SHAWNEE COUNTY – Topeka Police continue asking for the public’s help in identifying an individual who is believed to be involved in an ongoing theft investigation.

Just after 4:30 p.m., August 9,&nbsp; police responded to a reported theft at Kay Jeweler’s at West Ridge Mall, 1801 SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka, according to a media release.&nbsp;

 The alleged suspect, as shown in security camera images, left the area in a light blue Chevrolet Malibu with front end damage. He was last seen wearing a purple t-shirt, faded jeans, white shoes and silver chains around his neck. He has a tattoo on the top of his right wrist and on his upper left arm.

If you have any information about this incident 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 www.p3tips.com/128. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723667208542.png" alt="Photos Topeka police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Topeka police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY – Topeka Police continue asking for the public’s help in identifying an individual who is believed to be involved in an ongoing theft investigation.Just after 4:30 p.m., August 9,&nbsp; police responded to a reported theft at Kay Jeweler’s at West Ridge Mall, 1801 SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka, according to a media release.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723667318611.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> The alleged suspect, as shown in security camera images, left the area in a light blue Chevrolet Malibu with front end damage. He was last seen wearing a purple t-shirt, faded jeans, white shoes and silver chains around his neck. He has a tattoo on the top of his right wrist and on his upper left arm.If you have any information about this incident or the individual, please contact investigators attelltpd@topeka.org or report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or online at www.p3tips.com/128.

Police asking for help to ID Kan. jewelry store theft suspect

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man was sentenced to prison this week in connection with human trafficking in the Wichita area.

 District Judge Christopher Magana sentenced 56-year-old Alan Jones of Wichita, to 92 months with lifetime post release, according to the Sedigwick County District Attorney's office.

On June 25, Jones pled guilty to attempted commercial sexual exploitation of a child, promoting the sale of sexual relations, aggravated assault, attempted robbery, criminal threat and criminal damage to property.

The Judge Magana also ordered $4,961.41 in restitution go to his victims, $2500 to the Human Trafficking Assistance Fund, and $800 to the Sedgwick County Child Advocacy Center. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723752389845.png" alt="Jones from his arrest in December 2021 in Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Jones from his arrest in December 2021 in Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man was sentenced to prison this week in connection with human trafficking in the Wichita area. District Judge Christopher Magana sentenced 56-year-old Alan Jones of Wichita, to 92 months with lifetime post release, according to the Sedigwick County District Attorney's office.On June 25, Jones pled guilty to attempted commercial sexual exploitation of a child, promoting the sale of sexual relations, aggravated assault, attempted robbery, criminal threat and criminal damage to property.The Judge Magana also ordered $4,961.41 in restitution go to his victims, $2500 to the Human Trafficking Assistance Fund, and $800 to the Sedgwick County Child Advocacy Center.

Kansas man admitted promoting prostitution 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities captured a wanted suspect after a chase on the Interstate in the Kansas City area, according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

This driver chose not to stop for troopers. Shortly after, the vehicle crashed into a tree line off the interstate.

The driver was arrested for felony flee and elude. The passenger had 2 felony warrants with full extradition from Arizona for kidnapping and criminal threat.&nbsp;

Troopers found weapons in the vehicle. The KHP did not release the name of the driver or passenger.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723836084811.jpeg" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities captured a wanted suspect after a chase on the Interstate in the Kansas City area, according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol.This driver chose not to stop for troopers. Shortly after, the vehicle crashed into a tree line off the interstate.The driver was arrested for felony flee and elude. The passenger had 2 felony warrants with full extradition from Arizona for kidnapping and criminal threat.&nbsp;Troopers found weapons in the vehicle. The KHP did not release the name of the driver or passenger.

KHP: Suspect wanted for kidnapping crashed into tree line

JACKSON COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 11:00 a.m. August 14, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2007 Jeep for a traffic infraction near 102nd Road on southbound U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The driver of the vehicle was identified as 59-year-old, Yvonne Deloris Pink, of Topeka. 

Deputies arrested and booked her into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp;conceal/alter/destroy evidence in a felony case,  driving without a valid license, trafficking contraband into a correctional facility, interference with law enforcement, driving without a valid license and failure to maintain liability insurance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723815293723.png" alt="Pink-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Pink-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 11:00 a.m. August 14, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2007 Jeep for a traffic infraction near 102nd Road on southbound U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 59-year-old, Yvonne Deloris Pink, of Topeka. Deputies arrested and booked her into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp;conceal/alter/destroy evidence in a felony case, driving without a valid license, trafficking contraband into a correctional facility, interference with law enforcement, driving without a valid license and failure to maintain liability insurance.

Kan. woman accused of destroying evidence in a felony case

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/camikoons/">CAMI KOONS</a>&nbsp; for&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in a federal lawsuit accuses the Jackson County sheriff of threatening to arrest tribal police over a tax dispute with a gas station on the reservation.

The lawsuit against Sheriff Tim Morse signals an escalation in longstanding tensions over law enforcement jurisdiction on the nation’s land.

Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation chairman, said the sheriff does not collaborate with the nation.

“We have really had a checkered past with Jackson County, specifically the sheriff,” Rupnick said, noting Morse and his wife are former employees of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

In late May, the lawsuit says, Jackson County sheriff’s officers interfered with tribal police who were trying to serve cease and desist orders at Snak Atak. The nation alleges the gas station failed to charge and report tribe-specific taxes.

Last week, the nation was granted an order of exclusion, allowing tribal police to escort management from the business and to close its doors.

Snak Atak opened in March in the space formerly known as Indian Country Mini Mart. It sits just off northbound U.S. Highway 75, within the bounds of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reservation.

Prairie Band Potawatomi Tax Commission officials arrived on site after several months of the business selling “contraband cigarettes” — which means they don’t have the tribal tax sticker — and failing to submit necessary reports, the lawsuit says. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Complaint-PBPN-v-Jackson-Co-Sheriff.pdf">court filing</a>&nbsp;alleges tax commission officials were denied access to investigate the store.

Tax commission officials left to seek a cease and desist order. When they returned to the business on the same day, May 28, with tribal police to serve the order and to chain the doors of the business, Jackson County sheriff’s officers arrived and told tribal officials they could be subject to arrest if they did not leave.

“Our civil regulatory authority is absolute within the boundaries of the reservation,” Rupnick said. “Plus (Snak Atak) agreed to abiding by our laws.”

According to the court filing, Snak Atak applied for, and the tax commission approved, liquor, tobacco, business and motor fuel licenses. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbpindiantribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PBPN-Tribal-Tobacco-Wholesaler-Retailer-License-Application-revised-9.13.22.pdf" target="_blank">licenses state</a>&nbsp;the applicant “be bound by and comply with all laws of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and do hereby consensually submit to the jurisdiction of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.”

Raja Rain, manager at Snak Atak, said he did not know about the implications of his store with Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the tribal police until they showed up at the business in May. Rain said, in an interview before the shuttering of his business, he was not part of the permitting and paperwork phase of the business, but has managed the store since it opened.

“We don’t mind paying the taxes, but they need to make it clear: are we paying state or tribal?” Rain said. “They need to figure out to who we need to pay the taxes.”

Rain said he pays taxes to the state and has “everything legal,” since he and the owners are not members of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

The nation maintains that tribal membership is irrelevant to following its laws if a business is on the reservation.

Rain expressed concerns about maintaining the business if it has to pay additional taxes.

“We came to have a business,” Rain said. “How (are) we going to survive?”

Rupnick said the business, which is registered as Wamego Store LLC, did not appeal the cease and desist order in Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation District Court. Prairie Band Potawatomi Tax Commission officials returned in June on two additional occasions to investigate compliance, according to the order of exclusion.

The order of exclusion, granted by the nation’s district court to the tax commission, restricts the business from operating on the reservation and permits tribal police to escort employees from the reservation and to secure the business.

The tax commission and tribal police enforced the order without interference from sheriff’s officers on Aug. 8, according to a press release from the nation.

“They’ve pretty much made their own bed,” Rupnick said in an Aug. 7 interview with Kansas Reflector. “So I think that it’s time for us to end our relationship with them.”

Snak Atak’s attorney did not return requests for comment.

