and driven farther into the United States.On multiple occasions members of the alien smuggling organization led local and federal law enforcement officers on high-speed vehicle chases along the U.S. northern border, creating a grave public safety risk, according to court documents. For example, in April 2023, smugglers allegedly fled the Burke Border Patrol Station’s sector at a high rate of speed after setting off a border sensor. Border Patrol successfully stopped the vehicle and apprehended the smugglers, who were transporting seven adult aliens and three minors. In another incident, in May 2023, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office used a tire deflation device to stop a van carrying aliens after it allegedly failed to yield to both federal and state law enforcement. The smugglers and aliens allegedly fled on foot after the vehicle was disabled. As additionally alleged, in August 2023, a vehicle carrying aliens that was fleeing from Border Patrol drove into Plattsburgh, New York, where it drove erratically, passed vehicles in a congested traffic area, ran a red light, and struck a motorist at an intersection. The driver and six illegal aliens fled the accident scene on foot but eventually were apprehended.“These individuals acted in blatant disregard of our nation’s laws, allegedly smuggling hundreds of aliens into the United States for thousands of dollars each,” said Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo. “They’re alleged to have repeatedly put the public at risk through dangerous vehicle chases with law enforcement further demonstrating their contempt for the law and safety of others. We work every day with our partners in the U.S. Border Patrol and are proud to support the security of our borders and uphold public safety in our communities.”“These charges are a testament to the hard work of the men and women of the United States Border Patrol and its partner agencies,” said Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector. “The days of catch-and-release are over, and the reality is clear; if you attempt to enter the United States illegally, if you attempt to smuggle or traffic human beings, you will be apprehended and you will face severe consequences.”The investigation and arrests of the defendants were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 330 U.S. convictions; more than 275 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.Mr. Galeotti expressed his gratitude to Joint Task Force Alpha, which is focused on combatting human smuggling organizations, and its partners in this case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and HSI. HSI Rouses Point and U.S. Border Patrol Burke Station led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.Trial Attorney Jenna Reed of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Illegal alien in Kansas accused of human smuggling 

Eastern District Court of Appeals says Planned Parenthood must produce ‘de-identified’ medical records or otherwise cite exemptions

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

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers must turn over documents about gender-affirming care to Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, an appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=220339" target="_blank">ruled Tuesday morning</a>.

Bailey has been looking into the use of cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers and gender-transition surgeries for minors in the state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/09/missouri-agencies-launch-investigation-into-health-center-for-transgender-youth/">since March 2023</a>, when a former case worker at the Washington University Transgender Center claimed the center rushed children into treatment.

As part of his probe into Washington University and “other providers,” Bailey’s office sent civil investigative demands to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Washington University in St. Louis and the state’s two branches of Planned Parenthood — all of which have fought to protect patient information.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which oversees clinics in St. Louis and southwest Missouri, refused to turn over documents to Bailey, challenging his request as a misuse of Missouri’s consumer protection law and a violation of federal patient privacy law.

A St. Louis Circuit Court judge ruled last year that the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act allows the attorney general to investigate deceptive medical practices but doesn’t supersede HIPAA.

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, protects patients from providers disclosing their personally identifiable health information.

For Bailey to get certain records from Planned Parenthood, Circuit Court Judge Michael F. Stelzer ruled in April of last year, patients would have to sign away their HIPAA rights.

But Tuesday’s judgment, written by Judge Rebeca Navarro-McKelvey of Missouri’s Eastern District Court of Appeals, said HIPAA doesn’t prevent Planned Parenthood from providing de-identified records. Additionally, Planned Parenthood didn’t provide the attorney general a privilege log, or a list of exceptions to Bailey’s requests, to assess each claim.

A Western District Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=219594" target="_blank">ruling filed in April</a>&nbsp;against Missouri’s other Planned Parenthood affiliate also took issue with the lack of a privilege log.

In both cases, the appellate courts rejected the notion that Planned Parenthood was exempt from the entire investigative demand, but further court proceedings can assess whether some of the attorney general’s 54 requests are protected from disclosure.

“Crucially, a blanket HIPAA-based objection does not make the CID unenforceable,” Navarro-McKelvey wrote in Tuesday’s ruling. “As the burden is on (Planned Parenthood Great Rivers) as the covered entity to comply with HIPAA when responding to subpoenas.”

Planned Parenthood’s attorney, Matthew Eddy, argued the opposite&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/18/planned-parenthood-vows-to-fight-missouri-ag-push-for-transgender-youth-medical-records/">in a circuit court hearing last June</a>, saying the Attorney General’s Office must prove exceptions to HIPAA in its request.

The Eastern District Court of Appeals will soon hear patient-privacy arguments in a separate lawsuit between Bailey and Washington University. The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/07/08/judge-rules-missouri-ag-has-no-right-to-medical-records-of-transgender-minors-at-wash-u/">case’s arguments in circuit court</a>&nbsp;established that unredacted patient information was exempt from Bailey’s demands and some data was irrelevant to his search.

Among his requests to Washington University, Bailey’s office asked for “access to all electronic health records of clients.”

