DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent chase in Douglas County.

Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, a deputy observed a man, wanted for questioning in domestic incident, driving near Second and Locust streets and attempted to stop the vehicle, according to Douglas County Sheriff's department spokesman George&nbsp;Diepenbrock.

The deputy was also aware the driver did not have a valid drivers’ license.

The suspect accelerated from the stop near the entrance to the southbound lanes of the Kansas River bridge and then immediately slammed on the vehicle’s brakes, ramming into the deputy’s patrol vehicle. 

The suspect then accelerated and jumped the median and fled eastbound on the levee and eventually onto Elm Street in North Lawrence.

The deputy observed the suspect drive through a residential yard in the 900 block of Elm Street and damage a fire hydrant. The suspect vehicle became disabled in a nearby field, and deputies took him into custody. The suspect was examined by medics and taken to LMH Health before he was cleared and transported to the Douglas County Jail.

He is being held on requested charges that include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of making a criminal threat against a law enforcement officer for making specific threats against deputies after he was taken into custody.

No other injuries were reported, including to the deputy in the damaged patrol vehicle.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent chase in Douglas County.Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, a deputy observed a man, wanted for questioning in domestic incident, driving near Second and Locust streets and attempted to stop the vehicle, according to Douglas County Sheriff's department spokesman George&nbsp;Diepenbrock.The deputy was also aware the driver did not have a valid drivers’ license.The suspect accelerated from the stop near the entrance to the southbound lanes of the Kansas River bridge and then immediately slammed on the vehicle’s brakes, ramming into the deputy’s patrol vehicle. The suspect then accelerated and jumped the median and fled eastbound on the levee and eventually onto Elm Street in North Lawrence.The deputy observed the suspect drive through a residential yard in the 900 block of Elm Street and damage a fire hydrant. The suspect vehicle became disabled in a nearby field, and deputies took him into custody. The suspect was examined by medics and taken to LMH Health before he was cleared and transported to the Douglas County Jail.He is being held on requested charges that include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of making a criminal threat against a law enforcement officer for making specific threats against deputies after he was taken into custody.No other injuries were reported, including to the deputy in the damaged patrol vehicle.

Driver rammed Kansas deputy's vehicle before chase, crash

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

Missouri’s Planned Parenthood affiliates are asking the state administrative hearing commission to block a new law that prohibits the organization from being reimbursed for serving Medicaid patients.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/28/missouri-looks-to-mirror-arkansas-law-that-forced-planned-parenthood-to-turn-away-patients/">law</a>&nbsp;goes into effect on Wednesday.

Nearly one in five Planned Parenthood patients in Missouri is insured through MO HealthNet, the state’s Medicaid program that serves low-income and disabled residents and has long banned funding for abortion.

The complaint to the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission was filed after Missouri’s two Planned Parenthood affiliates say they received notifications of their termination from Medicaid, effective Wednesday.

“Despite an already overburdened health care safety net for Missouri Medicaid patients,” Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers wrote in a joint press release, “lawmakers prioritized the legislative ‘defunding’ of Planned Parenthood this last session, harming Missourians with low incomes and forcing them to search for other providers.”

It’s the third — and Republicans hope final — attempt to end Medicaid reimbursements to any health centers affiliated with abortion providers.

Planned Parenthood alleges the state’s new restrictions violate federal Medicaid law, which protects patients’ right to choose their health care providers.&nbsp;

The Missouri Department of Social Services, which oversees the state’s Medicaid program, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Abortion has been banned in Missouri since 2022, but Planned Parenthood clinics in Illinois and Kansas continue to perform the procedure. In Missouri, Planned Parenthood clinics provide services such as contraceptive care, STI testing, cancer screenings and wellness checks.

Critics of the law have argued it would primarily harm low-income Missourians who could be forced to find a new provider through the state’s already strained public health safety net if Planned Parenthood cannot foot the bill for these patients long-term. This could delay critical and potentially life-saving care.

In Missouri, women on Medicaid are 10 times more likely to die within one year of pregnancy than those on private insurance, according to an August multi-year report on maternal mortality published by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

“The impact of defunding efforts will only further destabilize Missouri’s fragile safety net,”&nbsp; said Michelle Trupiano, executive director of Missouri Family Health Council in Monday’s press release, “by straining providers, extending wait times, and unnecessarily creating additional barriers for people accessing basic healthcare services.”

Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri have been without Medicaid reimbursements for more than two years as prior attempts by Republicans to pass similar restrictions through the state budget were litigated and struck down in court.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood says it will&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/09/missouri-planned-parenthood-medicaid-parson-law/">continue to serve Medicaid patients</a>&nbsp;despite the new law.

Some clinics, including Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, have offset the cost of care with private fundraising, according to the press release.

“Planned Parenthood’s doors remain open so patients can get the affordable, accessible care they rely on,” said Richard Muniz, interim president &amp; CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, “as we challenge the state’s latest, illegal attempt to exclude us from participating in the Medicaid program.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648771341385.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s Planned Parenthood affiliates are asking the state administrative hearing commission to block a new law that prohibits the organization from being reimbursed for serving Medicaid patients.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/28/missouri-looks-to-mirror-arkansas-law-that-forced-planned-parenthood-to-turn-away-patients/">law</a>&nbsp;goes into effect on Wednesday.Nearly one in five Planned Parenthood patients in Missouri is insured through MO HealthNet, the state’s Medicaid program that serves low-income and disabled residents and has long banned funding for abortion.The complaint to the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission was filed after Missouri’s two Planned Parenthood affiliates say they received notifications of their termination from Medicaid, effective Wednesday.“Despite an already overburdened health care safety net for Missouri Medicaid patients,” Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers wrote in a joint press release, “lawmakers prioritized the legislative ‘defunding’ of Planned Parenthood this last session, harming Missourians with low incomes and forcing them to search for other providers.”It’s the third — and Republicans hope final — attempt to end Medicaid reimbursements to any health centers affiliated with abortion providers.Planned Parenthood alleges the state’s new restrictions violate federal Medicaid law, which protects patients’ right to choose their health care providers.&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Social Services, which oversees the state’s Medicaid program, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.Abortion has been banned in Missouri since 2022, but Planned Parenthood clinics in Illinois and Kansas continue to perform the procedure. In Missouri, Planned Parenthood clinics provide services such as contraceptive care, STI testing, cancer screenings and wellness checks.Critics of the law have argued it would primarily harm low-income Missourians who could be forced to find a new provider through the state’s already strained public health safety net if Planned Parenthood cannot foot the bill for these patients long-term. This could delay critical and potentially life-saving care.In Missouri, women on Medicaid are 10 times more likely to die within one year of pregnancy than those on private insurance, according to an August multi-year report on maternal mortality published by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.“The impact of defunding efforts will only further destabilize Missouri’s fragile safety net,”&nbsp; said Michelle Trupiano, executive director of Missouri Family Health Council in Monday’s press release, “by straining providers, extending wait times, and unnecessarily creating additional barriers for people accessing basic healthcare services.”Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri have been without Medicaid reimbursements for more than two years as prior attempts by Republicans to pass similar restrictions through the state budget were litigated and struck down in court.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood says it will&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/09/missouri-planned-parenthood-medicaid-parson-law/">continue to serve Medicaid patients</a>&nbsp;despite the new law.Some clinics, including Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, have offset the cost of care with private fundraising, according to the press release.“Planned Parenthood’s doors remain open so patients can get the affordable, accessible care they rely on,” said Richard Muniz, interim president &amp; CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, “as we challenge the state’s latest, illegal attempt to exclude us from participating in the Medicaid program.”