The lawsuit against Morse points to the jurisdictional disagreement at Snak Atak, but cites several additional instances, some related to parking violations, where Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation argues county law enforcement overstepped its bounds by dealing with civil, rather than criminal, actions.

The complaint says Morse and his office have “repeatedly and intentionally overstepped their lawful authority and interfered with the nation’s authority over activities on its reservation.”

Morse did not respond to requests for comment.

The nation, according to its complaint, seeks a declaration from the sheriff that the department lacked the authority to interfere at Snak Atak and lacks civil jurisdiction within the reservation, as well as a permanent injunction prohibiting sheriff’s officers from interfering in the nation’s civil-regulatory jurisdiction on the reservation.

“You would think that you would want to work together,” Rupnick said. “If you don’t have to dispatch an officer down to the reservation, why not try and work together with that?”

<a href="https://narf.org/tribal-state-jurisdiction/#kansas" target="_blank">Public Law 280</a>, established in 1953, gave Kansas civil and criminal jurisdiction on tribal lands, which, according to a&nbsp;<a href="http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.law.044" target="_blank">University of Nebraska Lincoln publication</a>, led “to virtually continuous disputes” and “jurisdictional uncertainty between tribal, city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.”

<a href="https://nativegov.org/news/its-time-to-end-public-law-280/" target="_blank">Native advocacy groups</a>&nbsp;have called for the end of the law, claiming it cedes power from the tribal police to the county. Rupnick said the same.

Rupnick said he has tried to develop a memorandum of understanding with the sheriff to establish which entity has jurisdiction where, but he said Morse was unwilling. He said he hopes the lawsuit can help forge a greater understanding and collaboration between the law enforcement agencies.

“We shouldn’t be adversaries,” Rupnick said, “Of course, I don’t want crime, but I also don’t want my sovereignty infringed upon either.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723904755384.png" alt=" Snak Atak opened in March in the former Indian Country Mini Mart on land within Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reservation. (Cami Koons for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Snak Atak opened in March in the former Indian Country Mini Mart on land within Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reservation. (Cami Koons for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/camikoons/">CAMI KOONS</a>&nbsp; for&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in a federal lawsuit accuses the Jackson County sheriff of threatening to arrest tribal police over a tax dispute with a gas station on the reservation.The lawsuit against Sheriff Tim Morse signals an escalation in longstanding tensions over law enforcement jurisdiction on the nation’s land.Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation chairman, said the sheriff does not collaborate with the nation.“We have really had a checkered past with Jackson County, specifically the sheriff,” Rupnick said, noting Morse and his wife are former employees of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.In late May, the lawsuit says, Jackson County sheriff’s officers interfered with tribal police who were trying to serve cease and desist orders at Snak Atak. The nation alleges the gas station failed to charge and report tribe-specific taxes.Last week, the nation was granted an order of exclusion, allowing tribal police to escort management from the business and to close its doors.Snak Atak opened in March in the space formerly known as Indian Country Mini Mart. It sits just off northbound U.S. Highway 75, within the bounds of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reservation.Prairie Band Potawatomi Tax Commission officials arrived on site after several months of the business selling “contraband cigarettes” — which means they don’t have the tribal tax sticker — and failing to submit necessary reports, the lawsuit says. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Complaint-PBPN-v-Jackson-Co-Sheriff.pdf">court filing</a>&nbsp;alleges tax commission officials were denied access to investigate the store.Tax commission officials left to seek a cease and desist order. When they returned to the business on the same day, May 28, with tribal police to serve the order and to chain the doors of the business, Jackson County sheriff’s officers arrived and told tribal officials they could be subject to arrest if they did not leave.“Our civil regulatory authority is absolute within the boundaries of the reservation,” Rupnick said. “Plus (Snak Atak) agreed to abiding by our laws.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723904723828.png" alt="Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick is chairman of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. (Cami Koons for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick is chairman of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. (Cami Koons for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>According to the court filing, Snak Atak applied for, and the tax commission approved, liquor, tobacco, business and motor fuel licenses. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbpindiantribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PBPN-Tribal-Tobacco-Wholesaler-Retailer-License-Application-revised-9.13.22.pdf" target="_blank">licenses state</a>&nbsp;the applicant “be bound by and comply with all laws of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and do hereby consensually submit to the jurisdiction of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.”Raja Rain, manager at Snak Atak, said he did not know about the implications of his store with Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the tribal police until they showed up at the business in May. Rain said, in an interview before the shuttering of his business, he was not part of the permitting and paperwork phase of the business, but has managed the store since it opened.“We don’t mind paying the taxes, but they need to make it clear: are we paying state or tribal?” Rain said. “They need to figure out to who we need to pay the taxes.”Rain said he pays taxes to the state and has “everything legal,” since he and the owners are not members of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.The nation maintains that tribal membership is irrelevant to following its laws if a business is on the reservation.Rain expressed concerns about maintaining the business if it has to pay additional taxes.“We came to have a business,” Rain said. “How (are) we going to survive?”Rupnick said the business, which is registered as Wamego Store LLC, did not appeal the cease and desist order in Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation District Court. Prairie Band Potawatomi Tax Commission officials returned in June on two additional occasions to investigate compliance, according to the order of exclusion.The order of exclusion, granted by the nation’s district court to the tax commission, restricts the business from operating on the reservation and permits tribal police to escort employees from the reservation and to secure the business.The tax commission and tribal police enforced the order without interference from sheriff’s officers on Aug. 8, according to a press release from the nation.“They’ve pretty much made their own bed,” Rupnick said in an Aug. 7 interview with Kansas Reflector. “So I think that it’s time for us to end our relationship with them.”Snak Atak’s attorney did not return requests for comment.The lawsuit against Morse points to the jurisdictional disagreement at Snak Atak, but cites several additional instances, some related to parking violations, where Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation argues county law enforcement overstepped its bounds by dealing with civil, rather than criminal, actions.The complaint says Morse and his office have “repeatedly and intentionally overstepped their lawful authority and interfered with the nation’s authority over activities on its reservation.”Morse did not respond to requests for comment.The nation, according to its complaint, seeks a declaration from the sheriff that the department lacked the authority to interfere at Snak Atak and lacks civil jurisdiction within the reservation, as well as a permanent injunction prohibiting sheriff’s officers from interfering in the nation’s civil-regulatory jurisdiction on the reservation.“You would think that you would want to work together,” Rupnick said. “If you don’t have to dispatch an officer down to the reservation, why not try and work together with that?”<a href="https://narf.org/tribal-state-jurisdiction/#kansas" target="_blank">Public Law 280</a>, established in 1953, gave Kansas civil and criminal jurisdiction on tribal lands, which, according to a&nbsp;<a href="http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.law.044" target="_blank">University of Nebraska Lincoln publication</a>, led “to virtually continuous disputes” and “jurisdictional uncertainty between tribal, city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.”<a href="https://nativegov.org/news/its-time-to-end-public-law-280/" target="_blank">Native advocacy groups</a>&nbsp;have called for the end of the law, claiming it cedes power from the tribal police to the county. Rupnick said the same.Rupnick said he has tried to develop a memorandum of understanding with the sheriff to establish which entity has jurisdiction where, but he said Morse was unwilling. He said he hopes the lawsuit can help forge a greater understanding and collaboration between the law enforcement agencies.“We shouldn’t be adversaries,” Rupnick said, “Of course, I don’t want crime, but I also don’t want my sovereignty infringed upon either.”

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation asks federal court to resolve jurisdiction dispute with sheriff

JOHNSON COUNTY — A Kansas teen is going to prison for a robbery and murder at a business in Shawnee, Kansas.

This week, Johnson County Judge Christina Dunn Gyllenborg, sentencd 19-year-old&nbsp; Kyleigh I. Guzman, to 147 months for the murder of Jarod Rogers.

In March, the Judge sentenced one of the other teens involved, 19-year-old Fernando Reyes-Lara, to 400 months in prison.