Bailey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Appellants%20Brief.PDF?courtCode=EA&amp;di=513469" target="_blank">appealed that decision</a>, saying his access to the information was “inevitable” under state law.

“While we are disappointed with the court’s decision, we are evaluating our next steps as this is just another political attack against the bodily autonomy and rights of transgender and gender-nonconforming Missourians,” said Margot Riphagen, president and CEO Planned Parenthood Great Rivers. “As a trusted health care provider, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers will continue to support our gender affirming care patients across the St. Louis region and Missouri Ozarks while ensuring our patients’ health information remains secure and protected.”

<h2>Eastern District Court of Appeals says Planned Parenthood must produce ‘de-identified’ medical records or otherwise cite exemptions</h2>&nbsp;BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Planned Parenthood Great Rivers must turn over documents about gender-affirming care to Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, an appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=220339" target="_blank">ruled Tuesday morning</a>.Bailey has been looking into the use of cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers and gender-transition surgeries for minors in the state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/09/missouri-agencies-launch-investigation-into-health-center-for-transgender-youth/">since March 2023</a>, when a former case worker at the Washington University Transgender Center claimed the center rushed children into treatment.As part of his probe into Washington University and “other providers,” Bailey’s office sent civil investigative demands to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Washington University in St. Louis and the state’s two branches of Planned Parenthood — all of which have fought to protect patient information.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, which oversees clinics in St. Louis and southwest Missouri, refused to turn over documents to Bailey, challenging his request as a misuse of Missouri’s consumer protection law and a violation of federal patient privacy law.A St. Louis Circuit Court judge ruled last year that the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act allows the attorney general to investigate deceptive medical practices but doesn’t supersede HIPAA.HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, protects patients from providers disclosing their personally identifiable health information.For Bailey to get certain records from Planned Parenthood, Circuit Court Judge Michael F. Stelzer ruled in April of last year, patients would have to sign away their HIPAA rights.But Tuesday’s judgment, written by Judge Rebeca Navarro-McKelvey of Missouri’s Eastern District Court of Appeals, said HIPAA doesn’t prevent Planned Parenthood from providing de-identified records. Additionally, Planned Parenthood didn’t provide the attorney general a privilege log, or a list of exceptions to Bailey’s requests, to assess each claim.A Western District Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=219594" target="_blank">ruling filed in April</a>&nbsp;against Missouri’s other Planned Parenthood affiliate also took issue with the lack of a privilege log.In both cases, the appellate courts rejected the notion that Planned Parenthood was exempt from the entire investigative demand, but further court proceedings can assess whether some of the attorney general’s 54 requests are protected from disclosure.“Crucially, a blanket HIPAA-based objection does not make the CID unenforceable,” Navarro-McKelvey wrote in Tuesday’s ruling. “As the burden is on (Planned Parenthood Great Rivers) as the covered entity to comply with HIPAA when responding to subpoenas.”Planned Parenthood’s attorney, Matthew Eddy, argued the opposite&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/18/planned-parenthood-vows-to-fight-missouri-ag-push-for-transgender-youth-medical-records/">in a circuit court hearing last June</a>, saying the Attorney General’s Office must prove exceptions to HIPAA in its request.The Eastern District Court of Appeals will soon hear patient-privacy arguments in a separate lawsuit between Bailey and Washington University. The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/07/08/judge-rules-missouri-ag-has-no-right-to-medical-records-of-transgender-minors-at-wash-u/">case’s arguments in circuit court</a>&nbsp;established that unredacted patient information was exempt from Bailey’s demands and some data was irrelevant to his search.Among his requests to Washington University, Bailey’s office asked for “access to all electronic health records of clients.”Bailey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/Appellants%20Brief.PDF?courtCode=EA&amp;di=513469" target="_blank">appealed that decision</a>, saying his access to the information was “inevitable” under state law.“While we are disappointed with the court’s decision, we are evaluating our next steps as this is just another political attack against the bodily autonomy and rights of transgender and gender-nonconforming Missourians,” said Margot Riphagen, president and CEO Planned Parenthood Great Rivers. “As a trusted health care provider, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers will continue to support our gender affirming care patients across the St. Louis region and Missouri Ozarks while ensuring our patients’ health information remains secure and protected.”

Planned Parenthood must comply with Missouri AG request for patient records, court rules

Measles has now been diagnosed in Missouri for the second time this year, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

 The case is in an out-of-state resident who visited the St. Louis Aquarium between 1-6 p.m. on April 30. Additionally, the individual ate at a restaurant in St. Louis that day, but details are limited.

Because measles is highly contagious, those who may have had exposures at the St. Louis Aquarium during the time the person visited and who are unvaccinated or are immunocompromised should consider post-exposure prophylaxis.

This is usually only an effective preventive treatment within six days of exposure (by May 6), which means you need to contact your doctor or your local public health agency now to receive help before the treatment's efficacy cut-off, which is tomorrow.

With the first case of measles we had in the state, there was no evidence of widespread public exposure, so we said there was no need to panic. You still do not need to panic even though this instance took place in a much more populated area.

If you do the right things to protect your family, there is generally no reason to be concerned. People who aren't vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) should contact their doctor about getting the best protection possible against this potentially deadly disease.