Planned Parenthood challenges new Missouri law blocking Medicaid payments to its clinics

TPD is asking for the public’s help in identifying the vehicle and individual in this footage in relation to an ongoing investigation.

The vehicle was seen around 4:30 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of SW Eden Court in Topeka, according to a media release. 

If you have any information about this vehicle or the individual, please contact investigators at telltpd@topeka.org or report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or online at <a href="https://t.co/g6Ezl6yyVr" target="_blank">http://p3tips.com/128</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724719038233.png" alt="Photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>TPD is asking for the public’s help in identifying the vehicle and individual in this footage in relation to an ongoing investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724719129164.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The vehicle was seen around 4:30 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of SW Eden Court in Topeka, according to a media release. If you have any information about this vehicle or the individual, please contact investigators at telltpd@topeka.org or report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or online at <a href="https://t.co/g6Ezl6yyVr" target="_blank">http://p3tips.com/128</a>

Police ask for help to ID vehicle in Kansas investigation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Missouri,man has pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to rob a local bank but being foiled when the front door was locked, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jacob Lowell Hessing, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. on Aug. 22, to one count of attempted bank robbery. Hessing has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.

By pleading guilty, Hessing admitted that he attempted to rob Exchange Bank of Missouri in New Franklin on Sept. 9, 2023.

According to the plea agreement, the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department received calls from concerned citizens about a masked man dressed in black walking in downtown New Franklin, which has a population of about 1,000 residents. The man, later identified as Hessing, was reportedly carrying an AR-style rifle and attempted to enter Exchange Bank of Missouri. On Saturdays, however, the bank’s lobby is open by appointment only, and the outer door is locked.

Surveillance video showed Hessing walk to the bank and attempt to open the lobby door. He then got back into a red Chevy Equinox, which drove off at a high rate of speed. Investigators traced the vehicle to Hessing and executed a search warrant at his residence (about a block and a half from the bank) on Oct. 30, 2023. Federal agents found a Diamondback rifle, hidden in the basement, with a loaded magazine capable of holding more than 40 5.56mm cartridges, which was consistent with the weapon Hessing carried when he attempted to rob the bank. Ammunition also was found in the kitchen utensil drawer and several cartridges for the Diamondback rifle were found in the Equinox. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Hessing must forfeit the Diamondback rifle to the government.

Under federal statutes, Hessing is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724450068571.png" alt="Hessing-photo Howard Co." />
 <figcaption>Hessing-photo Howard Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Missouri,man has pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to rob a local bank but being foiled when the front door was locked, according to the United State's Attorney.Jacob Lowell Hessing, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. on Aug. 22, to one count of attempted bank robbery. Hessing has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.By pleading guilty, Hessing admitted that he attempted to rob Exchange Bank of Missouri in New Franklin on Sept. 9, 2023.According to the plea agreement, the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department received calls from concerned citizens about a masked man dressed in black walking in downtown New Franklin, which has a population of about 1,000 residents. The man, later identified as Hessing, was reportedly carrying an AR-style rifle and attempted to enter Exchange Bank of Missouri. On Saturdays, however, the bank’s lobby is open by appointment only, and the outer door is locked.Surveillance video showed Hessing walk to the bank and attempt to open the lobby door. He then got back into a red Chevy Equinox, which drove off at a high rate of speed. Investigators traced the vehicle to Hessing and executed a search warrant at his residence (about a block and a half from the bank) on Oct. 30, 2023. Federal agents found a Diamondback rifle, hidden in the basement, with a loaded magazine capable of holding more than 40 5.56mm cartridges, which was consistent with the weapon Hessing carried when he attempted to rob the bank. Ammunition also was found in the kitchen utensil drawer and several cartridges for the Diamondback rifle were found in the Equinox. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Hessing must forfeit the Diamondback rifle to the government.Under federal statutes, Hessing is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Man admits trying trying to rob bank but door was locked

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three women on multiple allegations after a weekend traffic stop.

Just after 6p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;August 24, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford F-150 pickup for a traffic infraction on U.S. Highway 75 near 118th Road in southern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Ashley Pauline Whitetail, 39 and&nbsp;Annie Rose Potts, 41, both of Mayetta, were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of interference with law enforcement and transporting an open container.

 Brenda Leigh Hinostroza, 39, of Berryton, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a depressant, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of weapons, transporting an open container and knowing allow uninsured vehicle on the roadway.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724705679946.png" alt="Whitetail photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Whitetail photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three women on multiple allegations after a weekend traffic stop.Just after 6p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;August 24, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford F-150 pickup for a traffic infraction on U.S. Highway 75 near 118th Road in southern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724705656628.png" alt="Potts photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Potts photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Ashley Pauline Whitetail, 39 and&nbsp;Annie Rose Potts, 41, both of Mayetta, were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of interference with law enforcement and transporting an open container.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724705745590.png" alt="Hinostroza photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hinostroza photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Brenda Leigh Hinostroza, 39, of Berryton, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a depressant, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of weapons, transporting an open container and knowing allow uninsured vehicle on the roadway.

Traffic stop ruins weekend trip for 3 Kansas women

On Monday, Aug. 19, Gerald Rahier, Arielle&nbsp;Lemos and their two young sons were driving when they were T-boned by a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper who was responding to another accident.

According to Katie Lyons of Hoxie, who created the GoFundMe account, after being struck, their car rolled about five times. Everyone in the car was badly injured. Gerald was pronounced dead at the scene.

Arielle and Jett, one of the children, were transported to the hospital, where they are both stable, according to Lyons

LJ, the other child, was life-flighted to Wichita with a skull fracture and brain bleed. He has stabilized and is improving, she said.

"We are starting this GoFundMe to help Arielle with the medical bills, a car since theirs was totaled in the wreck and funeral expenses for Jerry [Gerald]. Anything is helpful," Lyons said on GoFundMe.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-arielle-and-her-boys">Click here to view the fundraiser for the family .</a>

SHERIDAN COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the individuals involved in a second fatal accident that occurred Monday in Sheridan County.

According to the Highway Patrol, just after 11 a.m. Trooper Ethan Masterson, 27, Oakley, was responding to a&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/759ff407-0334-4dd7-8000-843c42f9d5e8">fatal accident</a>&nbsp;on KS-23 south of Hoxie when Masterson’s Dodge SUV collided with an SUV at the intersection of 100 S Road and 40 E Road, approximately four miles east of K-23.

The driver of the second SUV, Gerald D. Rahier, 42, Hoxie was killed in the accident.

A passenger, Arielle C. Lemos, 38, Hoxie and two children, ages 4 and 5, all suffered serious injuries and were transported to the&nbsp;Sheridan County Health Complex in Hoxie.

All four people in the SUV were properly restrained at the time of the accident.

The Highway Patrol reported Masterson did have his lights and sirens activated at the time of the accident He was not injured.

SHERIDAN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash involving a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper.

Just after 11 a.m. Monday, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper was responding to a two-vehicle fatality collision involving a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) that occurred on K-23 between Hoxie and Interstate 70 in Sheridan County, according to a media release from the KHP.

The Trooper was westbound on 100 South Road with emergency lights and siren activated as he approached the intersection at 40 East Road.&nbsp;

The Trooper entered the intersection and struck the driver’s side of a southbound SUV.&nbsp; As a result of the collision, the male driver was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; A female passenger in the front passenger seat and a child passenger were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Another child passenger was air-lifted from the collision scene. The trooper was treated and released from the scene.