On January 17, Reyes-Lara pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery in the death of&nbsp; Rogers, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

On Nov. 30, 2022, police made a welfare check on a business in Shawnee and found Rogers with a gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital and died two days later.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705591117825.png" alt="Guzman-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Guzman-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY — A Kansas teen is going to prison for a robbery and murder at a business in Shawnee, Kansas.This week, Johnson County Judge Christina Dunn Gyllenborg, sentencd 19-year-old&nbsp; Kyleigh I. Guzman, to 147 months for the murder of Jarod Rogers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705590509354.png" alt="Reyes Lara photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Reyes Lara photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>In March, the Judge sentenced one of the other teens involved, 19-year-old Fernando Reyes-Lara, to 400 months in prison.On January 17, Reyes-Lara pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Robbery in the death of&nbsp; Rogers, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.On Nov. 30, 2022, police made a welfare check on a business in Shawnee and found Rogers with a gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital and died two days later.

Teen sentenced for robbery, killing at Kansas business

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/darrell-ehrlick/">DARRELL EHRLICK</a>

Nine states, including Kansas, are challenging an executive order by President Joe Biden that would enlist federal agencies to help register residents to vote, and those states say the order undermines their power to control elections, calling it a federally subsidized program aimed at boosting Democratic and left-leaning blocs.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen filed the federal lawsuit in court in Wichita. The nine states are Montana, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

The heart of the lawsuit is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/03/07/executive-order-on-promoting-access-to-voting/" target="_blank">Executive Order 14019</a>, which was issued on March 10, 2021, and directs federal agencies to “consider ways to expand citizens’ opportunities to register to vote and to obtain information about, and participate in, the electoral process.”

The states challenging the executive order say that Biden converts various federal agencies, turning them in part into “a voter registration organization” illegally. The attorneys general say that elections, including voter registration, are solely the province of states, guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Moreover, the states said that it’s an example of the federal government trying to usurp the sovereignty of the states, and giving the states no other choice than to resort to federal court. The lawsuit said the states were never invited into the process, never allowed to comment, and they accuse the Biden administration of hiding the plans.

“In response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act, the Biden-Harris Administration has asserted the plans are subject to privilege and may be withheld from public scrutiny,” the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit lists a number of federal agencies as defendants, including the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of The Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Education.

The lawsuit also claims that the National Voter Registration Act means that federal agencies cannot stand in the way of citizens voting, but it also said that voter registration activity is left to the states, and Biden’s order oversteps its authority.

The 41-page lawsuit outlines a number of ways the executive order commands the federal agencies to help bolster the efforts to register voters, for example:

“There is little detail about how agencies determine whether a third-party organization is ‘approved,’ ‘non-partisan,’ or what third-party organizations an agency can work with to promote voter registration,” the lawsuit said. “A rule that permits federal agencies to engage in voter registration activities trenches on States’ constitutionally protected sovereign rights.”

From a practical standpoint, the states claim that the federal government’s executive order doesn’t just exceed the constitution, but could threaten efforts in the individual states.

“The vast resources of the federal government render it unique among all possible entities engaged in voter registration. Because of the resources it can bring to bear, the federal government can engage in voter registration activities on a scale that will, as a practical matter, swamp any state’s attempt to regulate the government’s actions,” the lawsuit said.

Knudsen, Montana’s Attorney General, echoed that sentiment when he announced the lawsuit from Helena on Tuesday.

“Fair elections are an essential part of our country’s republic. Congress gave the states the power to oversee elections years ago,”&nbsp;Knudsen said.&nbsp;“I will not stand by while the Biden-Harris administration attempts to shamelessly garner votes by employing its own agencies to register voters and disregard states’ own voter registration systems, putting the integrity of our elections at risk.”

The states also said that encouraging a variety of different agencies without proper training put the elections at risk of fraud.

“They failed to consider the risk of fraud or to implement actions to prevent fraud, which threatens the integrity of state administration of elections,” the states said. “This includes, at a minimum, ensuring that illegal aliens do not register to vote through the plans the agency defendants put in place.”

It is already against federal law for noncitizens to vote in elections.

The states conclude the lawsuit by saying that the plans in the executive order weren’t motivated to help resident register to vote, rather they are part of a Democrat plan.

“(The executive order) was motivated by a partisan desire to unfairly increase the Democrat vote as shown by the fact that the order came from left-wing, progressive groups,” the lawsuit claims. “The purpose is to promote left-wing politicians and policies at elections.”

<a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2024/08/15/nine-gop-led-attorneys-general-sue-biden-administration-over-voter-registration-efforts/" target="_blank">This story</a>&nbsp;was produced by Daily Montanan, a States Newsroom affiliate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723829601184.png" alt="Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach joined eight other states in filing a lawsuit over President Joe Biden's 2021 executive order that directs federal agencies to look for ways to expand opportunities to register to vote. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach joined eight other states in filing a lawsuit over President Joe Biden's 2021 executive order that directs federal agencies to look for ways to expand opportunities to register to vote. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/darrell-ehrlick/">DARRELL EHRLICK</a>Nine states, including Kansas, are challenging an executive order by President Joe Biden that would enlist federal agencies to help register residents to vote, and those states say the order undermines their power to control elections, calling it a federally subsidized program aimed at boosting Democratic and left-leaning blocs.Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen filed the federal lawsuit in court in Wichita. The nine states are Montana, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Carolina.The heart of the lawsuit is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/03/07/executive-order-on-promoting-access-to-voting/" target="_blank">Executive Order 14019</a>, which was issued on March 10, 2021, and directs federal agencies to “consider ways to expand citizens’ opportunities to register to vote and to obtain information about, and participate in, the electoral process.”The states challenging the executive order say that Biden converts various federal agencies, turning them in part into “a voter registration organization” illegally. The attorneys general say that elections, including voter registration, are solely the province of states, guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.Moreover, the states said that it’s an example of the federal government trying to usurp the sovereignty of the states, and giving the states no other choice than to resort to federal court. The lawsuit said the states were never invited into the process, never allowed to comment, and they accuse the Biden administration of hiding the plans.“In response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act, the Biden-Harris Administration has asserted the plans are subject to privilege and may be withheld from public scrutiny,” the lawsuit claims.The lawsuit lists a number of federal agencies as defendants, including the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of The Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Education.The lawsuit also claims that the National Voter Registration Act means that federal agencies cannot stand in the way of citizens voting, but it also said that voter registration activity is left to the states, and Biden’s order oversteps its authority.The 41-page lawsuit outlines a number of ways the executive order commands the federal agencies to help bolster the efforts to register voters, for example:<ul>
 <li>The lawsuit accuses the Department of Justice of providing information to those who remain eligible to vote while in federal custody, as well as preparing prisoners about voting laws and rights before reentry.</li><li>It says that the Department of the Interior will disseminate information about registering and voting at schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education and tribal colleges and universities.</li><li>The order also encourages the Department of Agriculture to provide nonpartisan voter information through its borrowers and lenders about registration and voting.</li><li>Designating 2,400 American Job Centers, which provide employment guidance, training and career services, to become voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration Act.</li><li>Allowing public housing community areas space for certain election-related activities, including voter registration or voter drop boxes for early voting.</li><li>The lawsuit said that the order allows the Department of Education to allow federal work study funds to “support voter registration” activities.</li>
 </ul>“There is little detail about how agencies determine whether a third-party organization is ‘approved,’ ‘non-partisan,’ or what third-party organizations an agency can work with to promote voter registration,” the lawsuit said. “A rule that permits federal agencies to engage in voter registration activities trenches on States’ constitutionally protected sovereign rights.”From a practical standpoint, the states claim that the federal government’s executive order doesn’t just exceed the constitution, but could threaten efforts in the individual states.“The vast resources of the federal government render it unique among all possible entities engaged in voter registration. Because of the resources it can bring to bear, the federal government can engage in voter registration activities on a scale that will, as a practical matter, swamp any state’s attempt to regulate the government’s actions,” the lawsuit said.Knudsen, Montana’s Attorney General, echoed that sentiment when he announced the lawsuit from Helena on Tuesday.“Fair elections are an essential part of our country’s republic. Congress gave the states the power to oversee elections years ago,”&nbsp;Knudsen said.&nbsp;“I will not stand by while the Biden-Harris administration attempts to shamelessly garner votes by employing its own agencies to register voters and disregard states’ own voter registration systems, putting the integrity of our elections at risk.”The states also said that encouraging a variety of different agencies without proper training put the elections at risk of fraud.“They failed to consider the risk of fraud or to implement actions to prevent fraud, which threatens the integrity of state administration of elections,” the states said. “This includes, at a minimum, ensuring that illegal aliens do not register to vote through the plans the agency defendants put in place.”It is already against federal law for noncitizens to vote in elections.The states conclude the lawsuit by saying that the plans in the executive order weren’t motivated to help resident register to vote, rather they are part of a Democrat plan.“(The executive order) was motivated by a partisan desire to unfairly increase the Democrat vote as shown by the fact that the order came from left-wing, progressive groups,” the lawsuit claims. “The purpose is to promote left-wing politicians and policies at elections.”<a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2024/08/15/nine-gop-led-attorneys-general-sue-biden-administration-over-voter-registration-efforts/" target="_blank">This story</a>&nbsp;was produced by Daily Montanan, a States Newsroom affiliate.