<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/measles/">Click here for more information</a> about measles and county-level MMR vaccination rates

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746564681045.png" alt="Image&nbsp; Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services." />
 <figcaption>Image&nbsp; Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.</figcaption>
 </figure>Measles has now been diagnosed in Missouri for the second time this year, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The case is in an out-of-state resident who visited the St. Louis Aquarium between 1-6 p.m. on April 30. Additionally, the individual ate at a restaurant in St. Louis that day, but details are limited.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Because measles is highly contagious, those who may have had exposures at the St. Louis Aquarium during the time the person visited and who are unvaccinated or are immunocompromised should consider post-exposure prophylaxis.This is usually only an effective preventive treatment within six days of exposure (by May 6), which means you need to contact your doctor or your local public health agency now to receive help before the treatment's efficacy cut-off, which is tomorrow.With the first case of measles we had in the state, there was no evidence of widespread public exposure, so we said there was no need to panic. You still do not need to panic even though this instance took place in a much more populated area.If you do the right things to protect your family, there is generally no reason to be concerned. People who aren't vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) should contact their doctor about getting the best protection possible against this potentially deadly disease.<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/measles/">Click here for more information</a> about measles and county-level MMR vaccination rates

More measles reported in Missouri

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>: &quot;Tomorrow is the day that Real ID will finally be enforced. It&#39;s been a law that&#39;s been in place for over 20 years. 81% of the travelers that travel by airline in the United States today are already compliant.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/n4A6ZVorkw">pic.twitter.com/n4A6ZVorkw</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1919765080175989075?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥DHS explains what will happen Wednesday to travelers without a REAL ID 

House budget bill might trim $1 billion from state’s Medicaid system

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly joined three other Democratic governors Tuesday in denouncing movement by the Republican-led Congress to impose substantial cuts in federal funding of the Medicaid program providing health care to more than 70 million Americans.

Kelly, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association who has campaigned for expansion of Medicaid in Kansas, said the latest proposal in Congress would have a substantial effect on coverage for about 443,000 low-income seniors, children, pregnant mothers and people with disabilities in Kansas.

“Congressional Republicans’ new proposal is expected to slash Medicaid funding by billions of dollars over the next 10 years, threatening health coverage for millions of Americans who rely on this essential program,” Kelly said. “It would be particularly devastating for our rural providers and hospitals who are already struggling to keep their doors open.”

Kelly said 64% of the state’s rural hospitals were at risk of closing and diminishing Medicaid funding would further strain those hospitals. She said the damage could come in the form of lower reimbursement rates to health providers or through growth of uncompensated care for individuals who lost coverage.

On Monday, Kelly said she sent letters to the five Republicans and one Democrat in the Kansas congressional delegation urging those lawmakers to resist pressure to vote for Medicaid cuts that would deny health care to the most vulnerable people in the state.

“Significant cuts to the Medicaid program will directly affect Kansans across the state, regardless of their political views. These cuts would be particularly detrimental to our rural hospitals and providers,” Kelly said.

She said the decision by the Kansas Legislature to block expansion of eligibility for Medicaid meant the state’s hospitals currently carry a higher burden of charity care.

So far, the governor said, refusal to take advantage of the Affordable Care Act provisions broadening eligibility for Medicaid meant Kansas turned away approximately $7 billion in federal funding that would have flowed through the state’s health care economy during the past decade.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who indicated interest in running for state insurance commissioner, said President Donald Trump and his allies were working to the cost of Medicaid to make certain it was sustainable for years to come.

“Our country cannot continue spending money like drunken sailors,” Hawkins said. “I applaud the Trump administration and those in our federal delegation for their efforts to preserve Medicaid.”

He said it was wrong for states to enroll “able-bodied adults” in the Medicaid program designed for the frail, elderly and disabled as well as children. He endorsed imposition of work requirements for adults in Medicaid ranging in age from 18 to 60 who weren’t pregnant or disabled.

“Governor Kelly should be less concerned about leading the DGA resistance to President Trump and focus more on the best interests of the country, the people of Kansas and the long-term future of Medicaid,” Hawkins said.

In response to the governor’s letter, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said her GOP colleagues in Congress should reject large federal cuts to Medicaid enacted to help pay for tax breaks to wealthy Americans.