The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724702963257.png" alt="Photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, Aug. 19, Gerald Rahier, Arielle&nbsp;Lemos and their two young sons were driving when they were T-boned by a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper who was responding to another accident.According to Katie Lyons of Hoxie, who created the GoFundMe account, after being struck, their car rolled about five times. Everyone in the car was badly injured. Gerald was pronounced dead at the scene.Arielle and Jett, one of the children, were transported to the hospital, where they are both stable, according to LyonsLJ, the other child, was life-flighted to Wichita with a skull fracture and brain bleed. He has stabilized and is improving, she said."We are starting this GoFundMe to help Arielle with the medical bills, a car since theirs was totaled in the wreck and funeral expenses for Jerry [Gerald]. Anything is helpful," Lyons said on GoFundMe.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-arielle-and-her-boys">Click here to view the fundraiser for the family .</a>————Wednesday, Aug 21SHERIDAN COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the individuals involved in a second fatal accident that occurred Monday in Sheridan County.According to the Highway Patrol, just after 11 a.m. Trooper Ethan Masterson, 27, Oakley, was responding to a&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/759ff407-0334-4dd7-8000-843c42f9d5e8">fatal accident</a>&nbsp;on KS-23 south of Hoxie when Masterson’s Dodge SUV collided with an SUV at the intersection of 100 S Road and 40 E Road, approximately four miles east of K-23.The driver of the second SUV, Gerald D. Rahier, 42, Hoxie was killed in the accident.A passenger, Arielle C. Lemos, 38, Hoxie and two children, ages 4 and 5, all suffered serious injuries and were transported to the&nbsp;Sheridan County Health Complex in Hoxie.All four people in the SUV were properly restrained at the time of the accident.The Highway Patrol reported Masterson did have his lights and sirens activated at the time of the accident He was not injured.----SHERIDAN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash involving a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper.Just after 11 a.m. Monday, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper was responding to a two-vehicle fatality collision involving a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) that occurred on K-23 between Hoxie and Interstate 70 in Sheridan County, according to a media release from the KHP.The Trooper was westbound on 100 South Road with emergency lights and siren activated as he approached the intersection at 40 East Road.&nbsp;The Trooper entered the intersection and struck the driver’s side of a southbound SUV.&nbsp; As a result of the collision, the male driver was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; A female passenger in the front passenger seat and a child passenger were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Another child passenger was air-lifted from the collision scene. The trooper was treated and released from the scene.The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation at this time.

Fundraiser established for family in deadly crash with KHP trooper 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal house explosion in rural Excelsior Springs, Missouri have identified the victims as 70-year-old Oliver W. Campbell and 65-year-old Katherine A. Campbell. Both lived at the house at 14406 Kimberly Drive according to the Clay County Sheriff's office.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office also confirmed there was a gas leak in the home.&nbsp;“Because of the force of the explosion and extent of structural damage, no cause could be identified as to the source of the gas leak or the ignition source. The Missouri Division of Fire Safety classified the explosion as undetermined.”

It will take up to 30 days for their full incident report to be complete.

Just after 4:30 a.m. Friday, the Clay County Sheriff's office reported they were contacted about a house that exploded at 14406 Kimberly Drive.

Deputies found the house was completely destroyed, and a fire was burning. The blast could be felt and seen for many miles and blew open the doors of neighbors’ houses.

Oliver and Katherine Campbell&nbsp; lived at the home, and initially investigators did not know whether they were home at the time of the blast.

Just after noon Friday the sheriff's office reported deputies and firefighters located their bodies in the rubble of the home.

 Deputies also located a dog that appears to have been killed by the explosion. The Missouri Search and Rescue Canines and the Excelsior Springs Fire Department, assisted in the search for victims.

Investigators have found no evidence of foul play.&nbsp;Excelsior Springs is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724702841895.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal house explosion in rural Excelsior Springs, Missouri have identified the victims as 70-year-old Oliver W. Campbell and 65-year-old Katherine A. Campbell. Both lived at the house at 14406 Kimberly Drive according to the Clay County Sheriff's office.The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office also confirmed there was a gas leak in the home.&nbsp;“Because of the force of the explosion and extent of structural damage, no cause could be identified as to the source of the gas leak or the ignition source. The Missouri Division of Fire Safety classified the explosion as undetermined.”It will take up to 30 days for their full incident report to be complete.Just after 4:30 a.m. Friday, the Clay County Sheriff's office reported they were contacted about a house that exploded at 14406 Kimberly Drive.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSheriffClayCo%2Fvideos%2F862240312124026%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Deputies found the house was completely destroyed, and a fire was burning. The blast could be felt and seen for many miles and blew open the doors of neighbors’ houses.Oliver and Katherine Campbell&nbsp; lived at the home, and initially investigators did not know whether they were home at the time of the blast.Just after noon Friday the sheriff's office reported deputies and firefighters located their bodies in the rubble of the home. Deputies also located a dog that appears to have been killed by the explosion. The Missouri Search and Rescue Canines and the Excelsior Springs Fire Department, assisted in the search for victims.Investigators have found no evidence of foul play.&nbsp;Excelsior Springs is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Kansas City.

Sheriff IDs husband, wife who died in KC area home explosion

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">MEG CUNNINGHAM</a>

Evergy confused and angered its Missouri customers in 2023 when it rolled out time-of-use rates that meant prices would run highest when people use the most electricity.

Missourians, especially those on fixed incomes, complained of high costs and having to choose between things like groceries and their medications or powering their homes during peak hours.

Now, Evergy Missouri West, which has a monopoly on service for much of the western part of Missouri outside of Kansas City, is heading back to its regulator to ask for more from the 340,000 users in the region. (<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/26/evergy-west-rate-increase-2025/" target="_blank">Here’s how you can weigh in</a>.)

Evergy wants the Public Service Commission to OK a 13.99% increase in electric rates, giving the company up to&nbsp;<a href="https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/42672-evergy-files-rate-request-with-missouri-regulators/" target="_blank">$104.5 million more in revenue&nbsp;</a>a year. In 2023, the company reported&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.evergy.com/news-releases/news-release-details/evergy-announces-2023-results-declares-quarterly-dividend-and" target="_blank">$731 million</a>&nbsp;in earnings.

“As people do we pick between: are we eating, or are we paying our power bill?” said Kelly Smith, who showed up to testify at a&nbsp;<a href="https://psc.mo.gov/VideoDetail.aspx?Id=6753" target="_blank">public hearing</a>&nbsp;in St. Joseph on the proposed rate hike. “My bill is just shy of $300. I work all the time. I’m hardly ever home.&nbsp; … My thermostat is set to 75 degrees.”

The Public Service Commission held several hearings across Evergy’s coverage area in late July. Dozens of Missourians, including lawmakers, showed up to argue against the rate hike. They shared stories of $700 bills, finding every energy-efficient upgrade to their home they could and making tough choices about which bills to pay.

Just because the company asked for a rate increase doesn’t mean it’ll get what it asked for. The commission started an 11-month review in February. It will decide in December how much rates might go up starting Jan. 1.

Why is Evergy asking for a rate increase?

Evergy argues it needs the higher rates to recoup money it spent on two natural-gas plants and for a range of upgrades to withstand severe weather and surges of demand for electricity.

The upgrades in the grid have already been made, said Gina Penzig, a spokesperson for Evergy.