Nine GOP-led attorneys general sue Biden administration over voter registration efforts

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a school threat in Shawnee County and have made an arrest.

Just before 9p.m. Thursday, an attentive parent contacted the Shawnee County Sheriff's office to report pictures and a text message they found on their child's cell phone, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

The photos and text messages had been sent to the child from another juvenile's cell phone and referenced a potential school shooting.&nbsp; Law enforcement were able to confirm the identity of the juvenile responsible for sending the pictures and threatening text messages

Following an investigation, home assessment and interview with the parents of the juvenile responsible for sending the text message, the 12-year-old was transported to Juvenile Intake and Assessment, according to Deputy Christian.&nbsp; Deputies also seized a black Glock Airsoft pistol.

Law enforcement takes every threat seriously. Parents are strongly encouraged to talk with their children about the seriousness and potential consequences of this type of conduct. The sheriff's office applauds the parent in this matter who came forward and immediately reported it to law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723855051530.png" alt="Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a school threat in Shawnee County and have made an arrest.Just before 9p.m. Thursday, an attentive parent contacted the Shawnee County Sheriff's office to report pictures and a text message they found on their child's cell phone, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.The photos and text messages had been sent to the child from another juvenile's cell phone and referenced a potential school shooting.&nbsp; Law enforcement were able to confirm the identity of the juvenile responsible for sending the pictures and threatening text messagesFollowing an investigation, home assessment and interview with the parents of the juvenile responsible for sending the text message, the 12-year-old was transported to Juvenile Intake and Assessment, according to Deputy Christian.&nbsp; Deputies also seized a black Glock Airsoft pistol.Law enforcement takes every threat seriously. Parents are strongly encouraged to talk with their children about the seriousness and potential consequences of this type of conduct. The sheriff's office applauds the parent in this matter who came forward and immediately reported it to law enforcement.

12-year-old in custody for alleged Kansas school shooting threat

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a gunfight at a funeral in Wichita has admitted his role in the crime and will face reduced charges.

Last week,&nbsp;Demetrious Carter, 19, pled guilty to aggravated endangering of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He had&nbsp; originally been charged with with two counts of aggravated assault.

On June 16, 2023.&nbsp; police were dispatched to a shooting call at Life Center Church in the 1100 block of North Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders encountered a chaotic scene and a crowd of more than 50 people running in different directions. During the initial response officers located an 18-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to his right forearm and provided life-saving measures. The 18-year-old victim later identified as Carter was treated for his serious but not life-threatening injuries.

The investigation revealed that several suspects arrived at the parking lot of the church and confronted a large group of people attending a funeral right outside the main door.

After a brief verbal altercation between both groups, an unknown number of people from both groups started to shoot at each other. After initial interviews, officers arrested Carter and transported him to investigations for further questioning before an arrest.

During the incident, several vehicles, and residences around and in front of the church’s parking lot were hit with gunfire. Police also recovered several firearms from the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687431619099.png" alt="Carter photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Carter photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a gunfight at a funeral in Wichita has admitted his role in the crime and will face reduced charges.Last week,&nbsp;Demetrious Carter, 19, pled guilty to aggravated endangering of a child, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; He had&nbsp; originally been charged with with two counts of aggravated assault.On June 16, 2023.&nbsp; police were dispatched to a shooting call at Life Center Church in the 1100 block of North Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686967298655.png" alt="First responders at the church -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the church -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders encountered a chaotic scene and a crowd of more than 50 people running in different directions. During the initial response officers located an 18-year-old victim with a gunshot wound to his right forearm and provided life-saving measures. The 18-year-old victim later identified as Carter was treated for his serious but not life-threatening injuries.The investigation revealed that several suspects arrived at the parking lot of the church and confronted a large group of people attending a funeral right outside the main door.After a brief verbal altercation between both groups, an unknown number of people from both groups started to shoot at each other. After initial interviews, officers arrested Carter and transported him to investigations for further questioning before an arrest.During the incident, several vehicles, and residences around and in front of the church’s parking lot were hit with gunfire. Police also recovered several firearms from the scene.&nbsp;

Charges reduced for Kan. teen in gunfight outside church funeral

KANSAS CITY— Eighteen members and associates of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club have been indicted by a federal grand jury for a series of armed assaults against members of rival motorcycle clubs, according to the United State's Attorney.

A law enforcement operation conducted Thursday resulted in 15 arrests along with the execution of seven search warrants; two of the defendants were already in custody. More than a dozen law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation that also resulted in the seizure of more than 40 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor and a marijuana grow operation. According to the indictment, Pagan’s is a violent criminal organization that engaged in racketeering, an enterprise that involved illegal drug trafficking. Pagan’s maintains chapters in numerous states, including multiple active chapters in Missouri and Kansas.

Christopher W. McGowen, also known as “Mac,” 40, of Platte City, Mo.; Arthur L. Reynolds III, also known as “Straight Edge,” 48, and Jarrid A. Hammer, also known as “Hammer,” 45, both of Independence, Mo.; Jeremiah Z. Hahn, also known as “Pass Out,” 41, and John J. Hahn, also known as “Krazy Legs,” 46, both of Cameron, Mo.; Charles E. Smith, Jr., also known as “Crash,” 38, and James W. Prettyman, also known as “Rugby,” 42, both of Blue Springs, Mo.; Mark A. Cottman, also known as “One Shot,” 49, of Kansas City, Mo.; Bryan S. Fletcher, also known as “Fletch,” 48, and Mark A. Crump, also known as “Navajo,” 54, both of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; Jeffrey S. Hannah, also known as “Got-It,” 42, of Grain Valley, Mo.; Eric M. Forsyth, Jr., also known as “EZ,” 34, of Oak Grove, Mo.; Robert W. Miller, also known as “Flipper,” 46, and Brandon S. Hodge, also known as “Youngblood,” 25, both of Joplin, Mo.; Monty L. Mitchell, also known as “Smoke,” 58, of Windsor, Mo.; Alan M. Thornton, also known as “Bones,” 40, of Holden, Mo.; John Travis Fisher, also known as “T-Bone,” 51, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma; and Graham S. Gattis, also known as “Dro,” 40, of Panama City, Florida, were charged in a five-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 7, 2024.

The federal indictment was unsealed and made public today following the arrests of the defendants.

The indictment alleges that Pagan’s is territorial and protects its territory from rival motorcycle clubs through violence and intimidation. The primary rivals to Pagan’s in Missouri include the Hells Angels, Outlaws, El Forastero, Galloping Goose, Sons of Silence, and the Bandidos. When members of rival motorcycle clubs were in areas Pagan’s believed to be under its control, says the indictment, Pagan’s threatened and intimidated them with violence. Pagan’s tried to eliminate other motorcycle gangs completely from their territory by assaulting, robbing, extorting and sometimes attempting to murder them, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges a series of assaults were committed as part of Pagan’s racketeering enterprise.

McGowen and Jeremiah Hahn are charged together in one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. &nbsp;The indictment alleges they assaulted a rival motorcycle gang member with a dangerous weapon on May 30, 2022.

McGowen, Reynolds, Smith, Miller, Prettyman, Mitchell, Cottman, John Hahn, Gattis, Forsyth, Fletcher, Hannah, and Hodge are charged together in one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. The indictment alleges they assaulted a rival motorcycle gang member with a dangerous weapon on Sept. 17, 2022.