“I stand with Governor Kelly in urging all federal leaders to reject these devastating Medicaid cuts,” the 3rd District Democrat said. “I’ve fought time and again to protect and expand Medicaid in Kansas because our families shouldn’t have to pay more or travel farther just to get the health care they need.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746552383496.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, asked the Kansas’ six representatives in Congress to oppose large-scale federal funding cuts to Medicaid. The program serves more than 440,000 Kansans who are elderly, children, pregnant women or disabled. In 2023 and 2024, Kelly toured the state pitching the idea of broadening access to Medicaid, including this appearance at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, asked the Kansas’ six representatives in Congress to oppose large-scale federal funding cuts to Medicaid. The program serves more than 440,000 Kansans who are elderly, children, pregnant women or disabled. In 2023 and 2024, Kelly toured the state pitching the idea of broadening access to Medicaid, including this appearance at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>House budget bill might trim $1 billion from state’s Medicaid system</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly joined three other Democratic governors Tuesday in denouncing movement by the Republican-led Congress to impose substantial cuts in federal funding of the Medicaid program providing health care to more than 70 million Americans.Kelly, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association who has campaigned for expansion of Medicaid in Kansas, said the latest proposal in Congress would have a substantial effect on coverage for about 443,000 low-income seniors, children, pregnant mothers and people with disabilities in Kansas.“Congressional Republicans’ new proposal is expected to slash Medicaid funding by billions of dollars over the next 10 years, threatening health coverage for millions of Americans who rely on this essential program,” Kelly said. “It would be particularly devastating for our rural providers and hospitals who are already struggling to keep their doors open.”Kelly said 64% of the state’s rural hospitals were at risk of closing and diminishing Medicaid funding would further strain those hospitals. She said the damage could come in the form of lower reimbursement rates to health providers or through growth of uncompensated care for individuals who lost coverage.On Monday, Kelly said she sent letters to the five Republicans and one Democrat in the Kansas congressional delegation urging those lawmakers to resist pressure to vote for Medicaid cuts that would deny health care to the most vulnerable people in the state.“Significant cuts to the Medicaid program will directly affect Kansans across the state, regardless of their political views. These cuts would be particularly detrimental to our rural hospitals and providers,” Kelly said.She said the decision by the Kansas Legislature to block expansion of eligibility for Medicaid meant the state’s hospitals currently carry a higher burden of charity care.So far, the governor said, refusal to take advantage of the Affordable Care Act provisions broadening eligibility for Medicaid meant Kansas turned away approximately $7 billion in federal funding that would have flowed through the state’s health care economy during the past decade.Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who indicated interest in running for state insurance commissioner, said President Donald Trump and his allies were working to the cost of Medicaid to make certain it was sustainable for years to come.“Our country cannot continue spending money like drunken sailors,” Hawkins said. “I applaud the Trump administration and those in our federal delegation for their efforts to preserve Medicaid.”He said it was wrong for states to enroll “able-bodied adults” in the Medicaid program designed for the frail, elderly and disabled as well as children. He endorsed imposition of work requirements for adults in Medicaid ranging in age from 18 to 60 who weren’t pregnant or disabled.“Governor Kelly should be less concerned about leading the DGA resistance to President Trump and focus more on the best interests of the country, the people of Kansas and the long-term future of Medicaid,” Hawkins said.In response to the governor’s letter, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said her GOP colleagues in Congress should reject large federal cuts to Medicaid enacted to help pay for tax breaks to wealthy Americans.“I stand with Governor Kelly in urging all federal leaders to reject these devastating Medicaid cuts,” the 3rd District Democrat said. “I’ve fought time and again to protect and expand Medicaid in Kansas because our families shouldn’t have to pay more or travel farther just to get the health care they need.”

Kansas governor pleads with congressional delegation to fight against Medicaid cuts

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, patrol officers were dispatched to 75th Street and Bruce R Watkins Drive in Kansas City, Missouri on an ambulance in route, medical nature unknown call, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Passing motorists observed an individual lying in the roadway, on Bruce R Watkins Drive and called 911. 

First responders observed a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers began performing life saving measures and KCFD EMS was ordered to the scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.

This is being investigated as a homicide. Investigators are working to determine what led up to the victim being shot. Detectives canvassed the area for witnesses and crime scene personnel processed the scene for physical evidence. Police have not released the name of the victim.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, patrol officers were dispatched to 75th Street and Bruce R Watkins Drive in Kansas City, Missouri on an ambulance in route, medical nature unknown call, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Passing motorists observed an individual lying in the roadway, on Bruce R Watkins Drive and called 911. First responders observed a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers began performing life saving measures and KCFD EMS was ordered to the scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.This is being investigated as a homicide. Investigators are working to determine what led up to the victim being shot. Detectives canvassed the area for witnesses and crime scene personnel processed the scene for physical evidence. Police have not released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Drivers saw shooting victim lying in the road

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit in 2023 along with attorneys general from Kansas and Idaho

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice wrote in a legal filing released Monday that three GOP-led states attempting to overturn federal prescribing guidelines for medication abortion have sought to keep a case going in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The filing is significant since it appears to indicate the Trump administration will defend the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision nine years ago to broaden access to mifepristone. The Biden administration also sought to keep the newer prescribing guidelines intact.

Idaho, Kansas and Missouri want a federal judge to let them intervene in a case that’s already been to the U.S. Supreme Court, so they can argue the FDA erred when it updated prescribing guidelines for mifepristone in 2016.

The goal is to get those changes thrown out so use of mifepristone, one of two pharmaceuticals used in medication abortion, reverts to what was in place between 2000 and 2016.

That would cap medication abortion at seven weeks gestation instead of the current 10 weeks and patients seeking medication abortions would need to attend three, in-person doctor appointments. Medication abortion would no longer be available via telehealth and it could no longer be legally mailed to patients.