“We make the investments and the power grid, and then we go to the commission and ask to recover those investments,” Penzig said.&nbsp; “So we are asking for money that the company has already spent.”

The company is asking for funds to aid in its purchase of part of a natural-gas plant in Pleasant Hill to generate more electricity for the region. It’s also reupping its longtime request to make back some of the cost of transporting power from a natural-gas plant in Mississippi to Missouri, a request the state regulators have previously denied.

Evergy has conducted studies that show transmitting the energy from Mississippi to Missouri is the most cost-effective method of serving some customers. If they can’t recover those costs, Evergy may have to revisit the issue in the future to find another way to transmit that energy, Penzig said.

The rate hike request alarmed some Evergy customers, which drew the attention of lawmakers. They’d already been hearing complaints about the time-based plans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/missouri-overhauls-electric-rates-raising-rewards-and-risks-for-customers/" target="_blank">mandated</a>&nbsp;by the commission.

“They said that the average customer was supposed to have a rate decrease,” said Rep. Dean VanSchoiack, a Republican who represents parts of the state north of St. Joseph. “I’ve not met that average customer yet.”

He takes issue with how Evergy is passing along the costs of its upgrades to customers, who don’t have the choice of simply switching providers if they can’t keep up with the bill.

“From what I understand right now — 13.99% — it’s mostly to cover the expenses they did upgrading their poles and lines,” VanSchoiack said. “I was in business. You have to make money…but there are certain costs of doing business that you don’t get to expense right away.”

But because utility companies are monopolies, they aren’t faced with the same burdens of a typical business in a free market.

“Utilities are basically glorified construction companies,” said Geoff Marke, the chief economist at the Missouri Office of Public Counsel, a sort of ombudsman. “When they build assets, they make a return on it. So they have a perverse incentive to build as much as they can.”

Evergy says its rates lag its peers across the country. But the OPC said that lacks context.

When Evergy was formed in 2018 from the merger of Kansas City Power and Light Co. and Westar, regulators froze its rates for five years.

In 2018, the Missouri General Assembly passed a law that allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://themissouritimes.com/four-years-after-sb564s-grid-investments-electric-rates-stagnant/" target="_blank">utilities to access plant-in-service accounting</a>, which spreads out the cost of investments over years. Those costs are typically passed on to the consumer.

“I’d say it’s much less ‘We didn’t ask for anything,’” said John Clizer, the senior counsel for the Office of Public Counsel, “and much more about ‘We delayed asking for a lot of things, but you are still going to pay for all of that.’ They may not have gotten the rate increases, but you’re also seeing all these other increases to certain charges.”

The Public Service Commission’s options&nbsp;

The Public Service Commission consists of five members and has the power to approve the rate increase as is, deny it or respond with a rate different than what Evergy asked for. The commissioners are appointed by the governor. Gov. Mike Parson has appointed all but one of the current members, who have a staff of over 200 at their disposal.

The commission is&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/01/24/kansas-city-energy-bills-regulation-utility-commissions/" target="_blank">structured like</a>&nbsp;its regulatory counterpart in Kansas, the Kansas Corporation Commission. The KCC has three members, also appointed by the state’s governor. They approved a&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2023/11/21/kansas-regulators-give-evergy-a-smaller-electrical-rate-hike-than-it-asked-for/" target="_blank">rate increase in November</a>&nbsp;for Evergy’s central Kansas customers, also to cover costs associated with power plant investments and new infrastructure.

The proposed rate increase comes as many Republicans in Jefferson City are looking to regulate the regulator. After frustration over the time-based plans, some lawmakers want to add two more people to the commission and require more varied professions. &nbsp;Some proposed legislation looks to require some members to have farming or utility backgrounds.

Kayla Hahn is the current chair of the commission. She was most recently Parson’s policy director. Three other members previously served in the Missouri General Assembly. The most recent addition to the commission is John Mitchell, who spent over three decades in various roles at Burns &amp; McDonnell Engineering in Kansas City.

Renew Missouri, a group that advocates for the state to move toward cleaner energy sources, says the most recent appointment is breaking from the traditional model.

“Generally it’s been lawmakers and aides to the governor who are on there,” said James Owen, the group’s executive director. “I think it’s good to see different professions represented there.”

Some lawmakers, like VanSchoiack, want to see commissioners who aren’t necessarily politicians.

“They’re working too much for the power companies, not enough for the people,” VanSchoiack said.

Owen said the commission is “pro-utility.”

“They need to be confronted with the fact this is not just some line on a balance sheet,” Owen said. “It is actually real people who are struggling and suffering.”

VanShoiack isn’t confident that all of the legislature or Republican leadership sees the need to take another look at the structure of the commission.