McGowen, Jeremiah Hahn, Smith, Fisher, Miller, Prettyman, Mitchell, and Thornton are charged together in one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. The indictment alleges they attempted to assault a rival motorcycle gang member with a dangerous weapon on Sept. 3, 2022.

McGowen, Reynolds, Smith, Miller, Prettyman, Mitchell, Cottman, John Hahn, Gattis, Forsyth, Fletcher, Hannah and Hodge are charged together in one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The indictment alleges they discharged a firearm during an assault on Sept. 17, 2022.

Cottman, Hammer, and Crump are charged together in one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering. The indictment alleges they seriously injured a rival motorcycle gang member during an assault on July 20, 2023.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Today’s law enforcement operation included the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, the Oak Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and FBI national assets and field offices in St. Louis, Mo., Las Vegas, Nev., and Knoxville, Tenn.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723844162274.png" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— Eighteen members and associates of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club have been indicted by a federal grand jury for a series of armed assaults against members of rival motorcycle clubs, according to the United State's Attorney.A law enforcement operation conducted Thursday resulted in 15 arrests along with the execution of seven search warrants; two of the defendants were already in custody. More than a dozen law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation that also resulted in the seizure of more than 40 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor and a marijuana grow operation. According to the indictment, Pagan’s is a violent criminal organization that engaged in racketeering, an enterprise that involved illegal drug trafficking. Pagan’s maintains chapters in numerous states, including multiple active chapters in Missouri and Kansas.Christopher W. McGowen, also known as “Mac,” 40, of Platte City, Mo.; Arthur L. Reynolds III, also known as “Straight Edge,” 48, and Jarrid A. Hammer, also known as “Hammer,” 45, both of Independence, Mo.; Jeremiah Z. Hahn, also known as “Pass Out,” 41, and John J. Hahn, also known as “Krazy Legs,” 46, both of Cameron, Mo.; Charles E. Smith, Jr., also known as “Crash,” 38, and James W. Prettyman, also known as “Rugby,” 42, both of Blue Springs, Mo.; Mark A. Cottman, also known as “One Shot,” 49, of Kansas City, Mo.; Bryan S. Fletcher, also known as “Fletch,” 48, and Mark A. Crump, also known as “Navajo,” 54, both of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; Jeffrey S. Hannah, also known as “Got-It,” 42, of Grain Valley, Mo.; Eric M. Forsyth, Jr., also known as “EZ,” 34, of Oak Grove, Mo.; Robert W. Miller, also known as “Flipper,” 46, and Brandon S. Hodge, also known as “Youngblood,” 25, both of Joplin, Mo.; Monty L. Mitchell, also known as “Smoke,” 58, of Windsor, Mo.; Alan M. Thornton, also known as “Bones,” 40, of Holden, Mo.; John Travis Fisher, also known as “T-Bone,” 51, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma; and Graham S. Gattis, also known as “Dro,” 40, of Panama City, Florida, were charged in a five-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 7, 2024.The federal indictment was unsealed and made public today following the arrests of the defendants.The indictment alleges that Pagan’s is territorial and protects its territory from rival motorcycle clubs through violence and intimidation. The primary rivals to Pagan’s in Missouri include the Hells Angels, Outlaws, El Forastero, Galloping Goose, Sons of Silence, and the Bandidos. When members of rival motorcycle clubs were in areas Pagan’s believed to be under its control, says the indictment, Pagan’s threatened and intimidated them with violence. Pagan’s tried to eliminate other motorcycle gangs completely from their territory by assaulting, robbing, extorting and sometimes attempting to murder them, according to the indictment.The indictment alleges a series of assaults were committed as part of Pagan’s racketeering enterprise.McGowen and Jeremiah Hahn are charged together in one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. &nbsp;The indictment alleges they assaulted a rival motorcycle gang member with a dangerous weapon on May 30, 2022.McGowen, Reynolds, Smith, Miller, Prettyman, Mitchell, Cottman, John Hahn, Gattis, Forsyth, Fletcher, Hannah, and Hodge are charged together in one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. The indictment alleges they assaulted a rival motorcycle gang member with a dangerous weapon on Sept. 17, 2022.McGowen, Jeremiah Hahn, Smith, Fisher, Miller, Prettyman, Mitchell, and Thornton are charged together in one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. The indictment alleges they attempted to assault a rival motorcycle gang member with a dangerous weapon on Sept. 3, 2022.McGowen, Reynolds, Smith, Miller, Prettyman, Mitchell, Cottman, John Hahn, Gattis, Forsyth, Fletcher, Hannah and Hodge are charged together in one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The indictment alleges they discharged a firearm during an assault on Sept. 17, 2022.Cottman, Hammer, and Crump are charged together in one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering. The indictment alleges they seriously injured a rival motorcycle gang member during an assault on July 20, 2023.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.Today’s law enforcement operation included the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, the Oak Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and FBI national assets and field offices in St. Louis, Mo., Las Vegas, Nev., and Knoxville, Tenn.

Feds accuse motorcycle club members of crimes in Kan. and Mo.

Some dispensaries and facilities are still quarantining recalled products from last year

State regulators issued two cannabis recall notices last week involving 135,000 marijuana products — more than double&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/16/state-faces-pushback-from-missouri-marijuana-industry-over-product-recall/">Missouri’s first massive cannabis product recall</a>&nbsp;exactly one year ago.

“I’ve never seen recalls of this magnitude in any other state,” said Nick Rinella, CEO of Hippos Cannabis. “This is kind of unprecedented.”

Since the announcement, Rinella and facility owners around the state have scrambled to quarantine thousands of vapes, edibles and pre-rolled joints in their secure vaults. Now they’ll wait until state regulators tell them what to do with those products.

Problem is, some of them are still holding products from last year’s recall, which centered around&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/11/missouri-company-at-center-of-cannabis-recall-used-hemp-instead-of-marijuana-in-products/">Robertsville-based manufacturer Delta Extraction</a>, because that recall is still being challenged. However, others opted to work with the state to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/06/companies-can-now-work-with-state-to-destroy-recalled-missouri-marijuana-products/">destroy those products</a>.

That’s where “the stress comes from,” said Mark Hendren, president of Flora Farms cannabis company.&nbsp;

If a dispensary or facility has a small vault, he said, “and you have product that you have to quarantine, it makes it difficult space wise for you to bring in other inventory to keep the business moving.”

The first recall notice came on the night of Aug. 6, stating the Division of Cannabis Regulation was working “in partnership” with Marceline-based cultivation facility NGWMO LLC to “alert to patients and consumers about a mandatory product recall.”

The grow facility is run by Nature’s Grace and Wellness, which founded a family-owned farm in Vermont, Ill., in 2014 after the state passed medical marijuana. Tim O’Hern, COO and general counsel of Nature’s Grace, is listed as the designated contact for the facility.

This recall involves 2,650 products and has to do with the products being tested too soon in the process.

“The recalled marijuana products were not compliantly tested prior to being sold to patients and consumers,” the notice states. “The recalled marijuana product was tested at the unprocessed bud/flower stage rather than being tested at the final marijuana product stage…”

The second notice came two days later for the Springfield-based manufacturing facility C&amp;C Manufacturing LLC. Notably, it didn’t include the “in partnership” language.&nbsp;

It lists about 133,000 products, which regulators said were not properly tracked in the state’s “seed to sale” tracing system called Metrc.

“Therefore,” the notice states, “DCR cannot verify compliance with health and safety requirements.”&nbsp;

However, the division emphasized that no adverse reactions involving recalled products have been reported.

Matt Cummins, CEO of GOAT Extracts, is listed as the designated contact for the facility and a number of GOAT products are on the list.&nbsp;

The Independent reached out to both companies for comment and did not receive a response.

Adrienne Scales-Williams, owner of St. Louis dispensary Luxury Leaf, agreed that storage space for the recalled products is challenging. And while there’s uncertainty on how long the products will need to be contained, she said she trusts the state is doing their due diligence to investigate the issue.&nbsp;

“We’ve been through this before,” Scales-Williams said. “When it’s not your first ride in the rodeo, you just handle it.”