The Trump administration wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067.247.0_1.pdf" target="_blank">15-page brief</a>&nbsp;filed with the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Texas that the three states “cannot keep alive a lawsuit in which the original plaintiffs were held to lack standing, those plaintiffs have now voluntarily dismissed their claims, and the States’ own claims have no connection to this District.”

“The States are free to pursue their claims in a District where venue is proper … but the States’ claims before this Court must be dismissed or transferred pursuant to the venue statute’s mandatory command,” the brief adds.

The Department of Justice also wrote that at “a minimum, the States’ challenge to FDA’s 2016 actions is time-barred because the States sought to intervene more than six years after FDA finalized those actions.”

The original case challenging the federal government’s 2000 approval and current prescribing guidelines for medication abortion began in November 2022 when anti-abortion groups filed their lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Texas.

That case worked its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-limit-access-abortion-pill-6" target="_blank">ruled in June 2024</a>&nbsp;that the anti-abortion organizations lacked standing to bring the case.

But Idaho, Kansas and Missouri state officials sought to intervene in the case before it reached the high court and have tried to keep the challenge to the 2016 prescribing guidelines moving forward.

The Department of Justice wrote in its brief that there were several reasons the case shouldn’t continue in the Northern District of Texas.

Among those is that the three states “fail to identify any actual or imminent controversy over whether any of their laws are preempted” and that they lack Article III standing since “they failed to exhaust their claims; and their challenge to FDA’s 2016 actions is outside the six-year statute of limitations.”

The case is assigned to Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-administration-appeals-judges-ruling-ordering-abortion-pill-us-market" target="_blank">overturned the FDA’s original 2000 approval of mifepristone</a>&nbsp;in April 2023 in the original lawsuit.

That ruling never took effect as the original lawsuit worked its way through the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and up to the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732796525522.png" alt="- Andrew Bailey is hoping to win his first full term as Missouri’s attorney general after being appointed to the position in November 2022&nbsp;by Gov. Mike Parson (Photo provided by Andrew Bailey’s campaign)." />
 <figcaption>- Andrew Bailey is hoping to win his first full term as Missouri’s attorney general after being appointed to the position in November 2022&nbsp;by Gov. Mike Parson (Photo provided by Andrew Bailey’s campaign).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit in 2023 along with attorneys general from Kansas and Idaho</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice wrote in a legal filing released Monday that three GOP-led states attempting to overturn federal prescribing guidelines for medication abortion have sought to keep a case going in the wrong place at the wrong time.The filing is significant since it appears to indicate the Trump administration will defend the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision nine years ago to broaden access to mifepristone. The Biden administration also sought to keep the newer prescribing guidelines intact.Idaho, Kansas and Missouri want a federal judge to let them intervene in a case that’s already been to the U.S. Supreme Court, so they can argue the FDA erred when it updated prescribing guidelines for mifepristone in 2016.The goal is to get those changes thrown out so use of mifepristone, one of two pharmaceuticals used in medication abortion, reverts to what was in place between 2000 and 2016.That would cap medication abortion at seven weeks gestation instead of the current 10 weeks and patients seeking medication abortions would need to attend three, in-person doctor appointments. Medication abortion would no longer be available via telehealth and it could no longer be legally mailed to patients.The Trump administration wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067.247.0_1.pdf" target="_blank">15-page brief</a>&nbsp;filed with the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Texas that the three states “cannot keep alive a lawsuit in which the original plaintiffs were held to lack standing, those plaintiffs have now voluntarily dismissed their claims, and the States’ own claims have no connection to this District.”“The States are free to pursue their claims in a District where venue is proper … but the States’ claims before this Court must be dismissed or transferred pursuant to the venue statute’s mandatory command,” the brief adds.The Department of Justice also wrote that at “a minimum, the States’ challenge to FDA’s 2016 actions is time-barred because the States sought to intervene more than six years after FDA finalized those actions.”<h2>Original suit began in 2022</h2>The original case challenging the federal government’s 2000 approval and current prescribing guidelines for medication abortion began in November 2022 when anti-abortion groups filed their lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Texas.That case worked its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-limit-access-abortion-pill-6" target="_blank">ruled in June 2024</a>&nbsp;that the anti-abortion organizations lacked standing to bring the case.But Idaho, Kansas and Missouri state officials sought to intervene in the case before it reached the high court and have tried to keep the challenge to the 2016 prescribing guidelines moving forward.The Department of Justice wrote in its brief that there were several reasons the case shouldn’t continue in the Northern District of Texas.Among those is that the three states “fail to identify any actual or imminent controversy over whether any of their laws are preempted” and that they lack Article III standing since “they failed to exhaust their claims; and their challenge to FDA’s 2016 actions is outside the six-year statute of limitations.”The case is assigned to Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-administration-appeals-judges-ruling-ordering-abortion-pill-us-market" target="_blank">overturned the FDA’s original 2000 approval of mifepristone</a>&nbsp;in April 2023 in the original lawsuit.That ruling never took effect as the original lawsuit worked its way through the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and up to the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

Trump admin. asks to dismiss Missouri AG’s lawsuit targeting abortion pill

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Kan. —Authorities investigating a deadly head-on crash that occurred just after 5:30p.m. Sunday in Franklin County have identified the victims.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 GMC Yukon driven by James D. Gilstrap, 33, Tulsa, Oklahoma, was southbound on U.S. 169 highway just northeast of Virginia Road.