“We need to be looking at things that really do truly help people,” VanShoiack said. “I think we’d be better off if we did try to focus more on some of these issues and less on the political issues.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/26/evergy-west-2025-rate-increase/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669224062037.png" alt="Evergy headquarters in downtown Topeka, Kansas (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)." />
 <figcaption>Evergy headquarters in downtown Topeka, Kansas (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/megcunningham/">MEG CUNNINGHAM</a>Evergy confused and angered its Missouri customers in 2023 when it rolled out time-of-use rates that meant prices would run highest when people use the most electricity.Missourians, especially those on fixed incomes, complained of high costs and having to choose between things like groceries and their medications or powering their homes during peak hours.Now, Evergy Missouri West, which has a monopoly on service for much of the western part of Missouri outside of Kansas City, is heading back to its regulator to ask for more from the 340,000 users in the region. (<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/26/evergy-west-rate-increase-2025/" target="_blank">Here’s how you can weigh in</a>.)Evergy wants the Public Service Commission to OK a 13.99% increase in electric rates, giving the company up to&nbsp;<a href="https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/42672-evergy-files-rate-request-with-missouri-regulators/" target="_blank">$104.5 million more in revenue&nbsp;</a>a year. In 2023, the company reported&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.evergy.com/news-releases/news-release-details/evergy-announces-2023-results-declares-quarterly-dividend-and" target="_blank">$731 million</a>&nbsp;in earnings.“As people do we pick between: are we eating, or are we paying our power bill?” said Kelly Smith, who showed up to testify at a&nbsp;<a href="https://psc.mo.gov/VideoDetail.aspx?Id=6753" target="_blank">public hearing</a>&nbsp;in St. Joseph on the proposed rate hike. “My bill is just shy of $300. I work all the time. I’m hardly ever home.&nbsp; … My thermostat is set to 75 degrees.”The Public Service Commission held several hearings across Evergy’s coverage area in late July. Dozens of Missourians, including lawmakers, showed up to argue against the rate hike. They shared stories of $700 bills, finding every energy-efficient upgrade to their home they could and making tough choices about which bills to pay.Just because the company asked for a rate increase doesn’t mean it’ll get what it asked for. The commission started an 11-month review in February. It will decide in December how much rates might go up starting Jan. 1.<h2>Why is Evergy asking for a rate increase?</h2>Evergy argues it needs the higher rates to recoup money it spent on two natural-gas plants and for a range of upgrades to withstand severe weather and surges of demand for electricity.The upgrades in the grid have already been made, said Gina Penzig, a spokesperson for Evergy.“We make the investments and the power grid, and then we go to the commission and ask to recover those investments,” Penzig said.&nbsp; “So we are asking for money that the company has already spent.”The company is asking for funds to aid in its purchase of part of a natural-gas plant in Pleasant Hill to generate more electricity for the region. It’s also reupping its longtime request to make back some of the cost of transporting power from a natural-gas plant in Mississippi to Missouri, a request the state regulators have previously denied.Evergy has conducted studies that show transmitting the energy from Mississippi to Missouri is the most cost-effective method of serving some customers. If they can’t recover those costs, Evergy may have to revisit the issue in the future to find another way to transmit that energy, Penzig said.The rate hike request alarmed some Evergy customers, which drew the attention of lawmakers. They’d already been hearing complaints about the time-based plans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/missouri-overhauls-electric-rates-raising-rewards-and-risks-for-customers/" target="_blank">mandated</a>&nbsp;by the commission.“They said that the average customer was supposed to have a rate decrease,” said Rep. Dean VanSchoiack, a Republican who represents parts of the state north of St. Joseph. “I’ve not met that average customer yet.”He takes issue with how Evergy is passing along the costs of its upgrades to customers, who don’t have the choice of simply switching providers if they can’t keep up with the bill.“From what I understand right now — 13.99% — it’s mostly to cover the expenses they did upgrading their poles and lines,” VanSchoiack said. “I was in business. You have to make money…but there are certain costs of doing business that you don’t get to expense right away.”But because utility companies are monopolies, they aren’t faced with the same burdens of a typical business in a free market.“Utilities are basically glorified construction companies,” said Geoff Marke, the chief economist at the Missouri Office of Public Counsel, a sort of ombudsman. “When they build assets, they make a return on it. So they have a perverse incentive to build as much as they can.”Evergy says its rates lag its peers across the country. But the OPC said that lacks context.When Evergy was formed in 2018 from the merger of Kansas City Power and Light Co. and Westar, regulators froze its rates for five years.In 2018, the Missouri General Assembly passed a law that allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://themissouritimes.com/four-years-after-sb564s-grid-investments-electric-rates-stagnant/" target="_blank">utilities to access plant-in-service accounting</a>, which spreads out the cost of investments over years. Those costs are typically passed on to the consumer.“I’d say it’s much less ‘We didn’t ask for anything,’” said John Clizer, the senior counsel for the Office of Public Counsel, “and much more about ‘We delayed asking for a lot of things, but you are still going to pay for all of that.’ They may not have gotten the rate increases, but you’re also seeing all these other increases to certain charges.”<h2>The Public Service Commission’s options&nbsp;</h2>The Public Service Commission consists of five members and has the power to approve the rate increase as is, deny it or respond with a rate different than what Evergy asked for. The commissioners are appointed by the governor. Gov. Mike Parson has appointed all but one of the current members, who have a staff of over 200 at their disposal.The commission is&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/01/24/kansas-city-energy-bills-regulation-utility-commissions/" target="_blank">structured like</a>&nbsp;its regulatory counterpart in Kansas, the Kansas Corporation Commission. The KCC has three members, also appointed by the state’s governor. They approved a&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2023/11/21/kansas-regulators-give-evergy-a-smaller-electrical-rate-hike-than-it-asked-for/" target="_blank">rate increase in November</a>&nbsp;for Evergy’s central Kansas customers, also to cover costs associated with power plant investments and new infrastructure.The proposed rate increase comes as many Republicans in Jefferson City are looking to regulate the regulator. After frustration over the time-based plans, some lawmakers want to add two more people to the commission and require more varied professions. &nbsp;Some proposed legislation looks to require some members to have farming or utility backgrounds.Kayla Hahn is the current chair of the commission. She was most recently Parson’s policy director. Three other members previously served in the Missouri General Assembly. The most recent addition to the commission is John Mitchell, who spent over three decades in various roles at Burns &amp; McDonnell Engineering in Kansas City.Renew Missouri, a group that advocates for the state to move toward cleaner energy sources, says the most recent appointment is breaking from the traditional model.“Generally it’s been lawmakers and aides to the governor who are on there,” said James Owen, the group’s executive director. “I think it’s good to see different professions represented there.”Some lawmakers, like VanSchoiack, want to see commissioners who aren’t necessarily politicians.“They’re working too much for the power companies, not enough for the people,” VanSchoiack said.Owen said the commission is “pro-utility.”“They need to be confronted with the fact this is not just some line on a balance sheet,” Owen said. “It is actually real people who are struggling and suffering.”VanShoiack isn’t confident that all of the legislature or Republican leadership sees the need to take another look at the structure of the commission.“We need to be looking at things that really do truly help people,” VanShoiack said. “I think we’d be better off if we did try to focus more on some of these issues and less on the political issues.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/26/evergy-west-2025-rate-increase/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<figure>
 <img src="https://thebeaconnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iconbeacon-150x150.png?crop=1" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://thebeaconnews.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=24033" alt="" />
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Evergy is hoping its regulators OK higher electric bills for its Missouri customers

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

Just before 2a.m. Sunday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the area of 82nd and Holmes Road on reported sound of shots call, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.'

First responders began searching for possible victims or a crime scene. While canvassing the area, police found a man later identified as 21-year-old Treshaun Wright, inside a vehicle suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

If you or anyone you know has information regarding the homicide, police ask that you call detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at (826) 474-8477.

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just before 2a.m. Sunday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the area of 82nd and Holmes Road on reported sound of shots call, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.'First responders began searching for possible victims or a crime scene. While canvassing the area, police found a man later identified as 21-year-old Treshaun Wright, inside a vehicle suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.If you or anyone you know has information regarding the homicide, police ask that you call detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at (826) 474-8477.

Police ID homicide victim found in car in Kansas City

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the discovery of a body on the railroad tracks in rural Cowley County.

Just after 2:30p.m. Sunday, Cowley County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the railroad tracks west of the Kansas 15 and U.S. 77 Highway junction for the remains of a human body on the tracks, according to Sheriff Dave Faletti.

A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad employee found the body. Deputies notified the coroner. An autopsy has been requested by the Coroner at the Kansas Forensic Science Center to identify the remains. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724684820865.png" alt="Rail line in Cowley County-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Rail line in Cowley County-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the discovery of a body on the railroad tracks in rural Cowley County.Just after 2:30p.m. Sunday, Cowley County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the railroad tracks west of the Kansas 15 and U.S. 77 Highway junction for the remains of a human body on the tracks, according to Sheriff Dave Faletti.A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad employee found the body. Deputies notified the coroner. An autopsy has been requested by the Coroner at the Kansas Forensic Science Center to identify the remains.

Sheriff working to ID body found on rural Kan. railroad tracks

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 1p.m.&nbsp; Friday, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway in Osage County for a traffic violation according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

The deputy found illegal narcotics were located during the stop and took Jacob B. Lester, 25, of Scranton into custody. Lester is being held on requested charges of Possession of cocaine and an illegal registration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724589374868.png" alt="Lester-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Lester-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 1p.m.&nbsp; Friday, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway in Osage County for a traffic violation according to Sheriff Chris Wells.The deputy found illegal narcotics were located during the stop and took Jacob B. Lester, 25, of Scranton into custody. Lester is being held on requested charges of Possession of cocaine and an illegal registration.

Sheriff's K9 deputy caught Kan. man transporting cocaine

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

A pair of Republican state legislators and an anti-abortion activist filed a lawsuit Thursday asking a judge to block an abortion-rights constitutional amendment from appearing on the Nov. 5 ballot.&nbsp;

State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly and Kathy Forck<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/07/gop-legislators-file-lawsuit-challenging-cost-estimate-of-missouri-abortion-rights-amendment/">&nbsp;sued last year challenging the cost estimate for a proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;rolling back Missouri’s ban on abortion.&nbsp;

The campaign behind the proposal ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">turned in enough signatures to earn a spot on the November ballot</a>, where it is set to appear as Amendment 3.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Coleman, Kelly, Forck and Marguerite Forrest, the operator of a shelter for homeless pregnant women in St. Louis County, filed a new lawsuit in Cole Circuit Court arguing that the decision to place the amendment on the ballot should be reversed.