The recall for the Springfield manufacturer is so widespread because the company specializes in making distillate, or THC concentrate&nbsp;that produces a high in edibles and vape pens.

Other manufacturers statewide&nbsp;bought the distillate and used it to make numerous brands of vapes, edibles or pre-rolled joints, including&nbsp;Rove, Zen and Packarillos.&nbsp;

The recall time frame is also quite wide. It goes back&nbsp;to&nbsp;last year when companies were trying to ramp up for recreational marijuana sales, Rinella said.&nbsp;

Rinella bought some of C&amp;C’s distillate in October when Hippos’ own supply was low at its grow and manufacturing facilities, he said.

But he emphasized that this recall is not because of lack of testing. Once Rinella and other manufacturers got the distillate and made products with it, those were “properly tested” before they went on the shelves, he said.

“We can feel confident that those products were safe,” he said. “They passed all the tests, and we have some of the most stringent tests in the country.”

The division<a href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/cannabis/recalls.php" target="_blank">&nbsp;lists the recalled products&nbsp;</a>in two Excel sheets. One is “product recall list,” which includes the identifiers that the manufacturers use to track products. The division also posted a “consumer recall list” that includes numbers that customers are more likely to see on their products.&nbsp;

The division advises patients and consumers to stop using the products and return them to the dispensary. “Returned products will not count toward a patient’s purchase limit,” it states.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also any adverse reactions should be reported to the&nbsp;<a href="mailto:CannabisComplaints@health.mo.gov">division of cannabis by email</a>&nbsp; or through<a href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/cannabis/pdf/580-3338s.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;an online complaint form</a>.&nbsp;

Just like C&amp;C Manufacturing, the state’s first recall on Aug. 2, 2023 centered around a distillate that was sold to numerous other manufacturers.

Also similarly, Delta Extraction’s products were recalled due to the state’s inability to track the ingredients to make the distillate on Metrc, which starts tracking marijuana plants from the moment they’re planted in Missouri.

In that case, Delta was selling a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/missouri-cannabis-recall-hemp/">distillate that was mostly made up of hemp-derived THC</a>, using hemp that wasn’t grown in Missouri and couldn’t be tracked.&nbsp;

Delta mixed it with a small amount of THC from marijuana grown in Missouri. It’s much less expensive to make distillate from out-state hemp than Missouri-grown marijuana, but Delta’s consumers still paid marijuana prices.&nbsp;

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/11/farm-bill-debate-includes-hemp-regulation-as-issue-takes-center-stage-in-missouri-recall/">Hemp isn’t a controlled substance</a>&nbsp;and can legally cross state lines, unlike marijuana.

The company appealed both the recall and the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">revocation of their cannabis business license</a>&nbsp;before the Administrative Hearing Commission, challenging whether or not the state has the authority to regulate hemp products.&nbsp;

In March, Commissioner Carol Illes&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/07/three-day-hearing-reveals-behind-the-scenes-details-of-missouri-marijuana-recall/">heard three days of testimony and evidence</a>&nbsp;and has yet to release her decision.&nbsp;

Days before the two recent recalls, Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;banning intoxicating hemp products and threatening penalties to any establishment with a Missouri liquor license or that sells food products for selling them.&nbsp;

According to the order, licensed cannabis dispensaries can’t sell these products either because the hemp used to make them has to be grown in Missouri and tracked through Metrc. Nearly all of these products currently on the market — and the ones that Delta used — are made from hemp grown in other states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723840539777.png" alt="Missouri’s Division of Cannabis Regulation has issued a product recall for marijuana products sold by C&amp;C Manufacturing, LLC and NGWMO LLC (Courtesy of DHSS)." />
 <figcaption>Missouri’s Division of Cannabis Regulation has issued a product recall for marijuana products sold by C&amp;C Manufacturing, LLC and NGWMO LLC (Courtesy of DHSS).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Some dispensaries and facilities are still quarantining recalled products from last year</h2>State regulators issued two cannabis recall notices last week involving 135,000 marijuana products — more than double&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/16/state-faces-pushback-from-missouri-marijuana-industry-over-product-recall/">Missouri’s first massive cannabis product recall</a>&nbsp;exactly one year ago.“I’ve never seen recalls of this magnitude in any other state,” said Nick Rinella, CEO of Hippos Cannabis. “This is kind of unprecedented.”Since the announcement, Rinella and facility owners around the state have scrambled to quarantine thousands of vapes, edibles and pre-rolled joints in their secure vaults. Now they’ll wait until state regulators tell them what to do with those products.Problem is, some of them are still holding products from last year’s recall, which centered around&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/11/missouri-company-at-center-of-cannabis-recall-used-hemp-instead-of-marijuana-in-products/">Robertsville-based manufacturer Delta Extraction</a>, because that recall is still being challenged. However, others opted to work with the state to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/06/companies-can-now-work-with-state-to-destroy-recalled-missouri-marijuana-products/">destroy those products</a>.That’s where “the stress comes from,” said Mark Hendren, president of Flora Farms cannabis company.&nbsp;If a dispensary or facility has a small vault, he said, “and you have product that you have to quarantine, it makes it difficult space wise for you to bring in other inventory to keep the business moving.”The first recall notice came on the night of Aug. 6, stating the Division of Cannabis Regulation was working “in partnership” with Marceline-based cultivation facility NGWMO LLC to “alert to patients and consumers about a mandatory product recall.”The grow facility is run by Nature’s Grace and Wellness, which founded a family-owned farm in Vermont, Ill., in 2014 after the state passed medical marijuana. Tim O’Hern, COO and general counsel of Nature’s Grace, is listed as the designated contact for the facility.This recall involves 2,650 products and has to do with the products being tested too soon in the process.“The recalled marijuana products were not compliantly tested prior to being sold to patients and consumers,” the notice states. “The recalled marijuana product was tested at the unprocessed bud/flower stage rather than being tested at the final marijuana product stage…”The second notice came two days later for the Springfield-based manufacturing facility C&amp;C Manufacturing LLC. Notably, it didn’t include the “in partnership” language.&nbsp;It lists about 133,000 products, which regulators said were not properly tracked in the state’s “seed to sale” tracing system called Metrc.“Therefore,” the notice states, “DCR cannot verify compliance with health and safety requirements.”&nbsp;However, the division emphasized that no adverse reactions involving recalled products have been reported.Matt Cummins, CEO of GOAT Extracts, is listed as the designated contact for the facility and a number of GOAT products are on the list.&nbsp;The Independent reached out to both companies for comment and did not receive a response.Adrienne Scales-Williams, owner of St. Louis dispensary Luxury Leaf, agreed that storage space for the recalled products is challenging. And while there’s uncertainty on how long the products will need to be contained, she said she trusts the state is doing their due diligence to investigate the issue.&nbsp;“We’ve been through this before,” Scales-Williams said. “When it’s not your first ride in the rodeo, you just handle it.”<h2>The impact</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723840480955.png" alt=" (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure>The recall for the Springfield manufacturer is so widespread because the company specializes in making distillate, or THC concentrate&nbsp;that produces a high in edibles and vape pens.Other manufacturers statewide&nbsp;bought the distillate and used it to make numerous brands of vapes, edibles or pre-rolled joints, including&nbsp;Rove, Zen and Packarillos.&nbsp;The recall time frame is also quite wide. It goes back&nbsp;to&nbsp;last year when companies were trying to ramp up for recreational marijuana sales, Rinella said.&nbsp;Rinella bought some of C&amp;C’s distillate in October when Hippos’ own supply was low at its grow and manufacturing facilities, he said.But he emphasized that this recall is not because of lack of testing. Once Rinella and other manufacturers got the distillate and made products with it, those were “properly tested” before they went on the shelves, he said.“We can feel confident that those products were safe,” he said. “They passed all the tests, and we have some of the most stringent tests in the country.”The division<a href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/cannabis/recalls.php" target="_blank">&nbsp;lists the recalled products&nbsp;</a>in two Excel sheets. One is “product recall list,” which includes the identifiers that the manufacturers use to track products. The division also posted a “consumer recall list” that includes numbers that customers are more likely to see on their products.&nbsp;The division advises patients and consumers to stop using the products and return them to the dispensary. “Returned products will not count toward a patient’s purchase limit,” it states.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also any adverse reactions should be reported to the&nbsp;<a href="mailto:CannabisComplaints@health.mo.gov">division of cannabis by email</a>&nbsp; or through<a href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/cannabis/pdf/580-3338s.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;an online complaint form</a>.&nbsp;<h2>Delta Extraction</h2>Just like C&amp;C Manufacturing, the state’s first recall on Aug. 2, 2023 centered around a distillate that was sold to numerous other manufacturers.Also similarly, Delta Extraction’s products were recalled due to the state’s inability to track the ingredients to make the distillate on Metrc, which starts tracking marijuana plants from the moment they’re planted in Missouri.In that case, Delta was selling a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/25/missouri-cannabis-recall-hemp/">distillate that was mostly made up of hemp-derived THC</a>, using hemp that wasn’t grown in Missouri and couldn’t be tracked.&nbsp;Delta mixed it with a small amount of THC from marijuana grown in Missouri. It’s much less expensive to make distillate from out-state hemp than Missouri-grown marijuana, but Delta’s consumers still paid marijuana prices.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/11/farm-bill-debate-includes-hemp-regulation-as-issue-takes-center-stage-in-missouri-recall/">Hemp isn’t a controlled substance</a>&nbsp;and can legally cross state lines, unlike marijuana.The company appealed both the recall and the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/16/cannabis-regulators-to-revoke-license-of-missouri-company-at-center-of-recall/">revocation of their cannabis business license</a>&nbsp;before the Administrative Hearing Commission, challenging whether or not the state has the authority to regulate hemp products.&nbsp;In March, Commissioner Carol Illes&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/07/three-day-hearing-reveals-behind-the-scenes-details-of-missouri-marijuana-recall/">heard three days of testimony and evidence</a>&nbsp;and has yet to release her decision.&nbsp;Days before the two recent recalls, Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;banning intoxicating hemp products and threatening penalties to any establishment with a Missouri liquor license or that sells food products for selling them.&nbsp;According to the order, licensed cannabis dispensaries can’t sell these products either because the hemp used to make them has to be grown in Missouri and tracked through Metrc. Nearly all of these products currently on the market — and the ones that Delta used — are made from hemp grown in other states.