The driver attempted to overtake a slower southbound vehicle and entered the northbound lanes to pass.&nbsp; The Yukon and a northbound 2016 Subaru Legacy driven by Alexander R.&nbsp;Ernst, 37, Ames, Iowa, collided head-on on the northbound shoulder.

Gilstrap and passengers in the Yukon including Wayne T.&nbsp; Walls, 41, Talala, Oklahoma, and two 14-year-old boys from Tulsa were pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported a 15-year-old boy from Talala, Oklahoma to Overland Park Regional Medical Center.

Ernst and passengers in the Subaru including John D.&nbsp;Elliott, 76;&nbsp; Madalyn N. Elliott, 33;&nbsp; Norleen L. Elliott, 69, all from Chesterfield, Missouri, were pronounced dead at the scene. All were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746453539052.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY, Kan. —Authorities investigating a deadly head-on crash that occurred just after 5:30p.m. Sunday in Franklin County have identified the victims.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 GMC Yukon driven by James D. Gilstrap, 33, Tulsa, Oklahoma, was southbound on U.S. 169 highway just northeast of Virginia Road.The driver attempted to overtake a slower southbound vehicle and entered the northbound lanes to pass.&nbsp; The Yukon and a northbound 2016 Subaru Legacy driven by Alexander R.&nbsp;Ernst, 37, Ames, Iowa, collided head-on on the northbound shoulder.Gilstrap and passengers in the Yukon including Wayne T.&nbsp; Walls, 41, Talala, Oklahoma, and two 14-year-old boys from Tulsa were pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported a 15-year-old boy from Talala, Oklahoma to Overland Park Regional Medical Center.Ernst and passengers in the Subaru including John D.&nbsp;Elliott, 76;&nbsp; Madalyn N. Elliott, 33;&nbsp; Norleen L. Elliott, 69, all from Chesterfield, Missouri, were pronounced dead at the scene. All were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

KHP: 3 of 8 who died in head-on crash were from Missouri

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that the agency will provide $1,000 in what it called “travel assistance” to people in the United States without permanent legal status if they self deport.

It’s the latest attempt by DHS to try to meet the Trump administration’s goal of removing 1 million migrants without permanent legal status from the country. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem touted the option as cost-effective.

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest,” Noem said in a statement. “This is the safest option for our law enforcement, aliens and is a 70% savings for US taxpayers.”

It’s unclear from which part of the DHS budget the funding for the travel assistance is coming, as it would roughly cost $1 billion to reimburse up to $1,000 to meet the goal of removing 1 million people.

DHS did not respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.

President Donald Trump gave his support for the move Monday afternoon, according to White House pool reports.&nbsp;

“We’re going to get them a beautiful flight back to where they came from,” the president said.

Self-deportation would be facilitated by the CBP Home app, which was used by the Biden administration to allow asylum seekers to make appointments with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The payment would apparently not be made in advance. DHS said that once those who use the app to self deport arrive in their home country, they will receive a travel stipend of $1,000.

According to DHS, the Trump administration has deported 152,000 people since taking office in January. The Biden administration last year deported 195,000 people from February to April, according to DHS data.

DHS said already one migrant has used the program to book a flight from Chicago to Honduras.

“Additional tickets have already been booked for this week and the following week,” the agency said in a statement.

The Trump administration has rolled out several programs to facilitate mass self-deportations, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dhs-will-require-migrants-without-legal-status-register-us-government" target="_blank">a registry to require</a>&nbsp;immigrants in the country without legal authorization to register with the federal government.

Immigrants who don’t register with the federal government could face steep fines and a potential prison sentence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741624392845.png" alt="Homeland Security app" />
 <figcaption>Homeland Security app</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that the agency will provide $1,000 in what it called “travel assistance” to people in the United States without permanent legal status if they self deport.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his place to pay illegals to self-deport: &quot;We&#39;re going to pay each one a certain amount of money and we&#39;re going to get them a beautiful flight back to where they came from... It&#39;s called self-deportation... You&#39;re talking about so many millions of people.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/3bkRYeNWO0">pic.twitter.com/3bkRYeNWO0</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1919453781932101990?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It’s the latest attempt by DHS to try to meet the Trump administration’s goal of removing 1 million migrants without permanent legal status from the country. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem touted the option as cost-effective.“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest,” Noem said in a statement. “This is the safest option for our law enforcement, aliens and is a 70% savings for US taxpayers.”It’s unclear from which part of the DHS budget the funding for the travel assistance is coming, as it would roughly cost $1 billion to reimburse up to $1,000 to meet the goal of removing 1 million people.DHS did not respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.President Donald Trump gave his support for the move Monday afternoon, according to White House pool reports.&nbsp;“We’re going to get them a beautiful flight back to where they came from,” the president said.Self-deportation would be facilitated by the CBP Home app, which was used by the Biden administration to allow asylum seekers to make appointments with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.The payment would apparently not be made in advance. DHS said that once those who use the app to self deport arrive in their home country, they will receive a travel stipend of $1,000.According to DHS, the Trump administration has deported 152,000 people since taking office in January. The Biden administration last year deported 195,000 people from February to April, according to DHS data.DHS said already one migrant has used the program to book a flight from Chicago to Honduras.“Additional tickets have already been booked for this week and the following week,” the agency said in a statement.The Trump administration has rolled out several programs to facilitate mass self-deportations, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dhs-will-require-migrants-without-legal-status-register-us-government" target="_blank">a registry to require</a>&nbsp;immigrants in the country without legal authorization to register with the federal government.Immigrants who don’t register with the federal government could face steep fines and a potential prison sentence.&nbsp;