The amendment violates the Missouri Constitution, the lawsuit argues, because it illegally includes more than one subject. It also fails to specify the laws and constitutional provisions that would be repealed if it were approved by voters, the lawsuit argues.&nbsp;

In a joint statement released to the media, the plaintiffs said Amendment 3&nbsp;is a “direct threat to the lives of Missouri women by erasing the will of voters who chose to protect the safety of women and the child by electing strong pro-life leaders.”

Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, which is supporting Amendment 3, called Thursday’s lawsuit “yet another baseless and desperate attempt from politicians to silence Missouri voters and prevent them from being heard. We will not let that happen.”

Sweet said she is confident the courts will “see through this thinly veiled effort to block Missouri voters and dismiss it swiftly.”

Missouri was the first state to ban abortion after the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the constitutional right to the procedure. Since then, abortion has been virtually illegal, with limited exceptions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.

If approved by voters, Amendment 3 would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability, an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.&nbsp;

Such an amendment would return Missouri to the standard of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which also legalized abortion up to the point of fetal viability. Missouri’s amendment also includes exceptions after viability “to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.”

Missouri’s amendment also states that women and those performing or assisting in abortions cannot be prosecuted. Under current Missouri law, doctors who perform abortions deemed unnecessary can be charged with a class B felony and face up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.

The lawsuit filed Thursday argues that Amendment 3 illegally includes more than one subject, in part because of its use of the phrase “fundamental right to reproductive freedom.”&nbsp;

The lawsuit argues this phrase is “unlimited in scope” and is “systematically neutralizing all laws, existing or future, that attempt to limit this new, limitless ‘right to reproductive freedom.’” It lays out numerous restrictions on abortion and other laws that could be repealed by Amendment 3 if it were approved by voters, including restrictions on when abortions can be performed and bans on certain stem cell research.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724676157886.png" alt="Students hold up anti-abortion signs at the Midwest March for Life on May 1 at the Missouri State Capitol (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Students hold up anti-abortion signs at the Midwest March for Life on May 1 at the Missouri State Capitol (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A pair of Republican state legislators and an anti-abortion activist filed a lawsuit Thursday asking a judge to block an abortion-rights constitutional amendment from appearing on the Nov. 5 ballot.&nbsp;State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly and Kathy Forck<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/07/gop-legislators-file-lawsuit-challenging-cost-estimate-of-missouri-abortion-rights-amendment/">&nbsp;sued last year challenging the cost estimate for a proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;rolling back Missouri’s ban on abortion.&nbsp;The campaign behind the proposal ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">turned in enough signatures to earn a spot on the November ballot</a>, where it is set to appear as Amendment 3.&nbsp;On Thursday, Coleman, Kelly, Forck and Marguerite Forrest, the operator of a shelter for homeless pregnant women in St. Louis County, filed a new lawsuit in Cole Circuit Court arguing that the decision to place the amendment on the ballot should be reversed.The amendment violates the Missouri Constitution, the lawsuit argues, because it illegally includes more than one subject. It also fails to specify the laws and constitutional provisions that would be repealed if it were approved by voters, the lawsuit argues.&nbsp;In a joint statement released to the media, the plaintiffs said Amendment 3&nbsp;is a “direct threat to the lives of Missouri women by erasing the will of voters who chose to protect the safety of women and the child by electing strong pro-life leaders.”Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, which is supporting Amendment 3, called Thursday’s lawsuit “yet another baseless and desperate attempt from politicians to silence Missouri voters and prevent them from being heard. We will not let that happen.”Sweet said she is confident the courts will “see through this thinly veiled effort to block Missouri voters and dismiss it swiftly.”Missouri was the first state to ban abortion after the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the constitutional right to the procedure. Since then, abortion has been virtually illegal, with limited exceptions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.If approved by voters, Amendment 3 would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability, an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.&nbsp;Such an amendment would return Missouri to the standard of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which also legalized abortion up to the point of fetal viability. Missouri’s amendment also includes exceptions after viability “to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.”Missouri’s amendment also states that women and those performing or assisting in abortions cannot be prosecuted. Under current Missouri law, doctors who perform abortions deemed unnecessary can be charged with a class B felony and face up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.The lawsuit filed Thursday argues that Amendment 3 illegally includes more than one subject, in part because of its use of the phrase “fundamental right to reproductive freedom.”&nbsp;The lawsuit argues this phrase is “unlimited in scope” and is “systematically neutralizing all laws, existing or future, that attempt to limit this new, limitless ‘right to reproductive freedom.’” It lays out numerous restrictions on abortion and other laws that could be repealed by Amendment 3 if it were approved by voters, including restrictions on when abortions can be performed and bans on certain stem cell research.&nbsp;

Lawsuit seeks to knock Missouri abortion-rights amendment off Nov. 5 ballot

NEOSHO COUNTY —A college student swimming with friends drowned Saturday.

Just after&nbsp;&nbsp;6:00 p.m August 24, Sheriff's Deputies along with the Chanute Fire Department and Kansas Game Wardens were dispatched to Detners Dam at 207th Road and Grady after report of a drowning, according to Neosho County Sheriff Greg Taylor.

The victim was 21-year-old male international student from Fiji, who has been attending the Neosho County Community College. 

He had been swimming with friends in the Neosho River. Witnesses stated the man jumped off of the dam and became caught in the current and drowned. The victims body has been recovered and sent for an autopsy.&nbsp; The man’s name is being withheld pending notification to family. 

NEOSHO COUNTY —A college student swimming with friends drowned Saturday.Just after&nbsp;&nbsp;6:00 p.m August 24, Sheriff's Deputies along with the Chanute Fire Department and Kansas Game Wardens were dispatched to Detners Dam at 207th Road and Grady after report of a drowning, according to Neosho County Sheriff Greg Taylor.The victim was 21-year-old male international student from Fiji, who has been attending the Neosho County Community College. He had been swimming with friends in the Neosho River. Witnesses stated the man jumped off of the dam and became caught in the current and drowned. The victims body has been recovered and sent for an autopsy.&nbsp; The man’s name is being withheld pending notification to family.

Sheriff: College student drowns swimming in Kansas river

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. – Ten people received minor injuries Sunday during the slow-moving wet microburst that brought heavy winds, lightning and rain to McConnell Air Force Base.

Six of the individuals were military medical personnel and four were civilian vendors, who each received minor injuries.&nbsp; One civilian male was transported to a local hospital. Another Airman was also transported to the hospital, but has since been discharged.&nbsp; All were outside on the flightline when the damaging winds occurred. Due to the timing of the inclement weather, spectators had not entered the event area.

Sunday's portion of the McConnell Frontiers in Flight Airshow had to be cancelled after a slow-moving wet microburst lingered over the base early Sunday morning.&nbsp; That microburst brought wind gusts of up to 54 mph to the McConnell flightline.