‘Unprecedented’: Second massive Missouri cannabis recall leaves some companies scrambling

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged aggravated battery involving a pair of scissors.

Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday,&nbsp; police filed a report of aggravated battery in the 2100 block of Poyntz Avenue, according to the Riley County&nbsp; Police Department activity re port.&nbsp;

Two men, ages 73 and 41, reported they were battered with a pair of scissors by a juvenile. &nbsp;The victims were treated for their injuries on-site and did not require transport to the hospital.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged aggravated battery involving a pair of scissors.Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday,&nbsp; police filed a report of aggravated battery in the 2100 block of Poyntz Avenue, according to the Riley County&nbsp; Police Department activity re port.&nbsp;Two men, ages 73 and 41, reported they were battered with a pair of scissors by a juvenile. &nbsp;The victims were treated for their injuries on-site and did not require transport to the hospital.Police released no additional details.

Police investigating juvenile's scissors attack on 2 adults

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">SUZANNE KING</a>&nbsp;

Last year, when COVID vaccines were still free, barely one in five Americans rolled up their sleeves for the latest dose.

Now that some people will have to pay $100-plus for the shot, health officials expect even weaker demand when the next version of the vaccine comes out this fall.

Meanwhile, a surprisingly strong summer surge of COVID cases sweeps across Kansas and Missouri.

As students head back to school, more people are testing positive, ending up in emergency rooms and getting hospitalized with the virus,&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Kansas City, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/weekly-covid-19-snapshots" target="_blank">reported case rate</a>&nbsp;at the end of July was more than double the same week last year and edging toward last winter’s rate. At the same time, wastewater testing in Kansas and Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-statetrend.html" target="_blank">showed</a>&nbsp;viral activity that surpassed national and regional levels.

Of course, the virus is nothing like it used to be. At the height of the pandemic in January of 2021, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_weeklypctdeaths_00" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that almost 30% of weekly deaths in the U.S. could be attributed to COVID. For the week of Aug. 3, the disease was blamed for 1.5% of U.S. deaths.

But the picture would look quite different without the vaccine, experts said. At the same time, some health professionals trace August’s surge to low vaccination rates last September and October.

“The urgency of COVID has obviously gone down,” said Cecelia Thomas, a health policy consultant with Washington-based Venn Strategies. “People are now getting it or they’re seeing people get it and it’s like a cold. Not even a bad cold. But I don’t think they’re realizing that it’s not as bad because they are vaccinated.”

Immunity wanes over time as the virus mutates. Getting an updated COVID shot every year, doctors advise, helps your immune system keep pace with changes. But last year, as life seemed to have returned to normal for most people, many Americans took a pass on the COVID shot.

At the start of December, the height of vaccine season, only 16% of adults had&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2023/12/11/new-covid-vaccine-no-interest/" target="_blank">gotten</a>&nbsp;the updated shot. The rate had only ticked up to 22.5% by the middle of May.

Scientists have come to expect a summer rise in COVID cases because the virus is cyclical, ebbing and waning in temperate climates as seasons change. But the current COVID surge has caught some health experts by surprise. It’s infecting more people and sending more patients to hospitals.

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, blames the higher than expected number of cases on last year’s lackluster vaccination rates.

“Many of the people being hospitalized today did not receive the vaccine last fall,” he said.

Hospitals&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/05/10/hospitals-can-stop-reporting-covid-data/" target="_blank">no longer report</a>&nbsp;the number of patients admitted with COVID. But at least anecdotally, doctors say, they’re seeing more people getting sick with the virus. And some people most at risk are getting really sick.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious-disease doctor at the University of Kansas Health System, said people should be aware of the current risk, especially if their age or underlying health puts them at higher risk for getting severely ill.

“Have a plan,” he said, “especially if you are at high risk.”

That can include wearing a mask in crowded places, being careful about hand hygiene, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth when in public and, of course, getting up to date on your vaccine.

An updated COVID vaccine, recommended annually for anyone 6 months and older, can prevent severe illness and reduce the chances that you’ll end up with long COVID.

But getting a current vaccine is about to get a lot harder, especially for patients who are uninsured.

COVID vaccines will likely cost more this fall

During the height of the pandemic, COVID vaccinations were free to everyone. People only needed to sign up for an appointment online and walk into a nearby pharmacy. No cash needed.

When the federal government lifted the Public Health Emergency in May of 2023, people covered by Medicare or Medicaid and most people with private insurance could still get the shot without paying a copay. People without insurance got free shots through the $1 billion federal Bridge Access Program.

That was meant to cover the gap so all COVID shots remained free through the end of 2024. In the meantime, the CDC promised to establish a new program to make sure uninsured adults could continue getting free COVID vaccines. It was to be modeled after the federal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines-for-children/about/index.html" target="_blank">Vaccines for Children</a>&nbsp;program, which pays for vaccines for minors whose families can’t afford them.

But that program hasn’t come to fruition. And, thanks to congressional budget cuts, funding for the Bridge Access Program is running out early. Meanwhile, people with private insurance may have to pay a copay to get the shot.

For someone without insurance, the shot can cost more than $100. The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment’s website lists the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jocogov.org/department/health/respiratory-illness-guidance/covid-19-vaccine" target="_blank">out-of-pocket cost</a>&nbsp;for a COVID shot as $160.

Even when a shot is covered by insurance, many health departments charge an administration fee. In Johnson County and for the Wyandotte County Public Health Department, that amounts to $20 for COVID or any other vaccine.

Vaccine access will vary by health department

Public health officials around the Kansas City area are varied in how they plan to handle the lack of federal funding for COVID shots.

The Wyandotte County Public Health Department won’t offer any free COVID vaccines for adults this fall. Jackson County Public Health has allocated American Rescue Plan funds to cover the cost of offering free vaccines to uninsured adults through the end of the year. And Platte County is weighing how to allocate expected state funding for COVID and flu vaccines.