DHS offers $1,000 to immigrants without legal status who self-deport

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department is attempting to locate the&nbsp; suspect vehicle involved in a pedestrian hit and run which occurred at 241 E Linwood Boulevard on April 21, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. The vehicle is a reported stolen auto and has an expired Missouri temp tag&nbsp; &nbsp;The vehicle has has sunroof and no tint on the driver’s window. 

Black 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4-door Missouri Lic# 07PU0M (expired)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746477507742.png" alt="-Black 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4-door Missouri Lic# 07PU0M (expired)" />
 <figcaption>-Black 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4-door Missouri Lic# 07PU0M (expired)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas City Missouri Police Department is attempting to locate the&nbsp; suspect vehicle involved in a pedestrian hit and run which occurred at 241 E Linwood Boulevard on April 21, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. The vehicle is a reported stolen auto and has an expired Missouri temp tag&nbsp; &nbsp;The vehicle has has sunroof and no tint on the driver’s window. Black 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4-door Missouri Lic# 07PU0M (expired)

KCPD looking for stolen SUV involed in a hit-and-run

NEOSHO COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 6a.m.&nbsp; Monday in Neosho County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Dodge Durango driven by Teresa Marie&nbsp; Phillips, 47, Chanute, was northbound on Kansas 39 Highway fifteen miles east of Chanute. The SUV and a southbound 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Thaddaeus Jack&nbsp;Jetmore, 38, Deerfield, Missouri, collided head-on at the center line.

Phillips was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical in Kansas City. EMS transported Jetmore to KU Medical Center. Phillips was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

NEOSHO COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 6a.m.&nbsp; Monday in Neosho County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Dodge Durango driven by Teresa Marie&nbsp; Phillips, 47, Chanute, was northbound on Kansas 39 Highway fifteen miles east of Chanute. The SUV and a southbound 2021 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Thaddaeus Jack&nbsp;Jetmore, 38, Deerfield, Missouri, collided head-on at the center line.Phillips was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical in Kansas City. EMS transported Jetmore to KU Medical Center. Phillips was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kan. woman dead, Mo. man injured after SUV,  pickup head-on crash

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/janaroseschleis/">Jana Rose Schleis</a>&nbsp;

Ameren electric customers across Missouri will see their bills go up this summer after a settlement between the utility and consumer advocates was approved by state regulators.

Steve Wills is Ameren Missouri’s senior director of regulatory affairs and said the company is pleased the Public Service Commission approved the settlement, calling it “fair and constructive.”

“We understand that it’s never a good time to raise rates … but we’ve made very significant improvements in our system that will enhance the reliability and the resilience of the system,” Wills said.

Ameren estimates the new prices will result in bills going up $14 per month for the average user. The approved rate increase enables Ameren to collect an additional $335 million dollars annually, which is $91 million less per year than the company initially requested.

Utilities are what’s called “regulated” or “natural” monopolies — in exchange for being the sole provider of utility service in a specified area, the companies are subject to state oversight.