Because of damage to services, the base was unable to execute a safe airshow, and had to make the decision to cancel the airshow. Safety is always our first priority at McConnell, especially when it comes to hosting the community for an airshow.&nbsp;

Saturday’s session of McConnell’s Frontiers in Flight Airshow attracted more than 65,000 visitors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724616021735.png" alt="Photo Kansas Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. – Ten people received minor injuries Sunday during the slow-moving wet microburst that brought heavy winds, lightning and rain to McConnell Air Force Base.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724616069059.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>Six of the individuals were military medical personnel and four were civilian vendors, who each received minor injuries.&nbsp; One civilian male was transported to a local hospital. Another Airman was also transported to the hospital, but has since been discharged.&nbsp; All were outside on the flightline when the damaging winds occurred. Due to the timing of the inclement weather, spectators had not entered the event area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724616154182.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Sunday's portion of the McConnell Frontiers in Flight Airshow had to be cancelled after a slow-moving wet microburst lingered over the base early Sunday morning.&nbsp; That microburst brought wind gusts of up to 54 mph to the McConnell flightline.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724615907118.png" alt="Photo McConnell Air Force Base" />
 <figcaption>Photo McConnell Air Force Base</figcaption>
 </figure>Because of damage to services, the base was unable to execute a safe airshow, and had to make the decision to cancel the airshow. Safety is always our first priority at McConnell, especially when it comes to hosting the community for an airshow.&nbsp;Saturday’s session of McConnell’s Frontiers in Flight Airshow attracted more than 65,000 visitors.

Injuries reported after microburst that ended Kansas air show

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement in Overland Park requested assistance in locating a citizen and their dog involved in a dog bite incident.

The incident occurred just after noon on Sunday at the the playground at Young's Park, 7701 Antioch Road, in Overland Park, according to a media release. The dog is a medium size terrier- shepherd mix with smooth, short brown fur and pointy ears. The dog was off leash and with a 60-70-year-old white male who was wearing a blue shirt and red shorts.

If you have any information, please contact Overland Park Police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724636854410.png" alt="Photo Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement in Overland Park requested assistance in locating a citizen and their dog involved in a dog bite incident.The incident occurred just after noon on Sunday at the the playground at Young's Park, 7701 Antioch Road, in Overland Park, according to a media release. The dog is a medium size terrier- shepherd mix with smooth, short brown fur and pointy ears. The dog was off leash and with a 60-70-year-old white male who was wearing a blue shirt and red shorts.If you have any information, please contact Overland Park Police.

Police ask for help to locate dog in bite incident at Kan. park

WASHINGTON —While talks continue to accomplish a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, U.S. forces continue to face attacks in the Red Sea and Yemen.

On Friday&nbsp;U.S. forces killed&nbsp;Abu-’Abd al-Rahman al-Makki, a senior leader and commander with the Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group, Hurras al-Din, in a U.S. drone Strike in northwestern Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

He was responsible for overseeing terrorist operations from Syria.

Also on Friday, U.S. forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi missile system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and on August 22, destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi drones over the Red Sea and and another in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.  

On August 21, U.S. forces successfully destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi surface-to-air missile and radar system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

WASHINGTON —While talks continue to accomplish a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, U.S. forces continue to face attacks in the Red Sea and Yemen.On Friday&nbsp;U.S. forces killed&nbsp;Abu-’Abd al-Rahman al-Makki, a senior leader and commander with the Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group, Hurras al-Din, in a U.S. drone Strike in northwestern Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.He was responsible for overseeing terrorist operations from Syria.Also on Friday, U.S. forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi missile system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and on August 22, destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi drones over the Red Sea and and another in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. On August 21, U.S. forces successfully destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi surface-to-air missile and radar system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

Deadly week for U.S. forces in the Middle East

HARVEY COUNTY— The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) are conducting a death investigation after a fatal crash site was discovered in Harvey County, Kansas.

Just before 3p.m. Sunday, the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a property owner who had located a red 2011 Chevy Silverado crashed on his property.

Deputies responded to the area, which was a field near mile marker 32 at the U.S. Highway 50 and Interstate 135 interchange. A deceased male body was located inside the vehicle.

The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance at approximately 3:10 p.m. KHP’s Critical Highway Accident Response Team also responded to investigate. Investigators suspect the vehicle was driven off the road, where it crashed into a tree.&nbsp;

Positive identification remains pending. The registered owner of the vehicle is Jonathan Clayton, 42, of Peabody. Clayton is a former Kansas Department of Commerce office employee and the interim Peabody city clerk&nbsp; who has been missing since he was last sen on Aug. 3 in Marion County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723660277468.png" alt="Jonathan Clayton -photo from consulting firm site that lists Clayton as the principal owner." />
 <figcaption>Jonathan Clayton -photo from consulting firm site that lists Clayton as the principal owner.</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY— The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) are conducting a death investigation after a fatal crash site was discovered in Harvey County, Kansas.Just before 3p.m. Sunday, the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a property owner who had located a red 2011 Chevy Silverado crashed on his property.Deputies responded to the area, which was a field near mile marker 32 at the U.S. Highway 50 and Interstate 135 interchange. A deceased male body was located inside the vehicle.The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance at approximately 3:10 p.m. KHP’s Critical Highway Accident Response Team also responded to investigate. Investigators suspect the vehicle was driven off the road, where it crashed into a tree.&nbsp;Positive identification remains pending. The registered owner of the vehicle is Jonathan Clayton, 42, of Peabody. Clayton is a former Kansas Department of Commerce office employee and the interim Peabody city clerk&nbsp; who has been missing since he was last sen on Aug. 3 in Marion County.

KBI: Fatal crash involves vehicle registered to missing interim Peabody city clerk 

BATES COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent incident involving a child.

On August 20, Sheriffs Deputies responded to a home in rural Butler, Missouri after a juvenile called in and reported a man assaulted him with a tomahawk.

Deputies learned that the juvenile had been hit in the face with a hatchet style weapon by 39-year-old Michael L. Richards at the residence. When deputies collected identifying information from Richards, they discovered that Richards was wanted by U.S. Marshals on a federal warrant for violation of the conditions of probation and/or supervised released. 

Deputies also spoke to the Marshal Service who advised Deputies that during a prior encounter with Richards, he had reportedly shot at the Marshals and was reported to be an absconder. Richards was taken into custody for his active warrant. Charges stemming from the assault on the juvenile with a deadly weapon were submitted to the Bates County Prosecutor for review. Additional charges are expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724499840744.png" alt="Richards-photo Bates County" />
 <figcaption>Richards-photo Bates County</figcaption>
 </figure>BATES COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent incident involving a child.On August 20, Sheriffs Deputies responded to a home in rural Butler, Missouri after a juvenile called in and reported a man assaulted him with a tomahawk.Deputies learned that the juvenile had been hit in the face with a hatchet style weapon by 39-year-old Michael L. Richards at the residence. When deputies collected identifying information from Richards, they discovered that Richards was wanted by U.S. Marshals on a federal warrant for violation of the conditions of probation and/or supervised released. Deputies also spoke to the Marshal Service who advised Deputies that during a prior encounter with Richards, he had reportedly shot at the Marshals and was reported to be an absconder. Richards was taken into custody for his active warrant. Charges stemming from the assault on the juvenile with a deadly weapon were submitted to the Bates County Prosecutor for review. Additional charges are expected.

Man arrested after juvenile injured by tomahawk

KANSAS CITY —Two Kansas City men have been charged in connection with several armed robberies of local businesses this summer, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Richard Canton, 20,&nbsp; faces three counts of Robbery in the 1st Degree and three counts of Armed Criminal Action for robberies of businesses on Aug. 13, 15 and 16, while Dimitri DeCarlo McGill, 20,&nbsp; faces charges of Robbery in the 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action for the Aug. 16 business robbery.