Money won’t stretch as far if the county chooses to offer the COVID shot, which is much more costly than the flu vaccine, said Aaron Smullin, Platte County Health Department spokesman.

“We are evaluating data on COVID/flu hospitalizations and deaths to decide how to allocate our resources,” Smullin wrote in an email response. “Without current (Bridge) funding, we face the difficult choice of whether to immunize 500 people against flu or 125 against COVID.”

Public health officials fear that any added expense and complication will lead many people to forego the shot again this fall. And that could mean more infections and hospitalizations during future a COVID surge.

The current strains of COVID infecting most people this summer — known as FLiRT variants — are related to Omicron, the version of the virus that swept across the world in late 2021. The variants are highly contagious and spread readily.

They are also still mild for most people who test positive. That’s because most people have immunity, either from previous infections or from getting the vaccine. But the evolving virus could still become more dangerous again, scientists said, which is why vaccines are so important.

“These vaccines have saved millions of lives around the world, including in the United States,” Schaffner said. “But you can’t get protected if the vaccine is in the refrigerator. It’s got to be in your arm to work.”

In addition to getting vaccinated, public health officials warn that people should test if they have symptoms and isolate and take other precautions like wearing a mask to avoid spreading the virus if they get sick. When someone tests positive, a doctor can prescribe an antiviral medication to prevent severe disease.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702563571528.png" alt="File photo A COVID-19 vacation appointments sign&nbsp; (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)" />
 <figcaption>File photo A COVID-19 vacation appointments sign&nbsp; (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">SUZANNE KING</a>&nbsp;Last year, when COVID vaccines were still free, barely one in five Americans rolled up their sleeves for the latest dose.Now that some people will have to pay $100-plus for the shot, health officials expect even weaker demand when the next version of the vaccine comes out this fall.Meanwhile, a surprisingly strong summer surge of COVID cases sweeps across Kansas and Missouri.As students head back to school, more people are testing positive, ending up in emergency rooms and getting hospitalized with the virus,&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In Kansas City, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/weekly-covid-19-snapshots" target="_blank">reported case rate</a>&nbsp;at the end of July was more than double the same week last year and edging toward last winter’s rate. At the same time, wastewater testing in Kansas and Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-statetrend.html" target="_blank">showed</a>&nbsp;viral activity that surpassed national and regional levels.Of course, the virus is nothing like it used to be. At the height of the pandemic in January of 2021, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_weeklypctdeaths_00" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that almost 30% of weekly deaths in the U.S. could be attributed to COVID. For the week of Aug. 3, the disease was blamed for 1.5% of U.S. deaths.But the picture would look quite different without the vaccine, experts said. At the same time, some health professionals trace August’s surge to low vaccination rates last September and October.“The urgency of COVID has obviously gone down,” said Cecelia Thomas, a health policy consultant with Washington-based Venn Strategies. “People are now getting it or they’re seeing people get it and it’s like a cold. Not even a bad cold. But I don’t think they’re realizing that it’s not as bad because they are vaccinated.”Immunity wanes over time as the virus mutates. Getting an updated COVID shot every year, doctors advise, helps your immune system keep pace with changes. But last year, as life seemed to have returned to normal for most people, many Americans took a pass on the COVID shot.At the start of December, the height of vaccine season, only 16% of adults had&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2023/12/11/new-covid-vaccine-no-interest/" target="_blank">gotten</a>&nbsp;the updated shot. The rate had only ticked up to 22.5% by the middle of May.<h2>Surprise summer surge</h2>Scientists have come to expect a summer rise in COVID cases because the virus is cyclical, ebbing and waning in temperate climates as seasons change. But the current COVID surge has caught some health experts by surprise. It’s infecting more people and sending more patients to hospitals.Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, blames the higher than expected number of cases on last year’s lackluster vaccination rates.“Many of the people being hospitalized today did not receive the vaccine last fall,” he said.Hospitals&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/05/10/hospitals-can-stop-reporting-covid-data/" target="_blank">no longer report</a>&nbsp;the number of patients admitted with COVID. But at least anecdotally, doctors say, they’re seeing more people getting sick with the virus. And some people most at risk are getting really sick.Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious-disease doctor at the University of Kansas Health System, said people should be aware of the current risk, especially if their age or underlying health puts them at higher risk for getting severely ill.“Have a plan,” he said, “especially if you are at high risk.”That can include wearing a mask in crowded places, being careful about hand hygiene, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth when in public and, of course, getting up to date on your vaccine.An updated COVID vaccine, recommended annually for anyone 6 months and older, can prevent severe illness and reduce the chances that you’ll end up with long COVID.But getting a current vaccine is about to get a lot harder, especially for patients who are uninsured.<h2>COVID vaccines will likely cost more this fall</h2>During the height of the pandemic, COVID vaccinations were free to everyone. People only needed to sign up for an appointment online and walk into a nearby pharmacy. No cash needed.When the federal government lifted the Public Health Emergency in May of 2023, people covered by Medicare or Medicaid and most people with private insurance could still get the shot without paying a copay. People without insurance got free shots through the $1 billion federal Bridge Access Program.That was meant to cover the gap so all COVID shots remained free through the end of 2024. In the meantime, the CDC promised to establish a new program to make sure uninsured adults could continue getting free COVID vaccines. It was to be modeled after the federal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines-for-children/about/index.html" target="_blank">Vaccines for Children</a>&nbsp;program, which pays for vaccines for minors whose families can’t afford them.But that program hasn’t come to fruition. And, thanks to congressional budget cuts, funding for the Bridge Access Program is running out early. Meanwhile, people with private insurance may have to pay a copay to get the shot.For someone without insurance, the shot can cost more than $100. The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment’s website lists the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jocogov.org/department/health/respiratory-illness-guidance/covid-19-vaccine" target="_blank">out-of-pocket cost</a>&nbsp;for a COVID shot as $160.Even when a shot is covered by insurance, many health departments charge an administration fee. In Johnson County and for the Wyandotte County Public Health Department, that amounts to $20 for COVID or any other vaccine.<h2>Vaccine access will vary by health department</h2>Public health officials around the Kansas City area are varied in how they plan to handle the lack of federal funding for COVID shots.The Wyandotte County Public Health Department won’t offer any free COVID vaccines for adults this fall. Jackson County Public Health has allocated American Rescue Plan funds to cover the cost of offering free vaccines to uninsured adults through the end of the year. And Platte County is weighing how to allocate expected state funding for COVID and flu vaccines.Money won’t stretch as far if the county chooses to offer the COVID shot, which is much more costly than the flu vaccine, said Aaron Smullin, Platte County Health Department spokesman.“We are evaluating data on COVID/flu hospitalizations and deaths to decide how to allocate our resources,” Smullin wrote in an email response. “Without current (Bridge) funding, we face the difficult choice of whether to immunize 500 people against flu or 125 against COVID.”Public health officials fear that any added expense and complication will lead many people to forego the shot again this fall. And that could mean more infections and hospitalizations during future a COVID surge.The current strains of COVID infecting most people this summer — known as FLiRT variants — are related to Omicron, the version of the virus that swept across the world in late 2021. The variants are highly contagious and spread readily.They are also still mild for most people who test positive. That’s because most people have immunity, either from previous infections or from getting the vaccine. But the evolving virus could still become more dangerous again, scientists said, which is why vaccines are so important.“These vaccines have saved millions of lives around the world, including in the United States,” Schaffner said. “But you can’t get protected if the vaccine is in the refrigerator. It’s got to be in your arm to work.”In addition to getting vaccinated, public health officials warn that people should test if they have symptoms and isolate and take other precautions like wearing a mask to avoid spreading the virus if they get sick. When someone tests positive, a doctor can prescribe an antiviral medication to prevent severe disease.<a href="https://testinglocator.cdc.gov/" target="_blank">No-cost testing</a>&nbsp;is still available at some pharmacies for people without insurance who have been exposed to COVID or have symptoms. And people who are infected, can&nbsp;<a href="https://treatments.hhs.gov/" target="_blank">apply</a>&nbsp;for free access to antiviral medication treatments like Paxlovid.This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/14/health-officials-warn-of-worsening-covid-surge-without-free-vaccines/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<figure>
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