Utilities must ask the Missouri Public Service Commission — the state agency that regulates investor-owned utilities — for approval to increase the prices it charges the public. Ameren filed the rate case in June 2024, which started an 11-month regulatory process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746467406989.png" alt=" Ameren estimates the new prices will result in bills going up $14 per month for the average user (Robert Zullo/ States Newsroom)." />
 <figcaption> Ameren estimates the new prices will result in bills going up $14 per month for the average user (Robert Zullo/ States Newsroom).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/janaroseschleis/">Jana Rose Schleis</a>&nbsp;Ameren electric customers across Missouri will see their bills go up this summer after a settlement between the utility and consumer advocates was approved by state regulators.Steve Wills is Ameren Missouri’s senior director of regulatory affairs and said the company is pleased the Public Service Commission approved the settlement, calling it “fair and constructive.”“We understand that it’s never a good time to raise rates … but we’ve made very significant improvements in our system that will enhance the reliability and the resilience of the system,” Wills said.Ameren estimates the new prices will result in bills going up $14 per month for the average user. The approved rate increase enables Ameren to collect an additional $335 million dollars annually, which is $91 million less per year than the company initially requested.Utilities are what’s called “regulated” or “natural” monopolies — in exchange for being the sole provider of utility service in a specified area, the companies are subject to state oversight.Utilities must ask the Missouri Public Service Commission — the state agency that regulates investor-owned utilities — for approval to increase the prices it charges the public. Ameren filed the rate case in June 2024, which started an 11-month regulatory process.“We spend a lot of time talking about the various issues and understanding each party’s position and try to find a middle ground that reflects a fair return for the investments that we’ve made to serve customers,” Wills said.Ameren Missouri initially asked state regulators for permission to raise electricity rates by 15.77% — which would have resulted in an estimated average monthly bill increase of about $17.45.Utility representatives say the additional revenue is necessary to recoup costs of “major system upgrades” and “cleaner” generation investments.The new rates are scheduled to take effect June 1.Michael Sykuta is an economist with the MU Financial Research Institute and said utility price hikes are a reflection of the broader economy.“We’ve all experienced inflationary pressures in the things that we buy in our household budgets,” he said. “Companies across the board, not just utilities, are facing those same inflationary pressures for the equipment they have to buy, for the salaries they pay, for their other operating expenses.”John Coffman, an attorney for the Consumers Council of Missouri, a consumer advocacy group that was involved in the settlement negotiations, said he thinks the agreement is fair.“All the parties felt like they got something valuable out of the deal,” he said. “I mean it’s nothing to celebrate that we have these double digit increases, but we are happy about the way it was applied and some of the other guarantees we have going forward.”According to the organization, the Consumers Council advocated for elements of the deal relating to low-income bill assistance, community solar power and assurance that Ameren is not allowed to charge customers for costs to mitigate pollution from the Rush Island power plant — which the company was ordered to do by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Missouri Industrial Energy Consumers, Renew Missouri, AARP and other organizations were also involved in the settlement.Multiple public hearings were held throughout Ameren Missouri’s electric case. Lindsey Phoenix is an attorney living in Jefferson City who testified before the commission in January, sharing her opinion that a price hike was not justified.Upon hearing of the settlement Thursday, Phoenix said she was disappointed with the results.“The issue wasn’t how much of an increase they needed. The issue that everyone was there discussing was that they didn’t need one,” she said.Phoenix, among other members of the public who testified, stressed the economic pressures many people find themselves in and how utility bill increases compound those challenges.“I am an attorney, and my spouse is a teacher, and we are living paycheck to paycheck,” Phoenix said.Ameren’s Wills encourages customers who are feeling squeezed to inquire about energy efficiency programs that could lower their costs.“For those who are really struggling with the rates at a higher level, please reach out to us because we have energy assistance options available,” he said. “We have opportunities for flexible payments arrangements, budget billing and various sources of grants that we can either provide or connect customers with.”Ameren provides electric service to much of mid-Missouri and has approximately 1.2 million electric customers in the state. The company also provides gas service for some communities, including Columbia and Jefferson City. The utility is in the middle of an ongoing rate case for gas prices.<h2>Shifting energy industry policies</h2>Missouri utility rate cases are taking place while energy policies on the federal and state level are shifting.Last month, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a bill into law that affords utilities a variety of new financial accounting practices. The legislation includes a policy called “construction work in progress” that enables energy companies to earn revenue on power plants as they build them and before they generate any electricity.Ameren representatives have said the bill is an important tool that could help them build new power plants, including nuclear, to meet increasing electric demand.“We’re having to retire older facilities and build new facilities,” Wills said. “I think what some of the legislation did was try to streamline Missouri’s processes a little bit around future generation planning.”On the federal level, President Donald Trump has signed a variety of executive orders since taking office aimed at prioritizing the fossil fuel industry, including one last month that targets increased coal production.MU’s Sykuta said the most recent executive order could help extend the life of Missouri’s coal power plants. However, Trump’s attempts to rescind energy funds from the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act could slow down investment in wind and solar as well as upgrades to the transmission grid — ultimately resulting in price increases for customers.“Consumers pay higher costs when transmission is more congested,” Sykuta said. “A lot of that infrastructure development has been started or planned with the idea of using the IRA funding — and with the IRA funding going away some of that investment is not going to happen.”Jenn DeRose is a campaign organizer for the Sierra Club’s “Beyond Coal” campaign that aims to get utilities to close coal plants and transition to renewable energy sources like wind and solar.The Sierra Club was an “intervenor,” or party to the Ameren electric rate case. DeRose said rural Missourians, low-income individuals, and people of color are most likely to face high energy burdens.DeRose calls the rate case process “very opaque and difficult to understand.” Her role throughout the case was to encourage members of the public to participate.“The number one thing that anybody can do is advocate,” she said. “Utilities, public service commissioners, they need to know the impacts of their decisions on regular people. They need to know what this looks like, and they need to know that they are responsible for creating solutions.”The Ameren rate increase comes at a particularly challenging time, DeRose said, as summer cooling needs result in higher monthly bills and the Trump administration just fired the federal staff that administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.“LIHEAP is a critical program that helps people pay their heating and cooling bills, and it is essential to keeping people connected to services, but also, more broadly, it’s essential to keeping people in their homes,” DeRose said. “We know that disconnections lead to evictions.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/ameren-missouri-electricity-prices-to-increase-this-summer/article_4ee68039-eb6f-4113-b6e5-233c0ee43d91.html#tncms-source=topstory" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;