According to court records, Kansas City police, responding on Aug. 16, to a robbery of a chain drug store, were told by a clerk that a man later identified as McGill pointed a handgun at her and demanded money from her register. 

She also saw a man later determined to be Canton walk around the store, then out toward the direction that McGill left. Detectives identified Canton from clothing he wore while he was captured on surveillance. In addition, evidence obtained from a search of an associate's residence linked the suspects to other robberies that will require more investigation.

Prosecutors noted that KCPD detectives used surveillance and police intelligence to quickly solve these robberies so these defendants could face charges.

Prosecutors requested a $200,000 cash-only bond for Canton and $100,000 for McGill.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724337803209.png" alt="McGill photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>McGill photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Two Kansas City men have been charged in connection with several armed robberies of local businesses this summer, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Richard Canton, 20,&nbsp; faces three counts of Robbery in the 1st Degree and three counts of Armed Criminal Action for robberies of businesses on Aug. 13, 15 and 16, while Dimitri DeCarlo McGill, 20,&nbsp; faces charges of Robbery in the 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action for the Aug. 16 business robbery.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724337738453.png" alt="Canton photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Canton photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, Kansas City police, responding on Aug. 16, to a robbery of a chain drug store, were told by a clerk that a man later identified as McGill pointed a handgun at her and demanded money from her register. She also saw a man later determined to be Canton walk around the store, then out toward the direction that McGill left. Detectives identified Canton from clothing he wore while he was captured on surveillance. In addition, evidence obtained from a search of an associate's residence linked the suspects to other robberies that will require more investigation.Prosecutors noted that KCPD detectives used surveillance and police intelligence to quickly solve these robberies so these defendants could face charges.Prosecutors requested a $200,000 cash-only bond for Canton and $100,000 for McGill.

Police surveillance helped catch two KC armed robbery suspects

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/caseyquinlan/">CASEY QUINLAN</a>&nbsp; State's Newsroom

Americans are racking up credit card debt as they struggle to keep up with the cost of living, and experts say those who earn the least are the hardest hit.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/caseyquinlan/">CASEY QUINLAN</a>&nbsp; State's Newsroom Americans are racking up credit card debt as they struggle to keep up with the cost of living, and experts say those who earn the least are the hardest hit.Total credit card balances rose 5.8% from a year ago, to $1.14 trillion,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;a recent New York Fed report. Equifax credit files through June show that credit card delinquency is still rising but that delinquency on consumer finance loans and retail cards fell and auto loan delinquency was flat.People use credit cards for all kinds of purchases, and despite the stereotype of consumers getting themselves into too much credit card debt so that they could buy a few extra flashy clothes or vacations, many of them are for necessities.So what does it mean for the economy that the average rate for people with a credit card balance was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/current/" target="_blank">22.76%</a>&nbsp;in May, that there is an expansion of financial tech products like “buy now, pay later,” and that many Americans find themselves unable to pay off that debt? It depends on your role in the economy, financial experts and economists say.“If you’re in that half who’s paying your cards in full and taking full advantage of rewards and buyer protections, life is great for you. That’s a very different story from someone who’s trapped in that expensive cycle of 20 to 25 to 30% interest month after month,” said Ted Rossman, Bankrate senior industry analyst.Still, the rate of growth in credit card debt has accelerated, which Rossman calls “potentially troublesome.”It’s impossible to look at rising credit card debt without acknowledging the high cost of living, such as housing prices. The Consumer Price Index, a measure of inflation, showed that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm" target="_blank">in July</a>, shelter increased 0.4% and made up 90% of that month’s rise in the all items index.“Inflation is definitely contributing to higher balances. Even if it’s a category like rent, which most people are not putting on a credit card, if you’re getting squeezed on rent, you have less money to go around for groceries and gas and other things that maybe you are putting on a credit card now,” he said.The Federal Reserve’s campaign to raise interest rates to bring down inflation also affects credit card debt and some economists say it is fueling economic inequality. Although the Fed paused rates last year, they are still fairly high and influence credit card rates. The Fed may cut rates in its September meeting if it continues to see cooling inflation data.“People who rely on credit cards and other forms of borrowing to finance all sorts of things in their lives, whether that’s food or purchases for investments in their education or purchases for their home or their children, disproportionately folks who are poor – they’re really hurting because interest rates are really high,” said Rakeen Mabud, chief economist and a senior fellow at Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive think tank. “These interest rates are really taking a toll on people’s day-to-day ability to live and finance their lives. It looks to me that the high interest rates at this point are actually causing more pain than the inflation that it is trying to combat.”In addition to the impact of the federal funds rate on credit cards, consumers are facing high annual percentage rate margins, or APR margins, which the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said were an all-time high in a February&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/credit-card-interest-rate-margins-at-all-time-high/" target="_blank">report</a>. The agency said rising APR margins are driving people into persistent debt and delinquency.“Credit card companies are gouging consumers with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/credit-card-interest-rate-margins-at-all-time-high/" target="_blank">record high</a>&nbsp;APR margins, which sit on top of the Fed’s already high interest rates. Profiteering by credit card companies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/credit-card-interest-rate-margins-at-all-time-high/" target="_blank">cost</a>&nbsp;people an extra $25 billion last year and is yet another example of corporations using inflation as a cover to rip people off,” Mabud said.A lack of competition in the credit industry doesn’t help matters for those struggling with credit card debt, added Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, which provides financial intelligence products.“There is some evidence that there’s less competition in that market and that’s allowing credit card lenders to enjoy wide margins,” he said.Mitria Wilson-Spotser, vice president and federal policy director at the Center for Responsible Lending, said she partly attributes the rise in credit card debt to some major credit card companies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/why-the-largest-credit-card-companies-are-suppressing-actual-payment-data-on-your-credit-report/" target="_blank">not reporting</a>&nbsp;payment data, which does not make it to their credit reports, hurting their credit score and leaving them with higher credit card rates or extending credit without basing it on an ability to repay.Consumers also have access to more financial tech products, like earned wage access programs, which let employees access their pay earlier for a fee, and buy now pay later products, said Wilson-Spotser. These products are not regulated in the same way as credit cards. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-takes-action-to-ensure-consumers-can-dispute-charges-and-obtain-refunds-on-buy-now-pay-later-loans/" target="_blank">issued a rule</a>&nbsp;in May to apply the same regulations to “buy now pay later” lenders as traditional credit cards.“There’s no obligation to ensure an ability to repay for the consumer, so that debt, which is kind of this phantom in the room, is combining with credit card debt, which I think is probably one of the reasons why we’re seeing an increase in delinquency among some consumers,” she said.Zandi said the people most likely to suffer financially from their credit card debt, lower-income people, only account for a sliver of the consumer spending driving the economy.“[High interest rates] is adding to the pressure on households who have revolving debt, that aren’t paying off their cards and are using the card as a way to borrow money and have outstanding debt. So that’s a real problem for those households,” he said. “… The economy can move forward and be just fine even if the folks in the bottom third are struggling. The economy can’t flourish but it can do what it’s doing.”That doesn’t mean the impact of the harms of high credit card rates and inflation, which is cooling but has done damage to households, will go unnoticed, however, Zandi said, alluding to building political pressure to improve people’s economic well-being.“But the political and social implications are enormous. You can see it in our fracture of politics and what’s going on in terms of the presidential election,” he said. “… Politics has been affected by the fact that lower-income households have seen their share of the economic pie decline from where it was when it was at its peak back in the late 70s, early 80s.”